Sunday 17 January – Pool hangs

Current location: Lara, Victoria

11.11am, At Louise's (Andy's cousin) house, having brunch with all the family. It was such a hot, sunny day, somewhere in the 30s, so as some of the family headed to the coast for a few days, we hung out at Louise's, where there's a pool, and had a swim and a very relaxed day, until it was time to get our flight back to Sydney. 

The evening brought park hangs and lots of laughs with Andy, and a beautiful sunset!

Saturday 16 January – Melbourne mates

Current location: Geelong, Victoria

11.11am, Still asleep! When Andy and I finally got up, we had a chilled/late breakfast with his cousin Marie (whose house we're staying in) and her family, and then hopped on the train to Melbourne, to see our friends Josh and Em. My friend Emily, who moved down from Sydney just before Christmas, came along too, so we had an ace afternoon in Em's back garden, catching up, eating quesadillas and having a few drinks. 

Friday 15 January – To Geelong!

Current location: Geelong, Victoria

11.11pm, At a party! It's Andy's cousin Terry's birthday party tonight, and a whole crew of family have travelled to Geelong for it. He and his family have had a tough few years so it's lovely to be able to celebrate the good bits with him. After a few weeks of not drinking, Andy and I certainly made up for it tonight, starting with a wine in the airport, and ending with me getting extremely drunk... But still having an ace time! I had so much fun, meeting Terry's friends, catching up with Andy's family, dancing. It had all the ingredients of a wonderful party (and a hangover).  

Tuesday 12 January - Denied

Current location: Eveleigh, Sydney

11.11am, Making plans with Tracy and Maddie for tonight. We went to watch Sisters at the cinema... At least, that was the plan, but we were foiled when it was sold out. So went to Broadway to watch it in the cinema there... and it was sold out. So we gave up and went to the pub, where I drank my way through a myriad of weird drinks (orange juice, mocha, soda water) thanks to Dry January, when all I wanted was a wine!

Sunday 10 January – Beached as

Current location: Parsley Bay, Sydney

11.11am, At the beach! This morning has been ace – I had a croque monsieur from Bitton (my fave), then went to the beach with my friends Yee and Teebow (actually called Allison and Alissa), where it was sunny and gorgeous and hot. When it got a bit too hot, we went home to do some shopping and cool down a bit, then Teebow and I went to the park for a picnic with our friends. Super Sunday!

Saturday 9 January – Swim sistas

Current location: Sydney

11.11am, Driving home from the beach. This morning, Sha, Bree and I got up early and went for a run on the Eastern Beaches, then had a swim to cool off. What a fab way to start the weekend!

Friday 8 January – See ya Brendo

Current location: Eveleigh, Sydney

11.11am, At work, trying to organise our Oztag team for tonight. I was filling in for Panthers too, our friends' team, and it was one of the players, Brendan Cowell's, last game, as he's about to move to London. We tried our best to get the win for him, but went down 10-8... Sorry Brendo! Fun game with lots of laughs though, and that's what counts!

Thursday 7 January – To Broadway!

Current location: Erskineville, Sydney

11.11pm, At home, asleep, tired and full and poor. I got home from work today, to realise I'd locked my keys in the house. Sadly, Andy was working late, so I decided to walk to Broadway, a big shopping centre about 40 minutes away, and while away the hours there. Which resulted in my shopping, eating, then walking home again at about 10pm. It was actually surprisingly fun – I might forget my keys more often!

Tuesday 5 January - Una's date night

Current location: Erskineville, Sydney

11.11am, At home, having been out for dinner. We went to Una's, which is usually more of a brekkie spot for us (world's best rostis), but we decided to have a date night and hang out a bit before everything starts up and gets crazy again (namely work and sport) and we don't see much of each other. 

Saturday 2 January – Starting the year chilled

Current location: Ettalong Beach, Central Coast

11.11am, Sitting on the verandah, drinking coffee and reading my book. This morning comprised of a lot of that, and not a lot else. In the afternoon, we went down to Pretty Beach (I think...can't remember which beach precisely) to see about camping there for the night, but it was all booked up. So Andy and I just had a chilled evening picnic on the beach, then headed back to Ettalong to curl up and do more of not much at all. 

Friday 1 January – New year, old beach

Current location: Erskineville, Sydney

11.11am, At home. We were trying to pull ourselves together to leave the house, then we went back over to Nick and Bree's, and the four of us went for a swim at Parsley Bay (fast becoming one of my favourites). In the afternoon, Andy and I decided to head up the coast to see his parents and have a couple of days of chilling up there....

Thursday 31 December – We're going to the zoo... (and a party)

Current location: Taronga, Sydney

11.11am, At the zoo! I've never been to the zoo in Sydney before, and it's meant to be amazing, so when our friends asked Andy and I if we wanted to go today, we jumped at the chance! We both had today off work and were up mega early (thanks jetlag!) so we joined them as soon as the zoo opened and had a mosey around looking at the animals. I loved hearing all about the elephants, and seeing the gorgeous giraffes, and going on the ace cable car that takes you over the whole zoo. It's a really impressive place, and I'm super glad we got to visit. 

In the afternoon we went back home and had a little nap to gear up for New Year's Eve. We went to Nick and Bree's, who were having a little gathering at their house, and had the best night. Bree cooked up some amazing treats, the champers was flowing, we danced, we played ping-pong, and whiskey pong, we played games, we danced more, we drank more, we ate more, then at about 3am we rode home (three of us on two bikes), which took ages but made us laugh a lot. Happy New Year!

Tuesday 29 December – Back at it

Current location: Eveleigh, Sydney

11.11am, At work. Straight back into it, almost like I'd never been away. But at least I have this EXCELLENT mug from my sister to make me smile every day with my morning cuppa!

Sunday 27 December – See ya soon, big sis

Current location: In the air

11.11am and pm, In the air. Flying back to Australia. I wrote a note of what I did today, so I could remember when it came to writing this blog entry. It says:

Kate came with me to Heathrow. I love her. Feeling sad but happy. What a trip!

I think that sums today up...

Saturday 26 December – Leaving Cornwall

Current location: Cornwall
11.11am,  In the car, driving back to London. I was in the car with Kate, Jim, Ella and Jake – and Ella and Jake were obligingly telling me jokes to try and stop me crying! I was being a bit of an emotional wreck after saying goodbye to everyone. I've just had the most wonderful trip; it's been so family focused, and I just feel so lucky to have them as my family. To have three sisters, who I adore and love and am so close to, and parents who do and have done everything for me, and love me unconditionally, and who support us all in our varying lives... It's everything!

Friday 25 December – Merry Cornish Family Christmas!

Current location: Penzance, Cornwall

11.11am, CHRISTMAS! Being Christmassy, doing Christmassy things. Actually, I think at 11.11am, Dad and I were doing something unChristmassy – swimming in the sea! It's become a bit of a tradition for us when we spend Christmas together in Cornwall, to go down to Sennen (my favourite beach in the world) and do the Christmas Day Swim with about 300 other people. I love it!

After the swim, we stayed around for a cup of tea and a mince pie by the fire, before going back home and beginning the Christmas celebrations with all the family! 

The Pyrahs and the Reeses Pieces came over (the Harrisons and Higgins were already there, and we'd had a lovely couple of hours together opening pressies and playing, before Dad and I came to the beach) and the day of presents, food and fun began. Soooo many presents, and sooooo much food – and soooo much fun! We just had the best time scamping around and making lots of noise and mess, and just loving being a family together at Christmas. It's the first time in 10 years that all of us daughters have spent Christmas together. Last time we did, there were no kids (well, we were the kids) – this year, there were seven little ones!

When all the children had gone home/to bed, and all the adults were zonked, we ate cheese for dinner and drank wine and chatted with Mum and Dad. Good chats, good times. Great times! I wonder when we'll all have Christmas together again? Soon I hope!