Xmas ….New year 2019-2020. Dec 20 th to Jan3rd.
We arrived in Dawesville at Mick and Di’s beach house on the 20 th Dec, where Mick welcomed us and I cooked us all a red curry chicken which was enjoyed with a few ales and red wine.
The van was left here on the verge and the next day we arrived in West Leederville in Perth, Di and Micks home after a day trip to Penguin Island, mentioned in our last blog.
We had a quick meal out at the local Irish pub, avoiding anything with mushy peas, while Mick and Di were out at a work xmas dinner. Mushy peas yuk, how do the Irish and English eat that.
Life at West Leederville was easy and relaxed, but also busy with lots of friends and family visiting. Nice to met so many of the Mulhulls friends and family , all very friendly and easy to talk too.
The first night was the street xmas party with food and tables set up on the verges and about 50 people attending, a lovely night.
We had Tyler staying , their seven year old grandson, Kim and Dave visiting, Kim is Di’s daughter and Dave her fiancée. The following night three couples came for nibbles. All very social activities and very easy.
Xmas day started with breakfast , Kim and Dave present and a visit from Mick’s son. The breakfast used German cookwear, a hot plate with little spatulas to cook small portions regularly of eggs , bacon or pancakes. A real nice and novel idea.
Then on to a nephews house , where lots of Cheryl’s family ( Cheryl is Di’s sister) and everyone gathered and pitched in for a great Xmas spread. A Chris Pringle event after lunch saw small gifts exchanged and rotated around a circle until eventually opened. We ended up with a Beer Pub Game and a sausage apron which was later exchanged for a bottle opener that is also a gun to shoot bottle caps at everyone.
Boxing Day it was back to Dawesville and Di’s friend Deb arrived for two nights. Want a lovely lady.
We went out in Micks boat the following day , across the estuary and up the Moore river, an excellent day with swims in the river and picnic in the boat. The first swim saw John and Mick cover in a black slime that hang on to tummy and leg hair…yuk , us girls escaped most of the slime but another swim further down river gave us the opportunity to clean up and cool down again.
We ran into some friends of theirs who very gave us their crabs , a delightful entrée that night, but a lot of work extracting the meat, we were very grateful for the crabs, thanks to the Aqua Holic boat man.
The wind had come up for our trip back making it quiet exhilarating.
The view from Dawesville verandah a relaxing way to end a great day, peel and eat our crabs and later we enjoyed a game of cards of humanity, Di winning , a funny game with some funny answers being given.
The next day Di and I went shopping at Mandarah forum and later met another friend Wendy who also stayed two nights. Di has so many lovely friends.
The 30th we all went to Cheryl and Peters beach house at Yallingup , what a view. This town is like the Bryon Bay of Sth Western Australia, and it is believe Chris Hemsworth is building a house in their street. Some of the land and houses here are well into the millions of dollars.
The next morning John and I had a swim at Yallingup lagoon and beach in the morning with Di and Mick before we explored Eagle Bay
Meelup National Park,
the Leewin- Naturaliste Cape National park and lighthouse,
Bunker bay and Dunsborough for the rest of the day. What a beautiful spot with a lot of the beaches facing the East and so sheltered. below are scenes of Yallingup , driving into the point and beachs, and looking up the hill to where the beachhouse is situated.
New year saw a bbq with the neighbours coming in and a great sunset from the verandah. No one saw midnight but a pleasant night.
The next day Di and Mick took us to Canal rocks
and Indep falls, a rock pool where the tidal waves crash over the rocks behind you giving you a healthy shower/ waterfall experience.
Then we explored Caves road and lunched at Swings and Roundabouts for pizza lunch. Later Cheryls son and family arrived and I cooked fish for everyone for dinner.
Jan 2 we set off on a wine for dudes tour around Margaret river, a great day with Mick being the centre of attention with the bus load of young people .
A few purchases were made. Lunch was set up to experience mixing our reds of cab sav and Merlot to the mixture we liked.
The last stop a brewery , wild hop.
That night I took everyone to dinner at the historic and stately Caves hotel for dinner, and Jan3 we headed back to Dawesville to retrieve the van and say farewell.
Over the xmas break, John had to replace the water pump on the van and our last day jan 3 we got a cracked windscreen driving back to Dawesville to retrieve the van. Always something!!!!!.
We left Dawesville and the Mulhull’s on Jan 3, sorry to leave but ever so grateful for everyone’s hospitality.
A big Thank you to everyone.
