Jocelyn is engaged

I am so proud to announce that Jocelyn and Mark are engaged to be married.  The celebration of Mark asking Jocelyn to marry him took place on Tuesday night 11 August at my place in front of some of the family.  He just couldn't wait until I arrived back from Europe (rather cute I thought!!). The big event will take place on Sunday 24 April.  So, it's all happening in the Ridley household and I'm not there at the moment!!  Hopefully all the work will be done by the time I get home!!

EUROPE 2015

It is now, on the eve of leaving Basel that I have time to write some thoughts on my lovely trip back to Basel.  The past 4 weeks have gone very quickly, and at the same time I feel like I have been back here forever.  Oh how I love this special place.  I feel so at home here, and of course, having wonderful friends around me, makes this even more important.

I flew from Melbourne to Duesseldorf on Thursday night 20 August.  I was met by wonderful Andreas who patiently waited for me outside customs for over 50 minutes.  The baggage seemed to take forever to come through.

I spent a wonderful, but very brief time in Huls with Ruth & Andreas and the extended family.  It was so precious to connect again and catch up on news.

From there I caught the ICE train to Goettingen to visit with my German friend Sabine.  I spent 3 days with her.  We talked an talked and talked.  I was also able to catch my breath when she was working.  She gave me a wonderful surprise for my Birthday.  An amazing massage which was perfect for me.  Thank you Sabine.

Ruth, Andreas, Maria and Steffi

I caught the ICE to Basel on Wed 26 August and was met at the SBB Railway Station by Kiwi Christine who helped me with the luggage to her lovely apartment in Spalenberg in the heart of Basel.  I was quickly settled into the attic and the fun began!!

Kevin, Christine & Gaudenz

I have caught up with many friends, shed a few tears, had many emotional moments and it is hard to tear my heart away from this place.  It doesn't help that each time I come back I meet you people!!

I was able to attend a Women's Conference in Winterthur with my German friend Carla. It was a Fri night/Sat conference.  I took some good notes, but have not had time to go through them and get my head around a few of the challenges presented to me.  This I will look forward to when I get back to Oz early Fri 2 October.

At the Conference

I fly to Dublin, Ireland tomorrow morning to be with Roger's family and the Wedding of Roger's niece Anna to Phil Plant.  I can't wait for this happy occasion.

Marianne and me outside their beautiful home

One of the lovely buildings in the village

Rock on 2015 ! ! !

Once again I have been given a 'gentle nudge' by an anonymous friend to keep blogging!!  It would have encouraged me if you'd left your name!!  Anyway, here I am to give you a brief update on what's happening in Gaynor's World!!

I have started 2015 in the way I want to continue throughout the year…….travelling!!  I flew to Adelaide for a friends wedding on 2 January.  The day I arrived it was 42C and there were severe bush fires in the hills.  It didn't deter me from a wonderful 10 days catching up with lovely friends, most of whom I hadn't seen since Roger passed away at the end of 2011.  I had such a great time I didn't really want to come back to Melbourne, but of course I did!!

I am experiencing all sorts of emotions I have never had before.  I think when you lose someone special it just takes time to get to know who you are without your loved one by your side, and the way you should proceed!!  I have found it tough going, I think because we have moved around so much, we haven't put down roots in any one place.  Coming back to Melbourne has been much more difficult than I ever imagined, but I feel I am slowly settling in and feeling like this is where I want to be. 

I have encouraged my youngest daughter Glenda to go back to High School English teaching.  She started a couple of weeks again and I am taking care of Olivia for the 2 days she is teaching.  Olivia will be 1 on the 4 March.  She is the most adorable, happy little girl and I love the one on one time I am getting with her.  I look after Edward, Nathan (3  1/2) & Olivia together most Monday afternoons (unless our dear family friend Cheryl takes the boys on an excursion). 

Jocelyn and I have taken advantage of 2 free Melbourne Symphony  Concerts held 'under the stars' in the last week.  We've taken a picnic dinner and enjoyed the music immensely.  

I have started swimming again and I do hope I will have the discipline to continue doing this twice a week.  I do enjoy just getting in the pool and lap swimming.  I am aiming for 20 laps of the 50metre pool.  I've only been going 2 weeks and am already up to 14 laps!!

I am also continuing with Badminton which I play on a Friday afternoon.  I really enjoy it, even though I'm not fantastic!!  My multi focal glasses sometimes give me problems!!  (Well, that's my excuse anyway and I'm sticking to it!!).

Here is a little overview of what my year is looking like at the moment:

• For the first time my 4 sisters and I will have a holiday together for 10 days to celebrate my sister Irene's 65th Birthday.  I fly to Perth on 8 March and we will all fly to Bali until 20 March.  We all can't wait.  It is going to be a lot of fun, and hopefully the start of many holidays we might have together!!!!
• I am back for 1 week and will fly to the Gold Coast to catch up with friends we knew in Basel.  I will spend 10 days with Anna and Val at their lovely property at Ormeau.
• I fly to Adelaide on 26 June for 10 days.  A good friend and I will spend some days at the beach (even though it will be winter - we'll enjoy the beach from inside the home!!).
• Around the middle/late August I will fly to Basel once again and catch up with all my good friends there.  I beginning to give them 'warning' now!! 
• Roger's lovely niece Anna will marry Irishman Phil near Dublin in the middle of September and I am planning to attend the wedding.

With my lovely friend Mary in Adelaide

Christmas Day with Olivia

Chloe ( 2 1/2)

Edward and Nathan

My lovely garden and front entrance

Birthday celebrations

I had a wonderful time celebrating my birthday with the family at The Dumpling King in Box Hill.  We sat at a huge round table with a lazy susan in the middle (the children loved this) and the food just kept coming!  What a great way to enjoy time with the family, and no cleaning up afterwards!

My sister Irene came over from Perth for a week, which went ever so quickly.  Lots of games of Chinese Checkers (jealous are you Wirt????!!!!), a movie, shopping and eating and drinking.  On the Saturday the girls took off to the Yarra Valley for a day out.  Here's Glenda (with Olivia who is now 7 months old), Irene, me and Jocelyn at a little cafe in Yarra Glen.  We also visited the Yarra Dairy and had a very yummy cheese platter.

Jocelyn and I had an amazing night out last night.  We went to see the Stage production of "The Last Confession" with David Suchet.  We loved the production and David Suchet was brilliant.  I am quite overwhelmed how lines are learnt!  There's no room for mistakes in a production like this!  If you happen to get the chance to see it, please go.  I can't remember the last time I went to a live production.  Need to do it more often!!

Jocelyn and I went to The Red Pepper (Indian) beforehand for a very yummy Goat curry.  Most enjoyable.

My Grandchildren are growing up quickly

Chloe turned 2 at the end of May.  She is an absolute delight to be with and has a lovely personality.  I took her to the city on the tram several weeks ago.  She took a liking to one of the 'models' in a Department Store.

Edward and Nathan turned 3 on 1 July.  We go on lots of adventures together and have so much fun.  I joined Friends of the Zoo last year and we have been many times.   A couple of weeks ago we went to the Zoo and I decided not to take the pram.  It was fantastic.  They could run free and delight in everything they came across.  We seemed to do so much more, but that could also be because they know the Zoo so well now and are particular about what they want to see and do.  I love it.

Olivia will turn 5 months old on 4 August.  She is so alert and happy.  Glenda has started her on solids. She sleeps well and smiles all the time when she is awake and is contented.  I might have been a little worried about the boys overshadowing her, but not so!!

This picture was taken on Mother's Day early May 2014.

We are looking forward to seeing what colour hair she will have.  We're hoping for Auburn!!!

Thanking friends for the prod to keep going !!

I have been reminded that I am not blogging!!!  I'm actually finding it difficult to sit at the computer and blog happily.  Most of my lovely friends would know how much I have enjoyed blogging in the past, particularly when Roger & I were living in Germany.  That all seems very much in the dim distance now.  I am going to try my hardest to continue with my blogging, but I need your encouragement, so please leave comments which will inspire me!!

How quickly this year seems to be going.  Sometimes I can't keep up with myself.  July already & we are in the heart of winter.  Brrrrr!!  But my little home is warm and snug so I have no complaints.  If I feel really cold, I just need to go for a brisk walk!

Olivia is nearly 5 months old.  She is absolutely adorable, and I promise I am not biased!  She has a personality as large as life!  She is a happy, smiling little baby and talks a lot, and we get the gist of what she's saying!!  It's all very funny.

I've felt very lonely this year.  I always seem to be longing for the next guests to arrive to stay with me, but they're few and far between.  I have asked Jocelyn (my beautiful daughter) to come and live with me.  She has been here for 3 weeks now and I'm much happier not being on my own anymore.  I look forward to her getting home in the evening and not having the long evening stretching ahead of me on my own.  I definitely know I am not meant to live on my own.  My personality doesn't allow it!!

Another thing that is bothering me is finding a Church Family in which to belong.  It's just not happening for me so I am not going regularly to Church.  I just don't know how to move forward in this area of my life.  Any suggestions out there for me to take on board?

I joined University of the Third Age in May after a visit from dear Swiss friends from Basel.  Christine reminded me how hard I had worked at trying to learn German and she encouraged me to go back and keep up with it.  I have been going to classes at U3A on a Friday morning for 1 1/2 hrs.  It's very good for my brain and the other people in the class are great (usually about 7 of us).  I'm not sure if I am going to move forward with German, but hopefully it will always be in my brain!!

The other thing I have done is joined the Badminton group, also on a Friday.  My son in law Tom bought me a new racket, so I am learning to smash that shuttle cock!!  It's lots of fun and I enjoy being with like minded people wanting good exercise.  I am very thankful for my good health and fitness.

So, this is a start to my come back.  If I write much more, you might lose interest, so I will save other news for the next time and will post some nice photos as well.

Welcome Olivia Annabelle

It gives me the greatest pleasure to announce the safe arrival of Olivia Annabelle born 11.15pm on Tuesday 4 March weighing 3.2k's (around 7lb).  Glenda had an amazing delivery and even caught Olivia for the first cuddle!  She sure is the cutest little thing.

I was on Nanna duty looking after Edward & Nathan for 4 nights whilst Daddy & Mummy were busy! I stayed at their place and of course, we had lots of fun together, though Nanna was rather tired by the end.  Here is Edward 'up close and personal' with his baby sister!!

After our visit to Olivia I gave Edward & Nathan their first tram ride in the city.  (And yes, I was so excited about all that was going on and even had the nerve to ask a stranger to take a photo of us!!).

Nanna always needs sustenance and I've found the perfect place to take the boys in the city (downstairs, Australia on Collins).  Here they are having their baby chino and there's my big mug of Earl Grey tea.  A few trapped sparrows fly around looking for food and the boys love chasing them.  There is also a glass lift the boys like watching going up and down.  They're not hard to entertain!

On our way to the train we stopped to listen to an amazing 7 piece South American Band playing in a small lane way (Centre Place).  Nathan started dancing and the band thought it was fantastic and very cute.  I would have loved to have taken a video but I didn't want to spoil 'the moment'.  Sometimes you just have to soak up the moment and not try and capture it!