Have stopped counting!!!!

Yesterday, the Brig celebrated yet another birthday. Lovely day, though a little nippy. Last night we made the most of it with Gail, Steve, Ash, Sue and Maddie - menu - barbequed salmon, warm italian vegetable salad, new potatoes - and masses of herbs (as my garden is overloaded right now) and of course the Birthday Cake (of his choice). He really enjoyed himself - lovely cards, and piles of calls from Oz, USA and a couple from NZ - so he was a happy boy. Today we are off for another celebration at the Coolangatta Surf Club - joining the Aunts for lunch. It is a bit cool here today, guess it is winter (8 to 20 degrees) !!!

Bowlers and Umbrellas at Bondi Beach

Yesterday morning, Andrew Baines (surrealist artist from Adelaide) gathered 50 volunteers formally suited with bowler hats and umbrellas for his next "human sculpture" The venue was one of my favourite places - Bondi Beach. They waded into the surf and faced the incoming tide and held their black umbrellas aloft. Joggers, early morning surfers and tourists looking on in bemusement. It was also one of the coldest winter mornings this year!!. I just love some of the photos which were taken yesterday morning.

A photographer in action!

British born Baines explained that his art was influenced by memories of being confronted as a teenager on the London Underground (on a trip back to England with his father to visit relatives) by a sea of businessmen in bowler hats. He says it's his metaphorical way of letting the corporate battery hens escape from the grey city streets and cramped office halls and long staff hours - to enjoy nature. He has previously staged similar installations at Manly, St Kilda and Henley in South Australia.

Jardin de Queensland

Have had a busy day today, mainly garden focussed - this garden is sooh tiny, but somehow there is still a lot to do, 'specially when you basically start from scratch in the tropics. One of our neighbour's also cut down a huge tree this week to open up more bricks and mortar for us to view, so we have been searching for some fast growing, bird loving, root friendly, flowering trees to eventually disguise this building, think we have found just the thing - the Golden Penda or Expo 88. I took the photo below of the Penda's (bee loving) flower one year ago when we were up in the Glass House Mountains. This Australian rainforest tree was selected as the theme plant for World Expo in Brisbane in 1988 - so we have our fingers crossed for some quick growth and building coverage!. On Sunday we have our local Paradise Springs residents meeting at the Golf Club - called this as the entry road to the Golf Club is - yes "Paradise Springs ". Most of the discussion will be tres serious - about the "Christmas in July Party" being held at the Golf Club in 4 weeks time. This morning we found some delightful tropical "Christmas" coloured aussie flora (all on the same bush - double planted I suspect) just up the street!.

Things are in a "mist"

This morning (5 a.m.) we woke up to watch a win by Australia at the World Cup, however, they still didn't make the last 16, because of the disasterous first game - c'est la vie! I had thought New Zealand had gone through, 'specially as they haven't had a loss, but sadly that is not true, we were really really hoping for them. However, we are delighted the USA made it to the last 16, even after being diddled by the now "fired" Italian referee.

*****

Then next (at 7 a.m.) was "will or won't we" have a new Prime Minister - a "woman"! By 9 a.m. we did - I doubt whether it will be too long before she calls an election!! From the initial speeches today it looks like the same product, however a different salesperson, - time will tell!!

*****

After all of this it was definitely time for a long walk - we went to South Burleigh National Park for a wander, really very pretty again with the mist rising up from the surf and masses of flat white clouds hovering over us.

Surfers were stretched along the Burleigh National Park coastline

And the Brig studied the sky - "still a lot of mist today!" - Sir!

Bedford's Canterbury Bells

These gorgeous Canterbury Bells appeared this Spring in our friend's garden in New Hampshire - they had been planted over 5 years ago some distance from where they broke earth this spring!!. It's obvious after years of nothing they have found their place - just at the entry to the woods!!!. Mum used to enjoy growing these along with Lupins and Hollyhocks in her garden in Bowral. When Lois sent this photo, it just reminded me of the Bowral cottage, which Mum had called "Elizabeth Cottage".

A touch of maroon!!!

Well, young Mikie might be based in Alice Springs, but his Auntie has not let him forget that he should barrack for Queensland!!!. She sent him his maroon "Queensland hat, gloves and booties" so that he was fully equipped for last night's "State of Origin" Rugby League's 2nd game. The two States who fight (and they did last night) for this title, are New South Wales (in blue) and Queensland (in Maroon).

Mikie all "decked out" for Queensland!

Yep, we won - well we actually thrashed New South Wales for the 2nd time - 34 to 6 - I think!!! Thanks Lisa for the great photos, hope you are going to dress him in green and gold for the Socceroos at FIFA - they need all the help they can get, me thinks!!!

*****

And to top it off - a wonderful sunrise photo in the Alice (taken by Mikie's mum, Lisa)

Queen's Birthday - Holiday!

We have just enjoyed a "long" weekend - the Queen's Birthday - I guess all our weekends are long these days - retired and all that!!!. Apart from the Horse Races on Saturday, we took time out for a good walk along Miami Beach - they have a couple of new "joggers" there now - tall and skinny - not us, we definitely only waddled!!!

On Sunday morning we drove down to Coolangatta to get involved with the "Wintersun" Festival - no where to park and literally thousands of people, so decided to give that a miss for this year. We then went to Surfers Paradise - loads of "artie" things going on.

including "pavement painting"

and for the kids as well

Then to Surfers beach, and more creativity - a "sandy" elephant!!..

Surfers Paradise beach Esplanade is under a large reconstruction - due to be finished in June 2011, it's a bit of a building site right now, so some art in Cavill Street was most welcome.

Always love a trip to Currumbin, any day - picturesque in the late afternoon when the sun is going down through the Pandanus tree, and looking back down Currumbin Beach to the Gold Coast . Sunday evening, off to the Marsh's at Tallai for a fun barbeque, we did have the gas outdoor heater up and firing though - guess it is winter - even here!!! A really super long weekend.

Fun day at the races

Yesterday was a fun day - we went to the races at the Gold Coast Turf Club. The event was a fund raiser for St. Michaels School, which Maddie, Alex and Lachy attend - we had a lovely long sit down lunch in the "Paradise Room" overlooking the Course and the Finish Line. Could put our bets on in the same room, plus there were loads of other prizes courtesy of the School's sponsors. The tables were all decorated in the School's colours - maroon, silver and white.

The Aunts and I "sans" hats!

The Racecourse The Finish Line - We won on the first race as we backed ($1 each way) Miss Madi (after one of Sue and Ash's twins) - things were looking good!

Sue studying the race form - she was the best dressed Lady in the Paradise Room.

Sue eventually took off the hat - around the same time the guys ditched their ties, and then Gail and I decided to try on the hat - Steve and Gail with hat!.

By the 3rd race Frank started to take an interest - thank goodness, as my choices for the 2nd and 3rd races were still physically running I think - and the races were over!!! Anyway he decided after some study to choose the New Zealand horses, only if they were at a high price (you get more for your one dollar then), and to be honest we started to pay our way!! A really enjoyable day.

*****

Last Tuesday, the twins, Maddie and Alex turned 17. To celebrate - 17 of us went to the Tallai Country Club - great dinner - and not late as it was a School night. They were both thrilled with their gifts.

Maddie dissecting her cake

Alex and Sue, and both of them with Ash and Sue below.

The lights in Macquarie

The following notes and photos are for a few overseas friends who have visited Sydney and might be interested.

VIVID SYDNEY, has also embarked on the "Macquarie Visions Experience" dedicated to Governor Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie (1810 - 1821) - featuring the historic buildings along Macquarie Street, Sydney. It began with a dazzling light spectacle at St Mary's Cathedral. a building for which Lachlan Macquarie himself laid the foundation stone in 1821.

Lachlan Macquarie was the first military Governor of NSW, unlike his predecesssors, who were all naval men - he actually took over from William Bligh (Mutiny of the Bounty fame - his governship ended with the "Rum Rebellion") Fortunately Macquarie had experience in urban planning and land management- Mrs Macquarie arrived with architectural and design journals that indicated her interest and subsequent influence on much of the urban design in the colony. She played a large part in the creation of the Botanic Gardens - her "chair" a carved rock ledge at the point - named Mrs. Macquarie's chair - still exists today.

When Macquarie began his tenure as Governor, "rum" was the prevailing currency of the Colony. He not only introduced coinage, but also overcame an acute currency shortage by purchasing Spanish silver coins, punching out the centres and creating two new coins - the "Holey Dollar" and the "Dump". This innovative move doubled the number of coins in circulation and increased their total worth by 25 per cent. To facilitate trade and commerce, Macquarie also established the first Bank of New South Wales.

Hyde Park's Barracks (below) presently has an electrified timeline of Governor Macquarie's achievements scrolls on the walls, reflecting hundreds of projects and achievements, in a tribute to a man regarded as the originator of the Australian value of the "Fair-Go". The Governor and his wife instilled a feeling of hope in the inhabitants of the new colony, and along with it the belief that an opportunity existed for a second chance at life. Many many convicts with specific skills, e.g. convict architect, Francis Greenway, were given opportunities to design and work for for the public works in Sydney. He dealt with an increase in the number of convicts sent to the colony by employing them in ambitious programs of public works - he saw the Colony of NSW as a settled community as well as a penal settlement. These public works still stand today, and many are "lit up" to commemorate this Governor during VIVID SYDNEY.

The Macquarie's also introduced a broader cultural life to Sydney, art, literature, education, gardens and music. Horse racing, along with farming tactics from overseas (the merino sheep) fairs, balls etc. etc. were all introduced during their reign.

One of Sydney's newer universities, named after this Governor - Macquarie University - is where Frank was awarded his "Honorary Doctorate of Science" in May 1997 - he received this because he helped the University create a Bachelor of Technology program, which succeeded in providing hundreds of new University places with a 4 year program training graduates complete with business skills ready for work (97% placement within 6 months).

*****

The Brig in his robes in May 1997

More photos of St. Mary's Cathedral "lit up"

Young progeny

ENGLAND I have just received photos of Frank's sister and brother's grandchildren in England - they all got together last week and the sun was really shining. Photo shows Margaret and Kevin's two, Emily and Jack (l to r - child 2 and 5) and Peter and Margaret' s three, Sophie, Cerys and Thomas (l to r - child 1, 3 and 4) Can't believe how quickly they are growing up. NEW ZEALAND Photo of Ethan and Daniel Frank - Daniel is 10 weeks old now.

and Miss Imogen on her bike

Tennis till 1 a.m.

Well last night we sat and watched a Queenslander compete against an Italian for the French Open Tennis final. Unfortunately Sam didn't win, the Italian lass was just so geared up and determined, a great match though - but going to bed a 1 a.m. was not all that smart!!! So it was a late get up for "QUEENSLAND DAY" this morning. 6th June is the day that is celebrated by Queenslanders as the day when the new colony of Queensland was established. Queen Victoria gave her approval on 6th June 1859 to separate Queensland from New South Wales. On this day Queensland became a self-governing colony with its own Constitution, Governor, a nominated Legislative Council and an elected Legistative Assembly. This is also the day young Jessica Watson chose to sail back into her home port on the Sunshine Coast - Mooloolaba. She did this on the most beautiful clear day -there was a flotilla of about 50 boats to greet her, and she docked in the Mooloolaba's magnificent boat harbour.

Spectators along the Mooloolah River to the Harbour

Above - the large pink sign reads - "Rudd's a Dudd, Jess for P.M.".

I must say the more I see of this young lady the more humble she seems with her actions, yet quietly confident in herself. I should think Ella Bache are thrilled they took the chance to sponsor her!!! I did get a laugh when she stopped and signed a whole pile of autographs for the little ones, which of course kept the Premier of Queensland waiting - local kids were more important to her than the Politicians!!!!! There was an event being held at the Surf Club this afternoon for her, then it was home to one of her mother's pavlovas and her own bedroom.

******* 6th June is also a sad day - this year it is the 66th Anniversary of D Day, in Normandy. Frank and I were actually there the day after D Day 10 years ago.

Above -The British War Cemetry in Bayeaux - has over 4,000 graves, the majority British, along with some Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans.

Above -The Canadian War Cemetry at Beny-Sur-Mer near Caen has over 2,000 graves

Above - the American War Cemetry on a bluff overlooking Omaha beach has over 9,000 graves.