Saturday, November 30, 2013

Christmas

The yellow cottage is cousin Margie Cowlings in the town of Creswick. So cute. Couldn't resist the pic our car next to the ? Ferrari.... then another cute cottage at a lavender farm in Daylesford. Our neighbour tonight at Daylesford is a lawnmower racer. They modify a ride on mower and put a motor bike engine in it. Interesting hobby..... roast lamb tonight. Cockies screeching. Sun out till nearly nine pm with daylight saving.

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Friday, November 29, 2013

Creswick, Victorian

How perfect is this in the bush. Stream. Reece lighting a fire to cook our chops

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Thursday, November 28, 2013

Port Fairy dinner

Bugger my camera didst work very well ..... but here is a snap of me and distant cousin John Porter after Thai meal tonight.

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Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Port Fairy

Yesterday driving to Warrnambool we passed the 5000 yes five thousand cyclists doing a ride along the great ocean road.
Pretty pics of the wharf Port Fairy. Will catch up with John and Mary Porter tomorrow. Mums cousin is John. Weather warm and sunny.
Love Pen
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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Apostles

Beautiful day to see the Apostles

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Monday, November 25, 2013

Great Ocean Road, Victoria

Left Balnarring yesterday morning early to get the 0700 ferry from Sorrento to Queenscliffe across Port Phillip Bay, a 45 min journey. It was very efficient driving on and off,,, not like our experience in Italy getting off the ferry with every car pushing and jostling jostling for position. This was very ordered and we were on our way to start our journey along the Famous Great Ocean Road. We stayed at Cumberland River Campsite which was beautiful as you can see in the pics. There has been a lot of rain so all the creeks are running rapidly and the ground is sodden. The road along certainly is very scenic and spectacular. Today we are at Apollo Bay. A lovely holiday town ( as is Lorne) some specci houses perched on hillsides. We are right over the road from the beach and very pleasing now to finally see the sun shine. Will move on tomorrow and have another night on the ocean road before we get to Port Fairy.
Reece is cooking fish tonight ... Some ling we got here. Ling is such an ugly fish. It is known as Rockling and is big, long , pink and a very ugly face. Daylight saving here means it doesn't get dark till 9pm. We are tucked up well before then.....


Love pen

Reece loves his French beret



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Cumberland River campsite

Beautiful spot on the great ocean road.

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Friday, November 22, 2013

New spec from Zen Living

Westinghouse Hotel

These fabulous light features are Carliers work and in the foyer of the Westin Hotel, Melbourne.

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Thursday, November 21, 2013

Light fitting

Carliers light fitting westin hotel Melbourne

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Melbourne for three days.

Hi all, well we have just returned to Balnarring to our little house on wheels after three fab days in Melbourne, staying at the Crown Casino, and no we didn't double our money... We did try..... I had quite a busy time. On Monday I visited Carlier Makigawa. She grew up down the street and we were at school together. She has lives in a warehouse in Melbourne for 30 years where she and her husband Akio made a careers in art. Unfortunately Akio passes away a few years ago. He was a sculpture and his work can be seen outside the Alexander Library in Perth. He has other installations in Melbourne. Carlier is a jewellery maker. You will have seen a piece in one of the photos I sent. They are brushed silver and she has a particular style of sort of cages. .. Boxes...the big pieces she did are light fitting s at the Westin Hotel. It was so nice to see her. The warehouse in Fitzroy is the workshop as well.
She then drove me in her black Porsche to visit cousin Margie Cowling an artist, mostly water colours. She did the beautiful portraits of Tony that i have in the study.She lives with husband Ray right next to the Queen Vic Markets. She had just returned from Italy where her daughter Maggie (also an artist) is staying with her husband and two little ones for a couple of months. Worth googling to see the work they do etc. I saw Ray briefly as he was off to collect grandchildren ( peters children) from school . Margie is always so enthusiastic and happy to see family. I have her the rundown of everyone and sends love all round. They are so close to the city it was an easy walk back to the hotel which is on Southbank.
Tuesday we met Sam Riley for lunch. Sam and Chinese wife Wobo now settled in Melbourne with their dear little boy Ji. They have another little boy due in Jan. They are very happy here. Woos dad is here from China and her mother will be soon.
Tuesday night we had fun. On our trip to Mt Augustus with Viv and Jude two years ago we met 8 blokes who were riding motor bikes from Darwin to Perth on dirt roads. We had the funniest night with them so much laughter our sides were aching. Anyway I have kept in touch with one of them and we met up for dinner. He had gathered some of the boys so there was six for dinner. Many laughs again. They go on there bike trips each year for,two weeks. Different professions...cattle farmer, electrician, commercial real estate, magazine publisher, farmer.
Wednesday I met Nona Rogers for lunch. She is the daughter of a great pal of mine Marg Rogers who I worked with at Bethesda for years. Marg died a few years ago.Nona and partner Sam have been here for three years now. She is establishing her personal training business, and she is looking extremely for and well.
Today Thursday we went to meet Paul Foster in Essendon. He is Chris Hurley brother in law. Paul and Reece have been emailing each other but never met. Paul has a new caravan so they have been swapping information etc. we had a very pleasant time having lunch and chatting for hours at his place. His wife Kay has a few weeks to work before she retires.
A now home at caravan.... Weather today glorious and sunny. I will pop down to the beach for a short stroll.
Will catch up with Vance and Annie later tomorrow. The plan is we will leave Balnarring on Sunday. Get the ferry from Sorrento to Queenscliffe then drive the Great Ocean Road. Not sure how long we will do that, the head towards Sydney. We are booked for babysitting duties on Dec 5 and 6. We will then leave Sydney on 9 dec and head for Brisbane on our way to Tewantin for Xmas. We need to get some things checked on the caravan and that will be done in Brisbane.
I saw Jane Cocks last week. She is now the designated carer for her Mum Meg Austin.. I drove to Mt Eliza to Megs house to visit last week. Meg looks really well, just very forgetful etc etc. Jane much the same, looking well and does some volunteer palliative care work. Lives with Meg.
I have walked the park looking for koalas but no such luck but I have heard the, at night they make an odd sort of roar sound.
Time to get off my bum ....Love pen

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Mornington Peninsular

Beach huts at Rye and goats at cheese shop.

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Signage

You probably can't read this but it says in Australia drive on the left side.... it was on the way to Wilson Prom. I hadnt seen one before. Nice drive all around the Peninsular today. There are 14 golf courses.......Visited Jane Cocks yesterday ay Mt Eliza yesterday. She is her mother Meg carer. She looks well.

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Lunch today Melbourne

We have just had a gorgeous time with Sam and Wobo Riley and their dear litter 16 month old boy Ji. Second baby boy due Jan.

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Tempting



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Monday, November 18, 2013

Carlier Makigawa and Margie Cowling

Melbourne

Had a big catch up with Carlier Makigawa then she dropped me off at cousin Margie Cowling in her Porsche!

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Beaut road



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Off to Melbourne

Three nights posh treat for us at Crown Casino. Now on Fab brand new freeway all the way.

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Horses train on Balnarring beach



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Friday, November 15, 2013

Mornington Peninsular

Beach huts at Rye and goats at cheese shop

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Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Birthday Vance

Lovely dinner with Vance, Annie ,Merle Annie's mum and Sophie

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