Mom S has arrived!

5 months without us is a long time, I agree. Jeff's mom had reached her limit--- so she did what everyone else should do... jumped on a plane and came to see us! We were so excited for her visit and had an absolutely brilliant time! Thank you Mom S for coming to see us. Love you and miss you already. Come back anytime... the spare bedroom is waiting.

Once the search party tracked down Mom S at the airport, we wasted no time and were off to the New Farm Farmers Market. We enjoyed fresh strawberry juice, coffee, and lots of treats! Sadly I forgot my camera (sorry- Mom S arrived really early... she was lucky we were showered!), so I've posted some old pictures of the Farmers Market to help you visualize our morning adventures. I did remember my camera for many of our other excursions... so don't fire me yet.








As promised to all our visitors, we welcomed her with a champagne toast and a box fan for the bedroom. For those who know Jeff's family well, box fans are a must for a good nights rest. Couldn't deprive her of that while in Australia--- fan was assembled and ready before arrival.











Day 2, whale watching. No time for jet lag, that's for the weak. Jeff and his mother tend to get a bit seasick, so they heavily medicated themselves, and talked me into trying it as well. I've never had an issue with seasickness, but then again, I haven't had much experience with the sea. So, we traveled to the coast, sans motion sickness, and boarded a boat for an afternoon of whale siting. Everything started off quite lovely. We surveyed the homes lining the waterfront, spotting helicopters and other domestic necessities. Then, as we entered the sea, just as the fun was about to begin, I welcomed the pleasant feeling of seasickness, and was able to enjoy it the rest of the afternoon. Not fun. So, from what Jeff and Mom S told me, it was an awesome afternoon with lots of whale and dolphin sitings. Good news, I remembered my camera. Bad news, I was sick the whole time, so Jeff did his best to capture the moment.

The Gold Coast

Before the seasickness...


Male Model


Helicopter. We just ordered ours.

More of the Gold Coast

Maybe I should let Jeff have the camera more often...

Sike! Unfortunately we didn't see anything like this...

But we did see lots of whales break the surface of the water...

Jeff and I spent the next week chained to our desks, so Mom S explored Brisbane on her own. She was quite the champion when it came to direction and getting around the city! Didn't get lost once--- I still get lost, sometimes on the way home from work. She made all the necessary stops... Koala Sanctuary, Botanical Gardens, Museums, and Queens Street Mall. Eventually Jeff and I were able to break free from the chains and escaped work for some weekend beach adventures! Very thankful for our Houdini lessons a couple weeks ago.

We traveled to Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast and stayed at a beautiful resort there. Jeff had to work one of the days, so Mom S and I ventured down to the beach together, and ran into a very talkative lifesaver (Aussie term for lifeguard, yummy), Mike. Mike insisted we all take photos together, so we followed orders. Then after a 25 minute summary of his life, and a promise to send him a t-shirt from the US, we left Mike and trekked down the beach...

Mom S at Coolum Beach

Me with Lifesaver Mike

Mom S and lifesaver Mike

Mom S and me at the beach

Jeff joined us after work and the three of us enjoyed a wonderful evening and dinner together.

All good things must come to an end. A week flew by and before we knew it Mom S was on her way back to Texas. I tried to persuade her to stay, but Longivew was calling. We spent our last night together with an intense game of Gin Rummy. Mom S claims she's never played before... but somehow she put Jeff and I to shame. We've been practicing and are ready for a rematch. Love you and miss you Mom S! Thanks for coming to see us.