Queen's Day comes early to Queensland

There is a small retirement village here in Brisbane called the Prins Alexander Village which is for elderly dutch residents who emigrated to Australia in the 1950's. Its aim is to create a happy, homely environment in pleasant surroundings promoting and incorporating the Dutch culture, whilst maintaining the Australian culture to enhance and maintain links with extended family, friends and the general community. At least that's what their website says.

In mid April they hold their own "Konninnedag" celebrations with goodies and food imported from Holland and dress up in traditional clothing so it looks like Volendam, Marken. So a chance to taste worst, poffertjes, cheese, etc and well as a 2nd hand market, so just like Holland on Queens Day. The houses are a bit like the Volendam sort and it all feels very surreal...more like Holland than Holland itself!
So is this where Inge and I will end up when we retire in 2035....I hope not!

Garden finally finished

After getting the paving works done and creating a new patio area and getting a shade sail installed we got a horticulturalist in (Dean) to advise us on the garden and landscape and plant it out. The planting is in a tropical style with plants that do well in the climate here. The shade sail above the patio means that we can now sit down there at the bottom of the garden admiring the garden in the hot summer months. Its nice sitting down there reading a book or having a beer, it has a different feeling than sitting on the verandah.

We are very pleased with the result, see photos below

Sue out of hospital and goes gliding!

Its been quite a few hectic weeks visiting Sue in hospital. Sue had an operation due to a blockage in her bowel and spent 10 days in hospital in total. Five days ago she was discharged and could come home with us. So now she has to recover before she can make the flight back to the UK. She will leave on 25th April.

On Sunday I took Sue and Inge out to the gliding club and took Sue for a passenger flight, see photos