NYE Sydney Fireworks Time vs Money

15 minutes of fireworks which are so popular now that the wait for them starts at 5am in the morning of New Years Eve. We watched from home on the TV. Maybe next year we will join the crowds at Blues Point which is directly opposite on the other side of the Harbour Bridge, just a walk from North Sydney Station. Its a long wait with three kids though. The other alternative is buying a ticket to one of the harbour islands at $170 per person, and for NYE in Sydney that's one of the lesser expensive alternatives. Tourists to Sydney are prepared to wait all day no problems.

Happy New Years Eve 2011

It promises to be a great year of opportunity and progress.

Daytrip to Watsons Bay

Watsons Bay from the ferry
Opera House

Tom

Three boys sharing a joke

Alex and I

We travekked ==== yes trekked and travelled by ferry to Watsons Bay. Ultimately for an ice cream and a swim under skies of sunshine. A nice break from the rain. Extra ferries were running. What is there to do at Watsons Bay - walk, eat, swim, and catch a ferry. Last ferry leaves at 3.50pm. There was a lovely irish lady sitting next to us on the ferry who lent the boys her kids sunblock roll on - must get one of those. Thanks.

Eleven

11 Things you don't know about Alex

1. He has lost his ipod touch for two weeks now

2. Next year he will be in 6th Class

3. He achieves top 2% maths scores

4. He is a Sea Scout

5. He is the first person up in the morning at our home

6. He never makes his bed in the morning

7. His best friends are Tumma, Jonah, and Ewan

8. His favourite book is "The Willoughbys"

9. His favourite food is Chinese cuisine

10. Playing chess is his school sport

11. "Never tell me never" is his motto

More Christmas Pics

Howard Rubie plays Santa Claus at the 2010 Haven Amphitheatre Carols
Janette and boys
Janette and Tom

Jon and the Christmas Pudding on Christmas Eve

Kids Christmas

Getting ready
Tree

Grandma and Grandkids

Three boys

Jon's new food processor as requested - a break from the cookbook tradition

On Christmas Eve we had lots of carols at Tom and Alex's youth group church, St John's and then at the Castlecrag Haven Amphitheatre. Dinner was the Christmas Dinner at 9pm last night. This year ducks and the christmas dishes from the Hayward family recipes. The christmas pudding and brandy butter finished off the occasion, as made by Jon. By 10am this morning we were all up finally and the kids started on the presents. Five minutes later the floor was awash with wrapping paper and soon lego kits were being assembled. For once the weather forecast is wrong and Sydney is bright and sunny with no cloud cover. It is possible that we will venture out for a beach excursion - I just have to check the tides. What will we get up to this week - movies, the NSW Art Gallery, the harbour ferries, and more beach trips. Jill and Robin phoned us as well - from the UK. The Crag is quiet and we may get out there for a bush walk to check out Tom's new collapsible fishing rod. Thanks for making Christmas great everyone. It is a lovely time to rest and think about each other, present and absent but closer because of the phone and the computer. Peace. Except for the cicadas.

Christmas Week

Jonathan made pizzas with the NY Times no knead bread recipe
Alex's class sang Mama Mia at the school Christmas conert
Alex sang quietly with his class on stage

Nick played at the Balmoral Beach playground

and Nick body boarded in the small waves at Freshwater Beach

We put up the Christmas tree, sold live trees for Scouts fund raising, and got ready for the holidays. Tom finished Year 8 and enjoyed sleeping in for a change.

Floodwatch