DECEMBER 2020 : CHRISTMAS SEASON

Our Christmas Album

A dinner at the Wild Duck with our Domain Divas from our apartment building

Christmas drinks in our communal courtyard

A lovely lunch with friends in Bundanoon. Amanda and Colin have recently bought a holiday home backing on to a national park.

Dinner at Joy and Monty’s. Our first Christmas without our dear friend, Irene.

I sing with the DFAT choir. We’ve managed to meet through most of the Covid restrictions. We had enough of a repertoire for a short Christmas performance in the Department’s foyer one lunchtime.

Daily yoga

An exciting semester of local Spanish lessons and on-line learning- my special Covid isolation project. 

Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo!

Every year I get a summer season pass to Manuka Pool, 5 minutes from our apartment and try to swim every day. It is heavenly!

For the past 12 years we have met with Helen and Graham Yapp, sharing stories of our walking adventures, after being brought together by the Society of St James in London when we first both planned to walk the Via Francigena, a part of the Canterbury to Rome pilgrimage. This year we shared a Thai meal. Earlier in the year in March we were invited to Graham’s 80th birthday celebrations.

The Covid virus reared its ugly head on 12th December in the Northern Beaches, where Nick and Kristie live. As luck would have it, Nick had taken the children to Perth to be with Kristie as it was the end of the school year. They escaped the lockdown in Sydney and decided to stay in the West until the crisis is over. Disappointing for us,as we were looking forward to being at the coast with them over the summer holidays. But obviously a happy compromise, as they have lots of support over there and their own apartment to stay in.

Luckily for us, we will still have the company of our other grandchildren during the summer restrictions.

Just to add another interesting dimension to our ever-changing Christmas plans we had two hospital admissions to enliven our week. I had cataract surgery in 22/12 - miraculously painless, efficient and effective. Then our little granddaughter, Indiana, just 11 weeks, was rushed to hospital with a bronchial virus and dehydration. Fortunately after 24 hours she was taken off oxygen and able to breathe independently and was discharged on Christmas Eve. Such a worrying few days. Her siblings were very brave and responsible and a delight to look after.

Midnight Christmas Eve service with a difference this year, observing all the Covid requirements. Pre-booking, social distancing, carol singing only by the choir, only bread at communion and no congregating at the end of the service.

Christmas lunch at a Sri Lankan restaurant for the Canberra-based family

Indiana’s first Christmas

Lots of communication with our extended family today - last year we were all together here. Hopefully, Sydney will be out of lockdown for the family party we are planning for Nana’s 90th birthday in February,

A very merry Christmas and happy New Year from all the Smiths!

M&M

DECEMBER 2020 : CANBERRA : More family birthdays

A very happy family weekend of simple birthday celebrations.

Mark’s 68 th on Sunday

Some appropriate birthday cards

An early celebration for Archer’s 3rd birthday at a local park.

 Our beautiful birthday boy

A party in the park on a hot summer’s day

A rare gathering of our seven grandchildren

There was much excitement for them all to be able to play and have fun together.

A chaotic but very happy weekend

M&M

NOVEMBER 2020 : CANBERRA : Centenary Trail : One Tree Hill circuit walk : 8.4 kms : 3 hours

In 2013 the Canberra Centenary Trail was launched. Today Pam and I walked part of the trail, known as the One Tree Hill circuit, which you enter from Hall Village. In 1910 surveyors marked out the ACT border and this walk signifies the northern border with NSW.

From the onset the path is well defined and has sweeping views of the Canberra landscape.

There were lots of wildflowers bordering the path today,

An unexpected sighting of not one but two Shingleback or stumpy-tailed lizards. Too elusive to get both together. We think they may have been planning a mating session.

The path up to the lookout veers off the main path.

We appreciated the shady walkway in the heat

Clear views of the main Canberra valleys and the surrounding peaks

A very enjoyable and popular Spring walk

M

NOVEMBER 2020 : SYDNEY : Birthday weekend

A lovely weekend in Sydney with Nick and co for my 68th birthday.

The weekend included swimming lessons, ballet, Nippers at Bilgola beach and free surf time.

On my birthday we had breakfast at a Greek beachside cafe at Sydney’s Balmoral Beach

The highlight was the Arthur Streeton (1867-1943) exhibition. My favourite Australian artist from the Heidelberg School.

The works included spectacular landscapes, seascapes, scenes from European travel, war zones, mythical interpretations and still lifes.

I particularly love his delicate strokes. They are like exquisite calligraphy.

A four hour drive home to Canberra to take Mum out for dinner at Molto at the Foreshore near home.

A special few days

M&M

NOVEMBER 2020 : SNOWY MOUNTAINS, NSW : Charlotte Pass - Blue Lake Circuit Walk : 10 kms : 5 hours with lunch

We arranged to meet our friend, Julie, at her cabin on Braemar Cove on Lake Eucumbene.

It is in sheep and cattle country south of Cooma.

Early Tuesday morning we set off south to the Snowy Mountains, destination Charlotte Pass, gateway to Mount Koscuiszko, Australia’s highest mountain, albeit only 2,228 m above sea level.

A beautifully clear spring day - max 20o - as we arrive at Charlotte Pass

Our choice today was the Blue Lake circuit moderate walk. About 10kms. It’s also possible to link this to the Mount Koscuiszko loop. We did that section in May 2019.

From the lookout you can see the wide, direct path, heading to the right.. To the left in the distance is Mount Koscuiszko.

The first section is through a snow gum forest.

As we head down the steep path, our first adventure is rock hopping across two river crossings. The only colour is in the bunches of alpine buttercups.

Fabulous rock formations provide the only shade.

As we head towards the Main Range Track we encounter some snow, which provided a spectacular contrast as we travelled up the pass.

Blue Lake is one of the few glacial lakes in Australia. It is 28m deep.

After lunch, we returned down the track

Back to the river crossings

And up the steep path 

to Charlotte Pass

Quite a strenuous walk but on a relatively well-maintained path and in perfect conditions.

M&M