Long weekend

The end of the holidays has finally arrived. I'm not sure whether this is good or bad - really, it is swapping one lot of juggling for another with earlier mornings!

We celebrated the end of the holidays with a jaunt in the country. It was a magnificent autumn day today, so we headed for Cooma and beyond. Some nice views over the surrounding countryside, and then we eventually found our way to Lake Eucumbene. The children had a great time building cairns out of all the rocks lying around, as people had obviously done before us.

The season of mists and mellow fruitfulness

I can't remember who wrote that, but autumn is here. We have even had a frost, thus I was able to pick the pumpkin. It will soon be turned into soup.

We tried for a walk around the lake with Grandpa, but sadly grumping intervened and we only got as far as the Carillion.

Fortunately, the appearance of the Jane Austen Appreciation Society in full costume cheered everyone up. We also found the East Timor flag in your honour.

Tennis and chess today followed by a visit to Grandpafather, who was very chirpy and enjoyed having Rosemary feed him his dinner.

There has been gardening - I moved all the irises from the garden bed under the back deck and put another rose in there. Suzi got another wash, which seems to have helped with the flea situation. I'm hoping the girls will do a bit of bike riding this week with the babysitter. Then, before we know it, term 2 will have begun and it will be back to the school, netball, choir, circus, swimming routine.

Anyway, at least there's been a bit of news and some pics for you!

Our next Prime Minister?

An Easter Escape

We decided to follow that great Canberra tradition - a trip to the South Coast for Easter. Choosing comfort over economy, I booked a three bedroom cabin at the Island View Holiday Park, south of Narooma.

We headed off on Friday morning, with everyone else and paused in Braidwood for a break with Bronwen's friends who live there. I spied a very nice day bed in the antique shop, but refrained from purchasing... I'd like to have a weekend in Braidwood sometime.

We hit Narooma about 2pm and were pleasantly surprised by the cabin and the caravan park. Very family oriented, very quiet. The beach was gorgeous, and they also had a lovely saltwater pool. Open air movies (big screen telly on the back of the amenities shed) so we took our roast chicken and rice down there.

Some feathered friends popped in each morning.

Saturday was a bit rainy. We went back to Moruya to the markets on Saturday morning and spent a few hours there. Hopefully the newly acquired hair clips will keep the girls neat and tidy.

A pause on the way home for truly horrid fish and chips at Dalmeny, with a little frolic in the water there, and then back to the cabin before heading out to Tilba, where Bronwen's friends Grant and Jenny have a farm. It is green and lush and hilly and very nice.

Easter Sunday, and the bunny came, with some chocolate and a new book each. The caravan park put on an Easter egg hunt for the kids, so the full gamut of saggy tracksuit pants and tattoos were out in force.

We went down into Narooma and checked out the boardwalk, the stingrays and the local seal, who hangs around waiting for the boats to come and and people to clean their fish. Then a picnic on Glasshouse Rocks Beach and a swim in the surf, with some drawing and writing practice on the sand.

The rule of holiday applied of course, so the day we went home was the best day of all. Still, there was time for another dip in the pool, a splash in the surf, a gander at the seals, pies from the bakery in Bodalla and a drop in to another of Bronwen's friends at Binjie, who do the whole rural lifestyle thing. Steph was very taken with the guinea pig.

Minimal traffic on the way home, which was excellent, and then back to the dog, the washing, the normal life.

Learning to read

The Easter holiday post is coming, meanwhile Steph came home with her first reader today.

Here you go:

Music to your ears

Bits and pieces

This blogging takes time... which is often in short supply around here. Sorry for the delay in broadcast.

So, what's been happening?

Teeth, or lack thereof. Claire lost a molar.

Visits to Grandpafather, we took him out in the fresh air.

Visits from friends - Gillian came down from Brisbane for Donna's farewell. Claire and Rosemary here dressed up for Harmony day at school.

Donna's farewell was a lovely evening at Cafe at the House, outside in the courtyard. She was thrilled. All a bit sad really.

What else...?

Pat Longworth and her brother Phil dropped in for dinner.

Netball on Saturday morning - excellent work from the Shooting Stars. Claire was a Wildcat for the first half, then a Thunderbolt. Netball now takes a break until May.

A pic from last week, when Grandpa came to stay and took us out for yum cha.

Saturday afternoon this weekend was spent in the company of Ravelry women, who I lured to my house with the promise of cake if they would help me wind some yarn and finish off a scarf. Claire got a lesson in using a swift and a ballwinder, and we blocked the lace scarf which is destined to be Donna's farewell gift from me. I'm impressed with my ability and now need to make another one.

We just had dinner out at My's Vietnamese with Chelsey and her family to say thanks for all the help this term. Claire and Nicola ate the most enormous banana fritters I have ever seen. Now there is a lemon meringue cake in the oven for Donna's staff farewell tomorrow, and I'd better do some ironing. It is lovely to come home on Mondays to find a clean house, I like the idea of having dinner out on a Monday to keep it clean for longer!

A run of short weeks now, with Easter, then holidays, then ANZAC day. I'd better start getting a few things organised, like holiday care and next term's swimming lessons, and passports.... maybe I'll just go to bed instead!