Sydney, December 2011

December 20^th, Drove to Sydney Gateway Holiday Park at Parklea and booked in for 9 days. Jessica and Annaliese were being looked after at Pa’s place today, so we had all afternoon to get set up. I even set up our Christmas lights, so we were fully in the “Merry Christmas” mood. We went around to Greg and Dianne’s late afternoon, to catch up and give Dianne her belated Birthday present.

December 21^st, Dianne dropped the girls off on her way to work and Greg picked them up in the afternoon. The weather was good so they were able to play on the Jumping Pillow, ride their scooters, spend some money in the games room and get in 2 bouts of swimming. Sometime they managed to fit in some snacks and lunch as well.   

December 22^nd, Dianne dropped the girls off again but today it was very overcast. The rain started about 10 minutes after they got here and didn’t stop till mid-afternoon. So today’s activities were colouring in, painting, hang the man, noughts and crosses, constantly being hungry, so eating all poppy’s choc chip cookies, and making pink and white meringues under nanny’s supervision. We took the girls home around 6pm and stayed for the most delicious Chicken Baked Dinner and vegies, that Greg had cooked on the new BBQ and I finished that off with Trifle and a coffee. This was the last day we were looking after the girls till the 9^th January when both Greg and Dianne go back to work.

December 23^rd, We did a bit of shopping, just to buy all the ingredients for the Trifle that Val is going to make tomorrow for Christmas lunch at Steven and Margaret’s new Apartment at Centennial Park. We ducked around to Greg and Dianne’s in the afternoon, so that Dianne could paint Val’s toenails, ready for Sunday. Karina(Dianne’s Friend) dropped in with Chloe and Riley and it was good to catch up and wish them all a Merry Christmas. Greg was pottering around in the garage, doing nothing much, but after we got chatting about the Pergola lights and ceiling fan, that still hadn’t been wired up, he got the incentive to make a start on that project.

December 24^th, Christmas Eve, had to go to the shops to replace the Sherry, when “strangely” there wasn’t enough left to make the Trifle. The Trifle looks great, the presents are in the car and we’re ready to party tomorrow. We watched the “Carols by Candlelight” from Melbourne, on TV, a spectacular show as always.

December 25^th, We drove to Steven and Margaret’s place in record time. I couldn’t believe how little traffic was on the road this morning and we, first time ever in Sydney, arrived 10 minutes early at our destination. Steven gave us a tour of their new Apartment, which we both liked. It was bright, roomy and had a good view off their balcony. It was on the second floor at the back but was the only Apartment that had any sort of view, as the others all looked onto the roof of the front Apartments. They had the dinner table beautifully set up to seat 21 people for Christmas Lunch. Our family had all arrived by 10.45am and we were able to do our Secret Santa Presents before the other guests arrived. We enjoyed a great lunch, nice wine and good company and left for home around 5.30pm. Typical of Sydney Council, parking was only 1 hour and we couldn’t believe they had a Parking Officer working on Christmas Day. So every hour we had keep rotating our cars around the street, so I’m hoping that I have avoided a fine.

December 27^th, We had all the family over to the Park for Dinner, in the Camp Kitchen. Val did tempura fish, chips and salad with Meat pie for the non-seafood people. A very enjoyable night.

December 28^th, I took the Christmas lights down and packed them up. They won’t be needed until next year. I went over to Greg’s place, after lunch, and supervised the wiring up of a set of lights in his pergola. I went back to the Park at 5.15pm to pack up all the outside gear ready to leave in the morning, for Wangi Point Lakeside Holiday Park. Val and I went back to Greg and Dianne’s for a roast pork dinner and little meringues with cream and fresh fruit, delicious.

Anna Bay, December 2011

December 6^th, We travelled to Anna Bay, with a coffee break at the Caltex McDonalds Roadhouse on the Expressway, and booked into Bays Holiday Park for 2 weeks. We had a break in the rain that allowed me to get set up, then I dropped Val at the Salamander Shopping Centre while I went into Nelson Bay to lodge my Centrelink paperwork. We were looking for changes in the area since we were last here and knew that Bunnings were building at Taylors Beach 12 months ago, but now it has expanded with Supercheap Auto and BCF joining them and other new buildings are in progress.

December 7^th, We drove around Salamander Haven Village, which is part of the Retirement and Aged Care Group that we have our name down with. It looks the same as Fingal Haven, our 1^st preference, but newer and more expensive to buy into. We went to our Storage Shed and spent some time going through boxes and took out some things we thought we needed. Tomorrow Val will be going through the Van looking for stuff to pack up and put in the shed. I dropped Val off at the Salamander Shopping Centre to get started on our Christmas Shopping, always very stressful, and went to the RTA in Nelson Bay and fixed up the registration for both the car and the van.

December 8^th, Vans started arriving at the Caravan Park from 8am onwards. It was the Hunter Coastal Caravan Club getting together for their Christmas Party, held at this Park every year. First thing they did after setting up their Vans was to put up Christmas lights and decorations. I hadn’t planned on putting ours up until we went to Sydney but outvoted by the “Boss”, I had to put ours up as well. Only 3 rope lights, not very impressive but bright. More Christmas shopping during the afternoon, more looking and deciding, than buying.

December 9^th, Val pulled everything out from under the bed and started packing boxes for the Storage Shed and a separate pile for The Salvation Army. I filled in the day with a few little odd jobs around the Van when Val didn’t need my assistance.

December 10^th, I went to The Nelson Bay Community Hall at 9.30am to play Table Tennis. The group that I used to play with at the PC/YC had got fed up with the way they were being treated and joined the Community Hall group. Lex was the only player from the PC/YC group but we had 6 players for an enjoyable couple of hours. They play again on Monday afternoon but that will be the last game for this year. After lunch we enjoyed a drive through Nelson Bay, Shoal Bay and out to Fingal Bay, just to check the place out and see what had changed. The Caravan Club had their Christmas Party in the Camp Kitchen tonight and it sounded like they were having a very jolly time, but they didn’t disturb us.

December 11^th, I went to the shed this morning, swept it out, put our new boxes away and replaced the baits for mice, rats and cockroaches. It had been very hot today, I checked our thermometer and under our awning, it was 29deg. Around 1 pm. The dark clouds rolled in during the late afternoon and during the night the rain started.

December 12^th, I went to the Nelson Bay Community Hall at 3.30pm for Table Tennis. This was their last day for this year as they close up for the Holidays. This was a thorough workout for me, as it was some of the old team that used to play at the PC/YC. Lex, Karl, Paul and Brett really put me through the wringer, I didn’t win any games and I lost around 5 kg in perspiration. It was good to catch up with them again.

December 14^th, We went to our local Doctor this afternoon, Val needed her prescriptions and we both had a general/cancer check up, which we both passed with flying colours.

December 17^th, We drove to Kotara Shopping Centre this afternoon to finish off our Christmas Shopping. Westfield have taken over this Shopping Centre now and it is huge. We were amazed at the changes. We picked up a bottle of “Red” from Dan Murphy’s before getting to Joan and Roberts place at Cardiff around 6.15pm, for pre-dinner drinks and nibbles. Joan put on an excellent roast dinner then we watched the Carols at the Domain on TV, while catching up.

December 19^th, Packed up today ready to leave in the morning for Sydney, to spend Christmas with our Family.

Sydney, November 2011

November 28^th, Hooked up the Van to the new towing hitch and was very happy that it all looked good, so said good-bye to Carole and Rob and set off for Sydney. Booked into Sydney Gateway Holiday Park for 8 days and went around to Greg and Dianne’s in the afternoon. Greg’s new “Pride & Joy” (boat) was taking up one side of the driveway. Very impressive! Dianne had the day off work to take Annaliese to the Dental Hospital as she had a back tooth with a huge hole in it that had to come out and the Dentist wanted to remove it under anaesthetic, as this was her first extraction and would be too traumatic to be done under local anaesthetic. Annie was still drowsy from the aneasthetic but wasn’t in a lot of pain. Greg had cut fillets off a recent catch of flathead and bonito, caught on a fishing trip in his new boat, so we stayed for dinner. Greg and Val made a curried fish dinner from the flathead and bonito pieces and I BBQ’d some nice t-bones for Dianne, the girls and myself.

November 30^th, Yesterday and today have been stifling hot, typical western suburbs weather. Jessica walked home from School today, so I had to take her back to School at 4pm for Guitar practice, which was followed a Recital. Each student had to perform for an audience of parents, before getting their certificates for the past years achievements. This was an after school subject run by an outside musical company. My photos aren’t very good as I was one of the last to arrive and had standing room only, out in the vestibule, so had to take long shots over peoples shoulders. I’ll know better next year. We got back to the Caravan Park in time for the girls to have a swim, before Greg picked them up to go to their piano lessons.

December 1^st, I picked Jessica and Annaliese up after school and brought them back to the Caravan Park for a swim, while Val was making dinner. Greg and Dianne joined us for dinner and Karina, Cloe and Riley paid us a visit after dinner.

December 3^rd, Set an alarm for 7.15am so that I could get to watch Annaliese playing Netball at Castle Hill at 8.30am. At 7.30am I got a phone call from Greg to let me know that Netball was starting at 8am, so had to get my skates on with breakfast and hope I found the Sports Arena without any problems. Foresaking a coffee at home, I made it to the Sports Arena with 5 minutes to spare and Greg had a coffee waiting for me. Annaliese played a great game in the goal shooters position, all her team mates were in great form and came out winning 9-0. After the game, the girls came back to the Caravan Park with me. Greg and Dianne went home to finish packing and drop off the girls clothes to us before heading off to The Hunter Valley for The Elton John Show. Jessica and Annaliese were fully occupied with swimming, jumping pillow, games room and other activities. At 2pm we all went over to Steven and Margaret's place, at Balmain, for a farewell drink and afternoon tea, while sitting a the waters edge on the Harbour. We are not going to see them before they move to their new Apartment at Centennial Park. We had a lovely afternoon, the girls were waving to all the passing boats. We left for home around 6pm. After dinner Annaliese challenged me to a game of “sequence” and beat me 6 – 3. She has picked the game up quickly and I just could not get the right cards.

December 4^th, I took the girls for a swim after breakfast, but ½ an hour later we were chased from the pool by a Thunder Storm. It rained all day with only a few short breaks. Greg and Dianne arrived back from the Hunter Valley around 4pm, having enjoyed the Elton John Show and their visit to some of the Wineries. They brought a nice bottle of “red” back for Val and I got some lovely chocolates. After a cuppa and catching up they took the girls home.

December 5^th, Dropped Val at Greg & Dianne’s, to do our washing, then took the car down to NRMA Motor Serve Depot, at Seven Hills, to get a pink slip. When I paid my car Insurance, they sent me a voucher for a free pink slip inspection. No problem with the pink slip but I was told they had to replace 2 wiper blades for it to pass. So my free inspection still cost me $20 but I didn’t worry as I had replaced the passenger side wiper blade a week ago, so that left 2 old blades, one on the driver’s side and one on the rear wiper. Later on I checked the blades to confirm which ones had been replaced and Guess what! they had replaced the 2 front ones, so much for my free pink slip. Val made a really delicious lasagne for dinner, which we all enjoyed. We all left around 6.30pm, when Greg was taking the girls to piano lessons, as I still had some final packing up to do ready to leave in the morning for Anna Bay.