HUG THE FAMILY AGAIN

 At last interstate travel is allowed again and our restrictions have been lifted. We have Covid under control with very few vaccinations due to a delay in vaccine delivery. So our Melbourne family flew into the Gold Coast for a five day break during the school holidays. We drove down to meet them. I had booked us two appartments at Burleigh Beach. It was so nice to hug them again after 15 months. We were lucky with the weather. It had been raining here for weeks but the sun came out and we had beautiful, warm, Autumn weather. 

View from our unit.

A parrot came to visit

We went to the beach but it was a bit windy on the first day, after all it is autumn.

However, people were still enjoying the surf.

While I enjoyed taking photos with my new iPhone.

After the beach, the boys went for a swim in the pool

Then they were allowed "Tech Time" until dinner.

Next morning it was beautiful to see the sun rise over the ocean but it was very bright.

Then us oldies ventured down to the beach.

The family were playing football.

OUT OF LOCKDOWN

 We were lucky that the Brisbane outbreak seems to be under control with a three day lockdown, super contact tracing and ramped up testing. Over 1000 contacts have to stay at home for 14 days and be tested again to make sure they are still negative. 

People were so happy to be able to go on Easter holidays, church and family get togethers. Restrictions still remain throughout Queensland; mask wearing inside buildings, no dancing, sit down in bars and restaurants and only 30 people in home gatherings. Carry a mask everywhere and use it when you can't social distance outside.

We enjoyed the outside by going to our local park and walked around the lagoon which was covered in lotus blooms and ducks.

These days it is hard to get down low for a good shot.

A Moorhen

The park has recently been upgraded with nice seating and picnic shelters as well as new observation decks over the Lagoon. There is a path and boardwalk all the way around the lagoon.

Paper bark trees (Melaleuca Trees)

DON'T BRAG (Message to myself)

After bragging to my readers that we had Covid under control, it has snuck back into our community. Only in Brisbane not anywhere else in the country. We recorded four new cases over the last few days so now we have been locked down again for at least three days. It is quite harsh. Schools closed. Only essential workers can go to work, wear masks, stay apart, stay home except for food shopping, exercise, and medical reasons. If people have been visiting from other states they have to quarantine for 14 days when they return home. Travel is banned. In the meantime testing and contact tracing has gone into overdrive. The health gurus know that it is the UK strain and it was brought into the country by a returning Aussie from overseas, who was positive and went to hospital for treatment where a doctor became infected and passed it onto a friend. Friend was asymptomatic and passed it onto brother who passed it onto three others.

Unfortunately, our vaccine rollout is slow because we can't get Europe to send enough because they need it and we have to give some of ours to third world Papua/New Guinea. We are due to get our (oldies jab) after Easter. Health workers have had theirs. Care home patients are getting it now. Then us. 

So it's time to get a bit of Zen in our village Zen garden.

ST PATRICK'S DAY DINNER

Our monthly dinner night fell on St Patricks Day so naturally the theme for our dinner was St Patrick's Day. Residents were encouraged to wear green and they did. We usually have an Irish Dance group come to dance for us. This year we couldn't get them due to problems they incurred due to Covid Lockdowns in the past. However, we solved the problem when Our Line Dancing Group offered to entertain us by dancing to Irish music. We normally have a distinguished visiting guest speaker but this year we had one of our residents from the History Group give us a talk on St Patrick. We also had a resident sing Danny Boy for us.

Bill says, "Top 'o' the mornin'" to Fergus our mascot.

We sat with a lovely group of neighbours.

Many guests wore green and fun head wear.

Nanette makes great cocktails. The bar is manned by village volunteers.

John gave an interesting talk.

The line dancers entertained us and had fun themselves dancing to Irish music.

Stewart sang 'Danny Boy'

The Rochedale High School Catering students served us well.

Poz, our chef, made a delicious meal: Guinness Pie with Colcannon and Creamed Spinach or Cider Coddled Pork Loin with Colcannon and Baked Sprouts. Dessert : Baileys Irish Cream baked Cheesecake with Green Chocolate Ganache.

Our CEO, Chiou See, and our Residents' Committee Chairman, Ian, led us all in singing "Its a Long Way to Tipperary". 

CHINESE NEW YEAR-THE YEAR OF THE OX

 Once again our Chinese CEO, Chiou See Anderson put on another fabulous CNY celebration in the Community Centre. There were about 200 guests and she did all the cooking. Many staff members and residents helped out in the kitchen.

We were lucky that Bill was feeling better but we both had to be careful of what we could eat. We were happy with rice, beef, chicken and noodles.

The Lion dancers entertained us and especially the many children that were there. Families and grandchildren were also invited. 

The Community Centre was full with space left for the band and Lions.

It is tradition to feed the Lions with little red envelopes with money inside.

The Lions climb up to eat a lettuce hanging from the ceiling.

Then they spit it out to the audience. It is good luck if it lands on you.

The drumming was very loud and performed by a very young person.

Chiou See loves to see the children enjoying themselves. She says it is a special time for children. She just helped Parker feed the Lion. He is my friend's grandson.

Families were invited.

Those without families still enjoyed themselves.

We were asked to wear red if possible.

Nanette volunteers to make the punch and cocktails.

Then it was dinner time. Due to Covid regulations we can't serve ourselves so some residents volunteered to do the serving before they ate their meal.

At the end it is tradition for the oldest guest to hand out envelopes of money to all the children. Jill at 87 was the lovely lady to do this while Chiou See gave all the children an ice cream. It was another fun night. We are so lucky not to have any Covid cases in Queensland. The vaccine only started to be given today to frontline health workers and Hotel Quarantine workers. Us oldies will be next.