31 May 2009

Jessie's Graduation Part II

This afternoon, we made Jessie don her Graduation gown again and started snapping away (Dad and I). We were having no luck when my Mom asked if we didn't have that feature on our cameras that would let you snap a grundle of photos an eighth of a second apart - by just holding down the button that takes the photo.

When we started doing that, we hit pay dirt! I have about 500 photos of her, but - hey - that has always been my motto. If I take enough photos (oh, say a thousand ...), the law of averages states that one or two will be good!

Here were the highlights of those taken at our home:






Proud Daddy



Proud Grandma and Grandpa





To My Jessie:

You are all grown up and graduated now! When you were little and we had a cranio-facial reconstruction surgery by a neurosurgeon looming just weeks away, an open-heart surgery a wee bit further down the road, the daily medications that would kill you if you took too much, and would kill you if you failed to take them. We had some doctors tell us you would be little more than a vegetable. What kind of doctor butchers a mother’s heart like that? Having my hopes and dreams for the future of my baby girl - the little girl we had waited so long for broken to pieces and sending her mother into a vicious guilt trip: what had she done during her pregnancy to have caused all these problems? Her tiny, little broken baby.


The road has been bumpy, full of sorrow, fear, guilt, anger (not at you my love - at the stupid people out there that were cruel - mostly with their words, and mostly (hopefully) not thinking of how their comment sounded to a mother of a handicapped daughter. There were the outright cruel people who enjoyed making fun, saying something mean to my beautiful, blond, long haired angel of what did her mommy do to God to piss Him off to the point He sent her a 'retard'?

I remember being scared with each new visit to the doctor and leaving the office thinking that I just could not take another set of heartbreaking news - one more straw and the camel’s back would break - but you know what? It doesn't break - because you have to be there for your child, you have to get up, take care of them, put one foot in front of the other, exhausted, terrified and knowing without a doubt that you are truly not qualified to do this … but also knowing without a doubt that you love this little bundle that is yours, fully, completely, perfectly, even if they are not perfect. I have discovered over the years ... who is? Love conquers the fear, the exhaustion and anything else that the life of being a parent of a handicapped child throws at you.

The list is long, the road long, full of obstacles, backtracking, mistakes, fear, exhaustion, and hurt - but I learned quickly that the deeper the hurt, fear, sadness and sorrow I feel - the greater the joy, happiness, elation and peace. A new opening of my eyes to the wonder and miracle of watching a child conquer their first step, writing their name, anything!


I remember one day, after all the appointments, the surgeries, the just keeping you alive for months, I walk into your room and as I look down at you. Still bald from having your head shaved (prior to your skin cut from ear to ear over the top of your head, your face peeled down, your skull cut into pieces and put back together again (apparently Humpty Dumpty can be reassembled)), still a little swollen from the surgery, staples shutting the suture up in a Frankensteinish manner ... you opened your eyes and smiled at me! In that instant, you were the most beautiful baby on the planet! The joy was so intense, it made up for the fear and exhaustion, the bad experiences, everything. One smile ... one. Life (with all the horrific things going on around me) stood still for a moment and there I was, in a little piece of heaven standing there with you in your bedroom.


I wanted to shout from the rooftops, put up a billboard, anything - stating that my Jess had smiled at me! Moms of handicapped children don't take things like that for granted - it is flat out a miracle, a gift from God, the best present a girl could ever ask for. A thus - this was how it went for each step along the way - the first words, (actually any new word), rolling over, sitting up and walking to name just a few. Each a gift, a wonderful, indescribable experience – you, my friend are the ultimate gift giver - no one can make my heart soar like my Jessie!

As I see it, I am one lucky lady – you are my daughter and you have taught me so much. Sure things were rough, things were rough losing baby Rachael, things were rough when the tornado hit the house, the pain I experience daily in this old body of mine is rough, but all that pales in comparison to the joy I experience watching you grow and excel. And now you have graduated from High School! A new chapter in your life is about to begin and I have no doubt that you will approach it with the same enthusiasm and gusto you approach everything else with. You will learn much but teach me more, you will have fun with your friends and put me at ease when one of my panic attacks hit about you living at Richmond State School, you will continue to become independent, while I will hopefully do the same!

With each new step down your own road of life, I feel it a privilege to be able to walk beside you, and I will be there to hold your hand at the shaky spots ...
.

… we will be laughing all the way!

30 May 2009

Jessies Graduation Part I

We had a good time tonight before dropping Jessie off for graduation. Here was a photo my Dad shot of her. It is very, very difficult to get a good photo of Jessie - her facial expression in general bothers me in photos, thus the absence of all family photos in our house. But I liked this one where he got her laughing. Unfortunately her eyes are just slits, but beggars can't be choosers.

Took her to the school and got her cap and gown on. Then went home to head up to the center where the graduation was to be held.

Dressing For Graduation:





Unfortunately, the graduation was held in a big ass center and we were on the opposite side of the arena from the stage. The lighting was poor and dad and I had an impossible time getting good photos.

I did film her walking across the stage picking up her diploma. Unfortunately: 1) It is zoomed in as far as the baby camera could go and still small 2) She had a teacher helping her across the stage and is on this side of her, thus blocking her 3) I yell a couple of times since I just could not contain myself

The up side - she is the only one walking across the stage with a helper at a very slow pace and I caught two gems: 1) about 3/4 the way through she waves at the crowd with her diploma in her hand and a few seconds after that, athough she is surrounded by people so you can just barely see her head, she gives a victorious pump of her fist straight up in the air! (Note: I just looked at this on my blog and for some reason it is darker than on my computer - thus hard to see the two things I just wrote about, which is a shame - they are so Jessie ...)

But based on what we are looking at, this might be it for the actual photos in the arena.



Tomorrow after church we will get her hair looking better and take some more shots.


Let The Fun Begin

I picked up my parents at the airport last evening and we had a nice evening chatting. Of course that all ended after we picked up Jessie - she has a great knack of interrupting and taking over any conversation going on any time she is in the room, and of course, will be in any room my parents are in while they are there. Our conversations will resume after I drop Jessie off tomorrow evening - until then chaos reigns! It is amazing how easy it is to forget that was how it was 24/7 - my coping skills with this one are rusty!

Mom and Dad came out with me to pick her up and saw the grounds and her home, plus many of her fellow residents. They also got to see her room. Her princess blanket on her bed (her princess quilt is folded up on top of the armoire. It kept getting lost - I think this is there solution to that). My mom noticed that the princess blanket on the bed was not the one she and her friend made - theirs had a crocheted edge and this just had bias tape sewn on. Ooops. I think it got mixed up in the wash somewhere. I will have to make sure they find it.

When we got there, my mom was worried Jess wouldn't recognize her - which seemed strange - Jessie will never forget Grandma and Grandpa. She first saw me when I walked into the commons room and was excited, but as she saw Grandma and Grandpa that excitement notched up exponentially! She gave them huge hugs then we headed off to see her room, but first exclaimed to the room "This is my Grandma and Grandpa" to which the workers and residents said 'hi'. Her room looked good, they had painted the walls since I had been in last. 'Grandma' (a darling old lady - a resident at Jessies home) started crying when we said we were taking her - she has done this before. It is nice that Jessie has such good friends that they cry when she goes! We quickly assured her that she would be coming back, that it was just for a couple of days, but we left her inconsolable.

Mom was a little choked up at Jessies home stating that very few of her grandchildren are excited to see her and come running up to her and give her a big hug anymore. She said probably only Scottie, Jeff (my brothers) youngest does that other than Jessie. She was so thrilled that Jessie was so excited to see her, but should realize: Jessie will never, at seeing her yell excitedly "Grandma!", run over to her and giving her a big bear hug. It will forever be as constant as the sunrising in the East and setting in the West.
They are now off at Wal-Mart spoiling her. She is getting to pick her graduation gift.

Charlie got a treat when we came home from picking up Jessie. Grandma decided to show off her Frisbee throwing skills and in doing so became Charlies best friend ... until tomorrow when Gary gets home, then she will become scum like the rest of us when Gary is around!
Well, I am supposed to be resting while Grandma and Grandpa are out spoiling Jessie and I am cheating. Next up - getting her ready for her big night and dropping her off at her high school at 3:30 for her to ride the bus to the location of graduation (they said if she does not ride the bus, she cannot walk across the stage and pick up her diploma - rules - go figure). She will be graduating with the entire Senior class, not just the Special Ed students - that will be fun and I am glad that it happens like that, she will be on cloud nine and it will be a difficult task for who ever will escort her across the stage to keep her in line - at her other graduation (Elementary School) she bolted across the stage, so excited she had the entire croud laughing - her excitement and joy were contagious - I see no reason that her behaviour will have changed a bit in the years between then and now.

Photos of the big graduation to follow.

29 May 2009

Charlie's Favorite Things

Gary requested a picture of Charlie made out of only the word 'Frisbee' a few weeks ago and I have been having a hard time making it. First, if you write the word 'Frisbee' over and over again, you get a pattern in the spaces in between the words, and it won't let you do it without spaces because it thinks it is one long word and refuses to play along. Second, it is freaking hard to take a picture of a solid black dog and make her anything but a solid black blob.

So, I substituted her favorite things for the word 'Frisbee', as for the solid black blob - maybe you can't tell, but it is a dog (the funny thing by her stomach is part of a couch - she liked to sit in the windowsill in Norway and look out the window):

28 May 2009

Favorite Sunrise / Sunsets


Recycling

Wanted to play with PhotoShop but don't have any new photos, so I am recycling my flower photos.
Maybe I will move on to my cruise with Bonne a while back, didn't use any of those photos...

27 May 2009

Awwww ...

I have been actively avoiding life. I have to get a newsletter out for church this week and don't want to so spent the entire day yesterday reading a book and avoiding the computer. I also have to pick my parents up from the airport Friday, Jessie's Graduation Saturday, pick Gary up from the airport Sunday, take my parents back to the airport Monday (the are headed to my Sisters for her sons graduation), pick my parents back up from the airport Friday, Ryan's graduation Saturday, drop both my parents and Gary back at the airport Sunday (hmmm, I think I just realized that they are leaving from different airports - ooops) and head with Ryan to San Antonio that next Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday for his orientation and apartment hunting. Then leave the next week for my moms 70th birthday celebration at my sisters cabin in Colorado.

So, I thought I would take a breath now since I won't have time for one later.

But Gary will be home for an entire week! Twice! during that time so I have that to look forward to.

I was going through my photos and I found this one of Ryan and Allesandra. I like it and since I have done nothing but be a slob, have no other photos to post:

25 May 2009

To My Uncle, Jon

You used to be just a photo in a uniform on Grandmas TV. It sat there, with a folded flag for all the time I remember visiting. I was young when you died, but not that young - I remember the funeral.

I always remembered you as you were in that photo - in uniform, serious and looking very, very young. Then one day my dad send a CD full of family photos. There you were as a baby, with friends, growing up, and with your new wife. Suddenly you became more real to me, and you were smiling! I felt like I knew you a little bit more. You were more than just a photo beside a flag and the loss seemed greater.






Now, when I picture you, you are smiling.

I just wanted to let you know that on this Memorial Day, I was thinking about you.


24 May 2009

NOW he tells me ...

Gary flew to Papau New Guinea today to tour the area they will be developing. Unlike his previous projects where he designed an offshore oil platform or ... whatever - here he is designing / building a 'city'. The roads, bridges ... all the infrastructure that comes before they go in and extract the natural gas. So helicopter rides in the jungle-soon-to-be-city.

He called me from the airport and mentioned that he thought their 'escorts' had arrived. I was thinking how swanky, until he equated it to when he was in Angola. OH, those kind of escorts - the guys who keep the other guys FROM SHOOTING YOU. Apparently there are some in the country that want oil and gas types dead. This was news to me, he sort of forgot to tell me that part. He said he was off to his 'five star jail'. When I couldn't wrap my head around the concept when he was in Angola, his explanation: "Think of it as a five star hotel where the doorman is carrying an Uzi and you can't leave the building."

Oh, goody.

23 May 2009

Prom Madness

Done wrangling 13 prom-goers, photographers and parents. They were here about an hour and a half, much longer than I thought they would be. I am glad my part of the night is over - 0ther than receiving the text saying he got to the restaurant (he's driving), the prom, and of course waiting up for him.


22 May 2009

"If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride."

So, Wednesday I find myself inside an MRI tube desperately wishing something familiar: maybe the pain is all in my head. I had some good coaching - for years doctors told me that they could find nothing wrong with me and sent me to psychiatrists ... planting that seed of doubt in myself. Until one kind doctor took the time to actually look. I was ill, very ill and I was in pain and it was not going away and was most definitely not in my head.

Every now and then, though, I start wishing that it was in my head. If it was all in my head I could stop it, get off the morphine, sleep through the night, comfortably walk around Brisbane with my hubby, sit for 14 hours on a plane and just be bored, you know, have a normal life. So I found myself in that noisy tube desperately wishing again that my lower back pain was not caused by two flattened discs, bone rubbing on bone ... wishing it was just all in my head. The last time I had an MRI I lived in Norway - maybe they interpret things different there. It could happen, right?

Got the call today from the MRI people who reported that not only do I have bone rubbing on bone, I have a compressed nerve and mild scoliosis.

I guess that's what I get for wishing ...

Have an appointment with the pain specialist on the 8th.

21 May 2009

Prom Night

When did going to the prom get so complicated? Maybe it is looking at it from a parents perspective rather than just going, but things are getting out of control.



The Suit.



Ryan didn't want to wear a tux, so we had to go suit shopping. When did they get so expensive? And it has to match:



The Dress.



A beautiful green, but how to match? We only have photos - taken by a cell phone with the shades of each photo just a little different than the last photo. So, Alassandra (Ryan's date) and her mother did a very kind thing and bought a couple of ties that go with it. We now have a starting point ... and need to buy ...



The Shirt.



Not a big problem, just have to go out again. Maybe when we pick up the suit (it is being altered). Now this ensemble needs to match:



The Flowers.



Ryan ordered flowers, but decided that they were too expensive and are coming over to the house Friday to make a corsage and boutineer - probably involving a trip or two to the store for supplies and exceeding the initial price of the flowers. Since none of us are florists, I don't know what the outcome here is going to be, but it should be interesting.



Well, now that we're dressed nice, we need to show up in style - so they are stealing:



My Car.



This is a good thing since Ryan is going to clean it like it has never been cleaned before. So, suited up, flowered and with wheels, this brings us to:



The Night.



And how to capture the magic of the moment?



Photos.



The group (there are 12 of them) wanted to have photos taken on a curving staircase, and since we have a curving staircase the house got suckered into this night also. Sounds good, I will get to see every one in their finest, no biggie .... until Ryan tells me just a few days ago that professional photographers and parents are also coming. Oh, goody.

Now the goal is to ask one of the photographers if he would leave up his lights since I don't have any. They are not that pricy, but I don't want to store them - so I will beg, and hopefully take some decent photos.

Off to the dance ... and after?

Well, after they were coming over here and I was so proud of myself for keeping track of the group, but a vote was taken and a 'parents home' was voted down. Apparently they feel they couldn't act like 'themselves' in a home. Damn skippy - I want them acting like proper gentlemen and women! Where they are going is a bit hazy right now in my mind - Ryan says a restaurant, but what kind of restaurant is open in the wee hours of the morning? Not a decent restaurant, I don't think. Just one more thing to worry about.

I will be ever so happy when this is over ...

19 May 2009

Since Gary is going to call any minute and yell at me...

I found a better photo of Gary to play with. He looks happy!

Dear Jessie,

It has been 9 months to the day since that horrible day when I dropped you off at Richmond State School. I remember I was so scared! I remember thinking that mentally you were only three years old - what mother drops off a 3 year old at a new home? But then I remember I told myself that you were 20 years old and what mother does not let her 20 year old move out and learn to live on their own? It was hard for me to look at the 20 year old in you and not the 3 year old. Lately, I have seen a lot more of the 20 year old!

I remember you seemed so resigned to the situation and I didn't know what to do with that. I thought you would cry, or be excited, but you were something all together different - you just seemed ... sad. That was the worst part, I had not planned for quiet resignation I was not prepared for you to be sad, and you were never sad - this was an emotion that was rare for you. I don't think I have been that nervous about you since you had open-heart surgery - and you were just a baby then! It is a good thing that the sadness was just fleeting.

Nine months, and nine months of changes. Mom has learned a ton of new things she can do with her computer and to photos - having nothing but time now that you are gone. She is tentatively stretching her wings, still not sure if she can fly or not, but getting there. Ryan is graduating and heading to College - we are busy looking for apartments. And Dad? Well, Dad does not live here anymore! He lives in Australia - the land of kangaroos and koalas. I go visit him often so I won't miss him so much, and he will also be home soon - so you won't miss him so much. Not the best way to live, but Daddy gets to build a city - a whole city in a place called Papau New Guinea. A city with roads, and bridges, and water treatment plants - a new fun experience for him - so we are happy he gets to do it. And he probably would not have been able to do it if you lived here - it would have been very hard for me and he probably would have turned down the job. So you becoming independent and living on your own is helping us expand and grow ourselves - thank you for that.

Nine months, and you? You are a different person! You have lost weight, become more independent and everyone in your dorm loves you! Mommy is so very proud of you - you have exceeded my expectations at every turn. It is fun to watch you with your new found friends - something that you have not experienced until now. You are a natural with people and it is fun to watch you interact.

I think you like that I was in Australia for two weeks. Why? You got to go to Sister Randall's house! That means a good dinner, phone conversations with her children and fun with both the Randall's! I know you liked that and missed her on Sunday when I picked you up. I am glad that my good friend is such a good friend to you.

Sometimes I miss you more than I can say, and I realize that you, the Jessie that lived here is gone forever and I can't have you back even if I decided to bring you home. You like living among your peers and I would be taking that away from you. But also gone are the tirades, the hitting and kicking me, the 'I hate you moms', all good things. So I realize that we are both in a new season in our lives and we can't turn back now ... and I wouldn't want you to.

Mommy loves you,

Mom

18 May 2009

Waiting here for Gary to call ...

So I 'Warhol'ed' me:

I give up ... I'm going to bed before I do anymore damage...

Still with the boredom ...

Sorry Laura, Rodney looks like a wordy blob so I decided to do my guy....


17 May 2009

Again, with the boredom ...

Better or worse? I don't really care - just bored and playing with Photoshop:
(In Photoshop: lightened the photo, used a sumi-e filter and then used a brush I created that is one line - and just brushed in the photo - on a clipped layer)

Much Harder Than It Should Have Been ...

Man, bored on a Sunday afternoon and I decide to make a portrait of myself out of words. Two hours later I have a crappy product:
Yeah, the words are itty bitty, but it is just words! It's crappy and I'm slippin...

16 May 2009

Meet ...?

We haven't been properly introduced:



I don't know if it is my sleep deprived state or just being sick from all the travel - but I truly don't know who this is. I believe it is either:

a) Rodney's mother-in-law
b) Tess's boyfriend

You would think the gender thing would solve my little dilemma - but .... don't know how to tell the gender of a frog and I suspect that since all the insides were taken out between the back two legs then sewn up - that I am not going to be successful even if I google: frog gonads.

It is especially emotive since it is flipping me the bird, but also saying "OK" with its' fingers - I am not sure what that is telling me exactly - it would mean different things if it was a mother-in-law to an armless, legless frog (and has all her appendages) or a boyfriend. I am stumped - go figure.

And since I can't move the poll to my post - please vote and let me know who this is.

This is important folks.

Armed Forces Day

I am recycling: My Brother, My Hero . A shout out to my favorite bro (my only bro) - I am still proud of you - you crazy freak....

Can't Sleep

This is the problem of living 15 hours in the future, then coming home again. Gary is out grocery shopping after having done a list of mind numbing things today: it is 5:00pm Sat night. Not time to sleep.

We will see how many days it takes me to get back to 'Texas Time'. At least I don't feel I am on the verge of a hysterical girly sobbing fit ...

15 May 2009

Home!!!

My bed!!! My computer!!! My chair for shorties!!! My PUPPY DOG!!! My son (who was kind enough to pick me up from the airport)!!! (Yeah, go ahead and judge me, I put puppy before son - but I am judging them on my greeting - while Ryan was civil and sweet to come pick me up, Charlie almost blew a gasket - and peed on my shoes) MY BED!!! My Pillows!!! My House!!! My Stuff!!!

It smells so good! It feels so good! Why am I not ecstatic?

My Hubby. I miss him already (and we have been on the phone most of the time I have been in the house).

Don't tell him, but I would turn around tomorrow and fly back - too many commitments here ...

Two more weeks and he will be ... home. Or whatever he is calling Houston these days.... (he has suddenly become a 'Brisbaner' through and through)

Sigh ...

14 May 2009

Home again, home again ... jiggety jig ...

Last night, laying in bed, Gary asked me if I was ever coming back. Seriously had to think about it.....


Kill me now, kill me now, kill me now.....

12 May 2009

The Lighthouse

We finally got to the lighthouse on Sunday. It was a pretty day and it was a very cool city. We hiked to the lighthouse, then spent some time in the hippie city. I spent a grundle on jewelry (but then again, I always do this when visiting exotic locales - feeding my addiction) and we had a lovely dinner.


All in all - a good day, especially since we weren't killed with my driving...

The Car

Gary bought a brand spanking new Toyota Rav4 right before I got here. It is cute and white (my favorite car colour) and just happens to have the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car.

As I went to get in the car at the airport - partly exhausted, partly delusional, I got in while Gary was putting the cart away and found myself behind the steering wheel. I remember thinking 'Cool' how did this get here - then quickly jumping out thinking Gary would make me drive.

Well, driving did come on Sunday - on our way to the lighthouse one more time and to the city it is in - Byron Bay - an old hippie town, it was actually a wonderful city with the coolest junk. (On a side note: this is were Gary bought my jewelry and I sort of, kind of, well - spent $400.00 in the store he bought my stuff in. In my defence it was Mothers Day - we were totally butchering the Sabbath, and my birthday is in just a bit.)

I drove from about 1/2 hour out right up to the light house parking, and there is no delicate way to put this, but I scared the hell out of Gary! Apparently when you drive on the wrong side of the road, you tend to hug the side and Gary kept telling me I was going to hit the parked cars (I don't really believe that is true, I think it is an optical illusion) but had him screaming pretty emphatically a few times! It was no cake walk - trying to remember to stay on the left side of the road - turn a corner and remember what lane you are supposed to be in. I am impressed we are not dead.

I am going to have to drive again ... but I am going to save it up for next time ...

On a positive note - Gary showed me where the car keys were today - that is a good step in my budding relationship with Aussie drivers ...

10 May 2009

Monday

A beautiful Monday morning. Everyone else I know is living at this moment as Sunday evening - Mothers Day evening. Not much to do today - waiting for the movers to come pick up the boxes and papers - then later this afternoon - the cable guy comes ... hope he can find parking ....Tomorrow I plan on venturing out with my camera. Gary and I circled the main downtown a few days ago on bicycle but I did not bring my camera - no proof that I ventured out of the apartment ... shame.

Saturday ...

Saturday we went to 'Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary'. We first fed the kangaroos - they were just laying around - joey feetsies hanging out of some of their pouches.
The birds made for good photos:

Here is the cute Koala I got to snuggle with. She told me his name, but I have forgotten it:
This spot is a keeper - we will probably take all visitors here since it is only 10 minutes from Gary's apartment, They were worth the trip here ...

09 May 2009

Mother's Day Morning Conversation

Lori, sleeping in the guest room since the queen beds are ok for 1, but used to sleeping on a king size - she sneaks out in the middle of the night and gets in another bed so she is not thrashing around bothering Gary - wakes up to this sentance:

Gary: "You have a phonebook on your head."

Lori: "Huh?"

Gary: "You have a PHONEBOOK on your head."

Lori (takes off the 4" phonebook from her head) "Yeah, it's heavy and I have a migrane - it stops the throbbing."

Gary: "Ok, scoot over - I have 3 minutes."

Lori: "What time is it?"

Gary: "Three minutes to 8"

Lori: "I don't have time to get ready for church (ok, really there was - looking for an excuse ... because:)

Gary: "I thought you weren't going since you forgot your dress."

Lori: "Yeah, I was going to wear that brown pantsuit and just feel stupid." Puts the phonebook back on her head. "If we go somewhere this afternoon, can I bring the phonebook?"

Gary: "Sure, phonebook, paper bag, what ever you want."

Lori: "It is Mothers Day and you just told me it was optional if I went out with you to put a bag over my head!" "Jerk"

Gary: "Shhhh, I have 2 more minutes..."

Happy Mothers Day .. To Me

Gary thought that Mothers Day in Australia was last week and when I got to his apartment for the first time, I was greeted with flower pods:
Gary had bought me flowers. He said they were Asian Lillies. I decided they were waiting for Mothers Day (the 10th both in Australia and the U.S.) to burst. The last one popped last night - so at least the flowers know when Mothers Day is:
I know, I know - no photos outside of the apartment yet. We went and fed the kangaroos and cuddled with koala bears yesterday and I had a blast! Problem is, I am having a hard time seeing the photos on my laptop and don't feel comfortable posting until I feel I can see the photo. It is driving me nuts. I will see if I can get them on Gary's computer to see them and pick out a few...

07 May 2009

The Apartment

Here are some quick, crappy photos I shot of the apartment. Not much to say other than it is beautiful, with a beautiful view of the river and Story Bridge.

My Computer Station and view of bridge:

The Galley Kitchen:

The Living Room / Dining Room Combo:

View from the Master Bedroom:

The Third Bedroom:

The Guest Bedroom and View:

Story Bridge in the morning:

Story Bridge at night: