The first day of school....

Off we go to there new school. They are both very excited and ready to go ! Hoping we all have a lovely day today....

Australia Day.

OK - this was taken on Sunday - fishing is fast becoming a favourite activity ! Luke has learnt how to fish really quickly and Anna-Kate is enjoying it too so all is good here in Australia.

We decided to go to the beach on our first Australia Day here. This is MacMasters Beach - I think this is our 3d visit here. It is a lovely beach. No shark sightings yesterday - which is always a good thing! The water was very clear and warm.

Anna-Kate and Luke off to the tidal pool right up against the rocks on the left of the picture. Greg did go with them - I stayed under the umbrella I am afraid!

Anna-Kate reading her book with me under the umbrella - taking a break from swimming and body boarding.

Luke joined me too for a packet of crisps after he got dumped off his body board by a rather large wave !

Back from body boarding, another sport the children do with Dad !

We went home for lunch then spent the afternoon in the pool and garden. I am gardening again as the garden has lovely empty flower beds - so I planted beans, sunflowers and corn. First I was fighting with the local possums - but now thanks to curry powder, moth balls and a product called poss off I am winning that battle for now ! But then the turkey discovered the corn - so they ripped up all the rows of corn !! Now the corn has all gone I am hoping the turkey will leave the gardens alone.

Anna-Kate, Luke and I are having a VERY quiet day today as it is the last day of holidays. Back to school and routine tomorrow. And then it will be the weekend again - FAB !

Greg is very busy at work putting in bids for various projects which is all good news.

A Few Photos ...

Luke did not like the smell of the sausages ... so he found a peg and put it on his nose.

Ana-Kate cooling off today - it was very, very hot.

This bird visited us here today. He / she was so friendly my two (noisy) children were out on the balcony with it. I heard the commotion and scared it off - not on purpose, but it only flew into the next bush and stayed there quite happily!

Luke's Bithday part two ....

Luke waiting to blow out his birthday candles. He was very excited.

Went outdoors at 7am to water my plants. Saw two cockatoos sitting in the tree in the middle. Hope you can enlarge this picture to see the birds.

Brandy sitting in her favourite place in the garden - there are lots of birds flying here.

My beans - one week old - but the leaves have now been eaten by possums ..... sigh !

(Oh Greg took Anna-Kate and Luke fishing yesterday - they caught one fish each - but had to throw them back as they were little. Greg did take pics but with their camera so can not put pics on my pc yet.)

Eight years ago ....

today I was at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, England preparing to meet my new baby. He was not very little weighing in at just over 10 pounds. He is now almost as tall as his big sister.
Birthday boy - opening his presents at 6-30am.

Holding up his new swimming top from Grandma and Grandpa - Granny was really clever and bought it to match his new fishing rod !

Sherry making herself comfortable in a box!

Trying the new car out in the park... the car was a success.

And still driving in our driveway ! Off for another swim now (much to my relief - I did not blow up the new floatie lilo for nothing!)

Domestic Diva ....

I don't know what came over me yesterday but I decided to try the Amish Friendship Starter Recipe again - so yesterday was day one and all I had to do was combine one cup of sugar, milk and flour together in a bowl, cover and leave. Giving it a sit every day for a while - let us see how long it lasts this time!

And while I was mixing this I decided to make Toad in the hole for dinner. I have not made this for ages (I think it was when Greg's parents were in the UK visiting us!)

It went down a treat with my two children and it kept in the oven well for Greg too - so I will make it again!

Two Afternoon Visitors.

While I was sitting on the sofa reading, Brandy got all excited at the window, so I got up to look and saw these two creatures. They do not have the same colouring as the Lorikeets we see - these 2 had a lot of turquoise on and reminded me of budgies - but slightly bigger. They stayed around for a while but then I tried to get closer and they flew away. We hope to see them soon!