Liz and Frank: Our racers are chasers

We have been home from Italy for just over 2 weeks now, a tad of jet lag, and a couple of after flight sniffles, but apart from that eveything is back on track. Weather here has been up and down still - not sure about Queensland's nickname - the "Sunshine State" right now!! We have had a drinks and nibbles "thank you" evening with our neighbours, the boys loved their Limoncello - great time with them as usual. Have managed a couple of walks at Burleigh and necessary hair cuts, lunch here with the Marsh's,and last Wednesday,Gail, Auntie Beryl and I started working on our family's geneology. Mum had done so much of it at Somerset House in London in the late 70's, but we have decided to do more, and we are now on our Maternal Grandfather's side back as far as our Great, great, great, great, great Grandfather and Grandmother - so we are now starting a search in Froxfield Parish, Wiltshire, and Hungerford in Berkshire. This little venture will continue over here on Friday. Auntie is going to sort out some of the very old photos we have. Gail and Steve have spent some time while we were away checking out some of the mentioned graveyards in towns in NSW, and we will continue this in October on our way down to the Snowy Mountains. Nal and Ross have also done some checking., so we will get there!!. Today the sun was shining, and it was our Race Day, organised as a Charity event for the School Sue and Ash's twins and Lachlan go to. Sue, our great organiser, below.

We were in the Paradise room, right above the show and finish line area

Sue and Ash below

Gail, Steve and I

Who knows what he said?

Auntie Beryl, daughter Gail and Steve studying the race guides

prior to checking out their pre-race form (as if any of us would know!)

A race

A winner - don't know which one!

Looks like a few happy punters here ($1 each way - top bet)

Auntie, Sharon (Sue's friend) and Sue back out watching those next contestants parade,

Well this Number 2 below actually won us a little money ($10), our 2 before this had come in last - Miss Napoli (Italy) and Magestic Sound (the Cathedral's bells in Amalfi) our reasons for choice. This time we went for a Kiwi influence in our name choice - Mount Ruapehu.

Gail and Steve are very happy, they have just won the top raffle prize, a $550 Portrait Photo option - they'll save this up till the kids and their kids are up here over the Christmas holiday period. Their son and his wife are having twins (girl and boy) at end of July - so great excitement there - and his tie is now off!!. Steve is wearing a blue and white check ribbon, in remembrance of a young policeman who was basically murdered by a group of robbers on the Gold Coast last week. Steve is a retired Policeman.