Animal Farm- Mad Macaws, a Malamute, a Maltese and Two Excited Eclectus

Now it is time to catch up on some of the home pictures and day to day life. Don't tell anyone I didn't miss any of the birds or animals apart from Jack- our little maltese who is alway so happy to see you and quiet and cuddly!

So what is a day like in this madhouse- here is a snap shot of last Saturday. Bill has his breakfast and shares it with the birds- he never makes breakfast for me I must add!

We have had a few minus 4's and 5's recently- we usually end up with  a lovely sunny day but the bird baths tend to stay frozen!

The other Saturday I dragged Bill out for a walk, it was too nice a day to be inside and Luna is always happy to have a walk. This is just up the road from our house the hill beside Covenant College.Safer to go in the late morning or early afternoon so we miss the kangaroos, otherwise Luna wants to chase them.

When we got back it was Jack's turn to go out for a walk and we took the macaws out on their harnesses- you can just imagine what the local people we run into the street must think!

We took the macaws down to the little pond to see the swan family with their five cynets that are growing rapidly- it is nice to keep an eye on them and chat to the other locals that are obviously doing the same thing as us. In the morning when Bill and I walk past with the dogs if the swan family is around I leave them a handful of cereal that I also put out for the magpies!

Here they are at the end of the walk!

 Hawk kept flying off from Amy's shoulder up into the trees, he liked to some pruning. Budgie just ends to sit on Bill's head or shoulder and take everything in.

Stormy Weather and Time to Head Home

The Wednesday morning was pretty wild and woolly I eventually fitted in a short walk. We relaxed at the Beach-house and started packing and cleaning as we were leaving early the next morning. We had an early lunch then drove in to Adelaide where we visited the house in Adelaide that Bill and I own to check up on some work that has been done. We also visited the world's greatest supermarket at Frewville and we called in and saw my mother in law Marian at Toorak Gardens. We then got some dinner and went to the Adelaide Temple before heading back to O'Sullivan's beach. It blew a gale overnight. Below you can see the storm clouds looking back over Port Stanvic.

Below is a view of the Beach House from down at the beach.

We headed off about 8am, we were heading for Portland to stay overnight, I was keen to drive home a different road and travel on roads I hadn't driven on before. It was rather a long days driving but meant we didn't have as far the next day. At Tailiem Bend we turned off and headed down to the Coorong. We stopped at Meningie and mum got herself a Cornish Pastie and Kitchener Bun- very South Australian fare! The Cornish Pastie was delicious but I don't think the Kitchener Bun tasted as good as mum thought they used to. The weather was very windy so not really inviting to get outside, but Meninge would be worth a visit another time.

Driving along the Coorong is not like driving along the Great Ocean Road- bit of a poor cousin in terms of scenery but it is a very important ecological area and a breeding ground for pelicans. We stopped off at Jack's Point and did a short walk but I think it was even too windy for pelicans as thely were in hiding. From then on it got wetter and wilder. We had a quick drive in to Robe which looked like a lovely place and stopped for some lovely hot soup at Beachport when the heavens opened and it poured. We waited for it do die down and did a scenic drive along the coast which was pretty spectacular but to wet to take photos- definitely another place for a return visit.

  We had a brief stop in Mt Gambier ( another place to check out) then drove on to Portland where we were staying the night. We settled in to our apartment which was just lovely and warm and listened to the wind and the rain all night! The next morning things had settled down a bit, so we went for a 1 hour ride on the Portland Tram which gave you a good tour and introduction to the town- another place I need to come back to. We were the only mad tourists around in this weather- we enjoyed our ride. 

Above- Pam in the tram- below- our tram!

The view of Portland Harbour

Old Portland Water Tower that has been turned into a War Museum

From Portland we headed to Port Fairy were we had an early lunch then made our way inland and caught up with Gary and Arlene at Eyensbury. We got to see their new house that is not far of being finished and got to see Ben and Matthew. We had dinner with them and then headed back to Berwick about 7:30pm. We made it through the city no drama and had mum back safe and sound in Berwick.

The next morning I caught up with two more of my brothers and my sisters in laws for breakfast before heading out to the airport for the flight home to Canberra- so lots of  catching up with family, reliving some old family memories and making some more- it was a lovely trip.

Old Family Photos

While staying at the Beach House we came across some old family photo albums.

Below is a photo of my grandparents- (L to R)  Herbert Charles Neslon, Violet Annie Burt, my Aunt Fay, my mother Pam, and Aunt June and one unknown gentleman friend probably of June's.

This is my Aunt June and my mother Pam at 2 Hampstead Road outside the play house they had.

Here are the three sisters- Pam, Faye and June

This is the wedding photo of my grandparents

This photo is of Eduard Dahl and Anna Dahl taken at Hahndorf

Hahndorf

Tuesday morning was a bit damp and rainy, I did manage a walk along the beach in between showers and then we just enjoyed relaxing and enjoying the view while we had breakfast. We headed off to Hahndorf, it was quite a windy drive through the Adelaide Hill and the fog and the mist. We first went to the Hahndorf Cemetery where mum's parents, ( my grandparents) are buried. We found their graves.

 

From there we went into Hahndorf and went to the Beerenburg Factory and had a few tastings and purchased a few items, we then wandered the main street of Hahndorf and enjoyed the little shops, had lunch at the Hahndorf Inn near the open fire, some of our ancestors probably enjoyed a beer or two at that place! It was a bit drizzly but we enjoyed our time there.

We then drove about 30 minutes to Callington further up in the Adelaide Hills and we caught up with another of my cousins- Bill Ward. Bill is the son of mum's older sister June who died of breast cancer about 6 years ago. She was married to Les who is 91 and has just moved down to live with Bill. Les has dementia and it didn't work out in the home he had move into.

Mum, Bill Ward and I

Mum and Les

Les, Mum and Lachlan Ward- Bill's  youngest son, Pam's great nephew and my 2nd cousin ( or something like that can never work out if it is 1st cousin once removed!

Rachel ( Bill's wife) and Pam

Rachel and Lachlan got out some old photos and they had fun reminiscing and I think it jogged a few memories for Les.

O'Sullivans Beach

On the Monday we did some walking along the beach and relaxing around the beach house and just enjoying the views.

 Looking out the left from the beach house you can see the remains of the pier that was at Pt Stanvic where the oil tankers came in and unloaded. That is all but demolished and these pylons should disappear very soon.

 This was what we used to call Rabbit Rock. From a distance you can still see the rabbit shape, though not from this picture!

The big house is  my cousin David and Leanne's new house, they had been living in the beach house for a number of years then subdivided the block and built their new house. To the left of the house you can see a bit of a white building and a red roof that is the beach house- it has views out to the right towards Port Norlunga and Christie's beach. Jeff and John the other two brothers have that block and the beach house and are still deciding what to do.

After our leisurely morning we headed into town and visited 2 Hampstead Road, Broadview where mum used to live in my grandparents two story house which I remember many a visit. It has been demolished and is now the car park for the Hampstead Hotel- where we had a bit of lunch then wandered the streets behind and walked down the street mum used to walk down to go to school and the tennis courts she used to play at.

Then we headed into Adelaide and went to the Art Gallery of SA and saw the Impressionist Exhibition they had with paintings form the Musee D"Orsay in Paris.

From there we headed over to Jeff and Fiona's and had a lovely dinner with them. I forgot to take a photo of them but got one of the cat sitting up at the table and one of their dog!

Road Trip to Adelaide with Mum

I was born in Adelaide and spent my childhood years there. My grandparents had a beach house at O'Sullivan's Beach and we spent many a family holiday down there.The house ended up in my mum's sister's family and for many years it was lived in permanently by members of the Goss family. My cousin David and his wife Leanne have been living there, but recently subdivided the block and they have built a lovely home next door. At Christmas time I received and email from my cousin letting us know if we were ever in Adelaide we were welcome to come and stay in the old Beach House, so I took them up on the offer and thought I would bring mum over for  a visit as I thought she would enjoy the trip down memory lane. I flew to Melbourne picked up a hire car ( had all sorts of dramas and traffic delays ) but we made it to Horsham the first night, then drove to Adelaide the next day.

 Silo art at Victorian and South Australian towns along the way

                                         

We settled in to the Beach house and watched the sunset while having dinner with David and Leanne. Enjoyed a lovely walk on the beach the next morning then enjoyed a relaxing Sunday morning at home before heading out to church in the afternoon at Onkaparinga Ward where we met people mum had known many years ago. A quick trip home and changed into walking clothes and I was able to drive mum down to the marina where we could easily access the beach where we were able to walk while the day was still sunny and as we headed back enjoy the sun starting to set. It was a lovely day and we have both enjoyed the memories this has been bringing back.

The Beach House

Near Christie's Beach

Mum near the Marina at O'Sullivan's Beach