Love Locked Bridge

 

I have been remiss in my Blogging but here I am.
Today I walked the Sea Cliff bridge at Coalcliff in the Illawarra.
It was a bright tho cloudy day and I enjoyed with outing with my fellow 'Wednesday Walkers'.
I was surprised to find numerous padlocks attached to the bridge railings. I had never seen the practice before but after a little research and reading on the Net, I discovered that it is a custom for lovers to declare their love for one another before attaching their padlock to a bridge and then throwing the key into the water below.
It seems that it has been modified to suit the 'locker' as you can see from some of the inscriptions on the padlocks. They record relationships, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and also serve as a eulogy - or was it the end of the marriage?

From a RED APR

 

We had a 'red' awakening this morning. Here is the view down the street.
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And back to the house. Everything is covered in a fine red dust. Reminiscent of Broken Hill.
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And out towards the reserve ...........
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Lunch at the pub ...

 

Today we went down to Shellharbour Pub to celebrate Lee and Tracey's birthday.
It was a bit chilly to sit on the deck but we had a nice table by the window with the sun filtering in.
It was very pleasant. Miss Zara sat up with us and ate chippies and bits from everyone's plate.
We'll do the cake thing for arvo tea after sleep time.

Morning at Mardies ...

 

Our little girl is growing up.
I can just get in the piggy's. LOL.
We just had a video call to Harry and he is off for ANOTHER hair cut.
Zara is off at Ready Set Play for a birthday party so Mardie is off to sew!

Men in Hats .....

 

It was nice to spend a couple of days with Brad and family at Old Bar last weekend.
They live a busy lifestyle with the older boys going to work and soccer in different directions!
Harry wasn't very well with a chesty cold but we managed a couple of snuggle up reading sessions on the lounge which was nice.
I spent Saturday helping Brad to paint James' house at Lemon Tree Passage near Newcastle with the aim of getting it read to rent or sell.
Nice to catch up but also nice to be home.
Tomorrow - to sew! Yee haa.
Looking forward to going to Cairns next week and having only four days left to work.

Bush Dancing ....

 

Here is Zara and her parents having fun at our bush dance last week.
She had a great time in her tap shoes on the polished boards.
Lee is showing her the heel and toe tap!
We all had a go at 'Strip the Willow' and the like.
It was good to pull out my cowboy boots that I bought in Boston and give them an airing.

Who ate the most?

 

Whenever we go and feed the ducks by nearby Lake Illawarra, it's always a 'throw up' to see who eats the most bread!
Consequently I don't let the bread get too stale!

My Birthday Lunch

 

We had a lovely lunch on a wintery afternoon, sitting in the mostly sunshine on the deck at Shellharbour pub - bliss.
Our only mistake - ordering both an entree and a main!
We couldn't leave any on the plate could we? We waddled home at about 3pm.
The only real drama of the day was that I lost my mobile phone. It must have fallen off the edge of the deck when we changed tables following the sun!
I realised it was missing when we got back to the car.
Got home - phoned Telstra and disabled it, rang the police and reported it missing.
At 4.15pm I was scanning Ebay looking for a replacement when I got a call from Warilla police station to say it had been handed in.
Boy was I relieved! Should I buy a lottery ticket????

Winter Magic Festival Katoomba 2009

Not to mention when the night time came - the fire stick twirlers, the lights through the rain and mist (just happens to be the photo theme for this month) and then the fireworks.


I took quite a few photo's (like around 300!) I couldn't resist the faces, the costumes, rainbow colours and people having fun. Then there were the dogs dressed up (I was a bit worried about the kitten - that gentleman was definitely in 'another' place - you will be glad that I didn't include the one of him without his shirt - not nice!) and then there were the children.

 

The weather was a bit rainy but it was well worth the visit to Katoomba last weekend.
The rain held off for the parade and the arrival of the Blue Mountains Heritage Express steam train.
It was really colourful with most people dressing up (or down) for the occasion and here are some images of the day.

Biggest Garage Sale EVER

 

We love Dapto Markets.
Every Sunday morning at the Dapto Showground (Dog Track) people load up their junk (goodies) and set up shop.
I take along my 'granny trolley' and buy my fruit and veg along with usually lots of other good stuff.
I think my best bargain has been my brand new rice cooker for $5.
Brad reckons it was his $10 set of golf clubs!
This week Zara had her face painted - looked cute before it got rubbed off - and we added to her Care Bear collection.
She now has Funshine Bear and a set of twins - just like Mumma and Aunty Leelee.
It was fun!

April Photo Challenge - Transport

 

I went to a wedding in Canberra recently and it was held under a tree in the garden of a lovely old homestead.
The wedding gifts were all stacked on the picturesque old dray.
Aha says I - transport and here it is!

I'm being slack ......... Autumn

 

 

I have been very remiss with our photo challenges - sorry Di!
I have some AMAZING fall foliage shots from US and Canada trip but quickly looked in my most recent album as today is the last day of May. Where has the year gone?
I took these leaves on the cobbles in Salamanker Place in Hobart earlier this month and the lovely pumpkins were in the Botanical gardens. We didn't have much time to sightsee but the lady I travelled with was keen to see Pete's vegie patch at the gardens so we jumped a cab and spent a lovely couple of hours there.

Harry's Pirate and Princess Party

 

It was great to catch up with Harry and family and meet some of his little friends at his birthday party.
They all had a great time and his big brothers helped greatly with the preparation and running the party.
It was a group effort with Nick and Sam mading the cake assisted by mum Katrina and Aunty Leelee.
Maureen was chopper extraordinaire while Brad did a great BBQ. Mardie did the shopping - she's good at that!
Pass the Parcel and the Treasure Hunt were a big success if a little confusing for some. It might make more sense next year. It took Sam to literally beat the pinyata though - Spotlight makes 'em tough!
There were some very tired little pirates and princesses by the end of the day.
A day to remember when Captain Feathersword turned TWO

Grandbabies turn TWO

 

I've been very slack and am a bit behind with my family blog.
Check out my WHC one to see why!
http://whc-steph.blogspot.com
I've been a busy bee but am coming down to earth again now.
Here is Zara's birthday party which we had on Easter Sunday in the park at Shellharbour.
We had a lovely day and as you can see my GB's are growing up.
Harry celebrated this month at a very different sort of party.

March Photo Challenge - WEATHER

 

I know I'm late - slacko.
Oh well - can't stress over such issues really.
Only one of these shots is a recent one but I don't think that matters.
I looked back in my folders and found these.
A nice rainbow (over the lighthouse at Kiama)
Early morning mist over the lake at Durras
A nice frosty leaf (taken at Katoomba)
And the sun coming through the clouds - a promise of a bright new day ahead(taken out the back one morning last week).
Now off to my bed.

Shopping with Mardie ....

 
Bunnings is so much fun!
And she had the playground all to herself!
It's hard to believe that we will be having a two year old birthday party in just a couple of weeks.
Where did the time go?

Who likes our new beach?

 

Last weekend we moved 'house' - well van anyway.
We have moved into number 62 at Merry Beach.
The beach is very accessible for we 'old' girls and the dogs LOVE it too.
It's a great spot and I'm sure we'll have many wonderful times there.
Anyone want to buy a good van at Durras North?

My Hometown ....

It's the last day of February so I thought I had better get my act together and do the challenge for the month.
Here is my 'current' hometown ALBION PARK RAIL.

The collage shows - Warilla Beach, Lake Illawarra, a view of the area with the red arrow pointing to our house and Minnamurra Rainforest.

I chose here for my hometown for several reasons....
Firstly when I moved back to Sydney from the bush in around 2002 I could afford a house here and be mortgage free.
I loved the 'open country' feel of the area and when I came down to look for a house, there was a girl walking a horse down the street - it made me feel right at home.
It is between the rainforest and the sea - 10-15 mins either way AND it was near my best friend Maureen who lived in Kiama.
So - I bought a house here at 'the Rail' and settled to my new life as a 'single' person.
Although there have been some changes to my original plans, it it has worked out well and I am happy here.
My DD Tracey and her family now live in my house and I share a house just a couple of streets away with my mate Maureen.
The beautiful Lake Illawarra is just 5 mins away and I love to look over it as I load my shopping into the car in the carpark of Woolies at Shellharbour Square. I also trundle down to the lake with my kayak and have a paddle sometimes - not as often as I would like.
If you look closely (click to make it bigger)at the lake photo in the collage you can see me paddling in the distance!
Just an hour up Macquarie Pass and you are in the Southern highlands towns of Mittagong or Bowral with their tulips and crisp autumn and winter (brrrrrr) days.
I like to 'adopt' a mountain range for mine - in Narrabri it was the Nandewars - here it is the beautiful Illawarra escarpment - so clear and crisp with the morning sun on the rock faces.
I now work 2 days a week just 10 minutes away in the picturesque old town of Kiama - life is good.
This is a shot of our house with it's lovely reserve out the back. We don't have much yard here but then who needs one when I can just go out the back gate with the dogs and we have all of this great area to walk?

Lastly a few more photo's of the area.

Yes there is a railway station here - Albion Park, but I usually catch the train the next station up - Oak Flats. It's a two hour trip to Sydney.
We also have an airport here - the Illawarra Regional Airport.
There used to be a QANTAS fight direct to Melbourne but we lost that a few months ago. The airport is home to HARS - the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society. The big hangar houses 'Connie' the only Super Constellation flying in the world. I remember seeing the '3 tailer's'at Mascot when I was a little thing. They also have a wartime Catalina flying boat, a DC3 and a couple of other historic old aircraft down there. The weekend is busy with small aircraft overhead practicing their 'stalls' etc plus helicopters and ultralights. There used to be a jet joy flight company called Topgun which was a bit noisy but they have moved on in recent months.
Then there's Kiama as I mentioned earlier. It's just down the road with it's trendy growers and craft markets on Black Beach. Zara and I love to go and feed the seagulls and pelicans.
Then sunset on Lake Illawarra - to get that shot, we went and sat by the 'Ski Gardens' with a glass of 'bubbly' and some nibbles waiting for the sun to set.
As I said - life is good.

Our first photo

 

Look at this.
Due in September!
Any bids on the gender?

Learning the basics ....

 

Zara was very efficient at washing up her breakfast dishes this morning with a little held from Mardie.
As you can see the hard hat is essential wear.
She always gets it for me to wear when she arrives and she usually wears a yellow Bob the Builder one.
Now it's time to hang out the washing ... another life skill.
Ho hum eh?

Go the soft focus - there's life in the old girl yet!

 

The pool is a great place to be on these hot days.
Harry is very confident and we had great fun doing 'monkey monkey' around the edge.