A day off with Coops!

Yesterday was my one day off for the week, and what better way to spend it than looking after my favourite nephew. So what did we get up to? Well, a bit of cooking (licking the bowl)....




Some mucking around......

And a trip to the beach with Nan Nan.....

Aahh...it's a tough life....

And damn I'm cute.....

Time Out....

Life has just been so full on lately, and the next 8 weeks are only likely to get worse, so this week I decided to take a couple of days 'time out', and headed down to that special little place I love to go....Walkerville.


This is the scene that was waiting for me when I got there. Clear blue skies, not a breath of wind, warm but not hot, and peace and quiet. Ahhh. What's not to love.

One of the things that is noticeable when you go to Walkerville is all the wildlife. The constant chatter of the birds, the grunting of the wombats outside your window at night, the odd Koala and the odd spotting of these cute little guys, the Echidna. This guy was tiny and was not frightened by us at all - in fact he was quite curious and seemed to love having his photo taken.

It's always amazing how much enjoyment one can get by putting a little seed out for the birds and watching them flocking in, in a frenzy in case they miss out!

And yes, okay, I did break out the bikini and have just a little lie on the sand, how could I not? I also took my first plunge into the ocean this spring/summer, wasn't I brave?

Thanks again to Lauren for sharing her little piece of paradise with us, but now it's back to reality...

Grevillea Getaway.....at Walkerville.

Last weekend I had a very well deserved weekend away staying at 'Grevillea Getaway' at Walkerville in South Gippsland. This place belongs to a friend of mine, who I stayed with, and which she hopes to live in permanently sometime soon, beacuse how much nicer a lifestyle would it be than living in the hustle and bustle of the city!

Lauren isn't generally much of a cook (can but doesn't), but I love to when I have the time, so I cooked her one of my favourites which was recently posted on the blog, 'Morrocan Red Lentil Soup', with fresh bread and glass or two of wine.

I spent some time lying on the couch reading some magazines (unheard of these days - who has the time?), enjoying the local birdies that come to visit, and several large walks and rock scrambles along the coastline. Can you see the crab?

The Walkerville and Waratah Bay region is just absolute heaven for anyone looking to get away from it all. Its quiet, full of wildlife and natural bushland, has lots of history, particularly in relation to the lime kilns, plenty of rockpools to explore with the kids, and some absolutely stunning beaches to walk along......what more could you ask for?

I stayed in the 'Red Bunkhouse' which is absolute heaven for the little ones, with 2 sets of bunks and a bright red wall and co-ordinating items, and also has some books and toys for the kids, as well as reading lights and shelves above each bunk for them to store whatever....the book they're reading or the lollies they have stashed for bedtime! Note the striped 'Mookah Pod' in the foreground!

I was sad to leave after only one night, when I could have stayed on with Lauren for another night, and enjoyed an outdoor open fire with scones made in the camp oven....but hey, we all have responsibilites and reality to return to huh?

If you're interested in staying at Greviillea Getaway, visit http://www.stayz.com.au/59541.