We had a lovely first caravan trip to the mainland in May 2015.
Destination Maroochydore to celebrate with my brothers family members for our
mum's 80th birthday, then on to my sisters and another celebration on the
actual day.
On the way to Maroochydore we stopped at
Glenrowan - Ned Kelly Country - and visited and amazing anamatronic show where
the events leading up to his capture were recreated as if you were there and
part of the events.
We also visited Mount Panorama - the racing
track and museum of cars and motor bikes.
While at my brothers we visited
Underwater World at Mooloolaba, I had been there before but it is a lovely
place to visit and admire the fish in a near normal environment as we walked
around viewing tunnels and observed their behaviours.
It was lovely to get away and relax also
to spend time with family members on both sides of the family.
We had a slight hiccup leaving my sisters
house, the kerbing in front of her house was a little high and damaged the rear
of our Ford XR6, necessitating running repairs in the way of screws and cable
ties.... we arrived at Michael's fathers home and another problem the drive was
too steep to be able to back the caravan in.... quick unhook and an appeal to
the neighbours to help push the caravan into place, and some serious thinking
about the vehicle. We love the XR6 but it is perhaps just a little too
low to tow with.
Next day on way to SeaWorld we checked out
some 2nd hand cars and I did a search on Cars Guide and we put an expression of
interest in at Sunshine Ford on a Ford Territory ex demo vehicle they had....
arranged to view it later in the day, crunched some numbers with the budget and
we became the proud owners of a new Territory, diesel, just had a couple of small
things to do on it before we took possession, like fitting a tow bar, and
having tinting done on the windows.
This also gave us a chance to visit
Movie World and spend a relaxing day there moving among look alike movie stars
and watching stage shows and 3D movies.
We spent an extra night on the Gold Coast
catching up with family there before we took possession of our new vehicle and
travelled onto Valla Beach in NSW, and visiting Michael's mother and husband
Geoff.
We had a lovely meal out with his mum, as
Geoff was not well and was in Macksville hospital, having some tests done.
We stayed an extra day in Valla Beach
before heading down to Melbourne and the Spirit of Tasmania ferry and home.
We had just been home about a fortnight,
back at work a week when we hastened to Melbourne as Michael's daughter Emma
had her first baby, a gorgeous little bundle of joy called Thea. She had
been a little anxious to meet us all, causing her mum to spend time in hospital
in Tassie, before transferring to Royal Melbourne Womens Hospital for the
birth. Thea was diagnosed as having spina bifida in an early scan and
would require surgery immediately following her birth. She has proven to
be quite a feisty little girl, kicking out catheters and removing drips, but
has come on in leaps and bounds and is progressing well. It was lovely
that all the siblings and family where able to be in Melbourne for some time
while Thea was in Neo Natal Intensive Care and show support to Emma and her
partner Matthew. Michael and I flew in the day following the birth and
stayed 4 days we had to wait for our cuddles of the precious little bundle till
she was released from hospital and back home in Tassie.
During this time we were made aware of
problems with Michael's step father, his health was deteriorating fast, he had
been placed in a nursing home for respite care with the possibility of a full
time placement as it was getting harder for Michael's mother to care for him at
home. He was having falls and there was the possibility that he could injure
himself in a fall, and it was hard to assist him back upright following falls.
We got a phone call on a Tuesday morning that he had passed away and
planned a trip back to the mainland for his funeral and farewell. We
travelled into Sydney along with Liz (Michael's eldest daughter) and Josh
(Michael's son from Adelaide) met us there. We hired a car and had a 6 hour
trip to Valla Beach for the funeral the following day. It was lovely to see all
of Michaels Brothers and his sisters in one place with his mum, but it was a
pity the circumstances were such. Road trip back to Sydney and back
home....
The day before we left for Sydney I had
the news that a dear school friend of mine that had been battling cancer had
passed away, so we came home to another funeral and this time I had been asked
to give a Eulogy to my friend about our school days and our friendship over the
years.
