Birthdays

Glenda, Tom, Edward & Tim relaxing

Nathan & Tom in background

Tim & Chloe on swing

Jocelyn & Chloe with Tim & Amy in background

A BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my darling son Tim who turned 35 on 23 February & to my darling youngest daughter Glenda who turned 31 on 7 March.

Sunday afternoon 3 March we combined Tim & Glenda's birthdays to celebrate at Kingsley Park.  We settled ourselves under one of the big trees in the park and had a lovely relaxing time chatting, eating & playing!  There is a really good children's playground.  We were surprised the park was not busy.  There was only our little party & another using the BBQ facilities.

Glenda made a yummy chocolate sponge & I made chocolate eclairs (it's been a while!!).  Cheryl brought a fruit platter.  Glenda & Tom are so organised with picnics.  It has made me realise I must get a picnic hamper like my sister Irene has.  It is like a suitcase & comes decked out with plates, knives, forks, etc - ready to go.  I absolutely love a picnic & it would be made even easier if I had things ready to go.  I can see as the children grow we will be having lots of picnics.  

Melbourne has really turned on the weather this summer.  We have had many weeks over 30C.  I just wished I lived closer to the beach here in Melbourne (not that you can compare the beaches here with the beaches in Perth).

Renos continue on unit

Things are moving along on the unit but I won't be moving in until the Tuesday after Easter (2 April).

The painting is at a standstill as I have different tradies coming and going and making a right old mess.  The good news is that I have the most wonderful young guy acting as Project Manager for me.  He is a friend of Tim's.  He is doing such a great job co-ordinating everything for me.  I certainly need the help.

Hopefully the plasterer will work his magic tomorrow and then the bathroom will get the go ahead.  The kitchen will not go in for another 3 weeks.  The floorboards were meant to be polished from 7 March but I have put it back until 25 March when everything else should be done.  I am having built in robes put in to both bedrooms & this is being done by the guy who is doing the kitchen & laundry!

It has become a huge renovation!  Far more than I realised, but it will look stunning when finished.  Well, this is the plan anyway!!

On a more sombre note, Jocelyn has not been doing too well and this has been taking its toll on us all.  We would truly value your prayers for us all as we work through tough decisions/issues.

We are all missing Roger very, very much.

Demolition 3/88

So, it's all happening!!  Out with the old, but not in with the new just yet.  Look at the floorboards in the bathroom.  This had 2 lots of lino over it with masonite in between (oh know!!).

My bedroom ! !

Kitchen being demolished

Not the best looking kitchen !

Rubble at my front door !

Glenda & Tom supervising Nathan & Edward !

Special friends from Basel

What a thrill it was for me to be able to spend a week with my friend Christine on her visit to Melbourne from Basel via New Zealand!!  At times I was rather distracted with my unit settling the week she was here, but we did manage to do some nice things together.

I took Christine to the Yarra Valley & it was picture perfect.  We stopped off at the Dairy & had a lovely cheese platter, which is made on the premises.  The property had a distinct dairy smell!!

 This is us at Chateau Chandon.  We had a delicious lunch, and what a backdrop!  Flies were a bit pesky, but we managed!!

Then I heard from Katja who now lives in Cairns with her husband Stewart.  She came down from Cairns for a 2 weekend course & I was able to catch up both times.  It was so good to see her again & I was very stimulated by her wonderful conversation.  As you can see, the food was pretty good as well!!

Champagne & nibbles with the family in my new home

The family got together on Australia Day - 26 January, to drink a toast to my new home.  It was great to see the little boys investigating and getting into mischief in an empty house!!

 Cheers to me!!

 Family gathered in the dining room

Chloe Grace taking it all in !!

My Villa Unit in Nunawading, Melbourne, Australia

Here I am on the day the house settled (24 January) with my gift from the Real Estate Company!!  Just before I turned the key & walked in (along with Christine from Basel & Tony from the Heating company!!!)

The entrance to the house.  Shows how dry it has been in Melbourne with the brown 'grass'.


Tom & a couple of his mates pulled out all the carpet in the house last weekend & then Tom, Glenda & I pulled out the small wooden boards the carpet was attached to.  Not a nice job, but had to be done.

The painting was started Monday 4 February & so far only the undercoat has been done.  I am hoping it will be finished by 15 February.

I've decided I want a German kitchen again so I have contacted Kitchen Haus in Perth & the wonderful Gerard has sent me a plan of my kitchen so I can do the measurements, which is a bit scary.  Hope I get it right.  He has photo's of the kitchen as it is now.

I am having gas ducted heating installed Friday 15 February and I have just booked George the floor polishing expert to do the floors, beginning 7 March.  Of course I would have liked it earlier but he is going on holidays beforehand, so I will just have to wait & hope Glenda & Tom can put up with me for a little longer (they have been so patient with me up till now).  At this stage I am hoping to move in around 13 March with all things going to plan, but I won't have curtains up as they will need to be made & this takes ages.

Ridley Family Christmas

The 9 of us, plus our dear friend Cheryl, gathered from 4pm on Christmas Eve for our Christmas celebrations (true European style - minus the snow!!) at Glenda & Tom's home and enjoyed their warm hospitality.  We feasted on yummy pre dinner nibbles and drinks and opened our presents whilst the children were around.  It was lots of fun for us all.  

After the children went to bed at 7pm we sat down to the full Christmas feast - turkey, roast vegetables, cauliflower cheese, greens and lots of yummy ham cut straight off the bone by Tom.  We finished off with Christmas pudding and custard.  Our after dinner delight was egg nog prepared by Tim & Amy.

One very proud Nanna

My beautiful family

Table simply set!!  We had to wait for the twins to go to bed before we could set up !!

Tom was very proud of his ham !!