goodbye! (there's a new blog...!)

Hi friends!

I've finally solved the language problem and started a new Chiang Mai blog.

Have a look at victorrachel.blogspot.com

This is our first picnic in Thailand.
This is also a test of whether or not I can use blogger in Thai! (No, I can't read Thai yet, I can just remember the layout of the page...)

Goodbye Port Macquarie

On my last day in Port Macquarie Mum, Dad, Victor and I did a walk from Town Beach to the Lighthouse - all the beaches of PMQ.
It was a great way to say goodbye to what has been a wonderful home.

This image of the lighthouse was the last photo I took in PMQ. I didn't plan it that way, but the lighthouse has become a very special place for me, so it's a great image to have.
It is also goodbye to this blog as I titled it rachelpmq.
But don't worry - there will be a rachelchiangmai blog coming soon! (Actually, give me a few weeks...) When that happens I'll post here again to let you know the new address.

More kangaroo pics

For some reason I can only fit 5 pictures per post, so here are some more from Diamond Head.

Diamond Head

Another Thursday, another incredible walk.

This time we went to Diamond Head, south of PMQ, and known for its resident kangaroos. There were lots of joeys of all sizes, much to Victor's delight. Actually, I was pretty delighted with them too. They're so cute!

We started with a BBQ lunch and then did a walk around Diamond Head.

It was a beautiful day. There were some incredible cloud formations - it did rain in the evening. The colours and textures that fill your vision on this walk are so magnificent.

I'll be sorry to leave this part of the world.

Our garden

Yesterday I had a lovely long breakfast in our garden. It's such a beautiful place and Victor has done an incredible job improving it.

We've had zucchini, snow peas, beans, and of course lots of herbs.

Soon we will have lots of rockmelons. You can see the bees enjoying the yellow flowers of the rockmelon vine, and some of the fruit growing.

I love our garden. (Tigger likes it too.)

Valentine's Day

This year I had the best Valentine's Day ever...

Victor told me dinner was booked for 7pm. We went for a drive beforehand - it was a beautiful evening and PMQ is such a beautiful place. We stopped at the lighthouse - our favourite place - and took a couple of photos.

Suddenly, out of the car boot Victor brought a card table and chairs, which he set up on the top of the hill next to the lighthouse.

He then produced a meal that he had cooked, complete with a bottle of wine, candles, balloons, a rose bush, and a thermos of tea for after dinner. WOW!!! I had made him a chocolate cake as a present so he brought that too for dessert.

We had the most amazing view - complete with dophins swimming by, and a shooting star after dark.

What a wonderful man I married!

(Men, Victor says there's no copyright on his idea...)

I baked bread!

On Tuesday, for the first time in my life I baked my own bread.

Thanks to Poppy for the great recipe (no bread-maker involved.)

When it came out of the oven I felt SO proud!

I"M BACK!!

It's exactly 4 months since I last posted on this blog.
My sincerest apologies to those who had hoped to keep up with my life this way.
I hope you enjoy today's postings...

Hat Head

Last week Victor and I joined Dad on his weekly bushwalk.

This time we went to Hat Head (about an hour north of PMQ).

It was a beautiful day, though too hot out of the breeze.

We saw a couple of kangaroos, a hammerhead shark (down below us in the water), an eagle, lizards, lots of butterflies...

Alice's birthday

Alice is 2!

We had a lovely party to celebrate...

with a great cake made my Annie...

which the whole family helped to cut...

and Alice (and all) enjoyed eating very much!

I'm back!

Yesterday Victor and I went up North Brother above Laurieton. It wasn't a very clear day, but still the views were spectacular.

We're making the most of being in this beautiful part of the world before moving to Chiang Mai in 6 weeks time. (Another beautiful part of the world.)

picnic at oxley beach

Yesterday Victor and I had a picnic lunch at Oxley Beach (with some of our great new picnic gear - thanks!)



What a great place to live.

sydney party

Last week Victor and I had the chance to celebrate our engagement with friends and family in Sydney - many of whom Victor had never met.

We had a fantastic afternoon. Many thanks to Kathy for putting on such a wonderful party!

Emma's new look...

Wattle

The wattle is out!
Mum has planted 3 wattle trees here in our garden and they are all golden - one flowering for the first time. They're so beautiful.
The green and gold.