Being back in Australia has given us so many special moments and the much anticipated arrival of the first of the family's 7th generation was certainly right up there. The bonding experience and the sheer hard work put in by Anne, Frank and I to produce a Masterchef quality High Tea for 20+ ladies was a great day in itself. The subsequent Baby Shower was also a big event and it was lovely to see Juanita comfortably able to entertain family and friends at home - so many laughs and so much generosity shown for new Baby G. And then of course, there was the delight and excitement when little Olivia May made her quick and easy arrival into the world; she is a much loved and treasured addition to our family and we were all thrilled to welcome her to this big blue planet of ours. We of course will be relying on regular updates and photos from Mummy and Daddy whilst we tackle our next mega passage from Panama to French Polynesia.
We were so lucky to be able to spend Australia Day with our good Rotto friends Sharman and Jon, who always turn on a sensational celebration. It's a special feeling to be able to sing along to "I am Australian" with fellow Aussies in your own land. I totally love this amazing song, penned by Bruce Woodley and Dobe Newton and originally sung by The Seekers. The lyrics are a true reflection of what and who we are as a nation and in my opinion, this is the song that should be our National Anthem. You can enjoy it here:
I am Australian
The official National Day of our country, Australia Day is celebrated on 26 January, marking the arrival of the First Fleet of British ships at Port Jackson, NSW. In days gone by, we would spend this holiday with Sharman and Jon at Rottnest - it was the original date for our "Bullshit Bill" Dinghy Race at Stark Bay - a memorial race in acknowledgement of one of Stark's unique characters and a fundraiser for the National Heart Foundation. The City of Perth host an annual firework display "Skyworks" - sadly this year the event had to be cancelled following the tragic loss of a seaplane and its crew after it crashed into the Swan River whilst performing an aerial acrobatics routine for the gathering Skyworks crowd. Our nephew Stephen, who works for the Department of Parks and Wildlife, was on secondment for on-water crowd control and became a first responder following this terrible accident.
With the end of January, it was time for us to start getting ready to return to Elevation. When we first arrived, we had purchased a really cool little Saab Convertible (2001 model but with less than 65000 Km on the clock and a really good - read cheap - price). It was a great little car for us to get around in over the Aussie spring and summer however as we don't have any firm plans to be home again soon "The Tart" needed a new home. How fortunate that Buddy, a friend of Sharman and Jon's, was interested in her; we negotiated a fair price and agreed that we would hand over "The Tart" the day before we flew out. Of course, with Paul's required medical treatment, our plans were pushed back. Buddy very kindly offered to postpone delivery so we could do all our required running around - a very much appreciated gesture and a total win for us. We do know amazing people!