Arrived safe and heading home
Quality time is our drive home together. We catch up on all the family news, work activities and local gossip from each of our environments. We are both so happy to get home to the Shutters and enjoy all the comforts therein!!
On Saturday morning we had a sleep in and a leisurely breakfast. Bill cooked porridge and planned the day. He slipped in to the Gardenia Room next door to read all the papers for a few minutes while I went to my meditation session with Dympna. Then we headed off to explore the local beaches.
We crossed the Richmond River in a car ferry and travelled out along the South Wall for as long as we could and walked the final distance to the end of the ‘Wall”. The South Ballina Beach adjoins the South Wall and is a wonderful expanse of open space, gentle white capped waves and creamy sand. It was hard to leave ….but we wanted to see what the fishermen were catching.
We passed a local who had just pulled in a large Jew Fish. He had a few others in his bucket and was just fishing with a little line from the rock wall. I think Bill was excited by the possibility of finally catching one himself.
Billy and I along the South WallSaturday evening after picking up Dympna and going to Mass we had dinner with Genie and Laurie – new friends who run a little Bed and Breakfast here. We had a great night and got a chance to relive some of the great gold medals at the Olympics. Gene and Laurie’s son was at the Athens Olympics as a kayaker so we celebrated their enthusiasm with them!!
Enjoying a night out with Gene and Laurie
Sunday we had a quiet morning reading and talking and installing and trying out the new Wii machine that is now attached to my life!! We didn’t like the way it spoke to us – told us we were both OBESE and not very fit – but unfortunately Bill informs me it is here to stay and I need to learn how to make it change its attitude and be more positive!! Wish me luck!!
Mary's new headstone. She loved to dance!!We drove out to inspect Mary's headstone which had been erected this week. We wandered around the cemetery for a while admiring the magnificent view and feeling lucky to be alive! Probably a common feeling in a cemetery?
We then hurried home to meet our lunch appointment down the hallway with Joe and his family and friends. It was another large friendly gathering and we really enjoyed the conversation with new and interesting people. Joe is 92 and regularly cooks a full roast dinner for up to 12 people on a Sunday. He does a wonderful job and still manages to keep the conversation and wine flowing and lots of laughter. I love it!! It was Bill’s first experience so he is still trying to remember names.
It was then time for Bill’s departure back to Canberra. It was a pleasant drive, reflecting on the weekend and planning the next! The journey seems so short when Bill is in the car, the return on my own always seems much longer. I know I am usually home in my bed before Bill is so I am grateful for that!
This week I am off to Canberra for a few days with LJ and Bridget and Ally, Joe and Dante and of course Bill. We are going to see My Fair Lady on Friday night. We have a babysitter and Ally informs me our job is to wear LJ and Dante out at KidCity in the afternoon!! Bill and Bridget will be at work. Wish me luck!!
3 comments:
I never realised it was a religious fish - I always thought they were Dew-fish!
Hope you are having a lovely time with everyone Gem. Your blog entries are always so enjoyable for me to read - and I love the pictures that bring your words to life. Sha xx
Wow - it sounds like your having a lovely retirement. All the beaches to walk and dinners to be had, you make it sound so inviting I almost wish it were me! I would have a lot to talk about with your friends about the kayaking - it was fantastic and I love having a go on Mark's kayak - except I always have to wait for him, bailey and georgia to have their turns first. Hmph!
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