Fullagar Family Summit for Imp's 50th

We recently had a wonderful week with the whole Fullagar family in town to celebrate Imp's 50th birthday. Felicity stayed with us, Fred stayed with Imp and Ed, and Chonk, Irma, Bea and Eric [the Swiss] stayed just down the hill at an Airbnb backing onto the rivulet.

Elf took the whole week off, while I took 2 days midweek which turned out to be perfect. We gathered most days at some stage either at our place or at Imp and Ed's at Kingston, and just ate and drank and talked. The Swiss went off and did some tourism at times, and Fred tinkered with things at Kingston and at our place too. He got the Wimshurst Machine back in working order [I have just realised the WM has not been mentioned here before so I will need to put that right soon and I'll add a link here).

Fred is Felicity's carer at home in Canberra so part of this week was separating those two to give him a break. Elf stepped in as frontline carer and cheerleader; trying to get her mum to be more active in finding solutions to her own health problems. Chiefly her feet; they are very sore and swollen and so she is unable to exercise much. Felicity won't take pills, which is a shame as some pills are very good. She thought she wouldn't come down for Imp's birthday, but all her kids her talked into it and she was extremely glad she did, by the end of the trip. As Marcus is off back to Hong Kong in March (I'll write more about this soon), this may have been the last opportunity to see her six grandkids together for a while.

Felicity asked for someone to organise a set of photos for her so she could pull them out to show friends. So I got these for her (I'm sending her prints) and reproduce them here as a time capsule; this is what we all look like in August 2022.

Before coming to Hobart, the Swiss had a week in far north Queensland, including a look around Townsville. Bea is very keen on studying marine biology and has her heart set on Townsville as the place to do it. Eric loves fishing and was lobbying hard for the whole family to move from Switzerland to Queensland.

Marcus and Michael always get on very easily and well with their cousins here, Karri and Miah, and it was just a love-in when all six of them were together. All lovely kids. 

The party went off really well. Imp booked the Kingston Community Hall which turned out to have a no-alcohol policy. This was quite funny as she had requested a gift of a large quantity of gin from Michael and Marcus which was to be shared out with guests at the party. We surreptitiously sipped some from paper cups and all in all, it added to the Jazz Age theme.

The boys present Imp with the gin

It was well-recieved

I put together the label, based on a previous birthday dress-up effort

Siblings assemble

I was able to go along to see all the visitors off at the airport in one go which was handy. We had one last big Fullagar scrum at Gate 3 then a smaller one at Gate 4. The Swiss flew off first and Felicity, who was in high spirits, got more exercise than in the rest of the trip combined with a lot of very hearty two-arms waving. Then Fred pushed Felicity in an airport wheelchair out to their plane and she waved the whole way, even while facing out into the open fields. It was a lovely note to end the visit, she was really delighted to have come and been at the centre of the family for a while.

Beach Week part one

We just spent a week at Swansea, 2 hours up the east coast from Hobart. We four went with Imp, Ed, Karri & Miah, and stayed at this big stretched-out beach house at Coswell Beach, not far from town. It was fantastic! Halfway through the second day I realised I was getting some deep relaxation that just isn't possible at home, where there is so much to do. And Elf was relaxed, the boys were enjoying being with their cousins and having their own space; it all worked really well.

The block is very big, with the house at the top and a gradual slope down towards the beach. After a 4-minute walk you pop out of the bush and the beach is right there. The beach was very quiet; we only ever saw the odd dog walker. No-one else was in the water.

We had dawn swims, morning swims, afternoon swims and evening swims, and we each had a paddle on the wave ski. We mostly look for still water to paddle (despite the name), but Michael took it out through the churning surf, and Elf and I both successfully got it out through much calmer waves. The stakes are higher, and getting tipped out is at least 50% probability, so you are swapping some of the relaxation for a touch of excitement.

We also took the wave skis to Bagot Point, which sticks out from the mainland opposite the more famous Coles Bay on the Freycinet Peninsula. This is a great spot where you can park on the beach, which always gives me a buzz. You could easily paddle or even swim over to the other side here.

We got there more conventionally when Ed suggested a walk up The Hazards, which are five peaks that overlook the famous Wineglass Bay in the Freycinet National Park. Specifically he wanted to climb Mt Amos, the 2nd tallest. Michael and Marcus were keen, and Miah would have come except for a sore toe that she is supposed to be resting. I said I would come along, but after watching this video I thought there was a good chance I wouldn't get to the top.

But I did! We four all did.

It was pretty hard climbing for me. Ed and Michael had good boots but Marcus and I had Blundstones and mine are pretty old and low on grip. This is a VERY slippery walk and is absolutely not to be attempted in wet conditions. The Hazards are granite, and there is both very scratchy grippy red granite and very slick and smooth grey granite. Here and there are little runnels of fresh water coming from I don't know where; little springs I guess. When you step on a smooth section with a wet boot, you really know it! It was just rock climbing at times; just looking for foot- and hand-holds. Sometimes there was nothing for your hands at all; just a crack to jam your feet in. I am not a rock-climber (fat with puny arms and stiff joints) so I didn't enjoy this much, in the doing.

At the top I wasn't exhausted like I might be from walking a steep track with lots of steps. It was more brain work than leg work, maybe. But I was exhilirated to have made it and LOOK at the view! Wineglass Bay is often depicted on Tasmanian tourism posters and so on; its so stunning. There are easier ways to than this to get a look at it; despite this I have never seen it with my own eyes despite living here nearly all my life.

The climb down was scarier than going up. Upwards you are able to lean into the slope; downwards I just found I had to slide on my butt a lot. Which of course took me back to this misadventure in India. Walking the Lost World with Michael was also a climb/scramble but not remotely slippery. 

When we reached the bottom we chatted to a ranger; who told us how Wineglass Bay got its name. I am surprised I had never heard this before; in whaling days they would trap southern right whales in the bay, slaughter them, and then the bay had the appearance of a glass of red wine. Ugh.

We met up with Elf and Imp and the girls at Honeymoon Bay and rewarded ourselves with a swim.

To the ACT (Australian Christmas Territory) - Part 2

We arrived on Christmas Eve, and quickly settled into a routine of cups of tea and Nescafe,  and Fred's home brew with whisky nightcaps. We all took it in turns to cook.

I didn't take any photos of Christmas Day and my recollections are vague, so thanks to Chonk and particularly Fred for the photos below. The kids opened their stockings before I got up – when I did there seemed to be gifts everywhere. There's a lot more juicy main-event stuff going into the stocking than used to be the case, it seems.

We all put on nice clothes and convoyed over to All Saints for the Christmas service. The nice thing about All Saints which I have probably mentioned before, is that it used to be a railway station! It was built as the receiving station for trains to Rookwood Cemetery, the main Sydney cemetery.

The sermon was odd and quite un-Christmassy. I sat next to Eric who was an unwilling participant in worship. He disappeared after a while, possibly impounded by the Christmas Police for the duration.

Chonk, Ed, Elf, Michael, me, Felicity, Karri, Imp, Marcus,
Miah, Bea, Fred (with Eric tucked in front of him) and Irma

After a wonderful lunch we had a flaming Christmas pudding. Eric had disobeyed instructions and left the table. When the pudding arrived he was was called back, to no avail. So we all started yelling "Quick Eric! Food on fire! Food on fire!'" He came barrelling down the hall calling "It's not my fault!".

Marcus tries to get to grip with pentatonic triads, or something.

A lot of man-hours went into jigsaws over the week in Canberra.

Someone received the famous game Twister for Christmas and kids, Imp and Irma spent a lot of time contorting themselves. The kids all enjoyed each other's company a lot.

Marcus and I spent a bit of time playing soccer with Eric, and one time Chonk, Eric and I were roped into an 8-a-side game with some a group of neighbourhood teens and another group of smaller kids and dads. It was quite fun and we all represented the family well.

One day we all went to Jamieson Water Park and the kids and fitter grown-ups spent the day plummeting down chutes. I was seized with the idea that all around us the diplomatic corps were enjoying the sun, the slides, the chips.

[Here comes the Chilean agriculture secretary down the corkscrew! The Uruguayan defence attaché is making a towel screen while the ambassador changes back into his underpants, wobbling on one leg. The Egyptian 3rd trade attaché (clearly a spy) is demanding to know what is in a Chiko roll.]

Felicity revealed that she is in the running for selection in the Australian Marmalade Squad to compete at the World Marmalade Festival in the England in March.

Her kitchen is a bit of a time capsule. Like many people in their seventies, she is happy to offer a good home to condiments and tinned food with use-by dates that go back several prime-ministers.

A lot of child-hours went into fiddling with the vapouriser attachment on the fan. A LOT.

The thug lyfe

The hug lyfe

I brought with me to Canberra a 2018 vacuum-packed Richmond members scarf to give Chonk,
who used to be a Tiger. (And surely will be again). He responded by fetching from his old bedroom
a 1983 scarf and beanie for me.

7 kids and 7 grown-ups to dinner

The delightful Yuen-Smith clan from Melbourne are on an extended tour of Tasmania at present, and came by to have dinner with us last night. Vincent and Andy now have baby Tristan in addition to the 3 year olds Isabelle and Alistair (seen above looking nervously at Marcus's audacious constructions).

Fred was also over from Melbourne for the weekend, so we had thought we might as well have Imp and Ed and the girls over too and make it an all-in 14 person foodfest.

I think everyone had a grand old time except perhaps Winston - he spent a bit of time on the chain so he wouldn't freak out the twins. They had graduated to giving him cautious pats and then running away giggling, by the end of the evening. He was very good considering all the stimulation. What a top fella.

Imp and Ed buy a house

Elf's sister Imp and her family have just bought a house, and today they are moving out of the venerable sandstone pile that is Firthfield and into Nameless House, at the top of Boronia Hill in Kingston.

After coming to my soccer match, the girls stayed the night with us last night. Today we took them to their soccer, and now we are all back here. When Imp and Ed have worn out their first set of helpers, they will come for the girls, and we'll convoy down there to help them with the next batch of moving. 

Although I am often a grumpy and remote uncle, I do like the girls and I like the fact that our families lean on each other, help each other out and spend so much time together.

We are really pleased that Imp and Ed have made the leap to buy a property here - they came from Canberra two years ago and have been renting Firthfield since. There is a good chance they will go back there in the not too distant future, and rent out the new place. In any case, our boys and the girls have established a bond that hopefully will be renewed regularly and last their whole lives.

The joys of sitting down! / Birth imminent! / Larks in parks

We went to a cocktail party for Greta and Michael's combined 40ths on Saturday night. It was at the same venue as a wedding we attended in January, and we were a bit concerned that we would be standing up all night again. As we drove past looking for a park, we were thrilled to bits to see through the window chairs! And tables!

Michael is effectively a property developer. He has built and sold a series of houses and units. We always feel sorry for Greta and the kids, who obediently move on from one project to the next with him. On Saturday they announced they are building a place for keeps, or at least for ten years. And its just down the road! When they said they had bought a block in South Hobart I guessed it right off, as there aren't many.

We got a table with Nick and Anna and hung out around it all evening, sneaking off at about 11.30. The kids were nearby at Imp and Ed's and we stayed the night there too. The next morning we got up, scoffed some fabulous fat pancakes with lemon butter, and scooted home for the next thing.

Sally is getting verrrrrry close to having her baby, and we are giving her the cot that Marcus, Michael and Millie next door slept in. Does this mean their baby will be another M? Merhaps.

Nick and Anna and the girls came around in their ute for morning tea. Nick and I took the cot up to Sal and Matt's, and Matt and I wiggled it into what was Matt's studio, and will now be the nursery. It's always a moment of truth, when a room that is going to be the nursery actually acquires its' cot. Its one of the little steps that says "OK, this really happening - we are soon going to have a noisy, messy flatmate about a foot long". This matters much more to dads - by 39 weeks mums are in absolutely no doubt that something is going on.

Sal and Matt live behind an old shop, which is now a shared studio space, and a vacancy came up just at the right time for them to move their stuff there from the house. Their kitchen is bare, a paddling pool stands by deflated but proudly ready to serve - one day pretty soon there's a gonna be some natural birthin' round these parts.

We came home, morning tea snudged along a little more, then Nick and Anna and the girls left us. I went out to paint and sand the front railings a little more - this project is now into its' fourth month. While I worked, some yahoos drove past and yelled something - I couldn't make it out but it was directed at me.

An hour or so later the yahoos came to the house - turned out it had been Imp and Ed and the girls, and their buddies Lousie and Ashley and their kids Freya, Will and Max. Although they all live down at Kingston, they are big fans of the Cascade Gardens just downhill from us, and they had just been there. We had afternoon tea, and then took everyone for a walk up to Wellesley Park behind our house.

I can't really write objectively about the spot where we live - it's just superb. We live in a great place. And we enjoy taking people around and showing it off. The best thing about W Park is possibly just that it's right there, we go out the back gate and we're in it, and it's just a big space, really. No fences, not much in way of amenities, kind of lumpy and scruffy, but it's got a lovely outlook up to the mountain and over the river. There's usually no-one else around, and we simply love it. Louise and Ashley thought it was pretty good too.

Boating, battling

On Sunday we went boating with Imp and Ed and the girls. It's Royal Hobart Regatta weekend, so we had our own tiny regatta by the slimy sucking mud of Castle Forbes Bay. The plan was to drive down to the Huon River at Franklin and hop in the water there, but there was nowhere for the kids to play safely when not on the water. We went a bit further south, where the river broadens out and there are a few bays. Where we ended up had a couple of little shingle beaches between the expanses of evil mud.

We launched the Tub and the wave ski and had a lovely time taking turns out on the bay. As Elf said later, thank heavens for all the little crabs, or the kids on the beach would have had nothing to do except find oysters to cut themselves on. The Huon Valley is very fetching (mud notwithstanding) and 100 metres out from shore riding a very slight swell, is a terrific position from which to appreciate it. (Note how I'm talking all nautical now, avast).

The girls (very proficient swimmers) wanted to try the wave ski on their own, so we let them have a paddle close to shore. This inspired Marcus to do the same - he handled it very well and I felt very proud of him, scooting around out there. I also took the Tub for a row on my own, which I think is a first - it handles beautifully when you're the only one in it. Well, except for a persistent swerve to port, due to a damaged starboard oar. Michael hopped in for a tour of the bay with me before we packed up.

On the way home Michael had a lot of questions about sea levels. "If the sea levels rise, then all the maps will be wrong!" He is also a bit obsessed with the dotted lines on maps, where boundaries are In Dispute Or Undefined. To Michael, these are "battles", eg India and China are "battling" in the Sinkiang region. He has predicted that with the sea level rising there will be more battles - I think he is imagining a wholesale wobbling and rearranging of all the borders and coastlines. I suppose in the long view he is right. I think Geoffrey Blainey said "no political boundary can ever be permanent".

Meanwhile Marcus is demanding to know where he can see oxygen as a solid.

Fireworks aplenty

Photo © The Mercury, taken by Andrew Moody

We had a great New Year's Eve at home. It got up to 38°C, the hottest day in three years. (That's not the great part). We pretty much suffered through the day. We had organised a small dinner party, so some shopping and cooking needed to happen, unfortunately.

Elf's cousin Mac and family who are visiting from Dunkeld, Victoria came up for dinner, as did Imp, Ed and the girls. Mac and Priscilla are staying with her parents in Sandy Bay.

They have a modish multi-storey house clinging to a cliff. Mac has been put to work in the vertical backyard, raising bales of mulch using a rope and pulley system, and lowering bundles of weeds the same way. (Hobartians pay to dump weeds at the tip, and while we are there we pay for a few bales of mulch for the garden. Made from the weeds we dropped off last visit. Someone in local government is a genius).

Mac escaped from the chain gang to go angling up the Tyenna River, and brought us 4 lovely trout for dinner. Imp and I both thought (separately) - "ah, fish - I will augment this with more fish". I got a kilo of (cheapish) smoked salmon and she brought a fresh salmon about five feet long. We barbecued the trout inexpertly, but it was delicious.

Mac and Priscilla have 5 year old Charlotte and 3 year old Stirling (named after the old family property). Elf had dug out the inflatable pool, and all six kids were tumbling about in and out of it like seals.

About 8.30 the electrical storm started, way back over Mt Wellington to the west. At the same time a big yellow full moon was rising in the north. Hobart is not a thundery sort of place - we might get 2 or 3 thunderstorms a year. This was a big one. The early NYE fireworks were starting at 9.30, so after enjoying the natural variety for a while we all went up the hill behind the house to watch. All the way up there were huge flashes in the west.

When we got up to Wellesley Park there were already a few kids up there at the playground in the dusk. Michael was talking flat out as usual, when a voice from the darkness said "Michael!" and Michael said "Rohan!" "Michael!" "Rohan! It's really you!" etc for some time. meeting a classmate from prep, after bedtime, in a playground, just before some fireworks and during an electrical storm, is about the pinnacle of these kids' lives.

The fireworks were pretty good, they have moved them downriver a little which makes for better viewing from our preferred spot. The lightning behind us didn't let up. The thunder was getting louder. Mac said "There's a drop of rain - let's get going". There was a classic horror-movie style "peal of thunder" that presages a movie downpour, then: crash. We all jogged home downhill in the dark, trying not to fall (terminally) into one of the large aloe veras.

Everyone was happy but saturated. Towels. Coffee. Chocolate. It bucketed down for 20 minutes then stopped. The lightning moved over the city. Ed and I watched the lightning from our front deck - which only ever gets used on the occasional really hot night. It occurred to me that watching an electrical storm from the balcony over coffee after dinner is probably de rigeur in Sydney, Brisbane, Mumbai and Singapore.

Guests started making off about 10.30. By the time we tipped the boys into bed it was worth sitting up, although we had never meant to. (I gave up voluntary midnights around the time we had kids). The storm was still flashing spectacularly in the background as the midnight fireworks kicked off. Elf and I sat and watched it all - it was fantastic.

Happy New Year everyone.

Work in progress

Imp commissioned a drawing of Kingston Beach, featuring seashells. It's just about done - when it is I will try to get an overall picture of it. Here are a few details.

Bunking up

Imp flew off to Sydney on Saturday to meet up with Ed and the girls, who drove up from Canberra. They spent the weekend there with relatives, and this evening Imp is flying back to Hobart with Karri and Miah. Ed will drive back to Canberra and continue to pack up their life there. He will join the rest of the family here in a couple of weeks I think.

As they are all staying with us until a decent home is found, we have had to re-configure the house a bit this weekend. Actually Elf has done the bulk of it, and when I came home today downstairs was looking completely different, and in fact looking really great.

We have put the boys' beds up into bunks, which has caused great excitement and romping (illustrated above). Karri and Miah will have the back bedroom and Imp and Ed will be in the piano room/front room/rumpus call it what you will. Elf put up some Tasmanian curtains (sheets) in there today, it looks quite homely and inviting.

Stay tuned for news of extended family communal living. It's all terribly South Hobart, if you know what I mean.

In: Imp

Meanwhile Elf's sister Imp has come to stay for a couple of weeks while she gets going in her new job. Yes, she has started work for DPIWE or whatever they are called now - Dept of Primary Industry, Water and Eggplant I think. She is a water management boffin.

It will be terrific to have Imp and Ed and their girls Karri and Miah here - they will be moving down from Canberra as soon as Imp has found somewhere for them to live. The boys have not seen their cousins for years, and now they'll be just down the street. Perhaps even at the same school, if SHPS can squeeze the girls in. Ed should be able to find a job without too much trouble, being a senior IT personage. They are always in demand.