What a great weekend!

Yesterday friends of Surrey's came to retrieve some of his treasures before I dispose of just the few bits and pieces I have sorted out so far. Thank you to all those who came, brought nibbles and wine and stayed to chat for a while. I can get on with sorting the next cupboard and see what it holds now that the floors in the front of the house are a bit clearer.

Today I went to the Mitchell Library for their One Hundred exhibition with friend Robyn. What a lovely way to spend a relaxing afternoon chatting over memories and experiences triggered by the items in the exhibition. Thanks Robyn.

Surrey's Birthday Picnic

Surrey's tree is doing well! We had a lovely picnic to celebrate his birthday. Friends and colleagues joined family. Thank you also to all those who emailed and rang to say they were unable to come. Many toasts were drunk all over the world today. The picnic rug I made from some of Surrey's shirts meant we were all reminded of him even more.

Thanks to all those who came and made the occasion so enjoyable. We had a beautiful warm sunny autumn day.

Dinner and a Movie

Last night Anne, Ev, Elaine and I (the playgroup mums) went to dinner and a movie at the Sutherland Entertainment Centre. We saw Bran Nue Dae - what fun. The meal was good too. Apparently they have a lot of dinner/movie nights and even lunches so I might like to go again. If you'd like to come to one just let me know.

Yum Cha for Ma

On Sunday Ellen, Rod, Geoff and the boys took me to Yum Cha for my birthday. We went to the Imperial Peking at Blakehurst. It was really great. The food was fantastic. Alex even liked the spring rolls and noodle rolls and Luke discovered that jelly was good.

 

Mummy and Alex shared stories about their weekend.

 

Daddy and Luke shared mobile tricks.

 

Luke loved the jelly which he does not usually eat.

 

And Geoff enjoyed the food and the boys.

Luke's First Big Boy Sleepover

Luke and Alex came to sleepover with Ma last weekend while Ellen and Rod went to a wedding. We did all sorts of things together:

• washed up
• chose fruit buttons to replace missing buttons on Alex's pyjamas (it was lots of fun sorting through Ma's button tins)
• cut spiral paper snakes and ran around the house with them
• fed the chooks and collected the eggs
• we played with balls in the back yard
• fed the fish
• watched a movie (and Alex fell asleep)
• had a bath
• went shopping to Officeworks and had an adventure walk home
• looked at things under the microscope - flowers, foam, sticker, Thomas, Percy (of course)

Luke slept in his own bed all night and so did Alex
.

Alex realised that he had forgotten to bring his quillo which he usually brings to Ma's house so next time they will both have to remember them.

Unfortunately on Sunday morning Alex bumped his head and had to sit quietly and hold ice on his lump so we watched a DVD and had a snack.

Then Rod, Ellen and Geoff came and took us all to Yum Cha for Ma's birthday lunch.

I am now a Retired Person

Today I finished up working at the Faculty of Engineering at UTS. Now I can get on with all the things I love doing. Of course there'll be things I hate as well I am sure but I'll try to keep those to a minimum or at least find the positive side of them.

I have enjoyed working at UTS but as I said in my farewell talk this afternoon - work is getting in the way of living.

Now I will get on with all those projects I have underway including:

• sorting out - who am I without Surrey? - both as a person and in our home
• caring for Alex and Luke as the need arises
• VISE
• helping to publish Surrey's final Waterplants book started a few years ago but just now getting underway with two colleagues Karen and Geoff
• 3 choirs
• patchwork and other craft
• a global quilting group with about 20 members
• our very large garden and chooks
• 5 blogs
• some teaching at UTS INSEARCH
• I might even get time to play my guitar again
• and maybe some travel in the years to come

In my talk this afternoon I quoted two poems that I love:

• 'The Door' by Miroslav Holub. I am opening the door to feel the draught
• 'May the Road Rise to meet you' - a traditional gaelic blessing for all those who have supported me in work and play

Shingles has been given the all-clear!

I visited the doctor yesterday and she has given me the all-clear to go back to work tomorrow. So everything should get back to normal now. I hope it does not come back again.

Surrey's Birthday Picnic

Consider yourself invited to Surrey's Birthday Picnic at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney next to the tree planted in his honour.

Please click here for more details.

Shingles!

Today I was diagnosed with shingles. Click here and here for all the facts. I am on medication and it has been caught early due to a whole string of things that just happened to come together.

This means I have cancelled my trip to Adelaide for Easter. I am disappointed because Dianne probably needs someone there to help her at the moment. However, it does mean I have no excuse not to have a lazy long weekend. I must remember to "... just sit" rather than find something really energetic to do. I thought a few movies (thanks Leonie) and a bit of patchwork (thanks Surrey) could work a treat. I will also be working with Dianne (long distance) to design a blog for her to display all her weaving on. You'll be able to click to it from my blog when it is done.

I've just found out that the cost of my flight is now in credit for me and I can rebook it anytime before March 2011. So I'll get there eventually Dianne.

I have found another site with more information on shingles. It looks as though this could last a week or two.

Swimming Lessons

Last week I was lucky enough to take Alex and Luke to swimming lessons while Mummy went to a meeting.

Here is Alex doing very high arm swimming. He is getting very good.

And in the distance you can see Luke being a very good boy in one of the little enclosures where the younger students wait for their turn. There were actually about 10 kids in the pool and three teachers. There are about 8 little enclosures where they sit and wait.

It was a lot of fun to see how well they are going.

We had to walk home and went to a park on the way and searched for all the numbers on the houses and letter boxes.