..............Hello again.
Here we were home again, catching up with friends, grands, great-grands, doctors/specialists, paying guests,etc., etc.,- not always in that order. Took us several weeks to get over the great Aus. drive-adventure, both health-wise and in terms of business catch up. But well worth it ! And it's always good to behome; we live in such a beautiful spot! It never gets old; and we never get blase about it! Our neighbourhood, with so many good friends all within walking distance, is such a treat !!.
School holidays were upon us and, as usual, we always try to catch up at least with some of the younger grands and greats, having them visit for a couple of days or taking them out somewhere a bit special. As part of the general conspiracy to rob us of our time, making it whizz by ever faster, the kids seem be growing up faster and faster and inevitably 'outgrowing' grannies. We try to make memories while we still can.
Next we had a long-awaited and much-enjoyed visit from Anne's cousin Les and wife Geri from Canada. They only had a couple of weeks with us as the first part of quite an extensive trip across Australia and New Zealand, but we certainly made those two weeks count! Besides taking them to renew acquaintance with David, whom they'd met in Canada years ago, and now his family, as well as Geoff andAnita and their mob, we introduced them to cousins here in WA that Les didn't even know he had! Had a great visit with the large extended family of Anne's late cousin Fred. Ironic that without knowing, we ended up in South Yunderup and they're mostly all in and around Pinjarra and Mandurah.
Then we loaded up and toured with Les and Geri, firstly to Perth, Yanchep, and up as far as the Pinnacles, then, after a quick stop home for a change of clothes and a good boil-up, inland and south. Geri had a friend living near Wickepin, so we visited on the
way to Hyden and Wave Rock, which kind of blew them away. A small detour took us along Tin-Horse Highway out of Kulin;- a real hoot and worth the trip in itself.
One of our favourite stops, Gnomesville, near Collie, was another highlight for them; as were the jetty and observatory at Busselton.
Almost as we were waving goodbye to them, we were packing for our trip with friends Alison and Graham, to Singapore for a couple of days, then onto the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship for a two week cruise. Huge! Think floating city/amusement park for oldies! Imagine around 30-50 oldies lined
up to play bumper cars each afternoon. Then add in climbing wall, i-fly (flying on an air column), roller skating, surfing and body boarding on a flow wave, various sports, trapeze swinging, as well as the eating, drinking, more eating, entertainment, lessons, gambling, usually associated with a cruise and you
have the picture. A bonus was that we had Hallowe'en on an American ship ! Fun !! We stopped at various 'exotic' ports,- Perth, Adelaide, Hobart and Sydney, but the main thing was the cruise experience itself.
We got off in Adelaide to lunch with friends, Felicity and Jeff, and in Hobart to take a brief bus tour, but that was about it.. Alison and Graham came straight home, but we stayed a night in Sydney with friend Rhonda. I'd been up to my usual trick by then of getting a chest cold/bronchitis and pneumonia and was in bed while she and Anne caught up and looked round. That bout was my longest yet;- took me almost 7 weeks to shake totally, despite all my doctoring ! 😡
Anyway, shake it off I did, but not before missing out on Melbourne Cup here on the canal, and avisit with friend, Beryl, to Geoff, Anita and boys ! Then in rapid succession I was able to enjoy great-grand Violet's second birthday party, catching up with grands, Olivia and Alex, and then the beginning of Christmas preparations !!
We've always been big Chrissie fans, so lots of decorations, inside and outside 3 houses this year!-Home, the Kottage (granny flat) and the beachhouse. And what goes up must come down...........The lights up and down the canal get better each year; it's just a treat going out on the deck after dark here and looking down the way. Then a couple of times over the season we've taken friends out and toured the canals by boat. The actual Christmas here on the
canal starts with a visit from Santa on a pontoon boat with his helpers on Christmas Eve. They bring lolly bags for the young and young at heart; and many of us repay them in liquid sustenance, for their thirsty efforts. HO, HO, HO,..........
This year we had an 'Orphans'Christmas' for neighbourhood friends who were seeing family before or after the actual 25th. Always a relaxed congenial afternoon out on the deck.
Then on Boxing Day, the family plus the Canadian cousins, the Berry family, for a total of 24, filled the garden at the beachhouse !! Quiet and relaxing?No! Fun and full of love ? Definitely!
Was that a bird ? Was it a plane? No it was January which just flew by !! Pinch and a punch everyone !! We were crazy busy over the holiday season, -pretty much since November really- with the holiday rentals. Had to sit down and make a determined plan, schedule dates, close booking calendars, etc., to take 2-3 days off each week and spend some time at Peron, otherwise summer would have gotten away on us. And we've mostly been able to stick to it.😃😊 and have caught up with most of our beachhouse friends as well.
We had a lovely lunch here at Yunderup with Beryl and her Adelaide family and various visits with friends. Some of the grands, three of Geoff and Anita's,and one of the greats, Aiden, have spent some time at the beachhouse before school restarts. Overall, life is good, and we're settling into a more sustainable pace! We wish you all the same !!Heaps of Love to you all
Stay Happy and enjoy each day! None of us knows what tomorrow brings
Anne and Kathie
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