20th to 31st Dec, 2019 Mum & Dad's place, Cairns, Qld

Settled in. So glad to be able to help Mum and Dad with the cooking, cleaning etc. Nice to be back in cooler weather too with the rain showers. It is humid but not that sticky stinking build up to storms.

Washed my hair and got Steve to take a photo as I will get it cut shorter in the New Year. 

I will go back to casual work at the Tuckshop – where I worked before we left. Steve will be busy with the truck and van build.

Jon got Steve to work straight away, helping in install an air conditioner in Mum and Dad’s bedroom so they can sleep in the day more comfortably and cool the room at night when the hot days come. Dad has bad prickly heat so it will help with that too. I even had prickly heat after those hot nights on the way home.

Joined Wendy, David, Kaylene, Rick, Andrea and Alan at Cocos at the Pullman International for our Christmas get together. It was a lovely lunch and we had a great time chatting. Took some photos by the huge tree. The chefs have made a ginger-bread house and it looks like the kids have been eating bits off it already.

Christmas breakfast here with Dan, Fran, Jon and Jess and Greg, Tracy, Timothy and Katie. Brian also joined us which was lovely. 

Dan made us and Mum and Dad lovely twirly things – he is so smart. 

Jon bought me a lovely verse for the van and some other lovely things. 

Mum and Dad gave me a lovely battery-operated candle with the Tree of Life one side and a beautiful verse on the other. I had given Mum a lovely Mother verse on a butterfly.

I got Steve a bottle of Fiji Ratu that we tried at 9 Mile Beach with Guy. Steve got me a bottle of Penfolds Grandfather Port because I never got to have any of the bottle David bought Terry when he became a grandfather when I had Daniel. They scoffed the lot. Now I have a bottle to myself!!

Rang Erica in Woodgate. She was there with Terry, David, Amanda, Bradley, Benjamin and Ella so we passed the phone around for everyone to have a chat. I said we are planning to be in Woodgate next year with the boys etc so hopefully we can get all the Gecks together again.

Everyone left so we cleaned up and headed up the Gillies Range to Julie and Peter’s place near Ravenshoe. It was hot (36 degrees) but we managed to keep in the shade and there was a light breeze at times. We had a lovely lunch and yummy desserts. So lovely to see my nieces, Rebecca, with husband Jeremy, and Veronica and their little ones.

Brian sent a photo of his lunch with his daughters, Jodie and Stephanie and Jodie’s fiancé, Bryan.

David then sent a photo of the Woodgate gang having lunch. This phone/photo technology certainly is a good thing.

Boxing Day started with thunder rumbling in the early hours and a bit of rain. I think Santa ate too much plum pudding as his belly is constantly rumbling. More thunder and then the lightning started flashing right overhead. We got a good dumping of rain 20ml then the storm moved on.

Steve busy on the tablet trying to find our new vehicle. Rang up about a couple but they have sold very quickly.

Nice afternoon with Kaylene and Rick at Andrea and Alan’s place to view Andrea’s wonderful display of Christmas decorations and trees before the big pack up starts. Forgot to take photos but there is a video of them all on my Facebook page.

Joining Kaylene, Rick, Steve and Sandra on the Esplanade to watch the fireworks – 9pm version to start. Will see if we can last out to see the New Year in there or at home to watch the fireworks in Sydney etc as they will be having them an hour early than us.

See you next year.