If i sit in the doorway then they cant go to work

 or i might just relax on the couch

but i wont stir to smell the rose that ian has grown with the grapes

I like my group of choughs - they always arrive in a group and are like a large noisy family with lots of noise and games to play- today they were sharing a drink in the water bowl

my excitement of the week - a wandering solitary echidna - found at the front gate and then later in front of the lounge window

summer has finally arrived so Sam and i walk in the evenings to avoid the heat for Sam - we still have a little green grass around - showing the cool summer that we have had

Thanks to a Christmas gift from Freyja and Simon to Ian we had a nice night out last night. A quick meal in Akachochin in docklands. Then we had an evening of listening to the MSO play along to the star trek movie. Then watched the recorded Asian soccer cup final to catch up with the Ozzie win!!
Today we celebrate Stella's birthday with a meal at the Richmond Hill larder which has finally decided that taking bookings is a good idea.

Ok frannie - you are the only one who will notice the restart of my blog - if jess can do it so can I.
Hopefully a weekly photo capturing life as it is happening

this week a meal with myra in brisbane at the jellyfish restaurant - sashimi  it was - and delicious is was too

A long time between blogs

the kids have gone their own ways

Ant is in Perth learning to be a solicitor and Em is studying medicine in Townsville

We still arent sure what Ian and  I said that upset them both so much that they have travelled to opposite ends of Australia to pursue their dreams

We went and visited Ant and jess earlier this year and had a fun time exploring Perth including a winery tour down the swan river

Em managed to visit Perth for a couple of days as well

We have visited Em as well

Ian has been a couple of times and we met up this past weekend when Ian stopped over in Cairns on his return from Japan visiting the new grandnephew, Tatsuki phonetically Tatts key I think, according to Ian

Last weekend we were in Palm Cove trying to attract some warmth and sunshine - the temps were in the low to mid 20s and we managed sunshine on the saturday and then it was overcast. Em said that she had had blue skies for the past 4 weeks. We did however manage to enjoy the increase in temperature after a miserable damp winter in Melbourne and Ballarat.

We are heading off to Perth this coming weekend- Ian has a conference and Jess invited me as well - so i invited stella and Tony. They need a trip away. Poor Tony has had a horrible episode of ophthalmic shingles which has lasted months and months- hopefully a trip away will improve the spirits of both of them.

Jess and Ant have acquired a new dog - Scout - 1/2 dachie and 1/2 corgie - we get to meet him soon

As Ross has disappeared overseas for 6 months we have had to break in new dog and bird sitters - We have been using the son of one of my nurses and his mate. They have been doing an excellent job and lucy seems to have become quite fond of them. Em's mate Zoe is going to house sit while we are in Perth. We are lucky to have these people around - it makes travelling so much easier.

The birds are continuing to entertain us and produce the occasional egg. The chooks havent done their part over winter but we have had ongoing duck eggs and we are now starting to get goose and chookie eggs again now that the day light hours are starting to extend themselves

Cheers