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3 Things I Learned on the Weekend

April 17, 2023 By Janetti Spaghetti

It’s a short and sweet blog post today, as we travelled to Rockhampton on the weekend.

Apple Tree Creek breakfast
We stopped for a picnic breakfast at Apple Tree Creek, just past Childers, on the way north.
rockhampton is the beef capital of australia
Rockhampton is known as the beef capital of Australia

For those not in the know, Rocky is more than 7 hours’ drive north of Brisbane – yet we still managed to pack a lot into just two days, including a lovely walk around the Botanical Gardens and a visit to the Rockhampton Zoo (which is free!).

Japanese gardens Rockhampton
Japanese garden in Rockhampton Botanical Gardens
341491783_620414999934288_191545360731145791_n
We saw plenty of ducks and water fowl as we walked along the shore of the lagoon
Rockhampton lagoon at sunset
Lagoon at sunset

We made the trip specially to catch up with the husbear’s aunt, a (retired) nun with the Sisters of Mercy. Although she is still going strong, she is well into her 80’s and no longer able to travel and missed my mother-in-law’s funeral last July.

Selfie in Rockhampton Botanic Gardens
Selfie time!
Cheeky husbear
This is what happens when I try to take photos of my very cheeky husbear

Here are three things I learned on the weekend:

1. Meerkats are smaller than what I expected. The star attraction at the Zoo was the new meerkat exhibit (though we also saw kangaroos and a koala, dingoes, crocs, monkeys, chimps and emus. No sign of the wombats however – they must have been snoozing in their log!). Meerkats aren’t much bigger than a squirrel or rat – definitely more petite than my dainty feline, Miss Fleur!

Meerkat guard at Rockhampton zoo
This meerkat was on sentry duty!
a very smiley koala at Rockhampton Zoo
Is it just me, or does Shaun the koala look very smiley in this pic?!
monkey and baby
Just monkeying around …

2. Mass has changed. We only go to church for weddings and funerals these days and the parts that are recited by the congregation have changed. We both used to be able to say the Apostles’ Creed and various prayers word for word, but now it’s more like “mumble mumble mumble” LOL.

Rockhampton Cathedral
Outside St Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral, Rockhampton. I’m wearing a jumper because it’s only 7am – though it got up to 32 degrees later in the day!

3. My mother-in-law’s Christian name was actually Midia. That was a shock for both of us! She was known as Enid, which we always thought was short for Enidia. However we’d taken some old cards and letters to share with Aunty, and discovered that they were addressed to “Midia” – and aunty confirmed this was my mum-in-law’s given name. She was the youngest child of Italian immigrants and we think her name was “anglicised” when she went to school; Mum once told Aunty that she had no idea how they’d arrived at “Enid” from “Midia”!

feed time for the kangaroos
Lots of kangaroos to pat, though I didn’t spot any joeys
monkey has the Monday blues
This monkey looks like how I feel on a Monday morning, LOL!
meerkat
And one more picture of the meekat because s/he’s just so cute!

What’s the furthest you’ve ever travelled (by car) for a weekend getaway?! Or is it just us mad Aussies that drive crazy distances?!

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Filed Under: Animals, Leisure and Holidays, My Family

About Janetti Spaghetti

My real name is Janet Camilleri, and I love to write. Janetti Spaghetti is my third or maybe fourth blog ... but who's counting?

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WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF JANETTI SPAGHETTI!

flourishing is my word for the year Perhaps we've already met - after all, I've been blogging for over ten years now. You may remember me from such blogs as Middle Aged Mama, Redland City Living or Footprints. I must be the master (mistress) of re-invention because here I am again! Here at Janetti Spaghetti, I'm blogging purely for the love of it - and I hope you enjoy reading, as much as I enjoy the writing. So grab a cuppa, get comfy, and come join me on the journey. Who knows where we will end up?!

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