Brisbane Trip Day 22: Brisbane

We had another quiet morning, chatting, playing with kittens, playing Roblox, watching YouTube, I did some work with my photos. Caitlin and one of the girls wanted to go shopping again, so I dropped them off at Riverland in Ipswich, then I went to Jaycar to get a new cable for our USB charging box for the car – it stopped working when we were on our big trip and I’ve been using the fan charging cable ever since. The guy there was very helpful – looked at it and said it might be the fuse, so checked it, changed the fuse for me and charge me 40c. I got back in the car and it worked again – very happy! I got petrol and milk and headed back home for a cuppa with my friend.

The girls were ready to come home around midday, and we decided to all go into Ipswich and meet them there and have a play at Queens Park. My friend took the boys and picked the girls up at the library, Amelie and the oldest girl and I went in my car. We were almost there when it started raining, so I popped back home to get my clothes inside – I want them dry when we leave tomorrow. Back to the park where we found the others. It was a very cool playground. The girls borrowed my camera and took some modeling type shots, they had a lot of fun. Caitlin and one of the girls were wearing the same coloured skirt, they looked good together. Caitlin had found some high-heeled boots at the op shop so was very happy to finally get some.

It started raining fairly heavily and we moved under a gazebo to have some sausages and cake for lunch. Liam’s shorts had got caught on the flying fox so I rummaged in the car to find more pants for him – most things were at the house but I managed to find something acceptable. As the rain eased all the big kids went back out to play, and Amelie danced for my friend and I – to Shake it Off and You Belong With Me. It was pretty awesome.

We wandered across the road to the Nature Reserve where there is a free animal zoo. We saw wallabies, wombats, snakes, lizards, turtles, bilbies, spinifex hopping mice, and birds. Very cool. At the end of the walkway is a petting zoo where we patted a steer, a sheep, and looked at some goats. It was a lot of fun.

The boys and Amelie went back to the park and the rest of us went to look for the Japanese gardens. At first we went the wrong way and found an orchid greenhouse which was quite pretty. We located the gardens and had a wander – pretty paths and bridges and trees and ponds and streams and lilies. There were lots of water dragons – at one point we saw 12 on the same area of grass. We even saw some swimming which was a bit exciting. There were turtles in the main pond who swam right near us.

My friend left to take one of the girls to dancing, and I went back to the park to collect the boys and Amelie, the other girls followed soon after. After a bit more of a play I did 2 trips to take everyone home. I had a cup of tea and relaxed for a little while, then started on sorting out the car – getting all the rubbish out of it and reorganizing things so I could put our bags back in. Once that was done I packed all our bags and got everything together inside so we wouldn’t forget anything in the morning. It took a bit longer than I’d hoped but really wasn’t too hard. One of the girls cooked dinner and I did get to sit and relax once I was all packed. The boys played more Roblox (they had 2 ipods connected to the xbox so they could all play the same game), Amelie watched YouTube and the big girls did yoga and gymnastics together. They made up some 2 person yoga positions, then the boys came outside and they started to incorporate them into the yoga as well, and ended up with a 5 person position. It was really cool to watch them work it out, come up with the ideas then play around with who should be where, and adjust as necessary. The mozzies drove us inside after a while.

My friend came home around 11 so we had a bit of a last chat before I headed to bed, everyone else went fairly soon as well as we all have an early start in the morning.

Brisbane Trip Day 21: Brisbane

It was another quiet morning at home. The kids gradually woke from their various beds (they all seem to have settled into their own spot, after all the bed switching over the first few nights). I spent some time on the computer and then curled up on the couch with my iPad, then we watched some movies as the kids emerged - Chasing Liberty, and When We First Met. We started I, Robot then people kept getting distracted so we paused it for later. Lots more chatting, making and eating dehydrated food, cups of tea, Roblox, Minecraft, playing with the kittens. I transferred Caitlin's phone to a new plan so she has unlimited calls - will make contacting her friends (and us) a lot easier.

In the afternoon the older girls were going to dancing. I felt like going out as well so was keen to take the boys to a river or lake or somewhere and have my friend meet us there with Caitlin. No one wanted to go and I was tempted to talk them into it, when one of the girls suggested I take them to dancing. This worked for everyone - all the other kids were able to stay home, my friend had a night off the drive to dancing, and I got to go out and explore.

We left around 2pm (I took her car because we were picking up some other girls and there wasn't really room for people I didn't know in my messy car). I love talking to these girls, they are interesting and informed and curious. We picked up the other girls and I dropped them all at dancing and then I had about 3 hours to do whatever I liked. I kept driving along the road that dancing was on and found an information centre. I popped in and said I had 3 hours to kill, what kind of things were there to do and they looked at me like that was the hardest question they'd ever been asked. They suggested a couple of picnic areas but warned me that they might be a bit isolated and creepy at this time of day. We had a bit of a chat and they gave me a map. I wandered a little around the park where I was (Pine River) - the playground was amazing - and wanted to go down to the river but it seemed to be blocked by a DiscGolf course. I drove further north towards Petrie and saw a BCF, so went in to buy a replacement cord for my car fridge (it's only been 2 weeks since it stopped working...). I drove up to the river, traffic was heavy but flowing. The first park I went to didn't feel inviting, so I drove over to the other side of the river. There was a guy standing in a gazebo and I felt uncomfortable walking past him so I walked the other way, under the railway line and alongside a football field. There were occasional places to stop and look at the river, some cool mangroves and 2 bridges to walk under. It did feel isolated so I didn't linger - I did take some cool photos though. The river wasn't super pretty, it was nice though.

I headed back down the road to a big shopping centre (Strathpine). I wandered around for a while, browsed a book shop, then realised I needed to eat. I had a chicken burrito from Zambreros which was delicious. I was heading to Aldi to buy a cheap drink when I walked past a massage place -they did a 20 minute foot massage for $25 and my feet have been SO sore on this trip - so I treated myself and it was amazing. So relaxing and nurturing, I'm so glad I did it. Walking felt much easier afterwards, and I was quite relaxed and happy. I browsed in Aldi, bought and ice coffee, wandered around a bit more and went to Big W to get more charging cables for our devices. It was nearly time to get the girls so I went back to the car (and could now play my music because I could charge my phone and not risk running out of battery). On the way back I stopped at an electrical store to try to find a charging cable for our multi-USB box, they didn't have what I needed but had some suggestions for me to try. I arrived at dancing and read in the car until the girls came out. We had another great chat on the way home.

Back at the house I joined my friend in the bedroom watching tv again and the girls all ended up with us as well, talking about our days and lots of other things. We watched The Revenant while we talked (and played with kittens) - it got pretty intense, certainly not a relaxing movie but so well made and acted. The boys were still playing Roblox and the girls wandered off to watch various things on Netflix (Caitlin and one of the girls are watching Brooklyn 9-9, the other has been watching Married At First Sight). Amelie and I went to bed and she watched youtube videos for a while and I played on my iPad until I was ready to sleep.

Sydney Trip -> Day 4

More sewing, iPads, trampolining, running outside, dressing up, doing hair, Wii, and lots of chatting by L and I this morning. The girls curled Caitlin’s hair as she was going to watch C perform in Mary Poppins tonight. All the girls left around 2.30 with L to go to dancing and then on to the show, and (for those not going to the show) to hang out in a café and a place with chocolate fondue while the show was on. I stayed at home with the 3 boys, and had a very quiet afternoon – they played the Wii and the iPads, ran around outside for a while, watched TV, played with the kittens, and popped out every so often to ask for food.

Sydney Trip -> Day 3

Despite having 13 different beds/mattresses for people to sleep on, the 7 kids managed to use only 2 single beds for the night! The 3 older girls slept in one bed, and Millie and the 3 boys in another. They all seemed pretty happy (although a bit uncomfortable) and we thought it was quite funny.

During the day the kids continued playing in and outside. They watched a movie and L and I sat out the front and had a cup of tea and a good chat. The older girls did a lot of sewing, making bags and pillows and doll’s clothes. Millie had been given a teddy by the girls, and they made clothes for it out of scraps – it looks amazing. The girls also curled each other’s hair and did make up on each other.

In the afternoon the 3 boys went in to the city as one of them has been cast in a commercial and needed to get fitted for his outfit. They took the scooters and rode for a while in Centennial park and climbed the fig trees, then called in to see a friend before going to the wardrobe call. In the meantime the girls kept sewing and played the Wii for a while, and curled my hair (which looked a bit ridiculous but was fun for all of us). I took one of the girls to dancing, and then the 3 remaining girls and I went shopping for more groceries (7 kids are eating a fair amount of food between them!). We took our time shopping which Millie liked, she could play on the rides and look at things in windows etc. We came home and did more sewing and played on iPads etc. The others got home around 9, and we organized the mattresses so that everyone could sleep in the one room without all having to sleep in the same bed. We two mums again went to bed before everyone else, but they settled down pretty quickly.

Sydney Trip -> Day 2

We woke to a very cold frosty morning. Everyone was keen to get going so we could get to Sydney earlier, so we ate breakfast, the kids helped to pack and to tidy up the cabin, then went to play on the jumping pillow and playground while I finished packing the car.

We were on the road before 9.30, something I can’t remember happening before when we’ve been staying in paid accommodation. (I think everyone having their own bag makes packing much easier, rather than one bag with everyone’s clothes in it). It was still cold and frosty but a beautiful sunny morning and lovely to be driving. We listened to some They Might Be Giants, and then started an Audio Book ‘Atticus Claw Settles the Score’ – another book about a cat and it was hilarious and engaging.

By the time we approached Gundagai I needed petrol so we stopped at the Dog on the Tuckerbox to fill the car and stretch our legs. We had a play and bought some hot chips (and a hot drink for me) and ate them in the sun near the dog. We also bought a couple of bags of Batlow apples which were delicious.

We drove the last 3 hours to Sydney with only one extremely brief stop (I pulled over, ran around to the door where the food bags were, found the food that people wanted to eat, handed it out and then we kept going and ate in transit). We reached our friends’ house at around 3.45, which was 2-3 hours before they were expecting us, so a very pleasant surprise for them, and such a relief for my kids to finally be there. Even I had been not quite believing we were going to actually get away on this holiday, so it was so great to be with our friends and realize we’d made it.

I had a cup of tea with L, and the kids played inside and out – on the trampoline and swings and bikes, in the bedrooms, dressing up, on their iPads, with the kittens (5 kittens only 4 weeks old – so incredibly small and cute!!!). After a couple of hours the girls had to go out to a dancing/singing class. Caitlin went with them and was able to join in the class which she loved. Millie and the boys and I stayed home and they continued playing as they had before. We had Chinese for dinner once everyone was home, then negotiated who was going to sleep where. L and I went to bed before any of the kids, eventually they all took themselves off and fell asleep.

Houseboat/Wedding Trip Day 5: Hawkesbury River -> Home

We awoke with no rush to another sunny morning and pottered about the houseboat. Tony cooked bacon and eggs for breakfast and we ate them up on the roof. Afterwards we went for a swim off the back of the houseboat - Caitlin and I were much more confident this time and stayed in for ages, and Amelie and LiAM came in with their life jackets on - at first for very quick dips then back on the boat, then becoming more confident and staying in for longer. The water felt amazing and it was a beautiful place to be swimming. Tony and I were in and out depending on what the kids were doing (so that there was always someone either in the water or on the boat if that's where the kids were).

We had seen a few sea eagles during our time on the boat, including a couple circling straight overhead when we were onshore on Friday. This morning an eagle came and landed in a tree on the shore closest to our boat - then circled round and around, low, in our bay. Very exciting. My aunt and uncle came to visit us in their tinny, pretty cool to get visitors whilst on the water!

The view from our houseboat in Deep Bay

Sea Eagle

Swimming

We decided to get moving fairly early as the forecast was for 41 degrees and we knew from Friday that it felt much hotter down in the gorges of the creek than in the more open river closer to Brooklyn. So after our wonderful swim we set off - the cool thing about travelling in a houseboat is that we can do the dishes and cleaning up while en route - Tony drove and I sorted out the kitchen. I had planned to pack our bags while we were moving but it was more interesting talking to Tony, looking at the scenery, helping LiAM with his lego sticker book. We had music playing on Caitlin's iPad mini so there was dancing happening as well.

The view as we left Berowra Creek and headed up the Hawkesbury River

We made good time up the creek and went the long way around an island rather than the shortcut we'd taken last time, then under the bridges again and around to near Hawkesbury River marina where there were more public moorings. We moored here and I started to pack - there were so many other boats going past, on a hot Sunday morning, that the boat was constantly rocking in the wake, and with my head down packing bags I was feeling more and more nauseous and kept wandering outside to breathe. We decided to move somewhere quieter and just float around rather than mooring, so we went around the far side of Dangar Island and looked at a little waterfall there, then after a while headed back under the railway bridge and just cruised up and down in the large area of the river between the bridges. Eventually we were packed, Tony made lunch and cleaned up the kitchen, then we were ready to head back in to the marina so called for a boat to come out and pilot us in (around 2pm).

We were taken back in, got our stuff of the boat, left some bags at the desk for Mum and Dad to pick up on their way to Newcastle, and the guy dropped us at the station just in time for the 2.37 train. It was pleasant to be in the air conditioning of the train after the heat of the day. It looked like a storm was coming too, so while it was sad to be off the boat, we were glad not to have to face any bad weather while onboard.

From Central Station we caught the rail-replacement bus out to the airport, where we had plenty of time to check in carefully and slowly (no rush this time), then go and have a leisurely dinner in the food court, and watch the low clouds racing across the airport outside. We had a few hours at the airport and it felt like just the right amount of time - then our plane was delayed as the crew had been delayed on their trip up from Melbourne - the storm had prevented planes from landing for a while - so we left about half an hour late and the kids were really ready to go by then. It was a bit of a bumpy trip, but uneventful. The kids and Tony all watched movies and I did puzzles in my book. We arrived in Melbourne after 10, went and picked up our car, then home at 11.30pm with 3 sleeping kids, moved them and our bags inside, fed the animals, then went to bed ourselves.

Houseboat/Wedding Trip Day 4: The Wedding

Everyone slept better this night, although I woke with a shock at 5.10am thinking we'd slept in because it was so light outside - being further east and north of home, the sun rises and sets a lot earlier. We had planned to get up at 5.30 so I got up and started to get organised, everyone except Millie woke up easily and had some breakfast, and we were on our way in the tinny, with a sleepy Amelie, by 6.30am. Beautiful time of day to be out on the water.

We arrived back at the penthouse by 6.45, ready for me to start getting my hair done at 7. It was lovely having the hairdresser play with my hair with all my family and my brother's new family around. She did a braid across the front and down one side, and softened up the curls elsewhere. Throughout the morning she also did Caitlin's hair (2 braids leading around to a plait at the back, and soft curls underneath), and hair for my sister, the bride, her sister, and Millie - who had a Elsa braid - twists leading to a plait (Millie still had lots of dreadlocks and her hair is not really brushable at the moment, and she wanted a plait, so this was perfect). We hung around for the morning, played with the baby, chatted to everyone, ate fruit, it was very relaxed and casual and a lovely way to prepare for a wedding. The bride was the most relaxed bride I've ever seen - confident that everything would go to plan, or if something didn't, that it would work out one way or another anyway. At some point the morning shifted from relaxed hanging out to 'time to get ready' and the 14 of us there were suddenly rushing around getting dressed, which was also quite fun.

The kids looked amazing in their flower girl and ring bearer outfits. LiAM left with us and we all went on a ferry with other guests to the Berowra Waters Inn where the wedding was being held. The girls stayed with the bride and her sister to come on the bridal boat.

Waiting for the bride

The bridal boat arriving

The girls arrived at the wedding and Amelie bravely walked in by herself, followed by Caitlin and then the bride. The ceremony was lovely, and moving, and in a beautiful setting, on the deck of the restaurant overlooking the water and the mountains. There were parasols for guests who were standing in the sun so it wasn't too hot. LiAM took the rings up at the appointed time and placed them on the marriage book for the celebrant to hand them to the bride and groom. My sister (with baby T) and the bride's sister did readings.

After the ceremony there were bubbles to blow, and lots of people to talk to. We had a session of family photos before the food started.

The wedding attendants

With the bride and groom and my parents

The rest of the afternoon was a mix of yummy food (although there wasn't enough food for the kids, who managed very well despite being a bit hungry and very hot), speeches, chatting to the other guests - I met lots of the bride's family and they were all welcoming and interested in our family. It was also fun catching up with some of my brother's friends who I hadn't seen for many years, and my aunt and uncle and some old family friends who were there. The kids explored the area around the restaurant, played with the bubbles and parasols, danced, chatted to numerous guests, and impressed everyone with their conversation.

Around 4.30 the bride and groom left, and the ferry came to pick up all the guests. We went back to the penthouse and changed into more comfortable shoes/clothes as required, had a bit of a rest, then went to the after party at a nearby house, friends of the bride and groom. More chatting, playing, dancing until our boat transport came to pick us up around 7pm to take us back to the houseboat. It was sad to leave the party, although we were all very tired and I really wanted to be back on the boat before sunset and have something to eat and settle down before dark. We had a very quiet evening on the boat, eating leftovers and sitting watching the boats go by the end of our bay, and everyone was in bed by 9pm.