Queenscliff Trip

On Saturday we headed down to Queenscliff for 3 days away with Mum and Dad, and my sister and her family. On the way we stopped at Tony's cousin's house as we were thinking about buying their camper trailer (they have just upgraded to a caravan). We hadn't seen them for ages (nearly 2 years we think) so it was great to catch up and for the kids to play - LiAM was able to play Skylanders and the girls played on the swings and Millie set up a bit of a tea party for us. We set up the camper trailer and chatted about how and when to use it, and did decide to buy it - very very exciting, I've been wanting one for a few years and I'm thrilled to have one now!

We arrived at the house we were all sharing around 5.30 on Saturday afternoon. The others were already there and settled in. We explored the house and played with the baby and chatted to everyone and felt very relaxed and happy to be away for a few days. We had fish and chips for tea, then Tony and Dad and the kids and I headed down to the beach to see the sunset. Tony had thought we might see the sun set over the ocean because of the angle of the peninsula - and he was right. We arrived just in time to see it hit the ocean horizon and were able to watch it set - beautiful. The kids paddled in the edge of the water then started jumping the little waves, and eventually moved in as far as their knees and slightly bigger waves - they were all saturated and very happy by the time we headed home. The kids started a game of Monopoly back at the house and the adults played Monopoly, did puzzles, read books etc until we all went to bed. The kids and Tony let me sleep in the front room by myself on the sofa bed so that I could have a sleep-in the next morning - very much appreciated.

Sunday was a relaxing day with a leisurely breakfast, and then everyone in and out of the house doing various sight seeing things as the mood struck them. We had trips to the beach, to the shops, to the train station, in basically every combination of kids and adults. Tony and I had some time together browsing the shops, F & J were able to go out for lunch on their own, and the kids went out at various stages with different people, one, two or 3 at a time. Dad and I took the kids on a steam train ride which we all enjoyed immensely. We had a couple of trips to the beach each day - and discovered that at low tide, the beach where we'd watched the sunset turned into a series of rock pools which led to safe, calm water for swimming, and lots of chances to see sea stars, crabs, fish and heaps of plant life. With so many adults around it meant that usually each child could go home or go out when they wanted to, there was generally someone happy to help them out, and others could stay longer or not go out at all and it worked very well.

Monday was similar to the day before, lots of outings and lots of hanging around at the house. There was a great selection of games in the house - Monopoly, Uno Skip, Pictionary, which we played quite a bit. F had also brought along a trivia game which we played on Sunday night.

Tony left early on Monday to head back to work, and it was a bit weird not having him there - I kept waiting for him to wander out into the living area, I missed him quite a lot.

One of the highlights of the house for the kids was the spa bath. After each trip to the beach they returned home and jumped in the spa - a great way to warm up (the weather was a bit chilly at times) and relax and really feel indulged on our holiday.

My highlight of the weekend was an early morning (7am) walk to the beach alone, and a swim in the ocean. The tide was up but knowing where the rock ledges were meant I knew where the water would be safe - the swim bought back many memories of swimming in the ocean early in the morning (for a few years I did it every day). I felt so happy and excited and calm (all at once) in the water, it was an amazing start to the day. I walked home around the beach and headlands where there was only a tiny gap between the rocks and the water (tide was coming in) and got wet once - it felt like an exciting adventure trying to beat the waves around the headland.

On Tuesday morning we all packed up in a leisurely fashion. F & J left around 11am and the rest of us were ready to go around midday. Mum and Dad were coming home with us as Tony had taken their car on Monday. The 6 of us went down to the observation tower near the ferry terminal - LiAM had been keen to go to the top all weekend. The view from the top was fantastic, seeing the headlands on both sides of the bay and out to the ocean, and the bay and shoreline in all directions. From there we went back into town and got a big bag of lollies each from the lolly shop and a gelato from the gelato shop (we'd had an ice cream the day before from the Swedish ice cream shop), then headed towards home.

We stopped in Geelong for pizza for lunch and for me to pick up Caitlin's christmas present (a RipStik), and then again at Tony's cousin's to pick up the camper trailer to bring it home - I was a little nervous driving with a (very heavy) trailer in peak traffic, and down the hill at Christmas Hills, but it wasn't too difficult and I made it home happily without incident.

(I have photos to add, once my internet speed is faster and can actually hang in there long enough to get the photos uploaded...)

Houseboat/Wedding Trip Day 5: Hawkesbury River -> Home

We awoke with no rush to another sunny morning and pottered about the houseboat. Tony cooked bacon and eggs for breakfast and we ate them up on the roof. Afterwards we went for a swim off the back of the houseboat - Caitlin and I were much more confident this time and stayed in for ages, and Amelie and LiAM came in with their life jackets on - at first for very quick dips then back on the boat, then becoming more confident and staying in for longer. The water felt amazing and it was a beautiful place to be swimming. Tony and I were in and out depending on what the kids were doing (so that there was always someone either in the water or on the boat if that's where the kids were).

We had seen a few sea eagles during our time on the boat, including a couple circling straight overhead when we were onshore on Friday. This morning an eagle came and landed in a tree on the shore closest to our boat - then circled round and around, low, in our bay. Very exciting. My aunt and uncle came to visit us in their tinny, pretty cool to get visitors whilst on the water!

The view from our houseboat in Deep Bay

Sea Eagle

Swimming

We decided to get moving fairly early as the forecast was for 41 degrees and we knew from Friday that it felt much hotter down in the gorges of the creek than in the more open river closer to Brooklyn. So after our wonderful swim we set off - the cool thing about travelling in a houseboat is that we can do the dishes and cleaning up while en route - Tony drove and I sorted out the kitchen. I had planned to pack our bags while we were moving but it was more interesting talking to Tony, looking at the scenery, helping LiAM with his lego sticker book. We had music playing on Caitlin's iPad mini so there was dancing happening as well.

The view as we left Berowra Creek and headed up the Hawkesbury River

We made good time up the creek and went the long way around an island rather than the shortcut we'd taken last time, then under the bridges again and around to near Hawkesbury River marina where there were more public moorings. We moored here and I started to pack - there were so many other boats going past, on a hot Sunday morning, that the boat was constantly rocking in the wake, and with my head down packing bags I was feeling more and more nauseous and kept wandering outside to breathe. We decided to move somewhere quieter and just float around rather than mooring, so we went around the far side of Dangar Island and looked at a little waterfall there, then after a while headed back under the railway bridge and just cruised up and down in the large area of the river between the bridges. Eventually we were packed, Tony made lunch and cleaned up the kitchen, then we were ready to head back in to the marina so called for a boat to come out and pilot us in (around 2pm).

We were taken back in, got our stuff of the boat, left some bags at the desk for Mum and Dad to pick up on their way to Newcastle, and the guy dropped us at the station just in time for the 2.37 train. It was pleasant to be in the air conditioning of the train after the heat of the day. It looked like a storm was coming too, so while it was sad to be off the boat, we were glad not to have to face any bad weather while onboard.

From Central Station we caught the rail-replacement bus out to the airport, where we had plenty of time to check in carefully and slowly (no rush this time), then go and have a leisurely dinner in the food court, and watch the low clouds racing across the airport outside. We had a few hours at the airport and it felt like just the right amount of time - then our plane was delayed as the crew had been delayed on their trip up from Melbourne - the storm had prevented planes from landing for a while - so we left about half an hour late and the kids were really ready to go by then. It was a bit of a bumpy trip, but uneventful. The kids and Tony all watched movies and I did puzzles in my book. We arrived in Melbourne after 10, went and picked up our car, then home at 11.30pm with 3 sleeping kids, moved them and our bags inside, fed the animals, then went to bed ourselves.

Houseboat/Wedding Trip Day 4: The Wedding

Everyone slept better this night, although I woke with a shock at 5.10am thinking we'd slept in because it was so light outside - being further east and north of home, the sun rises and sets a lot earlier. We had planned to get up at 5.30 so I got up and started to get organised, everyone except Millie woke up easily and had some breakfast, and we were on our way in the tinny, with a sleepy Amelie, by 6.30am. Beautiful time of day to be out on the water.

We arrived back at the penthouse by 6.45, ready for me to start getting my hair done at 7. It was lovely having the hairdresser play with my hair with all my family and my brother's new family around. She did a braid across the front and down one side, and softened up the curls elsewhere. Throughout the morning she also did Caitlin's hair (2 braids leading around to a plait at the back, and soft curls underneath), and hair for my sister, the bride, her sister, and Millie - who had a Elsa braid - twists leading to a plait (Millie still had lots of dreadlocks and her hair is not really brushable at the moment, and she wanted a plait, so this was perfect). We hung around for the morning, played with the baby, chatted to everyone, ate fruit, it was very relaxed and casual and a lovely way to prepare for a wedding. The bride was the most relaxed bride I've ever seen - confident that everything would go to plan, or if something didn't, that it would work out one way or another anyway. At some point the morning shifted from relaxed hanging out to 'time to get ready' and the 14 of us there were suddenly rushing around getting dressed, which was also quite fun.

The kids looked amazing in their flower girl and ring bearer outfits. LiAM left with us and we all went on a ferry with other guests to the Berowra Waters Inn where the wedding was being held. The girls stayed with the bride and her sister to come on the bridal boat.

Waiting for the bride

The bridal boat arriving

The girls arrived at the wedding and Amelie bravely walked in by herself, followed by Caitlin and then the bride. The ceremony was lovely, and moving, and in a beautiful setting, on the deck of the restaurant overlooking the water and the mountains. There were parasols for guests who were standing in the sun so it wasn't too hot. LiAM took the rings up at the appointed time and placed them on the marriage book for the celebrant to hand them to the bride and groom. My sister (with baby T) and the bride's sister did readings.

After the ceremony there were bubbles to blow, and lots of people to talk to. We had a session of family photos before the food started.

The wedding attendants

With the bride and groom and my parents

The rest of the afternoon was a mix of yummy food (although there wasn't enough food for the kids, who managed very well despite being a bit hungry and very hot), speeches, chatting to the other guests - I met lots of the bride's family and they were all welcoming and interested in our family. It was also fun catching up with some of my brother's friends who I hadn't seen for many years, and my aunt and uncle and some old family friends who were there. The kids explored the area around the restaurant, played with the bubbles and parasols, danced, chatted to numerous guests, and impressed everyone with their conversation.

Around 4.30 the bride and groom left, and the ferry came to pick up all the guests. We went back to the penthouse and changed into more comfortable shoes/clothes as required, had a bit of a rest, then went to the after party at a nearby house, friends of the bride and groom. More chatting, playing, dancing until our boat transport came to pick us up around 7pm to take us back to the houseboat. It was sad to leave the party, although we were all very tired and I really wanted to be back on the boat before sunset and have something to eat and settle down before dark. We had a very quiet evening on the boat, eating leftovers and sitting watching the boats go by the end of our bay, and everyone was in bed by 9pm.