Happy Birthday to my first baby!

Nothing quite ages you like children. They are a magnificent beacon on your timeline - particularly the first. When you first become a parent - or a mum - your life changes and it is not longer about you, it is about your child. It is a new beginning and everything seems to be counted either BC or AC - before or after children.
Today my little baby turned 10. Double digits is a milestone in itself, for him and for me. There is a lot going on in our lives at the moment, and we wanted to make this a celebration for him. It didn't help that the mercury is well above 40, at an oppressively hot 44.

We started the day in our room, but presents were found via a treasure hunt, which turned out to be great fun for everyone. The kids all running around the house trying to find the next gift.

He had (optimistically) asked for a car - and was led to this one in the driveway!

Such a boy - it took him ages to find the final present hidden in the bath. A road bike. Not that easy to hide. He certainly had a "boy look"Maybe because it was under a sheet.

Test run.

WE then headed off for our traditional breakfast at Chapellis. We have been going there since he was little. While it is not the coolest or tastiest, they know us. It is our little version of "Cheers" where we walk in and the food lands in front of us and catch up chats begin. Thats why we go. 

 Back home to escape the heat before dinner celebrations.

Surfing

Our last day at Anglesea and it has been truly wonderful. We have explored the beaches and this is our favourite - the main beach.

 We have to drive to any beach from our temporary home but each time have managed to get a park right outside of a short track. Makes carrying all the gear very easy - and even on a hot day, there is plenty of space both on the beach and in the water - however my car is full of sand!

Dad brought an old surfboard with him, and it was so enticing even he got in the water - 

however I do feel that was not his intention!!

Each of the boys had a couple of goes on the board, but I don't think I have to rush out an buy one just yet. 

Goodbye Anglesea - Thank you for an awesome holiday and changing my mind about that part of our state. You are awesome!!

Another day in paradise

Crazy

Time. It can make you go a little crazy sometimes.

I was at Anglesea with the boys by myself again today - and that would normally be fine. Normally. Ir was a hot day and a phone call set me off. A flippant reminder about a fire plan. 

I had no fire plan - no plans at all, and I should. I was wholly responsible and totally ignorant. Anglesea is a costal town, yet surrounded by native bushland, with only the great ocean road as a way in or out. I have seen how busy that can get with the Lorne Pier to Pub. Additionally, fire, or more specifically bushfires really scare me. I am all for my friends who live in at risk areas, to leave on days of total fire ban. Yet here I was not heeding my own advice. 

So, I set to making a plan. A way out - depending on which way the fire was coming. Packed some long clothes and towels as we didn't have any blankets. Drinks in the freezer. Downloaded the fire app. Then my mobile dropped out of range. With no land line, no one could contact me, nor could I get internet to find out what was happening. 

I filled my car with petrol and set off - toward home to get reception, but also see what was going on. Mum and Dad had doctors appointments and we planning to come back. 

Finally we managed to get hold of them. There were no fires, but also the news from the doctors was not good. Good and bad in one call. The tumour is still growing, despite chemo and the chemo doctor suggested no more treatment. Quality of life over quantity. I am not really sure the diagnosis on quantity, but there is talk of months. 

While none of this is a great surprise, terminal is terminal, it is still not fun. To be told that you are going to die and its a matter of time......  I can't imagine how that is to hear, but I do know how hard it is to live with. Just to sit by and watch.  

The hardest part is thinking that this may be the last time. The last holiday, the last celebration, the last conversation, the last hug. Not making them overtly special, but still not forgetting the significance. 

They are back for a few days holiday and that is what we'll have. Special time. 

Lighthouse

 After dinner tonight the kids and I went off adventuring! We drove to Aireys Inlet to look at the lighthouse. The light was so pretty so we took some pics, and had a bit of a play.

Anglesea

Apologies for the gratuitous bathers shot but we found this beach and it is just fabulous. Point Roadknight is a patrolled surf beach at Anglesea and it is great for kids. There are rocks on one side where I imagine there are rock pools and the like. I didn't see them as the boys and that also means me, were in the water. It is shallow and while it is a surf beach, the waves are not to big. It just makes for great fun. I think because the boys are that little bit older, they can do things and entertain themselves more at a surf beach. We had so much fun.

In the swim

Step back in time...do you remember when bathers did this? The arm holes dropped and the legs were higher than your hips? I found this pic on the internet which is circa 1989. I turned 16 and lets say my body didn't look like this. Ever. My voluptuous thighs emphasised the high of the leg, and my bountiful bossom blossomed out the armhole. Not a good look - or rather feel. At the time this was really the only style you could get and out of necessity, started making my own.

For most of the last 25 years, all of my bathers have been home made - with the exception of 2 pairs of speedos and a recent pair as a birthday gift. I would often make bathers as a gift. I know it seems strange, it wasn't to me. I could guess a size and make them in secret to suit the wearers body. I made one for my boss, and she was cross at me for being able to whip something up when she had spent days looking for a pair, and couldn't find anything any where near as flattering.

I don't know why but I had fallen off the bathers wagon of late. With the exception of some trunks for the boys and a leotard here or there, I haven't been very productive. But, a girlfriend has a new fella she is trying to impress and asked for a pair and they were the only ones that flatter her body.Flattery, it seems, will get you everywhere. I have ventured out the shed and found some lycra - I couldn't get in to the back to get at the vintage stuff - and dusted off the patterns ready to commence.