Time flies . . . when you are a busy wee bee!

. . . Another term at school over . . . time for another blog update!

Having sat at my computer on numerous occasions over the past 10 weeks to upload my photos and update my blog, time has escaped me and I now find that it is school holidays once again, and it is only now that I find time to finally give you all an update! Time really does seem to disappear!

Rewinding back to the last school holidays at the beginning of October(!) . . .

My holidays began with some very exciting news as my friends Claire and Gus whom I went to visit in Beijing on the way out to Australia emailed to say that they had just got married! Such fantastic news! Congratulations to the happy couple!

I had two weeks off for these October holidays, the first of which was spent relaxing at home with lunches and dinners with friends and a few surfs. My good friend Ally King was over visiting his friends Nat and Tony in Perth and popped down to Margs for a few days where we managed to have a bbq and some beers at the million dollar beach house that they had rented in Yallingup (northern end of the cape). We also caught up with our Japanese friend Yo and his lovely girlfriend Ayumi who fell in love with Cooper and kept screeching and giggling . . it took me back a few years!!![Dinner in Yallingup: l-r Ally King, me, Nick, Nat & Tony (Scrommit - an Aberdonian who no-one here could understand - took the photo!)]

The second week was spent down in Mount Barker where Nick was on the judging panel for the Qantas Western Australia Wine Show. Staying with Nick's aunt, Anne, and her husband, Mike, and their two dogs was fantastic and gave us a good base for the week. While Nick had the hard job of tasting 100+ wines a day, Cooper and I had a few trips - one to Albany in the south; one to Denmark, further along the coast; and the other to the Porongurup Wine Region. We also managed to have an afternoon with Nick to drive through the Stirling mountain range . . . not quite the munroes I am used to . . but stunning all the same! When the wine show was over we had a picnic and swim with Anne and Mike at Light's Beach before stopping off in Walpole to fish on the way home.

[War memorial, Albany]

[Strawberry Hill Farm Museum - and delicious devonshire teas!]

[View over Middleton Beach (where we stayed when mum, dad, Ali and I visited Albany) from the Granite Circular Walk that Cooper and I did!]

[Picnic on the beach with my friend, Tammy, at Green Pool near Denmark - Tammy popping the bubbles!]

[Cooper enjoying a swim in Green Pool, Denmark]

[Cooper and I with a view down the coast]

[The Stirling Mountain Range, Mount Barker] [Mike's old Merc that he took us for a spin in!][A huntsman spider came for the ride too!][Nick and Cooper fishing at Rest Point]

[Rest Point, Walpole - where I caught my first fish! A tiny black bream that swam away minutes later! Go the Pink Ugly Stick!!]

Back at school after this relaxing couple of weeks things began to get busier, and busier, and BUSIER! The last term at any school is crazy with assessments to complete; lessons to squeeze in; reports to write and end of term celebrations to prepare, but on top of this I stupidly(?!) organised an Instrumental Talent Show, a Musical Extravaganza and a trip to the Old Folk's Home! The fact that it was also nearly Christmas meant that the nativity had to be prepared and carols taught! ARGH!!! Amidst this ongoing headache of school we were delighted to have lots of visitors to stay to entertain us in the evenings and weekends - and to take my mind off school! Marian and Roger, Nick's parents, managed to get back from Hong Kong for a week and whizzed down from Perth to stay with us for a few nights. We had a lovely time fishing with them on the Blackwood River, eating yummy food and catching up. [Boys on the Blackwood: Roger, Nick and the cap-wearing C-dog!]

[And their ladies . . . all smiles - Marian and Anna][Marian and I, in the hood! - Feeling the chill!]

[CONCENTRATION!! An action shot - Me and the Pink Ugly Stick! Eeek! - Another branch!]

Shortly after that we had a visit from Joolz and Mark's friend, Michael, who was travelling over here and popped over for some 'roo and tatties! Nick's cousin Tom also came to stay for a few nights and we managed to catch up with Nick's brother, Paul, who was back from Indonesia for a wedding. It was great to meet Tom, and to see the family resemblence!, and to catch up with Paul again. While Tom was with us we also had a visit from Nicky, Lou and baby Ellis, who were down in Margs with Nicky's parents Andy and Jane who were over from Scotland. And last, but not least, we managed to have a couple of lovely evenings with mum and dad's great friends, Claire and Hugh, who were over in Australia to visit friends from when they used to live here. They very kindly added Margaret River to their list of places to visit and we had a fun time with them drinking local wines and eating yummy food. It was great, as always, to see friends from home and family members and we loved spending time with our wonderful visitors.

[Nicky, Lou, Jane, Ellis and Andy at Olio Bello]
[Hugh, Claire, Nick and Cooper outside our wee cottage (the garden no longer looks in this state as we re-vamped it yesterday!]
[Fishing on the river in Augusta with James, Sally, Cooper and Paul (Nick's brother)

Amidst all of this socialising Nick and I managed to escape from normality for a weekend and retreat to a luxurious botique hotel to celebrate our first anniversary. Having been asked if I would prefer to go camping or have a surprise (bearing in mind the last time we went camping we had to use towels as bedding as I had forgotten the sleeping bags!) Nick ended up whisking me off to Cape Lodge for the weekend where we had a walk, tennis and a leisurly spa before dining on exquisite food and stunning wine as the sun set over the water. Truly divine!

Another treat to ourselves was a flying visit to Sydney to celebrate Ailsa's 30th. Whizzing over on the Friday night red-eye and arriving in Sydney at 630am we collected our hire car and somehow managed to find our way to Ailsa's apartment in Elizabeth Bay. Ailsa had previously visited us in Gracetown en route to Sydney two months earlier and it was fantastic to see her looking so well, happy an so settled into her new life there. Her apartment is gorgeous and has a balcony out over the park and the water with a glimpse of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. After a few hours of zzzs we collected her friend Jules and headed North up the coast to Norah Heads, a beautiful peninsula where Ailsa had hired a chalet. We walked on the beach, had bubbles, a bbq and birthday cake, and spent a fun night dancing, playing cards and watching the election! A swim in the sea eased off the hangovers and we wound our way back towards Sydney along the coastal roads, stopping off at various beaches and cafes on the way. Back in Sydney we relaxed in Ailsa's apartment before plying her with pressies and her granny kit! The pink John Deere cap from Nick went down a treat - and matches the stubby holder he had previously given her! And paired with her Ugg boots from us girlies - Ails really was a fashion statement! Some vino and a nice meal in King's Cross and it was time to get some kip before jumping on another flight back to the west side. A whirlwind visit - but well worth it just to see the fabulous Ailsa again and to celebrate her big 3-0 birthday!
[Nick and I on the beach at Norah Heads]
[Jules, Ails and I]
[Bubbles on the balcony!]
[Happy 30th Birthday Ailsa!]
[Lighthouse on the peninsula]

[View from Ailsa's balcony overlooking Elizabeth Bay towards Sydney Harbour Bridge]

[Nothing runs like a Deere!]

[Styling!]
[Ails - you dont look a day over 70! Hee! Hee! Sorry Ails - wasnt going to publish this one - but after the horrendous photos of us on facebook we thought it was payback time!!!]

[Davie & Rosie with our John Deere caps on!]

Back in Margs it was concert-tastic for me both in and out of school with the Talent Quest, Concert at the Age Care Centre, Musical Extravaganza and Augusta Singers church service. Luckily they all went without too many hiccups and as much as I enjoyed watching the students perform, I was relieved to see the concerts come to an end!

[Choir & Instrumental Concert at the Old Folk's Home with my Deputy Head, Gail]

It was then time to kick back and relax with a vino . . . or twenty . . . as we attended the Woodlands Annual Dinner in a French restaurant, Chez Pierre, in Perth.
[Sally & James]
[A slightly scary/strange couple at our table!]
[The Watson family who own and run Woodlands winery]
[The Watsons with their employees . . . and their employees girlfiends!]

Having recovered from our hangovers we made the most of our time in Perth and managed to collect Nick's new car . . a Land Rover Defender . . and test drive it on the beach! We also managed to catch up with a family friend of ours, Liam MacIntyre, who is out in Perth on a work placement just now. Luckily he was hungover too - so a relaxing evening with pizzas and a dvd was perfect for us all![The Defender!]
[Nick's new toy . . . erm . . I mean practical transportation!]

And finally . . . the end of term was here! Both the years 1-4 Presentation Day and the Senior Presentation Day and Graduation Ceremony were well received and praised and it was time for my immune system to shut down totally from exhastion and my annual end of term cold to kick in! The holidays are here though and 7 weeks off should see me relaxed and rejuvinated for the start of a new school year in February! I just found out this week that I have been given a full time position next year with 3 days at the primary school in Margaret River teaching music and 2 days working for the School of Instrumental Music through which I will be placed at Margaret River High School to teach the choral programme and brass - I think! Another new challenge! It is fantastic to have full time work to go back to after the holidays and the Department of Education and Training have agreed to sponsor me which is a huge weight off my mind.

With the weather warming up here it is hard to feel "Christmassy" but our little "tree" and Cooper with his reindeer antlers on certainly have a festive feel! I do hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy catching up with family and friends over the festive season. All the best for a happy and healthy New Year in 2008 - where I will yet again attempt to keep you up to date with life "down under" a little more frequently!

[Our "tree"- that reminds me of Christmas time at Tigh-na-Coille and my wonderful grandparents][Cooper the red nosed reindeer!]

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!