Things That Are Good for Morale

Morale is important. This is something I instinctively know. It’s also been droned into us by one of the simplistic bibles on high rotation in this flat at the moment. It may be cheesey, it may be a little simplistic, but at 3.42 am when you or your spouse need to double check on burping techniques, ‘Commando Dad‘ gets to the nubbin of the message pretty swiftly. There’s not a lot of waffle about feelings in this parenting book; more  basic survival. But what it does manage to point out is that morale for all is important.

I’ve got some lovely messages after what I wrote in the grim pits of sleep deprivation last week- thank you. Friday was tough. Saturday was worse. In fact, the less that is said about Saturday, the better. But on Sunday morning, the sun was shining. By the time 7 am rolled around Will and I had been awake for the good part of three hours. He’d been doing his neat trick of grunting and sighing, straining and whining since his last two feeds- fighting sleep with every breath and sounding more like an overweight furniture removalist trying to shift a piano than a two week old infant.

So we went downstairs for a change of scenery. We sat and looked at the beautiful flowers we’d been sent for a while while the sun snaked up. And then I decided we should all go out.

Fresh air is good for morale. Exercise is good for morale. The beach is good for morale. And good food  and coffee are excellent for morale. And so we went to the best place for all of the above.

The last time we visited Three Blue Ducks in Bronte I had a watermelon attached to my stomach and I thought I was in labour. And yet, despite the cramping and anxiety, I was still instantly smitten.

I’m not sure if it’s the vegetable plot out the back, the bees or the chickens, the exposed brick walls, the easy charm of the staff, or just the fact that it’s positioned right next to a newsagent, so you can easily buy your own copy of the weekend papers to peruse -but I love it. It could so easily fall into a pothole of Sydney hipster-cliches- yet it doesn’t- because it feels real.

I love it for the expertly made Single Origin Roasters coffee, the Iggy’s bread and for their wiley use of grain and seeds. And I love it for their muffins (salted banana caramel anyone…?)

I love that if you get there before 8 am, it’s civilised and they’ll happily find a spot for 2.15 people (and a pram). I love the veggie patch juices, with the shot of beetroot bursting through the centre like a sunset.

On the last visit The Hungry One found it hard to go past their strapping bacon and egg roll ($14) with pimento salsa and hollandaise (but be warned, those yolks will run- keep a napkin at the ready).

And happiness for me is in a bowl of their quinoa and fig bircher with caramalised peaches, fresh fruit, yoghurt and toasted nuts ($14), with perfectly pliant stems of rhubarb and cheeks of passionfruit.

Breakfast out, with a sleeping baby, wearing his very own surfer beanie (#babiescomewithhats) and a walk past this to follow.

You might be busting about on four hours of broken sleep, but really- life doesn’t get much better.  These things are all excellent for fledgling serotonin levels.

(Nb, another thing that is excellent for morale is a new cookbook – and the Blue Ducks book is a corker. There’s a  terrific explanation of the ethos of the place and its genesis, some cracking recipes and beautiful photography. If you can’t make it down to Bronte Beach (and actually, it’s hard enough getting a table as it is, so maybe it’s best if you don’t…) then this is a great way to have a vicarious visit).

Three Blue Ducks
141-143 Macpherson st
Bronte NSW 2024
02 9389 0010

http://www.threeblueducks.com/