Yesterday afternoon I enjoyed Christmas drinks at Kirribilli House with Prime Minister Julia Gillard and a group of ladies whom have been dubbed 'some of Australia's most influential women'.
After our earlier morning tea with the Prime Minister in June this year I wasn't feeling nervous about this event. I was actually looking forward to a relaxed and jovial afternoon with like-minded women, and frankly, a night off from the kids' dinnertime/bedtime routine.
So I frocked up in festive colours, frenziedly slapped on some make-up and blow-dried my hair while I tried to stop the kids from destroying the house and killing each other in the process.
We managed to get out the door in one piece and I dropped the kids with my mum - thank god for grandparents! I breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of silence in the backseat as I zoomed up the expressway towards Sydney.
Somehow I managed to arrive half an hour early - I'm an expert at late entrances - and I was able to enjoy the beautiful, tranquil setting of Kirribilli House before the Prime Minister arrived.
Situated on the northern shore of Sydney Harbour, I stood on the immaculate lawns and watched those gorgeous, trademark Sydney ferries beeline across the harbour in a wash of yellow and green.
It was quite a cool and windy afternoon - not at all typical of a December evening. Very soon after greeting us warmly with a disarming 'G'Day!' Prime Minister Gillard graciously insisted that we all move inside where we would be more comfortable away from the brisk harbour breeze.
I soon caught myself feeling quite surprised to see the PM crouching down to release the bolt on the french doors of her sitting room to close the doors and shut out the wind. I suppose I expected that a task like this would have been delegated to the 'help'. It was so refreshing to realise that a simple task like this was not beneath our PM at all. She just rolled up her sleeves and got the job done; like any ordinary, considerate Aussie hostess would.
How very human of her.
In the lead-up to these Christmas drinks I had two main questions niggling at me.
1. What do I gift to this honourable leader of our country who presumably would have everything she needs?
2. What do I ask this woman in a social, non-political context?
So in my typical last-minute style, just hours before I was due to arrive at Kirribilli, the kids and I set about baking mini cupcakes. Raspberry and white chocolate seemed appropriate - red and white is festive afterall!
We then crafted a miniature silver sleigh made out of cardboard and candy canes to present the cupcakes to the PM in. My little Miss E was so excited to hear that the Prime Minister was delighted with our gift and placed it on her mantle piece. That sounds like it's going straight to the pool room to me!
As for my second niggling question - what to chat to the PM about as we sipped our champers - I put that one out to my Facebook community.
After many suggestions I ended up asking Julia how she manages her Christmas shopping with such a busy schedule and a high profile. The short answer? Tim does it. And as for Tim's present? Well, Tim does that too. But that's OK, I'd suggest that a good proportion of us are used to doing that as well!
The hour flew by in a whirl-wind as we chatted in small groups, mingling as we went and nibbling macaroons and mozzarella balls.
It wasn't long before we bid our farewells and were wishing our PM a Merry Christmas and best wishes for the year ahead.
I feel truly honoured to be invited to meet with our Prime Minister and was so reassured by how truly down-to-earth and welcoming she was. Honestly, I'd love to return the favour and have Julia Gillard share a meal with my family at our place. I'm sure she'd feel right at home.
