Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year To All

Well I hope everyone had a Great

Christmas, I know we did.

We had friends fly up from

Pittsworth near Toowoomba in QLD

to spend a couple of weeks with us.

It was so great catching up with the Glasgows

who were good friends of ours when we all

lived in Karumba in the Gulf of Carpentaria

in North Queensland.

Jim worked with my husband on a couple

of occasions, Cheryl taught both of my

boys at some stage and our boys are

all around the same age and all used to

hang together.  Over the years

we have all kept in touch,

especially Will and Jay and I

have posted of escapades from these

pair in the past.

Anyway we split our holidays between

Koolpinyah and the block at Dundee Beach.

Here is our old wagon loaded no jokes to the roof in the back

 and backseat with a space left to fit 2 large dogs (just),

 then loaded the trailer with the quads and swags.

On top of this Jim's car was loaded fully and then

 my wagon Cheryl and I filled

with Groceries on the way out of town!

On top of that Margaret turned up with

her little car filled to the roof with yummy

goodies and Christine and Mark

turned up with Phoebe (Christine's car)

actually  more a mini bus filled with a Queen Bed

I bought and lots of alcohol!!!!!

So we were pretty prepared for the 4 1/2 days

we were spending there and I'm pretty sure

we would have had enough to last us for

a longer period if the so called predicted cyclone

had hit us which thankfully it didn't!  There

was a couple of indepth conversations as

to where we should go if a cyclone hit and it

was decided one of the shipping containers would be the go.

All I could picture was one of these being picked up

in the air and flying around with 12 of us inside.

I think I've been watching too many twister movies!

Here's the Glasgow's

Tyger, Sam, Cheryl, William and Jim

We hadn't seen them since end of 2006 but it was like we had seen them yesterday.

Jim looked exactly the same, boys were so much bigger and Cheryl so much

smaller (well done Cheryl you are an inspiration!) but apart from that so much the

same.  They are the sort of friends that just fit in and we really

enjoyed their company!

Here's us on Christmas day.

John reckons Jay looks nothing like him.  But they say a

picture tells the story.

We have some really great neighbours at the block, and dropping cooked crabs off for us

on a daily basis was part of our Christmas.  This view was a

common occurance and I just had to get a photo of all

chowing down on Crab claws.

Fishing was a daily occurance but they were in short supply.

We had to land fish as with the cyclone hanging around

the sea was a bit rough and dirty for the boat.

The boys got out over the new year period but

fish were in short supply, not sure whether it

was still run off from the cyclone, tides or what.

They caught enough for a feed which was good.

That's Todd above catching live bait with the bait net.

Here is the spot we spent Christmas Eve fishing.

And that is my gorgous husband going for a walk.

This is the mouth of a creek aqnd he is walking towards the

beach and sea.

So as you can see we had a ball with too much

alchohol drunk and toooooo much

food eaten.

Now everyone is gone including my husband who has

headed to Karumba to do work on our

house with Jay.

Todd and I are left here to caretake.

I am trying to find myself a new job and the enthusiasm to

Clean my house, really need to get myself organised

so New Year Resolutions.........

Fishing at Roper Bar 2008

Jay with a beautiful Barra.

After loading the photos for the Roper Bar post earlier in the day I
remembered I had some shots that John had taken saved on the computer,
so I thought I would show you what we have caught at the Roper in
previous years. This was I think Easter 2008.

Jay with a Swordfish

John with another great Barra

Barra caught at night

Todd with a barra caught off the crossing.

The story of William and Jay

William and Jay have been friends since pre-school which is going on 8 years
now. They get on pretty well, I think Will having 2 older brothers is a bit
more willing to put up with Jays silliness more than most, and it's probably
vise versa with Jay having an older brother.

Wil came up to visit Jay for almost 3 weeks over the xmas school holidays,
which Jay was in heavan over as they haven't seen each other in over 3 years.
We picked Wil up off the plane and Wil and Jay headed back to Hodgson with
John, I stayed up in Darwin for another 2 days work.

You know what I got home to - 2 exremely sunburnt boys. They had spent
the day before making a raft at the dam and swimming. John's remark -
they are 13 year old boys" I'm not following them around with sunburn
cream, if they can't do it or think it for themselves at that age they'll have
to wear the consequences". And wear it they did, I don't think I have
ever seen Jay so burnt, his back was such a blistering mess, and his nose
would do Rudolph proud. Will peeled as well, but being a darker skin than
Jay, wasn't as bad. I just shook my head, "men"! The last thing on a 13
year olds brain is sunburn cream, and I would lay a bet if it was the same
situation again this week, even after being so sore and peeling, that they
would do exactly the same thing again! It would cross none of their minds.

Anyway.......... In the photo above is Will and Jay in 2006 and below is both
of them in 2010. I think Jay is about 6 months older than Will.

I don't know what was happening with my camera that day, but Jay almost

looks like he has a halo around his head. Mother sitting here snickering

knowing that is so far from the truth!

Now the shirt - don't you just love it! The story is even better - not! These

darling boys waited until I went to bed, than they snuck out of bed and

decided they would do a bit of tie dying, little darlings. So they got a tshirt

of Jays a blue felt pen and my cooking dyes and proceeded to dye the shirt.

They were quite proud of the job they did, me not so proud. After using up

my food dye and Jay's face and hands being red for days, all I could imagine

when I saw his face was "where did they do the crime!" I was imagining

food dye stains everywhere, apparently they did it in the shower and

apparently their lives were worth living and they knew what would happen

if I found any anywhere, so am happy to say there was not a food dye stain

in sight.

Anyway after all that, and after it's first wash, here is the shirt below! The

only colour that remained was the blue felt pen!

Boys Trip

Well as promised I'm starting some updates. This one is of Jay, John and Todd
heading off for the day, checking fences and cattle and incorporating some
fishing and hunting in.







They had a great day. John of course was in the lead so this is what
happens when you are behind him.

Todd is so dusty he looks like he has eye liner on.

Jay didn't want his photo taken, but his mean mother made him.

He was so dusty and it was so hot he was red in the face.

Afternoon at Bella Glen

I had a friend come out and visit for a few days on the holidays and
so did Jay, so I thought we would do a run out to Bellla Glen so I
could show Margaret and take the boys for a swim. The weather
had already cooled up so Margaret and I gave it a miss, and I
got the camera out to get a few shots. which was great, of course
the boys did a bit of hamming up for the camera.
This is the tree thy all climb up to either swing off or jump off.

Mmmm is that a flying fox, oh wait a minute that's Jay.

Is that 3 Monkey's in a tree?
Yah know what? I think it is..........

Going....................

Gone!

This one is Lane Hockey

watching on.....

There is no way he

was going in after

he saw the crocs in

the water when we arrived!

Luckily they were only little

freshies, I wasn't quite sick

of my boys at this stage

that I would feed

them to the crocs!

This is Margaret Hyndman

watching on.

Todd with his fluro yellow singlet and cowboy hat.

Why so worried Jay?

This photo so reminds me of his father........

Give us a smile Jay!

Todd contemplating.

The Boys Hamming It Up

Jay deep in thought......

Todd deep in thought............

Todd and Jayden deep in thought......

(nice photo Todd)

and my favourite....

They say Todd that a picture tells a

1000 words.........................

Age Champion

I am such a bad mother. I just realised I forgot to post about Jay's school
sports day. My baby won the age champion for his age group. Not only that
his house also won the carnival. He was walking around for hours with the
biggest smile on his face. He even had to wear his medals and ribbons around
the shopping centre later, and had everyone pulling him up asking what he got
them for. No shame my boy. With the 2 medals clanking together, it sounded
like a cow with it's bell on following me around the aisles. LOL
It was a great day, but so hot! The school wizzeed the kids through the events
and had it all done and dusted by lunch, which is good because it was so hot and
also cause so many families had so many hours to get home, we only had 3hrs
as we headed up to Darwin for a few days. Picked up Todd off the plane, did
the movies, I think the boys did every junk food place in town, (bad mum
again, I know, but since we live out bush it usually only happens about 3
times a year), we also visited the new waterpark in Darwin, which is fantastic,
it has all sorts of amusements with water, including a couple of huge water
slides and the whole lot is free, supplied by the City Council. They have
picnic areas and bbq's, it really is great. I just enjoyed not seeing the kids
(I saw them in the distance) for a couple of hours and stretched out on a
towel and had a read. A friend was good enough to let us stay in her
house as she was away, which included a pool. The kids had a ball, and
I spent too much money.............

Now back to the sports carnival. I was so busy watching it all I kept
forgetting to take photo's, but I did get the high jump which Jay, I think
jumped a metre 15. He won every event except the 400 and 800 which
he didn't go in as his knee was aching. Well done Jay, especially for having
a go!

This first picture I love...............

He is so used to having his hat on that he forgot to take it off!

Up and Over.

Look at that concentration!

The winning jump! (just I think)

Being presented with his medal.

7 Blue Ribbons, Age Champion Medal, Winning House Medal.

Well done!

Easter at Dundee Beach

Been meaning to load these for a couple of weeks. Here is some fish John and

Jay caught at Dundee Beach over the weekend. It's been great to have the

freezer full of fish.

My baby is 12 today!

Happy BirthdayJay. I can't believe it's been 12 years.

Here is a photo of Jay yesterday with a Queenfish he caught.Here is the card I made for him. Not a great photo, will have another go

in daylight tomorrow. He got a little digital camera that he iswrapped in.

Year 5/6 dinner.

Last week the year 5/6's had their break-up dinner. The year 6's
are going up to year 7 which is classified Middle School
on school of the air (highschool)so they have a dinner to
say goodbye. Jay got dressed up for the night and I couldn't
belive how grown up he looked.
They went on a cruise dinner on the Katherine Gorge,
but a mini cyclone came through and just about washed
them all overboard! They were all quite excited by the
adventure, but it sounds like they were all very
luck to get out of it unscathed! Apparently there were
trees flying everywhere and waves washing into the boat
and the boat kept crashing into another boat and a tree
fell over the wharf and they had to get a chainsaw in
to cut it away so they could all get out, and so on the
stories went. Thank god they all came back safe. Apart from
that they all had a great night.

Jay's Birthday

Well my baby turned 11 on Tuesday. He keeps telling everyone
he's 12. Because he was born at the end of December I started
him a year later at school, so apparently he's 11 but he should
be 12!!!! I bought him a second hand PSP off ebay. He has
desperatly wanted one of these for about 4 years so I finally
gave in. A happier boy you could not find.
We went out to Edith Falls about 50km's out of Katherine
for the day with Gillian and her 2 girls and it was such
a great day. The weather was perfect and the falls are
beutiful. We swam and picnicked all day. We were a bit
rosy that night.
Jay reckons it's the best birthday he's ever had.