7 OCTOBER 1921 and ninety years later...

Today is Dad's 90th birthday. You know, as Mum would say, That's really something". Good on you Dad and with John and Joy you've really had to put up with alot. We all went out to lunch and enjoyed a quiet repast at the Golden Orb. (I'd already been to the Olive!)

The fam damily gathered and as usual, we all spoke at once, over the top of each other, and generally shared a wonderful meal. I must take a photo of Cas's Smoked Salmon Salad one day. It's definately blogworthy.

A little more food, a little more chat, a little more little of this and of that

and Dad blowing out the candle on his birthday muffin. What a spoilt boy.

Chelsea and a Norfolk Island memory sealed in watercolour

I went onto Facebook a little earlier, looking for an old family friend, in the hope that I could email him about Dad's 90th, and I saw a picture of a painting that Chelsea had done. I thought it looked fabulous and thought it should be blogged. That girl is so incredibly talented and she takes it in her stride. Her father spoils her of course!

The Return of the Prodigal Son...

What IS a prodigal son? I might see Mary CB on the weekend and she can tell me. Anyway. Tzarn came home on Sunday night for Dad's 90th birthday. 6 am Wednesday he drives to Flagstaff looking for the nebuliser. 7am and he asks me to take him to the hospital. There he proceeds to have a full blown asthma attack. Later, when he's resting in intensive care and the medication is making him shake like an aspen leaf, the doctor tells us it's the worst case he's seen in 40 years! God. Thanks to Sharyn for becoming Deputy Clerk for the morning and allowing the Parliament to sit. Thanks to God that Tzarn is up and about and seems none the worst, although he's still up to his neck in medication. According to NASA we have the cleanest air in the world, second only to the Antarctic. Tzarn gets no asthma in BrisVegas. Deal with that!

The month of October

The month of October is very special for our family. Among other things, Dad turns 90 on the 7th. We decided to have a small afternoon tea for him at the Parish Centre this coming Sunday the 9th. It took ages to work out a list and we finally decided on those of his era and those who visit him. It was still a very long list. The other important birthdays are Reen's and Chris because they grew up as close friends of Mum's. In fact she always said that Reen was her very best friend. Mum's birthday was on the 3rd. I phoned Chris the other day to invite him on Sunday. I won't write here what he said but we chatted on a little longer.

Now Sarah, Duane's lady, is a marvel with flowers. She says they must be placed in such a way that there's beauty from three angles.

I asked her if she could bring me down two bouquets on Thursday the 6th. She obliged but of course, I didn't take a photo did I. So I'm sharing with you a bouquet she bought me last week. Like Sarah, they are stunning.

Anyway, come Thursday Dad and I and the roses drove to Reen's. She met us and we went inside to visit with her and Jim. Then Reen's brother Chris turns up and she kisses him and wishes him Happy Birthday! I stared then said, You told me last week that it was Reen's birthday today and yours next Monday." "Oh No, - says Doreen - It's his today. It's mine on Monday!"

I honestly cannot believe that I believed him. I'm usually right on my toes with him and rarely caught out! I blame Tzarn!

Ron Williams' Chauffeur

Sitting at the Olive on Thursday morning ~ my son and I meet there on that morning of the week for an informal yet informative chinwag. And there's Ron Williams car on the drive.

Neat and clean as a new pin ~ just like Ron himself ~ the car is shining in the early morning sun, but on closer look ~ hang on ~ his dog's driving!

He regally turned his head and stared me down. For a second there I was waiting for him to wave!

Drive on my man

Manly vs Warriers in some football thingy

There's some sort of football match on which in the football world is quite important. However, Mr Dids Evans isn't particularly enamoured of either teams and may even have expressed the wish the they both might lose!

However, others of his family are not quite so blase. His Aunty Nellie is an avid Manly supporter and his sister-in-law Rozzie is a K1W1! Therefore it wasn't too much of a surprise when on returning home last Saturday (or was it Sunday, I'm not too avid either), we found maroon and white balloons tied to the retaining wall. Who else but Aunty Nellie.

Then again, when we got really close you could see that someone had further defaced them with a black texta saying Go the Kiwi's; Go NZ and Go the Warrior's!

Royal Agricultural & Horticultural Show Day

October brings on the annual A & H Show and some people are a little more prepared than others. Dids has been working at his farm all year, and sometimes it's been pretty heavy going, because he injured his leg last year and had to have reconstructive surgery. However, he's been well rewarded and it's well deserved. He won the COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE GARDEN. YAY! I can't upload any photos because I haven't taken any. I'm waiting until he's there then I'll blog it for the world to see. Watch this space!