Rainy Day Play

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Dress: Asos neoprene

Sandals: Betts for Her patent

Bag: Novo patent

Scarf: Design Studio @ Myer chiffon

Necklace: TS beaded & diamante

Hinged Bangle: Wallace Bishop silver & elastic

Umbrella: TS

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Rainy days on school holidays require lateral thinking to occupy inquiring little minds & stop long-suffering parents from going stark-raving-mad. Cue Aunty Frances & a $3 visit to the local art gallery's Built For Speed "interactive experience" - where under 12s could make their own racing cars from Lego pieces before testing them on jumps of varying size & difficulty level - & you've got "rainy day play" in the bag!

By the way, check out this large Paris print "golf umbrella" that I received as a "Gift with Purchase" from TS sometime last year & was FINALLY able to use. It certainly came in handy as it was absolutely bucketing down! Hopefully the cool, refreshing rain will continue for the Australia Day long weekend (I can just about hear Belinda groaning from a mile away!) but I'm not holding my breath. Things can change pretty quickly during an Australian summer...

But I digress.

After a waterlogged walk through the mall, we arrived at our destination, which was basically a kiddie mosh pit, with small fry of all ages climbing over each other in an effort to garner the correct pieces to make an invincible racing machine that could survive even the infamous "7 foot conveyor belt" in the mezzanine area. 

Jeremy was really having none of it, preferring to watch other children have their creations completely trashed rather than make one of his own, so it was left up to Mummy & Aunty Frances to send their meagre offerings down the "Easy Level" ramp... & attempt to claw back their dignity when 4 & 5 year-olds were shooting them pitying glances... Well, particularly Belinda whose car wouldn't even GO! A helpful youngster pointed out that she had probably "placed the Lego pieces too close to the wheels," creating something akin to the breaks on a baby's pram... AND she did Physics in high school! 

I should point out, however, that Jeremy DID have some fun when he finally thawed out, using the computer to change the type & colour of a rally car before absolutely KILLING IT when designing his own racetrack in the downstairs foyer (where it wasn't quite as hectic); so much so that by the end, there was quite the crowd of kids using his design to blast a tiny Matchbox car down a thin piece of track where it then looped-the-loop & flew through the air, eventually landing in a bucket a few feet away... I don't think this was necessarily the "intended" outcome of the racetrack building exhibit, as some of the "facilitators" seemed slightly perturbed by the airborne trajectory of so many tiny vehicles!

When it came to fashion, I opted for comfort - which turned out to be good thing, as I spent most of my time kneeling at child size tables, sitting on floor cushions or bending over to take a closer look at various pieces of track - wearing an oversized/cocoon-shaped striped neoprene smock with a high neckline & sleeves, bought from Asos online. Free shipping to Australia... what's not to love?! 

My trusty black patent gladiator sandals & matching handbag were then added to the mix, a black & white floral print chiffon scarf tied into a bow around one of the handles for visual interest. Jewellery was kept simple yet effective - a silver hinged bangle & chunky statement necklace comprising of clear beads in the shape of flower petals with a silver & diamante circles in the centre to pick up on the floral theme of the scarf & add a little drama to the otherwise relaxed ensemble.

My favourite accessory of the day, it must be said, was from a little boy (about 4 or 5) who was having a ball making his own racetrack alongside Jeremy. His mother was otherwise occupied with his 2 little brothers, so after giving him a few pointers to make his car go faster, he was so appreciative that a few moments later, out of the blue, he came over & reverently pinned his handmade "medal" beside my necklace. What a little sweetie! I only wish I'd managed to take a picture of myself wearing it before I handed it back to his mother as we were leaving...

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