I very much wanted to introduce Elora to her family, so Georgia, Elora and I went to Adelaide for nearly a week. Monte and Matthew had a boys’ weekend, and as far as I know, they spent their time visiting friends and doing adventurous things like preparing the vege garden, fixing the tractor, fixing fences and killing weeds (more on that later, I imagine!).

We had a beautiful time with family and friends. The weather was sensational – mid-to-high twenties and sunny. Perfect Adelaide Spring weather! We spent our time wearing mostly dresses and skirts! It was a busy time, but a wonderful time, and it really dawned on me how much I have been missing my friends, family and the lifestyle of metropolitan Adelaide!

And it hit home to me how very much I absolutely hate saying goodbye all the time. My heart can only withstand so much breakage – and I cannot see a way to improve that situation. Therefore, I have come home completely and newly inspired! More on that later! I have plans and I feel rather merry about it!

I have fantastic photos from our holiday. I won’t put them all on the blog because some people won’t want their photo out on the world-wide-web.

Adelaide Holiday Journal

Georgia was not so impressed that her teacher gave her homework for her holiday (at my request), but we kept a holiday journal, and here it is:

We travelled from Hobart to Adelaide via Melbourne. Elora smiled for the first time at the Melbourne Airport!

Georgia at Hobart Airport

Elora on her first plane trip!

Georgia and Elora on the plane

Gramps picked us up from the Airport in Adelaide. It was exciting to see him again. We went out for dinner with Nanny and Gramps. It was great fun, and Georgia made some new friends at the computer games area. After dinner, Gramps took us to the shop to buy us lollies. I chose jersey caramels and turkish delights. Georgia chose sherbert. Gramps chose a box of assorted chocolates. Yum!

On Friday we visited Auntie Emily and cousin Ayrton. We had lunch in the garden and went for a walk to the shops to have a coffee. It was great fun playing with little Aytron.

Georgia, Elora, Nanny and cousin Ayrton

On Friday evening we went to Grandma’s and Poppa’s house. Georgia went to church with Grandma and Poppa because Poppa had written a play! It was so much fun at church! When we came home we had dinner with Uncle Chris and Auntie Lori and Auntie Marie.

Poppa and Elora

Auntie Lori and Elora

Uncle Chris with Elora

Saturday was a fun day with Grandma and Poppa. Some friends from their church visited us.

A rose from Grandma and Poppa’s garden

Grandma and Elora… you can tell there’s a bond there!

On Saturday night we went back to Nanny and Gramps’ house and had dinner with Uncle Alex, Auntie Cassie and cousin Allegra, who turned two that very day! Uncle Fran was there too. It was a lot of fun!

The birthday girl!

Elora and Georgia with Gramps

Auntie Cassie, Georgia, Elora and Gramps

On Sunday we went to church at WPUC, where I have been going for most of my life, and where Georgia and Matthew were baptised, and where my grandparents, my parents and Monte and I were married! It was lovely and special to see friends who have known me for most of my life. Georgia went to Kids’ Life (Sunday school) and afterwards we visited my nanna, who recently turned 90! In nanny’s room, there were 5 women (well, 3 women and 2 girls) spanning 90 years!

Me with my daughters at Nanny’s place *proud *proud

Sunday was a big day! Georgia baked a fruit cake with Nanny. We copied the recipe and will make it again. Amanda and Frances came to visit us, then we went to visit the Wrights, and after dinner, my wonderful friend Brooke visited me and we talked well into the night! We have been friends for twenty years!!!

My gorgeous friend Amanda doting on Elora

The awesome Brooke and Elora

It’s hard to think how fast our little holiday went. On Monday we hung out at Nanny and Gramps’ house with Amanda and Frances, before going to a 7th birthday party with all the parent group children. Seven years ago, I went to the local CYH for parent group, and the group is still meeting after all these years! What a wonderful bunch of children and parents! What a tight-knit group it is, and how very very much do I miss it!

There is a fairy in Nanny and Gramps’ garden that moves around during the night!

Frances and Georgia in the garden

We had dinner with Grandma, Poppa, Uncle Robert and Penny on Monday night, and on Tuesday, Jo and her daughters came to play before we went back home to Hobart.

The girls were so well behaved on the flights. Elora slept the whole time and Georgia and I amused ourselves with lots of chatting and talking about the view from the window of the plane. It’s such a shame there are no more direct flights to Adelaide from Hobart.

We met Monte and Matthew at the airport. Or, they met us. Matthew ran to us so excitedly that it was worth the trip just to have him fling himself into my arms and then cuddle his sisters delightedly. We had dinner at the Hog’s Breath Cafe; it was fantastic. I ordered the biggest bowl of ice cream in the universe, and we all had some. It was nice to be home with my family.

Monte was pleased to have his girls home!

The bowl of ice cream that I *promise* I shared (mostly)

(Note Matthew’s expression: when the ice cream came to the table, the kids yelled, “Wow!”