Dad rang this morning from Oz for a catch up chat – always a pleasure even when he wakes me up.
He started the conversation by saying ‘I see that the garden and kids are going well and how are the 2 new neighbours?’
Yup - the man reads my blog.
I think he’s the only one (apart from Marc) in the family who does. The rest of the family prefers to relax outside and leave computers for work.
My 3 brothers, sister and Mum all live in the Northwest of Western Australia. Eamonn & Sean are in Exmouth (about 1000 miles north of Perth) and Liam, Siobhain and Mum live in Karratha – a 6 hours drive from Exmouth.
I visited them all during Late 2007 until February 2008. I get to see them every 2 to 3 years and spend a week or so in each town catching up.
So – here is a bit of a rogues gallery from my Oz trip.
Dad, my stepmum Liz and moi on Xmas day.
My step brother Bruce and his wife Ploy
Dad with Bruce and Ploy’s son Leo. For some reason he always smiled when he saw me.
My truly wonderful sis Siobhain and me. I’m the eldest (49 on July 26 – just send champagne) and she’s the youngest (40). The female bookends of the family.
My Pa teaching me woodwork.
I got to play with the power tools – routers are tricky little buggers.
Wise hands.
Liam and Eamonn meeting at a roadhouse hundreds of miles from anywhere. Eam (he’s 11 months younger than me) drove me 3hours to this place from Exmouth – and – Liam (6 years younger than big sis) drove 3 hours down from Karratha to pick me up. Love my brothers.
Eam and his wife Gail at one of the many Exmouth beaches. Being the great brother he is – he’s packed champagne for his sis. Oh yeh – and a chair so I wouldn’t get sandy – God what a Princess!
Life’s not all chairs and champagne folks – I also got to single kayak with Eam. I’m going to buy one and paddle the Ballinamore canal.
Me and Eam – the eldest. The one’s the parents get to experiment on before they give up their learners permits. Eam is a wonderful man and a really exceptional manager. He’s Fire Chief on the base in Exmouth.
Eam & Gail and Sean (3 years younger than me) and his wife Wendy – around their pool on new years eve.
I laughed soo much that night and really loved their company.
Sean – one of the funniest men I know.
Sean, me & Eam. In the 4 weeks I was in Exmouth and Karratha I had to stay indoors during the day as the temps were soooo high – 45 to 50C.
In the evenings in Exmouth we would wander over to Seans pool and I just became the water baby sipping on – you guessed it – champagne.
Dinner on close to my last night in Exmouth. Gail, niece Sam (Wendy’s daughter), nephew Jake (Sean’s son) & Wendy.
Sean dropped us off in his limo when the cab we ordered didn’t turn up – bummer. When he’s not being a firefighter – he and his wife run a bus and limo hire service. He is an amazing entrepreneur who just sees niche markets where other people see – nothing.
First night in Karratha and Liam, his wife Janine and their 2 girls Emma & Jesse came over to Siobhain & Troys (and their 2 kids- Caleb & Bridie) with Mum and me.
Janine
Sis
Sis, Bridie & Troy
Me and yup – a glass of champagne.
Do you sense a theme? Clever you.
The youngest nephews and nieces – Bridie, Jesse, Caleb & Emma. Gorgeous, bright and really loving kids. A delight to know.
Bridie, me and Caleb- yes it’s official – I am a princess.
More champagne – now.
Mum
You know how they say that daughters eventually grow up to be like their mothers?
I’m afraid- very afraid.
The girls got the brains.
Liam is actually very very bright and one of the kindest people I know.
Mum, Liam & Janine on Ma’s 72 birthday – 2008.
Me and bro Marc in Singapore. I hope to be back there doing some SKIL2 and Life Dreaming work in November. Marc gets my champagne theme – for the 4 nights I stayed on my way back to Ireland – he poured me different French champagnes each night.
Spoilt? Moi?
I’m a lucky sister.
Me & Mary- one of my dearest friends. She visited Ballinamore this year and she and her husband John treated me like a princess when I stayed with them in Perth.
Me & Lisa. We’ve known each other 30 years and have had adventures that would make you smile. This is on the terrace of her home on 30 acres in the hills of Perth.
Both Mary and Lisa have changed their career directions in the last year or so – they are wonderful and inspiring women who take no prisoners.
Is that a glass of champagne I spy? Oh yeh.
So dear reader- there’s a quick glimpse of the people I love most in the world.
I miss them.
And I know that they are living their lives with passion, integrity and a wry sort of delight.
Liz
Liz, Thank you for letting us all meet your family and friends. It appears you had a simply marvelous trip. It took me a second to remember that it would be warm (hot?) in Australia in mid-winter – the land down under. Let’s see – 40 – 50 degrees C would be about 104 – 115 or thereabouts. Sounds like the Sonoran Desert in summer. It’s rather nice today – strange for this time of year as the high is only about 89F. I believe the USA is the only country in the world not using the metric system. I have to teach both units to my 4th graders – leaves all of us totally confused.
Some of your outdoor pics look as though they could have been taken in Florida, USA – house architecture, swimming pools, palm trees.
Namaste, Lindy
I loved this little mini-vacation for me! I echo Lindy (hi!) in thanking you for letting us meet your family and friends. I feel the warmth and the love. No surprise.
Hope all is well. Been busy in my neck o’ the woods and looks like it may be getting busier. All good though. Hope SKIL2 is going well. Love the new look. Looking forward to reports of your grueling upcoming research trip.
Cheers!
Ronnie Ann
Uh…no pun intended when I said I felt the warmth. Although those temps were awfully hot! (Thanks Lindy for doing the math. And ouch on that Sonoran desert.)
Me again
Hi Ronnie
Lovely to hear from you.
Your Work Coach Cafe site is looking amazing. Well done you for all the work. Looks like your readers all migrated from the Work Coach blog. I certainly did.
The Research Trip for SKIL2 is 3 weeks away. Yeh – it’s a bummer that the conference is being held in Paris in June!!
But you know me – I will suffer for SKIL2.
The week coming up is big for me:-
1. I’ll hear whether I won a Social Entrepreneur Ireland Award
2. I get my new 7 inch Asus Eee 701 laptop
3. My SKIL2 business cards arrive
4. I do a SKIL2 presentation to the CEO and senior management team of Depaul Trust Ireland – my SKIL2 non profit partners
5. I hear whether myself and a Dublin consultancy won a big contract
6. I decide whether to take another contract – and will subcontract an executive assistant to help me.
I think I’ll just go lie down now.
Happy weekend.
Liz
Oooh! What a busy exciting week! Awards, even MORE new things to sink your brain into, cards, and a brand new toy. What fun. Yes…definitely must take advantage of lolling time.
Thanks for the kind words. It’s really been fun. Plus I got a private coaching client and am meeting with folks about me doing a biz plan for them in an industry I adore. So lots of good things on both sides of the pond. Fascinating how these things work.
Fingers, legs and eyes crossed for you! Must go loll myself now.
Ronnie
Hey Liz, hi from the the solar powered hills above ballinamore, sinead had mentioned the fun she’d been having in the garden and that reminded me to have catch-up look at your blog (since you got back from oz). noticed that you are planning on canoeing the canal – we are going to have a go at building a open canoe ourselves in the very near future (even thinking of putting on removable mast and a sail!!) – want to come and have a gander? you would be very welcome… all the best from the hills, Mir
Hi Miriam
Yeh – the garden is a real treat with all the kids involved. I’m loving watching things grow and the fun the kids have.
Love to come for a visit. Did I hear that you were thinking of building a cob home? Would be very keen to volunteer time to help so I can learn some skills.
Isn’t the rain fun?
Liz