The Gang and Minnie hit Melbourne for a stretch weekend to give Granny a good’n’proper launch for her 80th Birthday World (well, almost) Tour.

What started out as dinner in Umbria for the 80th has grown like topsey into a two month party crawl from Colorado> Sicily> Umbria>Burma. (She’s a sheila who knows how to have a good time.)

And she’s taking a coterie of travelling companions – including the Poo. As you do.

Anyhoo, after the initial bubbles we settled into the usual classic round of fave haunts; Don Camillo’s, The Commoner, Dolcetti, The Vic Market, Coda (where the Poo did the rounds of the table)…

…and by the time we all flew out again, bound for our various destinations, we were completely exhausted – but content in the knowledge that Granny’d had a damned fine send off…

By now Nancy and the Old Chook will be slipping into their first bottle of bubbly in Durango.

Meanwhile, back at the Hideout, we’ve sworn off food for a week.