Visitors from afar

Recently I had some visitors. My host parents from America (spent 7 months there when I was 16 with Rotary) came to stay for a few days. I picked them up from the airport in Sydney and we drove back to Nowra via the coast road. This is a spectacular road which goes along the coast between Sydney and Wollongong through the Royal National Park. It travels through coastal clifftop scrub, old growth forests and past beautiful beaches. I have done a hike through this national park, but never driven the distance. One of the highlights, which has been a feature of a few recent car advertisements is the coast bridge. The road was closed for a number of years except to residents as it was too unstable in parts and was falling into the sea, and they replaced it with a road that is a bridge out over the sea around some of the steepest parts.

The time with Mom and Dad K was great, we went to the local animal park. It's so much better than I remember. Previously there was a daily koala talk (about 15 mins) and then you could walk around and look at the other animals, pat the kangaroos and feed them, but look at everything else. They have changed ownership and have 5 or 6 talks a day. We didn't get through everything. We went to the koala talk, the monkey feeding, the croc show and the reptile show and the dingo show. And the guys doing the talks are great. One is my friend but I'm not actually being biased, I think all the kids were entralled. Think steve irwin, but skinny with dark hair and you have trent. Thanks for a great day.

On the sunday we went to a show at our new entertainment centre, a couple who have starred in lots of Australian musicals performing numbers from most of the famous musicals. It was great. At night we had a trivia night at the church to raise money for a Chinese orphanage. Our church is into doing things the whole hog, and so the church was kitted out with bamboo, giant kites and more. Each individual table dresses up and decorates as well. We had a table of Pandas in a cage, ninjas, geishas (you don't need to tell me they're Japanese) My bible study group decided to go as a dragon. We made it all out of recycled materials, and it turned out great.

Joey is under the head, Trent (from the animal park) and his wife Sheree are behind. Lots of fun.

I will catch up more soon, and need new batteries for the camera to take some updates of my garden... coming soon.

Winter Solstice and Housewarming Party

Friends around the fire. I got this brazier off the side of the road and it's lovely, works best with small branches which I often pick up when walking home from work. Australian gum trees have a habit of their branches dying on the tree and then falling down in the wind. This means that just about anything that falls out of one of them is good for burning.

Please ignore Deb's bare legs and feet, and instead look at my socks, long pants, scarf and jumper. It was cold, but the fire kept me toasty warm.

My Brother was chef Extraordinaire. He did want an apron though, and this is now the BBQ apron, it's plasticcy, so you can wipe it down.

Friends, Debs and Mera around the fire

Me and my little sis Jonina

There were people inside as well, Michael and Erika my old housemates laughing at Deb's crocodile antics with the tongs.

Figured a party with a fire was a great way to pass the shortest day of the year, now I'm looking forward to the days getting longer, and the food my garden is starting to produce!!!

Fireworks

June long weekend is a special weekend in Canberra. It is the only weekend of the year you are legally allowed to let off fireworks. This year was the most restrictive ever, with fireworks only going on sale Friday morning and only to be used between 5 and 9pm saturday and sunday of the long weekend. It's a Public holiday in honour of the queen's birthday, although it isn't actually the Queen's birthday, please don't ask me to explain that one.





My grandparents had some furniture they were giving me and my friends were doing fireworks so I thought I'd combine the two trips into one. It actually turned out to be a very productive trip. Firstly because my aunt and uncle had a bunch of furniture they gave me as well, photos will come soon after it's all set up. All told I was given a three peice lounge setting, a coffee table, a dining table, five chairs (to match three I already had and make 8 in total, a rug for the garage, a heater, some blankets, some books and some home grown fruit. There's more I have to pick up another time.




It was also productive in that I was able to catch up with lots of people who are important to me and spend time with them. I drove the back route 4WD through Nerriga (unsealed road after the rain = lots of fun, but I only did it unloaded and came back via the sealed road) and visited a friend who is building a low impact house there. I had lunch with my Grandma and we went shopping. I stayed the night with aunt and uncle and spent some good time with them. I went to church with a friend from Sydney who has moved to Canberra and caught up and encouraged each other. I spent time with my Grandparents on the other side. I caught up with three of my cousins and with a bunch of friends. And then on the way home stopped in on old friends from high school youth group days.

This is Xavier, my surrogate nephew, he loves this jumper and it's right next to the kitchen, keeps him amused while mum is busy cooking.

Me with my gorgeous cousins. We had the couch outside in the driveway to watch the fireworks.

My cousins playing with sparklers. I love special effects. We had goes at writing our names but the shutter didn't stay open long enough.

The boys setting up the fireworks. We all took turns lighting them, even my young cousins (with close supervision.

All in all it was a wonderful weekend, Now I just need to recover!!!