It's been a while since anything was seen on this blog: 5 years, in fact.
As you would expect, the boys have grown and their lives have changed in ways that would have been difficult to imagine.
During the week, they have to suffer homeschooling thanks to a pandemic. (You may have read about it in the news.) Thanks to Grandad in Yeppoon, Graham has his own laptop. The boys are fortunate to have very dedicated teachers who give their students plenty to do from Monday to Friday.
Not far from home, just a few hundred metres down a steep hill is the Parramatta River cycle path. It leads to many places including Rydalmere ferry wharf. In the afternoons, the boys sometimes ride their bicycles along the path for exercise once their schoolwork is done.
A major change in their lives is that the two young boys now live in a house with a backyard! It's not a luxurious dwelling (draughty, freezing cold inside) but the opportunities for outdoor games are almost endless, especially on a warm, sunny winter's morning in Sydney. While the temperature approached 25 degrees Celsius, an obstacle course was erected.
Graham is the natural leader. Where he leads, Craig will follow.
An obstacle course on a skateboard! Why? I hear you ask. Hah, why not!
https://youtu.be/WFwWIX147tM
Having space to play is a thing to be treasured in these strange times. No need to risk venturing out where viruses are roaming freely.
https://youtu.be/73bOdp_irJQ
Graham calls this game "Limbo on a skateboard." It's a very good name, I reckon.
https://youtu.be/Cgdv4exKkO0
Within a couple of hours, a cold weather front arrived making it much more like a winter's day. The boys continued the game despite the cooler conditions then gave up when rain drove them indoors late in the afternoon at the end of another weekend.
It was the July school holidays, middle of winter, freezing cold and two little boys had been woken before dawn to begin the long drive north to their grandparents' place. The heater in the car wasn't working properly so old-fashioned remedies like doonas in the back seat were employed.
The boys survived and after four hours of driving were allowed out to play at this small but fun playground in Willow Tree.
Climbing was a good way to stretch the muscles after the cold drive.
Dad forgot to take pictures of the next stop in Gunnedah where another playground beside the highway is also pretty good for small kids. The stop after that was Moree. This rocket ship slide is in Kirkby Park close to the middle of town, away from the highway but very close to a motel the boys had stayed at last year.
The rocket is tall and has two long slides to choose from after the kids climb internal ladders.
After arriving at their motel in Goondiwindi the boys didn't want to go anywhere. It was too cold outside so they stayed in the motel room until it was time for dinner. Craig wasn't impressed with the crackers that landed on the table while he waited for dinner to arrive.
He brightened up when asked to take a picture of Graham and Dad. Graham was happy because he was going to have fish and chips!
After another early start the next day the car had to pull over to the side of the road at Condamine because a house was driving in the opposite direction. You don't see that every day, eh?
The last rest stop before getting to Grandad and Grandma's house was Bouldercombe. The boys have never seen this playground before. It was tiny but good for a few minutes out of the car.
Dinner the first night in Yeppoon was fish-n-chips. The boys liked it. The next day was too cool for the beach so the boys just hung out in playgrounds.
This warning was posted on the playground fence.
In a bedroom cupboard was a major find. Board games that had been kept since Dad was a boy! This was cool because the boys were already a little bored in the evenings.
Craig really took to playing Reversi/Othello against Dad.
The weather warmed up the next day so it was time for the beach.
The winter sun was warm without the bite of the other seasons when time in the sun has to be firmly rationed.
Later, in the afternoon the lawn at Grandad and Grandma's was mowed.
The lawnmower works really well for such an old machine.
Afternoons at this beachside climbing frame were a pleasant way for little boys to pass the time.
And the mornings continued to be perfect for the beach.
Craig employed himself in some major construction projects.
One afternoon some sightseeing was done in Emu Park. The Singing Ship was pretty quiet.
But the view of the Keppel Islands was as lovely as ever.
Little boys don't pay much attention to monuments and views.
The next day was very cold so the boys fired up this spelling game on Grandad's third TV.
At night the boys chatted online with Mum just before bedtime.
Not far up the street is a small park with huge mango trees for shade above this swing. Grandma's dog Buddy was being taken for a walk. He likes the park.
Buddy was very thirsty after the walk. He's a very friendly little feller but he could probably use more exercise.
Fortunately the weather improved and the boys went to Lammermoor Beach the next day.
There was no one else on the beach ...... no one on 2.5km of sandy beach.
Because this was the boy's last day in Yeppoon before another two days of driving they were allowed to have a special lunch. They chose fish and chips!
Very early the next day, the boys were bundled into the car to begin the long trek home. They got as far as the picnic area at Isla Gorge before getting out to have breakfast.
The scenery was quite nice.
But the westerly wind was chilly to the say the least.
The boys hid in the car while Dad took photos of the info board and map.
There's a playground at Taroom that the boys both like.
This tiny playground is at Wandoan.
Graham was fascinated by this windmill.
Next to the Condamine River is an unfinished playground. This flood marker attracted Dad's attention.
Next to the flood marker was a sign.
The fish ladder would look better with water running across it, I reckon.
A little later, they stopped at Goondiwindi for lunch. The boys ate at the same Chinese restaurant where they'd had dinner on the way north. This time they both had fish and chips.
Graham loves trains. Perhaps it comes from those comfy naps he had laying in a pram on Taipei MRT when he was a baby. Now, that he lives on Sydney's Northern Beaches it takes a lot more effort to get on a train. Nevertheless, on one of Mum's days off during the school holidays, the two smaller boys and Mum-n-Dad headed off to the wild western suburbs of Sydney, to a place called Cabramatta!
Craig is less enamoured with trains but was happy to be out and about.
The train had plenty of advice and warnings.
And an LED display telling passsengers the name of the next station.
Under normal circumstances it takes almost an hour to go from Chatswood to Cabramatta however trackwork meant the trip was slightly longer. As the suburbs drifted past the window, Craig did his best to smile for the camera
Graham had no trouble smiling. I mean, he was on a train!
Immediately after arriving, it was time to eat. Lunch was Thai food.
It was really good. It made Graham smile almost as much as being on a train.
After lunch, while walking around seeing the sights, they came upon a familiar sign of a chain store from Taiwan. This store sells really good mango shaved ice and the weather was just barely warm enough to make it a good idea.
The boys were pretty happy about the idea of dessert after lunch. That doesn't happen often.
The mango shaved ice came with a scoop of ice-cream! Graham made short work of the ice-cream.
Ice-cream makes him really happy, even happier than being on a train.
The sad thing was that the Taipei version comes with lots of fresh mango. The Sydney version was mostly mango flavoured jelly with just a few pieces of strategically placed real fruit. Of course, the Sydney price is much higher as well making the whole experience a little underwhelming.
Then it was time for the long trip home. They ended up on an all stations train. Graham didn't mind that the trip was slow.
An attempt was made to get a photo of the boys while the train travelled across Sydney Harbour Bridge.
A train going in the opposite direction spoiled further photographic efforts.
After an hour-long train ride the boys had plenty of energy. Fortunately, the car was parked not far from Beauchamp Park, a great place for little people to unwind.
This roundabout got a good workout.
And a tiny flying fox was perfect for a boy with plenty of energy to expend before the drive home.
