Queenscliff

Despite the fact that the boys and I do a great deal of stuff without Mister Fixit, I am a tad nervous about going away on holiday without his help. Especially if it is to a beach.This is because if Fixit comes, I know he'll do all the driving and all the getting into the cold ocean with the children, two things I'm not that keen on.



However, when I received an invitation from my friend Lucy (mother of Cherub's best friend) to come stay a couple of nights at a house in Queenscliff, it was easy to persuade myself that I could handle the drive and the swim. For a start, there was a 2-day heatwave forecast. Heatwaves in Melbourne are revolting, especially in our house. But heatwaves at the beach are a good thing, particularly for cold-water fearers like myself. And Fixit was rostered on night-shift all that week so things were only going to be topsy-turvy at home. Furthermore, we found out that Climber's best friend's family was also in Queenscliff on a little camping trip for the same few days. So in the end, the decision to pack the boys into the car and drive for a mere two hours down the highway wasn't that scary.



Boys and their Mums (and one aunt) in Queenscliff, that's what it was. Well, except for Lucy's Dad, who hired the house and spread his grandfatherly wings to enfold my two as well as his one. How could he not when my boys addressed him as Pa for the duration?



It was all so very easy. The Queenscliff beach is perfect for young children, with little waves just the right size for small boys to jump over and slightly bigger boys to try beginner body-surfing in. My two are at the age and level of water competence that I no longer need to be within arm's reach of them in the water. I could quite easily have stayed on the sand with the occasional shout of Climber don't go any deeper, but the aunt (of Climber's Best Friend, see above) had loaned me a wetsuit, so when I felt up to it I enjoyed my own little frolics in the water. And all we Mums had the same energy / motivation levels which meant that the ice-cream stops, beach visits or other activities (like the mini fun-fair) were enjoyable and simple to organise.



The boys were great and had a great time, particularly Climber who was delighted with everything.



And it was fabulous to share a house with another Mum; not only for girl-talk, trashy-mag sharing and champagne drinking but also because Mums do stuff without needing directions. All the meal preparation, bed-making, cleaning up, child-washing / feeding/ story-reading, all that work just happened when it ought and how it ought.

It was a holiday that actually felt like a holiday. But we will let Fixit come on the next one if he's good.