It's been awhile.

I've been on leave - I took about 3 weeks to go down to Canberra, to catch up with the kids but also to join the family celebration for my Mum's 80th Birthday. The party just kept on going.

The actual celebration was attended by almost all the family and we've grown into quite a mob, as we go into the next generation.

We had a great "grazing" lunch at Pods in Pelligo. The food was great, the company was excellent, and everyone mixed and talked and tried to catch up.

This is the five of us with Mum, my brothers

John ( on the left) and Peter, my sisters - Linda (the baby of the family on the left) and Annie (on the right). It's not very often we manage to get together these days.

John and his family live in Melbourne, Pete and his partner live in Newcastle, Annie and Lin live in Canberra, Mum lives on the Gold Coast and I'm in Mt Isa. We cover almost the whole east coast of Australia.

The next photos cover the in-laws and Mum's sister Judy, and then there's the mob, which includes most of the 17 grandchildren, their partners and four great-grandchildren.

Mum had a second party last weekend for her

friends and family that couldn't come to Canberra.