The Purdy Update

I just like the above pics so decided to post them!  Remember, this is my journal!

I was back to work this week.  It was a pretty good week but I hate leaving Darryl and the kids at home!  I wish I could go to the beach with them, and the park, and the science centre!!  And the list goes on! 

But it was a good work week and a great social week too.  I went out on Wednesday with coworkers as one of the girls left for Bulgaria on the weekend.  We went for drinks to the "Pig N'Whistle" which is just like being in Nova Scotia!  Really great.  Then Darryl had some quality time with the boys on Thursday.  Him and a bunch of the Ex-Pandemic boys went out for drinks....and Darryl was a little seedy on Friday.  :)  But, he did manage to get the kids to the beach on Friday.  Well done Dad!!!!!

And then on Friday night I went to the ballet.  Yeap.  My first time and I really really liked it!  Clo, Mariana, Clo's coworker, Catherine, and I went to the "Ballet in the Gardens".  It's the Australian Ballet and it was a free performance in the Botanical Gardens.  I've never been to the ballet before and I have to say that it was quite amazing to watch the dancers.  As Clo said, "it's like figure skating without the skates."  You really can't take your eyes off the dancers.  And the weather was perfect so happy about that!  Thanks to Clo for the invite.

The weekend was spent with Darrylie and the kiddies!  We spent almost the whole day at New Farm Park on Saturday.  And then today we did some running around before relaxing at home.  Ended the evening with some intense "Hungry Hippo" action.  The kiddies are now in bed and it's quiet time!  Ahhhhhh.

The weather here is finally starting to cool down which is a wonderful break.  Darryl started running again and I'm starting this week.  It was just too damn hot before!  Even at 6am it can be 28degrees!  So, I'm enjoying the walk to work more now as it's not so hot.

Oh, and the reason why I was doing this post in the first place!!! Darryl has a new job!  

Yeap, no more this Purdy...

This was Darryl on our vacation...checking out the job offers.  What did we ever do before the computer???

He ended up getting 2 offers on the same day while we were on vacation.

Back to work Purdy!  No more down time!

He had one offer from a studio in Melbourne and one from a studio in Brisbane.  The Melbourne offer wasn't very good though (money wise as Melbourne is even more expensive than Brisbane.  Australia is $$$) so that made Darryl's decision easy!

I said back to work!

 The studio that he will be starting with (THQ) seems to be pretty good.  And Mike (our friend from Montreal) is there so Darryl already has a friend!  :)

Damn it man, put the beer down and get to work!!!!

The Whitsundays PART 2

So as you saw in the last post we just got back from the Whitsundays. We had a great time - it was relaxing and exactly what we needed! And the area was truly beautiful. We stayed on Hamilton Island which had the best Kids Club...and we didn't end up using it! No diff, it was so nice to get away on a family holiday. The kids seemed to really enjoy it and Stace and I loved the relaxing evenings.

Saturday and Sunday were quiet days. Checked out the island, went to the beach, and the kids loved the pool and hot tub. Or "hot bath" as Breagha called it. :)

We did our first excursion on Monday. We did a day trip to the Reef. It was quite good - there was a daycare service on the boat so we put the kids in the daycare so Stace and I could go snorkeling. Breagha cried the whole time apparently. Good times. And there was a semi-submersable boat that the kids and Stace went on while I continued to snorkel.  It was a pretty great set up for the family. We were really happy about the excurstion but the snorkeling didn't "wow" me. We were a bit disappointed because we thought we would see so many AMAZING sea creatures. But, it was no different than any other snorkel we did elsewhere. Hmmm, but the coral was quite nice so I guess that is the main thing! 

It is not out on the reef but I liked the pic ...  Lay off!  alright! It's my blog!

The kids were excited to look out the front to see our approaching destination.

A ribbon section of the reef.  The water color is beautiful and this is still not the best for clarity.  It gets more clear than this.

Reefworld.

Getting ready for a dip!

This was great for the kids.  I guess it's like the biggest oceanarium in the world. 

Mum and kiddies in the semi-submersable boat.  Another great thing for the kids.

This clam was about a metre long.  Very cool.

The coral takes so many interesting shapes.

This guy was at least 2.5 feet long.... and that is no fish story... well, technically, I guess it is.

Lot's to feed on

On Tuesday we did another excursion - off to Whitehaven Beach!  Stace was pretty excited about this trip. Whitehaven Beach is suppose to be the most beautiful beach in Australia. Which means that it should be damn nice! And we weren't disappointed.  It's basically like flour. That's how soft it is. Amazing.  It was beautiful.

Look at that physique! Bonjour, monsieur Jacques Cousteau. 

Now that is a beach!  The sand here is 98% silica. It is simply beautiful.  I guess that is why it is amongst the top ten beaches in the world.

Again with the frolicking.

Wow!  that flash is bright... oh wait... that's the sun.

Right after this picture was taken, Breagha sprang into the water and caught a fish with her bare hands.  And it was a Great White Shark!  At one point the shark swallowed Breagha but she super kung-fu kicked her way through it's stomach.  Then we all had shark steaks for lunch.

Now that is a fish story.

We were there too.  Actually Stace and I met Shamus and Breagha there.  What are the chances of us all taking the same trip on the same day.

We love the beach.

Shamus, Breagha and Jackie O

Eh! I'm The Fonz.  Ciao!

The Whitsundays PART 1

As Stace mentioned in her previous post. We spent a week in the Whitsunday Islands on Hamilton Island. The Whitsundays are a group of 74 islands between mainland Australia and the Great Barrier Reef. To sum it up... it was wonderful. Lots of relaxing and cold beverages. Also lots of pool, hot tub and beach time for the kids.  I won't write much I will just comment on some of the pics 'cause there are a lot of them.

Hamilton Island would be considered one "resort"  but really it is like a little town and has it's own airport.  It's getting quite developed, but then, we weren't looking for a "drop me off in the middle of nowhere and I will live with the native tribe" sort of trip.

Man was it windy on the top of the "cat" heading out to Hamilton Island.  They zip right along!

Sadly cyclone Hamish spent some time in these parts a few days before we arrived so the water was still a little murky.  Yes ... that's not ideal conditions.

We rented an apartment for the week.  It had a full kitchen so we could cook our own meals. It also had a fantastic balcony.   This was our view.  I think Sas and I spent every evening out here with a cold beer (me), glass of wine (Sas) and a good book.  We each had our own book, of course ... It would just be weird if we read the same book at the same time.

There were so many Cockatoos

and Rainbow Lorikeets

and they love handouts of the food kind.  We didn't feed them but that didn't stop them from asking.

See!!  Beer and wine... mmmmmm

They had a little zoo on the resort and you could have breakfast with the koalas.  Just like in the wild... I'm sure.  It is a common misconception that koalas only eat eucalyptus.  When in fact they love a good coffee and a smoke in the morning.

The main form of transportation on Hamilton Island is the golf buggy.  We had to rent one on our rainy day.  The kids thought it was great!

The top of the island.  The commute here was awful.  We were stuck behind a golf buggy the whole way!  And it was only going like 20km.  That was the longest 0.7 km I've ever driven!  :p

Stace enjoying her $20 banana split.  Just kidding it wasn't really $20... but you get the point.

mmmmmm ice cream.   

My beach beauty

Oh yeah.... there was some frolicking done as well.  Everyone loves a good frolic.

The kids got some new beach tubes.  Shamus was getting really good at moving around in it.

Shamus also practiced his swimming.  He is becoming more and more comfortable in the water again. 

What a ham!  as Stace would say.

A shot from Cats Eye beach which was right in front of our apartment.

I will post our day trips out to the reef and to Whitehaven beach in the next post with lots more pictures.  Later!

We're Back!

Hey there!

We're back.  We got back yesterday from the Whitsundays.  We had a really great time.  We will post some pictures soon but I wanted to write drop a note to everyone that we are back...and safe (that's for Mom as she always worries!!).  And we had a great time.

We had enough time yesterday to fly back to Brisbane and head over to Nick and Mariana's for a great BBQ dinner for Steve and Cari.  They left this morning for Melbourne.  And it was a chance to see Nick and Mariana's new house.  It's really beautiful guys and the food was delicious...as usual!  And I asked for Amy's salad recipe...as usual! 

Today we got some things done around the house, lots of laundry, grocery run, and now there are cinnamon rolls in the oven.  :)  So, the pictures will come in the next day or two!

Sorry we missed your call Bill.  Let's try again this week!

Hope everyone is doing well.  Duane and Cathy were also away last weekend.  They went to Disney World in Florida.  So, can't wait to see some pictures guys!  Hope the trip went well!!!!

Oh Yeah

Just the girls -even Miss B!

Amy, Cari, Me, Clo, Mariana, and Miss B.

Not sure when we'll all get to the beach together again and Steve and Cari leave for Melbourne next weekend.  :(

I really like this pic.  I've been meaning to post it for a month now...since we all went to Dicky Beach...but never got around to it.  There's so many things that we don't get to post because there just isn't enough time in a day!  But, I wanted to post this pic because, well, hmmm, well, because - it's the girls with their boards!  Oh yeah!  

We just finished bodyboarding and it was great.  It was actually funny though - there were tons of Asian tourists at the beach, I went out with my board to go bodyboarding with the girls, and I just reached the water when 3 young female tourists stopped me.  They wanted their picture taken with me!??!!!!!  Not sure why but I have a theory.  I think they thought that I was this big, extreme, blond hair (not really), blue eyes (not really), Aussie boarder-dudette who was going to catch some exteme wavvvvves.  

So wrong, weren't they?

But, it was really funny and they were all excited about it.  Cute.

Anyhow, I like the pic.  It's not my snowboard but darn close!

And Breagha was super cute!

And this pic, well, like Father, like Daughter!

Aren't they cute?

This is from a couple of weeks ago too.  I woke up to see Breagha in the middle of the bed, looking just like Darryl.  They even snore the same!   They even keep their mouth open just that same tiny little bit!

Really cute so I had to take a picture.

So, tomorrow is Friday.  One more work day and then we leave for our first true Aussie holiday.  We are going to the Whitsundays which is basically the lower part of the  Great Barrier Reef.  I can't wait.  I'm not sure if the weather is going to cooperate but it will just be nice to get away with Darryl and the kiddies.  Relax!

We get back on March 21 so we'll post again when we return!

A weekend at Lamington National Park

Hello everyone! There has been kind of a lack of pictures in the last number of posts. So I will make up for it in this one. If a picture says a thousand words than have fun sifting through these 26000 odd words :P

We all decided to spend the weekend in Lamington National Park, as it may the last weekend that we will all be together. Steve and Cari leave for Melbourne in two weeks (for Steve's new job... congrats to Steve) and next week we go to the Whitsundays for a week so this was the weekend to do it. Lamington is set in a small range of mountains about 2.5 hours south of Brisbane. The drive to the park was absolutely beautiful. The last forty five minutes of which was an accent up a narrow mountain road with a constant set of switchbacks and blind curves. About half of this road was just a single lane so you really had to take your time and keep and eye out for on-coming traffic. The view from this road was extraordinary with breathtaking vistas of the valley below. As we climbed, the vegetation changed from rural farm land to eucalyptus forest to subtropical rain forest. Lamington is definitely a highlight of Australia. 

The family getting ready for a hike.

This is the first thing we saw when we arrived at our campsite.  A group of Pademelons (small type of wallaby). 

These Crimson Rosellas loved to be fed.  Technically we weren't supposed to but we couldn't resist.  Breagha loved sharing her biscuit with them.

Tycho, Shamus and B taking in the evening sun.

I love the expression on B and Shamus.

My beautiful wife enjoying a hike.

"Uncle" Steve with the kids in a little tree cave created by a type of strangler fig.  What happens is the strangler fig completely covers the 'victim' tree and kills it off.  When the dead tree decomposes it leaves the interior of the new tree hollow.  It is pretty cool to climb inside and look up.

We saw these type of trees in Bunya Park as well.  They are so cool.  One of my favorites.

It amazes me just how much vegetation there is in a rain forest.  It is just layers upon layers upon layers.

A beautiful sunset the first night.

All tucked in and ready for bed.  

Nothing like a good cup o' joe to start the morning.  

We don't go anywhere without CARS!

Shamus is really starting to become a little boy.... and with that comes little boy humor.

The hike on the second day was amazing.  We hiked a series of three waterfalls.  Here are the jungle boys in action.

Mom and B soaking up some jungle rays as well.

Breagha loves the cam.

It doesn't get much cuter than this!

Breaking for a bit of lunch.

There were a ton of these Crayfish in the pools at the first waterfall.  This is the closest thing I have seen to an atlantic lobster since we have been here.

Boldering up to the second waterfall.

We made it!

Well worth the climb.

And number three didn't disappoint us either.