Sitting here wondering if I'm Pollyanna or Eeyore - Day 19: Meeting the long lost fam'

Wonderful day!

Finally got to spend some quality time with my lovely cousins on my dad's side. I didn't see them a lot growing up so lovely to get to know them better as adults. I have grown close to Ngaire and Moirag, daughters of my sadly deceased aunt Eilenn, and got to know 2 of my dad's oldest sister's daughters, Sherryn and Gayle just that little bit better which was wonderful.

Met out at Blacktown Workers Club and apart from a slight snafu when we turned up at the RSL Club by mistake, everything went smoothly.

Sherryn, Matt, Joshua

Brian on the left with Sherryn, Matt and Josh

Gayle, Moirag

Steve, Andrew (me), Ngaire

Steve, Moirag, Andrew, Ngaire

Gayle and Sherryn join the cousins group shot fun

Matt drew us all pics

9 yo Matt and I got on brilliantly and Sherryn told me I was now his favourite cousin so a pic was warranted!

Sitting here wondering if I'm Pollyanna or Eeyore - Day 4: Ngaire and Moirag and shoe shopping oh my!

Met up with Moirag and Ngaire in the City, grabbed a bite to eat at a cafe on Bathurst Street then hit the shops to find Ngaire some tough but cheap hiking boots to take to Tanzania.

While Steve and Ngaire did the serious business of testing lots of shoes in lots of shops (many of the photos relate to us keeping a running tab on which shoes were where - only photographed the shoes we liked), Moirag and I had a lovely time wandering and talking.

It all finished with yum cha at Marigold.

A wonderful, if exhausting, day.

Dinner was a light affair on the balcony, devouring the last of the NYE food.