Joshua James (J Boy) came into our world, changing it forever, on this day - 40 years ago. He arrived in the middle of a Canberra heatwave (just like this week) and he really was as calm and sweet a baby as he looks in this picture (and he hasn't really changed in this way over the intervening 40 years).
Joshy at almost 10 months ………
Joshy and his mate Davey creating havoc on holidays at Broulee Beach (Joshy 20 months, Davey aged 3).
Joshy aged 3 years and 4 months -in Brisbane (after the memorable split lip incident requiring 2 stitches!)
Looking a bit tentative on his first day at school (aged 5 years)
Joshy (growing up fast) aged 9 and a 1/2 years.
From his 10th birthday onwards (for about 6 - 7 years), Joshy's life was focused on Ice Hockey. In Dec-Jan. 1993 - 1994 he played with the Australian U/15 Ice Hockey Team in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada.
I took this pic 5 years later in 1999 (in Brisbane again at a family wedding). Joshy was lucky enough to meet the love of his life, Jody, when he was young. By the time they were both 20 (in this pic) they were an established couple making plans for a future together.
By the time they married in February 2004 Josh and Jody had moved into their own home in Kambah, taken on the responsibilities of owning a dog (Nellie the Beagle) and were both making great strides in their choice of work/study.
Three years later in May 2007, baby Ella arrived, changing their lives (and ours of course) forever!
By the start of 2010 Joshy and Jody had bought the Auto Torque business and Jody had completed her degree and was getting regular work in local schools. Josh was injured at work in April that year, giving us all a terrible fright, but he has recovered well. This pic was taken in November 2010 - Josh was in his thirties by now!
Then, in February 2012, Abi (Abigail) arrived, changing their lives (and ours of course) forever AGAIN!
This pic was taken December 2014 in Coogee - a favourite holiday and mini break haunt for Joshy, Jody and the girls. Joshy works hard and plays hard and is always there for his girls.
In April 2016 Josh and Jody and the girls joined us in Ubud Bali to help Rob and I celebrate our 65th birthday year. We all love our Ubud stays and it was just magic for us that they were able to join us for this special celebration.
This is probably my best, most recent picture of Joshy - a calm, sweet boy and now a completely wonderful young man (while still calm and sweet too). He hasn't really changed over the years apart from getting even better at everything he does. We are so lucky to have been able to share your life Joshy. Happy 40th birthday dear man!!!
We've had an unprecedented run of 39-41oC days here in Canberra. It means we can't go outside much after about 10.30am without getting seriously uncomfortable. We've taken the girls to the movies on Monday (Mary Poppins Returns) and to the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) yesterday. Both were very successful outings.
The NGA Play area was focussed on activities around the gallery's collection of Ballet Russes costumes from the early 1930s (thank you Henri Matisse among others). The girls were happy experimenting with the activities here for at least two hours!
But another huge hit on our visit yesterday was seeing Yayoi Kusama's "The Spirit of the Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens".
This is the view we were entranced by: 46 pumpkins (Ella counted them) and a whole lot of mirrors and clever lighting ……..
But the polka dot room setting for the mirrored box is rather wonderful too...…..
We got the girls home in time for a slip and slide session in the back yard before a pretty wild electrical storm set in … although it didn't cool things down too much.
Rob's had another birthday! Not a BIG one this year but a nice even number - and they're so much better than those unhappy sounding prime numbers (IMO)...…
We've done a few special things over the past few days for his birthday but today's lunch at a vineyard/winery out near Lake George at Womboin ("Contentious Character") was definitely the most special ………
The company, the food and the setting were all perfect - even the weather was cooperative - not too unbearably hot outside today.
Abi was happy during breaks in table service because the vineyard supported a bit of insect life. Abi is quite the wildlife tamer - she strokes them into submission!
It's always a challenge to set up a family picture pose - but I thought it was worth trying at the end of our long lunch, in this picture perfect setting.
Rob scored a beautiful gift hamper for his birthday which included fig scones made by Ella, tomato sugo made by Abi and some raspberry jam that was a family effort. He's so lucky!!
The young ones have been back from their road trip to Adelaide for a week or so and we've had a couple of chilled out days with the girls here at Campbell. They are both very serene, happy and calm at this stage of the summer holidays and spend hours here painting and drawing, making and eating food and playing in our Hassett Park.
It's so nice to have plenty of time for everything. When Ella was here today she told us the plotlines of all seven of the Harry Potter books she's read over the last year or two. It took her well over an hour in the telling as she swung from trees and assorted park equipment. She loves the books and has remembered every character and all the minute and obscure plot developments in all seven books.
Ella reckons she's lost some of her gym fitness after a 3 week break - but she looks very fit and strong to us!
And Abi's catching up …..
Joshy at almost 10 months ………
Joshy and his mate Davey creating havoc on holidays at Broulee Beach (Joshy 20 months, Davey aged 3).
Joshy aged 3 years and 4 months -in Brisbane (after the memorable split lip incident requiring 2 stitches!)
Looking a bit tentative on his first day at school (aged 5 years)
Joshy (growing up fast) aged 9 and a 1/2 years.
From his 10th birthday onwards (for about 6 - 7 years), Joshy's life was focused on Ice Hockey. In Dec-Jan. 1993 - 1994 he played with the Australian U/15 Ice Hockey Team in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada.
I took this pic 5 years later in 1999 (in Brisbane again at a family wedding). Joshy was lucky enough to meet the love of his life, Jody, when he was young. By the time they were both 20 (in this pic) they were an established couple making plans for a future together.
By the time they married in February 2004 Josh and Jody had moved into their own home in Kambah, taken on the responsibilities of owning a dog (Nellie the Beagle) and were both making great strides in their choice of work/study.
Three years later in May 2007, baby Ella arrived, changing their lives (and ours of course) forever!
By the start of 2010 Joshy and Jody had bought the Auto Torque business and Jody had completed her degree and was getting regular work in local schools. Josh was injured at work in April that year, giving us all a terrible fright, but he has recovered well. This pic was taken in November 2010 - Josh was in his thirties by now! 
Then, in February 2012, Abi (Abigail) arrived, changing their lives (and ours of course) forever AGAIN! 
This pic was taken December 2014 in Coogee - a favourite holiday and mini break haunt for Joshy, Jody and the girls. Joshy works hard and plays hard and is always there for his girls.
In April 2016 Josh and Jody and the girls joined us in Ubud Bali to help Rob and I celebrate our 65th birthday year. We all love our Ubud stays and it was just magic for us that they were able to join us for this special celebration.
This is probably my best, most recent picture of Joshy - a calm, sweet boy and now a completely wonderful young man (while still calm and sweet too). He hasn't really changed over the years apart from getting even better at everything he does. We are so lucky to have been able to share your life Joshy. Happy 40th birthday dear man!!!
