Weekend at Seal Rocks

Blustery walks and rattling windows were the order of the day as the Yardleys hit the Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse at Seal Rocks. We did arrive to sunshine, sandcastles and a smooth sea, but one dark and stormy night lead to an even stormier one and we spent a relaxing time rugged up, playing hide and seek and eating wintry warmers.

The location was absolutely stunning – it was so odd to be somewhere in Australia with a real sense of history. The Head Lighthouse Keepers Cottage, where we stayed was built in the 1870s.

And the company wasn’t so bad – we were joined by Alice’s Australian godparents, Uncle “Dougie” and Auntie “Nitti”.

We did get out and about for some walking – Alice allegedly climbed all the way up to the lighthouse once, but when I took her up during “my lie-in”, ie around 7am* when Dada had snuck back to bed while I got up to use the bathroom – v cunning, she insisted on a piggy back all the way up.

Here she is insisting. I’m not quite sure how she, me and not that Little Clifford made it – when we went up with Daddy later (when he’d eventually surfaced) I could barely get myself up there (I must have more energy at 7am)

During the worst of the weather, we made Anzac biscuits on Anzac Day and tramped through the rain to try to buy a coffee in the shack that doubled as the general store (no joy). All in all our spirits were not dampened (unlike Daddy’s, who particularly enjoyed the raging gales on Sunday night as he returned back up to the lighthouse to participate in a conference call in the only spot nearby with mobile reception.

Daddy particularly enjoyed the raging gales on Sunday night as he returned back up to the lighthouse to participate in a conference call. Alice naturally remained back at the cottage enjoying the attention of so many adults and her latest little girl crush, Uncle Dougie. It was a beautiful friendship until he walked her into a doorframe during a particularly hectic game of hide and seek, with the words, “Oh shit, are you OK?”. You have to love the parents-to-be who haven’t yet learned not to swear.

We have a little competition running with Alice to see “Whose Little Pumpkin are you?” She goes through phases; is usually Mummy’s but during a phase where Daddy wasn’t working so hard, she was Daddy’s. By halfway through the weekend she was “Uncle Dougie’s Little Pumpkin”.  Happily, that all stopped after the doorframe incident and she was “Mummy’s” again. I’m sure Uncle Dougie was relieved to get back to the Sunday paper too. The two of them remain the highlight of her little weekend – I tried to get Alice to tell the daycare ladies about staying in a lighthouse (as a distraction tactic to get her settled back in after the long weekend) but all she could talk about was "Uncle Dougie".

*NB most of the photos were taken at 7am which is why it was quite so dark.  I'm also the only person who could arrive at one of the most picturesque spots in Australia without my camera, so all photies taken with my iphone.

Daycare shots

Since I may be running the risk of losing all Alice's readers, due to lack of content - even perhaps the friendly folk of Runcorn, thought I should post something.

Since it's just been Alice, me and a lot of sick in the car this week, energy levels are on the wane.  So, some daycare highlights from her three monthly portfolio, aka school report.

21st January:

As Australia Day approaches, the children have been preparing by creating their own Australian flags during art and craft. An Australian flag was hung at the art and craft table and Alice was provided with blue paint, red matchsticks and star stickers. First, she painted the background blue, next she observed the hung flag to decipher where the red matchsticks should go to represent the Union Jack, and lastly, she stuck on one large star and five smaller ones to represent the Southern Cross.

5th February:

Following on from group time this morning, Alice was asked what animal she would like to be when transitioning to the bathroom to wash her hands. Alice chose to be a SNAKE while she was transitioning. Using the actions to represent the snake, Alice closed her hands together and moved them forwards and backwards, while sliding her feet along the floor while making her way to the bathroom.

General cuteness from random dates:

Brr

Alice and Dada went swimming yesterday.  The very warm indoor pool was closed for refurbishment, so they went to the outdoor one.  Not really a hardship - the outside temp was around 26 degrees and the current sea temperature is 23 degrees.  The beach would have been fun.  The outdoor public "heated" pool was not, apparently.  "Brr", said Alice on entering, "I need my coat".

Little Clifford

To anyone (including our unknown but very welcome regular readers in Bristol, Runcorn and the Isle of Man) whom we have not yet spoken to, hopefully the ticker tape above is not the first you are hearing of our news.  Everyone very excited, Alice included, although she is not at all surprised.  All grown-ups have a baby in their tummies accordingly to our firstborn, including her Grandad Yardley, whose belly was felt fondly, "Gandad got a baby"...

Faux Show

We've always avoided the Sydney Royal Easter Show - it's out west (no, not in the outback, Mum) and vastly overpriced.  Plus Alice is only two.  This year we went instead to the local "fake" Easter Show which is free and only 5 minutes drive away.  It was still vastly overpriced once you got there, but hey ho, Alice had fun.

I felt just like I did when I first dropped her off at daycare to make her own way in the world, when she went from riding with Daddy to riding alone in a matter of minutes.  I know it's ridiculous, but it was tear in the eye stuff for me.

The first equine adventure was not quite so successful - she was wildly excited to get on, but after about 8 seconds, the pony gave itself a little snort and shake, which was a bit scary for a novice jockey.  We're going to go back again on Wednesday and try again so that she doesn't develop some kind of phobia.  (Obviously pony riding skills are going to be important to Alice's urban existence).

Quote of the holiday

I remember holidays past with friends when there would always be a few quotes and gags to remember - funny episodes or epitethets that made no sense to anyone else.  Times have changed, but Alice provided a good oneliner to add to the memory banks:

During the (indoor) Easter Egg hunt, "I love chocolate, Mummy, I love it".

All that organic mashing and mincing and vegetable hiding for that.

Kaikoura

Just a brief edition of highlights (ie mainly photos) for anyone not on Facebook. We had a lovely trip which mainly revolved around Alice feeding animals and wearing different, fabulous shoes.

Off to see the seals:

View from the seal walkway - they really were this close

Feeding the horses in the field behind where we were staying, wearing very pretty wellies if you look closely!

Feeding a wallaby and chickens at a local farm

Modelling converse from Aunty Niki

Easter Sunday was very wet - these were the only shoes that were going on

All in all it was a great trip, completed with the master stroke of keeping Alice on Sydney time, which meant that she slept until 8am and we could go out to dinner at a more civilised time of 7pm, rather than having to find places which were open at 5pm.  She was brilliant throughout - very good in restaurants, in the car and on the plane.