Jill and Gerard's Seachange

My unforgettable birthday!!!!! The best time!!!

Sorry for the big gap in blogs, but here I am again!!

Kate and Matt were coming down for the weekend for my birthday which was on Thursday. As usual on Thursday I woke early, Gerard had already given me my birthday card the night before, it was a funny one so very appropriate. On the front is a little comical cat in blue with a party hat on and says "A birthday is just like a cat..." opening it up it says "...you wake up one morning..." the picture is of a persons head on a pillow with the covers up to the chin looking like they are saying AAAAAARRRRRGGHHH! the cat is on the top of the bed on top of the persons chest head facing towards the persons feet tail up in the air. "... and it's right there in your face!" Well it is funny cause it is typical of a cat!! o.k. o.k. you really have to own a cat and see the card to really appreciate it!

At about 10 to 9 the phone rings and it is Kate wishing me a Happy Birthday as she was at work and had snuck outside to ring me on her mobile, we got cut off as we were talking. I rang her back and finished our conversation. She asked me what was I going to do today? My reply? was going to Bairnsdale with Mum to get a few things for her before we went to Melbourne on Monday and have a wander around the just opened K-Mart store. O.K. she says. After hanging up I was just pottering about and thought it a little odd cause she had already asked me that question a few days before, anyway I thought maybe just maybe she had ordered flowers and was hoping I would be home when they arrived!! About 10 minutes later I hear a car door and look out to the drive way, thinking oh yes it must be flowers. To my absolute shock and surprise it was Kate and Matt!!!! Apparently I screamed!! (I don't remember that) It was the best thing ever, I was just so rapt, they had left at six in the morning and came up a day early to surprise me for my birthday, they had not told Gerard so we all were surprised. I was in shock. They gave me a gorgeous bunch of Iris's my favourite flower all in bud and within 24 hours they were all open and just beautiful, a gorgeous coffee mug with dragonflies on it! a little silver jewel box with a dainty jewelled dragonfly, a recipe book holder with a dragonfly at the back of the stand. And then Kate went to the car and came out with her dressing gown wrapped around what looked like a large rifle or a telescope with legs folded up!! She had even tied up the belt of the d/gown into a bow. It was a very large bamboo wind chime with half a coconut at the top holding it all together, much to Gerard's delight!!!! It is just lovely and the sound is so calming! Kate apologised cause she had not got me a card!! I did not care, I was just so rapt to have them here a day earlier. It was so good..
I am trying to think back now as to what we did all day! Kate and Matt checked into the "Mariners Cove" The most expensive of accomodations here overlooking the canal with a spa in their room! They wanted to stay somewhere luxurious as if they were on a real holiday, mind you they were with us all the time!! So they really need not have booked into that place. They don't want to stay with us, I suppose they want their own privacy. Mum and I still had to go to Bairnsdale and Gerard had to go to work, so Kate and Matt stayed at the house, Matt played games on the computer while Kate made Gerard some buns and chocolate crackles!! We had chicken for tea talked for a while and then they went to their motel room for the night. The next day, Friday we were booked into a kayaking trip, I called them yesterday to let them know we could leave at 8.30am now that Kate and Matt were already here. At 7.30 the chap rang to confirm if we were going as it all depended on the weather. It was cancelled for the day as it was a bit windy and overcast. So we would see what it was like on Saturday. We ended up borrowing the next door neighbours kayaks and having a bit of a paddle out the back of our place. Matt had been n a kayak before and Gerard and I had had a go the week before on the neighbours kayaks, so Kate was a bit nervous at first, but she took to it in no time which was great. We were taking it in turns trying out the two kayaks when I noticed the dolphins rolling around in the water in the distance. So Matt and I paddled out a bit near Raymond Island and ended up with the dolphins swimming close by, it was a bit scary cause we did not know when or where they would pop up out of the water. It was the most amazing experience. Could not believe we were actually out there in the water with dolphins swimming around us! Matt and I paddled back to Kate and Gerard and Kate really wanted to go out there, so I ended up going out again with Kate. They came so close to us as you can see below, this time I took my camera with me and tried to take some pics, it was not easy cause by the time you aimed the camera and clicked the button they were gone again. At one stage they were all under the water and all of a sudden they would pop up in another spot . We all had such a great time. We had fish and chips for Tea as Gerard had to work again that night at the servo. When we woke up Saturday morning, there was no wind, and a bit overcast but pleasant. Seven thirty the phone call came to confirm we were going on the kayak trip. We all met at the foreshore in Paynesville and squeezed into our skirts to keep us dry while in the kayak, then the life jackets and of course then into the kayaks! Matt and I had the "bigger" kayaks!! These kayaks had rudders at the back to help with turning the kayak left and right instead of having to paddle like mad to make a turn. They were activated with your feet on a pedal for each foot. It took a bit of getting used to, but we managed. We paddled out to "Duck Arm" I have no idea how far it was but it sure was a long way. Matt kept charging off in front, Kate could not keep up with him, so then he would stop and wait for her, then they would wait there for Gerard and then wait for me, by the time I reached them they would paddle off again so I never got a rest! We were on the water for almost four hours, with a break for a cuppa at half time. We all really enjoyed ourselves and were all a bit tired by the time we got back. We cooked roast Pork for tea and thoroughly enjoyed it. We played a game of Phase 10 Masters edition, it was just like old times again. Have missed the Saturday night card games. Kate, Matt and Gerard went next door to ask if we could borrow the kayaks again in the morning and we could, we wanted to see what the difference was after being in the ones with rudders compared to the ones without. We all seemed to prefer the ones without. Milly came down with us also and Kate put her in the kayak with me, she loved it, just sat there pretty relaxed as I paddled. A regular walker with her dog came by and her dog wanted to get into the kayak and Milly kept growling at him. In the end Kate took Milly from me and put her on the ground. The other dog chased Milly and she ran into the water and leapt back into the kayak with me. The other little dog wanted to come too! After they left I put Milly overboard, not deep and she paddled back to shore, about one metre out! She was so wet and splashed herself all over Kate. We all had a good laugh and then carried the kayaks and gear back to the house. Gerard got back from church, we chatted for a while and then it was time for them to go. We all had a great time together.

It was the best birthday I have ever had.. Just so special.

Tomorrow, Monday I am off to Melbourne with Mum. We are meeting my brother at my sister's house in Mordialloc, then Mum is going to Rye with my brother to stay at my other sister's house in Rye. My niece Lauren is getting married next Saturday so Mum was invited to stay there for the week to be involved in the before wedding plans also Mum's brother is coming over from Kambalda W.A. tommorrow so they will have time to catch up with each other. I am staying with Machele and Tamyka again in Moorabbin and will be so busy catching up with friends and working for Lesley at the annual Paperific convention in Melbourne for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday and then come home on the wednesday in time to go to Orbost again for some more Osteopath treatment. Just don't know where the time goes.

Pat the painter has finished the loungeroom, kitchen halls and front entrance, just working on the skirting boards and window frames and then onto the other rooms. Will be almost done by the time I get back!! Yep won't hold my breath. Bit worried cause I won't be here to scrape all the paint spots off the floor!!!!! Yep there are drop sheets on the floor, but paint seems to splat!

Problems with the pantry door in the kitchen, it keeps scraping on the floor and will not shut properly!!! The boss came down and did not know why it was happening!!! duh... will probably blame it on the floor more than likely!! Anyway Gerard can get in touch with him now.

I had better get off to bed so I can wake up early, as usual I have left everything to the last minute and not packed anything to take with me as yet!! Will be in a rush as usual in the morning.

posted by Jill @ 9:25 pm