Our caravan is now parked – as to the manor born -- in the back garden of brother-in-law Colin Boyle’s Victoria Point, Brisbane property.Colin, the lord of the manor, has an enormous home on an enormous block of land, not untypical of properties in the Redlands Shire, which is great news for nomads like us who need somewhere to stay awhile.
He and my deceased and sadly missed sister Mary raised seven children in this home, which Colin has generously allowed us to use as a base to visit our hordes of relatives.
We have also spent a few days with Carol's sister Kay and husband Paul who have spoiled us to the core with their hospitality. Fortunately Kay has dragged us out on early morning walks to burn off the calories ingested the previous evening.
At this point I should mention that family is the name of the game in this part of the woods. I come from a family of seven children and have 31 nieces and nephews, many of whom live in or near Brisbane, and they have hordes of kids whom I am anxious to see.
Carol is in a similar situation. She has 12 nieces and nephews and as her mum had 12 siblings, she has zillions of cousins living in Queensland. Seeing only a fraction of them will keep us busy.
First up, my sister Bet Green’s son John and his vivacious fiancée Joan Yang who have moved to the northern suburb of Virginia, cordially invited us to their housewarming party.
There we caught up with my dear sister Bet and husband Greg, their sons Thomas, Daniel, Joseph and John, Thomas’s jazz pianist wife Kellee and their two charming boys Charlie and Toby, and Kellie’s parents Paul and Kerrie Crooks, and friends.
Pictured top right, I'm with Bet, John and Joan. Right, Kerrie Crooks, Bet, Carol, Bet's son Thomas, Colin's son David and Colin.
Thomas's wife Kellee adding the icing to the cake.These are all creative people who are equally at home conjuring up gastronomic delights as they are music or art, so we all finished up not just satiated but struggling to get to our feet.
A couple of days later, to my surprise and joy, my other dear sister Alixe appeared as out of nowhere, and we able share stories. Alixe lives near Adelaide and we hope to catch up again on that leg of our journey.
Alixe, me and Bet.
More on our Brisbane sojourn soon.
