Mini-moon

Hello friends!

So the last few days have been splendid and jam-packed (mmmm....jaaaaaam). You may recall that a certain newly married couple had a horriffic experience on their Hawaiian "mini-moon." It rivaled anything from those Chevy Chase Vacation movies and that Ashton Kutcher movie, "Just Married." In short, while it would've made GREAT TV, it was pretty freakin unromantic. In an effort to erase the Hawaiian Hell memories, Vaughan did something all too wonderful and booked his ridiculously surprised wife into the Seashells Resort Mandurah (where the staff, upon hearing our story of woe, upgraded us to their best seaside villa). In other words- SWEET BABY JEJE. 

Now, a word about Vaughan and I. In our previous lives (the ones where we didn't know one another), we were vaguely decent secret keepers. For whatever reason, that skill has flown completely out the window- to the point where we knew EVERYTHING we were getting from one another for Christmas, because the other person would be like "are you suuuuuuuuure you don't want to know?" Pressure like that just makes you crack. Anyhow, it came as a giant shock to myself that Vaughan managed to keep our new mini-moon destination a complete and utter surprise. Which was fantastic, because as I opened the three (yes, three) doors to our villa, I was completely blown away.

There were multiple rooms. A full-size kitchen with all the flatware. A barbeque on the deck outside. An entire wall-o-windows looking out onto the ocean. There was a flat screen TV, a fireplace, suede couches (IN A BEACH HOUSE?? That was a little worrisome- especially when Vaughan sat on it in wet boardshorts...), and a bedroom with "slidey" wood panels so that it was blocked off from the rest of the house. There was a huge jacuzzi tub, his and hers sinks, and one of those showers that always makes my entire family laugh. You know- a trophy wife shower- where the whole thing is see-through. I told Vaughan it would suck if you had friends staying over, because you'd have to kick everyone out of the whole bedroom, and then he pointed out that people probably didn't invite friends to their honeymoon, and then I shut up.

Oooh, the artwork inside was great as well- very tropical/seaside-esque. Vaughan only had problems with the one depicting seafood. Meanwhile, I was like one of those obnoxious people you see at the Louvre, who takes photos of artwork, like you're somehow going to put that in a scrapbook? Sell it on eBay? I don't know. I'll suffice it to say, that I'm using those photos as decorating inspiration when we get the "tropical house" we keep talking about, but don't have yet.

After being blown away by the majesty of our villa (remember that scene in Vegas Vacation, where Rusty gets the high roller suite? That's what we were acting like), we decided to go for a stroll on the boardwalk. It was really gorgeous. We watched seagulls floating in the marina, and I decided that I would like to be able to float like a seagull, wherein only my legs and tummy would get wet, but the rest of me would stay fully dry. I'll let you know how that goes. I got a smoothie (Orangutangy! Hehehehe) and V had a frozen cola, and we just sat down and enjoyed staring at one another. I am sure we are one of those couples that annoys everyone else, by looking way too happy just doing nothing together, but it didn't matter. Vaughan was patient enough to allow me to go look in clothing stores way out of my price range (you all would be very proud of me- I've been very good!) where I discovered what I consider a uniquely Australian fashion phenomenon. The fascinator. I know. It sounds totally dirty. But it's not. It's like a completely non-functional, minute, entirely decorative hat. For some odd reason, I've become really enamored of them, despite not having the slightest idea of how to wear them, or WHERE you'd where them. Church? The grocery store? Running? I'm not really sure...yet the fascination (ha!) continues.

We then picked up dinner (mmm Thai food!) and did the most romantic thing two people with a seaside villa to themselves can do. Yes friends, we watched Rush Hour 3 together. It was pure magic. 

The next morning we went for a stroll to Dome, which is like a much classier (I can't believe I'm going to say this), Starbucks. It was right on the water, and people were literally (parking??) their boats and walking in and ordering lattes and cappuccinos. I had a latte and wholegrain toast with fresh apricot preserves, all while reading Australian Vogue, and making my husband insanely jealous of Angelina Jolie, who was wearing a Bose aviation headset in her photo shoot. It was my perfect kind of breakfast. Then we walked to King Carnival, where we played put-put. And you are not going to believe this...I got THREE holes-in-one! Seriously. I'm not joking around here. You can even ask Vaughan. We will just gloss over the fact that I still lost, because what's really important is that I got THREE holes-in-one. And one of them was over a bridge! I actually had fun playing a hand-eye coordination game. Yes friends, see what love does to me?

Then we walked back to our car but not before entering an antique shop called Uncle Ho's (hehehehehehe). We had a lot of fun trying not to break everything in the store, and despite not being able to afford antique Chinese lacquer boxes, we DID receive two adorable drangonfly teaspoons from the store owner (he didn't look like Uncle Ho to me, but I wasn't about to ask...

After that we drove to work to pick up some stuff for V, and where his workmates finally got to meet the anonymous American girl he was marrying. "OHMYGAWWD IS THAT HER???"  I am happy to report that they were all delightful. Because we forgot lunch, we stopped at Bakers Delight for the BEST afternoon snack ever. Seriously, I know you guys are going to think I'm crazy, but when you get here, I'm making you try it. Behold...the Cheesey-mite scroll. It's Vegemite, it's cheddar. It's like a savory cinnamon roll of Aussie delight. And I ate two. And then I felt like crap. (Don't eat two at once- no matter HOW bad you think you want it).

We got library cards, and I had to continuously tell Vaughan "it's a library, you're screaming." Seriously you guys, I know you think I'm loud- but I'm pretty sure now that Vaughan outdoes even me. I almost peed my pants laughing in the movie theater a few days ago because I swear everyone in it must've heard him. Strangely, I find it one of his most endearing characteristics, and I hope I never have to stop telling him "Vaughan, this is a movie theater! Vaughan, this is a library! Vaughan this is the opera! Vaughan, this is a baptism!" Life is really fun with him-even sitting in the car on our way to Margs, quizzing him about IFR approaches is an adventure. I'm really excited for what tomorrow brings with him. 

More later!