There's no place like home!  There are few beds as comfortable as my own, it seems.  I could do exactly what I wanted, when I wanted to do it, if I holidayed alone...but I expect I'd become lonely.

My ideal holiday:  luxurious & comfortable surroundings, sleeping in until I wake on my own every morning, going to the cinema, going out to dinner, (mainly window) shopping, going for drives through never-before-visited picturesque villages, visiting art galleries, and slowly driving by the most gorgeous mansions we can find.

I didn't get one sleep in, thanks at times & in part to my loud five year old niece and/or early waking toddler nephew!  None of the beds, in the three places I stayed, were comfortable!

I did, however, go to the cinema (once), we did dine out several times (Indian, Chinese/Vietnamese, & Thai), & my daughter & I did visit an art gallery in Dayboro, which is only a 45 minute drive from the Brisbane CBD.  We particuarly admired the work of Hungarian man, Bela Grof.  I loved his bright colourful roosters, & my daughter wanted his series of three zebras.

My parents celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on the 6th, & with their party of about 60 guests on Easter Sunday, at their farm.  I spent most of the time making & serving punch.  I like to use pineapple juice, lots of ginger ale, & some lemonade whn making my punch . 

Mum has quite a green thumb, & the butterflies were partying too, but these photos don't adequately illustrate their great number:

 

 

We left the party early, in time for the Easter (chocolate) egg hunt with the young cousins at the other farm.  Cadbury  are my favourite chocolate makers. 

In Brisbane we stayed in Auchenflower, overlooking the Brisbane river, for three nights.  I bought our daughter's formal (senior prom) dress at The Mask, at Broadway on the Mall, Brisbane.  It was expensive, more than twice what my weddng dress cost in 1989!  (We had a shoestring wedding.)   It's full length, red, low cut, with a low back under which is a decorative bit of silvery glitz.  There's a tie/bow on one shoulder, & two others at the back.  We're thinking silver high heeled strappy sandals.

While the other three were shopping in City Beach, I sat in Brisbane's Queen Street Mall & people watched, for over an hour.  There were hardly any well dressed people, & nearly all of those who were both well dressed & well groomed were just dressed that way for business anyhow, so there's no guarantee they'd look good outside of work.  An ibis scavenged in a bin near me:

There were catfish swimming around in an open pond inside the Carindale Shopping Centre, which I walked around in on Thursday:

While at Carindale I bought myself an adjustable table easel from an art & craft supply shop.

In Mooloolaba for two nights, we stayed in one of the rooftop towers of Nautilus, not far from the beach.  We had our own private open air rooftop jacuzzi & bbq area.  This is one of the views from it:

Now I'm Home Sweet Home again, where it's still so hot that I'm perspiring under the ceiling fan while I type, despite the fact that it's the middle of Autumn (Fall)!