Kiama

I think Andrew and I were under the impression that we had found "our spot", the place we would always go for beach holidays. We went to Bermagui for five summers in a row, but somehow, in our last summer, we (some more than others) felt ready to move on.

So, this year, we drove the quite different route to Kiama. We got to drive through the Southern Highlands, which I love, and then on the rather hairy road down the mountain to the coast.

There were plenty of rocks to climb, which kept Toby happy.

We stayed across the road from Jones Beach in Kiama Downs. Far more suburban than Bermagui, and much busier. There were lots of overseas tourists in Kiama, which we never saw in the little coastal towns, but also many more shops and restaurants which kept the kids happy.

Kiama even manages to keep a book shop!

Toby turned 15 while we were there, and we celebrated with his favourite, Italian food. We also ate plenty of fish and chips, Hungry Monkey burgers, ice creams and some great Mexican food.

We went on so many walks (pick the couple with new Fitbits).

Andrew and the kids spent a day at Jamberoo, which they loved so much, though they all got burnt. I stayed home and read all day!

We arrived home this afternoon; the washing is on, Milo is loving all over us and we are looking forward to sleeping in our own beds. Kiama was great, maybe we'll go again next year.

Now, to get ready for visitors, then school!

Change

2017 is a big year of new things for us! After 12 years at the Christian College, all three children will now be at TRAC; all in high school. One is doing her final year at school.....


To get in the spirit of change, I didn't stay home on New Year's Eve. It's not a celebration I care much about, never enough to get a babysitter, certainly. Joss is always at summer camp, and last year Toby went into town for the big, town celebration Andrew plays at, so I happily stayed home. This time, Bethany was keen to join in with 12,000 or so other Wagga folk at Andrew's gig, so I went too.

Darren Coggan is an old Wagga boy, and he hosted again this year. The theme was going through the decades, so Andrew's band played the 60s and 70s, and it was so good! Darren Coggan seriously sounds like Cat Stevens, I do hope I can catch his Peace Train show one day.

Sadly, the band who played the 80s only did Oz rock, so we listened to them for a bit (so loud I felt the drums in my chest) and then the 9.15 fireworks were let off above us. Being right under them was pretty spectacular, if a little ashy.

We went home after that, feeling the love for a town where you can park less than five minutes walk from a big event, and relaxed until 11.15. Bethany was still firing, so we went back into town for Andrew's last set (this decade) and the midnight fireworks. This time, we actually got ash in our eyes! It was a lot of fun, and we had to wake Bethany up at 12.15pm the next day!

In order to say goodbye to her Christian College friends, we had a get together at the pool in town.

Good exercise coupled with chocolate, chips and lollies; it was great.

I especially enjoyed it because I got to hang out with this little miss while her big sister was at the party, and her dad was in the pool with her brother. She didn't like the pool last time she went with her family, but she had a great time paddling with me! I wished we both had swimmers because she wanted to get all in!

Then she was all tuckered out. You can see from my face how much I didn't enjoy it!

Andrew and I were back at work for the first week on January, but then we started another two weeks' holiday, mixing it up by going not to Bermagui, but Kiama. More of that tomorrow.....