Birthday Weekend

 On my 80th Birthday, the family decided that their present would be a weekend away together.  The logistics were daunting however we managed it last weekend down at Phillip Island.  We all stayed in Air BnBs or houses and met up for a Woolamai Beach walk.

The houses gave us plenty of space to relax in the spare time.

We all met up at "Saltwater" restaurant for lunch on the Saturday.  It is in a great location on a pier over the water and looking out to the bridge to the Island.

After a big late lunch, we met up for a pizza dinner preceded by games that turned out to be great fun and prompted the thought that this could be done again.

The evening gathering gave the family an opportunity to celebrate Cooper's eighteenth birthday -

and, although late, offer our best wishes to Lachlan for his sixteenth birthday.  It really was a magnificent family weekend.

Gallery Updates

 With Cooper having his 18th and Lachlan having his 16th birthday within a few days of each other, we used the school holidays to update their portraits in Granny's Gallery.

Birthday at the Block

 Cooper's birthday coincided with Easter so the family went up to the Lake House.  Mark needed a bit of extra muscle to get the scaffolding into place and install the final window shroud before the last sheets of external steel sheeting could be installed.  Cooper had his birthday in Mansfield at the Pub and tried his first beer.  He was not a fan!

The work on the house was completed so the final external covering can now be installed.

Easter at Jamberoo

 Brett, Cathy and the family used the Easter break to visit the Walsh family farm at Jamberoo.  Cathy's grandfather, Kevin, originally owned the farm and it has remained in the family.  Kevin was an important figure in the area.  He was involved with the rugby community and was instrumental in setting up the Leagues Club in Kiama. The Jamberoo area has to be one of the most beautiful areas of the east coast of Australia.

Lineage Exposed

Louie has been masquerading as Cairn Terrier most of his life but an encounter with Doggy Ancestry.com blew his cover.

It did not seem to concern him or his family.

Backyard Astronomy

 I am finally working out the intricacies of my new smart telescope.  It needs to be handled carefully but getting the software to play nice with the images is an art form by itself.  I am progressing. These are the C100 and the RCW 57 nebulae taken in the backyard.

School Photos

 This is the last year Cooper will have a school photo and Lachlan only has two to go.  Does that make us feel old?  Yes it does!

James' Gallery Update

 James called over today so we could update Granny's Gallery.  This is the selected portrait.

Memories of Childhood

 The Enid Blyton book "The Magic Faraway Tree" was a feature of both Claire's and my own childhood.  So when it was released as a film we were both intrigued to see how it would translate into a movie.  The answer was "not very well" from our perspective.

James' Family Birthday Gathering

 On Sunday the Reid and Altis families gathered to celebrate James' 24th birthday.  It is always a great opportunity to catch up with the Altis families and snatch a few photos with the grandchildren.