Spring in Sydney

Spring is well and truly in the air here in Sydney and with it being our first in our new house, we are finding the blossoming of the garden amazing. A tree we were sure was all-but-dead has suddenly grown to about twice the size, resplendent in green, our mulberry bush is now heavy with berries, the macademias are growing and another tree is spouting gorgeous purple flowers. I picked these lilies from the garden - aren't they gorgeous!

Katy has been on guide camp at Cataract Scout Park South of Sydney, where she enjoyed a wonderfully adventurous couple of days in beautiful surroundings and lovely warm weather, and returned home on Halloween Sunday (not looking too well, as you can see)...

just in time to go trick-or-treating with her brothers. The two boys had decorated the house in a suitably garish manner before her return, using props from our bathroom renovation in addition to some slimely beasties kindly sent by Auntie Kim to create an unusual and gruesome welcome for any visitors.

William has now started playing 'proper' cricket and the team look gorgeous (and tiny!) all togged up in their whites on the pitch.

Neither Ally or I know a thing about the game, but are on a fast-track to learning, as Ally now spends many an evening down at the park (a few steps from our house) practising William's bowling and batting, with Tom fielding!

Ally himself is still playing soccer, and was awarded 'Managers Player of the Year' at the team presentation day, so was thrilled with that.

He is now up on the Gold Coast playing in the Pan Pacific Masters with a group of his Wahroonga Tigers team - 9 days of endless football, sunshine, beach, willing drinking partners, and no whinging wife or kids... I imagine he is having a ball (excuse the pun!!!)

Whilst he is away I have been manning the ranch, entertaining the kids and overseeing more renovations. Our second bathroom has now been ripped out to make way for stairs down to (what will become) a rumpus room, and we are building an ensuite in our bedroom. Life is never dull!

On a final note, Ally will be surprised on his return to discover that he actually has three daughters, not just one... perhaps he won't deny his sons of their masculine role model for so long again... !!!