Back to Reality…..Well Port Macquarie……

Well after an amazing fun filled trip to Tasmania I flew back to Sydney for the night then on Tuesday I had flight out to Port Macquarie to settle in with Gran and Gramp. I had a hotel room next to the airport for Monday night so I could get some sleep before flying out the next day. I checked into my hotel room and went upstairs to check it out. When I got upstairs and opened my room I was very surprised at my room. I think I have actually seen closets that are bigger then this thing. It had two beds in it, but they were bunk beds! The room was bare, no comforts what so ever. A bed, a small TV, and a small corner desk, I was lucky to get towels I think seeing as there was no hand towels or anything in the bathroom. The bathroom is a whole other story! I opened the door to the bathroom and saw a toilet a sink and a shower curtain. I also noticed an abundance of ants on the walls of the bathroom. This was definitely a no frills kind of place. I am not one that needs a lot of frills however a bed spread without, what seemed to be unwashed, stains would have been great. I talked to mom for a bit and made sure three times that the door locked from the outside. In the morning when I went to have a shower and I noticed that there were no walls to this shower, no little lip and what seemed to be no sloped floor. So I had my shower, and indeed as I suspected it flooded the whole bathroom floor. No wonder it had a sign on the bathroom door that said ‘Please close door when showering.’ I showered up, got dressed and got the heck out of dodge. I went to the McDonalds across the road and nursed a large hot chocolate while I uploaded some photos to facebook until it was time for my flight.

My flight was good. I was able to see Sydney’s icons from above and of course snap a few pictures. I put my headphones in and tried to prepare myself for the next two weeks with Gran and Gramp. I assumed that I would be walking into two children acting like spoiled little boys, and of course then there is Gran and Gramp. I arrived in Port Macquarie in the early afternoon and it began. It is now the end of the first week as I write this and I have to say that it hasn’t been terrible. The boys are testing a bit and I have been finding it exhausting being the bad guy. I have to be the bad guy and lay down the law because it is the grandparent’s job to spoil them. I just don’t want the children to act like little brats. So I am not well favored around here by the kids as I am the only one to say no. However I have bonded somewhat with Gran and Gramp. They are very nice people just Gran has some slightly annoying habits. I feel like we have a different relationship with Gran and Gramp and I am happy about that. Plus although there is absolutely nothing to do in this town of nearly deads and newly weds, my day off was very relaxing. I did basically nothing but upload some photos and chill at the beach. Gran and Gramp are very much enjoying showing me around and are very welcoming people. My only major complaint is the talking. Geesum crow Gran could talk the ear off Helen Gellar. Most of the entries I have posted on here were written in the lounge and that is why they are less descriptive then most. I have to try to concentrate on writing and she just doesn’t stop talking. Ever! She has a real talent for starting to tell you one story then half an hour and 4 stories later she finally gets to the point she originally started to make. Last night I had the joy of soaking in the hot tub with Gran and for some reason she told me the birth stories of her three children. Fun, fun! There have been a few funny things that she said though, and I have had to take a double take. For instance Gramp was telling her about a new pet store opening in town and they were talking about that. Then I heard Gran say “Well if they have better weed, I will be going there.” I looked up from the computer and said “Umm, what was that?” Or when we were at the beach and we were getting ready to go and Gran said “Oh, I can’t forget my man’s shoes.” Bahahahahah! It just sounds funny coming from Gran. I also had to go and by milk because if I had to choke down one more bowl of stale cereal with warm soy or rice milk I was going to puke, so I just kindly went out and bought some regular milk and placed it in the fridge. I didn’t want them to feel bad, but I just could take it anymore.

Gran and Gramp love showing me around. We went up to the camp for a night Thursday night and went to Coff’s Harbor to see the big banana. The big banana was pretty cool and I took the kids on a toboggan ride down the side of a large hill on a track. The kids really enjoyed this, and Jake loved to go fast. We had it wide open, but I think he would have preferred a little faster. We ate lunch and stopped at a honey place too so that I could show Liam a real working hive. I had been teaching him about bees a bit and wanted to find a hive he could see. So we went to this place and saw a hive, we also go to taste different types of honey. The camp was okay but one little caravan is too small of a space for my liking. I am glad it was only one night. On Friday morning we went to a beach just down from the camp, and it was a beautiful beach. It was so lovely, and I really enjoyed it there. The kids had a blast! I took Liam out deep with him on my back and we paddled around in the small swells. Then Gran, Jake, Liam and I dug big holes in the sand and buried the kids. It really was a great time, this is what memories are made of for the children. On the way back to Port on Friday we stopped at Freddos Pies. Apparently Freddos is famous for its pies and has a selection of over 50 varieties of pies. Many famous people have been in there and bought pies including the likes of Russell Crow. While we were there the guy who came second in Australian Idol came in and bought a pie. It meant nothing to me, and I had no idea who the fellow was till they told me. Anyway I had a……………Crocodile Pie! Yup, that is right! A Crocodile Pie! Gramp wanted me to try it because that pie is one of the ones that are the claim to fame at the pie shop. So I can now say I have eaten crocodile and although I hate the cliché I have to say, it tastes like chicken. It tasted as if I was eating a chicken pot pie. It was pretty good.

I think I will make it through the next week but I am looking forward to getting back to civilization very soon. Also at the end of the month I will be going to the Great Barrier Reef, so that will be great! Gran and Gramp have some family activities planned for next week like a boat cruise, and dinner and such so it shouldn’t be too bad. The biggest thing is just being the bad guy with the kids all the time. I really do find it exhausting! Anyhow this will probably be the last post until next weekend when I can make my way to an internet café, so have a good week, I will catch you on the flip side!