BILL GETS WHEELS

 After Bill had a fall back in 2023 he has found walking quite an effort even though I insist he has a 15 min walk every afternoon. This meant I had to drive him to the community centre in the village when we attended functions there. So we invested in a mobility scooter for him. He has a new lease on life whizzing around the village and stopping to chat to people. I will still take him for a walk every afternoon.

The scooter arrives. It is bright green.

Taking it for a trial run.

Everyone who saw him told me he had a big smile on his face as he rode by.

He stops to chat to neighbours.

 We had a street party last week. It is usually held outside on fold up tables and chairs but the weather was wet so Rosa offered her home for us to party in. Bill had a chat to Rosa's gingerbread man.

It was our grandson, Banjo's fourteenth birthday last week and we celebrated at a nice Italian Restaurant but silly me didn't take a photo of the birthday boy. However I took one of his mum and dad.

A SHORT BREAK AT THE BEACH.

 The grandsons were on school holidays, mid term break and Easter. Bernie was home working on the house but last week he had to go to USA for work. Sonya took a few days leave and took the boys to the beach for a few days. She invited us to go with them and Carol flew from Melbourne to spend some days with us.

Sonya had found a great apartment that permitted dogs so we had Sonya's dog with us too. The apartment was right on the beach at Broadbeach on the Gold Coast. The view was amazing.

We went for a walk along the esplanade.

The next day I enjoyed a splash along the beach, one of my favourite activities.

Our wonderful daughters.

Waiting for a coffee with Banjo.

We had a great time.

Carol and Sonya cooked breakfast.

EASTER SUNDAY LUNCH

Our lovely daughter and family invited us for lunch on Easter Sunday. Sonya made a booking at the Lighthouse Restaurant on Cleveland Point. Cleveland is a bayside suburb in Brisbane. The bay is called Moreton Bay and Cleveland Point is a peninsula sticking out into the bay. I love this restaurant but it isn't cheap but the food is delicious. I had half a lobster mornay, the boys and Bernie had steak, Sonya had Barramundi fish and Bill had flathead fish. It was a beautiful day and so great to be with family. I wished our other daughter and son in law were with us too. With the petrol problem and flight delays it was best for them to stay home in Victoria.

The old lighthouse is still on the point but it is not operational anymore.

Waiting for lunch.

Waiting for taxi home. We have a cabcharge card from My Age Care. Its better than trying to find a car park here. Enjoying time with our big grandsons. Fox and Banjo.

MEMORIES FROM 1989-NEW HOUSE AND OVERSEAS VISITORS

After waiting 18 months for our new house to be completed, we could finally move in in June 1989. I was so annoyed with our useless builder, who went broke before completing the house. His suppliers refused to sell him timber, bricks and windows because he couldn't pay his bills. Luckily our bank came to the rescue and paid for the supplies and the house got finished. (sort of). Bill had to do a lot of the finishing touches.

Not quite finished but we could move in. 

Bill had to build a bridge so we could use the back entrance. He also installed the air-conditioning. (That was his day job)

I felt sorry for our daughter, Carol. She was in her final year of high school and had important exams in November and she had been moved from her home, then a rental and now into a new home. This all should have happened at the beginning of the school year (January in Australia). However, she did very well in the end.

Carol was in year 12 and Sonya in Year 10 at John Paul College, Daisy Hill.

Bill used to volunteer at Radio 4EB (Ethnic radio) for the Swiss Program.

I was teaching Year 5 at Mt Cotton State School.

Carol turned 17 and had a murder mystery birthday party. Most of her friends studied drama at school so they did a great job.

We had visitors from USA. They were Bill's cousins from San Diego. They were riding around the world but flying over the oceans. They brought their bikes with them. They stayed with us and did lots of jobs around the house.

We had friends visit from Switzerland. 

Sonya wanted to be a model. She did a few modelling jobs. 1989 was a busy year.

WALKING IN THE FOREST

For years I had been walking in Daisy Hill Forest. We have lived in four different homes but all were close to the forest. Now we live right next to the forest. That was one of the reasons that we chose this retirement village. However, due to back  problems I couldn't walk long distances. After back surgery and reliance on pain killers, I could walk distances again but my friends and I all getting older took to walking an easier route through  Priest Gully Park.  However, I have been stacking on the weight lately and I decided to do some extra days walking with a different group of friends. They go into the forest some days so I went with them and was proud of myself to be able to keep up with them, they are all some years younger than me. I must admit that I am pooped when I get back from the walk. Its about 4k and hilly. 

ST PATRICK'S DAY DINNER

Our lovely Dinner Committee organised a St Patricks Dinner with our chef Poz. We tried to all dress in green and the green and white chairs were out. We arrive at 5:30 and picked a number out of a container to tell us which table to sit at. There are two containers of numbers. One for couples and one for singles so it organises two couples and two singles at each table. 

 The Village Singers entertained us while waiting for our meal. They sang a variety of Irish songs.

We were ready for an Irish dinner.

Irish Line Dancers

Irish Conga Line

We all had a good time.

FAMILY FOR LUNCH

 Our lovely family often come for lunch on the weekend. They always cook it for us. Last weekend they cooked Burritos.

It is so nice to have them living in Brisbane now. However, they do find the heat a bit much but they can live with air conditioning. Fox always pulls a face in photos, trying to look cool. Banjo will be 14 next month and Fox will be 16 the month after.

Three tall people in our kitchen.

They used to be little when I went to Melbourne to baby sit them. I have to stand on tippy toes for a hug now.