BYE BYE BUEBLI

We had both our daughters visit from Sydney this week.

Carol-Ann, Sonya and Fox. (All a bit stripy)

He's so cute....

..even when he's grumpy.

We had the honour of watching him try solids for the very first time. It was funny. We weren't sure who was the most apprehensive, Mum or Fox.

"Never mind the spoon give me the bowl"

"Hey, mum you are supposed to put it in my mouth not up my nose and in my eye."

It was time to say goodbye to Grossvati's Buebli today. No more cuddles and kisses until next month when we visit them.

A BUSY STREET

We live on normally a quiet  cul-de-sac with very little traffic. There are only five families using this street as access to their houses. However, one day last week our little street became very busy and noisy. I had to investigate. This is what I saw:

 A male and female bush turkey were courting noisily.

Tree loppers felling a huge tree with a chain saw and scissor lift.

The mulcher noisily eating the felled branches.

Builders starting work on a neighbour's house extensions.

The garbage truck joined in with the fracas, emptying our wheelie bins.

A PINT SIZED JET SETTER

Our daughter, Sonya and grand son Fox, flew from Sydney to Brisbane. He used his charm to persuade the stewards to give him a spare seat next to his mum. Naturally, she had to hold him strapped in on her lap for take off and landing. At the ripe old age of 4 months he has jetted from Sydney to Brisbane, to Melbourne and to Bali.

GLASSES GRAB

Our grandson, Fox, visits from Sydney.

"I like those glasses ,Grandma."

GUESS WHO CAME TO VISIT?

Our gorgeous little Grandson, Fox, has come from Sydney for a visit with his mum, Sonya and Aunty Carol. We can't get enough of him.

From serious to giggling.

STANTHORPE

We went to Stanthorpe for a few days. It is a small country town up in the ranges 223 km south west of Brisbane. It was settled by Italian immigrants. It is famous for its wineries and fruit growing, especially apples. It is often cooler up there compared to steamy Brisbane, so it is a good place to visit when it is hot. It also rains a lot there like it did for the 2 days that we visited.

On the way over the ranges at Cunninghams Gap we were held up for 30 mins just standing still and then moved at a snails pace for ages, just as well we weren't in a hurry. Later we passed a huge wide load that took up both sides of the road. It looked like mining machinery. There were 3 prime movers pulling it and 3 more pushing it over the mountain.There was a police escort. It started to rain.

The view from our Motel.

When there was a lull in the rain I went for a walk along the river while Bill stayed in the dry room and read his book.

There were quiet calm spots in the backwaters and raging torrents over the rocky parts.

It had been raining a lot and the water was rising close to this bridge. It was a bit scary in the middle.

Stanthorpe is a pretty place surrounded by National Parks, granite outcrops and vineyards. It also has one of the best Italian restaurants in Queensland, where we enjoyed dinner on the first night.

A BLAST FROM THE PAST

In 1963 at the ripe old age of 21, I went to TPNG (Territory of Papua New Guinea) to teach there. I joined the Judo Club and made some friends. A few years ago one of the fellows, Charles, started to try and find members of the club in Australia. (Most of us had returned to Australia after TPNG gained independence.) Charles found a few of us and organised a reunion, since then we have had a reunion every year. This year it was held in Stanthorpe, a small town in the Granite Belt ranges, 223km west of Brisbane. 

Some of the friends I made were Del, Graham and Charles.

46 years later we meet again. This time Charles had found Michelle a previous junior member of the Pt Moresby Judo Club. Michelle is opposite me.

Graham, me, Penny, Michelle, Charles and Del.

In 1965 Charles went to Japan to train for six weeks, while there he earned his Black Belt 1st Dan. In 1971 he and Penny were  transferred to Lae, where he started another junior and senior club, He was awarded life membership of the Pt Moresby Judo Club and the PNG Judo Federation.

I was only in the club for one year 1964 and obviously didn't have any photos taken. I reached the  Orange Belt level. I especially enjoyed the self defence lessons.