April 7. Day 98. The early bird catches the worm

I was never a morning person. I was the type of person you had to shake to life at 11am but who would still be reading or watching TV into the early hours of the morning. If I was to see a sunrise it was because I hadn't gone to bed yet. Then about 15 years ago I realised that I really had to exercise and if that was to happen it had to be before work. If I had all day to think about it I would come up with a reason I couldn't. So I started setting the alarm. Now I wake up early of my own accord. It would be a lie to say I spring yet of bed but I get up and get at it but deep inside I think the night owl is still there. In any case, I don't agree with those who think the day is wasted if you sleep in. You get the same out if he day just at the other end. However, there are advantages to rising with the sun. It was bloody marvelous at sunrise at Broadbeach this morning.

April 6. Day 97. Confessions of a lapsed Catholic

Hot Cross Buns,

Hot Cross Buns.

One a penny, two a penny

Hot Cross Buns

If you have no daughters give them to your sons

One a penny, two a penny

Hot Cross Buns

I was born and raised Catholic but there's not much left of the Catholic school girl (except the guilt thing obviously).
Still there are some traditions that I hang on to religiously (pun intended).
Good Friday traditions lead the pack. Hot Cross Buns must be consumed on Good Friday and only Good Friday. To eat them before then would be unthinkable. To eat them after Good Friday would be impossible as there won't be any left. And it must be a traditional bun. None of these choc chip things if you don't mind.
And then there's meat (or more specifically no meat).
I still won't eat meat on Good Friday, ever, and quite honestly I can't explain why. I just don't, okay?
And in case you are wondering, those eggs are for display purposes only. It would be wrong, quite wrong, to eat Easter Eggs before Easter Sunday.

April 5. Day 96. In need of an afternoon nap

It's a funny thing how tourists often get to experience many of the things a town has on offer which the locals manage to blissfully ignore. Like David Fleay's Wildlife Park on the Gold Coast.
The park turns 60 this month and despite living in south-east Queensland almost all of my life and having spent a great deal of time on the Gold Coast I had never been to the park - until today. Having an overseas visitor staying with you makes you re-evaluate what you have on your doorstep.
The park was delightful and all the Australian wildlife on show couldn't fail but impress (especially if you are English).
Personally I feel a real affinity with the koala. I mean any creature that grazes all morning and then flakes out in the afternoon gets my vote.
Isn't this little bloke a beauty?

April 4. Day 95. Can you see what I see?

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside.
Dear Weather Gods,
I am on the Gold Coast for a week and if you would keep the weather just like this I would be most grateful.
Regards,
Susan
Simon is from England and he lives right on the beach at Bognor Regis in West Sussex so this should make him feel right at home. Who am I kidding? Broadbeach and Bognor are both coastal towns that start with B but that's about where the similarity ends.
We thought it was about time Grandpa Simon got to see a proper Australian beach. Mr O was happy to show his Grandpa around.
Simon was impressed not least because the beachfront wasn't swarming with pensioners (his words not mine)

April 3. Day 94. Wallowing in the shallows

 

This will be me tomorrow - a  large mammal lapping up the sensational weather we are having at the moment. 

We are heading to the Gold Coast for an Easter break and the prospect of imitating a beached whale (yes I know this is a dugong) splashing around in the shallows seems very appealing indeed.

This photo was taken at Brisbane's beach at South Bank early this morning. I loved the light and the reflections but mostly I liked the feeling that there are other bloated-looking creatures not prepared to let a bit of blubber get in their way of having a good time at the beach.

April 2. Day 93. A hole in one

Q: Why did the Irish golfer wear two pairs of undies? A: In case he got a hole in one.
Yes, even as Irish jokes go that's a shocker.
Still someone in my family is bound to tell it when there's a family putt putt tournament on the go. The idea is probably to put off the opposition. Hard not to be put off by something that dreadful.
Anyway, today the venue for the great golf challenge was the Putt Putt course at the Victoria Park Golf Club and the contestants were Mr O and Grandpa Simon.
We were taking advantage of a thoroughly brilliant Brisbane City Council initiative GOLD'n'Kids which is a program of holiday activities children can do with their grandparents. An offshoot of the Growing Old Living Dangerously program for seniors, it cost just $2 a player and was a great bonding activity for the young man and the not so young one.
Apparently there was more than one a hole in one. I didn't ask whose undies.

April 1. Day 92. I'm an April Fool

 

Kermit said "It's not easy being green" well let me tell you something Froggy being born on April Fools Day has its challenges too. Yes, I'm an April Fool. Actually, I believe my mother was the fool because she was the one giving birth but anyway. And for the record I was born in the morning before the fooling deadline of noon. If only Mum had crossed her legs for another 30 minutes....

So I'm a Fool and that meant being the brunt of many a school yard joke. Naturally those nearest and dearest didn't let me off either. They'd tell me my presents were in the lounge and I'd run off excitedly only to hear "Fooled You". The presents were in the kitchen. I'll be sending them the counselling bill.

As I've grown older I've learned to embrace it. The fact is that one of the big advantages of being born on April 1 is that people remember your birthday. Every cloud does have a silver lining.

This year I was fooled again. The boys apologised that there was no present because of the bad Man Flu that had struck the house. I believed this as I had not left out any strategically marked catalogues or bought the gift and had it wrapped for them to give to me. But no. They laughed at me. They called me a Fool and presented me with a beautifully wrapped box with a silver bracelet and ear rings.

It's not so bad being a Fool

BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE

It's my birthday and I'll post more than once if I want to. With my train spotting father-in-law in town we decided the Steam Train Sunday ride that travels out of Roma Street might be a nice family outing - and it was.
Now I admit that taking a train ride would not normally be my idea of a top thing to do on my birthday but we did have a very enjoyable hour steaming around the city.
But there was a complaint. About a decade ago we did the same train ride and the young man was fascinated by the hole in the ground toilet which dumped straight on to the tracks. The sign advising not to use the loo at while the train was at a station was most exciting. This time all the carriages had flushing toilets.
Yes, it's not every day a person complains about having to endure flushing toilets but I did rather like the journey back in time