A month at home

The last time I had a whole month off was when I was at university. After some negotiation at the agency I was granted 4 weeks leave. They even came to the party with two weeks time in lieu to compensate for the long hours I'd been doing. It felt like a very well deserved break.

My first week was in Toowoomba with Mum, and also seeing Lisa and Hamish & Louisa and my cousin Kristy. We did a few jobs, had a couple of lunches, and I tested out the banana lounge in the back garden.

Sunshine in the back garden

I had two short stints in Brisbane staying with Rob in Toowong. I met Laura and Barry's new baby Lucy at a rained out picnic in New Farm Park, and met Lou & AJ's 7 month old Roman. I managed catch ups with Belinda,  Rhiannon and Juleen which were brief but nice. I had dinner with the Walls at their house, squeezed in two dinners with Laura, and Dave too, and spent a morning with Lou and Roman in Everton Park.  It was an absolute treat to have lunch in West End with all the girls together - Laura, Lou and Jaimee who was also in town!

Hello Brisbane

The girls together again

Lovely little Lucy

Dunja, Dave and Piero showed me a fantastic time over an extended weekend in Sydney. I stayed with Dunja and Marcus down at the Rocks; and with the boys in Darlinghurst. We hung out at Cockatoo Island drinking beers in the sunshine overlooking the harbour and followed up with a really lovely dinner. Pauline happened to be in Sydney for the weekend so we were able to spend an hour or so together before she winged it back to Melbourne.

Pauline popped by for a visit!

Enjoying the view with Dunja

A quick hello with Em

What is a live action escape game?

Hanging out with the boys on Cockatoo Island

Noosa was what I was holding out for though. I had a week there with Mum and Rob over the Easter break. It's one of the places in the world that I find most relaxing. I was at the beach every day, walked in the national park, ate scoops of gelato, spent a morning at Eumundi Markets and made the most of the sunshine in general.  Aleta and I met up for our annual lunch on the Sunshine Coast, and I had the chance to have dinner with Alana & Jules again. On the way home, Mum and I took a detour to the Glasshouse Mountain lookout which we'd never been to and had 180 degree views of all the mountains.

I seem to re-take the same photos each year!

A night out with Alana & Jules in Noosa

Aleta and baby Zara (the boys were all swimming)

Easter craft

Lunch at Sails

Red skins

Mum and I at the Glasshouse Mountain Lookout.

Even those four weeks went quickly. Especially towards the end. But I had quality time with Mum, saw Rob, and my closest friends. And I even caught up on my life admin with a new passport, new driver's license and a trip to the dentist.