My/our youngest daughter Emma, and her husband Luke, (Ruby and Poppy May’s mummy & daddy) have always been a private couple. Not given for pushing themselves out front; (a bit like me 😈 ) not into facebook rubbish or Twitter.
I might have told how, when they decided to get wed, the idea of a big wedding and all the stuff that goes with it didn’t appeal, so they very quietly slipped over to New York/Manhattan and got married there. no fuss, no nonsense.
We were given a photo, taken after the ceremony. Lovely picture but I don’t think they’d appreciate my putting into a post, so you’ll just have to take my word for it.
They did want to move to New York and applied for the ‘Green Card’, but for some reason they were denied it, funny mob the Yanks, a young couple, university educated, financially secure, who would not have been drain on the US economy were not acceptable.
Luke’s elder brother has settled in the US, well he lives and works in Hawai’i; like Luke he’s a sports journalist by profession, and was with Fox Sports on the Tele, last I heard. Luke has progressed up the chain from sports journalism; and is fortunate enough to be with a reputable newspaper, not a murdock rag.
He’s with the SMH and doing very nicely.
Some may recall back in February, I did a post, “Holiday Time…again” – with Ruby and Poppy May sitting ‘neath the “Big Banana” at Coffs Harbour, when they went north to Byron Bay.
At that time they had actually decided to sell up in Sydney, and move up to Byron Bay, it’s around 780 km, from where they/we live in Sydney. They’d been toying with the idea for yonks.; and had finally decided that the time was right; and their house was on the market set to be auctioned at the end of March, and they’d really gone to Byron to look for a property, not just to holiday.
Their house was on the market about a week, when they got a ‘Godfather’ offer, which they accepted with alacrity. The offer was accepted, and all the paper work finalised whilst still on ‘holiday’. One might say a quick sale.
Emma and Luke found the very property, that they had their hearts set on, bought it and moved out of the house, just 10 doors away from us, last Wednesday week, and headed north for a short holiday, before moving onto their new property.
Notice I said moving onto their new property; it’s 6¼ hectares, that’s about 16 acres in old speak, lovely rolling hills, a couple of good dams and a couple of tyro’s who haven’t got a clue about farming.
It’s going to be fun, and I’m a long, long way away 😈
But I do miss my babies, I always kept my front door open, so that they could run up and see me. I miss them ringing the door bell/chimes, laughing and giggling, when they made me get up, to come to the open door, that was already opened, and the hugs and high fives.
Now they are 780 kms away from their grandpa, and I’m wondering whether I shall get to see them again. 😥
🐻
LordBeariOfBow 
Sorry to hear. I would assume they might miss you too and efforts would be made for regular visits. Here’s hoping so and to visits to come.
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Just between you me and all those who follow our repartee, I really can’t see them settling to a life on a farm no matter how small it is. And I’m not just up the road if he needs my help or tools 🙂
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On the other hand, no one is born with knowing what needs doing . . . most learn along the way.
Also, I’m with you on the flying thing. Easier, yes, but I would always pick driving when the option is there. Anyway, it sure sounds as if they could use a hand there for a few weeks at a time every so often. I wonder if they know anyone who seems to know everything and be willing to tell everyone about it?
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No, only me, as I said they are very private types, have their own circle of friends who are all citypeople.
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Oh dear, I’m happy for them but so sad for you. Surely they’ll plan frequent visits. They must!
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I think that they have bitten off a lot more than they can chew, They’re not really bush people, they are city folk, wanted New York and now gone to Byron Bay? Very strange
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Measure the distance in miles and it will seem closer! My son is presently living in New Zealand.
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I suppose you have to measure that by hour many hours flight time, speaking of which I think it would be quicker for me to drive the 780 km than to take a plane, get to the airport two hours before the flight, at the latest, make it 3 to be on the safe side, Probably an hour and a half flight time travelling to and from the airports. I reckon I could do the trip in 7 and a half hours by road, without having to exceed the speed limits
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Fill the tank and drive!
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The War Office would like that, she hates driving
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Those dear little girls, they’ll be missing you too. As Pied Type said, they’ll be planning visits down to the big city to see their beloved grandparents.
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The babies ring on the mobile phone video thing every night, I do wish they’d get Skype then I can have them on the big screen
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That would be an excellent idea.
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Try telling my daughter that, now if her mother asked her………
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Well, you better start sweet talking to the War Office.
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Never!
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🙂
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I feel for you, Brian, knowing how important they are to you (and identify, because I have a son and his family in Fremantle)
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14.470 km Fremantle to London, 780 Sydney to Byron Bay, It is I, who should be feeling for you, Derrick. I sure do miss my babies.
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🙂
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Very difficult situation.
Does this mean that you and Mrs Brian will be moving up north soon.
Can just see you striding across the plains, with the two little ones following you and asking questions: “and what is this plant, and what is this and what is that”.
You’d love it.
Ira
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NO Ira we will not be going north, I wonder how long they will last up there
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Believe me Beari, we don’t know what’s going on either. If the liberals keep going, we’ll all be speaking Spanish or Arabic real soon!!
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Chinese or Vietnamese here GP. But being a Socialist myself I don’t suppose I should complain.
But I do !
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Good to have you back on station. It’s hard when they live so far away.
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Twenty years ago I’d have thought nothing of it hopping into the car on a Friday night, driving all night and being there in time for breakfast, sadly time has taken it’s toll. 😦
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Why don’t you and the War Office and dog move to Byron Bay? Rent out your house for a year so you haven’t burnt all your boats and rent near them. Just a thought.
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Bit hard when you’re in your 84th year, and your corpse has to go south to the Gong when you kick the bucket sometime in the not too distant future, Love the thought though 🙂
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I could always pop up to Byron to pick up your horizontal freight. Buy me the station wagon, I’ll put on the ice.Give me a coupla’ days to check out the Big Banana before the return run.
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Trouble is they want my corpse in under 12 hours from the time I become one, so you’ll need to forego the banana’s
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You must push for Skype—simple to install, and such a life-like experience! I really didn’t like the idea at first, thinking it was an invasion of privacy. But it’s amazing how natural it seems, once you are connected. But anyway…sad for you. I would feel the same. Take care.
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I’ve had it for years, but do you think I can get the young ones in the family to use it?
They love their damned mobile/cell phones which I think are a blight on civilization.
They’ve only been gone a fortnight but I miss my babies terribly. 😦
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So now they are in to Facetime for Apple devices or Facebook video messenger. Some go with What’s App. Same thing as Skype but the screen on the mobile phone doesn’t display as much as Skype on the laptop. Since you already know how to use Skype you should be able to make the switch easily so just push them into jumping on at their end.
So sorry that the family has flown the coop. It’s tough losing that close connection.
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My kids are to damned lazy to try something as simple as Skype.
I’m not that worried about the grown ups it’s just my babies that I miss 😦
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This makes me very sad! 😦
And they are missing you SO MUCH I’m sure! I hope they can visit often!
Yay for all the ways to communicate today! FaceTime, Skype, texts, phones, etc!
I Skype and text to visit with my grandson, and I send him letters and cards with money and fun stickers in them. He LOVES getting snail-mail! 😀
HUGS!!!
🙂 😀 😛 🐻 ⭐ 😎
PS…my son, DIL, and grandson live just over 1500 miles from me. 😦 A long day of plane travel or a 3 day drive. 😦
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Ive had Skype since it first started,💻 🖵 💻
but for some reason nobody ever bothers to use it so every now and then I ring me on my mobile 📲📲 phone for a chat, just to keep it active.
The War Office is 🛫🛫 🛬🛬🛬up next week for a couple of days,
Ruby 🧒 has her first day at Pre-school and the WO wants to be there for that,
Must admit I love snail mail, 📨📨📨just as I like reading books,📚📚 I’m not overly fond of email and those electronic book things,
Nothing more enjoyable than turning a page 📖📖 and then turning it back cos you think that you’ve missed something. A book is part of you those kimble? things are not books they’re just a convenience. 🙂
1500 miles = 2400kms I can see why they dont like the metric system in the US, I suppose with all the trouble at the airports in the US now that 3 hour flying ✈️✈️✈️✈️ time doesn’t include the hours to and from the airports then the security business, theres no fun in flying these days, I used to love it 😒😒😒 🐻i 🐻i 🙂
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Yes, times have changed related to so many wonderful things! Some changes not so fun.
I still love book-books! I love to hold them and read and highlight and use my cool bookmark-ers, etc. 🙂
HUGS!!! 🙂
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😀
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Oh Brian….what to say? We just sent our daughter and her husband back to Portland, Oregon. The other side of the world as far as I’m concerned. I think regular connections between younger generations and the oldest generation are part of what can make us oldsters special, healthy and happy. The phone is good; Skype is OK; in person, un-planned and informal is best of all! I look forward to hearing how you navigate this huge change in your life. Sending cheer your way! 🙂
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I don’t miss my daughter Emma, even though she is most like me of all my off spring, stubborn as a mule, self opinionated, bossy, we rarely see eye to eye, but I missed my granddaughters the second they left. They’ve left a big hole in my life, I love them both dearly
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16 acres sounds just about right – to me (we had 62 growing up – now that cat this age would be too much unless I was just holding it as a guardian for a natural area and animals. Funny how many city young people are wandering towards more land…either they will gut it up and learn – and enjoy the mistakes along the way – or they won’t last long there. Good experience for small ones in either situation – all kids need some farm/land experience to appreciate both city and farm. It will be interesting.
The kids will probably love Skype/facetime as they are so much more used to utilizing technology. It’s not the same, but will hold that connection – you can still tell stories and read to them that way and have them show what they are into/made that day. Talking pictures changed the world, right?
Wish I could make it less painful and sad – having kids bop in with their kid work gives such smiles and fun. But you did have the for a while – many never do and have to settle for pictures when they bother to remember. Even if you live close that doesn’t always mean you are close.
Change and adapting is good for us…but annoying when the previous was so wonderful.
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agree that it’s good for children to grow up even if just for a while in the bush, but only if the parents know what they are doing.
I’d like to be a fly on the wall when Ruby says to her daddy, ” don’t worry daddy I’ll get grandpa to bring his tools and fix it” like she did not so long ago 🙂
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So sorry they moved, Brian. Hope they get Skype soon. Take care.
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I doubt that they will Lauren my daughter can’t put down that damned mobile/cell phone 😦
I’ve been feeling quite well the last few days might be coming good again ,
Thanks Lauren; by the bye haven’t seen anything from you in the English Historical Fiction Writers pages for a while, one of my favourite sites
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What? no pictures of the kids in their new home?
Get even – give one of the kids her own Apple tablet so she can click, send pix, and face time with you all on her own!!!!
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Not yet Phil, they don’t move into it for a couple more weeks, they are living in a cottage in Byron Bay til the previous owners move out.
I have no doubt that my Ruby, who has just turned 5, can do all those things now, but I have trouble switching on an apple computer phone thingy and have no idea what to do with it when I succeed 😀
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