Family visits and a trip being planned ... now updated with some photos!

Another month has passed by since I updated. Whoops.
The temperature has continued to drop, it was just 10 degrees C this morning as I passed the thermometer on my way to work. By the afternoon of course it's up to 25, but it drops again in the evening - we are without daylight saving time in Queensland so it is dark by 5:30pm. It's actually a nice change to be cooler, and lends a semblance of seasonality to the year.

Mum and Julian have been in the area for the last week and a half. After a couple of weeks in NZ they stopped with us for a few days, and we had a nice time - primarily wandering around Brisbane, but we also went for a walk and a Barbeque in the forest.

Here's me standing next to a spooky Fig Tree on the edge of the Botanical Gardens ... as you can see, the tree has enveloped the iron railings!

It's nice to have some 'outsiders' here to show around: The added perspectives of those who aren't used to the area reminds me of the good and bad aspects of living in Brisbane. The cleanliness, climate, and greenness of the city are what come across most strongly, I think. Mum and Julian disappeared up the Sunshine Coast last Wednesday afternoon, and from the reports I have heard they've had a lovely time. I'll be seeing them again when they get back tomorrow (Thursday), for a couple of days before heading back to Blighty.

Ella and myself, meanwhile, have been planning a trip of our own. We have to take advantage of the break she gets from teacher training so we've opted to fly to Tasmania for a week at the end of June. We're both pretty excited, as it's supposed to be a beautiful island, and there should be some real winter weather there. Yes, I admit I do miss it a little bit. It should satisfy my interest in historical things, too, as it's full of Georgian architecture and played an important early part in Australia's European history. Plus, there's an interesting link between the Louth area and Tassie. The explorer Sir John Franklin (attended the same school as I and was from Spilsby near Louth) was once governor of the colony (during the period where it changed names from Van Diemen's Land to Tasmania. I'd love to go in the Triumph, but it would mean a minimum 1,000km drive to a ferry which would take up too much of the holiday, so we booked cheap flights.

Bye for now.