Saturday, December 27, 2008

So this is Christmas.....

December 25 arrived, and with a big chimney and fireplace, Santa would have no trouble delivering my presents. I raced out to our tree and there I found a new dress and thongs for Dave (finally he has matching ones).
After a long sleep in we departed for Christmas lunch with

Christmas Day- Jonnie

our ol’ friend Jonnie Weaver, Matt, Matt’s brother and Matt the author of two books. Champagne was served with a selection of seafood. We then moved to the dining room for a traditional roast - rather exceptional. I had been a tad worried by the endless smoke emitting from the kitchen. The Aussie culture was blended in nicely at the end, as we feasted on Pavlova for our pud. I say feasted- you should have seen the size of Matt’s piece (see the photo......)

Check out the size of Matt's pavlova, Christmas Day

We then retired to the lounge room and enjoyed drinks, friendly banter and laughs........ All too soon it seemed, we departed for our next appointment- Christmas night drinks with 3 of my cousins, partners and friends. Having had no plans for Christmas day, we were rather pleased with how it turned out, we enjoyed ourselves immensely- a big thank you to all involved!
Then it was off to Tassie.
Leaving Melbourne, bound for Tasmania

The port was literally a 5 minute drive and we were soon aboard the Spirit of Tasmania bound for the Apple Isle - on a day sail no less - even caught the ferry going the other way

Passing the Spirit of Tasmania, Bass Strait

With a 9 hour sail ahead of us, we made use of the free cinema to watch some locally produced docos. We have all heard the stereotypes of Tasmania- they have two heads- marry their sisters- and generally a bit slow. The 3 documentaries we watched did nothing to ease these stereotypes. Dave and I were in fits of laughter, only it wasn’t a comedy...... the first featured local artists- who make Nimbinites look completely sane. Need I mention the purple skivvy, brown jumper wearing banjo player, Frosty the rapper, who is tone deaf, or the ‘Art Film’ where a dementia suffering mother asked her daughter ‘you still a licker (lesbian)?’ I guess ‘she was still a licker’ as she then tried to slip the tongue into her Aunty. Mmm tasteful viewing........... The theme of this film was death, divorce and how new comers aren’t really welcome. Again.............. mmmmmmmmmm............ welcome to Tasmania!!
We spent our first night in Devonport. Really just a place to lay our weary heads, but Tasmania produced her typical weather for us- cold, wet and windy. As I type the camper is ‘swaying in the breeze’, the 75km per hour breeze that is...... But we can’t complain we are now staying at Ross- a picturesque Georgian village with much convict history still standing. We have set up camp on the bank of the Macquarie River, just near the famous convict built Ross Bridge.

The famous Ross Bridge, Ross

A short stroll away is Lovers Lane, complete with a Love Seat, where you can sit and gaze at the flowing river and intricate carvings of the bridge..... or are you supposed to gaze at your loved one?.....
Lovers Seat, Ross


Ross Bridge at night

We plan to enjoy a coffee in the Heritage Listed sandstone bakery in the morning, before setting of for Port Huon, where our friends Kel and Dean reside.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Coloured Houses

Shepparton- home of ‘mooo-ving art’ and our friends Terri, Richard and 5 year old Jay. I originally met Terri about 15 years ago working at The Mosman Daily. She was the Editor, me the up and coming Advertising Exec. Being on opposite sides (advertising and editorial are traditional newspaper enemies) we never really formed a relationship. However, at various functions over the years, and a mutual friend being her sister- Nat, those ‘ice’ barriers have broken down. Terri and her husband Richard are both very interesting and indeed hospitable people (not like Editors at all............ hee hee, just had to get one dig in).
So, we found ourselves enjoying good food, wine and laughs until the wee hours. Mind you- this was all well deserved. Having arrived at the ‘White House’

Terri, Richard and Jay's home, Shepparton

(as their new home is known)- I was soon roped into the ‘bring a friend night’ at Boot Camp. I was keen (Dave not so), but it would be my first Boot Camp session since June this year- was I still fit??
The session was rejuvenating and a little different to the City style I am used too. We used the moving art cows as props

Mooving art, Shepparton

and then swam in a heated pool- mmm perhaps more civilised than the ocean at Balmoral.
After 2 nights, and enlightenments from Jay (Santa can hear you when you speak, so only say good things), it was time to move to ‘our apartment’ in Melbourne. We love this apartment (thanks Jo & Jamie) , well who wouldn’t, the bedroom alone is twice the size of our entire camper, and comes complete with a dreamy king size bed. I almost need to call for a taxi each morn to see if Dave is awake on his side of the bed.
After putting up the Christmas decorations (our little Xmas tree, and a few cards we have collected along the way), we set off for the local Farmers Markets. With a complete kitchen at our disposal, the cooking possibilities are endless, we were ready to stock the fridge! Alas, we are used to real Farmers Markets, located on a farm, with prices reflective of the 1930’s warm greetings received. We were now in Middle Park, where the focus is on ‘organic dahhh-ling’ the more expensive the more ‘genuine’. However, we did buy some yoghurt and an Apple & Rhubarb Crumble, before setting off for IGA.
St Kilda Markets and Acland Street better deserved our attention, and we managed to spend a penny or two on a few little items to put under our tree for each other. I am eagerly awaiting Santa to arrive down the real chimney here!
A visit to Melbourne is not complete without catching up with my relos. Our first port of call, was the ‘Purple House’. The ‘Purple House’ is multi toned shades of purple, and the new purchase of Cousin Natalie, Iain and 10 month old Oliver.

Oliver in his new house

They are mid renovations and as we arrived Iain was attempting to tame the garden (did he mention he has a new lawn mower....

'Iain now owns a lawnmower'

and Nat was attempting to assemble an Ikea Kitchen. Hopefully she does a better job than Iain, who put the back of a cupboard on back to front.... (too busy dreaming of his new lawn mower). I was impressed with Nat’s organisation (she produced beer and champagne for us), but we made our escape, before we were kitted out with tools and Ikea instructions.
Only 3 sleeps until Santa, I hope you have all being good boys and girls, and enjoy the Chrissy break!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Contentment

As the ocean tumbled beside us a wave of contentment washed over me. We were back to ‘our life’ in South Durras, were the friendliest kangaroos in Australia shared our campsite. The weather however, was not the friendliest and we endured gale force winds. Dave seemed concerned that our camper would blow over, and at one stage I was concerned too, as our camper shook from side to side. The wind storm brought down tree limbs and the power. The ‘no power’ extended down to Batemans Bay. No power also meant no water in the caravan park, where we were staying. I guess we were the lucky ones- we are pretty self contained and used the power from our battery. As I turned on our hot water, I looked at the guests in cabins with nothing.


Pebbly Beach



Kangaroos galore at South Durras

After bushwalking Pebbly Beach, a childhood haunt of Dave’s, we headed towards Braidwood. The town of Braidwood is heritage listed but is in need of repair. We arrived on a Sunday, however many shops were closed, others running on empty. So after a pie in the bakery we headed for our nation’s capitol.
Have any of you been along the King’s Highway in the past couple of years? If so, you will know I am not lying when I say that I spotted a monkey, bear, crocodile and panda along the roadside on the way into Queanbeyan. During the Melbourne Comedy Festival in March of this year, we caught a show by Tom Gleeson- he too had seen these animals, and shared his story. But to save you confusion- the ‘animals’ were stuffed toys, roped and nailed to various trees. I understand Tom has also started this fad in Melbourne.
But back to our nation’s capitol- I think we really give Canberra a hard time for no good reason. There is really much to see and do, and it is pretty easy to navigate your way around. Our stay here also coincided with our 8 year anniversary. Eight years- WOW. I pondered why the last 8 years have been so easy with Dave and decided it is because I amuse him. He is able to laugh at my idiosyncrasies and love me for them, while others may find them annoying. So with that in mind, I declared that I shall extend the contract, we are in it for the long haul.
On our journey around Australia, we are visiting many friends and relatives. So it was only fitting that we visit the War Memorial to see what we could find of my paternal Grandfather and Dave’s Great Uncle (?). My Grandfather

My Grandfathers name on the wall of rememberance, Australian War Memorial

died as a prisoner of war in Borneo. We easily found his name on the remembrance wall, but a search in the archives was restricted (we can apply to get access to the file). However, there was much information about Dave’s relative to be found and we learnt many details about the man and how he died (we also discovered he was a ranga). As a kid the War Memorial was somewhat exciting, with guns, planes and real life diorama’s. As an adult, it is a more sombre affair, showcasing how pointless war is. War will never stop, we will never learn.
It was our anniversary- a time for joy, so we left the War Memorial and chose to see the Degas exhibition at the National Gallery. Degas is one of France’s most renowned painters (he also was a sculptor and photographer). He delighted in painting scenes from the ballet, to horseracing and women in various stages of chores. My favourite was a ballet class scene. I pointed this out to Dave, but if he was to buy it for me, we would have no money to continue travelling.......... for the next 100 years. Oh well, I bought a postcard of the painting instead.
We are currently free camping, beside the Murray River near Howlong. Not quite sure whether we are in NSW or Victoria. I don’t mind- I am just glad we have left the locust plague behind. Driving here was like a scene from a horror movie-

Locusts in the sky....... end up in the radiator

the road covered in the dead bodies and the air thick with locusts. As they hit our windscreen, it sounded like we were driving through a storm. After a while it rather amused me, and I braced for the next onslaught. Over the crest of a hill and there they were, ready to do battle, lined up 50 deep. Of course we always won, although the windscreen ended up looking like a bad Pro Hart.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Shipwrecked

Toot, toot, honk, honk, beep, beep, crash, bang, thump. It was fast and furious, but we survived our ‘stopover in Sydney’. It was truly great to see friends and family, but now that we are ‘recovering’ in picturesque Kangaroo Valley, I know we are not ready to rejoin the city life just yet.
Leaving Sydney I did have some apprehension- are we doing the right thing, when will I see you all again, what is install for the future. As these thoughts raced through my mind, just south of Sydney the weather closed in. A thick fog blanketed our vision, and I couldn’t help but muse that it was rather symbolic of my state of mind. Then as we began to descend, the pea soup fog suddenly cleared and we were greeted with a view of a most glorious valley- so tranquil and serene. All of a sudden my dark mood lifted and I knew we were going to be OK.

Outhouse at the cop shop - heritage listed in Kangaroo Valley

Reflecting on the past week, a smile spreads wide across my face. The laughs between Chrissie (as she is now known), Haggis, Matt the Vet and Ivana. The surprise on Nat & Pete’s and Robin's face at the Oaks (we hadn’t told anyone we would be there). Sarah & Ameila, who went out of their way to see us, even if only briefly. Running into Nat- my friend from kindy right through to high school and beyond. The ‘day after’ giggles at lunch in Manly with V and Kiz. (We giggled at Dave who still had on some of his Jack Sparrow pirate outfit from the

Jack Sparrow and his wench- Jo's 40th

party the previous night). The generosity of Zelks, who moved out of his bedroom and onto the couch, for 3 nights, Sam & Michael pumping up our bed for a night and Jo & Jamie.
Jo is the reason we were back in Sydney- well her 40th Birthday party mainly. After a busy previous couple of days, I remember looking at my watch at 10.30pm and thinking, boy..... I am wrecked.... how am I going to last the night? Alas, the next time I looked at my watch it was 5am. Now I was thinking boy- WHAT A PARTY!! I was having so much fun the hours seemed to melt into minutes. Jo had set a J theme for her party. With limited time to arrange our costume, we went as pirates. Um... pirates start with a p...... oh well. But, I am cleverer than I think- we were congratulated on the ‘Jack Sparrow’ get ups! (Jack Sparrow was the pirate from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie). Yes.... I had planned that all along...... Some other very clever costumes arrived, including jellyfish, Jack & Jill, JFK & Jackie Onassis, Jihadists,

Manager display, Kangaroo Valley

The Jetsons, all topped off with Jo as ‘I dream of Jeannie’ and Jamie as a Jack in the Box. Some select pics have been uploaded for your viewing pleasure, some from the early hours of the morning are not (hee hee).

Jack in the Box Jamie and me- Jo's 40th



Jo and the Jetsons- Jo's 40th

Last but not least, it was great to see our family- my Mum, who especially stocked up on our choice of Lite & Easy meals (they are actually very good!!). Dave’s parents Don & Brenda, who washed our home and cooked a great roast. We also managed a visit to see Dave’s sister Merrilyn, nephew Sam and niece Abbey. On our way back into Sydney we had a night with my brother and Adrianna, and of course my 3 nieces- Aneika, Leisa and Kayla. Actually the night we stayed over (along with Mum), it was Aneika’s graduation from pre-school to ‘big’ school. The graduation was complete with black cap and performance. Being only five, it was a comedy of errors, but certainly a moment to treasure.


Aneika's kindergarten graduation

But, we are ‘back on track’ and are heading south for the summer. After a sojourn in Melbourne we cross the Bass Strait on December 27- the Apple Isle our next extended stay.