Our Autumn Years

The First Week in Darwin - some picture

2009-11-02T19:27:00.006+11:00

Bridget was birthing partner with Mark and I loved this photo of her and Erin.

Mark is settling in quickly with his new daughter. He is a very hands on dad and his daughter loves him.

Of course Bailey and Georgia are so excited with the new arrival. They are still celebrating and Bailey is delighted that she is no longer the little sister - she is now middle sister.

This is Grandma with her latest grandaughter about fifteen minutes after she was born.

THe family photo of the support crew! We are all happy and excited and looking forward to the settling in of the little family. MOre news later.....

Welcome to ERIN VALERIE ANZIN - born at 4.30 pm on Friday 30th November. She arrived with a text book delivery and was home in her own home four hours afterwards. She weighed 8lbs 1oz by the old measure and very healthy and happy. I was delighted to be able to deliver her and Mark was a great father, cut the cord and supported Rosie through a short but hard delivery. She never made a sound! Rob and LJ came over for a visit as Bridget was in Katherine. LJ was glad to catch up with his grandparents.

At Mass on Sunday we ran into Marie Loy and had a nice gossip with her. She looked well, is permanently resident in Darwin and loves her airconditioning.

We did get a chance for a bit of shopping - Rose took us around our old haunts at Casuarina and we got some supplies in.

On Friday morning after we arrived we took the girls to school and then helped them celebrate their mission day with a visit to Miss Ryall. Anna looked happy and well and had her classroom under control. We hope to catch up with them when things have settled down.

Love to all....

Dante at Ballina

2009-09-10T18:03:00.005+10:00

Mornings with Grandma on the River

The Dolphins Ally found and Dante saw!

Kissing cousins..

Telling daddy a good joke

Checking the tide with Grandad

Helping Mummy find the best shells

Watching the tide come in on Grandma's riverside.

Reading a story to Grandad before bedtime.

Checking out Grandma's crabbing spot.

Saying goodbye at Cooloongatta Airport.

Four generations - Dante, Ally, Gemma and Thelma

The Paolino's outside Cafe Aqua looking back to Surfers Paradise.

The coffee break at Byron Bay.

Beyond Excitement - the trip in Grandad's boat.

Well I think the most exciting thing Dante did in Ballina was go for a ride in Grandad's boat. He was beyond excited - the little video tells the story. He slept well that night!

We did many trips to the beach and dined at Shelleys and at Pelican 128. We drove up to see my Mum at Southport and to take the compulsory four generation photos. Mum was in good form and we had a lovely session with her.

We had some quiet mornings on the riverside while the others slept and we had some great family feasts. Most days we went down to the beach and walked along the wall. Dante quickly sighted the dolphins and was able to see new sightings quickly.

Dante loved playing in the sand but wanted someone else to go and put the water in his bucket! He was excited about the crabs in the river here at Crowley but not so interested in the many pelicans and seagulls that were constants. It was lovely for me to walk him over the road to sit by the river and watch him explore along the river bank in safety while his parents had a sleep in.

A visit from cousin Billy Bellenger was great fun and it was lovely to see the two boys together. They seem to enjoy each others company and vie for the attention of their grandma and grandad. They both like their food so it is always easy to keep them occupied. they are both active but gentle little boys and I am so looking forward to seeing LJ again and getting three little boys in perspective before the next babies come along!

Another major enjoyment for Dante was to drive up to Southport in 'Grandad's truck'. He only got to get in the truck (the Discovery) on the last day but it was a wonderful day with morning tea at Byron Bay and lunch at Southport and afternoon tea at Marina Mirage. It was a long fun day and we all behaved. We dropped the Paolino's off at the Coolongatta airport and Bill and I were home in bed by the time their plane took off for Canberra.

It was a lovely visit. Monica and Steve - you are next!!

Visitors in August

2009-09-10T17:35:00.004+10:00

Dante and Billy watching their own show and eating Grandads Naan bread.

Claire and Billy watching the big boats come in.

Dante visiting Dympna and checking out her Red Cardinal!

Ret and Dante enjoying a casual stroll along the boardwalk.

Having some quiet time before bed !

Some of my Theology Group members at afternoon tea at the Shutters.

Billy enjoying the sunset on the North Wall.

Lighthouse Beach in the late evening - I love to walk along this beach.

Well August is over and we are having fun going over all the memories. That is one benefit of the blog - I need to check all the photos to select the few that I share! I am trying to get at least one blog out each month. When it is exciting I am too busy to blog and then I need time to recover. At the moment I am trying to throw off the flu bug. It is quite persistent but I hope it is nearly gone.

We had Claire and Al down one weekend and got the boat in the water. See two previous blogs for story and pictures. Then Ally and Joe arrived and we had a very busy time fitting in all the visitors coming to see them. It was fun and Ballina provided the usual wonderful weather for us all. We had lots of fun on the beach, on the waterfront and on the river.

Family feasts featured strongly in our entertainment. Ally cooked up a storm several nights, Joe served up a tasty Laksa and Bill did his lamb curry with all the trimmings. I think it was the favourite. Joe's claim to fame was his willingness and ability to clean the kitchen every night. Come back Joe!!

We celebrated Ally and CLaire's birthdays with a dinner and a picnic. Ret and Pete came down for the picnic and while the weather was less than perfect (blowing a gale in fact) we had some fun down on the boardwalk.

And suddenly August 2009 was gone..........oh dear!

The Boat in the Water

2009-08-20T21:16:00.007+10:00

Billy found this crab...

This is the men moving the furniture around for our home mass.

Billy Bellenger has fun at Lighthouse Beach.

Claire, Alan and Billy - waiting for breakfast.

Captain Bill getting the boat in the water.

The view from the Back seat.

Heading down the river.

Well we finally got the boat into the water. Not much further than that but now we know we can do it. Yes we Can!! Allan and Claire put in a long day and finally the boat was launched. There was a bit of a problem with one motor so they didn't go very far. Hope to get it in again next week when Ally and Joe arrive.

We had a lovely weekend. Had a home mass on Saturday night and Claire sang like an angel for us! After that we had twelve to dinner and enjoyed Bill's special Lamb Korma curry with lots of condiments.

On the Sunday we had a lazy day at the beach - walked in the sand, climbed the rocks and Claire was so relaxed she did some handstands! Billy was getting used to the roar of the waves but he did get excited when he found a crab in the rocks.

We were sorry to see Claire and family go but next week we welcome Ally and Joe and Dante and with a bit of luck we can talk Claire into coming back down so we can have some fun at the beach with the two little boys.

Watch Clairie doing her handstands!

Opera at the Channon

2009-07-28T19:59:00.007+10:00

Members of Opera Queensland's Young Artist Program who entertained us!

Judy, our hostess, and I checking out the music program.

After a very luscious main course.....this was our dessert!

Bill checking that there was room at our table!

Some of our party including our hosts Judy (4R) and Don (6R).

Well we had a wonderful day out when we headed for the Opera in the Channon on Sunday. We dressed in full evening wear and were picked up by a large bus in Ballina about 9.30am and driven through some wonderful country - lush rolling green hills, pretty valleys and lots of spectacular autumn australian bush which really appreciated from the large picture windows of the bus! Our destination was the Channon about forty kilometres from Ballina via Lismore.

The event was an Opera in the bush - an annual event staged by Rotary to raise funds for the Westpac Helicopter.

On arrival at the Channon (I think it is a little river?) we were welcomed with champagne and strawberries and had a little time to chat with our other guests before we were seated in the big marquee for lunch. The tables were beautifully decorated and the whole setting was relaxing, rural and so sophisticated.

We had a wonderful lunch and very interesting conversation with our table guests. We were served our luscious food and wine by very capable waiters, and, being on Judy and Don's table meant we got extra special service. After lunch and our coffee we headed over to the area where we had seats in the front row for the Opera singers. The first half of the program was very operatic . The young singers had wonderful voices and the setting lent itself to the arias they chose. We listened to renditions from Rigoletto, Cosi fan tutte, La boheme etc. The compere was especially entertaining and informative.

We had a coffee break in the middle and then the singers returned for a program of songs from the musicals. Wonderful...songs like Vilia from the Merry Widow, You'll Never Walk Alone from Carousel, If ever I would leave you from Camelot etc. they even had Danny Boy as a tear jerker before the finale which was an amazing rendition of Amigos para siempre from Andrew Llyod Webber reminding us of the Olympic Games..

The music was wonderful and the autumn leaves fell as the drums rolled and at one stage a noisy rooster from the next door farm shouted his approval too! Wonderful Day.

We were driven safely home in our big bus where we wanted neither dinner or wine..we had had our fill.

The quality is not good but you might like to hear to a bit of Danny Boy. Keep your eye out for David Kidd, the tenor, he was one of the Ten Tenors but has returned home to Brisbane for a while to be with his young family. He was so nice to watch and so good to listen to!!

South Australian Colour

2009-07-16T15:46:00.004+10:00

The Pro Hart mural on the Church at Yankalilla

The questions you were asking about the windfarm!

The view of the image of Mary on the wall of the Yankalilla Church.

The old flour mill where we had a very delicious lunch.

One fo the big 'fans' at the windfarm.

The setting sun on Aldinga Beach on my walk home last night.

The street where Francis and Jess live....in the Scrub!

The Church where Our Lady of Yankalilla visits.

Some of the big trees near Myaponga.

Tour Guide Bill checks if we can drive through the rushing creek.

On Tuesday Bill and I took Tom and Grace for an outing to see the big windfarm. It was a lovely day and we had spectactular weather for seeing such a wonderful Australian enviroment. We keep thinking the the East Coast is the best place but the scenery we passed through on Tuesday rivals it for beauty.

We headed for Sellicks Beach and then onto Yankalilla where we visited the little Anglican Church that has a history of being a modern day 'appearance' of Mary. It has a lot of support. Pro Hart has done a special fresco for the entrance, and it has been treated with some respect by the locals and tourists alike. There is a mark on the wall beside the altar that clearly resembles an outline of Mary with Child.

We then headed up a country lane and found some wonderful old trees beside a fast running creek. It was beautiful country - how we all like to think Australia is!!

The Windfarm was spectactular. I was amazed at how close to the big 'fans' the sheep and cattle were grazing. I understand there is lots of opposition to having a wind farm near your home but this one looked very amazing on top of some high mountains looking out to sea and there was no sound at all from our position just beneath them.

Aldinga Beach in Adelaide

2009-07-16T14:37:00.004+10:00

Richard and Libby pick us up for some Retiree time at a coffee chop!

Enjoying a special roast chicken

Checking the view from our holiday cottage

Walking back to Francis and Jess's home along the walkway.

Another view of our cottage

Well we did make it to Adelaide after a special weekend in Warwick which I will record when I get home! Congratulations Trinny and Simon.

We drove in from Warwick and had a nice quiet afternoon at Claire's home before we caught a taxi to the airport and headed for Adelaide. Francis and Tom and Grace met us at the airport and dropped us home to our very comfortable and well appointed unit at Adinga Beach. It is about a twenty minute walk along the beach to get to Francis and Jess's place. The walk is good for us and we are enjoying the peace and quiet of the cottage after the hustle and bustle of a family home with four under twelve!!

Jess and I take it in turns to cook each evening. She has become a great cook - her roast chicken is as good a mine and last night she did a great osso bucco that had everyone coming back for seconds. We are having fun having a day off and having a chance to feed a mob!! Every now and then Billy and I have a quiet night at home with a red wine and some cheese and fruit. Life is easy here.

The family here are all well. Francis still has some issues to deal with around his oesophagus condition but it is not stopping them working hard and having fun. The children have all matured so much since we saw them last. Bill and I had Noah and Will over for a sleepover after Mass last Saturday night. It was a lovely evening and we all enjoyed it.

We have also had some quality time with Tom and Grace and visited cousins and cemetery. The weather has been okay. It s quite cool but each day we get several hours of sunshine and then usually a good shower of rain, morning or evening or both. It has been a bit difficult for Francis with his work but it means we have had lots of time to relax and have little visits together and read out books. We have hosted a BBQ for Richards birthday and enjoyed an outing catching up with Billy's cousin Dorothy May who lives up in the hills.

My restiricted computer access has made it difficult to get online but rest assured I have been taking photos and you will see and hear the stories soon!

A FAMILY DAY

2009-03-20T15:00:00.009+11:00

The Mountains, the city and the airport.

Heading up to Mount Tambourine, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Last Sunday was a busy day. We went to Mass in the morning and then left for a long drive to visit several members of our family.

Billy, Cathie and Robbie under the avocado tree.

We headed up to Mount Tambourine and had a very tasty lunch of prawns and pasta with Cathie and Robbie. It was good to finally see where Cathie has been escaping to for her relaxing weekends. Robbie has a nice property on the top of the mountains and we enjoyed chatting and eating in such a pleasant environment.

Cathie and the Wollemi Pine...a very special pine..one of the oldest pines discovered in the world.

We admired the huge avocado tree and Cathie was keen to point out a Wollemi pine they have growing as well.

This is the milkweek or thistle that is a good medicinal herb - in the NT we called it Father Christmas and blew the thistle top away.

Robbie told us about using milkweed or milkthistle, a weedy grass that has a long stem and fluffy pom pom top, as a herbal treatment for minor skin irritations . It had similar qualities to the Ti Tree oil that we had studied the day before so we were very interested. I would like to know more about our local herbs and plants.

Tracy and Bill having a chat!

We left there to head up to Brisbane to spend some time with Tracy, my eldest brother. He has been ill and is quietly recovering. We had a pleasant time just catching up on our different lives and talked a lot about planning for retirement and keeping fit and happy.

We did a running drop-off about 7pm at Cooloongatta Airport so Bill could fly back to Canberra. He feels ready for work again but still not walking as well as he would like.

Mum and I in her activity room at the Villa La Salle.

I got back to the Shutters about 8pm and slept soundly. Next morning Dympna was over and I was back in the drivers seat driving to pick up Sha for a trip to Southport to visit other relatives. I spend a lovely morning with my Mother and Rose prior to having lunch at Shark Park. We had all the Ryall girls together including Dympna the last ryall from the previous generation. Mum was quiet and relaxed but I notice she is losing some of her skills. She will be 92 in December and still looks great and seems contented with her life.

I hope to be so good when and if I get to her age!! I also pray that my children will love and appreciate me as much as I appreciate my mother.

God Bless

BACK HOME AT THE SHUTTERS

2009-03-20T10:38:00.005+11:00

It was a special day when we made our visit to the Specialist and he said Bill’s wound was healed enough to go home to Ballina. There is still some healing to be done but the dressings are now able to be managed by me and we quickly headed for Ally’s for a trip to the airport. We flew to Brisbane where we were met with our car and my sister Sha (or Trish) as our chauffeur. We had a pleasant drive home, stopping for a Yatala pie (as you do) on our way home. It was an overcast day and we ran into a few showers on our way home – we enjoy seeing water fall to earth!

The countryside here is still lush and green and was a real boost after the brown dry environment of Canberra. We took the long way home so we could enjoy the coast drive from Byron through to Lennox and home.

Our Ibis friend was waiting here for us.

Bill nodded to his boat and Discovery as we drove in and we were soon settled into HOME. We took it very slowly, gradually picking up some social appointments but just taking it easy and making some phone calls. For such a special occasion as having Bill at the Shutters - and so healthy - I decided to cook a roast dinner. Not my usual chicken but a special beef roast for Bill. Sha and Murray and Dympna came to share our first family meal back home. It was a great feed and a lovely evening with family. These are the days and nights I crave.

A Ti Tree at Thursday Plantation.

Bill and I visited Thursday Plantation – a local tourist attraction that sells wonderful coffee and serves it on a large shady verandah. The Plantation is a Ti-Tree Farm and sells many Ti-Tree products. I was amazed to see some medical journal reports on the efficacy of Ti-tree oil and its many derivatives. It reminded me of how much use they make of our eucalyptus tree in Vietnam (Tiger Balm etc.). We have some wonderful local resources and maybe we will make better use of them now in the financial crisis. I bought some of the ointment and we are now treating Bill’s wounds with it very effectively. Lanolin from our wool is another Australian resource that we probably could use a bit more.

We never miss an opportunity for coffee at Shelley's Beach. Seen here with nephew Ben.

Sha's birthday dinner with all the family.
We celebrated Sha’s birthday several times – probably because we all wanted to make sure she had a great time before they return to America again for more adventures in their Winnebago. We had a family dinner, a brunch at Shelley's and some walks along the beach. You can keep in touch with their exciting journeys…..and learn a lot about America here http://warwarekrvusa.blogspot.com/.

Bill finished his book and began looking for another. He was very relaxed. We did a trip up to see family in Brisbane (next blog) and Bill returned to Canberra on the way home. It was a bit lonely coming back here on my own again - but I had a great sleep and woke to the sounds of gentle rain on the roof. Life is good.

The Really Good News

2009-02-26T15:22:00.004+11:00

It is easy to get DAnte to bed - just let him have his friend Fusion for company and all is well!

Grandad and Dante did find a big swan who was quite interested in what was on offer.

On our way home from hospital we stopped in for a visit to the lake and had a lovely coffee admiring the natural surroundings.

Billy qqwas admiring the olives on this tree. I think it is a family trait to look like you are stealing the olives. He s getting better each day.

This is our new abode for the next week or so. I am so enjoying being here and cooking for a family again!! We have all the cookbooks out and we are eating well....and healthy.

Being in Canberra we are also enjoying some artistic appreciation. Ally has several artistic friends and one of them did this glasswindow for the Chapel at the Canberra Hospital. WE 's we discovered that went to Mass there on Sunday - Billy in a wheelchair - and had time to muse over what it all meant. When we got to Ally's we discovered that it was her friend Mel who had worked on the window and she was glad that we had taken some time to work it out. It was designed to be a meditative mural!! I was the journey of life through the four seasons, reflecting on the hospital admission, treatment, cure and discharge as being a similar jouney.

When we walked into our bedroom at Ally's there was another surprise. Her other artistic friend Alexandra who had made a special vase to order for BIll for our 40th Wedding anniversay had completed the vase with some words that Bill particularly like. It looks wonderful and I can't wait to get it back to the Shutters again!

Dante taking Grandad for a walk down to the lake to see if there are any swans there.

Well the patient has been discharged from Hospital with the good news from his surgeon that the pathology results proved they have removed all the cancerous tissue and no further treatment is required. We hurried home to our temporary haven at Ally's place. She has created a wonderful room for us that is light and airy and full of such wonderful books to read!!

We have had a few outings since leaving hospital. We had coffee on the lake and Bill had time to talk with the ducks and swans under the willows. It was so nice to have the good news about his leg and to know he is able to do what he wants from here on. He has difficulty walking at this stage and is still a bit weak but today we went to Lennox Gardens and had a lovely time in the park having a picnic lunch.

The community health nurse came to dress the leg yesterday and it is healing well. The wound is still quite sore so we have another week or so of recovery. AT this stage we are hoping to back in Ballina on or about 12th March for another week of recovery before Bill returns to work again. He is keen to get back in the saddle but I think he is talking about maybe doing reduced hours for a while.

I have been able to turn my attention to my studies and am ready to do my first paper of our next topic. It has been interesting reading and I am looking forward to putting some thoughts to paper.

More later...

The Patient Improves

2009-02-22T14:13:00.003+11:00

Well is is Sunday - Four days since the operation and all is going well. His blood pressure is back up to normal (it went very low) and his temperature and returned to a good rate (It had gone a bit high the second evening).The wound was dressed yesterday and it seemed to be as expected. We were both a bit surprised at the depth of the wound.

Today Bill had a shower and was able to sit in a wheelchair while I took him down to mass in the Canberra Hopistal Chapel. It was nice to get him out of bed and he enjoyed the mass in the Chapel where the focus was on the Victorian bushfire tragedy.

After lunch he is allowed to let his leg hang over the side of the bed for five minutes each hour for a few hours to let his leg become accustomed to the increased blood flow and then he will be allowed to walk around his bed. Tomorrow, all going well he will be able to walk to the toilet and shower.

Showering is a big exercise as he can't bend his leg and his whole leg is enclosed in a dressing and bandage which are not allowed to get wet. He is SO looking forward to being without all that baggage!

We have a nice visit from one of his workmates yesterday and in the afternoon Ally and Joe and Dante called in again for a little visit. They then followed me down to Woden and helped with a problem with my printer. Ally had it fixed and then I had a quiet tea and an early night.

I have given Bill a big red journal and his new project is to fill in all he can remember of each year of his life - sixty nine pages!! Maybe it is the start of our life story. At this stage the main elements of each year are Where are You? What are you doing? Who is with you? What special events happened this year? Maybe we will have it outlined well enough to release it for his Seventieth?? I am going to find some photos - so if anyone can send a year and an event they remember well please email to me (allygata) and to Bill (capsonline2) when you get a few moments.

I have commenced doing the same thing for myself and while the first twenty five years will be very different both in georgraphy and social events - after that we should have a very similar and intersting story. We hope to be able to fill in a lot more facts as the years get closer.

I have kept copies of my Christmas Newsletter (NO there wasn't one for 2008!!) since 1985 so that should be a great help in filling in the spaces!

Ally and Joe are going to pick me up from the hospital and take me for a Sunday drive this afternoon out to see Rosa, an old italian friend, who they spent the day with yesterday making fresh tomato pasta sauce. We are going to pick up our share. I will spend the night with them and then be back at the hospital in the morning.

Bill's mobile is working again and he turns it off when he is having some attention so feel free to call if you like. He is really looking forward to getting out of hospital.

Thanks for all your messages...more pictures tomorrow.

SPECIAL BIRTHDAY

2009-02-20T14:08:00.001+11:00

I am away from home and away from my calendar tools. I did discover as I was going to bed last night that it was Bev Maskells (Alice Springs) birthday yesterday. It is my brother Tracy's (Brisbane) birthday today and my young brother Chris's (Japan)birthday tomorrow.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ALL!

Bill's Good News

2009-02-20T13:44:00.003+11:00

Well the operation for Bills bcc/scc cancer has gone really well so far. The surgeon informs us it went as he had planned and the hard part now will be healing the skin graft over the wound. He has left three pages of specific instructions for the nurses here and so far so good!

He has to have strict bed rest for the first four days. He is already finding that hard! On the fourth day they will let him hang his leg over the bed for five minutes each hour and at the end of the day he can stand up beside the bed. On the fifth day he can walk to the shower. He is counting the minutes..

This is how well he looked on the day after the operation. His leg is very sore but is being managed by painkillers. He slept well last night for the first time - Thursday.

This is the little enemy that caused all the trouble. It was an itchy/scaly patch on the side of his knee for several months and then in November he noticed it had changed. A quick visit to the doctor and his operation was planned forwith.

I felt like being a nurse again! It is great for me to have the time to just look after my special patient. I am looking forward to the recovery period when we can have some really quiet time together and cared for by Ally and Joe.

Dante was the first visitor. He was a bit surprised to see Grandad all in white and lying in a funny bed but he managed to shake hands before he started taking the bed apart!

All your calls and texts have been appreciated. Ally and Joe are looking after me and I am keeping my get fit campaign on track.

God Bless

February in Ballina

2009-02-15T13:01:00.010+11:00

Brigid and I, a good workmate from my Canberra days. She lives nearby in Alstonville and we had a great lunch catching up on the five years since she left Canberra.

Beryl and her family celebrating her 91st birthday. Beryl is bright and witty and the best dressed women in the village!! A very gracious lady.

Bill had read about the Dunoon cafe at a coffee shop in Canberra. We found it last weekend. We bought some finger limes there and have been enjoying them in our drinks since. Good bush tucker!

Billy and Dante after a big day out in Ballina. It is always great to have the little ones together and see how well they get on. It was easy to settle them both - but they sure create a ruckus in my home!

Grandma teaching Dante how to handle the waves at Shelley Beach.

Love seeing all the birds around here. Also getting quite good at catching them on my camera.

Ally sent this photo of Bill and Dante checking out the menu on their journey up with the boat.

While in Canberra we had a nice night out with some old and current workmates of Bill. We girls had a hard time keeping the conversation off work but I think we did manage in the end. It was a great night.

I have just commenced a new way of getting my weight down by considering the size and calories in my food. I thought this looked like Dante asking Grandad how many calories were in his sandwich!

The story resumes.....

Well I seem to be back into a routine again and blogging should be more consistent. Thank you to all those who kept encouraging me to continue and who respond so enthusiastically when I put up a new blog! It is quite addictive!

Anyway - This has been rather a hectic month. We though Bill had his operation scheduled for Feb 3rd so we had lots of plans around that. Ally and Joe had driven up with Bill and his boat under the strict guidance of Dante who managed the trip really well. We had a hectic week following the Australia Day long weekend making sure Joe knew how to catch the right fish here and reminding Dante of what he could and couldn't play with in Grandma's house!

We all flew back to Canberra only to find that the operation had been re-scheduled to a fortnight later and a different hospital. I came back to Ballina to join my study course and to catch my breath for a while. While she was here Ally had introduced me to the competiive side of the Wii machine and I am having such fun..and hopefully improved health.

This week we also re-commenced our Theology Study course. Our first meeting was great, enjoyable, interesting and provocative! I am really enjoying the study although I find it a bit time constraining now and then. There is a lot of reading which I can manage well but the thinking about the reading takes up most of my time....and then there is the point where you have to put your thoughts onto paper!! The current unit is Revelation.

Sha and Dympna are coming for a roast chicken here tonight. Murray is on his way to Brisbane for two weeks and on Tuesday I fly to Canberra. Last night we had a ladies night with Kath, Dympna and Marie. It was a very interesting discussion on local topics and we stayed up a bit later than we should have!!

Dympna and I went to see the movie Doubt during the week. We were both a bit uncomfortable with the movie but I am enjoying discussing it and thought it was really thought provoking. Certainly makes you aware of the dangers of rumours and how easy suspicion can get out of hand! The acting was superb.

This week we also celebrated the 91st birthday of Beryl Greenwood. Beryl is the aunt of my best friend Bev in Alice Springs and has recently moved into the retirement village here. She is in the hostel section and we shared a coffee with her family prior to their big birthday lunch.

On Friday I had lunch with another old friend, Bridgid. We had worked together in Canberra and Ally had worked with her also. We had a nice time catching up on the five years since we had met!!

Life here is busy, fun and still quite relaxed. I will talk about our 40th wedding anniversary in Perth in November and all the family gatherings we had here in January in my next blog....and then I will try and keep up to date.

Happy to be Home

2009-02-13T21:18:00.008+11:00

So Happy to be home at last, the happy travellers met at my place for a celebration dinner a few weeks after our return. This is the Gardenia Room next door to my unit and it is available for dinner parties etc.

You can see why Dympna and I enjoyed having our breakfast in our room!!

Mid morning and the tea pickers were busy getting the little fresh leaves at the top of the bushes.

This is a well loaded coffee bush. Whatever you do don't accept an offer to have some 'weasel coffee'. It has an interesting production process! Vietnam is a big exporter of coffee, second only to Brazil.

We loved the markets. so much we didn't have a clue what it was though!! We began to make up names and uses for some of the things we saw.

Dymp and I at a Zen Monastery admiring the topiary work.

This was the feast we discovered when we got back on board after our snorkelling exercise!

Little baskets that transported us from the shore to our boat. They are made out of 'buffalo chocolate'! Yes - the dung from the buffalo is used to waterproof the cane baskets made out of rice straw. We did feel safe but were careful to wash our hands before dinner.

Amazing scenes when you head into the hills around Dalat.

After our early morning (4.45am) mass we visited the beach and watched the sunrise. I am leaning agains the palm tree near the bikes.

There was so much to see and do in Vietnam. We were all surprised at the resilience of the people, their capacity to enjoy what they had and the way they went about their daily lives. We didn't see any road rage and we only saw one accident - which for the kind of road and the amount of traffic and the fact that there didn't seem to be any road rules was amazing!!

Travelling in our own bus was very comfortable. It was airconditioned and we had a really great guide. Hau was a young educated local and really made the trip for us. He quickly learned what we did and didn't like and made sure we each got to do what we wanted as well as keeping the group occupied. We had several teachers in our group so we had lots of great conversation, lots of fun competitions and sang lots of patriotic songs!!

We particularly enjoyed seeing the rice paddies, the tea and coffee plantations and the activities that turned leaves and nuts into multiple products. The Vietnamese do somuch with the eucalytptus tree. It is made into paper, wood products, Tiger Balm and tea!!

We spent time in the cities and in the fields, on the beach, on the rivers, in museums and galleries, in the mountains and at the markets and shops. It was a very well planned trip and Heather our tour guide did a great job of preparing us before we left and making sure we were having fun on the way. It was a most enjoyable trip.

There is nothing so good as being on the last leg , doing the duty free shopping and landing in Sydney though! Great to be somewhere where you can read all the signs and talk to everyone! Dympna and I headed for the pie shop and had a good coffee and a pie. Before long our plane to Ballina boarded and we were back home at the Shutters.

Billy arrived up at 11pm that night, the children started phoning in, and all was well in my little world again.

Nah Trang to Ballina

2009-02-10T19:36:00.003+11:00

Scenes from Vietnam:

The standard of the accommodation was excellent. It was at least four star if not five. We loved coming to each new hotel and enjoying the luxury after a day in the country!

The cooking class we took was great. Learnt how to make fresh vietnamese spring rolls and a fish dish. We each got a little cook book and we ate what we cooked....and enjoyed it!

Coming up from the rice paddy with some rice stalks. I was so impressed with the demeanour of the workers, smiling, gently and always working but slowly. They didn't waste any of the crop either - used the seeds, the stalks and the leaves...as well as the rice!!

Up in the mountains on the way to Dalat. Very picturesque. apparently was used by the Americans and French during the war as it had spectacular overview of the coastline.

Bikes, bikes and more bikes. Usually carrying a family of four - we did see a family of six. Babies are carried in papooses on someones back and some sit on the handlebars.

This is a traditional family fishing with a wire net on a wheel.

We had a great night out when we were dressed as the Kings and Queens of Vietnam. they dressed us all in about five minutes and we dined in our outfits. food was varied and delicious .

On one of our day cruises Dympna checked out the shopping. We bought some great clothes made in silk and have had lots of fun wearing the outfits here in Ballina.

On a lazy day Dympna and I had breakfast on a tray in our room. they wheeled in a big table and poured out hot coffee and hot toast. It was very special!! We had several "lazy" days!

We visited the musuems - this is the first time we lined up for a photo in vietnam. It is Ho Chi Minns Museum and Grave. He wasn't there. They had taken him to Paris for a make-over!

We had lots of fun, learnt lots including some very patriotic songs, and really enjoyed the company of our fellow tourists and new friends.

Will finish off tomorrow and get on with the rest of 2008....and then I can start on 2009. sorry..

Early Morning in Nha Trang

2008-10-03T09:53:00.002+10:00

Hello Everyone,

Just a quick update as I can't access my emails again! We had an early night last night after a long drive in the bus from somewhere (?) to Nha Trang. It took in most of the central highlands but we travelled along the coast. We had a swim in the East Sea (South China Sea) which is very flat and pale blue. Hau, our delightful guide, waxed lyrical about the beach but it had nothing on Tomakin or Shelley's Beach!

We also stopped a the My Lai village memorial museum. It was disturbing and sent us all off for a bit of quiet time while we prayed and pondered on mans inhumanity to man. There were some good stories as well but it mainly was a graphic display of an atrocious action.

The drive was fascinating - a wonderful way to see the lives of the ordinary Vietnamese people going about their business and their countryside. It is so green and cultivated - rice, corn and green vegetables everywhere, water everywhere and people working the fields with docile animals everywhere! We were excited to see the way they transported their animals on their ubiqutous motorbikes - wrapped in cane baskets. We even passed a buffalo being carried in this manner as well as lots of pigs, hens and a few young cattle.

Nobody seems in a rush and they all seem to smile. It was comforting to see such tranquillity from the windows of our airconditioned comfortable coach. After My Lai it was great to see how the people just got on with their lives without an hatred or anger to westerners. We are greeted everywhere with big smiles and genuine happiness. They seem to know we are Australians and want to know about "Sydney". They tell us that a lot of young people want to migrate to Australia or visit but it is almost impossible to get the paperwork.

After an early tea in the luxurious dining room, Dympna and I went for a little stroll along the promenade. We found a "Bishops House" quite close by so we ventured in and tried to find our when mass was in the morning in the chapel. It turned out to be a seminary and we were advised mass was at 5am.

This morning we went to mass, felt very at home and then walked back along the promenade as the sun was rising. Not often I see sunrise these days!! I prayed for all my family and for the Vietnamese people.

We are off for a cruise on a lake today which includes snorkelling and an onboard massage! After that we have been recommended to have the mudbath that is a speciality of our hotel. We are thinking about it! Hau says that everyone takes a photo after you come out of the bath as you look so much younger! - It made us more accepting of the opportunity!

I am beginning to feel homesick. Just like to have a roast chicken and some baked veges. I would love to be at the Shutters this weekend with my sisters!

Hope all is well with everyone. Love and Blessings

Vietnam Gem

A millionaire in Vietnam

2008-09-30T23:04:00.003+10:00

Hello family,

Well I went to the ATM here today and took out $2 million dollars. I then went shoppping. I know the exhange rate is a 'bit' different but it was a wonderful feeling. $100,000 Vietnamese dong (VND) is about $8 Australian. Goods are very cheap here but it is expensive to cart them home so we have only got some little souvenirs and some clothes. Had a wonderful time getting some jackets made at the tailors. Picked out the silk, then the lining, then the style and then came back four hours later for a fitting and picked them up early next morning. Perfect fit and lovely finish. Jackets about $30.00 Australian for a really good silk.

This evening we had shoes made similarly. Picked out the style, the leather and had a fitting. We then came back four hours later for a fitting and I took mine away - they were perfect. Dymp needed a slight adjustment to hers. They are delivering them to the hotel tonight.

We have enjoyed our sojourn her in Hoi An. Another first class hotel with old French style furniture and fittings and very spacious with large balcony and bathroom. Service is excellent. The rack rate is $100USD a night. Not sure what our rate was but it includes breakfast.

The jouney down from Hue to Hoi An was very spectacular. We went through two mountain passes and saw some wonderful ancient bridges and some relics of the war and some very modern bridge and tunnel structures.

As we cruised along in our airconditioned bus we saw water buffalo being worked, rice paddies in various stages of growth and small and large lakes where simple fishing methodologies were being used. We drove up the great Marble Mountain and some of the more adventurous climbed the 153 concrete steps to see the view from the top - over Hai Van Pass. The remainder spend an hour in the marble museum and art shop. That was very spectacular too!!

We enjoyed seeing the ocean for most of the trip - they call it the East Sea here - Vietnames don't like to call it the South China Sea but that is what it really is!!

Tonight we had a cruise along the river for an hour at twilight. We were promised a great sunset but due to the clouds it did not eventuate. We made up for it with some spontaneous fun and had a great time.

Dympna and I ended the night with a cocktail in the bar under the trees and some Hoi An specialty spring rolls and egg rice. We are having an early night so we can be ready to leave in the morning for our next stop.

Last night was a late night - we went to a cooking class and had a great night learning how to prepare and serve a full course. We had to eat what we cooked and we thought we had done a fairly good job. I am looking forward to giving you the benefit of my new skills.

Missing you all, hope you are appreciating weather a bit cooler and less humid than we have here. We have just reached the mid point of our trip so will be home soon. Ten more days.

Love to all

Vietnam Gem

From Hanoi to Hue

2008-09-26T20:20:00.004+10:00

Hello Everyone,

Well we had a quick, comfortable flight from Hanoi to Hue last night. We arrived about 9pm and it was nearly 10pm by the time we got to our hotel. IT is a grand old hotel on the Perfume River and the rooms are spacious and comfortable. Dympna and I are really enjoying ourselves and beginning to relax. We are still both bothered with the high humidity and the warm weather. It is always a comfort to rush back to our hotel room for the airconditioning and a cup of tea.

We are finding the food wonderful. It is always a little different, we are being adventurous and have enjoyed everything so far. Even like the Pho - a sort of chicken noodle soup which is often eaten at breakfast - it is delicious. Last night after the flight we called into a little cafe and had spring rolls and shrimp pancakes. Both hard to describe, not what we expected, but we loved them and wished we had ordered more.

We are getting used to the monetary system and taking care not to exceed our budget!! I have got some little souvenirs and some diningware and shirts. I am already over my luggage allowance as we found out last night (but they did not worry about it!). I will have to carry anything else.

Today we visited the Citadel - a vast array of buildings and temples that used to house the King and his court. It was badly damaged by the bombing raids during the war but is slowly being re-constructed with the suport of UNESCO. The pagoda nearby on the Perfume River was spectacular to look at. Dympna and I are not to bothered with all the history - a brief summary is all we want and then we walk around for a look....or a shop!! We decided not to visit the two tombs that were part of the afternoon tour and had a nap in our room and repacked our bags and organised someone to make us two blouses by 9pm tonight. We were delighted at the opportunity that we found by ourselves. Picked out some nice silk and hope to have a good result. The cost is $15 (American) for the silk and the finished product! As usual I am having slacks made to match for the same price.

Interesting to hear the news from Perth and the issue of the wedding date. Hope all goes well for Tashie and Michael. I will be paying full attention to the readings!!

We have another day here including a half day cruise down the Perfume River and then we head on the Hoi An where we hope to get some shoes made. We understand there is a shop (advice from a friend in Ballina) where we can pick out our own leather and design and have them made to fit in the same day. Wish us luck.

Well - I hope all is well back in Australia. I have a little tinge of homesickness now and then and I am really looking forward to being back at the Shutters with Billy and looking forward to our visitors. I know the Bennets are in the vicintiy and I hear Francis and Jess might make the trip as well. Sha and Murray are on the way home and Christmas is very close.

Love to all from Dympna and Gemma in Hue

2008-09-26T20:20:00.001+10:00

Vietnam and Hanoi

2008-09-25T00:33:00.002+10:00

Hello Everyone,

I had trouble trying to log into my email, go locked out in the end trying to manage a language other than english to get in! However, I was able to get into the blogs - so this is the message to all my family and friends.

Dympna and I are very comfortable ensconced here at the Hanoi Hilton. It is a five star hotel and we do agree with the rating. Yesterday we went to visit that other Hilton Hanoi - where the American pilots were locked up during the Vietnam War. It was a dark and gruesome place and I much preferred ours!!

Our trip across was very comfortable. After a little late start out of Sydney we arrived on time. We had several spare seats on the plane so Dympna and I had a row of three with one spare in the middle. It made for a very relaxing trip and the time flew past. I was still trying to finish a chapter in my book as we landed. Food was great, wine was great and Dympna and I and the other travellers walked and talked to pass the time.

Hanoi is interesting. Very hot and humid, quite different in architecture and rather 'seedy' in most parts. However the people are lovely and warm and friendly and we have had some interesting chats with those we have been able to converse. Our travel guide, Hau is young, handsome and smart. He is well suited to the job of trying to take eleven senior ladies of quite different interests and backgrounds around Vietnam. We are are enjoying each others company and Hau and ourdriver (we have our own airconditioned bus which is larger than required so we all have one two seat seat to ourselves. It is nice not to be crowded or hot. We are all struggling with the humidity.

Today (Wednesday) we were meant to go to Halong Bay for a tour and a cruise and a seafood lunch on board. However there is a typhoon hitting the area at the moment so rather reluctantly we decided to have some time around Hanoi shopping. Some of our group went on a bus tour out to a minority village to see how the rural locals lived. They enjoyed the trip but were quiet shocked at the traffic in Hanoi as they approached the busy end of day on their return.

Last night after a long day of hot touring to the key sites, HO CHI MIN temple, museum and mausoleum and then on to the first ever Vietnamese university (from 1108CE) we had a nice lunch in an airconditioned restaurant and had some really delicious food. Light, spicy and fresh. Later we had cocktails on a five storey building rooftop overlooking the Lake of the Restored Sword. A sort of story like King Arthur and Lancelot's sword!

After that - Dympna and I had Pina Coladas for a starter - we attended the Water Puppet Show. VEry clever and quiet different. I found the music rather discordant but the instruments were interesting and it was nice to see all the local costumes and theatrics. The puppetry managed from under a swimming pool was very clever. It was all performed in a type of Opera Building.

Tomorrow we are going to visit the French Quarter and some markets before we fly our for Hue and points further south.

So far we are having a wonderful time and feeling quiet relaxed after our full body massage this afternoon. Dympna and I had a quite dinner in one of the Hilton restaurants. Very nice.

Love to all. Don't know when I will get close to another computer but I am missing you all.

Love and God BLess,

ROSIE & MARK's NEW CAR

2008-09-20T12:47:00.005+10:00

The new car for Rosie and Mark

Hello Readers

I am getting so many calls asking what happened to Rosie and her car accident.

I decided that seeing as she hasn't got her Blog up and running yet I should do some work for her! Rosie had a car accident last week. Her car was badly damaged and as you can see she now has a shiny new replacement. I understand her insurance is covering most of the costs. She was not hurt and apart from the nuisance of being without a vehicle for two weeks she has come through unscathed. Mark is on the way to Melbourne to pick the new car up from there.

Georgia looking very composed for her book fair - can you guess who she is?

Georgia and Bailey sometimes present on LJ's blog - but not often enough. So please allow a very proud Grandma the joy of showing these photos. They were in dress up mode and looking quite beautiful. They are growing up so quickly.

Bailey in a very Bo Peep pose??

Rosie and Mark have been working hard settling into their new home and getting the airconditioning in for my arrival!! I think!! In their spare time they still find time to keep fit.

Rosie and Mark with their team

I am looking forward to my trip to Darwin in November. Not so far away....

SEPTEMBER

2008-09-20T10:35:00.011+10:00

Dante and I inspecting the Canberra spring blossoms

I keep looking at a fridge magnet that Rose sent me last month. It reads “RETIREMENT – When you stop living at work and start working at living.” That’s my new definition for retirement!! Thanks Rose. So now I can say – Yes I am working – I’m working at living!

How Grandparents babysit!

EXCITING CANBERRA

Well the National Capital is always billed as an exciting place to visit and this trip lived up to that reputation. Sadly though, across the road from Ally one of her neigbours was murdered in a bizarre series of events that are still being investigated. Two bodies were eventually found and it seemed Struan and a young woman he was protecting were both murdered and then the house set on fire. You can read the story in Ally’s blog which also has a news clip. http://www.duffypaolino.blogspot.com/
Joe noticed smoke coming from the house and he and Bill went over to see if Struan was in there and needed help. They banged on the door and called out loudly but although they heard noises from inside they couldn’t get in. Ally rang the fire brigade which arrived in minutes. They kicked in the front door and soon there were three fire brigades, two police cars and an emergency service ambulance all with flashing lights in our little cul-de-sac. The neigbours gathered around in various forms of nightwear – it was after ten o’clock when Joe raised the alarm. Most of us were in bed and some asleep.

It was very sad when we realised that the occupants had both died. It took many days before we found out more details about the incident and learnt that it was a murder. The next morning the police had arrested someone who they seem to think is the murderer.
What was nice was how the neighbors rallied around each other and had supported Struan who had been through some hard times but was getting his life back on track after some serious misadventures with drugs. They were all so sad at his untimely death. He seemed to be a warm, intelligent person who had strong loyalties to his friends.

Ally and Mel heading off for a girls night out.

Canberra weather was magnificent and the spring blossoms were spectacular. The indigenous trees with golden wattle and the imported cherry and plum blossoms were everywhere. Ally, Dante and I walked to the shops, the park and anywhere where we could have some fun in the natural environment. Of course we did spend a lot of time in the great shopping centres that Canberra has. Ally is a Mystery Shopper so we HAD to go shopping.

Checking out the Aldi store

Bill and I having a dinner out!

Inspecting the boat - Yes I have been aboard!

Aside from that - Bill and I had a lovely time this visit. We dined out alone, we shopped with the family, we drove out into the country and up onto the mountains, we cooked and watched TV and we caught up with friends and family, we even did a spot of babysitting. We also inspected the new unit that Bill is going to rent for the next 12 months in line with his new contract. It is very close to his work at Woden and he will be able to walk to work and not have the long drive morning and evening which he is beginning to dislike. He will miss the companionship he enjoys at Ally and Joes and I am sure he and Dante will wonder where their best mate has gone! It has been wonderful to see the special relationship between Bill and Dante. They are very close.

Bill and I on a visit to a local farm to inspect an open garden

We had a lovely day meeting up with Christie Maskell and her family. Christie is now living at Swan Hill in Victoria and came to Canberra to visit an old school friend from Alice. They all came to a BBQ at Ally’s and we had fun wining and dining and watching the little ones play together. Christie has let her hair grow to its natural colour - grey! and it looks wonderful! Bill took the opportunity to show off his as yet dry boat! It reminded us all of many wonderful days around the pool at Maskells in Alice or in the back yard at the Duffy’s place.

Christie, Matt and family heading home.

Soon it was time to fly home again. Bill and I had breakfast at the airport and he went to work and I fly on to Sydney and Ballina. When I called him the next morning to ask how he was he said “I woke up feeling very sad this morning…” I was concerned as he did sound quiet and I said “Why?” He replied – “My wife left me yesterday.” I really enjoy being loved so much!
The good news is Bill’s test results from his recent procedure were all very positive and he is quite excited about his new job and his new abode. He has a busy few weekends to fill in while I am in Vietnam. This weekend he is moving into his new unit. Next weekend he and Joe are taking the boat down to Bateman’s Bay for its christening and the weekend after that he is going with Ally and Joe and some neigbours for a camping trip down the coast. He flies up to Ballina on the day we arrive back from Vietnam. We will have such exciting stories to share that weekend!

THE SHUTTERS AND THE RYALLS VISIT

Having fun at Dympna's with Ruby and Christine

It was wonderful to walk back into The Shutters – my quiet, comfortable and relaxing home. Dympna met me at the airport and filled me in on all the gossip and news as we drove home. We had dinner that night and laughed and chatted till late. Then I had to get to work on my study assignment.

I am really enjoying my Theology study. My group members are interesting and stimulating and while I feel the pressure of competition I am finding it a very comfortable pace and really learning a lot I didn’t know about things that are so central to my being! This month I was working on a paper about the Monastic movement and its impact on the Church. Such wonderful stories there – disasters and atrocities but throughout the ages good people were always able to rise above the corruption and demonstrate that there is a way through and things can be great again.

My next section focuses on the current crisis in the Church and how they have arisen and how they might be resolved. It is a bit unsettling to read some of the issues but I continue with my optimism that good things happen if good people just do something!
I am still working on my final project paper for this unit. I was so inspired with the input from my children who all responded to my call for help. Ally has given my first draft the “once over” and suggested some changes. When it is complete I will share it with anyone who wants? It is about the importance of “knowing God” as opposed to “Knowing about” God. It has been interesting and inspiring to research.

Christine enjoying my balcony in the morning

During the week we had visitors from Queensland. Ruby Parker (nee Ryall) and her daughter Christine who is about Sha’s age came to visit. Ruby stayed at Dympna’s and Christine stayed with me. We had such a good time together. We sat up late talking and resumed again in the morning – I think we are soul mates. Soon we will know how we are related! They are heading out to Glenn Innes where someone is researching their side of the Ryall family tree.

Never miss a chance for a game of crib

VIETNAM WE ARE COMING!

When I first arrived in Ballina Dympna said – “Oh, by the way, I’ve booked us a ticket on a trip to Vietnam”. At that time I was too excited about my new home and the sudden change in my environment to think about it much. Suddenly it is time to depart Australia and fly to Saigon, Hanoi and all points in between!
Dympna and I and the several other ladies who are part of our little tour group that originated from the U3A have been meeting and planning our trip. We have been having little walking groups to test our fitness and getting to know each other. Our knowledge of Vietnam and our interest in the country has grown over this time. Last night we watched Michael Caine in “The Quiet American” an old movie from the past but which gave a good background on the last century for this quiet county which has suffered such atrocities.

On Sunday we fly out mid afternoon for Sydney where we will spend the night prior to a mid morning flight to Saigon – now called Ho Chi Minh City. We will spend a few hours there prior to flying on to Hanoi where our touring begins. We will then gradually travel down with two or three night stopovers in some of the regional towns. I am looking forward to learning more about this country and having it associated with things other than the Vietnam War.
Dympna and I couldn’t resist a final relaxing walk along one of the best beaches in Australia. We do live in a wonderful country – Vietnam here we come!

Love to all

Between Flights

2008-09-03T17:01:00.003+10:00

Learning how to take photos when I am alone!

My little bubble of time at the Shutters between one trip to Canberra and the next is coming to a close again. I really enjoy my periods of seclusion and quietness and look forward to Billy’s arrival for a weekend to add to the excitement or my trips to Canberra or Brisbane. I am living the best of both worlds and loving it. On Friday I fly back to Canberra for ten days to celebrate Father’s Day with Bill and the Paolino’s and to catch up with my friends in Canberra.

My study course is going well and I am ahead of the timetable at present. I am really enjoying the reading I am required to do, love having the discussions with Dympna and other friends that my study encourages, and even enjoying the discipline of trying to put my thoughts to paper when I have to complete an assessment paper.
However the best part of all has been the interest and input from my children. They responded to a question I put to them and I am still working my way through their wonderful insight to faith and theology. I was inspired by them, in some ways I think they could write my paper much better than I could.

My other study methodology is to have long and interesting discussions with Bill. Our trips to and from the airport have been very useful for this exercise. I am looking forward to being in Canberra and having similar discussions with Ally. I am a communal student!!

The dinner setting at Dympna's last night.

During my time at home I have managed to get through a good lot of my study course so I can relax in Canberra and have wined and dined with family and friends. Family life for us has always revolved around the dinner table. Since coming to Ballina I miss the immediate family that was always near to share our food and laughter with.

Sunday lunch with family - Dympna, Ret, Pete and Billy.

Dympna and I often have our evening meal together, at her place or at mine so there is pleasant company but I do miss the noise of a gathering of different generations. I hear there is some research happening around the need for retirement villages to ensure a broad range of ages in the retirees in order to remain happy and healthy. I am protected to a large extend by my frequent family visitors and hope to encourage more!

Dympna and I displaying our fridge magnets from Rose.

Here at the Shutters I am gradually developing a great group of new friends so dinner parties and lunches are still high on my weekly agenda. In between times I have helped Dympna redecorate her unit; kept my garden growing nicely; and read another enthralling book from Sara Douglas.

My little cumquat tree is a joy to behold and inspire.

Oh Dear, I forgot to mention that we have had a family session on the Wii machine and I am now totally committed to the competition of getting healthier!! I hope the feedback from the little machine is more positive when I return from Canberra. But I am enjoying it!

LJ Comes to Canberra

2008-08-31T22:48:00.006+10:00

Bridget brings LJ to Canberra

It was so exciting when we heard Bridget and LJ were coming to Canberra for a work visit. I jumped on the next plane and was able to spend two days with them. Ally had set her home up so we were all very comfortable. I had a quick chat with LJ on Thursday night to catch up on all the gossip from Darwin and he had a little play with Grandad before he went to bed and then on Friday Bridget went to work and ally and I took over.

Grandma and Grandad getting LJ ready for bed.

Grandma Gem had to introduce LJ to Oscar and all the animals in his bedroom.

It was so lovely to see how Dante and LJ just played together as though they were friends from way back! LJ quickly recognized that Grandma was his minder and we become good mates. He got a bit upset if I walked away from him!

Dante and LJ teaching each other how to solve the shape and colour puzzle.

Ally and I took them both to Kid City for the afternoon and we had a hectic but fun afternoon. The boys played in all the areas but I think they liked the balls and the tunnel best. LJ had fun inspecting all the wall in the tunnel but Dante just bulldozed his way from one end to the other.

Dante and LJ in the mosh pit with Grandma.

I was on strict instructions that we had to wear the boys out so they would sleep for the babysitting that night. Ally and I did find time to have our lunch and a cappuccino. I also had to each LJ how to do the Grandma Gem dance that I had taught his sisters many years ago! Dante had learnt last month so he was able to do a good impression this time on his own!LJ and Dante having a great time laughing at Grandma in the ball pit!

LJ loved climbing through the tunnel - especially when he found a friend at the other end!

Billy was so excited to have us all there that he had brought tickets to My Fair Lady. We went and the whole five of us thought it was a wonderful show. We were so impressed with the sets and the costuming. I loved hearing all those old songs again and it was great being out with the big boys after our day with the little boys!! We left Ally’s neighbor Anne babysitting and she did a great job. Bridget, Bill and Ally at My Fair Lady - can you find them?

LJ trying to arrange with me to stay in Canberra.

Next morning we took Bridget shopping and then it was time to get her on her plane for Darwin. LJ was quite happy to stay with Grandma but Bridget insisted he go. He inspected the airport for an escape but finally boarded on Virgin and they left. I hope to get up to Darwin to see LJ and the family in Darwin in the next few months.

LJ trying to see if Joe could help with his airport problems.

Virgin Blue have signed up their next poster boy.

All good things come to an end. I had another day in Canberra and Dante quickly made up for lost time and nearly said Grandma for the first time!! He tried to get me to stay a little longer but finallywhen he saw my packed bags he decided to come to Ballina instead.

Dante trying to get a free flight to Ballina.

I guess Ally and Joe were quite happy to see all the visitors go so they could have some time with Dante themselves!

A Lovely Weekend

2008-08-20T12:48:00.004+10:00

I love Vera Lynn and a favourite song is her “A Lovely Weekend” from the Hits of the Blitz CD. Bill and I had such a lovely weekend this week. I managed to overcome all my fears of driving and had a pleasant trip on my own to Coolongatta airport where I settled in for a little wait with a good book and some fish and chips. It is only an hours drive but it seems so far away when I start off. Bill arrived and I love to see his jaunty cap and business suit walk in among all the surfboarders! I feel myself relax as soon as I see him.

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.

Bill inspecting South Ballina Beach - the South Wall

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 Wall

Saturday 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!!

Family & Friends

2008-08-13T17:08:00.006+10:00

Enjoying Dinner at Kaths.

Had a busy week enjoying life at the Shutters and entertaining or being entertained by my family and friends. I thought it was going to be a quiet weekend, time to induct myself to my study discipline and do some serious reading on theology.

Billy and I watching the opening of the Olympic Games.

Then on Friday afternoon Clairie (daughter Claire who is now called Clairie!) phoned and asked if I would like company to watch the opening session of the Olympic Games. Yes, Yes! I forgot I was dining out but I did keep that appointment. I enjoyed dinner with Kath and her friends before running upstairs and welcoming Claire and family about 9pm. We settled in for a good night of TV and then we all went to bed and slept soundly (including Billy) until morning. I took the opportunity to teach Billy how to dance so he could join Dante in some new steps! Next week I will have the opportunity to teach LJ in Canberra.

Teaching Billy to dance.

On Saturday morning I cooked Pufftaloons for them all and watched in amazement as they quickly disappeared from the plate. I used to love Dad cooking us Pufftaloons when I was young. I still find them a real comfort food.
Passing on the recipe for Pufftaloons.

After breakfast Claire and Allan headed for the beach with Jordan and Bill and I set about preparing curried sausages and rice as per request for dinner at home that night. Dympna joined us and we settled in to watch the latest James Bond DVD that Claire had brought down. I watched it till the end but some of the others did not last so long!!

On Sunday morning we all traipsed out to the Macadamia Castle for breakfast. I had wanted to check it out as something to recommend to guests. Breakfast was great and there did seem to be lots to see and do for little ones. The best part for the oldies was the food and gifts shops!!

Some quality time in my study!! Not much study though..

Then on Sunday evening my friends Marion and Graham arrived. We had all done our Leaving Certificate at Darwin High School together. We had an early dinner and then a long evening chatting over old times and discussing how to grow old successfully. In the morning we breakfasted, chatted some more, did a quick tour of Ballina and then went to Shelleys for morning tea before they headed for home in Brisbane. It was a lovely way to end the weekend.Marion and Graham at Shelley's Beach.

Then on Monday night I received a call from Nephew Mark to say he was going for a drive on Tuesday and would like to call in to Ballina for a visit. I encouraged them to stay for lunch and we had another lovely family day. Mark and Tanya inspected The Shutters and the Crowley complex and seemed quite impressed with it all.

Dympna explaining to Ruby that she is her Great Grand Aunt!

Baby Ruby was interested in travelling and being outside but she objected when we expected her to be quiet while we had lunch!! Tanya and Mark seemed to know how to manage her beautifully. Dympna joined us for lunch and she was able to pass on some family history to Mark and we went over to inspect her home and some old paintings of Great Grandad Ryalls property at Ben Vale. I hope they come again.

Mark & Tanya with their little treasure

Theology

2008-08-13T17:05:00.001+10:00

I have finally taken the plunge and signed up for a Certificate IV Course in Theology. It is an accredited course described as a systematic introduction to contemporary Catholic theology.

My Collins dictionary describes Theology as ‘the systematic study of religions and religious beliefs ‘ – the new course handbook quotes St Anselm as describing Theology as “faith seeking understanding.” I am interested in all that and am lucky to find myself in the situation where I have the time and the inclination to study it seriously. This all means I will have to put some discipline around my time and energy and read something other than the wonderful novels I am devouring at the moment.

Why am I doing this? I have often wanted to understand more fully what the link is between my faith and how I interpret my religion – the Catholic religion; To understand how faith and reason can exist together. I am wholly supported and enlivened by what I describe as my faith. I know my faith has contributed significantly to my positive interaction and enjoyment of life and I would like my children and their children to have such an experience. This course promises to help me understand all that and to engage confidently in theological discussion and reflection.

Side benefits are the participation in group study with some people I really like; gaining the qualification to work in a paid job in a Catholic School or Parish at some time in the future; an opportunity to put my thoughts into writing at some time; and the hope that the discipline of study might stop my brain from its rapid deterioration into jelly!!

It is suggested that the study of Theology will allow me to become “philosophical, long-suffering and magnanimous”. You can be the judge!!!

What does RETIREMENT mean??

2008-08-02T21:58:00.005+10:00

Our last days at Newland St. - The Contractor and the Retiree

Bill and I considered a lot of things about our retirement. They included:-
When will we retire?
How much money will we need to live on comfortably – and how will we get it?
Where will we live?
What will we do when we do retire etc?

The first question was the hardest – the ‘when ‘question. T hen we fudged the second question because we knew we were never going to have enough money if we wanted to retire in our lifetime!! Where to retire happened by fortunate mishap - or God’s blessing - and we both feel so fortunate to be here at Ballina. However we are still planning ‘what’ to do when we retire.

Family visiting at Ballina

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At the moment, having been the first to retire I am avoiding doing too much at all. The roses smell beautiful up here. I certainly didn’t want to retire and be ‘too busy’ for the things I wanted to do, and I didn’t want to take on a lot of things that I would regret later. I had to think about what I did want to do but I wanted to wait for Bill to join me here so we could plan that part together. So I have a plan - to enjoy quietly what I have here, not to get too involved in anything and to be ready to travel where Bill or the kids suggest I am needed at the time. With the recent death of Bill’s mother I am more conscious that my own mother is very frail and I would like to spend more time with her. That is happening slowly.

Sunday lunch in Byron Bay with family.

I want to share my experience of the early days of retirement – still not sure what that word means?? For me retirement meant the time to not have to attend a workplace, to be responsible to someone else and/or to keep to a timetable. It also means not earning money!
My first experience didn’t last long but it was so enjoyable. I think I celebrated the fact that I had finally arrived at the time when we were financially secure enough that I could even consider the idea of retirement!!

Family fishing on the North Wall at Ballina.

It bought the joy of waking in the morning and not having to rush to work; coffee on the verandah just enjoying the view, time to smell the roses and rub the lavender as I hung out the washing; re-learning the art of slow-cooking using herbs I was nurturing in my garden and with rich aromas in my kitchen; there was time to read and listen to music; time to visit my family and friends; time to be with my children - and their children; time to be at the birth of my latest grandsons; time to be more attentive in the evening when Bill and I discussed his work; and time to consider the meaning of life. I loved it.

What did I miss? To begin with I didn’t want to do anything…I quickly fell into withdrawing from most of my social outings, just wanting to be with close family and be home…even home alone. I read a lot of books, had afternoon naps and walked up the mountain to keep fit. Many days I went into town to meet Bill for lunch and every night I went to bed early and slept so well. I would never have described myself as bored but sometimes I wondered if I was depressed??? I based that on the fact that I didn’t want to go out to meet others, didn’t want to join groups etc. and stopped entertaining at home as I used to do. I was so happy just being on my own and waiting for Bill to come home.

Visiting Canberra.

Soon I began to miss my friends at work. I always enjoyed the cut and thrust of office conversation. Mostly my work teams were very intelligent, interesting people and the broad range of ages meant lots of interesting conversations - from the politics of the day to the health policy issues we were currently dealing with or the varied relationships they were experiencing! It was all drama and excitement and I missed that! Obviously we missed the cash flow as well. I found my little super pension was nothing like my generous salary but I think it was an easy adjustment to make – especially with Bill still working and paying all the bills!

Then as I read the paper or ran into someone from work I began to miss the opportunity to deal with issues that I was reading/hearing about. I wanted to discuss solutions for things we should be addressing in some policy situation at work or I wanted to clarify something with someone at work! I think what I really missed was not having the authority/power to just make it happen..anymore!

I had taken the time out to smell the roses and they did smell beautiful. Soon I was offered an opportunity to do some part time contract work with two good friends who I had worked with previously. They were setting up a new organization and I was offered a role that was hard for me to refuse.

I quickly got back into gear and loved the busy-ness, creativity and the challenge of the job, especially as the work environment was so interesting and supportive and I felt my skills were being well utilized. I felt valued. My three month contract there extended month by month until I had to leave after seven months to attend to my new grandsons and an overseas trip!!

After our holidays and tripping around we suddenly made the decision to buy the unit here at Ballina and I was quickly thrust into the packing and moving mode. It was a very busy, exciting if stressful time. Sorting out all my treasures; downsizing from a big home to a unit; planning for a new environment, and farewelling friends and family. I had come to love Canberra and we had made a wonderful group of friends and Ally and Joe had had their first son and we had lots of family time together. That is what I missed most when I first arrived in Ballina, and still do.

Shopping in Ballina - enjoying my Grandma days!

Bill wasn’t ready to retire just yet, and had been offered an exciting contract position with a team he liked which he accepted. He decided to help me settle into Ballina and then he would move in with Ally and Joe and live with them and we would commute between Ballina and Canberra. And that happened.
So suddenly I found myself alone in a wonderful home that I was able to furnish and fit out with all our precious belongings. Bill visits regularly and I make the occasional trip to Canberra. I am establishing a new social group here and have picked up a few commitments in the community. Most of the children have been to visit and I have travelled to Brisbane, Canberra and Perth and a wonderful trip to Darwin where we met our latest grandson Lincoln Jed and our two daughters and their families there. I am feeling very fulfilled and relaxed, happy and loved - but - I don’t feel retired yet??

Canberra is still a special place for us!

There will be more…..if you can persevere as the story unfolds.

The pictures that I missed

2008-08-02T21:40:00.004+10:00

Hello Dear Internet, I have had so much trouble for not putting in all the pictures from our very eventful weekend. Here they are now!! So Sorry.

Princess Clairie with little Lord Billy from the court of King William.

My table setting with a special wooden bowl from the Wood's in Canberra and the birthday brolga from Ally and Joe.

Our chinese dinner party after Mumma Mia - for Bill's birthday.

Mum and I celebrating Rose's birthday.

July Birthdays

2008-07-31T12:13:00.009+10:00

July is a very celebratory month in the Duffy family. My birthday comes first and then there is Bill, Larry, Pete, Rose, LJ and Will. I hope I have remembered them all!!

We had lots of fun during the month from special dinners and parties in Canberra to a long visit from Bill here in Ballina where we had some quiet time before we travelled to Caloundra and Southport to help celebrate with Larry and Rose. We didn’t get to celebrate with LJ but photos from his blog indicate that a great time was had by all up in Darwin. I hope Will is celebrating today in Adelaide.

Dymp and Bill at the Coolongatta airport.

Dymp and I drove to Coolongatta to get Bill. It was a windy wet night so I appreciated the company and the driver! I had just discovered that my license had expired. It took me four days to get the necessary paperwork through the system so I could get re-licensed – now I have a nice new NSW license. Thanks Aunty Dymp we had a fun drive up!

A pub lunch on a cold and rainy birthday in Ballina!

We enjoyed Bill’s birthday with a birthday lunch at the Pub on Shaws Bay - the ambience was a bit lacking due to having to sit inside because of the weather but the food was delicious. After an afternoon nap!! ... we all went to see Mumma Mia. I really enjoyed the movie – we all did – and then we went out for a Chinese meal to talk about the finer points! Great music and vitality – loved Meryl Streep and her friends! I was reminded of the Ryall girls misbehaving at Chris’s wedding!
Billy helping us inspecting the view from our accommodation in Caloundra.

Next was Larry’s party up at Caloundra. It was a bit special because it came so close on Mumma Duffy’s death and it was good for all the family to get together again after that sad occasion. It was also special because of the wonderful birthday package Carmel had put together for the guests - a cruise down the Pumiceton Passage followed by a special dinner and then a recovery breakfast in the park the next day. It was hard to pick what we appreciated most – it was all good fun, good food and the company of all our family and friends.

A quiet moment in a busy schedule - on the beach at Happy Valley.

We were lucky to have Claire, Jordan and Billy join us. We missed Alan but he was bogged out at Charleville and didn't get home until the next day. We gave his room to Cathie and Anne so we had a bit more time to catch up with the familynews from Perth and Brisbane.

Billy got special food while we dined liked the kings and queens we were!

It was great catching up with our relatives and friends including family from Perth. The party was a mediaeval theme and it seemed all the guests got into the spirit of the theme. I was being bossed around by a very royal king! Because of the cold weather some of us ditched our gowns and glamour after the first event!!

Larry, Anne, Cathie and Bill at the dinner.

After a long breakfast in the park we drove to Brisbane where we lunched with Cathie and Anne and Bill took the time to do some computer repairs for Cathie. After that we travelled down to Coolongatta again to put Bill back on his plane to Canberra. His plane was delayed this end so he didn't get home until 2am. He has a lot of stamina - he was at his desk next morning at 9am!

Luckily we had called into Pete and Ret’s on the way to the airport and they provided wonderful sustenance in the form of fresh salmon and prawns for starters and delicious pork with crunchy crackling and my favourite chicken wings! We left there and drove on the the Anglers Arms where Rose offered to drive us tot he airport. we took our car so we could manage the luggage better - Bill drove out and I drove back with
Rose as the navigator. We did it!! Rose and I spent the night at the Anglers Arms. It wasn't so fancy but we had a good gossip, fell asleep and then woke up when we remembered Rose's mobile was outside somewhere. She spent several minutes going through her luggage looking for the phone and then I spent several minutes going through my luggage looking for the keys to the car! It was quite a spectacle - I gave Rose my little booklite to use as a torch. Yes...she did find the phone. Pete laying out the seafood before dinner.

It was a bit quieter pace when Rose and I celebrated her birthday on the Monday. We commenced with a morning tea with Mum and then enjoyed a nice lunch at our favourite spot – Café Aqua on the Broadwater. Mum was well - seemed a bit quiet but was happy to play her part in the birthday celebrations.

Mum giving her birthday gift to Rose.

Rose, Tony and Yudian with Chico!

We had a nice long visit with Tony and Yudian. Had a chance to inspect the charm bracelet Yudian received from the family to celebrate her Australian citizenship. It was lovely and warm in Tony's unit and we caught up on all the family news.

Soon it was time for my long, long weekend to end. I left Southport for Ballina and was so happy to see the Shutters again and to settle in for a nice quiet night. I did send of a parcel to Will though!! Hope he has a lovely day today.

My Sisters come to visit

2008-07-25T12:46:00.005+10:00

Down at Lighthouse Beach looking for dolphins! Rose, Dymp and I.

This has been another special week experiencing the joys of retirement. Time to enjoy visitors, time to do some special things like entertaining friends, time to plan for other visitors!! My sisters came to visit this weekend– after a lot of planning and cancellations due to my erratic behavior! Finally we were all free for the same weekend.

Rose arrived first on Friday evening and we had lovely spaghetti bolognaise supper and sat and drank our red wine until late. Caught up on things and celebrated my birthday AGAIN! Rose was first so she got the Wallbed and the very nicely appointed visitor’s room. We slept in Saturday morning and then we picked up Aunty Dymp and went for a walk along the Lighthouse Beach wall. We saw some dolphins but the whales were in hiding that day. BEfore Ret arrived Rose and I took the opportunity to have a photo taken with Aunty Dymp so we could compete with a lovley one she has on display with Ret and Sha!! Nothing competitive with us... !

Rose and I with Aunty Dymp

Ret arrived mid afternoon, loaded up with goodies from the markets on the way down from Southport. She had some delicious cakes for afternoon tea and a beautiful jade tree in a white pot with such a friendly elephant to stand guard. These were housewarming gifts that came with well researched feng shui meanings! We experimented where to put them for a while and finally they have settled into very auspicious positions where they are loved and admired.

My lovely Jade plant

We had a quiet afternoon, picked Dympna up for evening Mass and then we three Ryall ‘girls’ piled into my car and headed for a Chinese Restaurant which we had not visited before. It was a great menu and we had fun deciding what to order. As the nominated driver, I drank my lemon squash while the others enjoyed some good red with their meals. We laughed and talked and had a great night. Then we dropped Dymp home about 10pm and went to bed…..no we didn’t! How sensible that would have been. We thought we should have a nightcap and we put our pj’s on - and the heater - and we sat and talked and talked and laughed until…..2am!

We were very subdued next morning but we all agreed it had been a very special night. We all slept well.
It was sad to see them go again.

Party girls before we changed for dinner.

Ret left Sunday morning but Rose and I had another day exploring Ballina and having some quiet time together. She left Monday morning after another good sleep and I appreciated again how good it was to be so much closer to my family. Rose called me from Mum’s on her way back and I was able to have a little chat with my mother as well!! What a great little sisterly interlude it was. Every day we missed our sister in America and we kept sending messages to her about the great time we were having here and that she should hurry back and join in!!

Sha responded by accepting an offer on a unit just down the road which she will rent for six months from October. I can see some fun times coming!!

Canberra Visitors

2008-07-22T21:54:00.005+10:00

Pre-dinner drinks before the Thai Chicken Curry

Shortly after my return from Canberra I had a quick visit from Rita and John. Rita and I have worked together in various Commonwealth Departments over the last ten years or so. I really enjoy her company and Bill and I have really come to appreciate the quiet and gentle John. They tested out my Wallbed and gave it the thumbs up! We had a really relaxing time – checking out the local environment and the RSL. Rita and I had a nice lunch there and then a walk on Shelley’s beach while John was escorted around town by his friend.

Rita and I enjoying the walk along Shelley Beach.

I had to show off my kitchen so I cooked one night – did a nice Thai chicken curry with the Kaffir lime leaves from my tree in Canberra. The tree was a gift from Sha and Murray and it now doing very well at Ally and Joe’s. Bill brings me up a few leaves each trip. Aunty Dympna joined us and then John & Rita walked her home. They were quite impressed with the Shutters, Crowley Village and Ballina itself.

Rita, Dympna and I enjoying dinner - photo courtesy of John!

Rita and John continued on their way up the coast and were back in Canberra before I knew it. Good luck with the new job Rita. Hope John accepts the job offer up here soon….!!!

World Youth Day in Australia

2008-07-22T07:21:00.004+10:00

Well it is all over now but last week was a very uplifting week seeing so many young people from all over the world come together to celebrate their faith. Here in Ballina the masses were spectacular and very spiritually uplifting for the locals. We Australians seem to have lost the ability to demonstrate our enthusiasm and joy when we are in public. The pan pipes leading us out of Mass

I was particularly excited by the young Solomon Islanders playing their pan pipes with such abandon. They jigged and smiled but at the same time were very reverent. The Korean girls did a wonderful liturgical dance that silenced us all for a long time after they finished – it was so gentle, and holy and graceful that we all knew what they were expressing so quietly, even though we didn’t understand the words of the choir.

We hosted the Archbishop of Vienna here in Ballina. He is rumored to be a front runner to be next Pope – he just laughed at the story. He gave a nice homily and seemed genuinely happy to be in such a small town in Australia. I didn’t get the chance to tell him I had visited his cathedral. It was another lovely gesture when the Viennese pilgrims glided up the stairs to our choir loft to help out singing the hymns! It certainly improved the quality. Rose was here for the last Mass and we all crammed in to a crowded church for a long but inspiring Mass.

Rose and Pip enjoying the pan pipes.

I was so excited and relieved to hear Ally and Joe were going to go with Bill to Sydney for the final Mass. Ally has given that story in her blog. I watched the story of Joseph Ratzinger on Sunday night and found it very interesting. I have come to appreciate and respect our new Pope. I hope our children and theirs come to appreciate the importance of spirituality in their lives in a practical way. I have decided to do something about it – this week I signed up for a certificate course in Theology!

The Shutters

2008-07-21T16:54:00.003+10:00

Bill relaxing at the Shutters

There is nothing like a good nights sleep in your own bed, in your own home with your loved ones close. We settled quickly back into our Ballina environment and finally recovered from the last of the jetlag. I didn't even look at unpacking until Bill returned to Canberra. We did the usual tripping around, he visited his favourite fishing spots and we wined and dined. It was another lovely weekend and Bill returned to Canberra very rested and refreshed.

Bill & Dympna at Lennox Head

Travelling Home

2008-07-21T15:52:00.008+10:00

Dante with Joes parents Mick and Ida, and brother Tony at the funeral.

On our way home from Perth we had a week or so stopover in Canberra so Bill could catch up with his work project and I could manage my jetlag! Dante was excellent on the trip home, slept most of the way on Ally's lap so we did not help much - but it is still a long way to fly. Frank and Ida and Mick saw us off at the airport and Dante was reluctant to leave his newly discovered Nonna.

We quickly adjusted to the Canberra climate which was VERY COLD and settled in comfortably to Ally's 'being decorated' home. She and I had some fun searching out items to match her new plans for the kitchen. I am sure you have all seen her blog and her new 'decorator' blog at http://decor8mylife.blogspot.com/. We had a great Sunday night out with Bill's workmates although we disgraced ourselves by being half and hour late for a roast dinner! It was a lovely night and I really enjoyed the opportunity to have some girl talk in the kitchen with some experienced professionals, cooks and mothers while the men talked work and football!

Bill, John, Karen, David & Jenny enjoying some delicious food and great conversation.

On the appropriate day we also celebrated my 65th birthday by going out to our favourite Italian restaurant. It was Dante's first experience with a real babysitter and it all went well. Thank you for all your birthday calls and emails and text messages. We spent some time at dinner sorting out our texting.

Managing the text messages..

I had a chance to catch up with some Canberra friends again and visited my old workmates. I also got the opportuntity to teach Dante how to walk. He also learnt how to hang the washing on the line! It was a freezing cold day and except for the company I was so glad we decided not to retire in Canberra!

Ally caught up with one of her teachers from Catholic High in Alice so she invited him home for dinner one night and we had a great time. I always regret that I have not been able to let my teachers know how important they were in my life. Since leaving the NT I have lost contact with all of them. Alex is now working in Adelaide and it was great to catch up on all his news and special events from our time in Alice. Rita and John joined us for the night and it turned into another birthday party!! I was excited to hear that Rita and John are planning a trip to Ballina very soon.

Bill, John, Rita, Alex, Gemma, Joe and Ally..celebrating & catching up.

On a wet and cold Friday night Bill and I flew home to Ballina. We flew into the Gold Coast and picked up a hire car for the weekend. We were both exhausted by the time we drove home to Ballina but it was good to finally reach our haven. Aunty Dymp had left us some bread and milk and coffee cake and we enjoyed a late supper before falling into OUR OWN BED!!

Back Online Again

2008-07-21T14:13:00.004+10:00

Hello Everyone,

It is nearly three weeks since I returned from Perth but I have been unable to sit and write. I thought about lots of things to write about and often sat down at the computer but never had the emotional energy to see it in print! It gave me a lot to think about - I wondered if death is something that diminishes our feelings for a while. I felt diminished.

I love the John Donne meditation that goes

"...No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were. Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee..."

Keeping the vigil...

We buried Mumma (Bill's Mum) on Monday 23rd June. She had a peaceful death and it all happened as she wished. During the last few years of her time in our home Mumma lost a lot of friends and relatives through death and we oftened talked about death and dying. I asked her once what she thought would be a "happy death" and she said she wanted to die in her bed, in no pain and with her family around her and her rosary in her hands. The last few days she was able to experience all of this. While it was a very sad occassion to lose such an important person in our family it gave us all time to be together and to remember and celebrate a life that was such an example of fortitude, courage and faith to us all.

Tom, Brianna and Grace spending time with their Great Grandma

Mumma gave us something precious in her last hours - the chance to have some wonderful time with our children and grandchildren, in her company, and with no distractions. I remember wonderful conversations sitting around her bed and a lovely farewell ceremony organised by Carmel. It was surprising how well the grandchildren and great grandchildren responded to this ceremony and it provided a wonderful pathway to discuss death and dying with the very young.

Francis, Tom and Grace, Claire and Billy, and Ally and Dante all joined us at Monica's home where we all managed to fit in and have some wonderful family time. Steve was master of transport and we never wanted for a vehicle. We took it in turns to sit with Mumma and had lots of opportunities for quiet meals with our children. We also had some wonderful meals at home , Francis and Monica did a great job with one memorable meal that featured yorkshire pudding and the young ones contributed with menu's, table setting and washing up! It was a very special time and I think we were all blest..

A family meal ...in a family home!

Our Mini Market Day

2008-06-15T09:19:00.005+10:00

Well this is the card stall at the Crowley Mini Market for 2008. Crowley residents and their friends work throughout the year to make handicrafts and special items for the day. The locals are very supportive and funds raised go towards facilities for the Aged Care services provided by Crowley. Now I am a resident I joined the card making stall. My Aunt Dympna has been involved for a few years in this stall and I have heard about their activities and sent used items for her to use. Now I am one of the team!!

It has been fun – I love to work with such energetic and creative people and they know how to enjoy themselves. While I don’t have any creative skills I was able to use my technical skills and wonderful computer to design and produce some inserts for the cards. This is one morning we had a session in the Gardenia Room. The girls are looking very serious but I had to bide my time between jokes to take this shot!

The Gardenia Room is next door to my unit and we make good use of it. The grandchildren have had fun at the table tennis table; Sam had a play on the organ; Bill and Larry enjoy the daily papers that get delivered there every morning; and I just enjoy walking past and seeing such a wonderful area for my use! It was a good place to invite our card makers for our final session to ready for the Market Day.

The Market day dawned sunny and bright – we do get a lot of rain her in Ballina! – and I think they would be satisfied with the crowd. We sold lots of our cards and paintings and made about 30% more than last year so we all thought it was a great success.
Dympna and I were exhausted so we took our sausage sizzle down to the beach for a recovery lunch….and then we went home to bed.

During the evening i had a call from Perth to say Mumma Duffy was being admitted to hospital and was not likely to recover. While we have been expecting this news over the last few months it still came as a shock. Bill flew across immediately from Canberra and he got there in time to have a little conversation with his Mother. the rest of the family are gathering and I will fly over tonight from Brisbane. I think Claire is going to come and get me to the airport. Families are wonderful and you experience that most at the saddest times!

Nature around Ballina

2008-06-13T15:35:00.007+10:00

We had a lot of lovely walks while Bill was in Ballina last weekend. We discovered a tree covered in some extravagantly decorated beetles! They were in a very public place right on the shoreline so I was surprised when none of the locals seemed to know what they might be. I loved their colours and patterns but I hear they may be a wicked beetle that destroys trees and forests!! Have a close up of what we saw.....

Something closer to home - on my coffee table on the patio - was this lovely Bromiliard. I loved the shell pot and thought the contents were pretty spectacular too so they came home with me from the local nursery.

You will all know that Bill prefers vegetation that he can eat in his garden so I thought I had better show you that I am also culitvating some lovely lemons to furnish my lemon chicken dish with and so that my sister will be able to make me some more preserved lemons when she gets back from America!

Tomorrow is our Fete Day. Dympna and her friends manage a card stall and we have spent the last few months making some hand made cards . they are pretty clever and creative so we hope to do well. One of our group is a great artist and has painted a lot of little oil paintings of local scenes and flora - Ihave already bought a couple of them. More about the fete later. We are off to Happy Hour now!! Life is tough. Congratulations Billy on another three months extension to your contract in Canberra.

The June Long Weekend

2008-06-11T21:14:00.007+10:00

The Duffy's enjoyed a family outing at the RSL - Billy was confused with his G/Uncle Larry.

Well it was a really long weekend but it all flew by so fast. I drove to Coolongatta to pick up Bill as usual and we caught up on all the gossip on our journey home. We had a leisurely Saturday morning, Bill found some citrus plants he liked and I found my ‘Orange Jessamine” or Murraya that I love. It has a wonderful perfume but I have since found out that it is an environmental week - luckily I have it in a pot so that is acceptable. After a few hours my bare balcony looked lovely and inviting.

My very fruitful cumquat tree - getting the brandy ready for the preserves!

Larry arrived mid afternoon. We settled in for a quiet night, after a sung Mass at our Church, with the rain drumming on the roof. Sunday Morning we had breakfast at the RSL on the river and watched the Fishing Club parade with Claire, Allan, Jordan, Matt and little Billy.

The Ballina Fishing Club putting on a 'sail-by' for Bill!

Sunday was fishing and newspaper day and Cathie arrived to celebrate her birthday with her brothers. That night we had roast chicken for nine at The Shutters. We managed to fit everyone in and had a lovely night. We all had a chance to watch football, play table tennis,read the papers, walk along the beach wall or have a little nap - or enjoy cooking my roast chicken and trimmings in my lovely kitchen!

Having a quiet night in - the boys were next door playing table tennis in the Gardenia Room.

Monday was fishing day but we didn’t do too well. We did see some others catching fish but I think we have a lot to learn yet! We saw lots of wonderful things like a whale spurting and playing in the sea, lots of lively dolphins, a scurry of multi design coloured beetles and the surf at Byron Bay where we drove for a leisurely lunch with Dympna and Larry.

Cathie was first to spot the cavorting whale - and then we all saw the dolphins!

On Tuesday Bill did a few tasks for Dympna in her garden and then he and I had a picnic on the beach wall and watched the waves dash against the rocks at our feet. It was so relaxing and a good way for Bill to end his busy Ballina weekend.

We didn't want to leave our little picnic on the rocks!

We drove to Coolongatta and we had a nice dinner on the beach before we got to the airport where we enjoyed a quick catch up with Pete Gibbs and Sam. We left Pete and Sam and Bill to catch their planes and Ret and I drove home in my car for a quiet evening at the McDonalds.

Pete Gibbs and Sam heading back to Sydney.

This morning Ret served a healthy breakfast of boiled eggs, toast and marmalade and great coffee and then I headed into Southport to visit Mum. I had a lovely time with her – she took up her knitting like she had been doing it for years and really seemed to enjoy it. I left her having her lunch.

Mum picked up the knitting needles and remembered the stitch like it was yesterday!

After a quick chat with Tony I headed back home to Ballina. My weekend was over and I was alone again. I wondered how long before Billy would be here permanently but I did enjoy walking into The Shutters and making myself a cup of tea after such a busy, happy weekend. I drank my tea sitting on the patio admiring all the wonderful plants Bill potted for me there!

The view from my chair on the patio!

Last Weekend

2008-06-02T19:54:00.004+10:00

When Billy comes to Ballina for the weekend I try to keep lots of free time for doing "off-the-cuff" things. Like a walk along the beach, a visit to new friends, a dinner party or a night out and a drive around the area. This weekend we covered all of those things. I was waiting at the aiport at 9.30pm when Bill arrived and I had a little light dinner for him - savoury egg sandwiches, fruit and nuts and a hot coffee. We enjoyed it as we drove along the highway to Ballina. This means he can come straight from the office to the airport and still have a good meal to keep his diabetes in control!

On Saturday I had his favourite croissants with some local jam ready for his breakfast and then we went and explored the main streets looking for a construction company. We also visited the pharmacy as Bill had brought Dante's conjunctivitis with him to Ballina! Then we went and visited A/Dymp and we took her on a drive to Lismore - about fifteen minutes away. The scenery on the way is spectacular and we drove through a few little sunshowers on the way.

On Saturday night I had invited two new friends to dinner and we had a great night exchanging life stories and family histories. Our friends run a bed and breakfast here and we had enjoyed a few nights there before we got our unit. It was nice to have a social exchange with new people in our new environment.

Sunday on our way to Mass Bill suggested we travel to Southport to visit my mother and maybe join my family for lunch or dinner. So suddenly we had another plan and we were off....we drove to Southport, spent the afternoon with my Mother and then picked up my brother and his wife and we went to my sisters for a wonderful evening meal. She is a great modern cook - had a delicious slow roast pork belly ready with an interesting salad, garlic mash and some great bread. We laughed and planned and drank and ate until it was time to get Bill to the airport again to return to Canberra. I arrived home about 10.45pm and Bill was met in Canberra by Joe about 11.45pm. A lovely weekend.

Planning the Future

2008-05-29T14:25:00.004+10:00

Billy and I have talked a lot about what our autmn years might look like. In Canberra last week I think we agreed that we are well on the track to where we wanted to be. Bill is still considering his contract work - enjoying it and not really wanting to give up the additional security that his income ensures. At the same time there is the pressure to be enjoying the lifestyle that we have anticipated at Ballina. At this stage he is discussing a new contract with his employer but he is not sure yet of the timeframe.

I felt the same when I was working in Cancer Australia last year. I really enjoyed the work atmosphere, the challenges and the successes and the wonderful opportunities for making a change. However I was anxious to move on to the next step where my life was more contemplative and I had the time to think more about things - I imagined a time where I could just be me - rather than be someone doing something! I am almost there!!

In planning our retirement I think I changed my philosphy from not considering what I needed and then working out how much income we needed to support that (especially when I realised it would take many more years of work!) , to looking at my current income and considering how I can live on that....and I did! It is a challenge, and will be more challenging when Bill stops work, but I am sure we will be able to manage and be very happy. Bill says we might have to eat fish several times a week but we will get by!

Since settling here I have endeavoured to keep my life simple - this has not been easy with the many friends I have made and all their little projects! Not to mention my Aunt Dympna who is an endless ball of energy and hopes I might keep up with her! I have not made any commitments but feel I am doing my part in all the activities I do join. I was quickly invited to assist in the liturgy at my new Parish and our local Crowley mass - and I really enjoy that. I am working on the card stall with some wonderfully creative ladies for our Crowley fete in mid June. My job is to creat and print and cut the inserts for the cards they have made. It is keeping me busy. I am reading again and get through one or two books a week. Now I have recommenced this blog I hope to do some other writing and maybe get my book started! I have joined the local U3A and hope to do a creative writing course shortly.

Right now I am busy planning a relaxing weekend for Bill. He arrives on Friday evening - I will drive to the Gold Coast about one hour away to pick him up and he returns late on Sunday evening. I am so excited about having him here with me again and knowing that he will be back again next week for another few days. We have an apointment with our new solicitor to finalise our wills on the Tuesday and it will give Bill a few more days to check out the fishing. He has bought himself a fancy boat to go fishing with and is still deciding how and when to get it to Ballina. It is currently parked in Ally and Joe's back yard where Shilo is keeping guard on it.

We had a lovely rainy day today - it commenced during the night and I enjoyed hearing the rain on the roof. It has cleared up now so I might see if I can find someone for a walk on the beach.

Back to Ballina and The Shutters.

2008-05-27T21:16:00.005+10:00

I arrived back to beautiful weather and sunshine after a rainshower. I felt like I had come home when I walked back into my door. a/Dymp had met me at the airport and filled me in on all the gossip on our way home. We still had lots to talk about so I suggested a walk along the beach. It was lovely to feel the sand between my toes. The gentle waves with white tops were a sight to see and did wonders for my jet lag.

We have decided to call our new home The Shutters - I love our new window dressing and they are called Vogue Shutters!! We installed them in the lounge and dining rooms and the bedrooms and bathroom. They are very functional as well as very attractive. While I was away the electrician put in a few extra powerpoints for me so it is now all organised. I feel my home is settled and looking forward to Billy coming next Friday to spend some more time here. I have invited friends for a dinner on Saturday night and already looking at the cookbooks for something special.

This is the view from our patio. Bill has already planned a lemon tree for the patio and I am looking for an orange jasmine - also known as a muraya - in a pot so we can have wonderful perfume from the blossoms and lemons from our tree. We have never had a home without a lemon tree so looking forward to getting it all potted in. I am hoping you will be able to see it from the kitchen. We are still looking at furniture for the patio - it is a very pleasant area to sit and relax and the birds and tropical plants are new and interesting for me.

Looking forward to entertaining you all in our new home - we have a wallunit bed in our guest bedroom that is for our special guests!! Maybe you might spend a night or two relaxing here??

Leaving Canberra

2008-05-26T20:30:00.000+10:00

Today I leave for Ballina again. I have had a busy, invigorating and enjoyable stay here in the National Capital. I have dined out at excellent restaurants with Bill; attended the Russian Ballet's version of Swan Lake; visited friends; had a great dinner & night out with my old bookclub members; visited my old workplace; considered and rejected a new job offer; attended Dante's first birthday party - in three sessions!; attended the National Art Gallery to see a Monet to Turner exhibition on landscapes; met old friends for coffee and lunch - and enjoyed some quality family time with Bill, Ally, Joe and Dante. I am going home to Ballina really looking forward to that but appreciating just how much I enjoy Canberra and all it has to offer. For my last dinner tonight we dined in after lunch at the National Museum where we took some great photos of autumn in Canberra and the lake. I cooked a roast lamb with old fashioned veges and Dante ate it all. We followed up with some Margaret River chocolate and a game of scrabble. Ally won hands down so I need to practise a bit more!! Bill drove me to the airport at 6am. It was very cold and I wanted to bring him with me! Goodbye Canberra! See you on Friday Billy...

Canberra Again

2008-05-21T16:49:00.000+10:00

Hello Everyone,
Well I really did escape! Loved all your responses but since my first blog I have retired from work - really - and retired to another city! It has taken all my resources, physical, emotional and financial!! Bill and I are now comfortably ensconced in a wonderful three bedroom unit in Crowley Village at Ballina, northern NSW. You will hear more about our move and our life at Ballina as this blog progresses.
I am going to change the name of the Blog to "Our Autumn Years" and the focus will be how Bill and I are living and enjoying our retirement - or the autumn of our life! Bill is still finishing off his contract in Canberra and we are both commuting from Ballina to Canberra as time and finances permit!

This week I am back in Canberra - we are staying with Ally and Joe and about to celebrate Dante's first birthday on Friday. I fly back to Ballina on Monday for another few weeks until Bill comes up at the end of May and again Mid June for a few days.

Autumn is a wonderful time in Canberra and we are expecting our retirement to be the same. A lot of water has flown under the bridge since we commenced our plan to retire at Southport several years ago. Those plans were slightly revised and on the 7th March Bill and I got the keys to our own home unit at Ballina and moved in. The moving in was such fun and we had all our family around to help us. Moving to Ballina has taken us much closer to most of or siblings and it is somewhere where I am sure the children and grandchildren will all like to visit.

More about Ballina and "the Shutters" in the next post.

Gemma Ann

Conversations

2007-10-11T10:06:00.001+10:00

2007-10-02T16:03:00.000+10:00

WELCOME
Welcome to my Blog. Here I will be free - I will write what I like and when I like. I hope any reader will also feel free to read, understand, remember or learn from my jottings. I hope you will comment and support my freedom!!

ESCAPE
I've been thinking a lot about the word "escape" lately. Had a dream about running from a tsumani last week - we escaped!!. I think I have retired so I guess I have "escaped" from the workforce?? Some of my family are "escaping" from relationships. The word escape covers a lot of things - getting away from, avoiding, being forgotten by, a distraction or a relief, to leak gradually (?) or avoiding injury of harm. It really covers a lot of life doesn't it?

This very first Blog attempt of mine is an ESCAPE. After a while I will - or you might (?) - work out what meaning to apply to this type of escape!