Birthday 82!
82nd Birthday - how did that happen?
Latest
August 2026
Hi everyone, Mary recently had her facial BCC SCC cosmetic surgery and it is healing very well now stitches are out. We enjoyed her birthday celebration with the family (minus Michael Kris and boys) last night with cake cooked by Jacquie. Before that we spent a night in Blackheath in
Art Exhibition
Our local gallery , Hazelhurst, run by the council, hosted the year 12 indigenous art display which opened on Sunday with appropriate indigenous dances in Aboriginal costume . There were about 4o entries on display, all very good and some were for sale. The ones we liked had already been sold unfortunately.
Eleebana
End of May and early June 2026
We had our annual French market at a local bilingual primary school -packed as usual -about 5000 pass through. 80 stalls -all with a direct connection with France. Our stall sold $500 worth of secondhand books, amazing. Weather was good fortunately Alison and Craig arrived today in Paris on start
Solar
With the advent of home batteries we took the plunge and , guided by Australian Consumer Association criteria selected a fully registered compliant supplier. After a few days we’ve used no grid power at all and have even made a few quid! This is the home page of the app
Garden Group and Solar
We joined a small, local group called Caringbah Garden Circle who meet every few weeks in one member’s garden for an hour and look, discuss then share seedlings, tips, chemicals etc etc. No committee, minutes or even chairs ! Very simple and friendly. It’s the first time we’ve
Latest activities and news
I’ve continued kayaking , reduced distances, with slightly sore shoulder and it’s been good to get back on the water and enjoy the company. I’m Michael and family came down and stayed a night so they could attend a Sunday wedding of a relative of Kris. The same
Moon shot
Louis has developed a fascination for astronomy and things astrophysical. There's so many well illustrated books these days . In my era all we had was Patrick Moore -who was very good and very very very enthusiastic, as those who remember him will recall He also got a pic
It's Good to be back!
After a gap of some 5 months it's hard to know where to start. There's been lots of kayaking, some visits to Sydney, a lot of gardening, Christmas, reunions, bushwalks, New Year and Australia Day celebrations, birthdays but not much travel other than the S.Coast
Burning Palms walk and Jacqui's birthday
The family (but unfortunately Michael and Kris not available) arranged to do this walk on Oct 26, which Jacqui had chosen as a birthday bush walk. The walk is from a location in the Royal National Park down a scarp slope, to the sea, at a place called Burning Palms,
Visit to Steelworks
Today our Probus club had arranged a visit to Port Kembla blast furnaces where most of Australia's steel is made from iron ore and coking coal. The sight of the blast furnace was stunning-like a volcano with the slag from the reaction at 1450 Deg C running
Australian Holidays
Sydney Museum
Michael, Kris and boys came down to Manly for a couple of nights and we met them at the Museum. Many sections have been refurbished in a very creative and interactive way. Also in a very 'solid' way so that specimens couldn't be accidentally knocked - so
Family
Jess and Aidan's wedding September 6th
This was held in a dedicated open area inside Centennial Park in central Sydney . It was a bright, sunny, windy day and Jess and Aidan had arranged everything for family and friends. Jess' brother Toby even came back from a European holiday for a few days, to be there.
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Birthday party weekend
The same weekend as the wedding, we held a lunch at Home for all the family on the Sunday . it was all prepared by Kris, who made it all very attractive. Jacqui provided the cake, her speciality, and the whole lot was enjoyed by everybody. Fortunately, the weather proved well
Family
Big week for celebrations.
In the same week that we celebrated grandson Harry's first birthday , we also celebrated granddaughter Jessica becoming recognised by the High Court as a lawyer. 25 year gap between cousins. As if that wasn't enough--Jess held a Bridal shower for wedding in September!
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Mary's very significant birthday!
Hosted by Alison and Craig, we were joined by all three other sibling families and grandchildren and second and third cousins. The first cousins were invited but as well as a small accident in the garden, the weather for the journey from the mountains was horrendous. It was also pretty
Bastille Day
Trouble withpictures
Bushwalking
Back walking
Finally , Saturday, able to don walking boots, grab poles and march off into national park tracks! Starting in a gentle way at nearby Kurnell, in history as the place where Captain Cook's ship Endeavor first landed and forced colonisation began. Some good tracks to a whale watching station.
Home, Garden and Sydney
Meals
We fare-welled a couple ( Anne- born in NZ and Olivier - born in France) from our French group at a posh-ish restaurant -they are spending a year in France and Europe . Olivier has been our FASS President for a few years now and will be very much missed. Then
Kayaking
Kayak trip June 20
Rerouted from our initial plan we had our break on a 'spoil heap' in the local hacking river. This was created post war by 'Ten pound Poms' who first settled here in the 1950's. Builders dumped their excavated soil by barge, at this point
Home, Garden and Sydney
French Market 2025
A cloudy, windy, very cool day but mercifully dry until about 4.00pm. The event is organised by a local bilingual primary school (one of only three in NSW) that we helped get off the ground about five years ago. It's the school annual fair day. In spite
Home, Garden and Sydney
Recent miscellany Easter and Mothers' Day plus cosmetics!
At Easter we were invited to dinner by a French lady we know well and enjoyed a French dinner including this magnificent dessert. More recently I was on the water with Probus at a time when we experienced a lot of heavy rain, so waterfalls and weirs were fuller than
Kayaking
recent news April 25 2025 Anzac day
I got up at 3.30am (!!) to go to the local ANZAC parade with the scout group then went on to Woronora with the kayak to paddle with 13 others to the Needles. Misty start bit very still and a pleasant temperature. Mary has had screws removed from right foot