Sydney-side

We took a last-minute trip to Sydney this week, to see my Grandmother, who is pretty sick.  She has congestive heart failure, it pretty much sucks.  She's been in and out of hospital, and refused with her usual iron will to go to a respite place or hospice.  She's 90, and sticking to her unit (which is in the same street as the house she lived all of her life in Sydney, just a few doors down).  She migrated out here with her husband and boys (my natural father is her oldest son) from England when they were very small.  She's pretty cool, she had active service in the war (overseas postings), and played tennis all her life, up til a couple of years ago.  You know, at 88.

Here is the only photo I though to take while there.  Now kicking self.  I know, right!  It's crappy, blurry, flared, and Lolly and I aren't even in it.  Pissed off with myself.

My Uncle (standing) was SO thrilled when I reminded him he is Lolly's GREAT uncle.

As always with a three year old, I couldn't do much wallowing, or much visiting with people who don't live in a playground, so we did tourist-y things the rest of the time.  Lolly loves Sydney, she's been a few times now, the first time she was only 8 months or so.  The most recent, March this year.  The city isn't really friendly, or conducive to small kids, but if you know where to go there are fun things.  We laid pretty low this trip, though.  Swam at the hotel pool a lot (post to follow!).

Seasoned traveller sits with Daddy.

We were only a couple blocks from the Harbour, which is a great place to go walking with kids.  Plus coffee and icecream.  No coffee for smalls.  Just me.

Not pictured: my panic attack at Lolly leaning over the back to look at the water.  Can you spell NO FRIGGIN FENCE.

 We had buffet breakfast every day.  Which is pretty much my idea of paradise. 

Greeny the crocodile was hungry.

Lolly had FOUR of these mini-tomato juices one morning.  I think they regretted not charging for her breakfast.

Coffee and green macaroons at the Guilan cafe on the Harbour.  And chocolates, of course!

Running races with seagulls and random kids out the front of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney Harbour.

DinnerDad had work stuff, so we got a very nice room.  It was so enormous it had a separate bedroom.  Pretty much made of awesome.  Here's the view.

Separate bedroom!!11!!

Other than this quiet fun, we laid low, and spent time with family.  Special thanks to my Grandma, my Aunt Sue and cousins Crystal and Alicia, and my Uncle David and his wife Janelle, you all rock and I wish we saw each other more often.