Max and I had a fabulous time in Tasmania. Beautiful scenery and wonderful places to visit. The weather was beautiful – beautiful sunrises, crisp clear days.
Tahune Air walk on the banks of the Huon River near Huonville was spectacular too! Again getting over my fear of heights this walk has you over the tree tops 20 metres from the ground. You could also walk onto the cantilever that is 48 metres above the river – boy did that ‘rock and roll’ as we walked onto that.
Cataract Gorge Such a great place to go for walks, ride the chair lift, walk on the suspension bridge. No mean feat for someone like me who is scared of heights! 
A leisurely stroll along the boardwalk next to Kings Park and Royal Park was relaxing
We went to the Salamanca Market early one Saturday morning and also for a stroll in St Davids Park next to the market .4 Park photos below
Table Cape Lighthouse and tulip farm
We also went on lots of walks and saw some beautiful Falls – Guide Falls and Nelson Falls.
Port Arthur was an amazing place with many ruins from when it was a Penal Settlement (1833 – 1877). Sadly it is also known for the 1996 massacre of 35 wonderful people and another 37 being injured by Martin Bryant.
So many places to see, Boat Harbour Beach, Tarraleah and its hydropower, Mt Wellington in Hobart, Salamanca Market, Richmond Bridge constructed in 1823, Derbys Tin Centre.
So many pretty coastal villages – Strahan, Swansea, Bicheno, St Helens.
The Bay of Fires at Binnalong Bay was pretty.
When we got off the Spirit of Tasmania we had breakfast at a café in Port Melbourne and drove to Berwick to pick Riley up from crèche. He had croup while we were away. Thankfully Lachlan and Chloe don’t get as sick as poor little Riley. We had a lovely family dinner on the Wednesday night when we got home. It was great to be away but there is no place like being home with your loved ones.
WEDDING
On Saturday Max and I went to the wedding of my nephew Nick and his gorgeous bride Jess. They have a sweet 14 month old little boy Harrison.
Max and Alison
Nick and JessMELBOURNE MARATHON SUNDAY
Here is a photo of Max and Michael getting ready before the start of the race. MARATHON
Max Michael and Amy’s fiancé Ryan ran in the Melbourne Marathon on Sunday. It was Max’s 31st Marathon – crazy man, for Michael and Ryan it was their first. It was a very hot windy day, not the best condition for a seasoned marathoner let alone 2 newbies.. Max ran the 42km (27 miles) in 3 hrs 26 min, Michael was on track at the 35km (22 miles) mark to finish in 3 hrs 30 min but the heat got the better of him, he was dehydrated and had to stop at the St Johns Ambulance people several times. He was on the ground and they thought he was having a ‘fit’ but it was just his legs ‘twitching’, he pretty much walked the last 7kms and finished in 4 hrs 40 min. Ryan who had not done enough training finished in 5 hrs 4 mins. We were very proud of them .We thought it was a great day until we got home to our place and I was changing Riley’s dirty nappy/diaper. He felt pretty warm so I left his shorts off and took him to the kitchen for a drink of water. He cried a little and then looked strange, un responsive. I rushed over to Amy (his Mum)put him on her knee and put the cup to his little mouth and he was just staring blankly (this brings tears to my eyes as I relive this). He was changing colour then he started twitching. His Uncle Daniel was on the couch next to Amy and quickly lay him on his side checking his airways. Our sweet little Riley was having a Febrile Convulsion and unresponsive but breathing. My God it was such a scary thing, I quickly dialled 000 for an ambulance and had to quickly answer their questions and get Daniel and Amy to do whatever they were telling me. Poor Riley was still unconscious and frothing from the mouth it seemed like forever before he started to become conscious he didn’t even want to get up. He had to be kept on the floor until the ambulance came. We had to wait 36 minutes for an ambulance which I think is disgusting – there is supposed to be a 10 minute response time. There are at least 3 ambulance stations within 5 to 15 minutes from my house. Our state Government should be ashamed of the service that is provided. Riley had a urine test that showed nothing, had no ear infections ( I think ear infections are his speciality as he has so many) so the usual result – a virus. I think that’s what they say when they have no idea what’s going on. We now need to keep a close watch on him when he has a temperature, which we do anyway but this time the medication he had been given didn’t help much. Here is a photo of Riley and Amy taken when we were at the marathon on Sunday
Nothing like an early morning (5.45am) walk on the beach to clear the head.
Max was doing a 2km swim while I walked from one end of the beach to the other 
Thursday afternoon I got a call to say that the Doctors and Social Workers at my Dad’s rehab centre wanted a meeting with the family as they have found a mass attached to his kidney that they think is cancer. Why it was not found in his 8 weeks at the Melbourne Private Hospital when they were doing test after test astounds me.
