Sunday, April 13, 2014

Good times

We've had some good times over the past three days. It started with a beautiful lunch with J&W at Murrumbateman on Friday, an opportunity to celebrate the end of the 2014 grape harvest (not the best of years with half the crop lost in two savage late frosts last October) and a chance to enjoy some great food and wonderful wines (especially the Arras sparkling from Southern Tasmania and the amazing 2004 Castagna Syrah from Beechworth (WOW!)).  

After the 6 inches or so of rain we've had in the last month, the country looked lush and green and the sheep somewhat soggy.

Saturday we spent with Ella: two hours at the Erindale Pool in the morning while she did her lesson and then at least an hour after practising handstands and diving in at the deep end......






 ..then a short break to eat a couple of toasted sandwiches and work on the 350 piece Christmas jigsaw....then off to kite flying at the local oval....



She ran around the oval for at least an hour with varying degrees of success flying that little kite in the gusty winds ..never losing her temper at the inevitable frustrations.  She finished off the afternoon with another half hour or so on the monkey bars and climbing wall of our local school's playground.

We felt we'd had a workout just watching and admiring her joy and energy all day.

Today we were invited for one of Joshy's Sunday roast. Ella had dressed up for the visit, putting the rest of us to shame. We enjoyed canapes and a glass of Shiraz (not for Ella though) while we worked on elastic band jewellery together - the latest craze.



 While Rob and Abi played Jumping Monkeys.


 Abi has lots of nicknames; Percy Pud being the most popular. She's just started to insist that her name is Aa-ee (Aa - bee), and definitely not Percy Pud or any of its derivatives!

2 comments:

Malcolm said...

Love the photos. There are some crackers in the last posts. The two girls are great subjects and have such wonderful eyes.
Cameras are great fun, aren't they.

Unknown said...

Great photos Jude. haven't caught up with the blog for a while. So great to have a dose of family.
Such lovely girls, wow they're live wires. Very impressed with Joshy's lunches. Xx