OUR GIRLS 1977

My Story continued:

I'm still scanning photos and renovating old albums. Then I publish here ready to print into a book for our girls. As all parents do, we thought they were pretty cute kids.

Watcing TV

Dad made them a trolly full of blocks.

Big brown eyes from their father.

End of year Pre School Concert.
 Carol in the green dress.

Carol receiving present and Sonya looking on.

School holiday fun in our pool.

Neighbour's kids join in.

Christmas Morning 1977

SPRING HAS SPRUNG EARLY

The gardens in our village are blooming beautifully even though its still winter. However, the Grevillea seem to be in flower all year round. The garden along the front fence of the village is full of flowering trees and birds. I am not a birder and I do not know all the names of birds but I am a photographer and love trying to capture them.

Friar Bird

Scarlet Honey Eater

Lorikeet

BLOWING BUBBLES

My Story continued:

In 1977 the girls were at a nice age, 3 and 5. They were good at playing together and with our neighbour's children. However, it wasn't always rosy, there were some three year old tantrums now and then but no more nappies was a boon. (no disposables in those days).

Blowing bubbles

Playing with the neighbours

We didn't go out much when the girls were little but we belonged to the local Lions Club and we attended the conference at Hervey Bay. Grandma came from Sydney and came with us to Hervey Bay in the Campervan. She looked after the girls when we went to the dinner.

 Another time we went to a Lions Club Fancy Dress Party. We made Paper Mâché masks and dressed as Mickey and Minney Mouse. I made Bill his funny shorts too. It was a fun night.

GALLERY OF MODERN ART BRISBANE

We took ourselves off for a visit to GoMA as we haven't been for a while. There was a Margaret Olley exhibition on and I rather like her work. When we arrived we discovered that there was also a Ben Quilty exhibition. Bill found is work very interesting and he liked it very much.

 We caught the bus into town to save parking fees. We walked along the riverside to GoMA.

 Outdoor sculptures reminds us that we are in the cultural centre of Brisbane.

After a coffee in the Sate Library Cafe we continued on to the Modern Art Gallery. When Bill saw some of Quilty's work we had to venture into his exhibition first. Ben Quilty, b. 1973 is an Australian artist and social commentator. He was a war artist in Afghanistan and he has visited many countries where there are refugee problems. He has won many prizes including the Archibald portrait prize. Rorschach tests, the old inkblots into which viewers project their own preoccupations, have been a major feature of his work in the past decade.

 Quilty's style is using thick layers of paint.

 This one was huge.

Bill was reading this sad story about this piece of art. There was another similar one on the next wall. This is only one of his social comment pieces. 

 Bill loved Quilty's style.

 Then we went into the Margaret Olley exhibition. Margaret Olley is one of Australia’s most significant still-life and interior painters. She drew inspiration from her home and studio and the beauty of the everyday objects she gathered around her. Born 24 June 1923 and died 25 July 2011.

Ben Quilty painted Margaret Olley's portrait, which won the Archibald prize. 

 I'm not all that fussed on still life but I do like her work very much.

BIRTHDAY BEAR NEARLY GOES NORTH

It was Mary's birthday recently and our Birthday Bear group celebrated at Runcorn Tavern. Bear came dressed ready for a trip up north to Darwin where it is always hot, very hot. She had her shorts and T shirt on and a pair of thongs (flip flops). To keep cool she had a big sunhat, sunglasses and a Peppa Pig backpack with a drink bottle at the ready.
The sad thing was that Bear missed going to Darwin because Mary had already been and returned. So Bear just has to read the brochure and dream.

 Happy Birthday Mary. Can you see the Peppa Pig backpack?

 It was my turn to dress bear. 

The men had disappeared for a group photo except one of them, who took the photo. It was a nice lunch and we always enjoy catching up with each other.

ANOTHER FUN FUNCTION

Our CEO and staff of our village, organised a Christmas in July lunch. They cooked for 150 of us and it was delicious. Many of the residents helped in the kitchen, organised Santa Clause and gifts as well as some raffles for the social club. I don't really agree with celebrating Christmas in July because it is a way of hanging on to British tradition of having Christmas in winter. We are Australian and celebrate in summer, get used to it. After all we have had 231 years to get used to it. However, I enjoy  socialising and having lunch together.

 150 hungry residents are ready for lunch.

The residents Chairperson, Ian, helping Chiou See (Chelsea) our CEO in the kitchen.

Lunch is served.

 Ham, Turkey and vegetables.

Apple pie and custard

 Santa (one of the residents)  arrives with a trolly full of presents.

 Giving out presents to the residents. Sue is our neighbour.

 The CEO and staff, who cooked the dinner. Chiou See (Chelsea) was telling us that she will take us to Taiwan for a holiday next year. We are lucky to have such a vibrant progressive person owning and running our village.

Bill enjoyed the lunch but steered clear of the Brussel Sprouts, he's not a fan.

Chiou See asks Bill to take videos and me to take photos of all the events for our iPad Albums, the newsletter, the village Facebook Page and the photo pin board. So this is how I spend my time at functions in between eating, drinking wine and enjoying myself. Everyone who moves into the village is given an iPad to keep in touch with everything going on in the village as well as for personal use.