Mike's 70th Birthday

On Saturday, 8th January, the family (Mike, Di, Maxine, Allan, Glenn, Melanie, Jack, Thomas, Chris and Marc) headed to RACV Royal Pines Resort at Benowa on the Gold Coast to celebrate Mike's 70th Birthday.  Our "Pamper and Play" Package included a full buffet breakfast and the choice per person of either 18-holes of golf or a 60-minute pamper session at One Spa.  Maxine, Melanie, Chris, Marc and myself all chose to have a massage.  Maxine liked the idea of being pampered so much that she ended up having a facial, a manicure and a pedicure as well...  On Saturday evening we all dined at Arakawa Restaurant (specialising in authentic Japanese cuisine) where we all thoroughly enjoyed the tastiest teppanyaki.  Our Chef, Aki, was amazing and when we had finished our meal the Staff surprised Mike with two scrumptuous tarts decorated with a sparkler!  On the Sunday, because it was overcast and looking like it was going to rain, Glenn decided not to play his round of golf (he didn't want to be riding his motorbike back to Brisbane in wet clothes) but Mike and Allan went off to brave the awful weather...  They didn't even get halfway around the course when it bucketed down and they had to call it quits but Mike was happy because he was given a voucher to play 18 holes there at any time within the next 12 months!  Because Glenn opted out of the golf I got to have a pedicure and I thoroughly enjoyed it - I can't remember the last time that I have had painted toenails...  I enjoyed the stay so much that I want to go back there in May for my Birthday!!!
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."

Happy Halloween

On the evening of Saturday, October 30, Manly Harbour Village hosted the Halloween Street Party.  What started out about 10 years ago by local traders as a way of promoting the village is now reported to be the biggest street party in Australia.  Thousands of spectators join spookily costumed revellers in an evening of high-spirited hi-jinks...  It all starts around 11:00 am with scary rides, market stalls selling glow-sticks, fake snakes and spiders, frightful face painting and other Halloween fun.  The Halloween Parade which is traditionally led by fire twirlers from Phoenix Fire Tribe is held at dusk in Cambridge Parade.  There is no trick-or-treating but there is a pumpkin carving competition, local entertainers and prizes for best costumes.  Everyone gets dressed up - even the babies in strollers!  The evening ends with fireworks over the bay... 

Quest Business Achiever Awards 2010

At the Gala Awards Night event held at Shangri-La Gardens in Wynnum West on Friday, September 3, 2010, the Wynnum Manly Tourism & Visitor Information Centre was announced as the winner of the Community Service & Non-Profit Organisations Category in the Quest Community Newspapers 2010 Business Achiever Awards.
Guests who glammed up in their glad rags for a "Gala" evening enjoyed a two-course meal while the band "Hot Sauce" got the dance floor pumping.  Local business got into the party spirit to prove that enterprise in the bay has fun while it booms!  It was a night of fun, good food, good music and good company...

Jessica's 21st Birthday

Our Granddaughter, Jessica, is so special - she fills our lives with love. Like a rainbow made with sunshine when rain falls from above, precious memories she gives us...  Many heartaches and some tears, she's a treasure that is priceless that will last us all our years!

It only seems like yesterday that our little bundle weighing just 4lb 2oz was safely delivered into the world and won our hearts!  On Saturday, August 28, 2010 family and friends celebrated Jessica's 21st Birthday.  Platters of finger food, drinks (including "Cosmopolitan" and "Sex on the Beach" slushies) and non-stop music in a non-formal setting.   21st speeches, the embarrassing stories from parents and family, funny moments from old friends. It's all about the "coming of age" - everyone had a really great time... 

 
To Jessica,
May laughter surround you
May love fill each day
May your troubles be small
As you go on your way

May friendships be strong

May life bring you luck

And for a kind word
May you never be stuck
These wishes we send
Especially for you
With hope in our hearts
May each one come true.


With lots of love from, Nan & Pop xxoo
 

Scrapbooking

I have always considered myself to be artistically dislocated but how hard can it be with scrapbooking?  I've found that I can express my creativity by having fun selecting, cutting, pasting and journaling.  In just a short time I can hold in my hands a unique piece of my own artwork.  Even for a retired Granny of 62 scrapbooking gives me the pleasure of creating and preserving wonderful memories in an album.  My husband says that it's him or the scrapbooks - I'm gonna miss that man!  Life is just a scrapbook waiting for me to put it on acid free paper so I'll bury my soul in a scrapbook with the photographs there and the moths...  Not every page has to be a masterpiece!

Grandchildren & School Holidays

Being a Grandparent is a wonderful thing!  When I am with our Grandchildren I always feel younger.  Having our two Grandsons, Jack and Thomas to stay for sleepovers is a highlight of my life and makes my heart sing...  It is always a delight to spend time with them - it helps me to understand and know them. 

Last Wednesday we took them for a drive to Underwater World (Queensland's largest oceanarium) at Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast and had a "splash-tacular day out!"... There was so much to "sea" and so much more to "do".  There are over 5,500 of the ocean's most amazing creatures to see.  The boys loved the underwater viewing tunnel with the moving walkway.

In Zone 01 "Touch & Tell" they were able to tickle the sea stars and sea cucumbers with their "flippers" (fingers).  In Zone 02 "Weird & Wonderful" they discovered what cowfish, pineapplefish, lionfish, stonefish and the not-so-furry rabbitfish look like.  We missed the Seal Show in Zone 03 "Seal Island" but we did watch the cheeky seals showing off prior to the show.  They were unable to take their eyes off the "otterly" hilarious family of otters in Zone 04 "Otter Empire" for a second.  In Zone 05 "Fresh & Freaky" they checked out Makita the sawfish, Marge the freshwater crocodile and the giant barramundi!  In Zone 06 "Billabongs & Backyards" they saw freshwater turtles play about with ancient lungfish, archerfish and slimy frogs.  Massive sharks and giant rays swam all around us in Zone 07 "Sharks Alive".  Zone 08 "Crawly Creatures" allowed us to see whether the creatures had fins, webbed feet, scales or giant tails. 

Mike and I both had a giggle as neither Jack nor Thomas would go anywhere near Shrek at the "Meet and Greet" in Trouble Theatre - let alone have their photograph taken with him!  We enjoyed lunching in the Octopus Garden Cafe and all in all had oceans of fun during our day out!