Our First Dinner Party

Last night we had our first formal dinner party. Not only in the new house but the first for years. In fact we couldn't really remember when we had last done one. Our guests were Pauline and Neil and we started outside on the patio. A couple of bottles of bubbles and some marinated olives. It got a little cool but it was nice out there. KISA put some nice music on the media centre for the evening. Then we christened the new dining table with a posh meal and a very nice bottle of red that The Magster brought us from Melbourne, plus another bottle of red that our guests brought, which we will enjoy again tonight as there is a bit left. It was lovely. We had a prawn pate for starter, Lamb Shanks, mashed potato and broccolini for mains and Jaffa Cake and fresh raspberries for dessert. Followed by coffee, tea and some cheese.

It was a lovely evening with lovely guests. I really enjoyed planning and cooking for it as well. We will be doing this again. It is liberating to spend the weekend doing something like this instead of the work we had to do at the old place.

Our Illustrious Leader-in-Waiting

Last Tuesday I was invited to attend the opening of the new CQU Mackay Campus library building. As a former staff member it was great to see the finished building that we had focus groups for and brainstormed about over five years ago. The cogs of this sort of thing grind slowly but in the case it actually happened. It was not as big as I expected as some of the plans being bandied about a few years ago had it at twice the size. To be honest, I didn't think it was that much bigger than the old one. But it looks good! Maybe books are on their way out, like record shops. We will see how the Kindle and iPad pan out. I intend to do a bit of research in that area myself, once they go more mainstream.

Anyway, I digress. The building was opened by non other than our deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard. She is much tinier than I expected but she is one tough lady. If any woman is going to be Prime Minister in the near future, she is it. As long as the current administration don't shot themselves in the foot in the next couple of years.

She wasn't there long, being on a busy schedule, but chatted to all the right people to promote her image. I chased along to get this photo, the one up top was the best I got, so I guess I won't be joing the ranks of the paparazzi any time soon. Our local member Sir james seems to be manhandling her a little. At least he kept his mouth shut, just did the nodding and grinning in the background that local members are so good at when their leaders are in town.

Relay for Life

Huge weekend for us, it was the annual Relay for Life for the cancer council. We were on one of three teams entered by Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal. It was a simply wonderful night, and absolutely exhausting!! We helped set up the marquee on Friday afternoon, then KISA and I went early Saturday to set up our tent. This is a shot looking at the track from our marquee from one direction, and from the other direction. The venue was changed at only a few days notice due to rain making the original venue soggy. The new venue was at Slade Point and was even better than the original one. I think they may use it again next time.

This is our marquee and to the left and partly under it you can see our tent. As people started to arrive three more tents went up, several swags were unrolled and camp chairs set up.

The walk got under way around 3.30. The idea is that each team carries a baton around the circuit until it finishes at 8.30am the next morning, so we walked all night. We had a roster which lasted 5 minutes as everyone wanted to walk at the beginning and no one wanted to walk between 1am and dawn!! But we figured it out and our batons kept moving the whole time.

The survivors started the walk. This is our survivor and her family.

A bit of a carnival atmosphere pervades the whole thing and it is really like a big sleepover party. A stage is set up and music and entertainment goes all the time. The first lap of walkers is like a grand parade and we had quite a variety of outfits! The breast cancer ladies get more outrageous every year. Must be the drugs they have to take!

We had the Blues Brothers, who danced and played their way around the track, the first few laps anyway!

The Romans came too. Some took the event to be a formal do.. Some wore their PJs!

The event had its sacred side too. Just after it got dark, they had a candle lighting ceremony. This is to commemorate those we had lost to cancer. Paper bags and long life tea lights were sold (proceeds to cancer) and a bit of sand placed in the bottom to hold it open and set the tea light in. A message is written on the bag and the candle lit. Silence is observed, the lights turned off and Amazing Grace played by a piper. It is very moving. They are left to light the track, and were many still burning by daybreak. The photo doesn't show this so clearly, but the entire track was lined with bags.

It is quite sobering to see how many are lost. We are not that big a city after all.

After the candle lighting service, wine was consumed, and food etc. there were belly dancing displays, dancing competitions and Zumba classes. Walking continued and I popped into the tent for a snooze. It got quite cold and at 12.30 I got up to walk some more. KISA had just walked for two and a half hours straight. We walked together for another lap or two then he went for a nap till 3.30. I walked with Jo for a couple of hours sharing with a couple of other team members. A lot slept quite a bit!! But Kerrie booted them out of bed at 5.30 to give us a break. A free breakfast was served about 6am which tasted mighty good.
They had a closing ceremony and we all marched with our flags at 8ish. We packed up all the tents and were home before 9am.

Shower. Coffee. Couch. List for the day for me.

KISA wanted to build the outdoor set we bought for the patio. We sold the old one as it was too big and it was collected yesterday. After he built it then it was the couch for him too. We were SHATTERED! Woke up ok today though I slept like the dead last night.

On Friday we finally got the funds cleared from the sale of the house. We ordered the blinds for the windows, 2 x 2 seater couches (minus the middle bit) for the lounge as the other one is way too big, and a dining set to replace the one we sold.

Sunset at the new place

Sunset from the new place is viewed from the front doorstep. Not quite the same as watching from a seat on the deck, but a sunset is perfect wherever you see it.

The Magster comes to stay.

Last Thursday, my longtime friend from school, The Magster, came to stay. She often came to Mackay to visit her Mum in the past, but now her Mum is no longer with us, she came up from Melbourne for solely touristic purposes and she stayed with us for four days. So we played tourist in our own back yard. First up was lunch at the good old Ye old Eimeo Pub. I was a bit slack with the photo taking so no shots of the harbour, Lamberts beach and the botanical gardens, where we had a coffee. She also took in the delights of Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal from the lookout.
Also no shots of the lovely evening we shared with Sandy with a table full of nibblies and a few bottles of very good red wine.
On Sunday we went up the valley to check out the river rock to mountain top festival. The festival was underwhelming and it rained all day.
We did take in a bush walk at Finch Hatton Gorge though.

As far as Arulen Falls anyway as it was drizzling steadily.

Hey Debs, this is where you show your Mum which rock you jumped off of into the water.

In the late afternoon, we dragged KISA off the computer and went to the new Bluewater Quay, just east of the Forgan Bridge. This is a new bit of the riverfront development and it was quite impressive. I am surprised there were hardly any people there.

This is the new Forgan Bridge which opened a couple of weeks ago. The old one is on the other side. They are demolishing it and building another one so we will have 4 lanes. The fishing platform made out of the old rail bridge.

Looking east via the children's playground. You can see the Leichardt Tree and old Paxtons Building in the distance.

A water feature in the childrens play area.

This is what they built on the site of the Crown Hotel. They are called Crown Apartments. I think they start at about a million dollars a pop.Far cry from the Crown Hotel.

The Leichrdt Tree, where the old ships used to tie up in the pioneer days. There are BBQs and picnic tables beside it now.

This sculpture was interesting to a history nut like me. We went as far as the boat ramp and the start of the new Sandfly Creek walk. We went some distance along it, but as it was getting dark we turned back. The walk goes all the way to town beach. And no one wants to be near a place called Sandfly anything at dusk! We couldn't figure out if this was a sculpture or a space ship.

On Monday I had an induction for a new job that will start in a few weeks and The Magster caught up with another friend here. As it was settlement day for the sale of the house, the real estate agent came by with a couple of bottles of wine, and because it had been a torrid sale for her she shared some with us along with some cheese and biccies. Poor girl, I think she was happier than us it was all over! KISA, Margs and I continued the celebration after she left.

Marg went back on Tuesday, we had had a great time, lots of laughs, red wine and lots of fattening food. Can't wait till we do it again.

Goodbye Old House, Hello New House

Today was settlement day. So we officially no longer own the house and the new owners are moving in on Tuesday. There have been some difficulties with this sale and it is more of a relief that it is all over than a sadness. We had 15 good years in this house and we will miss it, the neighbours and the garden.

Time to look forward now, and this is the start of a new phase in our lives. We still have a few things to do to be fully settled in our new home but we have made a start.

Welcome to our new home