A day in the life of Sam

Sam has found some good friends here and yesterday morning got up at 7:30 (yes, 7:30) to go out body boarding with his friend Ethan who lives across the road. The beach here is so close and Corindi is so safe that they can walk down by themselves and spend a good hour in the water without us having to worry (the biggest hazard is the brown snakes which live in the sand dunes but lets gloss over that one).

After body boarding he came rushing in to tell us that he was now going to the skate park, 'Don't you want breakfast we asked?' who was this child that had jumped out of bed at the crack of dawn and wasn't demanding food?

'It's fine' he said, rushing out of the door with skateboard under arm, 'we shared some chips earlier.' and so he disappeared to the skate park for a few hours.

It was Ethans Grandads birthday yesterday and we knew they were heading out for lunch so planned to drive to Woolgoolga to pick up some supplies. After the skate park Sam rushed in again, 'they've invited me to go for lunch,' he said excitedly, 'can I go? I told them that I didn't want to impose.' Good word I thought, proud of our progress in English, 'But they said it was fine,' he continued, 'so can I go.' After a hasty change into a clean pair of board shorts and a T-shirt with just a small hole in the side (his smart clothes) he disappeared with a $50 note and instructions to not order the most expensive thing on the menu and we wanted at least $30 change. We know what Sam's like let loose and wouldn't put it past him to order the fillet stake with pepper sauce and a side order of your finest prawns please waiter - but it was ok he just had the ceaser wrap and came home with the correct change.

Meanwhile me and Will went into Woolgoolga and bought Sam his easter egg and a few other bits and pieces. We also wandered around the local market and I managed not to buy anything (not even the beautiful leather belt which had pockets for storing things and would have been very handy). Then we drove to the golf course because Will had seen loads of kangaroos there yesterday. It's brilliant playing golf in Australia. You hire a golf cart and go into the bar and ask for beers. The barman fills up a cool box with beers and ice and off you go for your round of golf. Along the way there are literally hundreds of kangaroos on the course, lying in the sand bunkers, stood around the tees and the holes watching the shots, they are so close you could touch them and if they are in the way you just shoo them to the side. We sat in the club house in the sunshine and watched the golfers negotiating the kangaroos, brilliant. They come to the golf course because the grass is cut regularly and they like to eat the new shoots.

After a couple of beers we drove home and I went across the road to give Sam his anti-biotic. Of course it was John party and so we were invited in for a drink. And so we stayed until about 9:00 chatting, drinking beers and eating a sausage sizzle (lovely). We wandered the short distance across the road home and fell into bed.

Our plan was to leave today but yesterday Sam was showing signs of a cold and this morning has woken up with puffy, red, weepy eyes and a runny nose - he has a proper head cold (not that that will stop him playing with his friends) but we have decided to stay another day to aid his recovery (and because as usual we are crap at leaving). Tomorrow though, we will get up early, pack up the van and head off to Newcastle (I think!!!)

Picture attached of Sam and Mr Mick Fanning, surfing champion extraordinaire (and a man with a lovely chest I think you'll agree)!!