Easter road trip

Good Friday saw us taking a road trip home to Southern New South Wales for some family time. It was a time of catching up with my sisters and also a time of making some tough decisions about our family home. Bitter sweet really.

We so don't want to sell the home we grew up in, but it's been almost 12 months since mum's passing and we really need to finally come to terms with our loss and grief and move forward. Selling the house will be a major step. We don't want to, but we know we have to. 

The next step is to have a clearing sale (in a few months) and then we can procrastinate over Winter - not a good time to sell. Hopefully by Spring we have come up with some plans as to what we could do with the house...a B&B perhaps! That way we keep it in the family. Anyhoo...lots of thinking to do.

Here are a few (!) pics from our week at home in the country...

Easter traffic leaving Sydney, not too bad so far! 

I haven't seen this country side looking so green for years, so nice to see.

Some amazing light coming through the clouds. Had to take a series of snaps...

A quick pit stop to keep the driver happy! 

The "wind farms" near Goulburn, almost home now.

I absolutely love seeing these golden fields. I know I'm home. 

Reading to mum! Got to keep up with the "Premier's Reading Challenge", even on holidays! 

Taking a stroll into town.

Walking down the path that this little guy's dad and I walked down many a time
hand in hand as high school sweethearts! 

Crossing the river and discovering a modern take on some aboriginal art.

Loving this glorious Autumn day.

Pointing out our beautiful architecture along the way....and giving a history lesson or two! 

My street! The street I grew up in. 

The gorgeous little chapel that I was married in. 

My girl, pretty excited to have found a "boom box" in the treasures
we cleaned out at Grandma's house! 

Also rocking her Aunty Lynne's naughty shorties found in a wardrobe from circa 1983! 

Little cousins, so sweet. 

"The Man Clan" as they became known, after a hard day's Working Bee in Grandma's house & garden.

Good morning sleepy heads! Easter morning and chocolate overload! 

The old Methodist Church next door. 

Enjoying the spoils of the Easter Egg hunt. 

"The Eggsplosion"! 

Some vintage finds from Grandma's haydays! 

Giving the "vintage finds" a good airing! 

Oh my goodness, we found my mum's wedding dress! 

The garden in need of some TLC. 

Taking the golf buggy for a spin around the paddocks! 

The bonfire.

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The Secret Garden

...just makes it harder to believe she won't be around

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on the road to home for the long weekend

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favourites...

Lest We Forget

With Anzac Day on my mind, I thought I would add our photos of the Australian War Memorial at Hyde Park Corner, London.  The memorial is made from 200 tonnes of Western Australian green granite and was constructed in 11 months as a symbolic reference to the end of WWI - the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. It was unveiled by the Queen and PM John Howard on November 11, 2003, 85 years after it was first suggested.  The main lettering on the memorial is a record of all the towns where the enlisted service personnel came from. There are over 24,000 towns and cities inscribed on the wall. Over 100,000 Australian troops died in WWI and WWII. Superimposed over the top of the names of the towns and cites are the names of 47 famous battles in which they fought. 


In the photo above, you can also see the Wellington Arch topped with the Angel of Peace.

Here is some more information about the Australian War Memorial at London's Hyde Park Corner. 

Hello Yass...a perfect photo op for our Great Piece of Yass bag.  There were too many names to check but we are sure Yass was on that wall somewhere.