Back in oz and a visit from Ailsa:-)

Back in Australia just in time for a baby-tastic time!

Just back from the UK, Nick and I stopped in to see my friends from home Nicky and Lou before they became parents. Lou was certainly ready to "pop" and they were both beaming - even before their beautiful baby boy was born. . . [Nicky & Lou with Cooper at Lake Monger, Perth WA]

And a few weeks later. . . the arrival of Ellis Andrew Gould:

[Ellis with his scottish t-shirt on!] [Holding Ellis during the sleepy time between feeds - what a beautiful baby boy!]

While down in Margaret River, our great friends Jarod and Angie had a baby girl, Pia.

[Nick with Pia]

Inbetween clucking over the gorgeous new arrivals and getting back into the swing of things at school I have also been busy applying for my second working holiday visa (which has now been granted - phew!) and preparing for Ailsa's arrival.

Nipping up to Perth for the weekend I managed to have an Ellis fix and catch up with Nicky and Lou before staying at dad's cousin, Dorrie, and Mike's where we caught up on family chat. Ailsa arrived early the next morning from Hong Knog where she had spent a fun week with her cousin, Dawn, and an old friend, Lyndsay. Fresh-faced and raring to go we headed back down the road to the south west, stopping en route for a quick in a scary Hungry Jack's (Burger King)! A few hours later(after a few zzzs for Granny Ails) we were home and Ailsa was able to have a nosey round our "shack" before a beautiful late afternoon walk along the beach and beer watching the sun set over the Indian Ocean. What better way to introduce Ailsa to Australia![Ailsa on the beach at Lefties][Footsteps]
While I was singing the days away at school and Nick was slaving away in the vineyards Ailsa amused herself by jetting around the Margaret River region in my faithful friend, Bimbo, taking in the sights. With a few shopping sprees; lighthouses; walks and sight-seeing under her belt Ailsa was also able to kick back and relax after the madness of Hong Kong and the stress of leaving the UK (flat for sale; goodbyes etc etc!) In the afternoons and evenings we were able to enjoy some walks, wine tasting, and other local delicacies . . . but unfortunately due to bad weather, no surf![Ailsa and Cooper on a walk at Castle Rock]

Escaping from rainy Gracetown, Nick, his Japanese friend Yo, Ailsa, Cooper and I headed down south to Walpole (where Ali was previously stationed with Outward Bound). We rocked up in Walpole on the Friday evening of the AFL (Australian Football League) quarter-final night and skulked through the crowded, and very scary, Walpole Tavern. After a few jugs of beer, baskets of fish and chips, and some chat with some of Ali's Outward Bound pals who were also in the pub to watch the game, and we were ready to retreat to our chalet.

Staying in a chalet at Rest Point we launched Nick's boat on the Walpole Inlet the following morning surrounded by pelicans! Loading the boat with surf boards and fishing gear we headed out of the sheltered inlet and into the Nornalup Inlet, a much larger area of water that leads out to the sea through some very high sand banks. Nick, as always the master skipper, was doing fantastically at steering us through the wind-chopped water with Cooper, in his smart sea-faring jacket, looking none-too-pleased! Realising that the wind was getting up and it was going to be a rougher journey on the return we turned back mid-way across the inlet and rode the waves all the way back to Rest Point.[Pelican Crossing][Ailsa's used to the rough waters after her recent yachting adventures]

[All wrapped up - but a little unsure - Cooper the seadog with myself and Yo]

Unperturbed by our aborted sea voyage we decided to make the most of the clear skies and fish from the pier - but to no avail! As the winds grew and the rain battered our backs we admitted defeat and went to have some good Aussie tucker for lunch at the Walpole bakery!

[Nick (with my pink Ugly Stick!), Yo and Ailsa - altogether now - One, two, three, four, five . . . once I caught . . .!?!)]

Pies eaten, it was time for a windy, wet walk out to Mandalay Beach to see the wreck of the Mandalay ship protruding slightly from the sand and swell. A quick photo session and we sprinted back to the car for shelter as the next downpour began! Beers, Woodlands wine, pizzas and cards saw us happy for the rest of the evening, with friends of ours from Gracetown appearing to stay in the nextdoor chalet ready for the promise of good surf the following day.

[The Mandalay shipwreck and beach][". . .I can see clearly now the rain has gone!"]

At last the sun was shining and after a 530am surf at the surf break where the Nornalup rivermouth is, the boys came back for a cuppa and to collect the sleepy sea maidens and we set off again across the Nornalup Inlet and moored the boat alongside the other boats and jet-skis belonging to the other eager surfers. This surf break does not get good conditions very often so was relatively busy for a break that is only accessible by boat/jet-ski. Ailsa, Cooper and I had a nice long walk along the beach and a snooze in the sand dunes while the boys surfed.[The sun has got it's hat on . . and Ailsa has taken her's off! Off across the Inlet again . . ]

The following weekend was another one filled with fun, and some more sun! Whizzing up to Perth on the Friday afternoon we spent the weekend with Marian, Nick's mum, who was back from Hong Kong for a week. Staying in their lovely Scarborough house we were able to wake up to the blue skies and sunshine and head straight for a walk along the front overlooking the beach and the ocean. Cooper strutted his stuff enjoying the new and exciting sights and smells as Marian, Ailsa and I strolled along chatting. After a browse around the Scarborough surf shops and a coffee stop we headed with Nick down to Fremantle, via the tourist route through the picturesque suburb of Cottesloe. We soaked up the summer atmosphere in Freo with a delicious lunch in a pavement cafe where we did some fantastic people watching, and a stroll around the Fremantle markets.[Ails lapping up the aussie sunshine during lunch in Freo]

On Sunday Marian headed back to Hong Kong and we all went to visit Nicky, Lou and the gorgeous Ellis before having to bid goodbye to my fabulous friend Ailsa. It was sad to see her go as it was so much fun showing her around the south west and Nick, Cooper, Fifi and I really enjoyed her company. It was great for one of my girlfriends from home to finally meet Nick . . . he is real! . . . and for us to spend time together. However, Ailsa is now in Sydney where she is about to begin a two year placement for PWC so I have no doubt we will manage to meet up again soon! Yippee![Me, mummy Lou and Ellis] [The proud parents with Nick and Ailsa] [Smiling in the sunshine before saying goodbye to Ailsa][AA - yeah - we know! . . . but we surprisingly managed to avoid any of Ailsa's white wine "moments"!]

Back in Gracetown and all was quiet with no Ailsa to keep me amused on the way to work and in the afternoons! Fifi, Nick's family's cat, certainly missed Ailsa too as she had enjoyed her company during the days for the past two weeks as her health had been deteriorating and she was craving company. Sadly Fifi, who was fighting mouth tumours that were keeping her from enjoying here much-loved food, had to be put to sleep. For 16 years she ruled the roost in the various places she has lived with Nick and the other members of his family, and we have no doubt she is now queen of cat heaven! She nearly prevented me from moving into Nick's house due to my loathing of cats, and yet she became such great company. We all miss her now but can hear her padding around the cottage keeping the mice at bay throughout the night.

[Cooper and Fifi curled up on the sofa]

What a hectic and emotional week! School kept me busy too with it being the last week of term where the usual characteristics of worn-out staff and fractious students were readily on display! Holidays here at last we all downed tools (marking/preparation) and celebrated with a drink in the local pub.

With Nick busy at work we only managed to escape for a long weekend but had a fun, adventurous jaunt to Black Point, a national park a few hours south of Margs. The adventurous element was mainly created by our trip taking place in Nick's 1960's Land Rover. Having put the cage on the back with a cover over it we (the royal we!) spent a hectic day sorting out and fixing the Landie ready for the big trip. With our stuff piled in the back, and Nick, Cooper and I in the cab upfront we were finally ready to hit the road.

[Cooper, the wannabe human dog, upfront and raring to go! (At least he looks happier than he did on the boat!)]

[The Landie - all rigged up]
[A chilly night camping - as I forgot the pack the sleeping bags!!! Oooops! Not sure I will ever be allowed to forget that small hiccup!]
[Black Point - Waiting patiently!]

Back home I had a nice relaxing week catching up with friends for lunches and dusting down my surfboard ready for the summer. I had a fun surf with my friend Emma, and caught my first green (unbroken) wave - woohoo!

With one more week of the school holiday to go I am going to head down to Mount Barker in the south west with Nick for the week. Nick is judging a wine show down there and I thought that while he is tasting 150 wines a day I may as well take the opportunity to explore that region - sample a few of their wines and hopefully see some of the wild flowers that Western Australia is so famed for at this time of year.