Some months later.....

Well, it hardly seems possible that I haven't updated our blog for such a long time.  Since my last post, months have passed, we've been to London, Dad turned 70, Mum and I had a wonderful two days in Paris, Paul and I then went to Durham, home to Suffolk and spent a weekend in Coggeshall, before the journey back to Melbourne via Hong Kong, where Paul proposed!  Here are some snaps of what we have been doing recently....

Old Friends reunite in Australia

Laura and Miles came to stay with us in Victoria on the Queen's Birthday weekend.  They hired a car and drove up from Adelaide, along the Great Ocean Road.  They stayed the night at Port Fairy and continued on to Melbourne on the Friday morning.  We drove them down to Sandy Point for the long weekend.  It was a brilliant weekend!  Couple of photos attached, from the scenic drive back to Melbourne on the Monday.  

Various shots from days at Sandy Point

We went to Sandy Point again this weekend.  This weekend we were joined by Kim & Jac (and Larry), Mandy & Nathan (and Bronte, Yvette and Obi).  We went down on Friday night.  It is the middle of winter, but the weather was spectacular.  Cold at night, but gloriously sunny during the day.  I got slightly above my station and went stand up paddle boarding with Paul in all my clothes (was being lazy and didn't put a wetsuit on) - very risky..... as at one point we had a crash and he rode his board straight on top of mine.  Luckily I didn't fall in, in my jeans!  The photo of us stand up paddle boarding was taken at Shallow Inlet.  Nathan also gave us a lesson on how to rig up (and sail) our windsurfer which we bought a few months ago.   Paul got a land board recently, as a belated birthday present.  It is supposed to be used with a kite on the beach, basically a big skate board and the kite pulls you along.  There wasn't a breath of wind, so we decided to hook up a rope to Kim's ute, and be pulled around that way!  Being ever so careful, I wore a wakeboarding helmet!  Couldn't really face hitting my head!!! Other shots were taken a few months ago, probably the last time we took Kim & Jac's boat out wakeboarding at the Inlet.  

Jac cooked a delicious thai green curry on Saturday night, and we spent the day surfing on Sunday.  Fantastic weekend, can't wait for the next one down there.  

Surfing at Sandy Point

Just in case you don't believe my grand stories of starting to learn to surf.....here is the evidence. Paul bought me a surfboard for my 30th birthday in October. These shots were taken two weekends ago. It is now Winter, but tomorrow Laura and Miles arrive and we will take them to Sandy Point. Seeing as Laura did a surfing and yoga holiday in Hawaii not that long ago I'm expecting big things from her!

Laura and Miles came to stay and Kim and Jac took us out to see a colony of seals in the bay.

We had visitors from Adelaide a little while ago.  Unfortunately, the four seasons in one day seriously came true for Laura and Miles.  

The weekend before last we went out with Kim and Jac on their boat, to see seals at a colony in the Bay.  We also saw masses of dolphins.  I took ALOT of photos, here are a few of them!!!! .........

Easter 2009 at Sandy Point

Easter Day was a beautiful sunny day, blue skies and light breeze.  

Kim and Jac came to stay, as did Emma.  Unfortunately, it was too choppy to get Kim and Jac's boat in the water for wakeboarding or water skiing, but we did lots of surfing.  

I cooked roast beef, yorkshire puddings, parsnips, leeks, carrots and peas.  And a banoffee pie for pudding. Very fattening!  We did an easter egg hunt in the garden, think there are still a few out there, and it is mega hot today so they will have melted by now!

Here are a few pics....

Melbourne CBD by night - last night......

I went out for dinner with Clare last night - raised a glass to her dad (Ian's) 75th birthday and Mum and Dad's wedding anniversary tomorrow. I took this photo from our table - can't wait for everyone to come and visit - think you're going to like the restaurants on the River, Luckin boys and girls!!!!

Memories of Frinton.......and the dizzy heights of the Rialto

Some shots of the beach huts on Brighton Beach, which I took with Nell when she came to visit recently. Also, a photo from the top of the Rialto Tower (office block I work in) - I took myself up to the 55th floor for lunch yesterday and the views were spectacular. I then bought presents for Lucas and Georgie in the gift shop - to be dispatched next week.

Was looking through photos and found this......

Christmas 2007.....and Christmas 2008..... - You all know me well...... both very very enjoyable,Christmas wouldn't be Christmas unless.... smoked salmon on brown bread with champagne - the Aussies loved it!!!  Glasses were raised to absent friends and family this year. I went for a surf while my turkey was in the bbq.  I will admit that I cremated the parsnips, and pretty much ruined the sausages, but added a new twist to the family Luckin/Webber christmas by making Yorkshire Puddings, and put a lots of nutmeg in my bread sauce, (which worked well if I do say so myself!!) 

A few more sydney photos......

This is a photo taken yesterday on Paul's birthday - Allan his dad on the left.   And further down, Paul with his nephew Alessandro (soon to be 5) and Alessandro with his little brother, Charlie. 

Horrified to see it is a month since I have added anything on here! Time does fly when you are having fun......

Well, we enjoyed our 7 year anniversary last week.  We went to Riva in St Kilda marina, which was a gift from Anne and Oli (thank you very much it was a fantastic meal, in a wonderful setting).  At the weekend we went to Sydney to Kristen's wedding on Saturday.  We had great weather on the Saturday for the wedding then the weather went very downhill on Sunday - pouring rain!  Monday was slightly brighter but mega humid.  It was Paul's birthday on Tuesday (yesterday) we both took the day off work and had lunch in Brighton with Maureen & Kevin and Allan.  A few recent photos attached.  

Weekend at Sandy Point - with photos of the Prom

We went down to Sandy Point at the weekend with Clare and Simon, and did lots of surfing, stand up paddling, bbqing, some fine and not so fine wine drinking, walks on beach and a visit to Wilson's Prom on Sunday.  It was the hottest day in Melbourne on Saturday, recorded at 46.4 in the city, not sure what temperature we got to at Sandy Point but suffice to say, it was necessary to stay either in the ocean, or indoors playing draughts and reading papers.  Unfortunately the skies were filled with smoke, from the fires of "Black Saturday".  We had a lovely long walk on Wilson's prom and here are some of the photos.......  

Roos and a cow in a trailer.....

I have finally seen kangaroos in the wild, moments before eating Kangaroo steak for the first time!  (it is delicious).  Here are a few pics, we took these at Wilson's Prom in December and the other photo was too good an opportunity to miss - a bull (I think) riding a trailer and his driver was going 100Ks!