Mission Adrenaline!

George and Andrew excited before getting on the bus, but also concerned to remain looking as cool as possible...




Apparently George is faaaaarrrrr too cool to give his mum a kiss and a hug before he goes on the camp....


It's been a very quiet week here. George has been away on a camp run by the Department of Sport and Recreation called Mission Adrenalin. We had to have him on a bus at Sydney Central Station at 6.30am on Monday and then pick him up on Friday. His friend Andrew went with him, and they were both really looking forward to a week of climbing, canoeing, abseiling, paintballing....you name it - they are going to be doing it! I have to say that I did suffer from some anxiety about it all - they are 5 hours away, in the outback, in an area where mobile phones don't work. It can get very, very hot inland like that, over 40 degrees, so I was pleased that the forecast for the week wasn't really all that good - a bit dull and only mid to high 20s out there.

Whilst her brother has been away, Anna has been on a constant round of sleepovers, and going to the cinema. This week she has seen Enchanted, Alvin and the Chipmunks (I'm quite relieved to have been spared that one!) and The Waterhorse, all in the company of friends. This has meant that I have been able to tidy the house, and meet friends at the mall and have coffee (and maybe a sneaky bit of retail therapy).

However, there have been events at home, which have really brought home the distance we are from the UK. Friends really should be there for each other when they are needed, and all I can do is be supportive down a phone. But the people in question know that if they want me to come, I'll be there. Always.

Luna Park

George and Anna have been desperate to go to Luna Park for ages, but we just haven't gotten around to it. However, given the disappointment over Jamberoo, I told them we could go and they could both take a friend.



I'm generally not a big fan of theme park type places.....I don't like the rides, so they are a bit pointless for me, but usually, having paid the fee to get in, I feel kind of obliged to risk life and limb and give a few of them a go.

Luna Park is a bit different though. It's a famous Sydney landmark, on the harbourside in the shadow of the bridge. It has been there since 1935 and still retains a good part of that 1930s feel, plus fabulous views of the city and the water.



So off we went, with George's friend Ari, and Anna's friend Olivia with us. It was pleasingly easy to get to, despite being in the city centre, and there was a large underground carpark there which we just drove straight in. I discovered that you don't pay to go in, but can buy various different packages for the rides. This meant I wasn't obliged in anyway, and could settle myself in the middle of the place, sip coffee and write the shopping list. The children went off with their wristbands which gave them access to all the rides as many times as they wanted (for $48 which is about 22 quid, which I didn't think was bad), and I wandered about trying to not be appalled when I occasionally came across one of my children being flung about the atmosphere upside down. It all proved to be a bit too much for Anna, who unfortunately threw up on the Tango Train, and was still not recovered fully on the way home, as we had to pull over and hold her hair out the way then too! Kids eh? Olivia was the most game of them all - insisting on going on rides which can't possibly be fun...



Only Olivia wanted to go on this one....



....and I think this is why! She's right up there at the top, waiting to be dropped like a stone!

Anyway, despite the vomiting (!) everyone had a great time, and I even felt like I would be willing to go back. But perhaps I'll keep Anna off the chips next time....

100 miles from Sydney, a million miles from care...

If I was asked to name the most beautiful city in the world, I'd have to say it is Sydney. Although other cities have more beautiful historical buildings, and are architecturally more attractive, Sydney is blessed with the most amazing natural beauty, which has not been diminished by its development as a world city. Better still, if you fancy driving for a couple of hours for an afternoon out, you can be here in no time at all....



This is Seven Mile Beach, a national park a couple of hours south of Sydney - where we spent yesterday afternoon. We had gone out with the intention of visiting Jamberoo - a water park (although I was very much a reluctant passenger, as I couldn't understand why we were driving 2 hours to visit a place which had a pretend beach but there you go - the kids were desperate). However, when we got there, it was absolutely mobbed, with the most people I have ever seen in one place in Australia. Andrew didn't want to go in, and George wasn't bothered (we couldn't even find a parking space in the VAST carpark) but Anna was heartbroken. I had never wanted to go in the first place, so I kept quiet and let them decide what to do! In the end we decided to go to a beach.

We hadn't been south of Sydney before, although we had been told that it was beautiful - and it was. Rolling green hills, a rocky coastline at first then giving way to vast long sandy beaches backed by rainforest. We explored the are a little, stumbling upon this - The Blowhole - which was pretty spectacular.






The Blowhole was a small aperture in the rocks through which a spout of water was forced every time a wave came in. It made a terrific noise and was pretty impressive. George spent a long time standing in the spray area - it was 32 degrees yesterday - but Anna was still in the sulky recovery period after the Jamberoo disappointment.

When we got to Seven Mile Beach, it was perfect. The children stayed in the water for over 2 hours - it was crystal clear with flat sand and surf that was ideal for body boarding. In fact it was so lovely that even I had a go, which is highly unusual. Although it was very hot, on the beach there was the usual lovely sea breeze so it didn't feel uncomfortable. You do have to be very careful though - it's easy to think it is not that hot with the breeze, but then you take off your flip flops and discover that the sand is too hot to walk on.












We are so happy here - how couldn't we be? We are closer as a family, as we spend more time together. We are more relaxed because we are no longer both rushing about all the time. And when the weekend comes we can go to places that make us feel like we are on an exotic holiday. We miss everyone, of course, but we are so very fortunate that we have been able to make this choice and that we are able to have such a good life.

As the Ozzies say - it's all good....

Backyard Bush

I am writing this from my sick bed, in which I have been languishing for the last couple of days. The ailment involves feeling like a crock of sh*t, excruciating stomach cramps and needing to be within 10 feet of a loo at all times. I believe it is the same thing that Mike had a Christmas and I now fully understand why he did not appear for Christmas lunch! Of course, there is always a silver lining, and this evening I am starting to feel a bit more normal and.....I'm thin! Don't you just lurve a stomach upset? And this one has been particularly convenient, given that everyone could do with losing a few pounds after all the seasonal excess!

The children have coped fantastically while I've been out of action, bringing me glasses of water and actually finding things to amuse themselves with, without the help of money or extra people shipped in. One of the lovely things about moving to this house has turned out to be one of the things about which I was most worried - the lack of proximity to other children. Without all the lovely girls across the road, George and Anna seem to have made friends again, and have been playing together. I think that whilst Anna had constant access to all the girls at Wimbledon Avenue, she didn't bother with George, and he felt left out and resentful. They seemed to be arguing all the time.

Things are a lot more harmonious here. This afternoon they were playing 'businesses', which involved George putting on the suit and tie we bought him for James and Samantha's wedding, and them setting up desks. Now you can imagine my consternation when I went up to take a look and discovered George at a large desk on a comfy 'executive' chair (mine) being The Boss and Anna sitting on a stool at a tiny desk outside the door being the receptionist. Great. I have taught my daughter nothing. I probably need to get back to work....

Anyway, all this aside, I thought you might be interested in an update on the bandicoot position. Although I haven't had any news of the Christmas bandicoot, it seems that we have considerable bandicoot activity around our property. First we found a dead one floating in the swimming pool (eurgh), then the next evening we fished one out that hadn't yet drowned. We dried him off, kept him overnight and then on the advice of the wildlife service, released him just down the road in some bushland. It seems that they are getting in to cool down and then can't get out...so Andrew has constructed a bandicoot escape system! So far no more dead bush creatures in the pool.

And any mention of the wildlife here could not be complete with out talking about the cicadas. You know when you go on holiday and you hear that chirping noise in the trees and you know you are somewhere tropical? Well, that's them - except that here they are absolutely deafening. To the extent that I have been sleeping with earplugs so as not to be disturbed when they are at their shrill worst at dawn. Apparently, this year the Northern Beaches are suffering a plague of them, and Mona Vale is Cicada Central. They are absolutely harmless (apart from causing insanity and deafness), but they are big and ugly and divebomb the insect screens and night. Oh yes - and they wee on you.

I am just so loving the Australian wildlife.

Bringing in 2008 in Pictures!

Oh dear! We've been really busy in the sun with Lucy and Mike and local friends, and have done loads of stuff but I haven't really had time to update the blog. And now I have no idea where to start....

I've decided that the solution to this is to take you through the last week or so in pictures, so here we go.

Just a warning - this is much more complicated than you would think, because in order to make the first chronological picture appear first on the site, I will have to add it last and go backwards. People who know me well will appreciate that intellectually this may prove to be something of a stretch. No criticism please if it all goes pear shaped....




The fun to be had in a swimming pool is pretty endless!



The tennis court is good for all sorts of fun - even skateboarding! George bought his skateboard with his money and the christmas money from Lorna and Tracey, so thank you very much!




We went out to dinner with Ally, Lou, Zoe and Samantha at Darling Harbour. We stuffed ourselves in a seafood restaurant and had a great time!




Trying to get a decent picture of both Andrew and Al is not easy. I think photoshop may be the only solution...



George, Anna and Samantha having a post dinner ice cream. Don't know where they put it all to be honest!



Blue tongued lizard sauntering by our pool





We spent the afternoon of New Year's Eve at Clareville Beach which is one of the Pittwater beaches. We had initially made for the ocean beaches, but it turned out that they were all closed because there had been a tropical cyclone up the coast which had resulted in pretty fatal surf. Good to look at from afar, but certain death if you got in it..

Hmmm - there should be pictures of us here bringing in 2008 watching the Pittwater fireworks from Sharon and Richard's deck, but I forgot the camera! However, we did have a lovely time, and although the Pittwater display wasn't quite as good as the one in central Sydney, it still elicited a pleasing number of ooohs and aaahs. We will try to make it into the city next year for the big display, but with Lucy and Mike's flight from Hayman Island not getting in till the evening, it wasn't possible this time.




On New Year's Day we got the ferry from Palm Beach to The Basin to spend the day nibbling at our picnic, playing in the water and enjoying the sun. The Basin is a wonderful, shallow lagoon in the national park which is perfect for children. No sharks, no waves, not much salt in the water and warmed by the sun. And therefore perfect for parents who can relax, read their book and occasionally nod off.




Having fun in the water



Who on earth is that attractive man?!



The girls posing by the lagoon. How lovely are they? And how lovely is The Basin?



George and Em hamming it up while we wait for the ferry back to Palm Beach




We went to Taronga Zoo. Can you see the legs of the joey sticking out in this picture? It doesn't look very comfy for the mum! The zoo was great, but it was bloody hot...



A female gorilla feeding her baby. Isn't that a beautiful thing?



A pile of sleepy lions. I think it was too hot for them as well!



We went to Bilgola Beach with Lucy, Mike, Katy, Emily, Sharon, Richard, Eben, Zoe and Joel. It was a beautiful day but the lifeguards weren't letting anyone in the water because the surf was still too dangerous. Luckily there is a rockpool there!



Eben, George, Katy and Anna buried Joel!



Zoe and Emily buried themselves!



The children dressed up smart for dinner at Darling Harbour



All the girls at Darling Harbour before dinner




We went out for a farewell dinner with Lucy and Mike and family at Darling Harbour. The city really is beautiful at night.




Anna, Katy and Em in their last photo together before they left for the airport this morning.