Holidays week one

First week of hols has passed quickly.
It has been a balance of work and fun for Tom.
He and John worked hard to get our latest delivery of firewood stacked.

Lovely to get latest photos from Jess..
Ben in Vanuatu...

Ben back home in Moree...

He must wonder why he finds it hard to move with all those layers on again!!

The sunrises are still beautiful...even if they are not until after 7.30am!!

But we have had the occasional grey wintery start to the day..

John have a lovely time in Town on Tuesday doing chores and the odd book shop and toy shop.

John gets up on the hill most afternoons to do a bit more work on the fence..while i finish off the day in the shop.

Swansong rehearses on Tuesday for our big night opening for the Spooky Men's Chorale concert.

Exciting..

Hannah and Jark come down on Wednesday and spend the afternoon with Thomas.. 

(Hannah has got her exam results today...2 x HD's and 1 x D...WELL DONE my clever girl)

They have a lovely time together...

Then we are treated to a delicious meal cooked by Jark with Hannah's assistance...

Then finish the evening with a couple of rousing games of Brandi Dog..

So lovely to see Hannah and Jark...thanks for coming!!

Thursday is a cool day down at garden... we weed.  plant out seeds, move chooks etc..

Tom has a great time playing with Nep (9 years) who has come to garden with his dad..

We have a great time at our performance..

We process in singing African calling 'round' Um bi ee

Then do

Unanay (indigenous song with clapping sticks backing)

Forgiveness - Jacob Groth from 'The Eagle' (with guitar accompaniment)

Kenale mona (African song)

Across the Universe - Beatles (with guitar accompaniment)

Lulla lulla lullaby - by a woman on Tasman Peninsula

More than the sum - (round by Helen our choir master)

Received good applause from local crowd...

The Spooky Men entertained us with some very silly songs in the first half.

We provided supper at intermission ...home made cakes , mulled wine,  hot spiced apple drink tea and coffee...as a fundraising exercise for Swansong... 

We heard some more serious Georgian songs in the second half and some more silly but clever takes on 'classics' like Boogie Wonderland and a Sufi tribute to the Bee Gees to the tune of 'Staying Alive'.

Finishing with a rather wistful ,delightful version of Leonard Cohen's 'Dance with me to the end of love' that had everyone up and dancing...very special.

John and Tom go into Hobart to organise a bow for Tom for Archery...very exciting..
We will have to pack tonight as our FNQ trip (Far North Qld) begins tomorrow...hard to believe..

A few more Ben favourites to finish... what a darling, darling boy... don't you just wish you could hug him....