Snapshots of Us - Weeks 48 & 49

Oh hi there!

Since last we met there has been lots of snorkelling

 After we left Cape Range, we headed to Coral Bay.

It was ridiculously windy and rather chilly so there was also a lot of time spent out of the water. We are tropical wimps like that

 A certain little girl was particularly pleased to find a piece of coral in the shape of a 'T'

Though it wasn't all about long beach walks.

We may have snuck into the other van park so the kids could have a jump on the pillow. This was we had lunch at the pub where Mr Awesome introduced the girls to the yip yip martians. They were hysterically mesmerised. If you had a deprived childhood and have no idea  what I am talking about check out a clip here.

After we had seen the sights of Coral Bay we headed to a little station called Warroora. Where we had an entire beach all to ourselves.

Again it was a little too cold and windy for a lot of swimming, but there was a lot of fishing done.

And quite successfully as well I might add. We ate fresh fish every day we were there.

There was also lots free playing fun time for the girls with cuddles thrown in for good measure.

From Warroora we headed to the delightful Shark Bay.

Where we were once again greeted with beautiful beaches and lots of selfies.

There were also these little things called stromatolites, but they really deserve a post of their own.  

We also stopped into the Ocean Park Marine Park,

the girls were pretty entranced but again it deserves a post all of it's own. All in good time I guess.

 There were also a few more meals and drinks out on account of it being to windy to cook on the gas barbie. Oh the hardships right?

The bumpiest road. Ever.

It might not look like much here but after travelling it I am sure
it could well be what the road to hell is like.
Interestingly enough though, it did not lead to anything remotely like a hell.

One thing I had not missed in my short time away was moving day. Which is what today just happens to be. We are on our way out to Cape Leveque. A place Mr Awesome is incredibly excited to see. He has heard many a people say they want to go there and was pretty keen to join the list of people who had done so.

After about an hour on the road out there I was quite happy to say that we never made it. 

The road would have to be one of the worst we have been on to date. Any peace or relaxation I may have built up over the past day or two were quickly shredded away within ten minutes of being on this track.

Thankfully though despite my subtle suggestions at turning around we soldiered on to discover one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

According to our road map bibles advance bookings are essential. Which posed a slight problem because naturally we had not done so. Thankfully though an hour or so before we reached our destination we found a signal strong enough to make a phone call. 

We had planned to stay for three days however when I heard the price of paradise I dropped it down to two. The only spaces available were in beachside shelters and it was a little over $100 per night for all of us. Which is about twice as much as what our budget allowed for.

Of course as so often is the case with life you get what you pay for. So as much as we were breaking the bank it was worth every cent.

Our incredibly expensive but totally worth it on the beach shelter

Our shelter which had it’s own cold water shower and table and chairs was located about twenty meters from the beach. It was totally amazing. We were able to back old Edna in next to the shelter and use the shelter as our living space during the day. The best part of this meant there was no need to put all our awnings up as the shelter gave us all the shade we need.

The was however a slight drama as we were pulling into our little camping area. We had read the signs saying that it was advisable to have pretty low tyre pressure, what we didn’t realise though was exactly how low we needed to go. Thankfully though Mr Awesome was able to jump out and let them down low enough before we got bogged in the sand completely.

Feeling rather stupid for our actions we were slightly pleased to see that the same thing happened to two other people following us in.

Day 47

Tranquility and peace surrounds. Lots of cuddles from everyone and lots of nothing to be done. Pure bliss. Sitting out overlooking the ocean I couldn’t help but feel like we were on the edge of the world. Or at very least the edge of Australia. Which was weird because obviously any coastline is the edge of the country but never before had I felt it so obviously.

There was just something about the rugged red rocks of James Price Point that made me feel like I was standing on the very edge of something incredibly special.

After coffee and breakfast the girls took me down the cliffs to show me the areas they had exploded before I arrived. Walking along with the soft sand between my toes and gentle breeze blowing in my face I felt all my worries of the previous week blow off into the water and washed forever away in the ways.

Life felt good. Actually even better than good. Near on perfect in fact.

Before long however it was like I had never been away and the constant demand for food slowly began to wear me down. As was the never getting a minute to myself. Thankfully my time away had given me the opportunity to recharge my patience and understanding jars.

Watching the sun set into the water was pretty much the perfect end to a perfect day in paradise.

Getting back to those I love

Day 46 (Sept 3)

Where flying into Darwin a few days ago felt anything but like flying home, flying into Broome felt exactly like I was heading home. The excitement and anticipation of seeing my babies was sky high.

The first part of the morning dragged on for what felt like an eternity while I not so patiently waited for it to finally be time to leave. Only to discover that in my eagerness to depart I had actually brought forward the time in my mind. Thankfully though eventually the right time to leave arrived and much to mum’s disappointment she drove me to the airport.

I had been hoping that mum would just do a kiss and go drop off but she insisted on being able to spend every last possible minute with me. Which I guess I can kind of understand. Though it did mean I missed the chance to sit in the airport lounge tapping away on my laptop which always makes me feel all kinds of grown up.

The plane ride back to Broome felt much quicker than the one to Darwin, despite including a stop over in Kununarra. I guess my excitement and chatty passenger next to me probably had something to do with that.

Seeing our car outside with the girls faces beaming inside filled my heart with joy and soon had me beaming as well. They had been beachside camping without a whole heap of fresh water so had stopped in at some public toilets near Cable Beach to clean up before picking me up. 

The lack of fresh water also meant that there was a rather large pile of dirty washing to also great me. Thankfully though Broome has a laundromat near the supermarket so we were able to put the washing on while we stocked up with supplies.

Heading out of town towards camp made my heart feel like it was going to burst. I had no idea just how much I was loving this nomadic life of ours till I was removed and then returned to it.

Our destination was a free campsite called James Price Point. Where we sat on the edge of a cliff and overlooked the sand and ocean below. It was all kinds of perfect, topped off by the fact I got to see some whales off in the distance.

Day 45 (Sept 2)

Another morning where I could have happily spent the morning with my eyelids closed, only my mother had other plans. Where I wanted to sleep the day away so it felt like I returned home to Mr Awesome and the girls sooner Mum wanted to make the most of my last day there. Which I guess I can understand.

Only with neither of us having any money to spare there was little to do.

We took the dog for a walk and I tried to go for another run only to discover my legs had other ideas and said that walking was plenty exercise enough.

After that we dropped back round to see Mr Awesome’s Mum and then spent the afternoon watching TV and crocheting. Well I crocheted and mum knitted. Fun times.

For Mr Awesome and the girls it was another moving day. They were leaving one free paradise spot for another a little further down the coast. Though the new one had not nearly as much phone coverage so they weren't able to keep sharing with me just how beautiful their new home was.

Which in some ways I was kind of glad about I was all kind of jealous when he was sending me photos of their camp over looking the beach while they watched for whales.

In what felt like one of the longest days ever I managed to sort out most of the tax paper work and finish copying driving music. All the time wishing I was back on the Western Australian coastline with those I love most.

Day 44 (Sept 1)

Without being too dramatic today felt a lot like D day. Anxiety levels were all over the place and not snapping unnecessarily at Mum took more patience than words can adequately describe.

My appointment with the specialist was not until after lunch. Which of course made for a longer than long morning. To help ease the wait and my nerves I had booked in for a morning appointment with McDreamy. Best idea ever.

I was meant to have had my levels checked while I was away but the only time I tried it felt too difficult. I had to have a doctors appointment then go to the hospital for the test then back to the doc for the results. Based on my bruises and bleeding gums I felt it was pretty safe to say that my levels were where they needed to be so I didn’t bother.

I did however want to have them checked before I saw the specialist so the morning appointment with McDreamy allowed for that. It also allowed for us to have a quick catch up on all the exciting things we have both been up to since last we met. In so many ways it felt like I was catching up with an old friend.

The other great thing about seeing him was that he was able to organise for me to have the blood tests before my specialist appointment. This meant that when I saw the specialist my results were already in.

Apparently my clot has now dispersed and I was given the all clear to stop taking the blood thinners. Best news ever. 

Though I am not completely out of the woods yet. I still need to have a heap of tests in a month or so to ensure the clot was caused by the lightning strike (through a tap) and not some other sinister thing. Thankfully though I can have these tests done anywhere and have the results sent through to McDreamy.

To celebrate my return to normal I insisted on the biggest bowl of green leaves Mum could muster. Salad has never tasted so good. (Too many green leaves would stop the blood thinners from working so I haven’t had any for six months)

The relief of my appointments combined with a fast run in my new sneakers meant I was ready for bed super early. However an early night was not an option as my brother was flying in just after midnight and while I knew I would only get to see him for ten minutes or so (he had to get some sleep before his next flight in the early hours of the morning) I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see him.

Day 43 (Aug 31)

Unlike my early rise of yesterday, today saw me sleep in much later. Well till nearly ten o’clock, which these days is well and truly a late sleep in. All of this was much to my mother’s disappointment though as it meant we were unable to walk to the local markets. Not that I was in anyway heart broken by this and nor had she previously mentioned to me her desire to go there.

As much as my run the day before had been awesome I couldn’t help but feel my sneakers were on their last legs. Mum’s printer needed a new cartridge so I could print out my group certificate so a quick trip to the local shopping centre was soon underway.

The rest of the day was then spent with me staring blankly at tax forms while making new CD’s to listen to in the car. Actually only the early afternoon was because the late afternoon was spent at the park with a bottle of wine and friends.

The real highlight of the day though was returning to Mum’s where a three course meal was waiting for me to devour it. Mum had gone all out and cooked seafood crepes with a creamy sauce, followed by roast beef and all the trimmings and a creme brûlée type thing for dessert. Yum, yum, yum.

Again though sleep eluded me.

As much as a knew I needed to get a good night’s rest for the big day that was to come I couldn’t help but worry exactly what that might entail.

Day 42 (Aug 30)

I had never intended to get so far behind in updating where we where at. Those who know me well though are probably not in the least bit surprised. Deciding how to catch up has been given a great deal of thought with little to no resolve. For now I am just going to put up what I have and take it from there. Hopefully before too long I will be back on track. In the meantime though there will be a few days that jumbled up along the way as there were a few times where I managed to actually post on the day that it happened, or close to it. Which is why yesterday I shared Day 40 and today I am sharing Day 42.

If you are interested in reading Day 41 now you can. Sorry if there is any confusion and thanks from the bottom of my heart for stopping by, it really does mean a lot to me xx

Flying into Darwin was a strange feeling. Normally watching the city unfold before my eyes makes my heart swell and I am overwhelmed with a feeling of returning home. This time there was nothing. There was no sense of excitement or pleasure at going home. In fact it didn’t even feel as if I was home.

Home really is where the heart with and my heart is where Mr Awesome and the girls are. Which in this case happens to be homed in a little old Edna parked up on some cliff edge on the Dampier Peninsular overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Home is where the heart is and my heart is here

Surprisingly I slept incredibly well and woke feel almost as fresh as a daisy. I had expected to find sleeping without Mr A by my side a little lonely but the single bed in my mum’s house was a snug fit so there no excess room to remind me of his absence.

As much as I was technically in my childhood bedroom it no longer feels anything like it. The girls now affectionately call it The Princess Room. Before Dad passed away the room was his. To ease the pain of him no longer being there mum had my sister paint a mural of a princess and a castle. It is bright and cheerful and nothing like I ever had growing up.

While I could have happily spent the morning in bed there was much that needed to be done. Aside  from that Mum had began to bang and clash around in the kitchen ensuring that sleeping in was the last thing that happened.

My drivers license had expired a few weeks ago. Thankfully the motor vehicle registry office is now open Saturday morning so I was able to get that sorted and out the way. After that I stopped in for a quick catch up with Mr Awesome’s parents.

I spent the rest of the afternoon wondering how moving day was going for my loved ones. Of course when they sent me photos of their beautiful new location I then began pining even more to be there with them. Made worse when they texted to say they were busy watching whales frolic in the ocean below them.

To ease my frustrations Mum and I went for a walk along the foreshore. A place where I can normally find comfort. Today however it felt like a poor substitute. Deciding I needed more than walk I choose to run home. Which left me feeling all kinds of both exhausted and awesome as I was slightly faster than last time I went for a run.

Sleep didn’t come nearly as easily as the night before. Though there was something nice is still being up at midnight, something that has not occurred since #ouradventureofalifetime began.

Day 40 (Aug 28)

After all the fun and excitement of the beach the last few days today has been declared a nothing day. All three of the girls asked if we could just have a quiet day which fitted in perfectly with my plans.

Having been in the one spot for nearly a week means that the mess factor is almost out of control. With me leaving on a jet plane tomorrow and Mr Awesome and the girls moving on Saturday getting things sorted today is kind of a brilliant idea.

It still continues to bug me that washing is a never ending chore. Why can’t clothes just clean themselves or better yet have some kind of spray that prevents them from getting dirty in the first place?

Though I must admit I do kinda love hanging out the clothes on my cute little line. Actually what I like even more is the fact that the girls can actually use the cute little line as well. Though Teapot is only able to use the part for knickers and socks.

Apart from getting on top of the washing and sorting crap out today also provided an opportunity for the girls to do some school work. Which they were not exactly pleased about. Grrrrrr.

After the jobs were done and school work sorted we headed out to explore the wharf and surrounding areas. Though there was not really a great deal to explore. Watching the boats get loaded was momentarily of interest but the novelty quickly quickly wore off.

There was however a rather quaint little cafe/restaurant that just so happened to half priced oysters. A novelty that most certainly would not ever wear off. Mr A and I have been hanging to get to the coastline to sample delicious seafood at reasonable prices. 

Snapshots of us - Weeks 43-47

Naturally I no sooner say one thing on this little Snapshots of Us and another thing completely different happens. Confused? Yeah me too.

When I last posted a snapshot update I noted how it had appeared to take on a bit of a fortnightly feel. Of course that was well over a month ago now. Luckily I have a it's my blog and I'll do what I like kind of mentality.

Anyway here are a few snaps of us over the last few weeks.

As I type I am lounging around in the idyllic coastal town of Coral Bay. Yes that's right, we finally moved on from Karratha! Yayyy!!! Though according to the posts here on the blog we are still back in Broome. Again a case of it's my blog...

Having said that though I am currently in the process of getting some of the old news out the way so stay tuned for a heap of updates.

There has been ice-creams...

Teapot having ice cream at Port Walcott where
we went for lunch for Mr A's birthday

...fishing...

...sight seeing...

At the heritage town of Cossack

...duckfacing...

Dampier

...cuddles...

Exmouth

...smiles...

Cape Range National Park

...lots of them...

Cape Range National Park

...from everyone...

...especially from me when my replacement phone arrived

Cable Beach - Broome - Western Australia

Day 38 (Aug 26)

Today was all about the beach baby. We decided to hit Cable Beach and try our hands at some boogie boarding. As we didn’t actually own boards of our own you can imagine the relief we felt when we discovered that there were some available for hire at a rather reasonable rater. 

Sadly for me Aunty Flow had decided to stop on by so I was left watching on the sidelines. Which in some ways was actually a bit of a blessing in disguise because I took great delight in being able to watch and photograph the girls and Mr Awesome. It is such a fine line between living in the moment and experiencing with them and taking time to capture the memories as well. 

I have always said that if we lived near the surf the girls would be perfect surfer chicks and today just confirmed that for me. They were naturals. They so loved being able to frolic in the water without worrying about what might come out and attack them. The downside to Darwin is that most water ways have a relatively large risk of there being something nasty lurking about it. It feels awesome to no longer have to worry so much about such things.

After our four hours hire with the boards expired we decided to head to the other end of Cable Beach. It was with great delight we teased the girls about how it was a nudist beach and how we would all need to strip down once we got out of the car. Much to their horror I might add.

Naturally though we had no intention of actually getting out of the car so they had nothing to worry about. It was nice to go for a drive on the sand though and we were even lucky enough to see the camels arriving in preparation for their next tour.

On the way home Mr A managed to convince me that we should stop and get a Go-Pro so that we can record all our water fun activities. As Father's Day and then his birthday are just around the corner it all seemed like a feasible idea.

Day 39 (Aug 27)

We had so much fun at the beach yesterday we decided to come back and do it all over again. Plus Mr A needed an opportunity to try out his new toy.

This time however we decide to do it in style and hire not j

ust some boogie boards but also an umbrella, chairs and beach toys. At fifty bucks for the entire day it is certainly a bit of a bargain and based on how much fun we had yesterday it is definitely money well spent. Especially given the shade factor.

Today I refused to let old Aunty Flow keep me high and dry. While tampons are not usually something I am a fan of (and please excuse the TMI) I made and exception to that today. And boy am I glad I did.

Mind you, as much as the girls are naturals on the boards I am not. At all. 

There were quite a few more mature than I people giving body surfing a go so I thought perhaps that was more up my alley. I was wrong. Apparently my aqua capabilities are limited to swimming. That is not to say I didn’t have fun trying though!