APRIL TOURING

Liz and Mike Fairburn in Cooma

Alan Keys and Fay near Rutherglen, Vic

Fay and Pam Crocker view Sugar Pines out of Batlow

Phil gives me a workout at the table

Phil tries out the Tikit in Tumut

Liz, Mike and the wedding party in Cooma

Enjoyed a great time at Cowra with the Bike Friday Gathering. (You probably saw the photos and read the blurb.)

We’re continuing to have a tremendous time wandering about areas such as Springhurst, Rutherglen, Wangaratta, (all in Victoria) Tumut and Adelong (back in NSW). Then to Cooma.

Spent some time with Alan on his property at Springhurst. We caught up with some of his family and ate some beautiful beef. I gave Alan a hand with emailing so hope that was helpful and that he practises by sending me a bunch of emails over the next little while. We covered quite a bit in the short stay. Also had some time with Margaret and Graham Brown. He is ex WWTC and a keen cyclist (see photo on Bike Friday post.) From there we headed to Tumut where Pam and Phil hang out. Phil is the WORLD’S GREATEST DENTIST. Pam was voted Citizen of the Year last year here in Tumut. They’ve been an item ever since WE introduced them to each other in 1967. Pretty serious stuff eh? We went for a visit to Adelong Falls and Laurel Hill via Batlow. We viewed the Sugar pines there. Also had lunch at Beaufort House in Adelong. What a darling of a spot! Either stay at the hotel/motel or stay for a feed or better still, do both! Thanks Cynthia. We’ll be back. The Hungarian Goulash was to die for and the apple strudel (local apples) was just plain yummy.

Table tennis with Phil was some task!!! A story on its own. Also a Rotary visit.

Then to Cooma where we attended Liz England and Mike Fairburn's wedding. A great time had by all, especially the bride (see photos!) Had to put Liz and Mike at the top of the photos even though that is out of chronological order!

Now back in sunny Dubbo for a short stay before another wedding (Stuart & Bec in Wollongong) and then we'd better start heading for Busselton in WA.

UPGRADE SIR?

Something went wrong (again) and I have to REWRITE this story.... so it'll be quick!

Fay and I have just spent a few days in Sydney.... downtown Sydney! We do it rarely. And this time, I thought we should do it in style seeing weve been married for 40 years!

I booked the cheapest room at the Hilton (classy hotel). Then I asked Jeremy (son) if he could book us into a CHEAP hotel the night before. That's all I asked.

Jeremy booked us into the Pacific International (used to be the Great Southern Hotel. It has quite a history). He also said he'd pick up the tab and he was also shouting us to a dinner at the Art House, where he works as a Duty Manager. What a son!!!

The Pacific Int'l was GREAT. On the plus side, the bathroom floor drain clogged up after I'd showered. As they couldn't fix the problem quickly, they moved us and threw in a complimentary breakfast because we had been inconvenienced! What a treat. The breaky was great too!

The evening meal at the Art House was superb. We ate like kings. (Maybe Jeremy will never offer again!!!) The gnocchi (is that how it's spelt?) was to die for. The chef did a great job on Fay's steak and my grain-fed chicken. What a meal. There were a few dishes thrown in from time to time by Liz who did a super job of looking after us. We reckon we could go back there .... maybe weekly! Thanks Art House. Thanks Jem. (Hope he can afford it!)

When we booked into the Hilton the following day, the check-in bloke (whose name was also Jeremy), said, "Oh, seeing it's your wedding anniversary, how about I give you an upgrade... to a suite!" We were blown away, but not half as much as when we entered room 4325 on the 43rd (top) floor! It was the penthouse, with views to north, west and south! The bathroom (first photo above) was as big as most motel rooms we've been in. Huge spa, 2 vanity basins, shower, toilet, enough room for a full footy team to just mingle there. The 2nd photo is the view North from the spa, through a huge window. (Deb brought Logan in the next day so they could see how flash it was.) The bedroom was big enough with an extra plasma TV which I could turn and view from the shower (sadly, not from the spa.) Then the lounge/dining room was .... spacious to say the least. Australia Tower was just one of the buildings we could view from our penthouse.

Guess we'll never forget our fabulous visit to Sydney to celebrate 40 years of marriage. We were given far more than we ever imagined. That's a bit like how God treats us too. He treats us like Kings! He gives us far more than we ever hope or deserve. He is just the most awesome God! Honest! Absolutely awesome.

Now, Fay has headed back to Cudmirrah (see coastal photo below) and I'm staying here in Sydney for a week as I volunteer for the NSW Tennis Open at Olympic Park (where Sydney 2000 Olympic Games were held.)

I shouted Chinese feed last night - a tradition in the Keast family started by my Dad, Jack Keast. Also there were Deb/Bren, Marg, Bill and Nathan. Sorry, no photos taken. A top night. We are very lucky with our family, no doubt about it. (I was lucky more didn't turn up at short notice.)

And, a small benefit.... we are getting to see a bit more of the neatest little bloke in town.... Logan Jack McLaughlin. 15 months old.... see picture 2 above. What a cool dude!

More from Cudmirrah in a week or so.

WHAT A CLEVER LADY!

It's approaching summer.... damn, it's 32 degrees today! That IS summer in Australia!

Cricket comes on the TV. Fay loves the cricket season. The 2nd test begins tomorrow in Hobart, Tasmania. Aust v Sri Lanka.

Fay has a heap of jobs that have to be done... always just before a cricket test is gonna be on TV. So, if I get the chores done I'll be able to sit and watch cricket uninterrupted! So, Fay gets the jobs done! Clever bugger isn't she? Yeah, she loves it when the cricket test is gonna be on TV.... so today I've been on the whipper snipper, doing the round-up, putting washing on the line and taking it in, postage jobs, office cleaning/tidying, bike maintenance, a bit of housework, a bit of gardening, cars washed, some correspondence cleared away and garage tidied a tad.

Yeah, she is quite a gal. We notch up 40 years of marriage on 30 Dec. Got any ideas of how I might celebrate such an occasion? I have one trick up my sleeve but I'm keeping that VERY QUIET at the moment.

Don't worry, she doesn't read the GRANOMAD!!!