Donaldo had yet another in the seemingly series of work trips to Melbourne scheduled for today and suggested that it might be cool to make a weekend of it.

So we flew down on Saturday morning and stayed in very luxurious accommodations.

I took one of my very precious annual leave days to tool about the city today and flew back mid-afternoon (very appreciative of the qantas club pass), leaving Don to his workshop and very-much-later flight.

We had a totes brilliant time! We watched the ducks play (and hey, they won!), ate at our fave little creatures dining hall and the new to us, city wine shop and gazi – both highly recommended (wineshop, moreso – very excellent!).

When I suggested that I wanted to shop on Sunday, Don turned up his nose, but to whom do you think these rather full shopping bags belong?

of course the surprise afl minifigs + ducks card (which plays the theme song) are totes mine

Unlike Hobart, Melbourne is one of those ZOMG! When can we pack up and move here? locations. Though of course I am sure it would quickly lose its lustre if we did so.

Joe/Frank, as always, did an amazing job of minding the ranch and wrangling the kitties. You have no idea how proud and delighted this makes me.

If this trip has taught us one thing it is that we really need to get ourselves some feather pillows – stat! Also, perhaps we could pay Joe/Frank to perform a nightly turn-down service? Also (also) … a Giant Bath, with television or not, would be pretty excellent.

I’ve always wanted to be one of those partners who tags along on business trips (my own enslavement to my employer rather getting in the way of this), if only we could double Don’s salary, I could totally make it happen!