Frances Folk Gathering 24-26 Feb 2006

So off we went very early morning to Frances for the Folk Gathering where me and kennadie were playing our Bodhran's. Frances is a tiny village just on the border of Victoria and takes about 4 hours to get there. We had areally good journey and were really looking forward to playing in the sessions and me to lern a bit more of my guitar.

We ended up camping next to a lot of our friends from the club where we play and finally had chance to chat rather than just playing all the time so it was great. There was the usual entertainment provided lots and lots of sessions were happening anywhere anyone could find a space and we often just pulled up a chair and joined in.

The atmosphere was great and darren finally got speaking with a lot of friends during the times they were not playing which was great for him as he doesnt play anything (yet!!!). We stayed up til all hours of the morning and the kids were always no where to be found as they had made heaps of friends and as the town has only a population of 50 and is in the middle of no-where they were really safe.

Me and Ken attended a Bodhran workshop to improve our skills which was great and we enjoyed it and i also spent time with a friend who was teaching me some more guitar skills. There was ;pads for the kids to do and Ken and me got our faces painted and had a ball. ken did the usual trick of falling asleep on the chairs for a few hours while we were all playing and singing round her then she woke up and joined on till about 230 in the morning!!

Another fun and fab weekend enjoyed by all and really looking forard to Aldinga again in Nov and Frances next year when i hve set myself the task of being able to play my guitar in the sessions too!!!

Mum Leaving Day

Well the day had finally come round when mum had to leave. I had the sickest feeling in my stomach all night and when I woke up I wanted to sleep forever. We had some pics by the tree with the kids and the banner they made then off to the airport. It was such a distressing time I was a wreck really. The check in at the airport was awful as I saw mums bags go I was heart broken. The kids were distraught and none of us could stop crying. We wnet for a coffee and tried to have a few final fun happy moments but the time was clouded with the inevitable goodbyes that were to come. I was inconsolable and couldn't stop crying, I felt sick and literally felt like my world was falling apart.

The time to say goodbye came and we did so amid masses of tears and heartbroken sobs and turned away to leave and as we left throught the doors the kids just broke free from us and ran back to mum screaming. It was awful and they were so desperatly upset and we had to prise them away from mum which was even more upsetting. We never turned tound once we left as I couldn't bear seeing mum upset anymore and we left the airport. The day was the most horrid day ever I cried all day and now (March) have just had a week where I havent cried. Life goes on and we all get over these upsetting stages but boy it was hard and even at times I contemplated returning to the Uk but knew that the reasons we left would still be there and we would in time regret returning. Mum is already planning her months here next year so we have that to look forward to.

Big Day Out Part 2

So we arrived at the BDO at 11am and said that we would go realy steady with the drink and have coffe for a while as it was too early to start!! well that lasted for all of 2 mins and having to pass the beer tent to get coffee did it for us and we had to succumb to the smell!! Well that was us for the day we just did a 16 hour binge!!!

We met darrens friend nate and his girlfirend and had a ball. I was going mental when franz came on they were the DOGS BOLLOX!!!!! I was screaming and dancing it was great but the Aussies didnt really get them so were a bit reserved really (either that or I was just being a mental person!!!) Iggy pop the old crony was bloody great and for his age he looked well (if not a bit wrinkly!!) and the white stripes were excellent.

We ended up going back to Nate's house for yet more alcoholic substances and finally arrived home about 4.30am and woke next day with a mouth feeling like Ghandi's slipper and the mother of all headaches!!! BRING ON NEXT YEAR!!!!!

Big Day Out Part 1!!!

Well this was the day we had been really looking forward to!!! The BIG DAY OUT!!! This was a huge day filled with loads of bands and an electric atmosphere. I had bought the tickets for darren as a suprise and he was so excited whan I told him. The link here will give you an overview of what the BDO is. http://www.bigdayout.com/

The line up that we saw were Sarah Blasko, Kings of Leon, End of Fashion, FRANZ FERDINAND!!!!!, Iggy Pop, and The White Stripes, oh and we also saw The Living End too. There was a big Boiler room where all rave and house tunes were playing and there were masses of bands all over.

Will post some more pics and see the difference from part one looking ok to part 2 looking really pissed!!!

Day Trip to the Barossa Valley

We decided that seen as the kids were now back at school we would take a trip to the barossa Valley for a few wine tastings and lunch. the barossa Valley is one of the biggest wine making regions in SA and the drive was fabulous through massive wineries and hills it was breathtaking. We stopped off first at Yalumba one of the oldest wineries and stayed about an hour tasting various wines and llearning about them. We then went for lunch and went to the jacobs creek winery (thats the pic with mum and Darren) then went to Seppelt winery where the pics of us stood iin front of the huge kegs were taken. It was then time to drive back and after a very warm day up in the Barossa we arrived back to AAdelaide with temps og 14 degrees and pissing down rain!!!