Singapore Airlines deposited Steph home safe and sound including her luggage and on time.  She just needed to explain her placemats to authorities and then she was home.

We had some of her friends over, including Ellie who flew from Sydney for the home coming.  As usual, Marg put on a banquet that all enjoyed.  Steph was just happy to have some roast chicken that did not carry all the bones and feathers that are served up in Cambodia.

Rugged up in many layers we survived the first day out in the cold and rain to look for a new apartment on Saturday. 

3 days back and it is as if she never left home.

Beautiful one day...raining and windy the next.   Might be the new advertising jingle for north Queensland.  But it did not stop Marg & Dave having a really relaxing break on Hamilton Island.

We started with a night at the in an apartment over looking the Brisbane river.  Like fairy land, but unfortunately raining so we could not walk into the city to shop. Darn it!!!!!!

They do it every day, but the landing is spectacular at Hammo.  Powering in over the water, between islands and with views of some of the resorts you finally realise that there had better be solid ground appearing soon or we are going to be enjoying the water a bit too soon.

But then we get to our reef view room at the Coral Reef Hotel.  15th floor with a view from the bed.
Not too shabby!

So after lots of wining and fine dining and R&R we will be back at work after a truely fine weekend.

Time to give us some insight on how you spent your Mother's Day.  Just trigger "comments" in the top right of this post and give us a small snippet of the day.

Here in Canberra Marg and I had a wonderful day, starting with flowers and a call from the girls.  Mel called as we were going to breakfast and Steph called from her bus as she headed for Laos for a week in the jungle.  Marg and I had our brunch at a restaurant in Manuka and then went to see the movie "Wish you were here".  Great Australian movie along the lines of Lantana.  Then we spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying our view while we got into depth on our planning for next year's trip to Britain.

So how did your day go?

It was only 2 degrees but 25,000 people joined me at the dawn service on Anzac Day in Canberra.  I took my project team along as well on the basis that we would go to work afterwards and they would have Friday off instead.

While all this was going on I heard from Adrian who was spending Anzac Day back in Canada running a Leadership Forum for 200 of Worley Parsons' brightest and best.

Well done Adrian.

by Dave
No photos, but the miserable weather in Sorrento saved my bacon as the golf game with Bruce was cancelled.

But the cancellation had the consolation that Marg an I spent a fantastic lunch on Easter Monday at Higgenbotham Winery at Red Hill.  If you get a chance..go there.  Pizza, wine tasting (great Pinot Gris) and live music...what a hoot.  Only surpassed by the Price's hospitality (as usual) and the welcome surprise of the wining and dining with Amanda.

Prior to this we had spent a few nights as Al & Kev first guests at their new holiday house in Sandy Point.  Fantastic house, a bit of work to get the yard established, card games, great food and lots of wine....what better way to spend Easter.  Well done O'Mara's on a great new addition to our travel itinerary for future trips.  Love the queen

I left on my early morning walk a little earlier today (6am) to find the balloons.  As part the Canberra Festival (2nd-18th March) there have been all sorts of activities, including multiple balloons rising to the skies, groups of fishermen around the lake competing for the biggest catch, fireworks and aerobatic helicopters and planes.  Not bad as a 99th birthday party.  Imagine what 2013 will be like.  

Taking bookings for first half of March 2013 now to be part of the centenary celebrations.

I would like to suggest that the best place to celebrate Australia Day is in the capital, Canberra.  You get to mix with celebs like our GG, Quentin Bryce, Julie of course, the brand new Australians of the Year and most important, Gilly (Adam Gilchrist) who is Australia Day Chairman.

The venue was on the Lake between the War Memorial and Parliament House...pretty shmick location.  After about a 20 min walk I did have grand ideas of partaking in the free bacon & egg breakie, but 1,000 other people had the same thought, so went without.

While surveying the scene of the upcoming ceremony I was approached by a young attendant and asked if I would like to take a seat in the official enclosure... probably saw the grey hair and sweat on the brow after the brisk walk and thought it better to get me sitting.  Actually they were obviously keen to get all the seats filled after the new Australians and friends were in there!

The Defence marching bands and the white lady arrived (Julia Gillard) along with men in black with earplugs and talking into their hands.  Quentin Bryce sat next to Courtney Bryce and Gilly seemed very comfortable amongst the luminaries.

The ceremony included jet fighters flashing overhead, cannons shooting blanks over the lake and some stirring music.  I must say that I was surprise to feel a tear in the eye as we witnessed the families who took the oath and the citizenship certificate from Julia.  I even recited the affirmation as an Australian citizen (along with another 4,000 people present) and sang both verses of Advance Australia Fair.

Actually, mingling with the crowd after was pretty cool also.  I wished Quentin and Julia "happy Australia Day" and spoke with the newest Young Australian of the Year, Marita Cheng.  Couldn't catch Geoffrey Rush.

Actually, I would recommend Canberra for Australia Day celebration.