Rotto

It's good to be home! Well if you want to get technical about it, I got home almost a week ago, but owing to DP catching up on his bookkeeping and me not really wanting to leave vacation land (in my head), I have resisted the computer pretty much since we got back from Rotto. It was a fabulous holiday, and much needed, I tell's ya.

I really enjoyed the family time. Granted, life certainly has changed since the last time I was on Rotto years ago (oh boy what an understatement), but I think for the better personally. It was one of M's first holidays and she absolutely loved it. We were over there for six nights, over New Year's Eve and all of its craziness (sometimes even adding to that craziness). My closest brother (and the only one that lives in Perth, serendipity!) and his family came with us. We were pretty to get the Rottnest Island lottery the first year we applied, so we got a nice four bed villa near the Village. There were my brother, his wife (who I love to bits) and their my niece Sam (7) and nephew Tim (3). My mum joined us a couple of days late, which was a blessing as she's off on another overseas holiday soon :'-(

A lot of alcohol was drunk, a lot of bike rides taken (I hate 'em hills!), and many a euchre and Monopoly games played (and I won every one, teehee!). My fave part was snorkelling off Little Salmon Bay, for sure! I just go into another state of mind when in the water... and all the wonderful fish and coral were a balm for my stressed psyche. I confess, I cuddled a few quokkas.

Matilda went for a couple of swims in the pretty cold water but then had great fun eating sand and crawling after crabs. I had a baby seat on the back of my bike which she had a love-hate relationship with. She loves the ride-ride but hates the humongous helmet!

Unfortunately Sam had a bit of a rough time of it; the first day there she was riding down a hill with my bro and Roy, and came off. She had grazes and bruises all over her face and arms and knees, but rode home bravely and nurse "ku-ku" (me -- it means auntie in Hokkien) fixed her up with Dettol ... she was such a trooper as that stuff really stings! Then on the last day she was stung by a jellyfish, more nursing! I'm so proud of little Sammy, she's my pal.

It was really good to spend some time with my mum as well. She's met a new fella! My stepdad died in 2005 and she's been living a varied life since. When she went back to Malaysia for my grandma's stroke she was introduced to a widow from Phoenix AZ by her youngest sister, so since then she's been SMS'ing and calling him at all hours! It was like our roles had been reversed and now she was the love-struck teenager. Anyway she's flying out tomorrow, for three months, to meet him in the US. I will really miss her (so will Matilda).


And guess what? Nobody brought a camera! (almost a miracle in my tech-crazy family).