Sitting on my front deck in the cool of the early evening, watching the sun go down. S is of course in the sling on my lap. Finished dinner of chicken stirfry which got the thumbs up from T at least. W & E did eat some of it!
D has taken all three boys across the road to play cricket with T. Apart from the sound of bat on bowl, are the shouts of "Watch out E" "Out of the way E". Clearly E wants part of the action. Let's hope he makes it home without injury.
Today we ventured to Springbrook National Park for a bushwalk.
Yes you read correctly. Logistical nightmare packing picnic and bush walk accoutrements such as toddler backpack for E (on D's back), sling for S on me, picnic rug the size of Tasmania, picnic set, full lunch plus snack foods for the day (might as well put the whole fridge in the car really). But once we were on the road all was well - especially with the brought from home coffee - always the reward for the packing and preparation of an excursion out.
We decided to go the 'scenic' route and avoid the highway. This was a more circuitous route than origianlly envisioned. So we only got there around lunchtime. We became a bit lost around Mt Tambourine but we did make it. There is Tallanbana picnic area for the Twin Falls bushwalking circuit.
Picnic was setup on the ground (as all shaded tables were taken). This began very humour sly as there were leaches almost immediately. D plucked one off T's shoe, and I plucked one off my leg. We did explain to T that they were leaches who sucked your blood but not harmful. Well about five minutes later T jumped around literally yelling " There's a bleach on me! There's a bleach on me!" like he was being eaten by a shark. Once we had calmed him down I did have giggle at the contraction of "blood sucking" and 'leach" to make "bleach".
The lunch I had packed was demolished in minutes. I had packed tomatoes, ham, cheese, pistachios, macadamias, vegemite sandwiches, watermelon, peaches, nectarines, plums, apples, lettuce, salami and water. It wasn't enough apparently. Oh goodness what will they be eating in ten years time?
We head off with E in backpack, S in sling and the other two on foot. It was so lovely and cool up there and once we started walking I felt renewed. What is it about nature that is so healing? Spiritually and emotionally and mentally?
It is a bit of a dangerous walk with a three year old on foot. D held his hand on the cliff edges, and the ninstructed them both to keep behind him at other times. I held up the rear of the procession. It was precarious for me at times as well as I could not see my feet, because of S in sling, so slippery steps had to be handled delicately. I did comment to D that you couldn't do that walk four weeks after birthing a child if you had had a Cesarean. Obviously. But was grateful for my body and how amazingly she holds me in good stead.
T of course constantly pushed ahead of D, bowling all the while. Not safe on a cliff edge. Much yelling at to stop.
The waterfalls were not full, due to it being summer but still impressive, especially the two where the path winds behind the fall (between the water and cliff edge). We met lots of people along the way - "How many have you got there?!" and "Gee we have an easier walk than you!"
W did very well to make it all the way (was about four kilometres round trip with some quite steep bits). S slept the whole way. E was very happy and quiet as well. Apart from cliff edge fast bowling, T was well behaved as well.
After the walk we finished off the last of the watermelon, then stopped along the way home for ice cream and devonshire tea. Home route was more direct, on the highway. On the way home, we had four sleeping children (what a PERFECT end to the day!).
I didn't take my phone on the walk, hence no photos unfortunately, so thought I would remember it via this blog instead.
Sun setting now, boys playing cricket in the near dark! Better call them all in and start the crazy bath/book/bed process of four children.
Labels: bushwalking, Large Family
