Tuesday, April 15, 2014

April- my first month in OZ

G'day Ladies!
I'm having a nice visit with Courtney and Ken in their Australian home. Lowood is a small rural town outside of Brisbane, where they formally lived. Their new home is in an estate, think housing development, with many, many nice brick and stucco homes. Paved driveways, tile roof and privacy fences. Sort of suburbs down under. Very nice, rather quiet except this week with the college kids on break.
The towns are rather like little villages with a grocery, a butcher and a bakery in each one. Along with a pleasant little park in town center for the kiddos .  I enjoy the bakery/coffee shop in Fernvale abit too much, as I need to stop in for a cup and an eclair frequently. Yum. The Valley needs a bakery like this one. Lovely treats, sandwiches, fruit pies, meat pies and enough tea to re float our casino!  I love our Mickie's Deli but this place has sweet tables under giant shade trees and seating inside as well. Life here is similar to ours, just upside down. The sky here is enormous and so blue if appears painted by a master. Everything is blooming in bold, hot colors and birds are everywhere. No kangaroos or koalas have been sited yet but a large flock of white parrots settled in a neighboring treetop as we had lunch last week. So pretty.
We have had Ken's Grandkids a few days, it's a hoot to hear proper Aussie speak out of little mouths. I'm constantly chuckling.  Kas, the 4 year old cracks me up with his "Poppy, I'd rather not take a sleep" and "Ninny, I don't care for real food, I prefer a treat, thank you"! Otherwise he and Bella are typical Grandkids. Charming us with their cuteness.
I will meet the whole of Ken's family next week at a big birthday party in Toowoomba, doesn't that sound exotic? I love the names of the places here, either Aborigine or English in their background, they all sound like adventure to me! I was a bit disappointed to discover Ipswitch was more like Bloomington than London. But the country towns have been such a treat, just what I expected.
I miss sharing this trip with Stephen King, he would have loved it out here. The open hills with cattle and lovely Queenslander farm houses scattered on them. The road signs alone are worth the trip, I'm  unsure of what some even mean. Of course, I'm not driving yet, haven't adjusted to the wrong side of the road.
Talk to me ladies and take care. I will check back soon. Love