BIRTHDAY BEAR LOVES RAINBOW BAY

It was Birthday Bear celebration time again. (If you are not familiar with our tradition read here) This time it was Ann's Birthday. Birthday Bear came dressed ready to go to Rainbow Bay on the Gold Coast for a School Reunion. Every year Ann and George hire an apartment on the 14th floor overlooking the beach. While there, Ann organises a reunion for the Staff of Kuraby School where we all used to work in the 90's. We have a delicious seafood spread for lunch. See bear is holding his plate of seafood. The Teddies in the apartment represent us having a feast. Helen dressed Bear this time.

  Happy Birthday Ann

Here are the real Teddies in the real apartment. Staff and spouses of Kuraby School from the 90's.

 The seafood spread

 dessert too

The view from the apartment looking south.

 Whale watching

The view looking north to Surfer's paradise.

 We had a nice lunch at the Glen Hotel. I didn't take many photos. It was very crowded. Helen took this for me. I didn't get one of Helen with the bear she dressed for Ann. So here is one from when it was her birthday.

THE MELBOURNE CUP

The Melbourne Cup is Australia's most famous annual horse race. It is a 3200m/ 2miles race for 3 year olds and over. It is held in Melbourne on the first Tuesday in November. It is the richest two-mile race in the world. This year prize money totalled $8 million. It is one of the most popular spectator events in Australia with over 110,000 people attend dressed in both traditional 'raceday' wear and all manner of amusing and exotic costumes. This year there was the lowest attendance (81,400) since 1995. It has been speculated that this could be due to the record drought and the scandal about how race horses are badly treated after their career is over.
Besides many people attending the track in Melbourne, people all over Australia and New Zealand have lunchtime functions and stop to watch the race at 3:00pm. It's called "The race that stops the nation." The staff at our village organised a Melbourne Cup Luncheon and one of our residents made hats from recycled stuff for us to wear. She hired them out and the proceeds she donated to the RSPCA. (animal welfare).

 Dressed up ready for the luncheon. Village friends Julie and Roy.

The lunch was simply chicken, prawns and bread rolls.

  But you could eat as much as you liked. 

 Our fabulous staff and partners.

Annie on the left is the lady who made 80 hats.

 Just one of the tables of happy villagers. When I met Brian in the blue shirt, we were surprised to find out we were in the same year at high school in Sydney in 1959.

The best dressed won a prize.

 Bill and his friend Eddie who came straight from England into our village. His stepson and family live nearby.

Bill won one of the raffles, a box of chocolates and a bunny rabbit.

He enjoyed pulling the rabbit out of his hat. We have lots of fun in our village.

Below is a little video Bill made for the Elements facebook Page.

JACARANDA PARTY TIME

We went to New Farm Park in Brisbane to celebrate our son in law's nephew's third birthday. It was fun catching up with SIL's family and seeing the beautiful Jacaranda trees in flower.

 We haven't had rain for ages but it decided to sprinkle before the party but it cleared up in time for us to celebrate.

 It was very pleasant looking over the river.

 

Billie is the only child of all these siblings. He is the only child in his father's family too. So he is pretty special. 

 I sneaked away from the party to take some photos of the beautiful park. New Farm Park was opened in 1916. It was a remarkable reshaping of an unsightly ill drained grazing reserve.

An elegant rotunda and kiosk were designed by Albert Foster in the Federation style. The rotunda has been used for concerts, weddings, family reunions  and recreational activities for over 100 years. Unfortunately the kiosk burnt down in 2000.

WILLKOMMEN TO GERMAN DINNER NIGHT AT THE VILLAGE

Once a month we have a special dinner at the village. This month we had a German theme.

 The tables were covered with Bavarian colours and a bibs were on the chairs for us slobbering seniors.

 Brian Pozzey is our visiting chef. He came out of retirement to do this for us.

 When we arrive we are given a glass of wine and we mingle with other residents and check the noticeboard to see where we are to sit. Each month we are seated with different people so we get to know everyone.

We sat with new residents, George and Coral from Scotland. They were an interesting couple. Other s were Lyn, June (our oldest resident at 92) and her son Randyll, who plays the piano for us.

 This month the meal was served on a huge platter for six of us to share. We had Pork Hock, Chicken Schnitzel, Medley of German Sausage, Warm Potato salad, Pork Crackle, Pretzels, Sauerkraut and Sprouts. Bill was happy to be having a European dish.

 Black Forest cake, Cherry Mascarpone Cream, Chocolate Gnash,White Chocolate Praline Crumble for dessert.

 It was the last dinner for the year. The residents thanked the Chef, Staff and Rochedale High School students for their work throughout the year to make these evenings a success.

We had a detective, guest speaker, who told us about how cold cases are being solved these days. Then we finished off the night with the Chicken Dance. (A blast from the past).

Chiou See Anderson, our Owner/CEO, presented the students and teachers with a gift for helping Poz in the kitchen and serving us all year.

WINTER 1978

My Story continued

It is a happy/sad time when a mother says goodbye to her babies when they start Kindergarten and school. In the winter of 1978 Sonya started Kindergarten and Carol had been in school for nine months. It was lovely to see them growing up and being independent but a little sad to have no babies at home all day every day.

Sonya starts Kindergarten

Big sister Carol, was in Year One at school.

On the weekends they play with Ricky
 in the bushland behind our house. 

Sonya is Four. So is her little friend Troy,
 who shares the same birthday.

Enjoying TV together

Sisterly love