Living, Loving & Learning in Perth

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We decided to try for a baby when Dan arrived in Australia, imagining it would take some months. It took no time at all, hardly allowing time for Dan to get established in her new life. An Aboriginal cultural tour at King’s Park with Cliff’s colleagues in June provided an opportunity to understand Aboriginal ways of life, connections to land and spiritual beliefs (thanks to Kaye for some of these photos). July saw a party at home with friends both to celebrate our birthdays and to welcome the marvellous Diana back from England. In August, we braved the ferry to stay a few days in a cottage on Rottnest Island. Despite the season, we had a really lovely break there, just don’t ask Dan about the trip over! The Quokka, which you can see easily on the island, is a small marsupial, a relative of the kangaroo, but much cuter.

A significant milestone for Cliff occurred in early September, when he was awarded a Masters in Criminal Justice with Distinction, by the University of Western Australia after some years of part-time effort. The graduation ceremony at Hackett Hall, had the all the pomp and circumstance the University could muster. Cliff felt pretty chuffed, as you do! We also made a pilgrimage to the annual King's Park Festival at the end of September at which many Western Australia wildflowers were on display. Quite a spectacle!

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