Nanna & Lyn pay a visit, Launceston

Saturday the 24 of March... The alarm went off bright and early and Richard was up and adam with chookie to go and pick Nanna and Lyn up from Launceston airport.
Everyone was excited to be seeing them.
Before long Mum & Lyn were there with big cuddles for all of us, making me realise how much I had missed home.

Rosetta the kids and Sonia

But, We didn't let the grass grow under our feet for too long... It was a cuppa, brekky and a chat before some shopping.

Nanna had promised Easter presents for the kids, so we hit the streets of Launceston.
It was buzzing on a Saturday morning with buskers and street acts. It was a great atmosphere.
Along the way Lyn befriended some locals....

Lyn makes some friends

While Nina went searching for something sweet!

Nina hugs and ice-cream

While the girls and the kids were shopping Richard was off organizing the rest of the day... He had booked a car to pick us up at midday to do a wine tour of the Tamar Valley.

Alan the taxi driver picked us all up and off we went - tasting our way through the valley.

Richard, Sonia, Rosetta & Lyn doing some taste testing

All of us in the Tamar Valley

Richard trying to grow a goatee, wish him luck!!!

It was made all the more relaxing knowing that no one had to worry about driving. We went as far north as Beaconsfield where the gold mine collapsed a few years back.

It was interesting to see it all for real and not through a camera lens... I remember living and breathing that story for months...

That infamous Beaconsfield mine shaft

The historic Beaconsfield mine

The kids in front of an old steam engine, Beaconsfield

A few more wineries, cheese plates and an apple orchard and our day was complete...

Line 'em up

I think Lyn felt like she wasn't far from home when we stopped to have a look at a Tasmanian apple orchard...

Lyn, at home in an Apple & Pear Orchard

We returned back to the hotel around 5, just in time for happy hour :-) ...

A few more drinks (because we hadn't had enough) and we then ventured out for dinner...
Mum had declared it was her shout, a late birthday present for Richard... We found another Italian restaurant.

Dinner together

And of course we couldn't officially farewell Richard's birthday without some candles on something sweet and singing happy birthday.

Richard with his birthday tiramisu

Nanna and the kids

 After dinner we wandered back to the hotel, via a dance with a busker...

Mum and Lyn were exhausted and ready for bed after an early morning and a huge day but as you all know, that's not Richards style... So we were back in the hotel bar until closing time and a refusal to serve us any more.

Sunday the 25th of March... Needless to say we all slept in this morning - before slowly getting up and packing up. Some brekky and a wander through the streets and it was time to say our goodbyes.
We were all sad to farewell Mum & Lyn but grateful for the time we had together and the huge effort they made to fly down to meet us. We are all taking with us some special memories made in Launceston...

Jack & Nanna

A teary Harry

Goodbye Rosetta & Lyn

This afternoon was the 3 hour drive back to St Helen's - we stopped to ogle at some amazing wood sculptures along the way...

A very clever wood sculpture

We then had lunch at the Pub In The Paddock...

It's claim to fame.... Priscilla - the beer drinking pig....

Harry giving the pig a drink

An empty bottle of Boag's, it only drinks Tassie beer

Back in St Helen's and tonight will be a quiet one before we head off early in the morning on Rocky's fishing charter (our friend we met in Bali about 6 years ago)... the boys are hoping to catch the big one... No doubt you'll be hearing about it if and when they do.