Bunya Mountains

We had the best weekend. Dale phoned on Friday to let us know that he was spending a few days away at the Bunya Mountains and asked if we would like to come up over the weekend sometime. He is staying in a place that can accomodate 10 people so plenty of room.

So we went up there yesterday, stayed the night and came home this afternoon. It was such a gorgeous place and sooo peaceful. Wallabies and rabbits hopping around everywhere, so relaxing and pretty!

Dale had booked the restaurant up there for Steve and I and had everything planned to look after the kids, cook them dinner etc while Steve and I had dinner together, had a few drinks and then could walk back home when we felt like it! How nice is that!! So we did what we were told and went to dinner, had 2 bottles of bubbles and then walked home in the dark (or as the waitress suggested to a rather giggly Stevie John...stagger back home!!) I love when Steve has a few drinks and unwinds. He gets what I call his "pissy hand" happening. He gets a limp wrist and holds his arm at right angles from his elbow...very funny....I'm serious though, next time you're having a few drinks with him, look out for it! Of course he is also a very funny drunk so we always have lots of giggles! It was such a magnificent night too and being in the country, the night sky is just majestic! All of those stars, WOW! I just love the night sky in the country....you just don't see it like that in the city.

We got home just as the kids were going to bed, yes Uncle Dale spoilt them with a late night although it wasn't ridiculously late, little country restaurant and we were the last guests leaving the restaurant...at 9pm! PMSL! Watched "What Women Want" on TV. Steve went to bed after losing the last Cruiser (we later found it right beside his chair LOL!), then Dale went to bed and I sat up for a while enjoying the amazing silence!

As if we weren't spoilt enough last night, Dale had also told the kids not to wake us this morning and let us have a sleep in and instead come and wake him up. So the little gems got up, went downstairs and watched TV until Dale woke up, he got them breakfast and then they went for a walk through the rainforest for about an hour! When they got back, the kids brought us up a cup of coffee in bed. 8.45am...what a sleepin...THANKYOU THANYOU THANKYOU Dale, I don't think you realise how much it meant to us!!

We pottered around the house for a while (poor Dale got roped in to playing card games with the kids, games they had made up LOL!) then we went down to the restaurant for breakfast together.

Dale had also found out the other day that they have a horse and carriage ride available. They had one ride left for the day (Booked out from 11am onwards) so Matthew, Emily and I went for a ride. Only a short 10min ride up the street and then back down again but it was really nice. The "driver" had heaps of information about the area, stopped to collect a Bunya Nut and explained how to pull it apart to get the nut, and the kids got to sit in the front with the driver on the way back down the hill, it was good fun. When we got back, the kids were allowed to have a sit on Harry or Sampson if they wanted.

Of course Emily being the thrill seeker, adventurer, give it a try kinda girl she is wanted to while Mr Play-it-safe, cautious, ooo I don't think so, decided that he would pass on sitting on the horses!

Had breakfast and then Matthew, Emily, Steve and I went for a short walk through the rainforest together. Was really nice until a Bunya Nut fell from the trees missing Matthew, Em and Steve by about 30cms!!!!

Freaked them out a little bit so we left and headed back to the house. I lagged behind mucking around with my camera taking heaps of photos. We used to camp there when we were kids so I got heaps of pics to show Mum, Michael and Tammie how it has changed (and how it also hasn't). It was great to be back there. So many memories there. I must admit I got a little sad when we were walking. I don't have many times when I get compeltely overwhelmed with memories of Dad and saddness that he is no longer with us, but I did today. Maybe he was protecting me from that falling Bunya Nut as I had lagged behind when it fell but I was just looking around and watching my family walking the same track I had walked as a kid with my parents and I was overwhelmed with how much Dad would have loved seeing the next generation enjoying this. Then my thoughts turned to how much he just would have loved being a grandfather and how unfair it is that he isn't here to see these amazing children that Tammie and I have. The whole place was quite emotional for me today. But I loved it. Funny what silly memries the mind holds onto but for some reason I was vividly recalling eating dried fruit! Must ask Mum about that LOL!

Anyway, I lagged behind with my memories and dawdled home. Took this gorgeous photo of a joey in her Mum's pouch. Then played with my camera trying to take photos of the butterflies (that could send you insane!!!) They are so beautiful but so erratic!

Once I had finished trying to be Steve Parish, got back to the house, hung out for a while then got ourselves packed up and headed off. Went to Yarraman so Dale could see where the block of land is, spent a little while there and then we headed back home and Dale headed back up to his sanctuary (probably glad to see the back of us LOL!)

I feel like I have been away for days not just 24hrs!

Better get to bed, have uni tomorrow and Matthew has given me his cold so I really should have been in bed hours ago. Too busy to be sick! LOL!

Stay happy!

Trish