Marguerite
Active Member
G'day folks, on Orthodox Easter Sunday (for those for whom this fits).
husband & I just got back from our sub-tropical weekend, a flying trip (literally) to Queensland's Gold Coast for my brother's 70th birthday party. He's not well, nor is he wealthy (he used to be - long story, he's now old, broke and struggling financially). He's not the eldest - our eldest sister had her 70th birthday just over a year ago, but not all of us could get there. This time ALL of us siblings were gathered together, even though most of us had to fly there at considerable expense (flying there and back just for the weekend). If it had been just a week later, or even a month either side, we'd have driven there over a week or so, stayed with family on the way up and on the way back, done the grand tour. But with easy child's wedding coming up, we'd have been just getting back home and would have had to turn around and go away again, for her wedding. As it is, we have only ten days before we leave again. In a week husband's sister & family arrive for the wedding.
There were 8 of us kids, we range in age from 50-ish to 70-ish. Our parents are dead but left us with strong family values. The party was held at my brother's daughter's house, a lovely country homestead in the rainforest just inland from the Gold Coast. We all stayed on the coast, just over the road from Palm Beach. Although it's hard to say where one beach begins and another ends, on the Gold Coast - it's like one long continuous stretch of golden sands, with turquoise water. My other brother had rented a tenth floor apartment overlooking the beach, last night we gathered back there after the party and watched the luminous surf roll into the beach. There must be some phosphorescence at the moment - the breakers really seemed to glow.
We were supposed to fly home this morning early, later flights were just too expensive for us so we had reluctantly decided to take the cheaper option. A couple of sisters in the cabin next door (we were in the low-budget caravan park) offered to make coffee for breakfast (coffee from my sister's own plantation - yum!) before yet another sister drove us to the airport. But then the airline rang, most apologetic - the early morning flight had been cancelled. I made an effort to sound disappointed and took the next direct flight they offered that we couldg et to - just after lunch! So when we SHOULD have been flying back to rainy, cold Sydney, I was instead pulling off my sensible shoes, rolling up the trousers of my suit and dumping my coat and scarf in my sister's car so we could walk along Palm Beach towards Tallebudgera, wading in the (warm!) water and chatting up the lifeguards. I've brought back some lovely shells and a chunk of coral I found on the shore. Lots of scallop shells especially, including a lovely jet-black one with a hole already drilled into it (by some preadatory cone shell, undoubtedly). Just ready for a leather thong, to make an instant necklace with style.
I have a habit of stuffing shell finds in my bra (keeps my hands free) and I transferred them to by bag when we gt back to my brother's rented unit.
But on the plane I was fidgeting a bit, discreetly checked and realised - I still had a shell in my bra, along with some sand I'd not fully rinsed off the shell in the surf.
We left behind temperatures of 26 C (79 F) and flew back in to cloudy, cold, wet 19 C (66 F). I'd been feeling overdressed in Queensland, in my grey suit and white cotton blouse, but back in Sydney I was glad of every bit of it, including my long scarf.
I missed the local art exhibition - our bag took a much longer time than we expected, to get onto the baggage carousel. We drove past the gallery as we arrived home but they were shut - I missed the exhibition by about 15 minutes.
Oh well. I got three extra hours with my family, in a lovely place. And for us all to be together and able to relax and chat with each other for hours yesterday - it was the best birthday present for our brother.
We have had the BEST weekend... and in two weeks' time, most of us will be back together again (further south) for easy child's wedding. My birthday brother & wife won't be there, though - he's still not well enough to make the trip. But tomorrow, after the plumber turns up to make the final connections to the new house he & his wife have built on his daughter's property, they'll begin moving in. At last they'll have their own house, 20 years after he lost everything when his business went bust.
Comparing notes with my siblings over their kids and grandkids, especially discussing the GFGness trends in some of them, was fascinating.
Enjoy your Sunday, everyone. husband & I are hoping to get an early night tonight - we're both so very tired! I have dinner cooked already, a beef & vegetable curry I cooked on Thursday has been waiting for us over the weekend letting the flavours marry. difficult child 3's bolognese sauce that he made on Friday is also waiting for him - he had some on Friday night, said it tasted wonderful.
Tomorrow difficult child 3 & I are going to get the neuropsychologist assessment results (and pay the bill - guess where our Stimulus Package is being spent!)
Marg
husband & I just got back from our sub-tropical weekend, a flying trip (literally) to Queensland's Gold Coast for my brother's 70th birthday party. He's not well, nor is he wealthy (he used to be - long story, he's now old, broke and struggling financially). He's not the eldest - our eldest sister had her 70th birthday just over a year ago, but not all of us could get there. This time ALL of us siblings were gathered together, even though most of us had to fly there at considerable expense (flying there and back just for the weekend). If it had been just a week later, or even a month either side, we'd have driven there over a week or so, stayed with family on the way up and on the way back, done the grand tour. But with easy child's wedding coming up, we'd have been just getting back home and would have had to turn around and go away again, for her wedding. As it is, we have only ten days before we leave again. In a week husband's sister & family arrive for the wedding.
There were 8 of us kids, we range in age from 50-ish to 70-ish. Our parents are dead but left us with strong family values. The party was held at my brother's daughter's house, a lovely country homestead in the rainforest just inland from the Gold Coast. We all stayed on the coast, just over the road from Palm Beach. Although it's hard to say where one beach begins and another ends, on the Gold Coast - it's like one long continuous stretch of golden sands, with turquoise water. My other brother had rented a tenth floor apartment overlooking the beach, last night we gathered back there after the party and watched the luminous surf roll into the beach. There must be some phosphorescence at the moment - the breakers really seemed to glow.
We were supposed to fly home this morning early, later flights were just too expensive for us so we had reluctantly decided to take the cheaper option. A couple of sisters in the cabin next door (we were in the low-budget caravan park) offered to make coffee for breakfast (coffee from my sister's own plantation - yum!) before yet another sister drove us to the airport. But then the airline rang, most apologetic - the early morning flight had been cancelled. I made an effort to sound disappointed and took the next direct flight they offered that we couldg et to - just after lunch! So when we SHOULD have been flying back to rainy, cold Sydney, I was instead pulling off my sensible shoes, rolling up the trousers of my suit and dumping my coat and scarf in my sister's car so we could walk along Palm Beach towards Tallebudgera, wading in the (warm!) water and chatting up the lifeguards. I've brought back some lovely shells and a chunk of coral I found on the shore. Lots of scallop shells especially, including a lovely jet-black one with a hole already drilled into it (by some preadatory cone shell, undoubtedly). Just ready for a leather thong, to make an instant necklace with style.
I have a habit of stuffing shell finds in my bra (keeps my hands free) and I transferred them to by bag when we gt back to my brother's rented unit.
But on the plane I was fidgeting a bit, discreetly checked and realised - I still had a shell in my bra, along with some sand I'd not fully rinsed off the shell in the surf.
We left behind temperatures of 26 C (79 F) and flew back in to cloudy, cold, wet 19 C (66 F). I'd been feeling overdressed in Queensland, in my grey suit and white cotton blouse, but back in Sydney I was glad of every bit of it, including my long scarf.
I missed the local art exhibition - our bag took a much longer time than we expected, to get onto the baggage carousel. We drove past the gallery as we arrived home but they were shut - I missed the exhibition by about 15 minutes.
Oh well. I got three extra hours with my family, in a lovely place. And for us all to be together and able to relax and chat with each other for hours yesterday - it was the best birthday present for our brother.
We have had the BEST weekend... and in two weeks' time, most of us will be back together again (further south) for easy child's wedding. My birthday brother & wife won't be there, though - he's still not well enough to make the trip. But tomorrow, after the plumber turns up to make the final connections to the new house he & his wife have built on his daughter's property, they'll begin moving in. At last they'll have their own house, 20 years after he lost everything when his business went bust.
Comparing notes with my siblings over their kids and grandkids, especially discussing the GFGness trends in some of them, was fascinating.
Enjoy your Sunday, everyone. husband & I are hoping to get an early night tonight - we're both so very tired! I have dinner cooked already, a beef & vegetable curry I cooked on Thursday has been waiting for us over the weekend letting the flavours marry. difficult child 3's bolognese sauce that he made on Friday is also waiting for him - he had some on Friday night, said it tasted wonderful.
Tomorrow difficult child 3 & I are going to get the neuropsychologist assessment results (and pay the bill - guess where our Stimulus Package is being spent!)
Marg