The last 3 months

Lets see how good my memory is since I last posted a blog !!! We spent 3 lovely weeks in the Fleurieu Peninsula in SA in the gorgeous town of Strathalbyn. From there we were able to visit many places within an easy half hours drive - Victor Harbour, Goolwa and Port Elliott and the lovely Adelaide Hills, we were also able to see Geoff's cousin Barry and Kathy and also Auntie Marg. We spent 3 very adventurous days on Kangaroo Island and travelled some 500km in that time. Next stop was the Barossa Valley where we spent 10 days at Nuriootpa. The Barossa was lush and green and all those lovely rows of vines going up and down the hills!! We had our grandson Thomas stay with us which was great and he had plenty of room there to practice his baseball pitching (his favourite sport) it was also eldest son Trevor's birthday so we all went out for a nice dinner. We enjoyed an afternoon and evening with Auntie Joan and Jenny and Robert and all enjoyed Auntie's roast dinner, it has been really special to be able to see relatives that we don't get to see often.Then it was off to the Yorke Peninsula and we stayed at Moonta Bay right on the edge of the beach and the sunsets over the Spencer Gulf were amazing - ah the serenity !!! We travelled all over the Peninsula in one day stopping at all the little towns. They were just starting there harvesting and they had cereal crops that were a metre high in some places, I think they must have all had a bumper harvest (as compared with the poor wheat crops we saw around Mildura). We spent a terrific evening with Geoff's cousin Lyn and husband Des who live at Wallaroo and have their business in Kadina. Clare valley was the next stop and once again all those lovely lush grape vines and visited some wineries there also. A day visit to Burra was great and they had a fantastic art exhibition on then off to other little towns between there and Clare (of course I have forgotten all of the names of thus towns now). We had one night at Renmark as the start of our trip along the Murray and it was also the start of the very hot weather we had in Nov, we took advantage of their beautiful pool at the park. A week in Mildura, where every day was over 40 deg was a real test of our intestinal fortitude, thank goodness for the aircon in the van and their nice pool too. I had my birthday in Swan Hill where we went to the Pioneer Settlement and a nice cruise down the Murray and out for a lovely dinner that night. A quick stopover in Echuca and then a very relaxing week at the RACV resort at Cobram and also made good use of the pool. (Yes - by then we were getting a nice tan). A couple of nights in Wang to catch up with friends incl a lovely evening out with Rob, Di and Jayne then we were off to Bright. Geoff's stepdad Laurie was celebrating his 80th birthday so we had a week there on the banks of the Ovens river (ah the serenity again). Laurie had a great evening out with about 40 family and close friends and then on the Sunday we had a bar b que at his place. I made him a quilt - Australian Wildflowers (will try and post a photo of) and Geoff's 3 sisters and us gave that to him. Back to Wang for a couple of jobs to get done on the van and for me 2 busy evenings out, Monday night with my cards girls friends and Tues night both of us for the Inner Wheel Christmas dinner, it was fantastic to catch up with all of them again and I miss them. Healesville was our next stop for 12 days (thanks to Bev & Mike) for suggesting the park there with the Badger Creek gurgling along beside us and lots of lovely birds it was a lovely spot to relax before the Christmas festivities. We were able to go to granddaughter Ella's school concert and also her 6th birthday. We travelled up to Warragul for the funeral of my very special Auntie Jean she was in her 95th year and still a very fit and active lady who loved her garden and had not long finished milking the cows at her sons. She was given a very fitting farewell by her family. I travelled to Tamworth with Rita and Lorna (2 sisters) to go to a nephews wedding celebration and naming ceremony of their 1 yr old daughter. We had a great 3 days and once again were able to celebrate with nieces and great nieces and nephew. Christmas was spent at Chelsea at the park there and we were able to divide our time between the girls and the grandchildren. We minded Ella when Siobhan had to go back to work and we also spent a week with our gorgeous twin grandsons taking them swimming (that was very special). It was lovely to be able to catch up with my brother and sisters whilst we were down there also. And also spent a couple of nice hours with nephew Darryl and Annette and 2 of their girls when they were in Bright holidaying. We are now in Tasmania and hope to have about 3 months here. With any luck I will find time to post another blog on Tas soon (but there is soooo much to see here).