Rainforest Retreat Treat!

OK ... here's a "Long Post To Follow" warning (sorry Chookyblue!) so you'd better grab a cuppa ... and why not a biccie too ... and sit back for a bit of a read while I tell you what we got up to for the weekend ...

When my Beloved Geek Boy's 40th birthday first made noises about approaching, I tried to get party ideas from him - did he want a BBQ, did he want to hit a local restaurant, did he want a pirate theme where we could play "Pin The Patch On The Pirate" ... (strangely, this did NOT appeal to him!?! And you think you know a person! Tee! Hee! Hee!) After about four months of suggestions and rejections, or just lack of enthusiasm, in exasperation I asked, "Do you just want me to organise a nice weekend away somewhere quiet?" His little face lit up, his gorgeous blue eyes sparkled and I got a resounding, "Oh yeah, that sounds good." After picking myself up from the floor where I'd been knocked by this great wave of enthusiasm ... I booked a cabin at the Ravensbourne Forest Chalets, a wonderful spot we've enjoyed for a night previously, that is about three quarters of an hour's drive from Toowoomba. That's where we headed on Friday.

I picked GB up from work and after a particularly ugly day on the work front, he showed quite a bit more enthusiasm about escaping for the weekend. After our uneventful drive, we arrived, signed in, grabbed a key and headed down the little dirt track until we came to a sign ...


... where we turned left to head for "Fern Gully". Suddenly I had a mental picture of spending a weekend with forest fairies and a wise-cracking bat! (You have to have seen the movie of the same name to know what I mean!!) A bit further down the track and we arrived at ...


... our weekend retreat from the real world. Ahhhh ... how's that serenity!! :0) (sorry ... it had to be said!! Tee! Hee! Hee!) We walked inside to find soft lighting, quiet swing music playing, flowers and chocolates on the table, a breakfast hamper in the fridge and somewhere to lay our weary heads ...


Doesn't this look inviting! And what's that I spy on the bed ...


Well, what do you know ... a little furry friend to greet us! Now, surrounded by such romantic ambiance, what do you suppose was the first thing my Beloved GB did?


Feet up and into the Cheesles! He's a romantic fool, my boy! Tee! Hee! Hee!

The next morning, we were woken (a little earlier than we may have chosen!) by the soothing sound of birdsong, including my favourite whipbirds, bellbirds and magpies. This drew us out the sliding door to our little balcony where we discovered this view ...


Isn't is GORGEOUS!! See those lovely big treeferns? That's what gave this chalet it's name. And I don't know if you can see it, those treeferns are in a lovely, clear running creek that added the perfect background to the bird calls. Ah ... we could feel ourselves unwinding already!


Here's GB drinking in the peace and tranquility ... or he may have dozed off again, it was hard to tell! :0)

After breakfast (bacon and eggs a la GB!!) my Beloved settled down to watch a DVD or two, while I opted to head for the balcony to enjoy the trickling stream and the enthusiastic bird life ... along with a bit of quality stitching time!!


Hmmm ... not my best look! I seem to have more chins than a Hong Kong phone book!! Oh dear! Thankfully, the view was better to look at and I spent several blissful hours stitching.

After lunch, I also decided to get in some reading time,


The latest "Homespun" mag ... oh, and a cup of tea, of course! :0) Meanwhile, GB decided it was time for ...


A "Nanny Nap"!! Awwwww ... isn't it CUTE!! Don't know how he manages to sleep in such peculiar positions and not end up with a crick in his neck!!

After dinner, GB once again headed for the DVD player (I think it had something to do with enjoying the warmth of the wood heater, too!!) while I decided to indulge myself a little ...


Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!!! A glass of ... grape juice (Really!! I love grape juice, but don't like red wine ... and it looks so good in the pretty glass!!) ... some soothing lavender oil in the burner ... and a good book (if you like a good fantasy fiction adventure, you HAVE to take a peek at Jennifer Fallon's work!!) ... all ready to be enjoyed with a warm soak in the spa!! BLISS!! What a way to spend the evening ... even if I DID resemble a giant prune by the time I crawled out! Tee! Hee! Hee!

The next day began as the first morning, with birds singing their little hearts out (must have a word to the birds about sleeping in next time!!) and when I headed for the balcony for some more stitching therapy, GB decided to read a book beside me, but got a little side-tracked by the scenery and did a bit of space-walking ...


Looks comfy and relaxed, doesn't he?! Which was great to see, actually, since that was the whole idea of whisking him off to the rainforest. Well ... that and a little bit of nooky, but I didn't take photos of THAT! Tee! Hee! Hee! And at just about the time we needed to start packing up to come home to the 'real world', I finished the stitching I'd been working on ...


It's a Bronwyn Hayes design ... of course!! :0) and a start on a project for my loooooong list of things to make for Christmas ... well, that's the plan, anyways!
:0) And do you see my GORGEOUS project pouch sent to me by the lovely Joy?? Another Bronwyn design, cos it's an addiction that Joy and I share!

All in all, we had the BEST weekend - so relaxing and peaceful! If you're ever looking for a place to relax and unwind I would DEFINITELY highly recommend a stay at Ravensbourne Forest Chalets!

Oh! And speaking of Christmas ... which I kind of did when mentioning my stitchery ... I've signed up for Chookyblue's Secret Santa Christmas Swap for 2009!!


When the One Project A Month Challenge became so much bigger than May Britt or I expected (and remembering how frantic I managed to make myself last year trying to meet deadlines!!!) I decided I wouldn't join any swaps this year ... EXCEPT the SSCS, of course! Tee! Hee! Hee! Last year's SSCS was the first ever blogging swap I joined up for and it was so wonderfully run by Miss Chookyblue, that I just had to join the fun again this year - it sure makes swaps more enjoyable when the Swap Mama is so organised and dedicated!! Now, like Santa, I'm making a list and checking it twice ... to come up with some great ideas for gifties to make. Can't wait to find out who my partner is!!

And now ... I'm off to make myself a cuppa and read over my script before out "Murder At The Music Hall" rehearsal tonight. It's been a while since I've tried to memorise and I think that, like my computer, I could do with an added memory stick! Tee! Hee! Hee! Hope you all had a relaxing weekend too and that your week is full of adventures!! Til next time - Bear Hugs!

CHEERS!
KRIS