Life Trove: Friendship with Sue

Dear Sue

Here are some of my favourite memories from our five years of wonderful friendship...

Meeting at The Balmoral Burn. What a blessed day that was! (May 09)
Giving you some lessons on Lightroom and editing your East Africa photos. (Jul 2009)
Going on a wonderful camera club weekend to Port Stephens where we really bonded. (Mar 10)
A fun photography outing to Callum Park. (Jun 2011)
Creating a blog for you to show off your amazing photos and being caught up in your enthusiasm. (Oct 2011)
Creating a slideshow portfolio of your East Africa photos for the Camera Club. (2012)
A photography outing to Penrith Whitewater and stopping off at the Spur for a meal on the way home. (Feb 12)
Taking me and my folk on a wonderful Palm Beach tour. (Feb 2012)
A fantastic outing to Thirlmere on a steam train. (May 2012)
A lovely camera club outing to Hunter Valley where you, Guy and I really bonded to become The Three Amigos. (Apr 2012)
A photography outing to Newtown to photograph graffiti and interesting characters. (May 2012)
Treating me to a wonderful harbour cruise on old sailing ship. (May 2012)
A super day exploring the Hawkesbury area (Windsor Junk Yard, Ebenezar Church and Richmond), followed by tea at that amazing farm. (June 2013)
Delicious Turkey dinners at your place with ratatouille and crumble (yum!!).
Yummy peanut biscuits!!
Watching live together on TV as Julia Gillard got replaced with Kevin Rudd. Sensational stuff! (Jun, 2013)
Seeing the World Press exhibit together and being moved to tears. (Jul 2013)
Being wowed by the photos at The Antarctica Exhibition with Pamela (Aug 2013)
Being wowed by the photos at the Wildlife Photographer of The Year 2013 and 2014.
Cooking up a stirfry storm at your place with Guy (Aug 2013)
Creating your Russia Collage for the camera club. (Oct 2013)
Photographing Zombies on the Zombie walk (Nov 2013)
Our annual outing to Sculptures by The Sea (2013, 2014)
Our annual Vivid Festival outing (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
Having our faces projected in lights as part of the 2014 Vivid Festival show!
Celebrating my birthdays at The Oaks and Ripples.
Seeing David Doubilet's amazing underwater photos at The Opera House. (Jul 2014)
Your wonderful support after my break ups with Ally and Dani.
You inspiring me to buy a Kindle (one of my best ever purchases!)
Feeling chuffed whenever you win a credit or merit at The Camera Club and adding them to your amazing Awards Board.
Learning to use an Apple Computer together - not always easy!!
Being excited to see and edit your photos whenever you come back from a trip.
Going to The Camera Club together on many occasions, especially the end of year Topshot.
Seeing some wonderful movies together at The Cremorne Orpheum (including 12 Years A Slave, All is Lost, A Long Walk to Freedom, Philomena, The Book Thief, Tracks, Finding Vivian Maier) and some not so great (The Great Beauty, Winter Sleep.)
Introducing me to Shaun the Sheep (so funny!)
Hearing all your news when we catch up.
Sending me links to some heart warming videos and amazing photos.
Your 70th birthday meal at Ripples (Dec 2014)

22 Dec 2014

Dear Sue

Happy birthday! Thanks you so much for your wonderful friendship over the past 5 years. Meeting you at The Balmoral Burn was a very blessed moment for me. Since then you have become my Australian family. I cherish your friendship and all the fantastic photography outings, meals shared, and movies watched more than you'll ever know. Thank you for being the gorgeous, warm, kind hearted cheerful, thoughtful person you are. You and your zest for life are a continual source of inspiration for me.

Love G

20 Dec 2012

Hi there Sue

Happy birthday, birthday girl. I hope you have a wonderful, fun filled day.

Thanks you very much for your friendship this past year, as always. It's something I really cherish. I miss my family in Cape Town greatly, but having family like you in Sydney helps greatly.

Here are some of the things I greatly admire about you and some of the memories from our friendship that I'm really grateful for:

Your general zest and energy and passion for life - very, very inspiring indeed.
How positive you always are, even during really tough times like your big operation a little while ago.
How young at heart you are.
How you love to laugh.
Your great love of travel and exploring new places - I can so relate!
Your passion for photography and taking great shots, we're kindred spirits there too of course.
What a great friend you are to all your friends - how you constantly keep in touch and nurture your friendship. Something I've learned from and aspire to.
Your wonderful, wonderful photography - it's always such a pleasure working on your photos, there are always such gems there.
All those merits and credits you've got - it's been a privilege to help select and sometimes work on some of those photos
Your great encouragement with my own photography - you are always so good for my confidence which is something I struggle with a bit at times as you know.
Fantastic outings we've been on together - like Hunter Valley, Newtown, Penrith Whitewater, Balmoral, Vivid Festival and more.
The three musketeers - you, me and wonderful Guy
Taking my family on that great tour of Palm Beach - they so enjoyed it.
Taking me out on The Sailing ship in the harbour, a lot of fun.
Your love of a good movie, something I enjoy too.
Treating me to some lovely meals out.
Your love of Africa and wildlife - and those incredible Safari photos you've taken.
The fact you cherish your memories so much and savour them, something I've learned from too.
Your delight in the blog we created together - it was such a fun and fulfilling project , and still is, and it's been great to share in so many of your memories from your life and travels.
Those delicious meals you've cooked me - how I do appreciate a delicious home cooked meal!
Your willingness to always learn new things, and how well you've done with your new Apple computer despite it's many frustrations and being so different from your last computer.
Your love of Mango Groove - what great taste in music!!
Knowing you're there for a chat if I'm feeling a little down - you never cease to cheer me up!
Being able to be real with you - I don't have to put on any pretences.
Your general awesomeness.

All in all, thanks so much for being you! I look forward to many more years of great friendship.

Have a wonderful birthday and Xmas!

Hugs, G

Photo memories