Back where we began

It's been a long break since I last posted on my blog, partly due to our move from Brisbane to Sydney and partly due to the lack of interest on the part of Telstra to re-connect the Internet to our new telephone number.  However, sanity has prevailed and we are back on line.

After nearly 21 years of living in Brisbane, we have moved back to Sydney, the city of our birth.  It was a decision not taken lightly, as we have so many happy memories of our life in Brisbane.  Mixed in with those happy years were some traumatically painful and tough times, but that's what life is all about and nobody escapes it. 

The hardest part about leaving a city you have lived in for so long is the knowledge that you can't simply pick up family and friends and bring them along with you.  We have a son, daughter-in-law and four beautiful grandchildren in Brisbane and that was the heart-breaking part of leaving.  I also left behind many quilting and artisan friends through my association with Schoolhouse Quilters, Quilt Sitters and BrisStyle.  It has been my privilege to be part of a close group of friends - we eight Loose Threads - and next to farewelling our Brisbane branch of the family, that was the hardest goodbye for me.

However, here in Sydney we have two daughters, their spouses and three gorgeous grandchildren, my brother, and our oldest and dearest friends, some going back to school days. 

Bike racing in Centennial Park

A family reunion was first on the menu once we arrived in Sydney and we all gathered at Centennial Park, where my brother and I had spent many happy childhood hours when visiting our grandparents.  A bike race added to the excitement of the day and the grandchildren were amazed at the speed they were travelling.

It has been a real learning curve moving from a four bedroom house into a two bedroom apartment.  We had shed about 50% of our furniture and possessions before the move, but obviously about another 50% of what we brought down has to be culled.  A girl can only crawl over stacked packing boxes to get to the front door so many times before the penny drops that perhaps we have a tad too many possessions.

Our formal dining room setting took up a room all of its own and we had no luck selling it on eBay, so it came to Sydney with us. 

We knew there was no way it would fit into our new home and Mr Fudge contemplated roaming the streets wearing this hat made for him by our grandchildren.  Thankfully a solution was found and he was spared the humiliation.

I am very happy with my new sewing room ...

... particularly with a view like this.

I had forgotten how beautiful Sydney is towards the end of winter, with camellias, magnolias and spring blossoms in full bloom.

Local shopping centre

All in all we are very happy in our new accommodation, where we hope to remain until the kids decide it's time for us to go to the Home for Bewildered Gentlefolk.