Update on Amy

A few weeks ago I was told that my cancer had spread to my liver so I would have to start chemo.  I knew that this would eventually be the road I would have to travel but it was still a shock as I'd hoped to avoid it for a little longer.  I had to delay, by a few days, my first cycle of chemo due to a lung infection.  So, finally had my first round of chemo and, unfortunately, it really hit me for six.  I had terrible nausea and sickness for about 5 days and couldn't eat anything.  Just as I felt like I was getting over the nausea, I could feel the lung infection starting to play up again.  I went to the hospital last Monday (22 Oct) and have only just got out today (Tuesday 30 Oct).  Hopefully the lung infection has cleared.  My blood counts are pretty low still which makes me susceptible to infection so I have to be careful and steer away from public places for a few days.  It's lovely to be back home again.  For some reason, Eli and Audrey thought I had gone to Melbourne (!)  I guess it was better they had that happy thought in their heads rather than me languishing in a hospital bed!

Eli en route to 'Pirate Day'

As well as beard and eye patch his costume also featured a gold earring. He got really into his role as well with a full complement of 'Arrrs' and 'Shiver-me-timbers'

Another day, another succesful Geocache

After a (rather lengthy) trip to a DIY store I took the kids to find a geocache in Bonythan in the South of Canberra. It's a new suburb and lots of big new houses have sprung up there.

There's a really nice park and lake nearby with a wombat hole in the side of one of the hills (no sign of the poor wombat who is probably shaken up by the appearance of his new neighbours). We found the geocache fairly easily - Audrey was a bit worried when we re-hid it as she wanted to make sure some nearby dog walkers didn't spot us!

Bowral and Kiama mini-break

Our lives look likely to be turned upside down a bit in the next few days with Amy's treatment and so we decided to take a mini-break to give ourselves a bit of a breather as well as taking advantage of the public holiday.

We left a rainy Canberra behind and headed north to Bowral. It's a small town and we usually pass by it on our way to Sydney. This time though we decided to pay a visit to the excellent International Cricket Hall of Fame/Bradman Museum.It's a really big centre of all things cricket. If you have even a passing interest in cricket it offers an amazing wealth of information about the origins of the game, some of the (sometimes strange) technicalities, some of the games past and present greats as well as a broader view of the cricketing world.

We stayed a night in a small (and fairly nonedescript) cabin but the kids loved it so much that we decided to continue our holiday and head to the seaside town of Kiama.

Eli and Audrey try and console an unlucky batsman

Inside the cricket 'Hall of Fame'

Dad tries to brainwash son by getting him to listen to video of David Gower

Kiama is famed for its blowhole - an incredible natural occurance which blows a flume of water into the air. We parked right next to it and watched the first few jets of water heading skywards.

Eagerly Audrey and I ran down to a spot nearby the rocks - the wet ground all around us should really have been enough of a clue, but almost immediately a huge wave swept up into the air and drenched both of us (Amy and Eli wisely staying at the top of the hill). I was breathless with laughter but poor Audrey cried and cried and spent the rest of the weekend fearful of almost every wave.

It was a nice sunny day and we had changes of clothes so we soon changed and dried out.

We stayed at a cabin almost right on the beautiful 'Surf Beach' and the next day headed to Illawara Fly - an amazing walk-way through the rainforest. There were plenty of stairs but both Audrey and Eli took them in their stride. It wasn't particularly windy but the walkways swayed in places, but nevertheless offered amazing views out across the forest and to the sea in the distance.

It was 2½ hours drive home from Illawara Fly and both Audrey and Eli slept most of the way in the back of the car - an excellent couple of days break.

Cabin in Bowral

Audrey tries out surfing!

The instant before the wave behind rose into the air and soaked Audrey and I

Drying out on the grass afterwards (note Audrey's new dress)

The Kiama blow-hole from a significantly 'safer' distance

Illawara Fly

Illawara Fly

Sunny Floriade

Together with Amy's friends Louisa (visiting from Adelaide) and Barbara we enjoyed a sunny public holiday Monday at Floriade Canberra's annual flower festival in Commonwealth Park.

The kids were keen to go as part of the festival includes a small fun-fayre with a bouncey/jumping castle and ferris wheel - it was their second trip there this year - last time they enjoyed the bouncey/jumping castle - this time they went on the spinning cups. Audrey turned down a ride on the more sedate ferris wheel as it was "too slow" - clearly a thrill seeker in the making!

Here's some pictures