Morning Bliss

Having Paul home on long service leave has already been SO good.  Small projects have been worked on around the house.  Ikea furniture has been assembled (yes, I finally have a new desk). I've been able to pop out to run the odd errand despite Sophie having to be home for her mid-day nap.  The best perk of all though has been the little outings we've been able to do here and there.

Yesterday, the four of us headed out early morning on the family boat for a few hours, cruising up the Swan River.  It was bliss.  Watching all the cars banked up along the freeway stuck in traffic jams on their way to work made it feel all the more holiday-like.  The temperature was mild, the sky clear and blue and a sense of adventure filled the air.

We went under the Narrows Bridge, alongside the ferry terminals and past the city skyline, dotted with its  towering office buildings.  In East Perth, we pulled up alongside the jetty in the Claisebrook Inlet and stopped for morning tea at Toast, a quaint and cozy cafe with a distinct retro style of decor.  We enjoyed milkshakes, coffee, tea and delicious thick challah toast topped with Nutella before continuing on our journey.

To top off our great morning, we spotted a pair of friendly dolphins and so we stopped the boat for a bit and just drifted, watching them pop up out of the water all around us.  You can see in the photo above how they reappeared right up close next to us.  So magical.

The return journey was a bit bumpier and windier, but as I sat at the back of the boat, enjoying the fresh breeze, city views and blue sky together with my three loves, I was ever so grateful to be enjoying a much happier end to our week than the previous one.  Sophie thankfully dozed off nestled under Paul's arm (she'd been in a rather grizzly mood again) and Grace counted jellyfish as they bobbed past us.  We returned home with full bellies, sand between our toes and an eagerness to go for another little family boat cruise very soon...