The Edge of the World

Brian Inder b 1930, a Tasmanian wrote a poem called 'The Edge of the World', the plaque of this poem is located on the North West Coast of Tasmania, Australia not that far from Arthur River which flows into the Great Southern Ocean.
Wonderful place to visit to see the logs which come down the river then into the sea and back up on the small beaches.  The sea roars and is the longest uninterrupted expanse of ocean on the globe. From Argentina the currents sweep unimpeded more than halfway around the planet until they hit this point.

For me to visit the North West Coast of this area, Arthur River it would be about 4 hours away.

Black Swans

Black Swans as are White Swans graceful creatures.  There are many black swans in Tasmania, Australia, and they can get aggressive at times, I know because I got caught and had to run for it...

Life with me has been extra busy.  I have been stopping with my father, then back home again, back to stay for several nights with my dad accompanied by my husband. Then we are off again mid-week to stop again, but that is my life for the past 5 years. I do it because I want to.
Dads health if good for an 89 year old, but of course he's wearing out, lives in a two story house plus has a great view of Bass Strait. It's a pity he can't see!

Restaurant, Dynasty Chinese

We all had a lovely evening meal for my birthday at the Dynasty Chinese Restaurant, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.  Wonderful meal, always I choose this Restaurant for such occasions.

Took a few photos of the interior which is beautiful, the photos are not the best that is due to the point & shoot camera I was using, plus it was 'darkish' inside, a bit like candlelight.

Front door & Recption is where arch is.

Part of the ceiling.

Where we Dine it's not always acceptable to take photos of the interior or food. This is why I hardly ever post photos of such.

Zygocactus & Birthday

It is my birthday today, but who's counting!  I am, backwards :)
My husbands family plus a few close friends including eldest son and his wife and me of course are going to a Chinese restaurant in the city for dinner this evening. Last year was the first time I have ever been out to dinner for my birthday.
My father used speed dial to phone me this morning and began singing Happy Birthday from start to finish :) not bad for an 89 year old, and he didn't miss a beat. When I was there this past week, he asked me how much money I wanted for my birthday, he always says that :)
Youngest son also phoned this morning from Queensland, it was good he remembered. I was lucky enough to have his little children (the girls 6 & 5 years of age, the youngest is 16 months and a boy) wish their Nan birthday greeting and have a chat along with his wife. Eldest son also phoned this morning, his daughter is nearly 14 months old.

Also today I took a few photos of my Zygocactus or Christmas cactus.  These plants came from dad's house and it's their second year.  I took cuttings a few years after mum passed away and very happy with the results.

Shampoo!

I was reading about shampoos particularly the ingredients. Apparently it's not a good idea to use shampoos that have Silicons in them due to that product leaving a film on your hair which is not good for the hair or scalp in the long run.
I have found it difficult to buy even the more expensive shampoos that don't have silicon in them. Of course some shampoos are worse than others.
What shampoo I wonder do most people use?

The Kitchen

Due to my circumstances I have two kitchens, one in each house in two cities. In fact I have two of most things, because that is just the way it is.

My late mother wanted a new kitchen before she passed on, so it was built and finished not long before she went, so therefore she didn't get to use it much.

A couple of my dear friends wanted to help take all the things out of the cupboards & put them back in when all was complete. The photo below is of them myself on the left (in red) and my dad next to me plus the mess :)  we had a lot of fun.

View from the dinning room.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all mums. 

I found a few Mothers saying that I wish to share. 

Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.

If I had a flower for each time I thought of My Mother, I could walk in my garden forever.

I found this Irish Proverb.  A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his Mother the longest.

Coming up Mother's Day

It's coming towards Mother's Day and this reminds me of my departed mother who died nearly 5 years ago.

The short story of her death is this:

Mum took ill 10 days before she died with a cancerous growth the size of a football which was attached to the outside area of her large bowel. There was no evidence of this, she had no pain, she had no large stomach, no weight loss, she was normal in every way. Approximately 6 months before her death she had CT Scan, plus lots of other routine tests, scans and other test which she usually had done each year due to a condition that she had had for 4 years not being related in anyway to her death or cancer. All test were as they should be, normal.  Yes, I saw the results and understand all.

Were my father and I shocked - NO! Cancer works sometimes in mysterious ways. We accepted her death and got on with our lives as my mum would wish us to. My father and I are much alike in many ways. 

Mum & Dad's 60th Wedding Anniversary in November 2004. My father was legally blind and still is.

Taken in the winter 2007 just over one year before my mum passed away.

Due to her condition she was taking Cortisone at that time, hence the fuller face.

Bruny Island, Tasmania, Australia

Tasmania which is an island does have islands.  Bruny Island is but one down south.  Beautiful scenery, lovely beach and many walks can be done. 
Many people live on Bruny Island and catch the ferry across to Kettering each day and home again in the evening if they work on Mainland Tasmania.  However, there are many crossings during the day.

When I first went to Bruny Island many years ago, there were only a few shacks, only one shop that was open for a few hours a day, no boardwalks, not good access to the beach and no accommodation other than a great big paddock which was used to put a caravan on without power, it was on this land I parked my car, cooked a meal on an open fire, my friend and I slept in the car for one night having the times of our lives.....those were the days :) That was before I was married.

Took my husband to see Bruny Island a few years ago and we went for the day. Now there is a shop there open all day! Board walks, roads graded and quite a lovely village. Sheep, cows and so on..

There is a north and south island, the south island being hilly.

Adventure Bay. Bruny Island.

The Lighthouse and home of the keeper.

This is Cloudy Bay on Bruny Island.

Another photo of Cloudy Bay. Bruny Island.

Whalebone Point. Bruny Island.

Up on a hill the vegetation is a bit thick.

A typical sign on Bruny Island.