Blog for Sunday 12th October 2025

(Sorry I will add images again from tomorrow, but I am time poor at the moment!)

Again, I apologize for not being able to keep up to date with my blogs over the last few days, but I have been busy (albeit it has just been fun-fun-fun all the way!) would be the understatement of the year!

I have had such a fantabulous time that I reckon I am ready to celebrate turning eighty again next year! WHAT a weekend - just filled to overbrimming with quality time spent with family, and friends, fun, food, lots of love and laughter. My kind of happiness!

Plus, I have been spoilt rotten - (which I really think I could get addicted to! The family gave me a beautiful new laptop - my old one died a week ago - the one they gave me when I turned seventy! And with it a soft [in k carrying caser and a blush pink mouse to go with it all! Kerry' and James gave me a voucher for a subscription for the Microsoft 365 - so how spoilt am I, I ask you with tears off happiness in my eyes!

I truly have been given the most incredible gifts and feel really very loved by one and all - it has just been a wonderful time to be away celebrating with family and friends. Plus the venue was fantastic, the weather kind and the company all I could ask for. Happiness ruled supreme.

So. on the Saturday night we had family and friends around for a party - and one never knows whether that will work or not. Sometimes some of your friends, who you were sure would get on well, do not. But the mix on Saturday night just went well. And 'Runee who did the catering for this evening, simply excelled herself, and many people came back for second and third helpings!

Our Sunday morning began with Meliss, Adrina, Mich', Robert and me sitting outside where all the beautiful outdoor furniture with big soft cushions were, just chatting and drinking copious mugs of coffee as they watched me open my gifts from the evening before. Adrian, bless him, jotted down in my little notebook who had given me what gift as I knew I would get them muddled and forget who gave me what, if I did not have a list to remind me. (Hey, I am eighty now, so you have to be kind, okay?)

Then Robert, Mich', Adrian, Melissa and Savvy (Mich' and Robert's little dog) went off for a walk and a swim. I stayed back at home to oversee the things for the party in the afternoon for our church family who were popping in for tea.

When Mich' got back she flew out to the shop to buy fresh juices and cakes for the afternoon tea.

Then Melissa and Adrian left us to travel back to Brisbane to be ready for work on Monday. We all missed "their noise" greatly! They were great value to have around.

When our church family friends arrived, Mich', Robert. Josh'. Paulina, Ethan and Savvy all welcomed them and then they left to go to have lunch together as a family as Josh' and Paulina were leaving on Monday morning to fly out to Italy again to film and photograph a large wedding over there.

It was lovely having our friends with Ken and I for the afternoon and I so appreciated their coming into Port Mcquarie to celebrate my special birthday. Again, they all spoilt me rotten and made me feel very loved by them all.

One of my friends caught me licking my fingers after cutting the cake! Shoo, check how many fingers I have in my mouth! Scary stuff!

Once our friends left and the family were back 'home', we all sort of collapsed in a heap in front of the largest TV and watched "The Block" before crawling off to bed!

What a fantastic time we had had together over this weekend and I am so grateful to our family who paid for everyhing AND spoilt me with gifts too.

I went t sleep smiling and very happy inside.

What lesson did I learn today? It is very humbling to receive.

What am I grateful for today? The love, care and encouragement given to me by those who love me.

My saying for today is ...

DO

just once what others

say you cannot do

and you will never

pay attention to their

limitations again.

Captain James Cook