Update

 

 

The Sea Colours Blanket is progressing nicely - it's about two thirds done now.

 

 

I ran out of yarn, so ordered more. Isn't that just a gorgeous sight, a basket full of yarn?

At Easter, we visited our friends at their new home in the Blue Mountains. I had brought the Lotus and Blossom Mandala I made for them, a hoop and tape, and on the first morning after we arrived I taped the hoop and stretched the mandala in the hoop, and they hung it on the wall straight away!

 

 

Doesn't it look great up there? 

 I might make another mandala once the Sea Colours Blanket is done - I just love how they look and I really enjoyed crocheting it!

 

 

We had a lovely time in the Blue Mountains. We spent one night at the gorgeous Carrington Hotel:

 

 

And we explored Katoomba, which is full of art deco buildings and has lots of street art - my kind of place!

 

 

More photos on my photo blog!

New Zealand

Two days ago we arrived home after a fantastic holiday in New Zealand. Here are a few pics of some highlights: an early morning run in Auckland (above).
A visit to Hobbiton:



Walking in an ancient forest:



Sightseeing in Napier, a city full of art deco buildings and street art - what more could you wish for? (they also have jacarandas!)





And last but not least, spending a few days near majestic Mount Ruapehu, hiking and moutainbiking in Tongariro National Park:



I brought my Happy Whirl shawl and got quite a few rows done. This project is nearing its end!



We also did two parkruns in New Zealand, which brought my total this year to 30, and overall to 40!



With only two hours to go here in Queensland until the start of 2019, I would like to wish you a happy and healthy New Year!

Melbourne

Last week youngest son and I travelled to Melbourne to watch his eldest brother compete in the Australian Gymnastics Championships. Unfortunately Hugo injured his knee on the fourth apparatus during the first competition and was pulled out. His team won gold on the day and thankfully he could join them on the podium, crutches and all!



He had an MRI the next day which showed that his ACL was torn. Bad news, as this means he will need surgical reconstruction followed by 9-12 months of recovery. He's taken it in his stride however, and has signed up for a judging course, so he can still go with his clubmates to the State Club Championships at the end of June, and judge instead of compete. He also hopes to do some coaching this year. The brilliant photo below was taken by one of the photographers of WinkiPop Media minutes before his injury, high-fiving his coach after a succesfull rings routine:



Hugo's injury understandably put a damper on our stay in Melbourne, but Robert and I did get to do some sightseeing and met our Dutch friends for dinner, which was lovely. It was Robert's first time in Melbourne and he loved seeing the autum colours - something we don't have here in Queensland! (more Melbourne pics on my photo blog here)



I took him to Hosier Lane to see the street art, but he wasn't very impressed - he called it Stinky Street!



We did like this painting (more street art photos on the photo blog here):



Here is another kind of street art - an art deco mosaic constructed in 1933 by Napier Waller on the facade of Newspaper House in Collins Street (more art deco photos on the photo blog here, and some art nouveau photos here):



We really liked the cubes in Flinders Street:



There was even a crocheted one!



I had brought a ball of yarn and a hook but didn't do any crocheting. We did visit my favourite shop in Melbourne, Morris and Sons:



I bought some yarn as a souvenir ;-)



Love the warning on the label!!



All in all we did have a good time, but were happy to go home on Sunday (Hugo flew home on the same day with the Queensland team). Robert hopes to go back to Melbourne in December for the ballroom dancing championships!

Road trip to Brisbane

Last week, when the boys had school holidays, we drove down to Brisbane. We met up with old friends and visited our favourite places, such as New Farm Park (photo above), where the jacarandas were blooming. It was so good to be back!



In New Farm I took a few pics of some gorgeous art deco buildings (more pics on my photo blog):



We also spent some time in South Bank. I love the bougainvillea there:



A typical Queensland thunderstorm rolled in while we walked past the Streets Beach. I'm very pleased with this photo!



I did a lot of crocheting both in the car and in our B&B at night...



... and came home with this pile of granny squares. Only a few more to go and then I can start to assemble the Sea Colours blanket!

Blue Mountains

Last weekend we visited the Blue Mountains National Park, about 80 km west of Sydney. I had been looking forward to going here, and it didn't disappoint - it's stunningly beautiful.
Below are the Three Sisters - the photo I had in mind of the three bothers looking at the Three Sisters didn't really work out as these days they just stare at the camera with disdain!

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Some more pics of the awe-inspiring scenery:





I'm glad that my eldest son was happy to take this pic as I definitely wasn't up to it!





Here is some street art I spotted in Katoomba:



Katoomba is a delightful place, with lots of art deco buildings:



The Carrington Hotel:



How gorgeous are these windows!



We wished we could have stayed longer, but unfortunately we had to go home at the end of the day. However, together with some friends we have booked a house in Blackheath for Easter 2018 - we're already looking forward to spending four days in the Blue Mountains!



Meanwhile at home I am working hard on my crochet blanket - about one third is done now. The granny squares initially weren't all the same size (getting better at it now), but luckily blocking them helped. I bought some T-pins and pinned them to my ironing board, then lightly sprayed them with water and dried them with a hair dryer:



I've bought a set of colourful hooks and have also already ordered yarn for my next crochet project. It's very satisfying to acquire a new skill at this stage of life!