24th June 2010
History has been made in Australia.
For the first time ever Australia has a female Prime Minister
Julia Gillard
Whether it is a good thing or not, short term or long, it is a step forward for telling our daughters there is nothing they cannot do or dream...
Thursday, June 24, 2010
A perfect weekend.....
Last weekend I went on a quilting retreat to Port Fairy. It was just heavenly, to stay in a 'beautiful' house directly on the beach (so much nicer in Winter I think!!) with great company, great food and all the time in the world!I didn't achieve a lot but don't think that matters ( do I sound convincing??), I cut the fabric for a Schnibbles quilt but didn't get that any further, took a lot of handstitching which I looked at once, started an 'Elm Creek quilts' book which I am loving, had a nanna nap, went for a few walks, watched a few dvds and generally enjoyed seeing what everyone else was up to and coming home inspired!!
Of course no quilt weekend is complete without chocolate!!
The 'achiever' of the weekend was Tracey , would you believe she actually completed 5 quilt tops over the weekend. This one was probably my favorite, it was striking but I loved them all. She is one of these amazing people that can 'quilt on the run'!!! She has some great posts on our weekend away and the 'show and tell' that was achieved!! Head over for a look.
(I don't know why my link to Tracey isn't working but don't have time to look now, sorry!!!)
Of course no quilt weekend is complete without chocolate!!
The 'achiever' of the weekend was Tracey , would you believe she actually completed 5 quilt tops over the weekend. This one was probably my favorite, it was striking but I loved them all. She is one of these amazing people that can 'quilt on the run'!!! She has some great posts on our weekend away and the 'show and tell' that was achieved!! Head over for a look.
(I don't know why my link to Tracey isn't working but don't have time to look now, sorry!!!)
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
My new toy!
During my blogging absence I received the best ever Mothers Day present from my family, a portable DVD player. When I am at the boarding house I have a lot of hours to fill in. In the evenings I am too tired and the light is not good enough to stitch or read so I have often wished to be able to watch a DVD. This little player is just perfect and it is even mauve - very cute!!! I have all 7 seasons of Gilmore girls on DVD so have started with them. I am enjoying them as much as I did when I saw them on TV. Please tell me there are other Gilmore Girl fans out there!!!!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
On the bus......
In Broome we joined our AAT Kings bus tour which would take us from Broome to Darwin. This is the trip I won in a competition in the newspaper last year. It included our flights , extra accommodation before and after the tour and the fully escorted tour, all up worth about $12000. We realised before we joined the tour that it wasn't going off road to all the amazing places in this area and that the majority of people on the tour would perhaps be older than us. This ended up working in our favor as the Kimberleys had received a lot of unseasonable rain and a lot of the tours were cancelled and modified due to roads being closed. The first week we were away it was not even possible to fly over the Bungle Bungles due to the weather.
We were the 'baby's' of the bus but generally it was a lovely group of people, a few too many for my liking -42, luckily only 1 or 2 big personalities and one couple that struggled mobility wise.
Leaving Broome we headed off to Derby where we drove around the jetty ( I have a fear of jetty's and so no photos, my eyes were firmly closed the whole time!!!). We then stopped at the 'Prison Boab tree'. This was used to hold prisoners before they could be transported to more secure facilities early last century. The Boab's are an amazing tree and such a special part of the landscape in that part of the country. I never tire of seeing them and could photograph each one as they all seem to have their own personalities. They fruit 'Boab nuts' which the Aboriginal people often carve, a truly remarkable piece of art.The white inside of the nut is also edible which we tried, not something I would yearn over but not distasteful.
After leaving Derby we moved on to Fitzroy Crossing where we spent the night. The distances in this part of the country are huge and often separated by only a roadhouse every few hundred kilometres. Up early the next morning to take a cruise on Geikie Gorge. Although I enjoyed it , it was probably my least favorite of the gorges we visited and the cruises we did. There was no canopy over the boat and even in the early morning with a hat and sunglasses the sun and heat were fierce.
A quick stop at the roadhouse back in Fitzroy Crossing for morning tea (which is when we got the news from home that the hot water service had blown up) then we hit the road again to Halls Creek. We passed Wolf Creek (from scary movie fame) on the way. A late lunch then a lazy afternoon in Halls Creek. Each evening we had a 3 course meal supplied , often a buffet and we found our mornings and evenings revolved around food and what time we needed to be there!!!!
We were the 'baby's' of the bus but generally it was a lovely group of people, a few too many for my liking -42, luckily only 1 or 2 big personalities and one couple that struggled mobility wise.
Leaving Broome we headed off to Derby where we drove around the jetty ( I have a fear of jetty's and so no photos, my eyes were firmly closed the whole time!!!). We then stopped at the 'Prison Boab tree'. This was used to hold prisoners before they could be transported to more secure facilities early last century. The Boab's are an amazing tree and such a special part of the landscape in that part of the country. I never tire of seeing them and could photograph each one as they all seem to have their own personalities. They fruit 'Boab nuts' which the Aboriginal people often carve, a truly remarkable piece of art.The white inside of the nut is also edible which we tried, not something I would yearn over but not distasteful.
After leaving Derby we moved on to Fitzroy Crossing where we spent the night. The distances in this part of the country are huge and often separated by only a roadhouse every few hundred kilometres. Up early the next morning to take a cruise on Geikie Gorge. Although I enjoyed it , it was probably my least favorite of the gorges we visited and the cruises we did. There was no canopy over the boat and even in the early morning with a hat and sunglasses the sun and heat were fierce.
A quick stop at the roadhouse back in Fitzroy Crossing for morning tea (which is when we got the news from home that the hot water service had blown up) then we hit the road again to Halls Creek. We passed Wolf Creek (from scary movie fame) on the way. A late lunch then a lazy afternoon in Halls Creek. Each evening we had a 3 course meal supplied , often a buffet and we found our mornings and evenings revolved around food and what time we needed to be there!!!!
Friday, June 4, 2010
A proud mother moment!
It is our local eisteddfod this week, something I have never had to worry about, but the 'horsey' one came home with a note on Monday with the times they were performing with the senior female voice choir she is in at school. To be honest the last thing I felt like doing last night was going out in the cold air, I woke up yesterday with a sore throat and a snuffy nose - I am feeling pretty miserable, poor me!!! As so often is the case as soon as the program started I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. They competed in two sections and won the first and came second in the second one. They also won the aggregate trophy. To look at the group of gorgeous girls all beaming and singing their hearts out I had a warm and fuzzy feeling!!! I'll look forward to next year!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
The most magical place on earth.....
We started our holiday with an early morning direct flight from Melbourne to Broome. We spent 4years living in Broome and it is a place close to my heart. We actually discovered after living there for a year that my great grandfather was an engineer that designed the town beach jetty there and a street is named after him. Coming into Broome, even with heavy cloud, I felt like I was coming home.
'Be still my beating heart'
We had 4 days in Broome before the tour started and enjoyed every moment. We were able to catch up with very special friends, Toni & Richard and their family. They run the best b & b in the world that I can highly recommend 'Broometown B&B'.
No trip to Broome is complete without many trips to the wonderful and beautiful Cable Beach. We took some lovely walks along the beautiful white sand. One morning we caught the town bus to Gantheume Point and then walked the 5km back to Cable Beach.
Broome is well known for its camel rides along Cable Beach, they run both morning and at sunset. There is something special to see them walking to and from the beach. No ride this time but we have in the past. A must do!
This is the sight looking out from gantheume point. Wow - the colors are just amazing!
A scene at town beach that really shows the gorgeous red of the 'pindan' dirt.
All of our sunsets were cloudy but while having a champagne or 2 to watch it we thought it was still spectacular!!
One of my very special friends, I miss spending time with her already.
One evening we visited Broome's outdoor 'Sun Pictures' cinema where we saw the film 'Bran nue dae'. We laughed and laughed and to be sitting in the cinema watching the exact cinema on the screen was special. We saw the film another 2 times on our trip in the hotels and brought the dvd home with us. Think it will be a family favorite!
Probably the low light of the trip was actually leaving Broome and moving on - so sad! It will not be my last trip to this very special part of the world.
'Be still my beating heart'
We had 4 days in Broome before the tour started and enjoyed every moment. We were able to catch up with very special friends, Toni & Richard and their family. They run the best b & b in the world that I can highly recommend 'Broometown B&B'.
No trip to Broome is complete without many trips to the wonderful and beautiful Cable Beach. We took some lovely walks along the beautiful white sand. One morning we caught the town bus to Gantheume Point and then walked the 5km back to Cable Beach.
Broome is well known for its camel rides along Cable Beach, they run both morning and at sunset. There is something special to see them walking to and from the beach. No ride this time but we have in the past. A must do!
This is the sight looking out from gantheume point. Wow - the colors are just amazing!
A scene at town beach that really shows the gorgeous red of the 'pindan' dirt.
All of our sunsets were cloudy but while having a champagne or 2 to watch it we thought it was still spectacular!!
One of my very special friends, I miss spending time with her already.
One evening we visited Broome's outdoor 'Sun Pictures' cinema where we saw the film 'Bran nue dae'. We laughed and laughed and to be sitting in the cinema watching the exact cinema on the screen was special. We saw the film another 2 times on our trip in the hotels and brought the dvd home with us. Think it will be a family favorite!
Probably the low light of the trip was actually leaving Broome and moving on - so sad! It will not be my last trip to this very special part of the world.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Grrrr....
This will be a short one tonight, I have hit the wall and can hardly keep my eyes open. Changing time zones with a whole day of travel Sunday then straight back to work is catching up with me!!!
Would you believe I had a flat tyre this morning as I left for work, an actual puncture in fact and then when I got to work found out the clinic I was reception for today had 2 cancellations first up so I didn't need to start for another 2 hours!!! This is on top of our hot water service blowing up while we were away and SH has gone away on a conference today for the rest of the week!!! How many chinamen have I killed????? Thank goodness Mum left some spaghetti sauce in the freezer while she was here so I can feed us without too many dramas!
Would you believe I had a flat tyre this morning as I left for work, an actual puncture in fact and then when I got to work found out the clinic I was reception for today had 2 cancellations first up so I didn't need to start for another 2 hours!!! This is on top of our hot water service blowing up while we were away and SH has gone away on a conference today for the rest of the week!!! How many chinamen have I killed????? Thank goodness Mum left some spaghetti sauce in the freezer while she was here so I can feed us without too many dramas!
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