We've taken a couple of late afternoon trail rides with Abi and Sammy in the last two weeks - and we haven't been too frozen and there's been enough light to ensure we've got back to the stables before nightfall after a good long ride (and walk for us). Spring is definitely on the way! 
Our dear friends Ro and David (from Cooper Creek in the Daintree) stayed with us for a week at the start of the month too. Luckily Canberra turned on some beautiful Spring weather for them or I'm sure their FNQ temperature receptors would have quickly frozen over. They had a busy week of packing chores to do but we were able to do some lovely walks and outings and enjoy some great meals toegther while they were here.
We looked after Sammy by ourselves last weekend while Josh, Jody and the girls were in Sydney. We managed the haltering, the mucking out of his stable, the feeding and the rugging like old hands this time. We all agree that Sammy has matured a lot over the last year and he's a much more chilled out boy than he was when he was younger. We're probably a bit more competent than we used to be at all things to do with horsey care too. We love this boy!
Before returning to FNQ they took a few days break at the Burrawang property near Tomakin on the South Coast. The photos they sent me were far nicer than any I'd taken during their week in Canberra. Ro has now finished her chemo and radiation treatment and is gradually recovering her good form - it's wonderful to see!
We've just got back from 5 days in Coogee today - not great weather there - but at least we got to experience the beach like this one cool afternoon earlier in the week .........
We are waiting on the delivery of our new car from Sydney City Lexus - ordered SIX months ago. It's allegedly arriving next month and will look just like this one apparently ....... (We also agreed on a trade in price for our little 15 year old VW Golf with Sydney Lexus this week.)
We also did some DIY work in Coogee while we were there. Thor's Hammer made us a beautiful solid ash (reclaimed) timber bench top and we installled it in our sunroom to create a tiny new "office". It took Rob and me HOURS to work out the levels and the spacing for the supports, then drill the holes in these rough old brick walls, all the while hoping it would end up level. In the end we got a great result - and yes it's quite level - and we're very happy with it!
Yesterday was rainy - a good day to do some shopping in the city. We set out for the beautiful old David Jones store in Market Street which used to be renowned for its peak "shopping experience" especially at Christmas and the change of the seasons. I felt strangely moved to see the tradition is obviously continuing at this beautiful old school department store. There was a profusion of Spring flowers, the glorious old grand piano was at full volume and everything looked fabulous and opulent - just like the old days before online shopping, AI and the cost of living crisis changed everything in the retail world. So good to see!
We'd just read a great review of Mother Chu's Taiwanese Gourmet in the Sydney Morning Herald so we headed there for lunch after a successful hour or two of shopping. Among many other dishes Mother Chu's is renowned for their youtiao (fried bread sticks) - we had ours wrapped in omelette, pork floss and glutinous rice, along with steamed soup dumplings and a stir fry pork dish, all yummy. Next time we'll have to try their famous sesame crusted black pepper pork buns.
We drove back to Canberra today on a glorious Spring day in Coogee and in Canberra too. We got back in time for a lovely late lunch with Josh, Jody and the girls at our fave The Gryphon at the Griffith shops. The Manchurian pears lining the shop froints were at their absolute Spring blossom peak - a joy to behold!
