Farewell the Pink Restaurant
Its been SO busy. Apologies to my friends who want to know what has been happening. The quick dot point summary is this; Rach is now in her boots with orthotics and working on a physio program, its hard work but going ok, toes still are the habit. Hugh went on a world tour for work for four and a half weeks, Rachael and I visited Brisbane for a week in the school holidays and had some fantastic family time with Uncle Mark and Auntie Andrea (with the bonus of cousin time for me as Rowena and Ben were there too). Term 3 has just started and we are now into week 2 of second semester. Qbyan Council still have not approved our development application, but they have sent out a surveyer and asked us lots of questions..
Tonight we got quite a shock, we were on the way home from R’s check up at the podiatrist (toe walking still happening but all ok) and decided to go to the Palace of Saigon for Vietnamese dinner. Now we have a long association with this restaurant, going back some 11 years to when Hugh and I were first married and lived right next to the Hawker shops. This was our first “local” we ate there fairly often. One night we didnt have enough cash and they just let us come pay them the difference the next day. Then we moved to Lyneham for a few years, we missed the place and would occasionally go there. When we moved to Melba we rang for take away, naming a dish they didnt have on the menu, they made it for us anyway because they remembered us. It got so we could just ring, say Blemings and they could write down our usual dinner. When Rachael was quite little it was the first place we took her to. The Do family were quite ok with a toddler being there. When asked where Rachael wanted to go to dinner she would say the Pink Restaurant. So we all took to calling it the Pink Restaurant. Over the years we have had many a family dinner, celebration, birthday etc. We took friends it was easy to go there. In 2004 it was the last place we went before going on our overseas posting and the first place we ate when we got home. They missed us - we missed them. Now I think about it this place has got quite a history for us.
So tonight we rock up and the first thing I notice was this flashing sign on the window “Open”. Hummm thats a bit tacky. Then I realise there is new signage “Beijing House”. Wierd. Then beacuse we are meeting Debs there we go in, realising that life is about to change. The pink place how has green painted bits and new menus. No no no. Hugh is shocked. Rachael starts to get upset. Debs arrives and joins us. We get menus. We then ask if they use MSG. Yes is the answer. Ok we are sorry but we cant eat here. We leave unsettled.
What to do next. All hungry we actually go to Rocksalt which serves much more expensive but fantastic food. Order. Rachael bursts into tears. Hugh consoles her, they go out for a walk and ask some of the other shop owners if they can get a contact for the Do family, no answers, but we are determined to track them down just to say thanks for everything. Rach then has an upset tummy. After some discussion, Rach and I go home. She sobs all the way. Its just too much this week, getting Dad back home, going back to school and now just when you want some pink chips, spring rolls, penut butter meat and rice you are told its never going to happen again. “I feel very sad mummy, and i loved the pink restaurant”. You know what. I did too. We all did. So this goes out to the Do family, who faithfully cooked the best chicken and sweet corn soup, spring rolls and all the rest. We loved the food, we loved the service, we will find some way of letting you know how much….