A visitor from way back when

Last week a very good friend of mine came for a visit, Monday to Friday. We've know each other since our college days, so we would have been between 16-18 years old. This was in the UK when we did the N.N.E.B. (National Nursery Examination Board), early years educator as they are known now. We stayed in touch for many years, even after she met her future hubby at my 18th birthday, and buggered off to Aussie!
We lost touch for a while, it happens. Then one day I was going through some old airmail letters and happened upon one from Anna-Marie, I did a bit of Googling and saw that the family name was still listed under the same address. So I got a pen! yes a pen!! and wrote a letter. Long story short, we hooked up again on Faceache and 6 years ago she flew out for my 50th birthday (I'm giving my age away now) I in turn a few months later flew over to Geelong to celebrate her birthday too, I've given your age away now Anna!!

Six years ago seems a long time ago now, so last Monday we picked her up from the airport and I set about taking her to a couple of local attractions. Sadly we lost Monday for doing stuff as her flight didn't get in until 10.20pm and then we spent gawd know how ling trying to get back onto the motorway from the airport because the junction we needed was closed for road works. It wasa bloody nightmare and poor Joe was getting in a right tizz!
Fortunately Anna and I were having a perfectly marvelous time in the back of the car.
I went prepared and had a small welcome package waiting in the car.

 

 

Tuesday was quite a nice day, I knew that rain was forecast later in the week, so it was off to Hamilton Gardens, always a must see no matter the time of year. Just a few of the photos I took.

 Feeling peckish!

Wednesday, weather wise was still pretty good, we went into the city centre to visit the Waikato museum, they had  Cut! Costume and the Cinema exhibition on. When I visited Anna, we took the train into Melbourne where they also had an exhibition of Costumes from the movies, not the same one, that one was really good and we both cried when we saw Dorothy's dress and ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz. Unfortunately the guy in the shop told us they weren't the actual slippers, they were in some vault somewhere, talk about bursting our bubble!!

Because I took the photos on my phone I don't have an album to share from plus I don't want to save everyone to my computer. I've made the album public, so have a look here

It was excellent and the costumes were amazing, being a crafter I can appreciate the amount of time and work that goes into these kind of things, the detail was outstanding.

They also had an exhibition of Anne Frank, incredibly moving and sad, what potential she had and it all to be so brutally ended, it's beyond understanding that we humans can be so very cruel and hateful

After lunch.............. my lunch pictured tasted a whole lot better than it looked

..............we had a browse around Browsers bookshop, I love this place, I found six books off my very long list.

Wednesday evening Anna met neighbours and friends at our roads social night. On Thursday she met more friends and crafters and mine. Both events were lovely and relaxed. In the evening we went to one of our favourite restaurants, Chim Thai. Joe was in charge of photography

No I'm not asleep but I could have been, he took so long to take it.

And then suddenly it was time for her to leave. It's always very special to meet up with those linked to old blighty (England for those that don't know)

That will do for today, I need to share some crafts and some books

I'll be back very soon.