News from the capital

Hi all, Steve and I are back from Melbourne after finally seeing the great Burt Bacharach. It was well worth the wait. Great songs, prompting Steve to say more than once,"did he write this?" It was hard to fit so many songs into such a short time, so there were lots of medleys. (that's songs put together one after the other). For an 83 year old he is pretty good and still write great songs! I really love Melbourne, as a Sydney girl, I have to say that Melbourne definitely tops it. You can walk in the middle of Melbourne on a thursday night at 10pm and so many people are out, enjoying themselves, not hassling you, and we ate dinner at a Greek place that was open 24 hours! The trams are also great- makes getting around so much easier. We came home on Saturday night, to make sure we saw Lucy before she went back to uni on Sunday. It was great to have her home for two weeks- she is really loving uni, which makes us very happy. Clare was also happy to have her home-she is really missing her. Holidays will be over before we know it, and then it is time for musical rehearsals- no life for me for the next 14 weeks- why do I keep doing them?? I think it's because the kids enjoy them so much and get so much out of them. By now most of you know that Kate and I are heading to Darwin in October- plane tickets are booked. Look out Marty we are on our way. Claire, start stocking up on the champagne now!! We are both really excited about going. Anyway, that is about all. Love to all, Annie

P.S from the south coast

P.S.Happy 50th to Bridge in the Fridge. Cant wait for the party on her return to Oz.

greetings from the south coast

Hi everyone,
Yep I had an amazing weekend with lots of my favourite women friends on the beautiful Shoalhavan river a few weeks ago. The weather was completely awesome, so we could jump out of the tent and straight into the river each morning. We had the amazing Ikea kiln up and running as well as a pit firing. This was indeed a very special weekend.
Hasi and I then headed out to Kanangra Boyd National Park. We were lucky to have 2 days of good weather. Even overcast is good weather for walking, even if we couldnt see to Sydney, which you apparently can on a clear day.  We stoked the fire up well for the evenings, which were not as cold as we expected, before snuggling into the tent with welsh patchwork blanket.
However we did have a near death experience when we woke to an enormous crack, as a huge "branch" from an old gumtree above us broke and crashed to the ground, less than a metre from the tent. Definitely it would have killed us if it landed on us, as it was too heavy for me to lift. We were pretty freaked out, but thought whats the chance of it happening again the very next night,so we left the tent where it was.
The next night it wasnt the tree that was the problem, it was the mattress which kept going flat, followed by the rain, that came pouring through the roof of the tent. Nothing pisses you off more, as you would all know  than a tent that isnt waterproof. It is a well documented form of torture, and when you are already in bed in the tent by 7 or 8pm, it can be a very long night.
Last week we had a sky light put into the kitchen. As none of you are very frequent visitors, you may not know how dark the kitchen gets this time of year, thanks to the no taste monstrosity that was built by our northerly neighbours.  It is really amazing the difference it makes
.Well thats about it for news from the south. Hope alls well.
Love to you all, Zak

News from home

Hi All
School holidays again and the family scatters as always. Jack to Wolombi for Easter; Marty - we wait the photographic evidence; Kate camping and pottery on the Shoalhaven, then off to the Kanangara Walls for puishment in the cold and wet; Annie finally to see and hear Bert Bacarat in Melbourne; Moo - you don't need holidays to go off on your many jaunts.
I'm posting pictures of Fran's Quilt. The photos do not do it justice. A most intricate collation of doilies, gathered from both sides of her family, delicately stitched and labelled and mounted on a traditional linen tablecloth, is a totally inadequate descrption of this masterpiece. Amongst the doilies is one made by Maria, Fran's mother, in 1932. we have had the priviledge of two wiewings as Friz was not here the first time Fran brought it down.
Aunty Kate and Friz have been regular in having Sunday lunch with us - a meeting of the sisters each Sunday as they did for years visiting their mother.
Moira joins us every few weeks and the four girls organised a few days at Cunjurong before Easter. Annie reckons I'm slipping because I only took 3 photos one of which was the usual farewell shot which I have posted.
The Uncle and I gave the fish a scare, catching enough for a meal before we left and bringing some home for Good Friday. We caught mostly whiting and bream but the day Joan and I left, John pulled out a 60cms flathead.

Enjoy the rest of your break and I hope you all get the chance to see Fran's Quilt when it is finished.
Love to All
Dad/Tjilpi/OldMan/Kev. 

Welsh Greetings

Hi All,
Just a quick hello. Have been suffering with a cold for the last week or so. Now also have a bit of conjunctivitis. Am fed up with being sick . Coughing whenever I lie down so sleeping is difficult. Moan moan moan.
My exciting news is that I have a ticket to see Joan Armatrading in Swansea! Not until October but it should be worth the wait.
Not much else happening. Will post again when I am better and not so grumpy.
Hope all are well. Love to all. xxxxx