All talk of children is silenced as Bellinda Kontominas indulges in the grown-up pursuits of massage and magazines.
For the past eight years,most topics of conversation with my sister have battled to compete with nappy changing,helping with homework and the other daily needs of her two children. So when the opportunity arose to spend a weekend with just her and her husband,my better half and I jumped at the chance.
Strawberry Patch,in the Blue Mountains suburb of Leura,proves the perfect spot for our adults-only break. Set back from the street behind dense shrubbery,the tranquil 1912 weatherboard has the soothing tones of Norah Jones playing throughout the house when we arrive.
The property is one of four in the Mountain Whispers portfolio owned and managed by Lorraine Allanson,who has sympathetically restored each to its original character.
Strawberry Patch's deep-green walls and gas fireplace lend a warmth to the cosy lounge room,which is stocked with games,such as draughts,dominoes,cards and Scrabble. There's also a selection of books,magazines,CDs and DVDs that can be enjoyed with the complimentary bottle of red or white wine,chocolates,juicy strawberries and port in a crystal carafe.
The main bedroom has a mahogany four-poster bed with fleur-de-lis curtains and plush bedding,from which you can gaze up at the cloud-like painted ceiling.
The back of the house,decorated in a French-provincial style and with underfloor heating,includes a large,granite kitchen with a slow-combustion fire,and an elevated dining area,which opens through french doors to a courtyard surrounded by greenery.
Off the kitchen,there's a second smaller,and slightly dark,bedroom,and a glorious black-and-white tiled bathroom with a deep spa.
For dinner,we pick up a pizza from the renowned Papa Dino's pizzeria in Katoomba then head back to devour it with wine in front of the fire. We get an early night and wake the next morning feeling fresh and ready to tackle one of the region's many mountain-biking trails. (Lorraine has helpfully provided a list of trails and their difficulty ratings.)
First,though,we prepare a hearty breakfast in the kitchen,which has an electric cooktop,a dishwasher,and all the bits and bobs required to prepare whatever your stomach desires. Lorraine has also provided our preferred bread and milk,along with eggs,tomatoes and bacon,homemade strawberry jam and marmalade,and an assortment of teas,a coffee plunger,hot chocolate,Weet-Bix,cornflakes and biscuits.