Bed and Breakfast

A weekend away does wonders for the soul, even allows time for a new post, it has been a while! We spent two nights away at a wonderful B&B near the very cold, but quaint town of Woodend. The rustic house was full of charm and character, warmth and fantastic cooked breakfasts. The scenery was wonderful and the rain that fell for the most part of 24 hours was renewing. The photo's are at Mount Macedon.

Holidays

Several weeks ago now we headed off on a weeks holiday to a place that we hadn't seen for a very long time. Our beach cabin in the Cape Patterson foreshore park was a welcome sight away from the city and consistency of work. Here we spent five days hearing the sound of the ocean and overlooking it's view from our morning spot on the park bench. The birds were great, the walks refreshing, the sun nourishing and those continual waves magically soothing.We read books, watched TV and simply enjoyed the moment. On our way back home we took the scenic route to Korumbura. Here we stopped at the local cemetary and found my Grandparents graves side by side. I had never known my Grandparents on Mum's side, although I have heard many loving stories about both of them. As I knelt there by the graves of my grandparents I was acutely aware of the connection of life and love, of birth and death, of story and wonder. These two people were in love, had children and lived life before I was ever born, and are in fact a part of who I am this very day. It was a sober thought knowing that the next time I stand in that same cemetary it will be to bury my own Mum and spead my Dad's ashes beside her. Mum has known for a while now that this is where she wants to be buried and so several years ago bought two burial plots, one for her and one for Dad. Mum, forever the organizer! While Dad has already been gone for ten years this coming September, Mum isn't ready to go yet. And I'm glad about that!

Happy Birthday

During the last days of December, 2006, Caleb celebrated his 19th birthday ! After recieving presents in the moring he spent the afternoon with friends then came back and we all headed out for tea. We walked up to one of the many south melbourne pubs, choose one that we thought looked good and had an enjoyable evening together. For me it was a great day and I think that Caleb thought so too!

Celebrating Christmas

This year we decided to join the thousands of others at the Carols by candlelight service at the Sidney Myer music bowl. So, laddened up were our arms with tea, nibbles, drinks, blankets and just in case, umbrella’s. The umbrella’s came in handy, in fact rain coats would have been great but five people sharing two, didn’t quite keep us dry.

But with numb limbs and cold bodies we lit our candles and sang the old favorite carols and were very thankful that we weren’t sitting through a white Christmas, Melbourne’s weather was cold enough !

married 30 years

I wonder how these thirty years have passed me by,
with memories that seem so long ago, somewhere in the folds of my mind.
Yet so wonderfully full and vividly felt are the many things that have passed between my love and I, entwining our hearts, our souls, our love, these thirty years long.
A little excerpt from a poem that I wrote to my mate for the 4th Dec, 2006, the marking of our 30th wedding anniversary. We celebrated in style by dinning out at a little Melbourne restaurant called Punch lane in little Bourke st, here we ate and dinned on fine food and wine at a table for two. The following morning we were joined by our three adult children and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at the Fitz café in Brunswick st, Fizroy. Breakfast must be one of my favourite meals to eat out and having great company is an added bonus.

St Ali's

We have discovered one of the great coffee places in Melbourne, in fact it’s one of Melbourne’s best kept secrets as far as coffee goes. It’s in a little alleyway in south Melbourne, unsigned and to the like of an old warehouse. But from the moment you walk inside it’s doors you realise it’s no ordinary warehouse. The smell of aromic coffee the buzz of chatting people the tantilizing food as the waiter walks past, all tell you that this is a good place to be. So here we are, we visit this little place often !



Sometimes I can’t quite believe that South Melbourne is the place that I live, yet here are a few photo’s of some places that I see and visit regulary.




A smoky haze over Melbourne and the view from our balcony.

Visit to the Murray

Several months ago now I joined Mark on a trip to the Victorian border the place where the Murray river separates Victoria and New South Wales. The river although considerably low in water levels remains the same as I have seen it over my life time, not that I have visited it often but there are those memories of camping by the murray, taking a paddle steamer ride down a section of it, or simply driving over it from one state to the next. It was a rather warm day so we stopped to have a break and sat by the murray for a while and looked about the old timber mill that was there on the river banks exploring the red gum timber that had been logged ready for transportation. I sometimes wonder how life would have been lived one hundred years ago, I dare say pretty tough and I wished that those red river gums had been kept more in the ground than milled. We then drove on to Koonrook – Barham to visit some wonderful people there, enjoyed their friendship, hospitality and their music. How wonderful the diversity of people !

Old family home.

Today I finally remembered to take the camera on my weekly trip to visit my Mum, something I've meant to do for a while now. I was chauffeur driven by my handsome L plater son, who with reluctance, posed for this camera shot outside my old family home. This wonderful old family home has seen a few facelifts over the years, but the feeling that I sometimes get when I've returned to visit, are the same feelings that I had in my childhood. I well remember the warm feeling of being loved and cared for when I was sick, giving me a few days off from primary school. I can almost still somehow smell the fresh air coming in through my open window and the warmth of the sun shining through it. I sometimes remember the unrestful feeling of knowing that it was my turn to dry what seemed like a mountain of dishes, and I suppose with nine in our family, it was. I even sometimes remember the feeling of waking up in my old bedroom early in the morning, know that it was raining and windy outside, and I had to face that half hour walk to school. Yet the enjoyment of being outside in the weather was so lovely, earthy and right. Today as I took that photo of my own, almost adult son, I count it a privileged that this old home is still there for him, a place that is as familiar to him, as it is to me, only in a different way. This home has been a place where many family members have congregated over the years for christmas', birthdays, Mother's days and Father's days. A place of meeting to show new born babes and a place to gather and grieve the death of one so dear, my Dad, and I miss him so much. He would be so proud and comforted to know that even when he is gone, we still meet, we still connect and we still laugh and love. As for my Mum, well what can I say ! Over the years she has been a tower of strength for so many of us, and even now in her older years she is still that same caring Mum, a woman of grace and beauty, and oh, how I do love her !

The gardens

The other morning I found myself slipping out of those warm blankets and into my walking gear because I'd managed to croak a "yes" to my hubby when he said, "do you want to come for a walk?" The time was 7 am, an early start for someone who is NOT an early morning person. The frosty blast hits us as we open the door and head up to St Kilda rd. I stagger up those Shrine of Rememberance steps with my beanie on and hands thrust into my pockets. Beside me is my wide awake hubby, alert to all that is around him, ready to face the day ! I haven't even found my voice yet, but he knows that in another 10 minutes I'll slowly start to wake up and natter about all sorts of things. By the time we are half way through our walk, I am fully aware of the birds, the ducks, the camellia's, new buds promising flowers in the coming spring. What a beautiful wonder of life and new growth. These gardens have become my backyard and they are the most beautifull I have ever had, and what's more I never have to lift a finger to weed it ! Click here to see these wonderful botanical gardens, my own backyard.