ALL IN A YEAR

It is at this time of year that I receive a number of Christmas letters from friends detailing the highlights of their year like births, deaths and holidays. Although my doctor, a woman younger than me, has remarked on my age whenever I’ve consulted her on minor matters this year, I had not considered seventy a huge milestone until I attended the funeral of a cousin in June and realised that not only have I lost three cousins but I am now the eldest living grandchild of Hugh and Ettie Mulcahy. As they lived to the ages of 87 and 94 and my parents are still with me at the ages of 95 and 94, I tend to think that when I reach the age of ninety then it will be time for a celebration.

Nonetheless when my children decided to give me a 70th birthday party in April it proved to be a great celebration shared by my family and friends.

Fay and her five children

In May I flew to Hong Kong to spend 18 days caring for three little granddaughters – Rachael, Elizabeth and Sarah – while Paul and Sherina went to Europe for a holiday. This was not as onerous as it may sound as they have a live-in maid who did most of the housework and meals, while assisting me with the children. Paul and Sherina’s home is a four bedroom, high rise unit with a magnificent view of the harbour looking out towards the airport. I took this photo from the balcony early one morning.

Hong Kong harbour

An older grandchild, Ashlea McIver, who works with handicapped children in mainland China came down to spend a few days with us. We shared a most enjoyable day at Ocean Park.

Ocean Park, Hong Kong

During this period of absence, it was arranged that Eberhard’s granddaughter, Josie, and her two year old daughter, Alicia, would stay with Eberhard. As he is not in good health I can only leave Eberhard if I arrange for others to take over his care.

Eberhard and Alicia

We closed our home as Bed and Breakfast accommodation in November 2009 and chose not to reopen it during the winter/spring months.

So instead of being busy with guests in July, we were able to enjoy the company of Paul’s family when they came to spend a month with  us, during Rachael’s Hong Kong summer school holidays. Although only four year of age she attends the Australian School in Kowloon.

While the daffodils were flowering I took a quick trip out to Dalby to visit Mum in the Karingal Aged Care home. Although physically able to get about, Mum’s short term memory does not extend past one day.

Fay with her Mum, Jessie Mulcahy

Paul had also brought his family home to us during July when the Australian School in Kowloon closed for a month. During an afternoon we watched the movie Charlie and Boots, starring Paul Hogan as the father figure. The story goes that Charlie was in the depths of depression and Boots shanghaied his father and took him on a road trip from Victoria to the tip of Cape York Peninsula to snap him out of his self-pity.

“Hey Mum,” Paul said, “How would you like to make a road trip with me to Western Australia to taste the Margaret River wines?”

“And see the wildflowers?”

“Of course.”

During this absence it was arranged that Eberhard would stay with the Danthonia Bruderhoff community near Inverell.

Eberhard arrives at Danthonia

Paul and Fay depart Danthonia

Travelling in such a car as this Mercedes model with Paul as the driver, we made great progress and I was never uncomfortable. By leaving early each day and only stopping for fuel or photography we ‘made a mile’ and had reached Port Lincoln at the southern tip of the Ayre Peninsula of South Australia by our second night. The target – Blue Fin Tuna steaks for dinner. The highlight the third day was seeing nine mother whales feeding with their young at the Head of the Bight. I never thought that we would encounter rain on the Nullabor plains or that the desert would be covered in grass.

One of nine mother whales

Rain over the Nullabor

By our fourth day we had left the desert behind and met  stunted trees during a ninety mile long straight stretch.

Canola and wheat crops

Roadside wildflowers

Desert gave way to fertile fields and I began taking photos of the wildflowers on the road verges.

Karri trees

Giant Tingle trees

On our sixth day we enjoyed driving through the Karri, Marri and Jarrah forests, with the highlight being a walk through the giant Tingle trees. We reached the town of Margaret River that night.

Coastal wildflowers

A Margaret River vineyard

Saturday we visited coastal national parks to walk amongst different forms of wildflowers and stopped in at a number of wineries. Sunday morning the news came that Eberhard was hospitalized at Inverell due to a heart attack. With a heavy heart I went out that day with Paul on an organized tour of several Margaret River wineries. On Monday Paul drove me to Perth and I flew home to Brisbane. Eberhard was transferred to the Brisbane Holy Spirit hospital where he underwent an operation to have two stents placed in arteries. He has made a good recovery, but tires easily.

Once more this year I cultivated the Remembrance Field in July to trigger the germination of the Flanders poppy seed, but this year I also planted strips of wheat the length of the field. We have experienced a remarkable season, averaging an inch of rain per week since mid July, which meant that I never had to water my garden or irrigate the field this year.

11th November, 2010

December view

Now as Christmas approaches there are still some poppy flowers amongst the ripening wheat.

Paul and his family have arrived to spend the summer school holidays with us. Carol and Monique came down for a weekend and Eberhard taught Carol how to make a Gingerbread House as a Christmas treat.

Baked gingerbread

Monique with Gingerbread house

Eberhard and Elizabeth

Rachael learns to make Christmas streamers

Oh what a joy it is to welcome Christmas this year surrounded by this extended family. Adrian, my youngest son, has announced his engagement to Catherine Russo and they are to be married next July. My eldest grandson, Luke McIver, has  announced his engagement to Sarah Costin and they will be married next June. Three grandchildren Allyssa Woods, Jordan McIver and Drew Hartmann will celebrate their 21st birthdays in July, August and September.

2011 will be a year of celebrations, beginning on New Year’s Eve with the marriage of my youngest niece, Kellie Mulcahy to Bill McLean at Roma.

Gingerbread House

Eberhard joins with me in wishing all our friends around the world a peaceful and joyous Christmas Day with the blessings of good health, happiness and prosperity throughout 201i.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!