And that was the holidays!

Keeping cool in our backyard. On many other days, we kept cool in Grandma's or Nanny's swimming pools. Cold baths anytime of the day were also good.


Midnight - New years Eve

Our New Years Day picnic by the river - everyone was there.

Dinners have been kept very simple - chunky chips with homemade tomato sauce and help yourself salad. There have been a lot of barbecues and I have been very creative with leftovers.

We went to a couple of 'nature workshops' at our botanical gardens: we searched for butterflies and then made own and on another day; we searched for life in the creek, actually when we were there, the creek was all but a dried up puddle less than a metre wide. Today I guess it is a different story.

To hot to sleep in their own rooms, the little monkeys took over mine, there were mattresses on the floor - a proper camp out. It was pretty crowded, even monkeys (tiny stuffed ones) were hanging from the bedside lamps.

We have held off for as long as we could, but this holidays, the kids have discovered computer games. I think this could be the the beginning of the end.


Our lovely relatives came to visit from England.

And have I mentioned the heat!

On some days I felt that the holidays were too long and on other days, I felt that they were too short. In any case they were busy and hot and exhausting all at once.

I know that the kids officially went back to school last week, but I feel as if the year is just beginning. I am wondering, how is it February, already?  This week our new routines will be set in place and hopefully things will run a little more smoothly than the last couple of days. The weather is forecast to be slightly cooler (27/28 degrees!) which should make a difference. The last few days have been very unproductive due to the heat. Plenty of housework and cooking awaits, I will be staying close to home this week, just as I like it.

How about you? How are you settling in to 2013?

Australia Day

(this image is from the book I found at the church stall yesterday for 10 cents. It is called "The Jolly Swagman - Jenny and Sue have an exciting adventure in the sheep and cattle country of Australia" Could there be a more perfect find on Australia Day?)



The sun was shining and our day was spent in true Aussie fashion.

We went to the Australia Day street parade, had a barbecue at mum's house, there was fishing in the river and swimming in the pool, red wine, cheese, dips and olives, a nana nap, some great Australian church stall finds and pavlova.

Thanks Mum, for a lovely day.



I hope that all of my Australian readers had a happy day too.


(another church stall find, 15 recent copies of Australian Country Style magazine for $2:00)