Whirly-wind

PHEW.

So much has happened the last few days and I have been trying to think of one thing to focus this post on, but instead I will give a quick recap and then introduce you to our new digs!

Country Music Festival basically goes 24/7 with stages set up in every square inch of town.  Everywhere you go, there is an opportunity to hear live tunes.  On Saturday the 25th there was a cavalcade (Australian for parade) through main street with every performer featured.  Everyone was super friendly, full of smiles and waves.  It was great for me, as I really was not familiar with any of the performers so it was nice to put a face with the name of the band.
Here are a few shots of the festivities:

"The Chicken Man" Apparently he comes every year.  He is also a busker!

And the Chicken Man even gets to be in the parade!!

Chad Morgan signing autographs.  He was awesome

After that, we went out to my sister-in-laws for a swim in their pool, margaritas, and an amazing birthday dinner.

Love this woman.  Super Nan. Waverly and Farrer's great grandmother.  Waverly calls her Super Man :)

Cousins in the sprinklers 

We tramped through Ian and Tash's property at Sunset...prolly after one too many margaritas!!

Wavey git yer gun

Our biggest event the last few days has been the new house!  My brother and sister in law purchased a house to use as a rental and we are lucky enough to be their first tenants.  The place is a bit of a fixer so we have been pouring every free ounce of time and energy into a mini-facelift.

Here are the befores:

I will take any and all suggestions for what to do with this bathroom

Dining Room

Dining room looking back to lounge room

Lounge room.  We took a sledge hammer to this built in

Hallway to the bedrooms

Farrer's room

Waverly's room

So basically we have been painting every square inch of the place and if I never see another paintbrush or roller it will be too soon.  I am looking forward to showing you the "afters" though...coming soon!!

XOXO

Kelly

Buskerville

Busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities. In many countries the rewards are generally in the form of money but other gratuities such as food, drink or gifts may be given. 

The Tamworth Country Music festival is in full swing here.  The event that basically puts Tamworth on the map, festivities last from the 17th to the 26th of January drawing epic crowds that easily double the population of the small town.   

"It is the largest music festival in the southern hemisphere and one of the top 10 in the world.The variety of country music is endless during the festival with over 800 performers and 4,000 shows across 120 different venues. There are over 600 buskers in Peel Street alone, providing a diverse range of entertainment each day – it’s no wonder we attract over 55,000 visitors" www.tcmf.com.au

The festival was the main reason we chose to come when we did.  Lord knows I would not have picked the dead of summer to "ease" my way into relocating from San Diego.  We thought it would be the perfect way to experience Tamworth in all its glory.

One of the most anticipated aspects of the Festival each year  is the Busking Competetion that draws up to 600 buskers who perform on Tamworth’s “Boulevard of Dreams” in Peel Street.  Some of the buskers are here in the hope that they’ll be spotted for their talent and follow in the footsteps of some of country’s biggest stars. Troy Cassar-Daley, Kasey Chambers, Beccy Cole, and of course Keith Urban all started by busking on Peel Street. 

Now. What most of you fine readers do not realize is that Peel Street is quite small, boasting boutique mom and pop stores with charming, quintessential "small town" facades.  600 buskers descending basically equals 1 busker every 10 or 15 feet.  Most of them are out with their instruments, their amps, and their gusto. Instrument cases lie in front of them, their velvet mouths agape to the crowds hoping to replace the rumbling in their proverbial tummies with the clinking of gold or silver coins.  It is absolute cacophony as you stroll the avenue between buskers as all the notes submerge you under the flood of their collective tunes.  The moment of bliss exists in the fold where you get far enough away from the previous performer, yet close enough the the next to where you finally enter only their little "busker bubble", where for just a moment, only they and you exist. 

We will be visiting the festival more in the next few days; more to come...

Well, we made it!

Finally, after 23 hours and 59 minutes of traveling with our one and three year olds...a 2 hr car ride, 15 hr plane ride, 3 hour customs debacle, 8 minute bus ride, 1 hour flight...and lots and lots of waiting in between, we were greeted by 16 loving, open arms as we arrived in Tamworth.  

The trip itself may require a bit of therapy to get over; I don't think I am ready, or maybe will never be ready to talk about it in detail.  I think the best way is to just throw out some words that kind of sum it all up:

anticipation.
bulk. (4 50 pound bags, 3 70 pound bags, 1 set of golf clubs, 2 car seats, one stroller, two backpacks, one diaper bag, a nikon camera bag, a purse. oh yeah and two kids)
tears. (goodbyes are hard)
dramamine. (apparently we got the placebo)
tears. (tired)
snot.
vomit.
benodiazepines. (for the parents)
tears. (frustrated)
blood. (mine)
urine soaked pajamas. (not mine.)
borrowed children's benadryl. (offered to us with a pleading look in her eye)
excitement.
long lines.
tandem tantrums. (a bad enough scene in the Sydney airport as we the two of us collected aforementioned bulk as tandem tantrums erupt, that we acquire an escort, and guy directing traffic for us,  and special back door circumventing the final leg of customs.  Australians are SO kind.)
police dog. (Beagle)
HUMIDITY.
sweat.
blood shot eyes.
tears. (relieved)
tears. (happy)
smiles.
smiles.
smiles.
relief.

After settling in with the family, we eventually ventured outside, where the kids ran naked through the sprinklers, and the adults enjoyed a much needed and hard earned cocktail.  Overhead, a king parrot and flock of lorakeets swirled and sang.  Anthony and I looked at each other and silently agreed that despite the nightmare of a trip, we did the right thing.  

Tamworth on descent

finally asleep

All the cousins together for the first time! Played like they'd known each other for years :)