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  My sister Susan has a stunning holiday house in Port Douglas in Far North Queensland so putting it to good use, my mum and sisters popped up for a holiday.  Its tropical lushness and hot, humid weather was great change from the chilliness of Flinders.  With the Great Barrier Reef within sight off the coast and the UNESCO listed Daintree Rainforest to the north, Port Douglas is a wonderful place to spend some time. There are so many activities to keep you busy, delicious restaurants to feed you and some gorgeous shops in which to spend all your money.    Floating on a lilo in the pool - not quite a high-octane activity but a favourite nontheless! Anyone for tennis?  Also a handy place to do a pump class! Running on the beach is a favourite early morning activity, plucking mangos from the tree for breakfast on the way home But swim only in the netted swimming areas.  Being Australia, there are stingy things that can kill you at this time of year! Great...

  Haven't driven one of these in years! I headed to Flinders while Sean stayed in Canada - both of us to spend some time with mothers specifically and family in general.  So tucked up in my childhood bedroom, the fun begins! The Bunnings Sausage Sizzle The Bunnings Sausage Sizzle is iconic.  Bunnings is a hardware store similar to Home Depot and community groups run the sizzle to raise money.  Bunnings has strict guidelines so no matter who is running the show, the product and pricing is always the same.  Oddly, we always seem to 'need' something from Bunnings around lunchtime! Hmm, that's a lot of mulch that needs spreading Weedy Sea-Dragon mural on the Flinders Motel Hello Cockie! It was with great excitement we welcomed a new family member, Madison May East, the first great granddaughter for Mum and my third great-niece! Congratulations to Sam and Emily. The newest member of our family.  Welcome Madison May! One thing I have been struck with are the bird...

Canmore is still beautiful ...and back in Canada we land, and promptly both get sick!  A BIG thank you to Ruth and Terry for allowing us to hole up at your place while we recuperated.  Nothing like the joy of house guests coughing and snivelling. It's hard to stop snapping pictures ...  ... particularly when the weather is so glorious. Upon recovery, it was a whirlwind of life administration - renewing passports, drivers' licence, doctor, dentist, optometrist, accountant, bank.... everything to keep the plates spinning.  We voted in the municipal election and caught up with friends and family, slipping in a 65th birthday party and a high school reunion. Engadine Lodge, a five-star backcountry lodge, the perfect place for a school reunion We may be a few years older, but we can still winter hike! Mountain Sheep on Highwood Pass Packed lunch (Thanks Engadine Lodge staff!) at the Peter Lougheed Discovery Centre Looking through school...

While we are still in the UK, we decided a visit with  Carol and Tim was in order!  We rented a car for the weekend and set off under glorious sunny skies towards Newent in Gloucestershire, about a three-hour drive.  Except, we got a bit distracted and it took us over six hours! Our rental car - ideal for two adults and two below-the-hip double amputees And just what was there to distract us, you ask?  Well, meandering laneways, viewpoints and castles.  Lots of castles!  Most we simply drove by and had a look from the outside (see our post Welsh Castles ), but when we arrived at Tretower Court and Castle, we decided it was worth checking out more closely. And being able to use our English Heritage membership was a win. Not just a ruin, but a "fitted out" castle this time!  What will we find?!? All the signage is in both national languages The layout of the Tretower Court and Castle You visit Tretower in reverse-cronological order (newes...