Nambucca Heads

Nambucca Heads
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

Bunting

Bunting
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

We went to a concert at the village hall last night.
The hall had been decorated inside with lovely bunting.
It would be lovely to make some retro bunting... with some old material... and maybe use different sizes of triangles on coloured rope.
I can just see it hanging in our garden in the summer.
Simples.

"She s looking a bit ripe"

Its been a bad week for my old car.
On Monday it failed its MOT , and on Thursday it broke down and I had to call out the AA.
So it went back to the garage and had a bit of work done... welding, new accelerator cable, a bulb and a new tyre.
When I picked it up on Friday, the mechanic who has looked after it for the last 4 years said..."shes looking a bit ripe" ....he thinks this could be my last year before major work needs to be looked at.

Lagoon

Lagoon
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

Jónsi - Go Do (Acoustic Version)

"You will survive, will never stop wonders
You and sunrise will never fall under
We should always know that we can do everything"

Happy Birthday Graham....the Big 50.x
Happy Birthday Auntie Edna....we will see you soon.x
Happy digital switchover....everything is suddenly so bright and clear.

The big gum

The big gum
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

Story About Feeling

Bill Neidjie was born at Alawanydajawany along the East Alligator River sometime between 1911 and 1913.
During the war Bill earned his tucker and tobacco by hunting turtles and providing firewood for Col. Bill Sanderson of the Australian Airforce. Along with other Aboriginal men, Bill would chop mangrove wood and float it in a line to the jetty and load it onto a trolley. They would push it over a kilometre to the three houses that needed the wood. Each household would pay Bill and his friends a bag of flour for their toils.
He devoted much of his time trying to ensure that his knowledge and love of the country will not be lost but can be shared by us all.


"Listen carefully this you can hear me.
I m telling you because earth just like mother and father or brother of you.
That tree same thing.
Your body, my body I suppose,
I m same as you..anyone.
Tree working when you sleeping and dreaming."

Botanical Gardens. Melbourne.

Botanical Gardens. Melbourne.
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

Cycling the Yarra Trail. Melbourne.

Cycling the Yarra Trail. Melbourne.
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

Sydney Opera House

Sydney Opera House
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

The other side of the world.

Its a long way to Australia.....it really is a long haul.
This was my seventh and Tels fourth trip...and will probably be our last for a while.
The flights are still draining....no matter how many crosswords I do or films I watch..as soon as the food comes out I feel really ill. Its a bit of an ordeal being on a plane for 20 hours!!!!
Seeing family and friends over there is very emotional and when you say goodbye you really dont know if you ll ever see them again.
Now we are back to our "normal" life here...our trip seems like a dream.
Here are some of the things we did.....

10 feb Arrived in Sydney and met Ros and Roy at our hotel in Darling Harbour.
11 Feb Auntie Angela came up to Sydney and took us on a harbour cruise. Due to a mix up with times and directions we nearly missed the cruise..... we had to run down the wharf, where Auntie Angela and the captain were holding up the cruise for us. I think it took Roy days to get over that sprint.
14 Feb We spent Valentines Day at Toni and Mervs. Donna and the children were there too x
15 Feb Macmasters Beach and Terrigal .... beautiful.
16 Feb We drove up to Nambucca Heads to stay in a caravan park for 2 nights. Auntie Angela pitched her trailer tent there with Benji.
18 Feb We called at Sawtell, Woopi and then Cowper.x We drove on to Mullumbimby to see Elaine and Malcolm.
19 Feb Byron Bay and Brunswick Heads.
20 Feb We said a sad goodbye to Auntie Angela, Elaine and Malcolm...and drove up to Noosa for 6 nights.
23 Feb The beautiful Glasshouse Mountains, Maleny and Montville.
25 Feb Noosa Lagoon
26 Feb We said goodbye to Ros and Roy at Brisbane Airport and flew to Melbourne. Ros and Roy flew to Hawaii and then San Francisco.
27 Feb St Kilda
28 Feb Brunswick street party and news of a possible Tsunami affecting Hawaii.
1 march We hired bikes and cycled on the Yarra Trail. In the evening we met Julian and his girlfriend in a lovely Italian restaurant.
2 March Shopped in trendy Fitzroy.
3 March We caught the train to Williamstown and then the ferry back to the city....10 dollars each for almost an hours trip ...a bargain.
4 March We spent our last day in the botanical Gardens and then caught the midnight flight to HongKong and then onto London.

We managed to break another camera....our digital gave up on the last day thankfully and not the first day.
I looked in as many Vinnies as possible.
Under Ros's influence we probably had a cappucino everyday....Tel changed his order to an iced coffee towards the end.
We ate some lovely food in some great cafes.
We did lots of laughing about souvenir pens and chicken necks.
We loved the small towns...Dorigo, Bellingen and Maleny....and we loved our first time in Melbourne...the museums and galleries, the trams and interesting parts of the city.
Overall it was emotional and a trip we will never forget. x

Calm Night... Down at the beach. Samantha Hobson 2008

Calm Night... Down at the beach. Samantha Hobson 2008
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

We saw the most beautiful Aboriginal paintings at The Ian Potter Centre, National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne.

Raining on the beach. Noosa.

Raining on the beach. Noosa.
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

Double hand transplant.

We watched news reports in Melbourne, about Peter Walsh... a grandfather who is preparing to become the first recipient of a double hand transplant in Australia. He spoke about wanting to hold his grandchildren, maybe hold hands again with his wife....and even though he knows the operation isnt a matter of life or death, he would love to be able to pick his nose and scratch his bum again. We loved him.

We love Skippy.... and Skippy Flakes.

A story in a local newspaper....
"Skippy has knocked out Matilda the Boxing Kangaroo and Phar Lap, to be voted Australias favourite and most famous animal.
Surprisingly the dog that said "bugger" in a Toyota commercial came 3rd ahead of The Simpsons donkey, Matilda the Boxing Kangaroo and the Dog on the Tucker Box."

The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition

Melbourne band The Temper Trap.

Waratahs

Waratahs
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

We are back from our trip to Australia.
It was a very busy trip...full of moments we will never forget.
On the 18th Feb Tel and I, Ros and Roy and Auntie Angela drove to Cowper and spent some time at the site of the accident. I left this beautiful bouquet of flowers at the memorial. It was very emotional for us all to be there together. x