May - Tenzin starts taekwondo

Tenzin has decided to follow in his big brother, Arthur's, footsteps and start Taekwondo. Barney has taken up rock climbing instead and in less than 6 weeks of attending he was asked to join the climbing squad (which involves two x 2 hour climbing sessions per week rather than one session) in order to prepare for competitions and to get ready for climbing real rock faces with the team. Yikes!

April 2012 - Seal Rocks - never too many photos

The view from the hill overlooking Fisherman's Beach.

Maggie and Tenzin getting blown away at Yagon Beach.

The Wakes-Miller camp with Trak Shak.

Self-portrait!

Quote for the holiday from Iona was as follows:

One night it got dark before we'd found the head torches. Iona stumbled around in the dark tent looking for hers while we cooked outside and when we heard her crying we said:

"Arthur, Barney or Tenzin - could one of you please go into the tent to help your little sister?"

Upon hearing this she appeared in the doorway of the tent with a face like thunder and roared:

"I need a torch NOT A BROTHER!!!!!"

Never one to mince her words. Bless.

Our little pinky ponk in all her guises below:

April 2012 - Seal Rocks yet more...

Always magical cloud formations at Seal Rocks.

A pensive Tenzin (I think he had a mouthful of chips!)

Barney in a serious mood.

Duncan getting some surf action.

A very leathery shot of me with my fresh faced young lady.

April 2012 - more Seal Rocks

Here is a lovely shot of Kirsten and wee Claudia.

Bean got lots of action with his new board.

A spot of beach football.

Maggie and Iona were like two peas in a pod despite the year in age difference.

Barn getting a bit of wave action.

The Easter egg hunt finale - dividing up the eggs and sharing them out!

April 2012 - Seal Rocks

Our favourite spot once again - Seal Rocks for a ten day stint over Easter with the Howes (sadly minus Laura as she had to go to the UK) and the Highnams. The pictures below show a fabulous evening spent at Fisherman's Beach for the obligatory campfire, marshmallows, sunset and then a stunning tawny frog-mouthed owl awaited us in the car park as we left.

March/April 2012 - trips

Duncan took Arthur, Barney and Tenzin for a boys' camping weekend to One Mile Beach near Nelson Bay. It turned out to be far too civilised compared to what they are normally used to - the camp site even had a pool. They had fun though.

Then it was Arthur's turn for a big boys' only trip to visit his godfather, Pezza, down in Melbourne. The economy flights were so extortionate that I booked them business class tickets on frequent flyer points instead!! There was Arthur, aged 11, settling into business class with his Dad when I have NEVER flown anything other than cattle class and am nearly 42!! They had a top weekend mountain biking on the Saturday then watching an Ironman competition on the Sunday which one of Annie's mates was competing in.

At the beginning of April it was Lenka's 40th so we went over for a lovely family meal and superb birthday cake - presented on the Wedgewood cake stand that we had bought at Lenka's request. Always fun with those guys.

29th March 2012 - La Traviata on Sydney Harbour

One of Duncan's clients, Tourism NSW, invited us as guests to see the performance of La Traviata on Sydney Harbour. I am not massively keen on Opera normally but this was out of this world. The setting at Mrs Macquarie's chair was incredible and we had fabulous seats. The giant crystal chandelier had the main soprano hoisted in the air singing her heart out at one stage. They really made use of the Sydney setting with opera singers arriving by water taxi as part of the story, drag queens appeared at the interval and then formed part of the operatic group on stage for the 2nd half. It really was superb.