Barramundi, Busses and Beaches - Merry Xmas!

Hi!

Well. Apologies for not checking in last week. It has been absolutely gogogogogo since, well, last week. Sunday was Denise's games barbecue (an excellent and long-awaited evening), then later that same evening Caroline and Neil arrived from Bristol, England and it's been nuts busy since. So yeah, am sorry, but time got away from me!

So yeah. Last week (and the week before, as hazy as that is) was good, but busybusybusy. I'm trying to cast my memory back to the week prior............I know we at work had our Xmas Lawn Bowls party, it was fun.............. Nahhhh, I think I pretty much covered it last entry and if not, well, not a lot went on that was different from allllll the other weeks! But last week, well, it was really really good! Started Monday off a bit tired - from meeting Caroline&Neil in the City for dinner and drinks; was up waaaaaay past my school night bedtime, but it was worth it. Haven't seen her in a few years now. Always good to catch up and they're only in town a day or so. And Monday, yeah, that was a struggle but managed to get through it. Had to go to work for half the day... then a few of us went out to lunch and a teeny bit of last-minute shopping. It was a nice way to end work for the year!

And Tuesday, well, that was Xmas, now that I remember! I was cordially invited to my boss Paul and his wife Marg's house to be their Xmas Orphan. I hate being the Token Orphan, but I just couldn't say no to the Boss. And do you know what? It was a really nice day. I had a very lovely time, they were so nice and the fooood! YUM! Fresh seafood (prawns, coral trout, calamari, and Moreton Bay Bug (which is kinda like a cross between a lobster and a crab)) and about 5 different salads. It was one of the best Xmas dinners I've had yet! His son is a chef, so need I say more. It was very simple and low-key. Paul came to pick me up around 10.30am and they fixed breakfast, then they opened presents (they gave me a nice candle and a little box of chocolate! I gave them my wine glass charms, a bottle of my nice dessert wine and a bottle of my nice vineyard-tour white wine), then they slowly got lunch ready and threw that on the bbq, we ate (it was an absolute feast!), then we chatted for a bit and his son and his girlfriend had to go down to the Gold Coast to be with her parents, then we chatted some more and went for a walk along the River (they live in Newstead, which is pretty nice and quiet and right on the River), then we came back and chatted some more, then we watched "Babe" as Marg hadn't seen it and then, my god it was after 7.30pm! So I told them I had to get out of their way and they brought me home! It was most excellent! It has, for now, restored my faith in the role of Xmas Orphan!

And Wednesday..... Oh yeah, I recovered and cleaned the house (you can avoid chores only so long, no matter how teeny and dumpy the little apartment is). About half-way through that Caroline and Neil called and demanded I go with them down the coast (of New South Wales) on their way to Sydney. Well, how could I say no, really. So they picked me up in their MASSIVE 6 berth motor home and off we went! The first night we stayed in Byron Bay, had a wander around and an extremely lovely seafood dinner right near the sea (Fish Heads restaurant - I highly recommend it if you ever get the chance). The next morning we were off to Coffs Harbour, about 3 hours further south. It was a most lovely spot. We got settled and headed right for the beach. It was excellent just to lie on the sand and just be still (covered in spray-on factor 15 sunblock of course). Then we went for a swim - darn chilly getting in, perfect once you got used to it. And I didn't see one shark or get carried out by a rip! See what happens when you swim between the flags?! The next day they were headed further south and I just couldn't keep going as I have the four-legged monster to feed (has to have his fresh lettuce!) and an already nasty 6 hour bus ride back to Brissy. So they dropped me off at the bus station in the late morning and they continued on. I dropped my bag with the Info Centre gals and headed into town to check it out. Man. I walked and walked and walked, I had the place well covered by the time I got back to the bus station for my 5pm bus! I checked out all the shops (same as everywhere else), discovered the little local museum (always interesting), walked to and around in the Botanical Gardens (veryvery lovely), wandered around the cemetery next door, walked back towards town stopping to check out the Regional Gallery, and then I finally decided I was hungry and stopped into a little sidewalk cafe for a Barramundi Burger (Barramundi - just a white, light, flaky fish - it's yummy) which was done really well, chargrilled, with an interesting macadamia, lemon, olive oil and avocado dressing. Man. I couldn't tell if I was starving or if it was just really good. I'm gonna go with really good. Then headed over to the bus stop, pausing in the Coffs Harbour Hotel for a quick glass of wine to finish off the adventure. It was a really good, adventurous day. I haven't had a day like that in ages. Excellent! Have a look: www.coffscoast.com.au I didn't get to do the really adventurous stuff, but planes fly there often and I'm gonna go again, that's for sure!

So got back late the other night (see, I've lost track of the days, tho I do know its Sunday - Cindy helped me with that, even tho it took her a minute too) and spent yesterday doing absolutely nothing. Ok, did one load of laundry. But read my book most of the day. Am now onto Stephen King's "The Stand" - my absolute favorite of his.

And today was also really chilled-out. Cindy came around and we had a wander just up the road for something to eat and then had a nice long walk around the hilly 'hood. And now here I am! I must say, I just picked up a 6pack of beer, which I don't drink much of anymore (gotta watch this Office Flab), but it just seemed like the kind of thing you do on vacation during the summer; and I have to say, I think I've found my new favorite beer (until they start shipping Sierra Nevada Pale Ale here, that is) - Little Creatures Pale Ale. Yeah. Yum!

So there you are! WHEW! That's why I haven't checked in! Good excuse, huh? Hooray! Adventures were had! Excellent meals eaten! HOORAY! So now you know, am getting better at checking places out, the rare times when I do, so you can rest assured we won't get lost - if so, there'll be an adventure in it! C'mon down! Gives me the best excuse to get out!!!!!!

BYE!
J!
Weekly: One Good Thing About Little Apartment #20: It's pretty central and straightforward to get to - easy for cabs to drop me off/pick me up and for friends trying to find me!