Baby Carlo

We waited and waited, counting the days overdue and got up to 13, Chris and Alex went to the hospital at 10pm, (she only just made it last time) and Carlo was born at 1.30am on 3 Nov, weight 3.6kg and 52.5cm tall. The longest legs I've ever seen, he is in the 90 percentile for height and even has his Nana's longer second toe. He is a Number 4 with excellent name numbers. Check out www.paulsadwoski.com if you wish to know the meaning of your name and birthdate.
Alex is already planning Carlo's soccer position and contiues to train Oskar as well. I now have 5 grandchildren, 3 boys and 2 girls and that will be the final number.
I love the photo of Oskar wrapped up after his shower as he prepares for bed.

50th Anniversary Nursing Reunion

I had to stay in Brisbane longer until I was fit to travel. Had my fingers crossed that Chris would have a late delivery again. Chris and Oskar met me at the airport and I looked a sorry sight with my sore eye. Spent several days sleeping and had to see an eye specialist. I was going to go to my nurses reunion by bus but decided to fly instead, more frequent flyer points and less tiring. I went shopping for a new outfit and also had my hair restyled and coloured, looking a bit more grey. No one from my group attended the reunion but I knew others from groups above and below my year. The Prince Henry site has been sold for redevelopment but the Nurses Museum and Chapel remain as a memorial to PHH at Little Bay. One of my group had died last year and I found a contact for two others, so we hope to attend the next important reunion in 2010. I am sitting outside the Memorial Chapel with Litte Bay in the background. I had forgotten how windy it used to be walking to work at 5.30am on a cold winters morning with only a waist length cape for warmth. The other photo is friends from the group above me, all looking good considering 50 years on.

Millies 90th

Photo 1 is Mum Milton and I and grandchildren, Photo 2 is Mum, me and my girls. Mum didn't want a big party, and when you get to 90 most of your friends are on the other side. We had two small parties, one was high tea in Brisbane with all my children, and grandchildren Oskar and Ben, on her actual birthday 4th October. Laurice had flown in from New York and Chris and Oskar had flown up from Canberra. Chris even brought her delivery in case she went into early labour. We made an 'I'm 90 brooch' and that alerted everyone to congratulate her, someone even did a sketch of her while she wss with Jan having a coffee before the high tea.
The second party at the Gold Coast could have ended in disaster when Mum was hurrying into her grandsons house, to show her famous I'm 90 brooch and did't see a small step. She landed flat on her face with blood everywhere. Fortunately no broken bones, but photos to remember with a black eye and nose. We had arranged for some surprise quests from Gosford. Merril and Grant flew up for the day, Their Mother was especially fond of Mum. Geoff and Barbara, mums sister's last surviving child and his wife, also came. Mum always said she wanted to live longer than her grandmother who died at 82, Mum has certainly raised the age for her grandchildren if they want to live longer than her.

Canberra, Brisbane

After the cold of Canberra it was great to fly back to Brisbane for a couple of weeks. I was actually at the Gold Coast house sitting for Milton and Ping, while they had a trip to china. I had the thrill of driving his Lexus when I came up to Brisbane, I just set the cruise control to slightly over the 110 limit and the car did the rest. Strange when you are at the speed limit how many cars are going faster. I had several quick trips up and down the motorway. Firstly Mums house had a water leak and all my personal possessions stored in boxes under the house were flooded. With Mums help we managed to dry out most of the books, pictures and clothes. Some things are ruined but it could have been much worse. At least the water was clean, so no mud to stain things.
The second trip was for Jan's 40th and thats her and me, enjoying a night at the Punjabi Palace (the best Indian food)at West End and afterwards for drinks at the Lychee lounge. Its a month of birthdays and I did miss Oskar's 2nd birthday in Canberra and Alexs as well.
My third trip was for some routine medical tests, but all is OK.
When Milton came home I was back in Brisbane again planning Mum's 90th. That was a special occasion with Laurice coing out from New York and Christine, 38 weeks pregnant, and able to fly up for the week.

Brisbane, Canberra,

After a couple of weeks getting myself back into Australia mode in Brisbane I came to Canberra to be with Christine (6 months pregnant) and Oskar, while they waited for Alex to finish his posting. We lived a very basic life with little furniture and a borrowed car. Thankfully the gas heater was working. We hired a car to drive to Sydney to get Alex off the plane. Oskars favourite place is Sydney. We stayed at Bondi Beach with beautiful weather as the photo shows. Then Oskar had the excitement of all the furniture arriving and we had a house overflowing with boxes.