A weekend at Knapton

Sat (19 May 2007) - Garry and I spent a nice relaxing weekend with Aunty Jaime, Uncle David, Suzanne, Anne-Marie and Sam. It was really nice waking up to the birds chirping in Aunty Jaime's garden (and not to the sounds of sirens and buses in London)! Knapton used to be the house of the head gardener who was responsible for looking after the gardens of the estate. Aunty Jaime is certainly continuing the legacy of the place. Her gardens are amazing.

Anne-Marie, Garry and Sam - took us a while to get Sam to look straight at the camera but we finally got him to do it!

Me, Sam and Suzanne

Aunty Jaime's back garden

Garry brushing Sam - even though Garry insists on having no pets (though fish is okay), he always seems to get along with everyone's pets. Sam and Indi (Mazza's cat) both seem to love Garry. Well, I have till next June to convince Garry to get me a puppy (when our house will be ready....yipppeee....FINALLY after two years of toing and froing with the Council).

In case you are wondering, it's not real snort (or "bogey" in British terms, as we were told by Anne-Marie and Suzanne. Apparently the Aussies call it something else too, so Garry says), it's just the fat off the ham that we had for lunch!

This is the road that separates Knapton from the woods. I was just about to run into the woods to play on the swing when I was stopped by a slow worm half a metre away. The slow worm slid away very quickly but I had such a fright that I stayed away from the woods for the rest of the day. I thought it was a snake at the time (if you click on the slow worm link, you will know what I mean) but Aunty Jaime told us later that it was merely a slow worm (like a giant earthworm), a rare species of worms, and it was a good sign that the garden was healthy. Whatever it was, it was long and slimey. Maz and Eug will gladly tell you the night when I was in their apartment and they chucked a tiny rubber snake (from the BlakCrab jungle xmas party) at me. Apparently I let out a rather deafening scream!

Stuck safely to Aunty Jaime's gardens instead of venturing into the woods. The pond has lots of goldfish.

Don't know the name of this flower, will have to ask Aunty Jaime, but I like how the flowers look pretty when they are closed and opened up.

Love the creeping roses at the entrance. Took a picture of them as they may not be there the next time we visit.

View of the conservatory from the garden steps.

I love these poppy flowers. Aunty Jaime said the pollen was used as opium back in the old days!

Sun (20 May 2007) - it was nice and warm in the conservatory.

Pergola just outside the conservatory

My favourite part of the gardens - we call it the "Wisteria Lane" (much prettier than the Wisteria Lane in Desperate Housewives!)

A close up shot of the two different coloured wisteria.

Can you see the tiny apples on the trees? We'll have to go back in September to pluck the apples.

Mustered enough courage on the Sunday to walk in the woods (well, after knowing that the slithery thing was just a worm). Look at this amazing tree. It fell during the hurricane in the 80s but it is still growing from the side.

Close up view of the tree

Playing on the slide near where we saw the slow worm. Garry kept saying that the slow worm could be hidden inside the wooden poles, etc.....didn't stop me from getting on the slide!

Wooden chopsticks!

A tree house that was overgrown with pretty pink wild flowers

Back home for breakast

Garry taking his arty shots again!

Yummy breakfast - Aunty Jaime loves feeding us with heaps of food!

My favourite shot of Sam - I was trying to get him to look into the camera. He knew I was trying to take a picture of him and he was turning his head slowly, trying out different poses. It was as if he was modelling for me!

Anne-Marie came home shopping with lots of great bargains - surprise bags filled with all sorts of accessories, multi-coloured chewy and a leather footrest to match the leather couch in the TV lounge! She looked so cute coming home with a giant footrest in her arms. Now I know what to buy back for you kiddies in Perth (but maybe not the footrest :-)

Nice Beach

Mon arvo (7 May) - Soaking in the sunshine on the Nice pebbly beach before heading to the airport.

Monte Carlo

Monday morning (7 May) - Nice port. On our way to Monte Carlo.

A plaque in memory of Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly, who died in a car accident on the windy road in front of this plaque.

Cruise liner was too big to dock at the port. It was anchored in the middle of the port and had to ferry its passengers in little tug boats from the liner to the port.

Ferrari parked outside the Monte Carlo casino - it received a lot of attention.

Monte Carlo casino

Waiting for the main casino to open at 2pm.

Garry reckons I should keep the purple top for maternity use. I am not pregnant, it was just the wind blowing!




Missing the Grand Prix by two weeks.