Last Sunday of the month...

The Newmarket Mums' Christmas Lunch 2010

The last Sunday of the month, I meet with a group of friends for coffee and a chat. We've been doing this for about 8 years. We refer to ourselves as the 'Newmarket Mums' and one of our clever members has even organised a 'Google group' for us for easier communication. In a previous post, I explained how we all met when our children attended Newmarket State School. Two of us had also been teachers at the school and I had also been a student there!
We are all still mums of course but most of us are 'empty nesters' these days. Collectively we've all had our share of dramas; sometimes family dramas, sometimes work issues, quite a few health scares and issues, including depression affecting spouses as they head through middle age. We've shared the joys of grandchildren (vicariously for some of us), most of us have enjoyed overseas travel which we could not have imagined doing all those years ago when we struggled to stretch household budgets. We've celebrated 'milestone' birthdays, celebrated engagements and marriages of children, commiserated when some of the children divorced or when babies miscarried.

Some of the mums at my second wedding

Not one of these ladies were judgemental when I made the decision to leave husband #1; they were caring and supportive. When after a few years, I met B and later when I accepted a marriage proposal from the future DH they were all so happy for me, gave me a lovely pre-wedding party and a basket of clarins beauty products. They danced all night at our wedding and wished us well.

Some of the Newmarket Dads!

My brother gave me away!

I look forward to the last Sunday of the month. Over the years we've met at a number of cafes around the suburbs of Newmarket and Alderley. For a while we've been meeting at Gloria Jeans but we all insist on our coffee in a china cup! lol  We talked today about having a luncheon together in either late April or early May to celebrate my coming 'milestone' birthday...We've picked the venue- the Newmarket Hotel. I grew up in this suburb and the pub was a 'dive' but it's pleasing to report that this is no longer the case.