2013...the start of a new year

Happy New Year everyone.  Welcome to 2013, a year full of promise and hard work.

The lead up to Christmas was a big one for us at the Blue Bird as we worked our little tails off to get the shop ready to receive guests en masse as family descended from NZ and around NSW and Victoria.  We had lino flooring laid in the final week (more on that later), and we catered for our first private function a day or two before Christmas.  So festive food was laid in a constant stream across our tables over several days through the week but thanks to lots of helpers, it was a very successful first family Christmas at the Blue Bird.  We are resurrecting a tradition that was one for many years in the Veneris and Matis families..holding the family Christmas lunch in the cafe. It was one of the few days of the year that Jack and Peter closed the shop to customers and indulged in a family gathering.

But even though we were closed to customers for the day, the steady stream of family members coming and going carrying food and drink across the Blue Bird's threshold attracted onlookers and a few travellers in need of directions and assistance.  We were happy to lend a hand and make the day a successful one all round.  There just seems to be something about the Blue Bird that draws people to the door.

And we had the spectacle of nature's fireworks to entertain us on Christmas Eve with a few thunderstorms passing through and lighting up the sky.  When it passed it left a gorgeous sunset and a balmy cool evening breeze to enjoy.

So now it is the beginning of the new year, the guests have gone home and we are straight back in to getting on with the restorations which are going well but still have a bit to finish off.  The temperature gauge is rising this week with 40+ degrees predicted for the next week.  So Roger is up on the roof getting the swampy working so we can continue to work in here.  The building's natural airflow has kept it quite cool up to now but we figure that we will need to give it a hand sooner or later with the air conditioner.