Australia day. A day for families. We wandered down the shoreline today observing the crowds. What stood out most was the laughter. No tears, no yelling, and no drunken idiots. Just families and groups of people gathered together under their sun shelters with their picnics, their games, their toys and their boats. People enjoying the sun, and the sea and the beach. I love Australia day.

Our beach is normally almost deserted, but on Australia Day it comes alive with people. I don’t mind them sharing our little piece of paradise when they’re having so much fun. Come Monday, they’ll have all returned to their homes and their jobs and their schools in Perth – and we will have our beach back to ourselves again. A joy to see them here, but an even greater joy when they’re gone and we have the beach back to ourselves once again. They only get to have an occasional day in paradise. We have it all summer long – what a pleasure!