Wedding on the lake

Yesterday we celebrated the wedding of Zoe, Garry’s niece, and Ben. The happy couple tied the knot on the shores of Wallis Lake, about 14km south of Forster. The ceremony was held at the Green Cathedral, an outdoor amphitheatre set among trees and native palms overlooking the lake. The reception was held at Palms Pavilion, a dedicated events venue nearby.

The location was chosen in part because Nicole and Jason, Zoe’s parents, own a holiday house at Bluey’s Beach, a coastal resort town opposite Wallis Lake. The house is part of a holiday resort set among native trees, directly opposite the beach. Garry and I rented a house at the resort for three nights, as did many of the wedding guests.

The wedding was a joyful occasion. Ben and Zoe were blessed with relatively warm and sunny weather. The bush setting also sheltered us from any lake breeze. Earlier in the day, the weather forecast had predicted a light sprinkle as the ceremony was ending. However, in the end, we experienced the briefest of misty raindrops while waiting for the newlyweds to finish their photo session, more than an hour after the ceremony itself.

Guests were bused to and from the event. As a result, Garry and I were able to kick back and enjoy ourselves. The speeches were all hilarious, and my mother-in-law Rhonda’s memory was invoked more than once. I’m not too proud to admit that I cried when the bride walked down the aisle, and again when Rhonda’s name was mentioned at the reception.

Perhaps one of the most memorable personal touches at the reception was a photo montage that Zoe prepared. She framed images of family members and their partners on their wedding day, or their earliest photo as a couple, with a message reminding everyone that she and Ben were following in the footsteps of those who’d gone before. She’s lovingly included a photo of Garry and me. The newlyweds also wrote a personal note to every guest on the back of each table place card.

It’s crazy to think that I first met Zoe almost 23 years ago. She was a toddler sleeping in her cot. Now that little girl owns a house and has a husband. Likewise, we first met Ben when he joined the family for Christmas lunch at our house in 2018. That’s him with Zoe and Adam above.

Garry and I wish the happy couple a life together filled with love, laughter and joy.

Baby steps

Garry and I have booked two weeks in Bali for late October. We're calling this our first official retirement holiday (baby steps, as a friend described it). By the time we fly, we'll be weeks away from officially completing all our business sale obligations. We've taken advantage of a Qantas sale and a special all-inclusive promotion with the Sofitel Nusa Dua Beach Resort.

We'll spend 11 nights in a luxurious suite with direct pool access. Our booking includes all meals plus cocktails and canapés each night.  However, before we settle down by the pool, we're first heading for the islands of Flores for a three-day cruise around Komodo Island.  We've booked the best cabin on Andalucia 3, a brand new ironwood and teak Phinisi-style boat. Check out the video of our cabin that opens this post.

Our cruise includes a morning tour of Rinca Island where we'll see Komodo Dragons in the wild. We're also being promised a mind-blowing swim with Giant Manta Rays. I've also booked us a sunset dinner at Le Bajo Flores, a superb restaurant overlooking the pristine blue water in Labuan Bajo Flores.  Watch this space!

Gift fair swan song

This morning I flew home from a weekend in Melbourne. I’ve spent the last two days introducing Artiwood’s new owner to customers and industry colleagues attending the annual Reed Gift Fair.

It’s been a cathartic event. Everyone has been full of praise and expressing gratitude for the relationships we’ve built over the years. I’ve been hugged and slapped on the back more times than I care to recall. We’ve even been given a bottle of champagne from an industry colleague to toast the sale of our business.

It’s been somewhat humbling and reaffirming to have our efforts acknowledged in such glowing terms. Although I must admit I won’t miss the early-morning starts, the long hours on my feet and the exhausting displays of extroverted energy that epitomised our trade show appearances over the years. As an introvert, I’ve always found these events hard work in more ways than one.

I now have one final project to complete for the new owner before my transitional obligations are done. I’m currently in the midst of laying out Artiwood’s annual product catalogue for the last time. Once the book is completed, I’m officially off the hook.

Christmas in July (The Sequel)

Garry and I are currently enjoying a long weekend in Meerschaum Vale, a lush farm-filled valley near Ballina. We’re staying with our friends Liz and Adam on their lifestyle block for four days. The good weather we’ve been enjoying in Sydney recently has also followed us north. We’ve woken daily to blue skies and sunshine, with daytime temperatures hovering around 20C. This is unseasonably warm for this time of year.

Our weekend away has proven very timely. We’re now in the midst of transitioning our business and its systems to its new owner. Hence, distancing ourselves from life in Sydney is helping us physically and mentally reset for life after Artiwood. Liz and Adam have also organised plenty to keep us entertained.

We enjoyed lunch by the water in Ballina upon arrival on Saturday. Liz and Adam’s friends Tim and Kat then joined us for dinner that night as we celebrated Christmas in July. We finished our Yuletide festivities drinking Sheep Dog Peanut Butter whiskey around a bonfire. It was a wonderful way to finish a relaxing day.

Yesterday we drove to Federal, a small country village west of Byron Bay. We spent the afternoon enjoying lunch in the sun before turning our hand to creating mugs and bowls in a pottery workshop that Liz had organised. We’ll get the glazed and kiln-fired finished product back from the potter in a few weeks. 

Liz has offered to bring our creations with her when she’s next in town. Her next visit is currently scheduled for October. We’ve booked tickets to see My Fair Lady at the Opera House (along with a pre-theatre dinner at Aria). I could get used to this semi-retired lifestyle.

UPDATE: 29 July

We finished our time up north with dinner at Ché Bon, a popular French restaurant in Ballina, on Tuesday night. This morning we packed our bags and flew back to Sydney, where glorious blue skies greeted us once again.

Sold!

Garry and I have sold Artiwood. This momentous change comes less than a month after celebrating the eleventh anniversary of its acquisition in June 2015. The deal has been a while in the making. On Tuesday last week, we signed the sale contract after months of due diligence, negotiations, and transition planning. The news is already online, and the congratulatory messages are pouring in.

We’re now deep into ownership transition activities, transferring assets and bringing the new owner up to speed on the business and its day-to-day operation. We’ll then continue to be involved on a contract basis in the months ahead. However, we're still on the hook for our showroom office lease until it's eventually re-let by the landlord.  We're hoping to clear this final hurdle before Christmas.

As with all business negotiations, the last few months have had their highs and lows. It’s certainly been a stressful time as unforeseen hurdles and delays kept us on our toes. Now that the deal is done, it’s hard to believe that our decade-long career in the toy industry is drawing to a close. So many memories. So many milestones.  For example, the image above was taken shortly after we opened our showroom in 2020. I can't believe that was six years ago.

Looking ahead, I have no idea what comes next. As my sixty-first birthday approaches, I’m contemplating a transition to retirement. Although I'm not sure what that really means. For now, Garry and I are working through our short-term contractual commitments before embarking on life's next adventure. There’s talk of renovations, plenty of travel and spending more time with other recently retired friends.

UPDATE: 29 July

The new owner’s first payment landed in our bank account this evening. It’s the first of three transactions. The sale of our business finally feels real.

Yuletide dining

Garry and I hosted another successful Christmas in July last night. Including ourselves, we had seven in attendance. We lost three guests to ill health earlier in the week. Jon and Colm came down with the flu, and Jacqui found herself in hospital with an unusual atrial inflammation. However, the evening went off without a hitch, and we successfully maintained the high standard we'd set ourselves last year.

Garry spent the day cooking up a storm. His famous pavlova made an appearance. He also made some Christmas mince tarts. A turducken was roasted, along with a slab of pork and plenty of roasted vegetables. Garry’s homemade stuffing was a surprise hit (apparently pine nuts, mushrooms and bacon made all the difference).  Ian also brought over a platter of giant homemade lamingtons (delicious).

I spent the day ironing tablecloths, putting up Christmas decorations and dressing the dining table. I then prepared my signature cheese and charcuterie boards. This year I experimented with smoked wild salmon, capers and feta, in addition to the traditional classics. We also found cherries on sale in the supermarket on Friday.

After many bottles of wine, we finally said farewell to our guests shortly after midnight (and gave Mandy a foodie care package for Jacqui). Garry and I then spent half an hour organising the house and clearing as many dishes as possible. I’m glad we did. It was refreshing to wake to a relatively tidy home this morning, with just residual glassware and a few serving platters to wash.

Next weekend we’ll repeat the performance with friends up north. We’re flying to Ballina to spend four days with Liz and Adam Benson on their lifestyle block. Our hosts are putting on their own Christmas-in-July feast while we’re in town.

The bucket list

Having logged so many travel adventures over the years, I’m often asked, where to next? I’m quick to reassure people that there’s plenty left to explore. In fact, I have a five-page bucket list I’ve maintained for more than a decade, which I’m keen to complete. However, it's fair to say that Garry and I have already ticked off most of the world's easy-to-reach and cheap-to-explore destinations. As a result, completing our bucket list is an increasingly expensive proposition.

So what's on the list?  For example, it includes a tour through the “Five Stans” in Central Asia: Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan. I’m keen to see the flaming Darvaza Crater; Samarkand, Uzbekistan’s fabled turquoise city; and the marble city of Ashgabat. These days, several Middle Eastern airlines fly there, making this elusive region much easier to reach.

I’m also keen to see the Skeleton Coast of Namibia, explore the Okavango Delta and experience the Serengeti. I’d also like to see Zanzibar, visit the famous Masai-Maji tribes and encounter Gorillas in the mountains of Rwanda. I recently met a man from Ghana, who convinced me to add his home nation to my list. Equally, I’d love to visit Timbuktu. However, the rebels in Mali need to stop kidnapping tourists. 

Garry and I are both keen to visit the Galápagos Islands and see its marine iguanas. Then, while we’re in the region, explore a few Mayan ruins in Central America. Everyone says the birdlife in Costa Rica is unrivalled, so that’s also on the short list. 

A cruise down the Mekong, Vietnam and Angkor Wat top our list of must-see destinations in Asia. I’m still keen to visit North Korea and explore central China. You can only reach the hermit nation via flights from Beijing, so why not see the best of Zhangjiajie on the way? Garry and I have also talked about visiting the Philippines.

On a more conventional note, we’re both keen to explore more of France, including the Atlantic Coast and the Pyrenees, plus a few days in Andorra. Elsewhere in Europe, we’d like to visit Monte Carlo, see Albania and possibly explore the Italian Lake District. Luxembourg is also missing from our list of European countries we’ve visited.

Closer to home, Garry and I want to cross the Nullarbor, visit Southwest WA, the Kimberleys and swim with whale sharks at Ningaloo. Garry hasn’t seen Broken Hill, and we’re both like to tick Birdsville off our bucket list. I’m also keen to visit Cape York, which you can reach from Thursday Island, rather than driving 1000km overland from Cairns.

Finally, there are a few more exotic and remote locations on my shortlist. This includes the dramatic Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic (see the Google Street View screenshot above), St Helena, a remote island in the South Atlantic and even further south, the Falkland Islands. Garry and I have also talked about visiting Palau, Tuvalu and Kiribati to round out our Pacific Island adventures.

So next time you ask, “Where to next?”, I’ll refer you to this blog post. Let the fun begin.

Where to from here?

Garry and I will be on the road again later this month. I have three trips planned over five weeks. You could say that every time the diary empties, Garry and I find an excuse to fill it.

On 25 July we’re flying to Ballina to spend four nights staying with Liz and Adam Benson on their hobby farm near Alstonville. When we last caught up with them in Sydney, we decided it would be fun to celebrate Christmas in July together. This will be our second such event this month as Garry has already scheduled a Christmas in July event at our place in two weeks time.

I then fly to Melbourne in early August for an annual industry tradeshow we’ve been attending for more than a decade. I hope to find time to catch up with my niece and her boyfriend, and touch base with a few Melbourne colleagues.

My travel schedule is then rounded out by a long weekend in New Zealand at the end of August. This will be my annual pilgrimage to visit family in the Bay of Plenty. For most of my life, my parents were the primary catalyst for booking a flight to New Zealand. Now they’re gone, I need to make more of an effort to stay connected.

This trans-Tasman trip is one of many subtle and not-so-subtle lifestyle changes unfolding these days. All around me, friends and family are becoming empty-nesters, transitioning into retirement and reinventing the purpose and meaning in their lives. If I’m honest, this change has crept up on me. It’s akin to that classic trope of boiling a frog. Over time, small changes accumulate until one day you wake up and realise the world you once knew has gone.

For more than three decades, my life has been fairly predictable, at least in terms of building a career, saving for retirement and striving for traditional milestones such as debt-free home-ownership. Now, as I approach the final decades of my life, and these milestones are achieved, my priorities are shifting. My life’s purpose is quietly changing, and I’ve yet to work out what it all means for me. It’ll be interesting to see how my blog posts evolve as this journey unfolds.

Last century in Seattle

I made my first visit to Seattle in 1999. I stayed with Michael, a friend originally from Sydney, and his partner, Anthony. Michael had recently relocated to take on a bigger role with Microsoft at its headquarters in Seattle. I flew into San Francisco early on the morning of Friday, 9 April, cleared immigration and transferred onto a shuttle flight heading north.

I spent a week with the boys. They were gracious hosts, arranging regular excursions to experience all Seattle’s popular attractions. Anthony wasn’t working at the time, so he was a chauffeur and tour guide whenever Michael was at work. However, Michael took me onto the Microsoft campus one day to give me a taste of Silicon Valley life, including a well-appointed staff cafeteria filled with snacks.

As a seasoned technology public relations consultant and former industry analyst, I certainly wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to visit the headquarters of one of the world’s most formidable tech giants. Michael took me through the Microsoft museum on campus. This was rather special as the building wasn’t open to the public. You needed a security pass to access it.

I vividly remember seeing a Radio Shack TRS-80 personal computer on display. Launched in 1977, it was one of the earliest mass-produced, mass-marketed retail home computers. It was also the same device on which I’d learned to code in BASIC in 1984. At the time, I was an exchange student studying at Syracuse, in upstate New York. My high school had a computer lab set up with dozens of these pioneering desktop computers.

I signed up for a Computer Studies elective and spent a semester creating some nifty applications. This included programming a multiple-choice quiz about my home nation, New Zealand, and its culture. The program also featured a map of New Zealand built using highlighted pixel blocks. According to Wikipedia, the TRS-80 was the bestselling PC line until 1982, outselling the Apple II by a factor of five. It’s hard to believe this simple machine was once leading-edge technology.

Anthony also helped me get my geek on. We took a day trip up to the Boeing factory in Everett, a satellite city 40km north of Seattle. We booked ourselves onto a factory tour that took us through this massive complex. The factory is the world’s largest building by volume, covering 98 acres. Its ceiling stands 32 metres above the floor, with six hangar doors, each more than 100 metres wide. It contains six separate production lines with commercial aircraft standing nose-to-tail in various stages of assembly. You know a building is huge when it’s housing rows of Jumbo Jets but doesn’t feel claustrophobic.

Anthony and I somehow missed the start of the tour. We’d been exploring the Boeing Museum attached to the visitor’s centre and missed the guide calling everyone onto the tour bus. However, a staff member took pity on us and drove us by golf cart to catch up with the group. The fastest way there was across the factory floor.  As a result, we got an unscheduled, close-up, ground-floor view of the assembly line in action. 

For someone who decorated their childhood bedroom with images of commercial airliners, our impromptu drive was a dream come true. At one point, we passed under the wings of a Jumbo, with its engine cowlings splayed to reveal the mind-numbing engineering wizardry inside. It was a Disneyland ride for geeks. We eventually caught up with the rest of the tour on a mezzanine overlooking the factory. However, unlike Anthony and me, the group hadn't been anywhere near the giant aircraft we'd just encountered. 

On Monday, 12 April, Michael and Anthony bought tickets to see the Seattle Thunderbirds, a local team in the junior ice hockey league. The game was played at KeyArena, but to my surprise, it wasn't well attended. Most of the stadium was empty. At best, the attendance was barely 4,000.  No doubt a mid-afternoon start inevitably kept some people away.

The game lived up to Ice Hockey's often thuggish reputation. We witnessed some brutal clashes on the ice, including opposing players being slammed against glass panels surrounding the rink. The Thunderbirds ultimately lost 4-0 to the TriCity Americans, another Washington State team. I still have the souvenir hockey puck I bought after the game.

Fun fact time. The stadium sits in the original 1962 World's Fair grounds, home to the city’s iconic Space Needle. The needle made for a memorable sight as we walked from the car park to the stadium. I can’t recall if we ever ventured up the tower during my time in Seattle.

One afternoon, Anthony took me for a drive into the mountains east of Seattle. We drove an hour or so to Snoqualmie Pass, where winter snow was still deep on the ground. I vividly recall side roads at the ski resorts slicing through surprisingly deep snowbanks. In places, the icy snow walls were three or four metres high. It was more like driving through a tar-sealed canyon of sheer white cliffs. The photo I took of the main highway, above, while less dramatic than the narrow side roads, tells the story.

On another occasion, Anthony took it upon himself to anoint me as his personal shopper. We hit the stores one day and shopped for a whole new wardrobe for me. I eventually came home with a second suitcase filled to the brim. Michael wasn’t impressed; He later commented that his partner sometimes enjoyed spending other people’s money a little too much to his liking.

I also made an impromptu visit to McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, approximately an hour south of Seattle.  I met an armed serviceman from the Deep South at a nightclub.  He invited me back to visit the base. This was years before 9/11. As we approached the base's entrance, the security guards on duty waved us through after a cursory check of my companion's military ID. I wasn't asked for any ID at all. How times have changed! 

The following morning, I recall watching Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo transport aircraft taking off as we drove out. The image above, pulled from the web, shows these massive planes coming in to land at McChord Air Force Base.  At the time, the base was actively supporting NATO peacekeeping efforts in the Balkan states following the Bosnian War.

Towards the end of the week, Michael took me on a road trip to see some of Seattle’s geographic landmarks, including Lake Washington, Lake Union and the Shipping Canal whose locks link the city’s lakes to Puget Sound. The locks also feature a nifty fish ladder that helps spawning salmon make their way upstream. 

At one point, we stopped for coffee at Pike Place Market, the city’s bustling produce and craft market on a hillside overlooking Puget Sound. Although, if truth be told, our itinerary with plenty of outdoor venues was partially an excuse to take Bondi, Michael’s large Malamute dog, for his daily walk.

After an eventful week in Seattle, I packed my bags and flew back to San Francisco for my first-ever visit to the picturesque Bay Area. I share more about this experience in another retrospective post. Garry and I returned to Seattle for my second and last visit in 2012.