Dec 2008

Well a busy but fun time to be back home for a bit. Left Midget and the van with mum and dad for babysitting, and returned home for a bit.

Highlights were:

Ingrid & John’s wedding. Lovely hot day, sorry pics not good of John, but the best one I took, but showed their gorgeous little Emily who didnt want to miss out on being apart of the ceremony. We had a great day. Also in the pic was John's brother who flew out from Scotland for the wedding. They all looked gorgeous.

Catching up with school friends for breakfast

Leanne winning the WA Telstra Business Woman of the Year – again!

Entering my first triathlon as well as celebrating Kerry's Birthday

Ibis sitting on Ronnie's fence - we saw while visiting one afternoon!

Getting our dot painting from Darwin framed and put up on our wall! We're really happy - thanks again to Terrace Art Framers - the best Art Framers in the World!

Cleaning out more junk at home and getting our house rented out!

Happy to get back to holidays as all the work was starting to feel like work! :-)

Staying with our great buddies Janeen and Wayne before flying back to Noosa...

Had a great time meeting mum and dad’s friends, and enjoying the great stuff that is Noosa. The only down side to this place is its anti-dog laws. No dog is allowed within 6m of a café table otherwise there is a $55,000 fine for the café owner and a $275 fine for the dog owner. Its sad and it really affects people’s attitudes to animals. Dad is paranoid about the dog being off the lead for one second in public which is sad as the dogs don’t get to socialise or do what there used to doing.

But we’ve been out using their bikes, and have ridden into Noosa Heads, around the national park, out to Coolum Beach to the award winning pie shop, enjoyed the Coolum Kite Festival, watched whales swimming along the beach, ran and walked through the amazing bike trails through the creeks and water ways, kayaked in the Noosa River and lakes around Noosa harbour, taken the car ferry over to North Shore (where all the 4WD vehicles head out to drive to Fraser Island on low tide), and driven around and checked out property. It was a fun and busy few weeks. The weather has been cold. Nice in the sun, but jumpers at night.

Worked on getting mum and dads XR6 advertised for sale. If you know anyone who's interested in buying an XR6 - could be driven to WA early next year for someone interested... http://www.carpoint.com.au/used-car/FORD/FALCON/Queensland/csn6357063.aspx?State=QLD is the link on carpoint. Price is $20,000 firm.

Caught up with Delwyne at her place for breaky and then later joined her for coffee at her shopping centre. Decided to get an early start down to mum and dad’s.

Arrived late afternoon after getting lost. Find it difficult to find our way around this place.

Great to catch up with mum and dad and to get our of the van for a while…

Arrived early in Bundaberg. It’s a cute little town and also has a lovely main street. The shire has spent much on landscaping and parking facilities and the main street was really busy and bustling.

Arrived around lunch time at Bargara. Had a drive around the town to see all the water front areas. It’s a pretty little spot. Traditionally a retirement area for people wanting to be near the water, and being just 15 minutes from Bundy its easy to get into town for things not available in Bargara. Its now getting the million dollar beachfront apartments, and golf course upgrades and is turning into a more happening place.

We finally got to see Delwyne’s place. Its located on the main road as you drive into Bargara. Its also 100m from the brand new Woolworths that they’ve just put in, in Bargara, that Delwyne is the centre manager for. She’d done some great renovations to the house making it very liveable for its not so attractive 1970s façade. We enjoyed a great drink at the golf course and then dinner at the pub with Del. It was great to catch up. Jyson’s dad was in town, so we didn’t get to see much of him. Due to the busy location Del lives in, making parking out on the verge impossible due to the traffic. We found a nice carpark in a side street next to a new apartment building that appeared to be empty, which we called home for the night.

Got an early started and headed down to Miriam Vale (the turn off to 1770). What a gorgeous little spot. Stopped in the classic verandahed main street and enjoyed a pie and a walk around the shops. Then went to some 55kms from the highway to 1770 and Agnes Waters. Unfortunately it was school holidays and a very popular destination for holiday makers. Every square inch of parking area was taken up with boat trailer after boat trailer. There didn’t appear to be any marina or permanent boating facility anywhere and day trippers out everywhere picnicking and fishing. Steve didn’t enjoy it as it was just so crowded.

We decided to go further south and along the back roads. Passed through Lowmead and were taken with how pretty the countryside is, as well as cheap the prices of land and properties are. Spent an interesting night at Rules Beach. I think this was the worst infestation we’d had since leaving home of sand flies. Couldn’t get out of there fast enough! Shame as its such a pretty and secluded spot.