Our Easter Escapades

We started our Easter Friday with a bit of cleaning up. Kirrily took this on board and decided it was time to learn how to use the vacuum. I was more than happy to show her.

Then we did some gardening, again with Kirrily happy to help by use the watering can, watering the concrete and my feet.

In the late afternoon, the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht race was expected to pass Caloundra so we went in to watch this awesome spectical. The boats had their spinikers (spelling?) up heading towards the tip of Bribie Island, then turned and headed east past Caloundra. There were so many boats and just as many spectators viewing along the shore. It was easier to get around having Kirrily and the pram as everyone jumped out of the way.

If you squint REALLY hard, you can see the boats. I mean really squint. OK so they are tiny. click on the picture and it should enlarge. :-)

David had to work on Easter Saturday so that was a boring day. Nothing much happened. However, Sunday morning was met with lots of chocolate bunny's, eggs and a new toy rabbit for Kirrily. She doesn't really like chocolate so we (sorry, the Easter Bunny) bought her a little white rabbit with a balerina dress on. For $5, it's a bargain.

Then Monday....... Mmmmmm.... Monday. Lets just say, never let David read a map - EVER!!!

David was reading the map and said we'd go for a nice drive north (yes he sent me on a wild goose chase) and so we headed north for our 'small' drive. I thought we were heading to Coolum but he had other ideas. We headed north to Gympie which took forever as there were 2 car crashes on the highway which stuffed us up with blocked roads. We got to Gympie after 2 hrs at about 12 o'clock. Stopped to feed Kirrily and then David said "should only be about another 10klm to Kilkivan". So I turned off the road and it was signposted as 46klm. Starting to get the picture about the wild goose chase. :-)

We had lunch which was rather dodgy but still good as I was about to eat the steering wheel. David ordered the delicious sounding 'chicken fillet burger' and i ordered the 'vegie burger'. After about 20mins out came this lady and said "whose havin' the chicken fillet burger". Chicken Fillet!!!! There was no chicken fillet, just a round chicken patty crumbed with 1 piece of tomato and some dead looking lettuce and no sauce. the sauce was optional on your table. Only the best black and gold sauce here. My 'vegie' burger was also smashed up vegies (i think) coated in sesame seeds. Another round patty. It was quite funny really and i gobbled it up laughing that the lady really didn't see the joke about this 'chicken fillet' being round and crumbed. I must find that chicken farm with those strange round chickens.

"should only be about another 40klm to Kingaroy". David said as we hit the road again. So the next signpost I saw said 150klm to Kingaroy. Blimy. Kingaroy is directly west of Maroochydore but to get there you have to go up to Gympie and then around or down to Caboolture and then up. 570klm later, we returned home in the dark. I was knackered. Kirrily was a bit car bound but still had fun on the 'wee wee' which are swings apparently. She's called them that as she goes weeee weee weee weee when she's on them.

So, if you do decided to visit us, don't go to Kingaroy. :-) they are the peanut capital of the Australia and had some delicious sweet corn for 6 for $1 also but it's a bit far for cheep corn and nice peanuts. And when petrol was another 10c a litre than here, why bother really. :-) $1.55 for my premium petrol was a bit expensive. At least we saw some different and sometimes spectacular country.

Bizzy Scissors/Brizzy Adventures

Well the day had to arrive and it did. Kirrily has finally had - A HAIR CUT!!!! Have you ever tried to cut the hair of a moving target? It's impossible. After several attempts and several more, i finally got Kirrily to sit still enough so i could grab her fringe and chop it. She was struggling to see through the hair so i had to do something. However, she moved AGAIN so now she can see very well. very very well actually. The fringe is now a lot shorter than it was and shorter than it should be as i just couldn't get it right in the millisecond i had to chop it. She does look like a cute little girl now instead of that baby everywhere hair. And yes, i do have the small piece of hair safely tucked into her brag book. i'm sure that will be very useful in years to come.

We've been to Brisbane last Sunday for a relaxing day doing nothing. But that's not what ended up happening. We bought all day ferry/jet cat passes and went up and down and up and down the Brisbane River getting on and off whenever we felt like it.

We went to Brett's Wharf up the ocean end of the river. For those avid Ready Steady Cook fans, you might have heard of Brett's Wharf.

Does Alistair McLeod ring any bells?

http://readysteadycook.ten.com.au/chefs.htm#Alastair%20McLeod

Well he was out cooking his little heart out for the many diners he had for lunch last Sunday. Unfortunately, we weren't one of those diners as we couldn't really afford the $45+ main meals he had on offer. Alistair was outside cooking in this huge pot thing (not sure he would call it a huge pot thing) and wondered why we were staring and pointing at him. i think he felt a bit uncomfortable so we then took off and headed back to the ferry wharf for further adventures.

We then caught the jet cat up the other end of the river where it terminates and them comes back for another trip up the river. What a beautiful river the Brissy River is. So after many other stops, we ended up and South bank for a rest and then more walking and more ferry's. Kirrily was going like a little trooper all day. she had walked for kilometres and had no sleep until 3.30pm after waking up at 6.30am. i'm sure she was totally stuffed but refused to go to sleep as she was scared she might miss something. The sleepy eyes finally slammed shut for some serious sleep but not for long before she woke up and ran around again. She didn't even sleep on the way home.

All in all a great day.

Kirrily has also discovered the joy of a second hand red wheelbarrow or 'barrow' as she likes to call it. This red wheelbarrow has been used by me as a little kiddie and now Kirrily. It's old so it's bound to be tough and just as well as Kirrily LOVES it. Tears and more tears when we mentioned "inside" after 2 hrs playing in the yard. Poor little chicken. But never fear, i've promised a repeat run around this afternoon. Uh oh.

"Here's my 'barrow' / Daddy's mower is very noisy"

ps. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CIARA!!! Ciara is 1 today. I hope you like the hat and card.

March 2008

Well this month we've had more rain and more rain. I was given a snorkel at Christmas time but still haven't used it. We have had the occassional day here and there where it's sunny but last Thursday it was flooding at Cotton Tree right when i was supposed to be doing my 'Mum Fit' class. Needless to say, it was postponed.

I've been gardening like a crazy lady this week and last. i'll have to take some photo's to show you my handywork. I've been digging out plants, planting new ones, putting holes in my sprinkler system with a garden fork and now even painting the house. No rest for me.

(on her bike)

this photo was taken recently on a visit to Noosaville. Can you see the blue sky - well when we arrived, this big dark cloud must have followed us up and then opened up for about an hour. After we then arranged for dinner inside at a restaurant, the cloud disappeared and wasn't to be seen again. Kirrily loved this big pelican and there was serious tears when we had to leave. 'Bye Bye Birdie" was all she could say inbetween sniffles and sobs.

We also headed to the Pioneer Coffee place but couldn't resist going to the ginger factory across the road. Kirrily headed straight for the guide dog box and patted this dog for ages. It looks like she is posing but we just managed to snap this photo in seconds before she ran off again.

and this is kirrily architectural masterpiece. I guess working at Suters while i was pregnant must have rubbed off. She found the blocks in the wardrobe and ran them out to the table and stacked them up herself. i was very proud of her effort, especially with the round blocks. this was taken moments before it came tumbling down before another masterpiece was created. More tears when we had to leave them behind.

Trip to Newcastle

Well we are back home after our rather quick visit to Newcastle. After the rough start with late planes, no baby seat, raining at the airport, car crash (darn Swansea Heads lady), we ended with a fabulous 1st birthday party and a christening followed by a trip to Sydney to see Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II. What magnificent boats. Apart from 1/2 of Newcastle heading to the Soccer and 1/2 of the Central Coast heading to the same soccer game and a 3 1/2 trip to get to Sydney, we ended up seeing boat ballet around Ft Denison. Queen Victoria is an awesome site.

Can u see the size compared to the Opera house!!!

The boat cruised past Pt Cartright (for those that have no idea where that is - Caloundra way) at about 10.30pm at night. in the cover of darkness the 20 storey floating beast sailed by. i, however, was lucky enough to have already seen it and was snoozing after such a busy weekend.

Kirrily was also very lucky to get a present from Reg & Amber. She hasn't put the blocks down since we ahve been home. they are always in the back of the bike trailer going for a tour of the house or being put together in the loungeroom whilst watching High 5. She never sits still.

anyway, i had a great time in newcastle (apart from the obvious with the car) but i will visit again very soon.

Kirrily & Jacob/Maz, Dave & the b'day boy, Jacob

Kirrily, Mrs G & Caitlin

Stormy weather

The weather has been pretty dodgy lately. I guess that's why it's called "The Wet Season". Since i've got my snorkel for Christmas, the water has been murky with stormwater run-off. Darn. That crystal clear water in Pumistone Passage suddenly looks a bit like a chocolate milkshake.


So that storm that i sent photo's of, it was a nasty piece of work. Strong winds, lots of rain and apparently 1,300+ lightening strikes in just 1 hr. Mad.


Can't wait to see everyone next week!!!!!! Only 8 more sleeps and we're flying down. Yeah!!!!!! Get ready for Cyclone Kirrily. she leaevs a trail of destruction (well toys anyway) everywhere she goes. There is no stopping her.

My New Hat!

Kirrily was proudly wearing her new Christmas hat at Golden Beach and I managed to snap these.

Stamping Up!

Today I've been to a stamping class at "My Scrappin' Shop" in Caloundra. It's a bargain class for $6 for 2 hrs (well it extended to nearly 3hrs) and we made 3 things:

- a box card

- a landscape card

- a portrait card

When i went back to my car, the Loriket's had eaten all the flowers from the tree onto the car, so I washed the windscreen and then grapped the flowers from the windscreen without noticing something lurking in the flowers. I should have know a bee was hiding in flowers. He has then bitten me on my finger and boy did i squeal. I think it was more "what on earth is happening and why is my finger hurting" than anything else. The shock of it. So now, typing this, I have 2 thumbs on my left hand. Nasty bee.