JANUARY 2023 : SOUTH COAST, NSW : Summer holidays

A few precious days with all our family at our coast house





Our beautiful grandchildren 

Surfing lessons

A story of great enterprise.

Harrie and Koby decided to paint our garden pebbles and sell them at a stall at the end of our driveway. After about three hours of waving down cars, bikes and badgering walkers-by, with the help of Dakota and Pippa, they made the princely sum of $35!

Our beautiful Broulee beaches - very popular over New Year

 

Kite surfers

My first paddle of 2023 up Candlagan Creek

An hour and a half round trip up as far as you can go. This time - little mullet were jumping, there was a bright green water monitor basking and a small stingray slid under my kayak. Very peaceful and eerily quiet, except for the splashing fish. (Some help from the internet to complete photo story)

Our annual visit to the Oyster Farmer’s Daughter on a chilly Thursday 

Still such a special find

A special weekend in Paterson near the Central Coast for my closest school friend, Julie’s 70th birthday on their farm.

The setting

The guests and festivities 

A happy night with the Golds

A catch up with the Slaters

Lunch with English friends, Gill and Tony, as they passed through Broulee on their road trip up the east coast.

A casual Sunday swim with the Broulee Brass Monkeys - 1.5kms - from South Broulee to Shark Bay

A special lunch with family and close friends

A walk around Broulee Island

Breakfast at the Mossy Cafe with Mum, Ros and her daughters, Liz and Steph, and their families.




Early morning coffee at the Mossy Boat Shed cafe with stingrays in attendance

All the cousins

Another great summer holiday. Fabulous weather for all our visitors!

M&M

DECEMBER 2022 : CANBERRA : Christmas holidays

School holidays - Dakota and Koby spent the first few days with us

 

Then, Ash took the kids camping to Murramarang.

A pre-Christmas weekend in Sydney with our Newport family

Our choir, Diplomatic Notes, gave our Christmas performance at DFAT as our final session of the year.

Our apartments’ Christmas drinks

A pre-Christmas meal with Margaret and Andrew Donaldson at Chiang Rai

Dinner with Peter, Joy and Monty

Presents ready under the tree!

Canberra family

Sydney family celebrating

Christmas lunch

An evening visit from our upstairs neighbours.

A lovely end to a very happy day

Merry Christmas!

M&M

NOVEMBER 2022 : VICTORIA : Harrietville

A few days with our Foot Club walking friends in the Victorian Alps. First stop, morning tea in Jugiong at the Long Track Cafe on the way.



Unfortunately the weather forecast is not very positive for walking this week. Rain and floods - and a little snow- still plaguing the eastern seaboard, although it is late spring.

Harrietville is a former gold-mining town at the base of Mt Feathertop.

Marmot Lodge

King Parrot

Wattle bird

Curry night

We have had to modify our planned Mt Feathertop/ Razorback walk due to the rain and lack of visibility. We set off at 9 from the lodge.



At the end of the lane..

We did a 10km return walk on the Bon Accord Walking Track to Washington Creek. We decided not to do the 8km ascent to Mt Feathertop from this track due to the misty weather and slippery terrain.

Pleasant walking mainly along the rushing Ovens River.

Wildflowers, ferns, fungi and sawfly larvae

Meanwhile Mark and Lone took a detour to town for a warming coffee and hot chocolate.

After lunch, an afternoon stroll around Harrietville. 

Population 343.

Meanwhile a small contingent drove up the mountain to investigate conditions and to see whether it may have been worthwhile attempting the Mt Feathertop summit.

Unanimous decision - ‘No way. Deep wet snow strong winds and zero visibility.’

Final meal

And evening entertainment provided by Joe.

Return journey

Coffee at Yackandanda

M&M