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...

Time Out for Colli...

My big sister Colli (Nicole) has had a tough couple of weeks in the land of motherhood, with all the usual mummy problems, tired, tears, not coping, and cries of "I NEED A BREAK!" So, little sis Lulu (me) decided to whisk her away for her first ever night away from her 18 month old boy, to a place you've heard me mention recently. That's right, back to the beautiful "Grevillea Getaway" at Walkerville.

So last Friday afternoon after kiddy and doggy mayhem, I packed her up and we headed off down the coast in the beautiful warm sunshine. We made the most of the last of the afternoon sun and went for a walk to a lookout that overlooks from the bay from Walkerville around past Waratah Bay and Sandy Point to Wilsons Prom. We sat on a bench seat in silence, swinging our legs, admiring the view, soaking up the sun, listening to the birds and feeling our bodies relax as they tend to do when you get back to nature.

I took one of my very special bottles of wine for us to enjoy together, it was a 2005 Gapsted Chardonnay (from Bright) that I bought direct from the winery when Nicole and I were there together quite a few years ago, where we indulged in several very memorable tasting plates while drinking a bottle of this wine. A nice touch I thought!

On Saturday morning we both stayed in bed until 8.00am, which is unheard of for both of us. Colli woke feeling guilty she wasn't home and missing her morning cuddles from her little boy, but I reminded her why we were there, and had a lazy breakfast while watching all the birdies in the garden, browsing through magazines and listening to the moo of the cows in the paddock behind the house.Once again we were blessed with a beautiful, calm, warm sunny day, so headed down to the beach at Walkerville for a walk exploring the rock pools at low tide. We actually found a few interesting things, but the best of all was this red starfish the size of a bread and butter plate. The worst thing found was I'm not quite sure what, but it was dead and swarming with thousands of flies that took particular interest in me as I stumbled upon it. Colli was wondering what got into me when she saw me running along the beach throwing my arms around, and swatting my head, but she obviously wasn't too concerned as she was busy capturing the moment on film!

Back at 'Grevillea Getaway' we had a quick cup of tea and date scone before packing up and heading back home.....Colli was really missing her little boy.

Thanks to those family members who made this little getaway possible......we all need a little time for ourselves.

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.