Weddings and visitors

A very busy time of it since the last posting!!!

After much anticipation the wedding occurred and we now have three sons and a daughter (in-law) – a very nice feeling.

The wedding was delightful and very meaningful with around 40 guests, the majority of whom hold Australian passports. All of this in the beautiful northern English “Lakes District” with reasonably balmy weather and with a whole bunch of very happy guests. The bride and groom certainly made sure that the visitors were able to share their joy.

It was also something to get the five (and later six) Douglases together all at once. The new Mr and Mrs Douglas are beaming – as the photos show.

We also shared a little of the honeymoon by staying over for a while in the yurts at Rydal Hall. And while there, Cathy received surprise visitors from fellow teacher, Trish and family who travelled up from London to rendezvous. A really delightful surprise and an opportunity to get an update on the news from home in return for that from Rome.
Back in Rome, we were visited by first Tristan and then James with a brief overlap that proved that our apartment is not the biggest in Rome. We survived but there was a modicum of “dodging” to avoid serious injury. Three we can easily handle but four “large ones” does rather stretch the boundaries.


With two sons to entertain and introduce to the Rome that we have come to know and love, each with only a few disposable days, we relied heavily on the “standard tour”. Villa Borghese, the central city monuments (Navona, Trevi, Pantheon), St Peter’s and the forum/colosseum.

On the night before departing for England and the wedding we went to a performance of “The History of Rome Part I” performed by the local “Miracle Players” with the forum as a backdrop. This wonderfully witty and highly educational production was good enough to see a second time, so we took James (it plays every Friday night for most of the summer). Our “post theatre” dinners were conducted on the Tiber Island (Isolde Tiberina) in one of the temporary ristorantes that sets up for summer.

The Tiber comes alive at night with loads of bars, stalls and eating places stretched out along kilometres of the banks. The nearby Trastevere also bops late at night with all sorts of entertaining possibilities.


We have all been to the forum now. Large, mostly unrestored but fascinating, perhaps the highlights are Augustus’s house with intact frescos and the site of Julius Caesar’s cremation and associated speech by Mark Antony.

Both boys left independently, each on the sort of cheap fare arrangement that takes the “long route” home – both via Helsinki. They made it safe and sound and settle down to the good life in Brisbane. Lach and Emily hope to visit in August, so we cannot wait for that. And today we were thrilled to receive Julie and Clare from Melbourne – each so petite that the apartment will continue to seem big even with them here. So, it is great to receive visits. As for the rest of you – “Where the hell are you!!!!”.


We have travelled half way around the world to chase animal diseases and I find that most of the fun is in Brisbane with not one but two Hendra virus outbreaks in the State. My last news was that two people were also sick as a result – not good news but we trust they will bounce back quickly.



It is now high summer here and although some days and nights are hot and a little sticky, for Brisbanites this is just fine. The summer will be short and I would reckon, it will be particularly “sweet”.