Our Canberra trip

Dannys work place at Symonstone (apologies for the spelling

Heaps of photos of the time spent at the supreme court

Well our trip away was amzing. Such a good time. Many thanks to Danny n Del for their hospitality and chauffering service and to Clare for putting in the hard yards so we had an excuse for the trip.

We did shop a little...????? I got a new wool coat for NZ and new leather boots for NZ. It was while packing to go to Canberra that I realised that I in fact have no warm clothes and so a perfect excuse to do some SHOPPING...yep and so we did shop that is!!!!!!

We loved being there for Clarey. The day was perfect even though it was chilly..Shane only wore a shirt and I think he may have felt the cold..We arrived early and the parking was dismal so as Dan will not be seen stalking people for a park we went home and walked...O No sorry it wasn't quite that far. We parked in the Canberra centre and walked . A little brisk at about 4 degrees..

We arrived ahead of Clarey and when she and Shane and Wendy arrived it all just felt so exciting. Poor Clare was very nervous but she looked amazing. Finally (after going through security and Del getting in trouble for videoing IN THE BUILDING.

She was sworn in in the actual court. All very formal, with us having to stand and sit etc. There were 16 admitted and only 6 (including Clare) used the bible the rest afirmed. While this was all happening I can not tell you the pride I felt for Clare. It certainly had been a long road but she did it.. I sat there with tears in my eyes..Adele told me about how when they lived in Pearce they would come home and find Clarey siting on the steps using their wireless internet..so lovely that they too played a role in all this.. A very short speech and then it was over.

Clare off to sign and get her certificate and then 1,000 pictures and lunch.

It was really good. We went to Tossolinis on London Circuit and had a great lunch.

Then it was goodbye formal (and Wendy and Shane) and hello shopping. O Wonderful..we shopped for hours.

Home and cheese/bickies/dip and champagne for dinner and Danny discovered pink champagne. Funny.. Clare stayed the night with us in Queanbeyan which was great and then..

Saturday it was off to Tuggeranong to catch uop with my amazing friend Donna and saw her 2 boys (which are now 6 foot taller then b4) and did shopping again. Organised to go to Glen and Donnas for dinner...Popped into see Aunty Joan and also Geoff and Peter were there.

Joan was in bed and quite distressed and uncomfortable while we were there.. but she did speak to Clare..

Clare showing Danny what she found in her pocket....so bad

Off to trade secrets a bad place really.. then the airport, to drop Clarey home and then to the Bushes for dinner..what a day.

it was wonderful to catch up with Glen and Donna and Danny and Del came too..we played tipofyourtomgue and shock horror Al and I won..only cause I knew all the nursery rhymes...

Sunday it was off to the central cafe for breakfast with Robyn and Paul. The breakfasts were enormous.. I ate and ate and still left 1 and a half sausages my 2 tomatoes, 1 egg and chips..it was just too big..then it was to the dfo for another round of shopping..good times..

Our trip home was very eventful..from the disgusting canberra airport that has no facilities once through the security gates, to the bad descent into Coolongatta with the turbulence, (its ok I went to my happy place and pretended I was just in a car on a rough road) to the 200 metre walk through the driving rain across the tarmac, the mixup with luggage and me getting the car, the driving rain on the trip home, the flood waters on ross lane etc etc.. yep we were happy to get home.

All in all a great trip and now we just need to get through the week.

Thanks to Dan and Del. You were awesome....