Hello family, Grafton here...

Greetings to all,
Yes, it has been a long time between messages, but that does not mean we have not been thinking of you all.
School started on Friday for teachers and the kids start tomorrow. Am refreshed and ready to start the new year. Both Ronny and I are taking on a shared new role at school so it will be an exciting challenge - working with careers as well as my Drama teaching and Ronny's English.

Had a brilliant time over the summer break. Spent a few days before and including Christmas with Jane and her family. Mum , Dad, Stewart, Kenny and Bernice were there too. Seems so long ago, but it was great fun. Ronny and I then went to Woodford, a music festival for 6 days. We came home for a few days, then went down to Ronny's sister near Forster. Back home again for a few days, then we went to Vietnam for a few weeks. We only decided to go a few weeks before that, so it was all very exciting. Had many adventures, wonderful sights, food and beer. Only got home 4 days ago, so we are still struggling with routine etc. Plenty of time now to settle into one though.
Zappa stayed with Ronny's brother when we went to Vietnam and he has not left our sight since our return. I don't think he thought we were coming back - after the very exciting reception we got when we saw us!
Looking forward to seeing Aunty Kell very soon. Jane and Patrick have just purchased their tickets for Canada - I think they go mid June. They are very excited.
I do not think I have been on the blog since Brydie got her HSC results. - Ok, I have an aunt's right to brag here - Brydie got 97 out of 100 for her ATAR. (University entrance). That is HUGE!. In every subject she studied, she got over 90%. That is a megga effort. She hopes to study medicine. We are all very proud of her - but as Jane said, she did work very hard.
Ronny's dad is still doing well in the nursing home here. He was very excited to see us back too (but Zappa definitely gave the bigger welcome!)
Mum and dad are fine, same same.
I did sit down to so some school work, so I better make some attempt now.
Love to all,
cheers,
Lisa and Ronny

JAN. 26TH

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY FOR YOU .

TOMORROW, HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY FOR MO & I.

SEE YOU SOON. LOVE KELLY

TRIP Home.

I have my ticket now. Leave Calgary Feb.3rd.

Feb. 5th Flight 863, United Airlines from San Fran., arrive Sydney, Kingsford Smith, 8.10am.

Trip Home.

G'day all. I told Bernice that I would put my itinerary on the blog, as soon as I had it confirmed.

I don't know how to "copy" to the blog. (Maybe it cant be done!!) , so I'll just print the details.

Leave Calgary 6.44pm on Thursday, 3rd Feb. Arrive Sydney 8.10 am on 5th Feb. (Cec's b'day!!)

Leave Sydney 4.25pm on March 9th. Arrive Calgary 9.47 pm on same day!!! I go to San Francisco

both ways. It is closing in fast, & I have all the miriad of little details to worry about.

I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing you all. I wonder if someone could ring Cec & Cook, as

they are not computer bodies?? See you all "dreckly"!! Love Kell

Hi from Bernice 19/1/11

KELL! Hi just a short note to inquire about your trip to Aussie...you land 3rd feb? where are u landing Brisbane or Sydney? do u have a intinarary? if so could you please put it on for us so we all know....not that many get on the blog now but the few who do can let others know..thanks Nathile is with us living now...so you can kill a few birds with one stone as laverty girls are 10 min away plus your friend Margaret? 10 min away...sara close and Belinda...just a thought let us know...hope all is going to plan...write again later to catch up too tired at the moment...love to all Bernice xx

reply for Kell

Ooops
I forgot to sign my blog entry for the how to find missing posts. Anna Spiro is a designer from Brisbane I know and thought you might be interested in her images of the floods in Brisbane instead of the same News images that have been going around.
Belinda

WHO is Anna Spiro?????

Kelly wants to know!!!

How to find missing posts

Ok just a quick note on how to find the missing post when you think you have written a long ( or short) post and poof its gone.

I have taken a snapshot of his screen so you can see what is happening. When you sing in you should see a screen that looks something like image number 1, click on Edit Posts ( circled in pink).Image number 1

Then click on Drafts image number 2 ( circled in pink) and you should see a list of any that have not been published and you can then click edit and continue to write the post or just publish the post as is.Image number 2

Hope this helps everyone. Off to get a new car battery for my Honda and will log in again later today and give you a quick rundown of our trip.
This is a block I follow ( design blog ) but there are a few Photos of the Brisbane floods you might be interested in. Absolutely Beautiful Things blog

BELINDA

After rambling on last night, I forgot the main reason for logging on!! I wanted to thank Terese for the great pictures of her family. It would be great to hear from the "young'ens" more often, &

especially with pictures!! Thanks Terese. Also "thanks" to Sara for the last lot of pics. she posted.

VERY cold again today, -22 degrees on my back veranda. Still have to get through the rest of Jan., then Feb. & March, before there will be any "let-up". Oh! Woe is me!! (Mo enjoys it!!!???)

No news. Same old, same old!!

Lin & Lauren will be well settled in again now. It all seems so long ago.

It was great to hear from Paula. First time I think. They seem to be "holding their own".

No word from Meg or Sara for a while.

Anyway, trust all are well, & I'm SOOOOOOO looking forward to going home. I'll be checking off each day now!! Love to all. Kell

G'day family,it's been awhile since I checked in.

Miss Lauren & Belinda Jane will be well settled in again by now. It was SOOOOOOO good to see them, & I know Kate will be missing them now, as even Dan has gone back to uni., so only Kate, Doug, Al & Drew at home now. Kate does enjoy family visits.

Peter is not doing too well at the moment. Poor old dear, he usually dosn't succume to illnesses, but this time, the 'flu caught up with him. No visitors allowed in Vista Village the last 3 days. I will have to wait & see if tomorrow will be different.

The weather has been SO cold this past few days. Was 34 BELOW ZERO my first day home from Whitefish. The whole week has been cold, & more to come yet. The day I came home from Montana, (Sunday,) there were severe snow storms all around Calgary. Cars were buried in snow 3 days later. I did hear of a couple of deaths, but no details.

I spend a lot of time checking the T.V., for news of the flood. Today it was said that the peak has been reached, & some relief is supposed to be in the future. Mo & I talk, but all we can do is feel sad, & sorry for those affected. Friends check in regularly, to see if our families are safe. They mostly dont apreciate the size of Australia, which is similar in sq. miles to Canada. Poor dears, (Aussies I mean). I wish "tears" helped. Then EVERYONE would be O. K.

I just finished talking to Charlotte. She has booked me to go home on 3rd of Feb., returning on

9th March. I will arrive on Cec's birthday. Don't know what time yet!! I don't think we are

given tickets these days. Just a # & dates on a slip of paper I think.

I have a few photos of some of the snow storms. I'll e-mail them to Lin, & get her to put them on the blog. I still don't know how to do it. i should have had a lesson while Lin was here.

Mo & Bill are very busy now. So many folk with the 'Flu, but the work still has to be done, so

whoever is healthy, they get to fill in!! Mo was quite upset at not being able to see Lin, but they would need at least a week at this time of year. Roads bad, sun comes up late, goes down early,

so the days are short, & it is over 800 miles each way. As we get older, the long trips get to be harder. I don't know how far it is to Kates, probably around 150 miles, & I find it getting harder each time I travel. Thereis well over 20 miles of mountain pass, & that can be scary at times. I

prefer to travel during the day now.

So many January birthdays. Belated "Happy Birthday" to Anthea, John, (Happy anniversary to Johnno & Vicki!), Carol L.,Matt, Marj, & Callum. "Happy Birthdays" to Maximus, Katie

Markus, Jenny Neal. Also 2 nursing mates that Marj would know, Ann Shirlow & Lorna Howell. (K. J's wife.)

If anyone wants anything from over here, give me lots of time, as I don't get to the city very

often these days.

It was great to have Stewart for a few days. It WAS a rushed trip, but I did enjoy our visit.

I hope he will be back for some more skiikg in the future. He didn't get tto see our ski hill, Westcastle." Perhaps next time???

I've "almost" lost this post twice, so rather than keep on rambling, I will finish off, before I REALLY DO lose it. Trusting everyone is well. Love to all. Kell

Sydney Sider

Just quickly for the Canadian Aunties, this is the chanel 9 news site to checkout the floods, scarey and sad http://ninemsn.com.au

Thank you so much for the mittens Aunty Kell,they will be lovely come winter

Sara xxxxx

Christmas at the Woollett's home saw the Laverty's and Heffernan's having a lovely time and as usual Rikky even got some more work done around the house or I should say the back yard.
Carol just got the usual hand signal and knew immediately that she was on building duty.
The cubby house had to have the final paint job, the sand pit underneath it had to be topped up with fresh sand and a new blackboard had to be put up and painted.

Then timber had to be removed from the shed (maybe the car will fit in again soon) and one by one each length had to be sanded then varnished, first one side then the other no less than three times each side.

There were electrical tools including a drop saw scattered all around the back yard but the three Little's just played around them and didn't even touch the wet timber. They are so used to having building equipment around they don't even flinch when the nail gun is used.

The side gate was built, a couple of days later there was a very nice screen made out of the same timber built over the side fence to block out the neighbours water tank and clothes line. It was looking very nice when we had to leave.

A game of broom horses was fun down the steep driveway.

But in true Ausie style we still had time to play and enjoy our self, Christmas lunch was held out on the back deck, food and drink were an endless supply and laughter and games were an ongoing event, we even had Nat join us for lunch.

Jahl relented and let us take a photo or two of him, he is a typical man and does not like having his photo taken, but he does love riding his scooter down the driveway.

Lexa loves taking photos so took this one of Lenice, Nyah, Me and Jahl. She usually uses Carols big camera so found my little one a novelty.

Lexa goes to "Big School" this year and is very excited about it all.

Aunt Carol even got time off to play with the children, they love to spar with her and have big cuddles.
Mum (Terese) even managed some time away from the kitchen to play and blow bubbles.

All in all it was a very good Christmas, but all good things come to an end and I am now back at work. New Year was just another day as I worked and here we are already the 4th January.

Happy birthday to John for yesterday, I have no address or contact number for him.

Hope all are well.