Dragons Abreast Dragon Boat Races

Today the boys and I caught the train into the city and walked down to Darling Harbour to watch the Dragon boat races.  Each dragon boat is made up of breast cancer survivors or people who have been touched by breast cancer.  For more information go to Dragons Abreast Festival.

My sister Gabby and her husband Neil were paddling in the races today, in support of Neil's mum who has survived breast cancer and their team the NAPT Dragons from Wagga Wagga.  The races can get a little serious, but it's more about participation, fundraising and raising awareness for breast cancer.

There were lots of colourful costumes, outfits and many different teams competing from right across New South Wales and Australia.

Gabby and her spirit fingers

There were a few distractions in between dragon boat races.  An amazing park to play on. . .

. . . a few dragons, acrobats and drummers, really loud drummers. . .

. . . a walk around Darling Harbour and watched lots of little jellyfish.

We even managed to find some puppies to play with . . .

. . . but mostly we were there to watch the dragon boat races and to support those participating.

The NAPT Dragons from Wagga Wagga, Lee (Neil's mum is 1st on the left, Gabby 3rd and Neil 6th on the left)

The Flowers on the Water ceremony is a special tribute and a moment to reflect about those who have survived breast cancer and especially for those who did not.  The dragon boats are joined together in a row and petals are thrown into the air and onto the water after a moments silence and is a reminder of the battles with cancer that many women face every day.

Please remember to do your monthly breast check, it could save your life.  

If caught early you have a much higher chance of being able to fight and win the battle with cancer.

oOo

A misty, wet morning...

. . . and I can't resist getting out the camera, there are so many droplets of rain to capture.

Bits and Pieces

It's only been two weeks. . . . or is that three now. . . since the holidays finished??  I just don't know I'm losing track of time.  I feel a little lost about blog posting at the moment.  Lots of things going on, so much to blog about but I just don't have that. . . . blogging feeling!!  I've been taking photo's, going for lots of walks, have lots of fun things to share about the holidays and the first week back at school but just don't have that oomph needed to write about it all.

My sister Gabby and her husband Neil, from Cycles of Nature, are staying with us at the moment after their long cycling journey.  We spent some time with them up in Queensland, so you can see on their blog a bit about our holidays as I'm too slack to blog about it.  We've been doing lots of cooking and eating of feasts every night, it's a good thing I'm going walking nearly every day.  It's lovely to have them here to spend a little time with.

Donald is away working with his dad up near Goondiwindi on the NSW side of the border.  He rode his motorbike up there on Friday and arrived in the afternoon with a very sore bum.

I can't believe we're heading into the last few months of the year.  Sam will be graduating from Primary School at the end of this year, in less than two months now, and in one month will be turning 12.  It was only yesterday that he was starting in Kindy.

And now he's driving Grandad Wayne's old ute around the paddock in Laidley and appearing in a TV game show (unfortunately I can't tell you much about that as it hasn't aired yet).  What a gorgeous boy he is and has always been.

 

A little crazy at times with the onset of hormones but he has such a wonderful heart and spirit of fun and love.  Hopefully high school won't be too traumatic for him.

If I can get my act together and get some photo's organised I might just be able to do a blog post or two about our holidays.  We made it over to Stradbroke Island, had a few nerf wars, ate lots of strawberries, had lots of family get-togethers as well as visited Laidley for more nerf wars. 

Off to the Strawberry Farm

The Drive. . .

. . . was cold, wet and windy with a splash of sunshine for good measure!