A bit of time and travel has passed since a Billagog update and yes, the annual letter is still to come, but for now, a holiday update from Warrnambool VIC.
We have been fortunate enough to spend the holidays with Matt's family in Victoria - catching up with his aunt and uncle, the cousins and his dad, all the way from the Philippines! I don't think his aunt and uncle thought we would actually make it when we saw them in Broome in August but arrive we did. How could you pass up holidays with family?! Arriving on the 23rd, we were quickly put to task in the kitchen with preparations of a bounty of food. Matt's Aunt Judy had her birthday on Christmas Eve so we tried with earnest to get preparations done early so we could enjoy dinner out that night in celebration.
Christmas day was brilliant weather and the food prep was fast and furious with all the fixins which didn't stop there but carried on with Boxing Day plenty. Matt mastered two massive plates of paella after doing a turkey, glazed ham and gravy. I did donate my skills to an egg
casserole my mum makes for Christmas morning that is lovingly referred to as "heart attack at breakfast" and banana bread to balance the diet. As we were told not to worry about presents, our donation to the festivities included a half of case of wines collected around the many and various regions we hit along the way (those stories still to come).
With Christmas and Boxing Day complete, we moved over to Matt's cousin's place where the chances of fishing boat ventures were too much to pass up. Grant and Matt enjoyed days on the seas and rivers as Amie and I relaxed and had dinner ready on their arrival home each night, happy to watch the waters from the warmth of the calm indoors.
Warrnambool is also home to a lovely couple, Sally & Keith, that we have been bumping into from Finch Hatton to Bungle Bungles. After a holiday text, they asked where we were and to pop in when we made our way to Victoria and voila, in town we were! We met for a coffee at the pavilion overlooking Penguin Island near Thunder Point. A beautiful catch up with a beautiful couple.
Funny story on Penguin Island - the fairy penguins on the island were declining due to feral animals but 2 marema sheep dogs have been trained to protect them to great success. Watch for a movie soon on the story.
On New Year's Eve, Matt's dad arrived just in time to share a drink on the pub balcony in Port Fairy as we watched the parade. An entry participant for the last few years, Matt's Uncle Bill drove his blue beauty, Mary the Standard 10, along the trail with grandkids in tow!
Note the board on the roof - Bill's custom 9ft 9 board from the 60s. Matt was so enamoured, he washed and waxed it up for a surf that day in 17 degree water without a wetsuit! It hadn't been in the salt water for 40 years but worked a treat!
We were back at the house to watch the Sydney fireworks on tv and then of to bed not long after - oh how things have changed from a year ago at Woodford!
A rainy cold New Year's Day, but we're back in sun today. Matt's dad Peter will fly
out tomorrow and we will be back on the road by Monday. We've hit Princes Highway, so I can nearly taste Sydney but a bit to see before then. I hope all of you enjoyed the days wherever you were lucky enough to be!
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