October 2022

 

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This was one heck of a month. The delight of seeing James and Keno in person was dampened by the sadness of the death of James and Nick's grandpa, Lawrie Powell. You can see an edited video of the funeral - over half of the event is edited out. Lawrie always wanted a big cathedral event (There is a large version for fast networks and then a smaller one). Nick left his place at the Buttery and attended. Paulie and Stephen were to be away for some of the month as part of a house swap with Stephen's boss and long time pal Tony Maguire (who had a family wedding in Brisbane). But we traded the Maguire pad in the Yarra Valley for the St Lucia Atherton's house - no way we could leave town with a funeral and James & Keno in town! We had time with the lads when we returned to our house, Olivia made a lightening visit from Adelaide to see the Oxford lads, Paulie and Stephen both had a quick Adelaide visit, Stephen had work in Sydney, and just as Stephen arrived back in Brisbane he caught Paulie for a few moments at the airport before she flew off to South Australia for work. Oh, and on the last day of the month Stephen turned 63! Time seems to be accelerating.

1st Claudie and Jess's half sister, Abbie, is over from Christchurch with her new husband 2nd - A delightful visit on the sad occassion of Grandpa Lawrie's death It's been 3 years since Paulie and Stephen had seen the lads. 4th - a walk around New Farm Park before a nice vegan lunch
The lads can't stay with Paulie and Stephen as they were meant to do a house swap with pals in the Yarra Valley but Grandpa's death meant a change. So the duo stayed at Chris and Lou's in St Lucia who headed to Europe. 5th - St John's Cathedral is where Lawrie wanted his funeral, so he got it! Nick came up from Byron (leaving his treatment centre early) The day after is the family burial. Elizabeth and James carry the coffin And Nick helps lower it
Back at St Lucia Paulie and Stephen enjoy the songs of this chap. . 7th - meanwhile Chris and Lou rough it on the various rivers and canals out of the Netherlads .
8th - James and Keno join half-Bro Julian on some lovely walks . . In St Lucia Lottie Dog sees to explore various sleeping arrangements
11th - one benefit of being at the St Lucia Atherton's is we get out for moring runs at the university We drop in on our house guests - Jen and Beth for a lovely feed. Tony & Stephen try to avoid talking work. And fail Paulie and Stephen enjoy the routine of taking Lottie for walks
13th - time to spend a few nights and Chris & Lou's pad in Burleigh Heads before dropping Lottie to her dog sitter. She's ready! Very ready We stop at Comera as Stephen has a call to make. A vegan cafe! A chat with La Trobe Uni's VC, John Dewar. Mostly social. Nice guy.
Arrival. 2 nights and then home with the lads as we have our house again. . We all relax The team still have work to do
Movie- they did other stuff too. Some nice walks Atherton men brave the waters 15- back for another swim
Spotted a local on eth way back from Tallebudgera Creek . And then relax again. Farewell Burleigh Heads
Back at Chateau AthoTurnbull . 16th - Using an App, James and Keno work out the best place to plant a Feijoa tree that James bought Paulie. And Stephen supervises
Rosy watches on Meanwhile the St Lucia Athertons get all Slovakian 17th - Julien comes around for some help. Part of his PhD project And there is still work to do in England
20th - Olivia flies in from Adelaide after work to spend time with the lads A veggie and vegan breakfast And off for a walk up Mt Cootha. Rain? What rain? .
Off for a coffee at the cafe and back in the mist A little chilly. Stephen ended up tacking him and they both when in 21st - it's still a bit chilly so the fire is lit and we all relax
. . . 22nd- a bit of tidying
And brunch is served. A motherly farewell Followed by a walk at the uni A look at the bat colony
In the evening it's time for Olivia to fly back to Adelaide. So Paulie joins her seeing Stephen is heading down for a meeting the next day The lads fly out soon after. So they relax and say goodbye to Rosie . And it's out to the airport again
And they're off (a few tears as Stephen drives home) Huh? It's suddenly quite! 23rd- Stephen arrives in Adelaide for a meeting the next day. A gallery visit. We just saw some of Shiota's work in Brisbane last month! .
. The girls want a wet walk on Henley Beach Stephen had an early start so he would rather relax and look at the sea The girls return
Dinner in a funky East End cafe Home on the 25th in time for dinner 27th - Stephen gets to Sydney & checks in to the QT Hotel. In the evening it was time to MC a panel session that Stephen arranged
Prof Suder, Federation Uni; Jenny Dodd, CEO TAFE Directors Australia; Prof Simon Barrie, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Western Sydney Uni; and boss Tony. Networking Then upstairs to a funky bar The 28th Stephen stayed at a far cheaper pad in Randwick - a short morning jog on the 29th to Coogee Beach> he had dinner with old Pal Zoltan Endre the night before
Then Stephen headed off to the hotel where that evening's event was to be held. Well over an hour of travel on public transport to Liverpool in Western Sydney. He stayed at the hotel near the Warwick Farm racecourse That evening he was ready for action A shame he didn't snap a shot of Simon Barrie in his kilt- the same tartan as STephen's
Western Sydney University's "Town and Gown" event 30th- Stephen had to get up early, walk to the train, and catch a 9am flight home On arrival it's pretty quiet in Sydney airport. Stephen got to Brisbane in time to meet Paulie, client Des, and carer Benoni as they checked in to their flight to Adelaide 5 days of exploring Dinner that evening as a birthday treat care of Clan Traynor and..
... chef Ronnie Traynor. Who whipped up a nice dessert as well as a wonderful meal 31st - Paulie was in Adelaide where it was a bit rainy looking our from the Old Treasury Building, now apartment hotel But they brave the wet and head to McLaren Vale
And Paulie gets to have a toast at Bec Hardy Wines 31st- Stephen's birthday was a working day and he popped a cork in the early evening. Owen Traynor dropped in after work and they enjoyed the gift James ordered from Oxford - Châteauneuf-du-Pape