Home.

Wow.
7 hours is a VERY long way to drive.
BUT we have had the most wonderful, relaxing holiday, with the most wonderful and "down to earth" people.

Thank you to our gorgeous neighbours (Dianne and Paul) for EVERYTHING they did while we were gone.
You do not often meet such beautiful people that will help out with animals while you are away.
They also assisted when we were in America.
It makes a holiday so much more relaxing if you know everyone at home is being spoilt.

Thank you also to my brother.
The watering, living and feeding once he returned from camping is also well appreciated.

2013 started like any other day.
2012 ended like any other day.

We read, we swam, we cooked, we laughed and we smiled.....constantly.
Pure Bliss.

We are so very grateful to our Mildura family and our community back home.

I do not know if any of them will ever realise the holiday we just enjoyed.

Now we have returned there is some of the old and some of the new...........

We are all exhausted and recovering.
The unpacking is monstrous.
There is no pool !

But we have a new family member.
Most people will shake their heads.

BUT we are who we are.

We have welcomed a new family member into our family.
He was going to be "put to sleep".
This kelpie/labrador is 8 years old (so they say).

Yesterday the whole family made the decision to "save him".

He has fitted in beautifully.
The other animals do not faze him.
He just loves companionship.

Loyalty.

He quietly follows us everywhere.

As a family we discussed giving him a home in his remaining years.

He is toilet trained.
He is placid.
He deserves to live.

This will be his home now.
Not the cage or the green needle ...........

Oh.....and his name is STEVE.

Cannot stop laughing about that one.....

Rest and relaxation

Hello from sunny AND hot Mildura.

On December 27th, we drove 7 hours to get here.
In a few hours we will be home.

A few months ago, I rang Scott's cousin that lives here and asked if we could come and stay.
By the end of the conversation, we were coming to "house sit".

At the moment we all feel like the "luckiest" family in the whole wide world.
The house is a mansion.
It is magnificently decorated.
The gardens are immaculate.
And the "piece a resistante"........there is a massive pool outside the back door.

The setting for our "holiday" could not have been any better.

Scott has many family members that live around Mildura and the hospitality we have been shown is indescribable.

Amelia and Tom had a wonderful afternoon driving around in a boat.
Tom and I even attempted knee boarding!

The food, the fun and the relaxation has been well needed.

The lifestyle is unlike anything at home.
I am coming home with many "creative ideas" for our own home environment.

Our animals at home have been well looked after by my awesome brother, as has the house and garden.

Amelia has struggled with the heat, late nights and social stimulation.........
but as always she recovers the next day.

Amelia, Tom, Scott and I have each had our own memorable experiences to last a long time.

Happy 2013 everyone.
We are looking forward to sharing our lives with you over the next 12 months.

xxx