A weekend away

haha, someones "Beach House" but not the Newton's
(go figure, I didnt even take a picture of theirs! But you can find a few pictures and information on their beach house- as they used to rent out the downstairs portion as a holiday accomodation)

This past weekend we ventured up the coast about 2 hours to the Newton family beach house at Caves Beach.  We left friday night and met Brenden and Libby up there.  Yunny and Lozzo joined us first thing in the morning, and Lionel came up after work Saturday evening.

As always, we got off to a slow start, and didn't make it up to Caves Beach until close to 10pm.  Everything takes longer with Miss Dyllan..  But we made it.  We put her new pack-and-play together (scored that at a garage sale the other week!) and put her to sleep, then pulled out a bunch of futons and blankets and plopped them in the middle of the living room to sleep on.   (Marianne and Laurie have just put the beach house on the market- so they brought most of the furniture down here to furnish our house).  We hung out with Brenden and Libby for a while, ate bananna paddle pops and drank wine- then went to sleep.

The next morning was stinking hot.  At 5:30am.  Dyllan woke up early (figures..) so Dan and I decided to take her on a jog.  Everyone outside thought we were nuts for attempting to run in the heat.. we just smiled and waved. 


Sunrise



an iguanna or something... creapy!

Brenden trying to catch the iguanna or lizzard .. acutally i think its called a blue tongue!

Looking down from a  bluff

Wiiiiiiiiiiillllllllsssssooooonnnn!!!
(reminded me of the movie Castaway..  haha!)



on some bluff



Caves Beach

After breakfast we headed up to Newcastle- where Carlye and I studied abroad our Junior year in college.  It was soooo fun being back there.  Just like old times.. well not really.  I didnt have my travel buddy with me.. or eat buckets of "hot chips" and "Lollies" while tanning on the beach.. But it was fun to see what's changed, and whats stayed the same.  I remember when Carlye and I first landed in Sydney- people would ask us where we were going and what we were doing.  When we told people that we were studying up in Newcastle- we would get this disgusted look and they would say "Whhhhhhhyyyyyyy Newcastle?!" Apparantly, Newcastle has been know as an industrial town- where ships come in and out- and there isnt really anything to do there.  I think its changed quite a bit.  In fact it changed quite a bit when we were living there too.  For example- they added a grocery story.. well not really a whole grocery store, just a little corner shop called "Nick the Grocer"  Thats where Carlye and I would buy our food.  We had to grocery shop because nothing was open past 5pm.  Not even subway.  It took a little getting used to, but we managed just fine.  For the most part, Newcastle looked just the way I remembered it.  And I loved being back.

Our old "terrace".  62 Church Street at the top of the second steepest hill in all of New South Whales...

A new restaurant on the waterfront.

The "dildo" tower and The Brewery (where we went on Thursday nights for live music)

The lighthouse

A bar called Customs- where Carlye and I visited frequently

Newtcastle Beach

Newcastle Beach - Surf Comp.