Dolphins and dudes...

This has to be my favourite picture of Barney at the moment. Just turned seven and can only imagine how delicious he will be at seventeen! What a dude. I made the error of staying at the tent one day for Iona to have a big sleep. Meanwhile the others took the 4WDs along a practically deserted Lighthouse beach where they surfed and paddled out to within 2 metres of about 60 dolphins!!! Dunc, Steve, Arthur and Sophie were the lucky ones to get that close and they could even hear the dolphins 'talking' to each other!! How jealous am I ??!!

Iona - otherwise known as The Queen Mum!

There was no chance of Iona getting sunburn in her full-bodied spacesuit! She was extremely popular marching round the campsite in her bright pink 'goloshes' and hat looking like 'The Queen Mum'!

More from Seal Rocks...

The Xmas present "Moon chairs" were very popular - often having to be shared for mid afternoon naps! Hermit crabs were always on the agenda at the beach...

Camping at Seal Rocks

We have just returned from yet another fabulous camping week at Seal Rocks with the Whitings. The week was stuffed with adventures - here you have the zinc brigade and their catches - Arthur caught a shovel-nosed ray and Barney caught a sting ray.

More Xmas pics...

Xmas Eve and Xmas Day 2009

Xmas Eve was a lovely, noisy evening with the Highnams and their four kids over for a swim/dinner. Great to see them all before they go camper-vanning in Tasmania for two weeks.

On Xmas Day itself it was quiet with no visitors again this year. Last year was a novelty having no visitors as we had never had that before and Iona was still tiny. This year it was still a lovely day but felt slightly empty without family over here so hopefully we can entice someone over next year! The weather was disappointing so we managed a pre-brekkie/pre-champagne swim but after that the day was spent outside trying out new bikes, scooters etc or inside watching new DVDs. Isabelle had not been to sleep all night, having celebrated Xmas Eve the European way as the big event so she nobly came back at 8am just to be there when the boys and Iona opened their presents! She stayed up for our champagne and scrambled eggs (fresh from the chooks) then collapsed into bed for most of the day. Dunc and the three boys braved the beach in the afternoon while Iona and I prepared the turkey.

Kristie & Andy's visit.

The day after Manly Dam we had a lovely BBQ with the McPs and Kristie, Andy, Sam and Anna who are over from the UK. Some swam, others drank, dinner was loud as always but with Iona's fear of crackers and Tenzie's over-tiredness we were drowned out by stereo crying. Welcome to the Wakes-Miller household!!