Time for my 6-monthly update – well supposedly 6-monthly – but in reality, just when I can and have something to say.
Once again I am back in Australia. I flew from Belfast to London to Singapore to Brisbane to Hervey Bay without rest. Malcolm collected me at Hervey Bay. It is wonderful to be back.
A few months ago I returned to Ireland as my poor mother was admitted to hospital again, and, following being in a hospital bed for 6 weeks, lost the ability to walk as her leg muscles have wasted. I had to put her into a care home. This was distressing to say the least and also hard work as I had to dispose of her home and contents. She is now well and seems happy being cared for. The home is well-kept and the staff are good.
During my time in Ireland, I spent a few days in Rosslare Strand, County Wexford - great beach weather!
But, I will shortly be back in Australia to resume my life there.
Mother
Mussell trawler in Belfast Lough - aquaculture in action
Work in Progress - Malcolm, and Rick with his washing ------------------------------------
MAY 2010
BACK IN THE UUU-K-ayyy
Been away so long I hardly knew the place; gee it's good to be back home. I have once again made the debilitating trip to the other side of the planet, to Ireland, to see my mother, God bless her! She's now very frail and really needs me here to help her. I spent a week in England (en route) with my three grown children - all doing fantastic. I also visited Rosslare Strand, in Wexford, one of my favourite spots.
I have been granted the de-facto partner visa that was applied for last Nov. Apparently five months is a reasonable wait... It feels like sunrise and new horizons to come...
Boonooroo Sunset, April 2010
First photo of the New Year
On the old cottage pre-renovations verandah, Boonooroo, in sand-fly protective gear
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The year began with my daughter from London, here in Australia with me.
In Airlie Beach
We returned from Airlie Beach and our Fantasea tour. It was not as good as in previous years as the food was of a lower standard! The pontoon was looking dirty and scrappy. I was disappointed with it but we enjoyed the snorkelling.
A swim in the Tin Can Bay pool
A pair of masked Connollys
Wine-making
For over 20 years, in Ireland with my own fruit, I have made my own wine but now I am experimenting with citrus wines. We had lemon wine ready for Christmas which was potent and tasted like vodka with lemon and now I am trying orange wine and pear champagne flavoured with a hint of kaffir lime.
Tin Can Bay, the jewel in the Sandy Strait's crown
In early 2009 Malcolm's best friend was shot dead in Antigua. The body was flown back to Hervey Bay for the funeral.
Malcolm and I
Then in May my mother was again admitted to hospital in Northern Ireland .
One of my daughters was able to fly over from London to help for a few days. My son also flew over from England for a few days and it was just great to see them again. Just a pity that my other daughter was unable to come over as well.
second daughter
my son
first daughter
Two weeks later I arrived back in Queensland, Belfast to London to LA to Brisbane to Hervey Bay where Malcolm collected me. What a journey!!
It is now July 2009 and we are searching for property...hopefully Boonooroo...
....how about this little Boonooro cottage on the water....
Our de-facto spouse visa application was submitted mid-October so now the wait is on.
End of December: I am making curtains for the new property. We are planning a veggie garden but this will be a difficult venture given the huge hungry hares and kangaroos that eat everything!
Christmas provided a rich feast for the sand-flies as I had run out of the hard stuff and was using a blend of oils that did nothing to prevent them puncturing my first line of defence and injecting their anti-coagulating histamines into my bloodstream. Christmas night fell with the sea a few metres away and the stars hanging bright above.
The next day my daughter arrived from London and this was the best Christmas present of all. We went for a 5-day holiday in the Whitsundays.
I at last had a year (2008) of relative stability in Australia, having to exit only once to renew my visa - a flight to New Zealand and back with a 6-hour wait in the arrivals hall between flights. The immigration guys laughed said, "Immigration run is it?"
It was, and I could have done without it!! Australia lost $800 which went to making Richard Branson $800 better off.
In April, my daughter came out for a visit. This was just magic!!
in Brisbane
In June my son came out with his girlfriend. It was wonderful to see them. Adam drove to the Whitsundays and back. They did some sailing there.
Later in the year, Malcolm and I enjoyed making birthday cakes for our October birthdays.
Malcolm's birthday cake says, "2008 and Malcolm's still here".
My cake says, "2008 and Paddy's still here".
My birthday breakfast - Malcolm gave me this lovely rose
We had a peaceful Christmas. I made a spiced ham and then we spent the rest of Christmas cleaning the house and grounds. It was hard work but rewarding.
2007 was, for me, a hectic year of multiple trips between Australia and the UK/Ireland to care for my mother who was hospitalised on several occasions with health problems and needed operations...
Mother (a local artist) doing a little drawing
Somwhere in all this I found time to go sailing in Northern Ireland with a friend on a few occasions:
July 2005 in Australia, just days before returning to Ireland to sell a property there, I met the owner of a catamaran, Pennant, that was for sale. His name was Malcolm. He gave me his contact details, asked me to contact him when I got back to Australia and said he would take me for a sail. He had a beautiful catamaran called Coconut Airlines.
I did not get back until Jan 2006 and received an sms that day from Malcolm to say "welcome back and let's catch up". We did and we fell in love - fast.
Malcolm 2006
Coconut Airlines
This is the house I went back to sell -I designed and built it myself
This is the view from my balcony
It was a terrible wrench to sell my beautiful home on the slopes of Cavehill, but it had to be done or I would be trapped there having to look after it. I bought a townhouse on the coast a few miles north.
