Christmas comes to Perth and Euroa........

We left Melbourne on a midday flight to Perth in early December and we were going to stay with Anne and Paul for ten days.  Arriving at 2.30 Gareth and Noah met us and took us home to their place for dinner.  Noah at 16 months is a gorgeous little boy with personality plus.  Of course he had no idea who we were but was quite happy to play with us and give us kisses.  So cute!

After dinner we drove to Ardross to settle in with Anne and Paul.  Lots to catch up on over a few drinks and a late night was had by all.  The next morning we met Gareth, Taegan and Noah at the shops for lunch before they went on their way again.  We enjoyed the afternoon and evening at home and another late night was had by all.

On Sunday we enjoyed lunch with Sandra, Vicki and Victor and had a great time as usual, thanks again for having us.  Soon it was time to head over to David's place to see Amélie, Corbyn and David of course.  On our arrival we were told that we were going to help them put up their Christmas tree and that it was going to be a Darth Vader tree.  

Well we did, and though I've never heard of such a thing before, I think it looks pretty good.  It was good to see them all again and after almost a year they have grown up and are both lovely little kids.  Back at home we had a slightly earlier night!

The next week we had a great time catching up with friends for coffee, lunches and dinner.  Thanks Pat, Russell, Robert, Anna, Lorraine, Hans, Deb and Tammy for fitting us into your busy schedules at this time of the year.  We had a wonderful week.

We spent a morning at Kings Park and enjoyed a walk across the pretty speccy glass bridge and of course the gorgeous views of Perth and the Swan River from here.  We spent another morning in the city itself and  while busy with Christmas shoppers it seemed no different than before.

On Wednesday night we were back at David's place for dinner with the kids and Bill tried to get them to stay still long enough to get some photos.  Most involve the Star Wars costumes and the tree but he got a few.  Once they were in bed we had a chance to spend some quality time with David before heading home to bed ourselves.

Friday night we had dinner with Taegan and Gareth and loved spending time with Noah again. He is such a little darling but I think Mum and Dad are going to need eyes in the back of their heads soon.

On Saturday we were up early and drove to Loftus St to watch Corbyn at basketball.  Now that is somewhere I never expected to be again.  It certainly brought back memories.  Once the clinics were finished we gathered up the kids and headed for the zoo.  

Yes, you heard right.  Nana and Poppa took Corbyn and Amélie to the zoo on our own.  We had a lovely day and they were so good that we could be tempted to do it again next time.  Once we dropped them home we joined Anne and Paul for another 'late' night in.

Sunday saw us back at Kings Park for a picnic with all the kids.  We enjoyed a few hours in the sun with a yummy chicken and salad lunch mostly prepared by Taegan, thanks heaps again.  Noah was in his element playing with his two big cousins and even meeting new kids in the park.  We said goodbye to everyone here as it was time for us to fly home in the morning.  We have loved seeing you all again and will certainly miss those gorgeous kids but we will be back and look forward to next time with lots of Face Time in between.  

Gareth drove us back to Ardross so he could keep his car which he had lent us for the week.  Thanks so much you made our trip so much easier.  At home we packed the suitcases ready for a quick getaway the next morning and enjoyed our final night with Anne and Paul.  The next morning Bill decided that we would use Über instead of the usual taxis and we can only say how impressed we were.  A lovely clean car and nice young man instead of a sometimes scruffy cab and a driver that shows no interest even if they can stay off the phone.  Hope the service remains a positive experience.

Of course travelling back to Melbourne we lost three hours so arrived at Tullamarine after 5pm.  We stopped for coffee on the way home getting there about 7.30pm.  We had left the car in the long term car park at the airport.  We slept well that night after a very busy but enjoyable week.

Back in Euroa we found the shops decorated, a lovely forest of Christmas trees in the Presbytery gardens and Santa and his reindeer on the roundabout in the Main Street.  

All very Christmassy.  The ladies in the deli at our local IGA have certainly got into the spirit and each day are dressed up in a different costume.  We have had Rudolf, Angels, Shepherds, Christmas trees and Christmas presents all serving us during the week.  Such fun and so much nicer than the impersonal service in the city stores.  The mall in Shepparton has joined in the fun too with their Christmas Cows pulling Santas sleigh.

Bill arrived home with a nasty cold for a couple of days so missed out on a fabulous dinner at the Line dancing Christmas party.  A fun night with lots of laughter, dancing and great entertainment by a local singer.  The exercise class also had a Christmas party on the Tuesday and we all enjoyed yummy afternoon tea instead of weights and squats.  

Since coming home on Monday we have been in the grip of a pre Christmas heatwave and temps have been in the high 30's each day.  Friday, Saturday and Sunday were all 42 and it was such a relief for Monday to be 27 again.  While it was so hot Bill decided that only inside work was going to get done and so started to fix the laundry where we had put temporary patches after the plumbing work had been done.  This has evolved into a week long job but now it is all finished, patched, painted and has a new laundry cupboard too.  A job well done.

To escape the heat we stayed inside in the aircon except on Saturday morning when we braved the heat to go to our framers market.  We picked up a few things but it was too hot to stay out long so we hightailed it home to stay cool.  That night we went to the movies and saw Matt Damon in The Martian.  We enjoyed it and stayed cool while there.

On Monday night we walked down to the park for Carols by Candlelight.  What a fun night with The Citizens Band providing the music, the Strathbogie Singers the songs, the Lions Club the fabulous sausage and burger sizzle and of course the fire brigade for bringing Santa in the biggest truck they had.  It was so good to see so many people there enjoying a great night out.

So now there is only one more night until the man in the red suit comes down your chimneys.  I do hope you have all been good and find something under your tree the next morning.  Bill and I are driving to Chelsea to spend Christmas with Maree, Jarrod, Aaron and Mum and then all going to Parkdale for Christmas night with Faye, Rem and Ethan.  It will be nice to see them all again.  

There is only one thing left for us to do now and that is to wish you all a very merry Christmas.  Enjoy your day wherever you are and who ever you are celebrating with, we will.

until next time........

A few days in the bush and more........

The next week it was time to hit the road again and we joined Cheryl and Shane free camping at Teddington Reservoir in Kara Kara NP.  We enjoyed two days here in the bush on our own and with a camp fire each night to keep us warm I think we all enjoyed the experience.  

While here we drove in to St Arnaud one day to have a look at The Bible Museum.  I had read about this in a travel magazine and just had to see it.  

The first of its kind in Australia the museum opened in 2009 and is home to over 1200 bibles as well as many other items that relate to bibles.  Vellum scrolls, wax tablets, papyrus codex, coins and stamps are among some of the items on display.  The oldest bibles are over 400 years old and the newest are USB keys.  It really is an interesting place to visit no matter what your feelings on religion.  The array of champagne bottles and their names were very interesting too.

After two nights in the bush we decided to move on and relocated our vans to Lake Bolac where we spent two more nights beside the lake.  A little colder and windier here we spent the nights inside after dinner.  We walked into 'town' the next day and enjoyed coffee in the old bluestone pub/cafe before walking across the road and checking out the information centre.

Driving home a couple days later we stopped at Skipton to find our favourite coffee shop had been sold and was closed for renovation.  With no other options in town we said farewell to Cheryl and Shane and drove on home.

With the Euroa Show over it was time for Wool Week and while we had missed most of it we were able to check out the final day.  The weather had been dreadful but the little market went on regardless, there were rides for the kids and entertainment from musical groups in the area.  We came across the Ukulele Ladies performing outside the museum and sat down to watch for a while before we headed home out of the rain again.  Timing it to perfection we were safely inside when a huge storm hit.  I do hope that everyone had packed up by then.

The next week was a quiet one culminating with a trip to the city on Friday.  Both Bill and I had appointments and so once the car was parked we went our separate ways to each place.  Afterwards we met up and caught the tram to South Melbourne where we had lunch at Panettes, always a favourite spot and a quick trip across to the market for their muesli before returning to the car and heading out of town.  A couple of quick stops along the way and then we said goodbye to the horrible city traffic and were on our way back home.

With more time at home, Bill has finished the driveway, tidied the garden and generally made the house looked lived in.  While still a work in progress it is slowly coming together.  Not all our time is spent inside as we both get out and have started to join in activities in the local area.  Bill has joined the local photography group and enjoys the meeting once a month.  I decided I needed to be more active and have joined an exercise group, line dancing and a Feldenkrais class.  All good fun and hopefully will keep me a little bit fit.  I also decided to take advantage of a free 5 week golf clinic and have enjoyed the weekly lessons and met some lovely ladies.

We enjoy the country markets and drove to Violet Town on Saturday coming back with lots of fresh produce and some presents for the kids.  The following Saturday it was our Euroa market and again we came home with more fruit and vegetables straight from the farms.  The cherries were delicious as well.  

On Sunday we walked across to the Butter Factory and shared a lovely platter of local produce for lunch.  On the way home we walked past The Swaggie Tree.  This local landmark is fenced off and signposted but I can't find any other information about it at all.

There have been a few shopping trips to Shepparton, we have checked out Mooroopna and of course Bunnings is still being visited on a regular basis.  I'm sure we will have all we need one day!  

The next week was busy as I headed off to Clayton on the train for the last Jazz lunch for the year with Mum.  On the way home I stopped in the Bourke Street Mall to look at the Myer Christmas Windows.  

This is the 60th year and is the story of a little dog looking for its master in the busy pre Christmas Melbourne streets.  With lots of famous landmarks on show it is very popular and cute.

On Friday Astrid and Hans came to visit and we had a very nice lunch at Alberts in the Main Street.  There was plenty to talk about as we caught up on each others travels over winter.

Euroa has a lovely old cinema and on Saturday night we joined Judy and Geoff together with four of their friends to see The Dressmaker.  We all enjoyed dinner at their place and then after the movie returned for the delicious Baklava that Judy had made that afternoon all washed down with coffee and wine.  Thank you for a lovely night.

The Dressmaker has had very good reviews and most of us enjoyed it.  A truly quirky Australian movie some think it may become another classic like Muriel's Wedding and The Castle.  We'll have to wait and see.  Certainly people here liked it and the three sessions were full houses and it will be returning in the New Year.

So with Christmas fast approaching we decided we would fly over to Perth to see the kids, big and little, before the big day. All we need to do now is pack the bags and don't forget the presents!

until next time........

Visiting friends.......

After our big week of visitors it was time for us to become the guests and we were looking forward to a few days away at St Leonard's with Cheryl and Shane.

Leaving home on the Thursday morning we hitched up the van, not to stay in but to drop off at JB Campbellfield, to get some warranty work done.  Nothing serious but it's better to get the little niggles sorted out before they become major issues.

Once that was done we braved the traffic, crossed the Westgate Bridge and were soon on our way to the Bellaraine Peninsula.  Arriving mid afternoon gave us lots of time to eat, drink and make merry catching up on each other's trips since saying farewell in Port MacQuarie.

We enjoyed a barbecue tea, expertly cooked by Shane with Bill supervising outside while Cheryl and I took care of the salads inside.  Sounds suitably Aussie doesn't it!

The boys braved the spa after dinner but Cheryl and I stayed inside and continued to chat.  So much to catch up on!

After a leisurely breakfast the next morning it was decided we should get some exercise and so the activity chosen was Ten Pin Bowling.  We drove across to Geelong and enjoyed a fun hour in the Bowling Alley where I discovered just how out of practice I was.  First from the wrong end is OK isn't it?

Thinking that we had done enough of the physical activities for the day our next port of call was Tuckerberry Hill were we stopped for a coffee and a light lunch before heading home to chill out for the afternoon.  Though I must say Shane and Bill must have felt more energetic as they opted for playing golf on the Wii.

Later on we were dressed up and on our way back to Geelong where we enjoyed a lovely meal at one of Cheryl and Shane's favorite Indian Restaurants.

After breakfast the next morning it was time for us to say goodbye again and head for home once more.  We had enjoyed another lovely couple of days with good friends and look forward to seeing you both again soon.

We decided that we would take a different road home and avoid the freeways and so began our magical mystery tour of Victoria's country roads.

We stopped at a little town called Meredith for coffee and found a lovely little cafe called The Back Creek Cafe.  This is run by students of a local grammar school who right from pre school to Year 12 grow the produce, tend it, prepare it and the older ones get work experience working here.  Such a clever idea.

We zig zagged across the state stopping next at Trentham where we found one of our favorite little shops had a closing down sale.  Two Fat Wombats was closing so the owners could retire so of course we had to contribute to their retirement fund didn't we.  I found a fabulous marble rolling pin and at 30% off an absolute bargain which I just had to have.  Now I just have to learn to make pastry eh!

From there we enjoyed the drive across country to Puckapunyal and back to the Hume for the short run home.  Certainly a slower way home but a lovely meander through part of Victoria.  It was fish and chips for dinner that night and early to bed after our big adventure.

Back at home we had a slow start to Sunday morning, walked to the shop to get dinner sorted that night and then Bill decided it was time to get started on laying some of his newly acquired paving bricks.  He was going to widen the driveway from the front gate to the back of the carport.  

The next morning it was back in the car and another trip down the Hume as we returned to pick up the van.  All finished they said.  As we checked it out we discovered our rogue door lock was no different and after much discussion with a few of the guys it was decided they would replace the door.  This seemingly simple task took a couple of hours and it was well after 3.00pm when we finally headed for home again.  At least now our shower leaks no more and our door locks properly.  Fingers crossed it stays that way!  

Our next big adventure was on Wednesday when Bill had a dentist appointment in Dandenong.  Not wanting to drive again we caught the train from Seymour to Southern Cross where we changed platforms and caught the next train to Dandenong.  We had lunch in a nice little cafe before Bill kept his appointment and I looked around the shops.  Then it was back on the trains for the return journey.  A long day but no more appointments till September next year.

Since returning home we had noticed lots of signs advertising country shows as we drove around and this weekend it was Euroa's turn.  We walked over on Saturday to have a look and really enjoyed the afternoon taste of the country.  The sheep shearing looked like hard work and the sheep dog trials were fun to watch, especially when the role of the dogs were taken by fathers and sons in a quirky display for the shows 25th anniversary.  We had lunch in the hall prepared by the ladies of St Lukes and then finished our big day out with a look at the arts and crafts hall.  All in all a fun day out.

After our big weekend it seemed like a good idea to take the van out for a few days to see that everything had been fixed so it's off we go again.

Until next time.......

Home for the big birthday bash.........

The next morning it seemed very strange to wake up in a bedroom and not have to get ready to travel again.  I'm sure we will adapt but not sure if we want too just yet, but for now we have to spend a couple of weeks at home as we have a big birthday bash to organise.  Yes, Bill is turning 60, a little way behind a lot of us but as we know good things come to all who wait.  But more on that later.

The first job to deal with was the back lawn (read overgrown weeds).  Before we left we had organised a local man to keep the front lawn mowed but hadn't thought the back would need it.  Imagine our surprise when we found knee deep green in our little yard.  I guess we were gone a long time.  The first mow filled our green waste bin and the following week the rest followed but at least our weeds looked tidy again.  

After the lawn was taken care of we went into town to pick up our mail and do some shopping.  I'm sure the post office was glad to see us.  Back at home our gorgeous neighbours Wilma and Gordon came in to welcome us home and we enjoyed an hour or two catching up on each others news.  And the yummy chocolate cake Wilma brought with her was good too.   

The next job was to empty the van and organise the bed as we would need that to accommodate visitors the next weekend.  We did this over the week but soon enough it was clean and tidy once more just begging us to hitch up and leave again - but no - we had to wait.

We drove across to Shepparton one day and of course just like before our first stop was Bunnings.  Bill couldn't wait to renew his relationship with them and we left with more tools for the shed and a wheelbarrow.  Looks like he's getting serious now.

The next morning was the 24th and Bill was finally turning 'the big 60'.  He spent the day pottering around, walked into town for a coffee and then just chilling out in general.  That night I took him to The Butter Factory for dinner and we enjoyed a lovely meal together to celebrate the big day.  The main event was happening the next weekend when the family were coming up from Melbourne.

Our second week at home was similar to the first as we reacquainted ourselves with our neighbourhood and our home, we were still getting used to all this extra room to ramble around in.  Bill continued to edit the many photos he had taken on our trip and I have used some of the beautiful birds here rather than mundane backyard weeds.

And then it was Friday and we were waiting for the gang to arrive.  This year in Melbourne the State Government declared Grand Final Eve a Public Holiday and so everyone was driving up today and staying for two nights.

Faye, Rem and Ethan arrived first and it was lovely to see them all again and hear all about what they had been up too since we left the city in March.  We soon had them set up in the back sun room, air mattresses pumped and sleeping bags ready.  Camping indoors was the order of the day.

Maree, Mum and Aaron arrived later in the afternoon and more cups of tea, coffee and chatter took place, beds were allocated and Aaron erected his tent in the back yard.  All set to go, let the fun begin.

Dinner that night was a barbecue and we had a great night in with lots of stories and laughs where of course Bill featured in quite a lot of them as his family helped him celebrate.  The first 'big one' they have all been part of since his 21st as we were on the other side of the country.  

The next morning the party atmosphere continued with breakfast around the big table and then we all wandered into town for a look and of course a coffee and cake at the bakery.  Back at home we got ourselves set up to watch The Grand Final on TV and enjoyed drinks and nibbles throughout the afternoon.  With none of our teams playing it was easy to watch and I was the only one smiling at the end when the Hawks won.  Everyone else had gone for the West Coast Eagles.

Once the footy was over it was time to don the glad rags and get ready for the birthday dinner.  We all walked across to the Seven Creeks Hotel where we had a lovely meal and a fun time.  Back at home it was time for Birthday Cake and the obligatory pics which were a bit of fun as everyone had to have a photo with the birthday boy.

We had all had a great day, and though sad that David and Gareth and their families couldn't be with us, I think we can call the big birthday bash a success.

Unfortunately our young neighbours on the other side also had a party that night and like most young people theirs was just beginning as ours was finishing.  No one slept that night due to the noise and it was 8 very weary folk that came together for breakfast on Sunday.  A shame but we have survived to tell the tale and hopefully it won't happen too often.

We said goodbye to everyone during the morning and after lunch Bill and I walked across to the park to see the Euroa Show and Shine.  Wow, what an event.  A glorious day and the entire park, both sides of the Sevens Creek, was filled with cars of all sorts.  Old, new, vintage and unique all making for a fabulous event.  

A small market place was taking place along the road and some kids rides added to the carnival atmosphere of the event.  I'm glad we went but was glad to get home to fall in a heap after a big weekend and restless night.  

The next day was a busy one as I tackled the beds and housework again getting ready for more visitors arriving the next day.  Lorraine and Hans were visiting from Perth for a few days on their way home from Canberra.  It was so good to see them both again and we enjoyed the short and sweet visit with them. 

We all drove across to Tabilk Winery on Thursday where we enjoyed a yummy lunch, wine tasting and a look at the new Black Caviar sculpture in Nagambie's Jacobs Lookout.

The next week started off quietly until Bill discovered some paving bricks for sale on Gumtree and then spent the next couple of days transporting 1000 of these from a farm nearby to home.  Thank goodness we are going away on Thursday, I think he needs a rest.

So on that note it's time I was gone too

Until next time.......