Japan 2024

 Trip by land and sea. Two weeks by bus and train. 2 weeks on ship. Great but exhausting.

        

Full story on Instagram lees.art

2020 - 2023 Flood, fire and pestilence - But, we are back!!!!!

   At Roo from 2020  -  2024 things have not been boring.

      It has been biblical here at the Roo, with almost all the dreaded horrors visiting us one by one. 

    When I complained about the hardship of having endured a flood, a fire, mouse plague and COVID, my dear friend in America - with a smile in her voice - said, 'Ahh! But have you been visited by falling frogs?' The fact that not long after this conversation, a frog fell from the ceiling and landed on my boob, was enough to stop further speculation or complaints. Because I do not want to hear of any other possibiloities for bad things to happen. 

    But really - it hasn't been all bad!

    I placed photos of the fire on Instagram and lived with the results, so I will not enter them here. 

 

Just saying - while the downstairs living area was being processed, and rebuilt, the upstairs studio received little attention. So limited art was completed. 

2019 - If Nature Was Watching Would You Be Kinder, exhibition at Nona Gallery BIA

2020 - Crossdale 4 Exhibition - Esk Condensary Art Gallery. limited viewing due to covid.

2021 - Crossdale 5 Exhibition - Esk Regional Art Gallery - good turn out, most works sold.

    So pleased we had so much Yang before the Yin.

    We had the most enjoyable 'Grand Tour' in 2019  Traveling through the UK from Devon, Wales and up through to Scotland. Accompanied by Arron and friends we then embarked on an epic cruise - Amsterdam to Budapest. With a week in Budapest and another in Singapore. Brilliant!!!!

We installed a successful Bore, for water, at the Roo. Partied in fancy dress for a significant birthday.

Lost our SNOOPY 18yo

 

Bore - great output

Another Birthday - Ahhhh!

 

Cameron discovered he is allergic to Bees

Cameron had both knee joints replaced.

    

Cameron had several operations for skin cancer and melanoma.

Traveled to Sydney to visit Brianna and Xavier - twice.                            Visited, Noosa and Straddy.

  

 Enjoyed our usual, relaxed, indulgent, happy Christmas's at the Roo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2020 - Fire - entire downstairs sleeping area was gutted. Rebuilt - with improvements.

2020 - COVID - Isolated here with fortnightly trips to Brissy to visit my dad.

We took the opportunity to renovate. Enclosed the entire outside sun area in glass. 

Built a long shade house for our expanding orchid collection.

Built a new kitchen, book shelves, and started the process with council to install a swimming pool.

As soon as the borders were open we took the opportunity to travel. Enjoyed a three week tour of New Zealand by ship, and a four week driving holiday to Tasmania, part-way accompanied by Brianna.

2023 - sold the property that was our Brisbane home and moved to the Roo full time.

2023 - Upstairs furniture discarded and as much as possible everything was cleaned.

2024 January - Studio clean and new furniture installed, and I'm back in my studio.

2024 - is shaping up to be a good Yang year!!!

Arron is off to Japan and is forming a new company.

Brianna has been to Antarctica, Greece, Turkey, Egypt and her new book, 'The Work' is coming out in April.

Have three exhibitions in my sight.

1 - group exhibition, Kilcoy Art Society, gallery members exhibition.

2 - group exhibition - Paint like a Master.

3 - group exhibition - BIRDS - Nona Gallery, BIA

Time to do some work!!!

Singapore

Last stop. Left Arron at Dubai airport as he is on his way back to Brisbane. 
While we are staying in Singapore, to indulge in some rest, before we return to the dry. 
Today we ventured over to the Botanical gardens. Had a delightful wander for 4 hours, to be chased away by thunderous rain after lunch . . . 

back to hotel for a rest.

 


Caught a taxi to Little India. Celebrations went on all night. We stayed in the shopping centers, as they are open 24 hours and air conditioned. Interesting array of goods. When we came out around midnight there were thousands of people and the traffic was at a standstill.

Had to walk to the Hilton to ask them to call a taxi . . . I bought a couple of extravagant, over the top pieces. (I will be ready for when we go to our next Indian wedding.) Also, some batik material and some embroidered silk. . .promise, that is it!

Quiet day - reading and relaxing followed by a taxi drive around the city.

Today we wandered over to Garden by the Bay. And it was 6 hours later, when we left and still did not see everything.  Loved it. We have already agreed there will be a next time!

 Lovely and cool inside the domes. Flowers are magnificent.

  Day hanging around the hotel resting . . .nice!!!

Time to hang around the hotel resting has been a real bonus . . .

 

Time to return to Brisbane. We departed the Rusty Roo late August and now return early November.
We organized for someone to look after the property, garden and animals, but with no rain while we have been away, we are now anxious to get back and water . . . and feed the animals.

(While away I took over 3,000 photos. Trying to pick which ones to include has been difficult.)

It has been a real joy to see so many places. 

Again, thank you to family and friends.Loved it all. XXXSo blessed!