BILL TURNS EIGHTY

So proud of Bill. He reached eighty last Monday. Over the years he has had some serious health issues including heart attacks and now heart failure. So he has done well to keep on kicking along. We had a party to celebrate his achievement. We booked the village community centre and our daughters and families flew from Melbourne to help organise the show. They did a wonderful job and so too did my village friends who all pitched in and helped clean up.

Sonya and Bernie set up the room and decorated the tables. Bill made a Keynote Presentation of photos of his eighty years of life, Carol baked the birthday cake and made a grazing platter for each table. I had organised the local Thai Restaurant to deliver the food.

The photo is the handsome boy I married, can't believe he is 80.

He enjoyed catching up with old friends.

Sonya and Fox meet our new friends.

Jo and Keith were our neighbours before we moved into the village. Sylvia and Rene are Swiss friends we met in 1970 on a ship that they were migrating on and we were returning from a world trip.

New friends from the village.

More village friends.

Banjo watches Bill blow out the candles.

The best friends ever, clean up and wash up after 45 people. We are lucky to have a 90 second commercial dishwasher in the community centre kitchen. 

Six extra people fitted into our three bedroom apartment. They were here for four nights. It was fun being surrounded by family when we don't see them very often but it was a chaotic, noisy, exciting time. However, we are happy to be back to our slow, quiet life now.

We didn't have to do anything while they were here. They cooked and cleaned up and entertained us with games of Articulate.

The last morning they were here was a dash to get ready to go to airports, Coolangatta and Brisbane. We only had a few minutes for a last minute photo of us all. Who knows when we'll all be together again. I love our little family!

VALENTINES DINNER

Yes I'm a bit out of date with my topic. We've been a bit busy this month with organising Bill's 80th birthday party. (Next Post). But first, we had our village monthly dinner last Wednesday with a Valentine theme.

We had a romantic French Menu, which I ruined by folding it up to bring it home. The food was delicious.

The Rochedale State High School catering students once again have come to help and learn. This is the first time for this new Year Twelve intake of students. They did a great job.

Our Residents Chair, Ann, is also the leader of the Dinner Committee. They organise our dinners and guest speakers. This is Craig Zonka, the ABC Radio Breakfast announcer. He gave an interesting talk on how he left Law and became a journalist He told us of all the places he has visited and people he has interviewed. He was full of beans and entertaining.

The students delivering the delicious dessert, while a teacher supervises.

We forgot to get a photo of ourselves so you get one of our friends, Rob and Trish. I take photos of village events for the newsletter and wall posters.

At the end of the night our Chairperson always thanks the students, the teachers, the chef and his helper.

Then we take it in turns, street by street, to wash up in a 90 second commercial dishwasher and clean the kitchen. We fold up the tables and stack the chairs in the store room and vacuum the floor. Those over 80 are exempt. The students don't do it because their parents pick them up at 8:30 to go home to do their homework and get ready for another school day.

A NEW TRACK

 I've often posted about my morning walks in the forest but there is a new track now which we explored this week. Our usual tracks had been closed off by the rangers because they were burning the undergrowth to try to lessen the risk of bush fires. However, we noticed the the new "Tree Discovery Track" was open. It is much longer than the original one but my walking buddies and I enjoyed it. We meet every morning at 6:30 in the forest except for Saturday and Sunday. We always let Helen in front because she is the youngest, fastest and tallest so she can knock down the spider webs crossing the track.

While walking through the village I heard a rustle in the garden and then this huge lizard ran up a tree. It is called a  Lace Monitor or Tree Goanna. Then I walked into the forest to meet the others.

Here is the new track.

It winds up hills.

and down hills. Joan is saying don't take us, take the gully. They hate me taking their photos.

The gully

On the home run.

GETTING BACK INTO IT.

 For those who have followed me for years (thank you), they might remember that I was writing "My Story". I was scanning photos from my many photo albums putting a story with them and publishing them on my blog and then into books for my children and grandchildren. However it has been a long time since I last posted a "My Story" entry. I have picked up again and been scanning like mad. That's why I haven't been posting often lately. So with the risk of boring the pants off you I'm going to continue with "My Story" here. If you want to read previous posts they are on my side bar.

Back in 1983 we were living in a small house in Springwood with the girls who were eleven and nine. My brother, wife and son lived in England. In 1983 my brother, David came to visit us for Christmas. He flew into Sydney and visited our mother and aunt, who lived together. He hired a car and drove them to Brisbane so we could all be together for Christmas, except for his wife, Ann and son, Michael who stayed in England. 

We visited the Art Gallery

We played in the swimming pool. David found it hot after coming from an English winter.

Christmas dinner with most of  my family, first time in ages. I can't believe Bill didn't put a shirt on and I didn't make him. What bogans we were!

Opening presents time.

CHINESE NEW YEAR

It makes sense in that we have a Singaporean Chinese Managing Director, who enjoys organising Chinese New Year celebrations for us in the village. She also cooks the different dishes for 200+ guests. She has a bunch of friends and family who help her on the night and her chef friend, Pozz. Besides these helpers many of the residents help too. Some help in the kitchen, some help setting up, some help cleaning up.

The Menu

The room is ready

Chiou See is cooking

A lucky banner is in its mouth

The lion gives Chiou See the banner for good luck.

Its good luck for the lion to eat greens and spit them over the audience. It plucks a lettuce hanging from the ceiling.

With the help of Chiou See the lettuce is thrown over the audience.

The drumming was very noisy. My Apple watch was sending warning messages that I was in a too noisy environment.

Then the guests fed the lions lucky red envelopes full of money. Everyone was asked to wear something red. Chinese lucky colour.

Yum Yum dinner time.

Our table is next.

I met a past student at the party. Her youngest daughter tapped me while I was taking photos and said, "Excuse me but I'm in Year 4 and you taught my mum when she was in Year 4." Then she took me to meet her mum and older sister. She is the niece of our village neighbour, who is an auxiliary resident.

A SURPRISE

 On the 3 Jan I received this photo from Sonya in Melbourne:

She was about to get on a flight to Brisbane to come and see us . This was a surprise as we didn't expect her at this time. She had been having a busy time working and then looking after the boys by herself in the school holidays because Bernie was working full time.  So when Bernie finished work on the new year, she decided to leave the boys with him and his big family down at their beach house and she would have a well earned break. 

It was lovely having both girls here together. (Carol and David had come earlier by car from Melbourne) We played Articulate after dinner. It was fun and we had lots of laughter. It was Bill and I against the girls. The younger faster brains won each time.

Mince pies

Carol got the baking bug while she was here and I have put on the kilos. So we went for a walk in the forest every morning. Sometimes the girls went for a run. After the walk we did some stretching and Bill thought it would make a funny photo.

David and Carol keep fit by walking, running and cycling.

Off they go into the forest where there are many mountain bike trails.

They also enjoy painting. Carol is doing oils and David is doing water colours. Our back balcony serves as a studio and bike storage

We had friends drop in, who were from Sydney and we hadn't seen them for years. Bill and Ken had been work colleagues in the 60's in PNG. So we took them for lunch. They had a Winnebago and they were staying in Northern NSW near the border. So they came for day.

 

Like most parents we had been storing "stuff" from our children since they left home. Carol came and got most of her stuff before we moved here but Sonya flies here and can't take her stuff on a plane. I offered to send it by courier but they wanted $800.00. She said, wait till I sort it out and throw the stuff I don't want.

So with the help of her sister they sorted out box after box. I was so happy to see this after 20 years of storing and moving. The funny thing was when they found their trumpets, which they used to play in the school marching band. 

So they decided to have a 'rusty' jam session. Some of our neighbours came to see what was going on.

 Sonya was invited by her university friends to spend a few days with them in their holiday house on Stradbroke Is while she was here in Queensland. She had a lovely time on the beach in beautiful weather.

It was time for Carol and David to go back to Melbourne holidaying on the way for a week in the Snowy Mountains. They packed their car with all their gear including plein air painting equipment and David's portable music studio as well as some of Sonya's stuff.

On go the bikes and a sad farewell.

Bye bye! Sonya has come back from the island and is with us until tomorrow when she flies home to start work and get the boys ready for a new school year. Fox is starting High School.

It is nice to know they will all be back in February for a weekend when Bill celebrates his 80th birthday.