Norfolk Island

After a quick visit to the gym this morning for my aquafit class, I'm now busy ignoring a suitcase that needs to be unpacked and eagerly sorting through the 400 or more photos I've taken over the past week and going over the wonderful memories in my mind. Norfolk Island was sunny, breezy, relaxing and a real change from the hot Sydney weather and hectic life I live.

There were trees with brilliant orange flowers (orange has always been my favourite colour), water birds, rich history with plenty of ruins of the old penal settlement, beautiful scenery, giant Norfolk Island Pine trees and not a single Gum Tree anywhere.

The food was great, though I think my bathroom scales are malfunctioning, I simply can't have gained that much weight in a week, not with all the walking we did. In many ways it is like stepping back in time to a simpler slower way of life.

The most fascinating experience was watching the fortnightly supply ship being unloaded, there is no harbour so the ship anchors quite a way out and small boats are towed out to collect the supplies, this whole process takes a couple of days and much skill from the workers. The islanders rely on the supply ship for just about everything and supplies can be quite low just before each shipment. The supplies we witnessed were all quite nondescript, however there are photos all over the island of cars, trucks and buses being unloaded in the same way onto two small boats lashed together!!! The close up photo of the boat near the penal settlement is very similar to the ones used today.
The only vegetables allowed to be brought in are Potatoes, Garlic and Ginger, everything else is grown on the island and I've been spoilt, the taste was just fantastic, (mental note - learn how to grow organic fruit and vegies).

Animals have right of way on the Island, the cows, ducks, chooks etc all seem to know this and wander everywhere. The Islanders have their own language and all this adds to the amazing charm of this wonderful friendly place. We got so used to waving to every car we passed (a Norfolk custom) that we found ourselves doing it over here. No one has waved back yet!

I even managed to purchase some fabric from a textile artist. Photos to follow in the next few days.

Aquarium

John and I went to the Aquarium in Darling Harbour a couple of days ago. It was probably an insane thing to do during the holiday period. It was very, very crowded but we had a great day. I took heaps of photos with mixed success and hopefully there is something useful in there for my intended ocean quilt. We showed great interest in all of the fish, but the one in the top photo is the only one who showed the least bit of interest in us.

I love the Water Dragon, those of you who know me well will know that I have a bit of a fascination for reptiles, that is as long as they stay outside.
My daughter phoned just before Christmas to say that she had arrived home from work to the news that there had been a Green Tree snake in the kitchen, it was last seen darting under the dishwasher !!! Apparently the children's nanny was extremely spooked and the kids wouldn't sleep in their beds for a day or two, but there have been no more sightings, so presumably it went out the way it came in. I'm led to believe her husband has been detailed to search out the entry point and destroy it.
John and I have a Diamond Python who lives in our roof, but that's on the outside of the house - a completely different kettle of fish.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I love the idea of a new year, a new beginning, a chance to make a list of my priorities for the new year which I see as an empty page waiting to be filled. I have many items on my list, too many to mention, however the top 3 are -

Walk EVERY day not just when I get around to it.

Do something creative everyday. If time is short, then just planning something creative or making sketches in one of my many journals and sketch pads will suffice.

Do lunch - regularly.

When I'm not messing around with fabric, I manage to make time for my other hobby. I play keyboard in our traditional Aussie dance band.
My husband John along with Don, Sam and Bob share this passion with me, together we make up the CURRAWONG BUSH BAND.
For New Year's eve this year we again played for the Monaro Folk Society at the Yarralumla Woolshed in Canberra. The woolshed has an interesting and distinguished history and is just magnificent, the photos could never do it justice, it's huge and yes, it still smells of sheep. There is a resident possum in the ladies loo, though it was a bit camera shy this year and by the time I'd found my camera he had disappeared.