Outdoor Living

With the lovely autumn weather we decided it was worth getting a decent table to put up outside. I had spotted the table Bindi and Simon had and decided it would fit in the spot outside our back door. So it was a click and collect from Ikea and then last Saturday Bill and I managed to put the table and bench together without too much trouble. The Sunday was pretty miserable so couldn't use it but the Monday holiday for ANZAC day was a lovely sunny day so Amy and I enjoyed sitting outside for lunch. The dogs where happy to join us as well as Beau.

A New Fence

Lachlan has been hard at work at our place. The side fence between our place and our neighbour Derek has been in a rather fragile state for a few years now, Lachlan decided it was time to put that right and so worked out what was needed and over the Easter break and the following weekend got to work. It has been lovely weather over the last few weeks so a good time to be outside working.

First, he and Derek took the old fence down, that didn't take long! Lachlan planned on using the existing concrete poles. They had moved a bit so he was very meticulous in measuring and getting a straight line. He had to cut the concrete on some poles back and on other poles build it up.

Then the railings went up. I was the tradie assistant and had to clear out weeds, plants, mulch etc,

Here he is hard at work and with all the tools!

The finished product, looks fantastic.

Easter

Easter time in Canberra in the past was catching up with Bindi and Simon and the kids and other friends for a Good Friday picnic at Lennox Gardens, with bacon and egg rolls, Easter Egg hunts and a an egg throwing competition. With Simon's passing it just wouldn't have been the same so we are planning on doing something different in the future. Woke to rain on Good Friday, first time I can remember that it has ever rained really hard and the picnic wouldn't have worked so thought that was rather fitting. This year Amy and I headed over to visit Bindi, Mia and Charlie on Sunday, we had brunch- egg and bacon rolls, a bit fancier than usual. We had a lovely time with them.

Amy and I made chocolate nests to take over.

Bindi made a very yummy and rich Nigella Easter cake

Bindi had made us some macaw masks

Rob Roy Walk

With the Covid 19 social distancing restrictions I haven't been riding as much, still getting out but on my own. Instead I have been doing some longer walks. Recently walked up Rob Roy which is at the back of Conder, I have always seen the trig station at the top of the steep hill which I have always wanted to walk to, finally found a friend mad enough to come with me- socially distancing of course!

It was a fairly cool day so good for walking, an initial 1 or 2 km up a steep fire trail which was sealed, then undulating unsealed fire trail up to the open fields at the top, there were other trails to head off to be we headed right out to the trig point where we got lovely views across the Lanyon Valley.

Some magnificent trees along the way and lots of bird life and a number of birds nesting in their bird holes.

Bermagui

Amy was staying at Tathra the night before the wedding and then at the winery the night of the wedding,  so I stayed Thursday night and Friday night in Bermagui. It was nice to just be by myself for two nights. I did go to the wedding on the Friday, but had the Friday monring and Saturday morning to explore. I enjoyed two long walks on the beach which was good for the soul and the weather was just lovely.

I remember going to Bermagui on a family holiday as a child but I had no memories of what the place looked like, I really enjoyed Bermagui, it had shops and cafes but not as big or hectic as Merimbula or Bateman's Bay. I enjoyed discovering the town and finding new places to walk.

Had the beach to myself in the morning.

I went to the wedding on Friday afternoon then back to Bermagui for the night. Amy was staying in a cottage on the winery so I picked her up around 11am the next morning. A lot of the guests met at Bermagui for fish and chips for lunch so after that we headed back to Canberra. We had come down Brown Mountain so headed back  via Batemans Bay. First stop Cobargo, we checked out a few of the shops and made a few purchases, all the shop owners thanked us for visiting. Corbago had been badly hit by the fires and some of the shops in the main street were destroyed by fire. We also called in at Tilba Tilba and Bodalla and purchased various cheeses and dairy products. 

Lots of evidence of the fires as we drove along, including Batemans Bay and coming up the Clyde. It was hard to imagine what it was like. The black burned trees contrasted with the green following the rain and the begining of regrowth. It was a nice little break away and just before all the lockdown measures came into place so it was good to get away now that we no longer can.

Amy the Bridesmaid

Before the COVID 10 restrictions came into force Amy was a bridesmaid at her friends Pete and Karina's wedding. It was down at Mimosa Winery on Friday 22nd March. The wedding was 70 guests so at that stage was under the 100 people limit, must have been one of the last weddings allowed to go ahead, on the following Monday things changed considerably. Amy and I drove down on the Thursday, we met the bridal party and families at the Winery and helped set up and there was also a rehearsal. I left Amy there and she was going back to stay at Tathra with Karina and her parents before getting ready for the wedding the next day. I headed to Bermagui where I was staying for the next two night.

It was an unplugged wedding so we weren't able to take photos during the ceremony. I did get a few of Amy and we are now able to buy some photos from the wedding photographers website which we need to get around to!

Amy looked lovely, so did the bride of course! It was a lovely relaxed wedding, beautiful weather and a lovely setting. Here are a few shots from the day.

Out and About in March

After my brother Simon's funeral I drove mum back to Melbourne and stayed with her for a few days before heading back to Canberra. It was a wet drive down with rain most of the way. We stopped overnight at a bed and breakfast in Rutherglen to break the journey which was nice. On the way home I called in at the Fern Tree Gully Market and caught up with mum, then walked up the 1000 steps at Fern Tree Gully- quite a steep climb and lots of people but the Dandenongs are such a lovely place to be.

A week after I got back Amy and I headed out for a walk, we walked through the Cork Forest at the Arbouretum always and interesting place to visit.

We also checked out the National Rock Garden which has some amazing rocks.