We love Pambula Beach a lot

I think it's going to be a big year. There's plenty of new beginnings on the horizon - my daughter starts high school next week! We're very seriously considering selling our home of 13 years and buying a new one. I'm just about to begin a new contract at work. And I'm going to England - sans husband and children - later in the year. (There's also that big birthday happening at the end of the year, but I'm pushing thoughts of that into a dusty corner of my mind.)

So it's been good to start 2011 in the same way that we've started every one of the past five or so years - a chilled out week in Pambula Beach in southern New South Wales. And it was perfect again. Lovely weather (not too hot and not too cool). Great food. Relaxed people. Sand in between the toes. Happy times.

This year we brought two extra kids with us - one of my eldest son's best friends and one of my daughter's. It was just lovely; two very funny 15 year old boys, two sweet and excitable 12 year old girls, our delightful (for the most part - once he got over not having his very own friend along) eight year old son, my husband and me. It meant loads of washing and a lot of food to buy and prepare, but not a lot of extra cleaning up for me, as we made the kids pull their weight and do chores. Most importantly, the kids were great company.

I read, went on long walks, bought some pretty summery clothes, and drank plenty of wine. And I took loads of photos using my new Hipstamatic app, my latest obsession.








It really was a perfect summer holiday, right down to staying in a very cute 1950s holiday house. I've already booked next January's stay - for two weeks.