BIRTHDAY BEAR WANTS TO GO TO NI.

It was my friend Helen's birthday last month but she was away having fun in Norfolk Island off the coast of NSW, Australia. I don't think Bear went with her but by the way Bear is dressed, I'm thinking she would love to go. Mary was the one who dressed Bear for this celebration.

Birthday Bear is ready for a holiday on Norfolk Is.
She even has a NI flag.

Helen liked Birthday Bear's little bear friend.

Mary dressed Bear and did a good job.
Helen bought her lovely top in Norfolk Island,
where there aren't any taxes added.

Our Birthday Bear group have been celebrating with Birthday Bear
for the last 10 years. This time we met at the Runcorn Tavern.

WINGED VISITORS

Now that it is Spring and all the flowering trees are in blossom in our village, many birds are visiting. Its fun trying to capture them sitting still. They are so busy drinking the nectar.

He doesn't suck nectar but eats insects and small animals.

THE FOREST ANIMALS ARE THIRSTY AND HUNGRY

We haven't had rain for months. The forest grass is dying and the creeks are drying up. The wallabies are coming into the suburbs to find water and green grass. Here are a few in the dry forest.

The bird is trying to get water from the tap.

Just a little water left in this creek.

FUN IN THE SUN IN 1978

My Story continued:

Mum , Dad and Aunty Ada came to Brisbane for a holiday and to spend time with us. One day we went to Sea world on the Gold Coast. Another time we went to the Sunshine Coast. We took a tour to The Coloured Sands on Rainbow Beach. We visited the Bottle house made of bottles. We played on Noosa Beach and visited the Big Pineapple amusement park.

Sea world

We took a tour along the beach to the
 coloured sands

 Exploring the coloured sands.

The Cherry Venture was washed up onto the beach
during a storm.

Noosa

Fun at the Big Pineapple

Look how pineapples grow.

Fun at the bottle house

Sonya

BUSH FIRES RAGE IN QUEENSLAND AND NSW

It is not even summer yet and hundreds of bush fires are burning in Queensland and NSW. The forests and grasslands are so dry from lack of rain and there are strong winds pushing the fires into residential areas. Many homes and a forest resort have been burnt down.

It is a bit of a worry living right next door to a forest. Luckily, we are safe at the moment but the north coast and the south coast hinterland are burning. Many homes have been lost at Perigean Beach where we have often spent holidays on the Sunshine Coast just north of Brisbane.

Photos by John McCutcheon from the Sunshine Coast Daily.

Trying to save houses at Perigean Beach.

LAST DAYS OF WINTER

Every August/Sept, my friends, Ann and George, hire a holiday apartment at Rainbow Bay on the Gold Coast for six or seven weeks. During that time they organise a reunion of staff from Kuraby School from the nineties. They prepare a delicious seafood buffet for lunch including oysters, prawns, bugs and crabs together with a salad and a fruit salad and ice cream dessert. I forgot to take a group photo. I was too busy lazing in the sun and feeding my face. 

Beautiful last days of winter.

HOME IMPROVEMENTS 1978

My Story Continued:

By 1978 Bill had recovered his health and was learning to live with Sarcoidosis of the brain membrane. He has to take prednisone for  the rest of his life. He worked around the house most weekends. He built a brick BBQ, a patio and pergola and a timber shed.

He also built the girls a double bunk.

Daddy's girls

Our neighbours, a few houses down the street had two children a similar age, Adam and Joanne. They were good playmates and their mum often looked after our girls, especially when Bill was in hospital.