Crossing the border....... and Christmas celebrations!!

 It was very exciting last week to watch the progress and updates as DD3 and family holidayed along the Great Ocean Road of Victoria and headed towards the border of our states. We have  been waiting a long time for this. They did all the required form filling out, the needed certificates were uploaded, and the Covid testing was done as they got closer. After crossing into SA there were more tests required and they were in!!  You would think they wanted to go from overseas into another country, not just state to state in the same country!! After such a long time of one lockdown after another, they are jubilant about being able to travel, especially over the border!!

Time to reflect after climbing down all the stairs to get to the bottom of the Umpherston sink hole in Mount Gambier.

           And further into SA and here is Miss Billie at the Big Lobster at Kingston. Getting closer!

                                                     

They are settled in the Barossa for a week of catching up with family, and Saturday evening we all gathered for an early Christmas gathering. 

It was time for a new photo of my 10 grandchildren, but what an ordeal getting them all together and sitting still. Am amazed at how good this turned out, and so funny how the girls are all sitting on the left side and the boys standing on the right. Certainly it was not planned like that!!

It was a noisy affair handing out the presents, but certainly part of the tradition of our family Christmas! I do have a video of this happening, wrapping paper strewn allover and with everyone talking at once!!

We enjoyed a meal of roast meats and salads, followed by Christmas pudding and cheesecake while the cousins all played together. (Well, perhaps I should say that the little cousins played!) I drove back to Murray Bridge to spend the night at Mum's ready for her 90th celebrations on Sunday, and then home on Monday. DD3 and family will travel home end of the week and spend some time here on their way back over the border again. I don't think it is quite so difficult to get into Victoria as it is to enter South Australia!!

Blessings, From Jude