christmas decorations

Our New Year - Fireworks and a Fire

@JudyEv (342110)

Rockingham, Australia

January 3, 2016 6:45pm CST

We’ve just returned from four nights staying with friends at Madora Bay just north of Mandurah on the coast of Western Australia. We were a party of seven this year although there are 11 in this little group. We meet from time to time and are very comfortable in each other’s company. On New Year’s Eve we went down to the beach and looked back towards Mandurah to watch the fireworks. There were people fishing and children playing on the beach, enjoying the beautiful evening. Unfortunately we didn’t have our cameras with us. After the display we walked back to the house and managed to stay awake to welcome in the new year. The next evening we went on a short cruise round the Mandurah canals to see the Christmas lights. Apparently some of these are put in place by professionals. They were certainly spectacular. The man hanging from the gutters is not real - just in case you’re wondering. There was a bit of excitement on the last night there as a fire started up in scrub only a few blocks for the house. We walked up to get a few photos but it was a small area and we were never in any danger. Now we’re home again. Did you see the New Year in?

New Year in Mandurah

I created this video with the YouTube Slideshow Creator (http://www.youtube.com/upload)

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22 responses

@moffittjc (121729)

• Gainesville, Florida

4 Jan 16

My kids and I partied until 3:00am in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World! It's an annual tradition for us!

3 people like this

@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

Over the 1999/2000 New Year, we stayed up all night. We saw the last sun go down on 1999 and the first sunrise for 2000. We'd be battling to stay up all night now!

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@moffittjc (121729)

• Gainesville, Florida

5 Jan 16

@JudyEv I wish I would have thought to do something like that when the new millennium was upon us! That is really amazing that you got to experience a final sunset and first sunrise at an historical time!

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@moffittjc (121729)

• Gainesville, Florida

5 Jan 16

@ivyparkgirl It was a struggle for me this year to stay up that late! I've never had a tough time in years past, but this year I was ready for bed at like 9pm! But, I powered through it with the help of Starbucks (by far the most popular attraction inside Disney World), and hung in there 'til the end.

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@jstory07 (139971)

• Roseburg, Oregon

4 Jan 16

You had a nice time and lots of fun.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

It was a lovely relaxing four days.

@Juliaacv (51388)

• Canada

4 Jan 16

That sounds like a nice night, minus the fire. My hubby and I went out for a really nice dinner together and then came home and watched a bit of television before going to bed-before midnight!

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@Juliaacv (51388)

• Canada

4 Jan 16

@JudyEv There aren't too many fireworks in Canada that I know of for new years, its too cold and snowy out up here!

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

That sounds a lovely evening anyway. There is always a good coverage of the fireworks on the Sydney Harbour Bridge for those who want to watch.

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

@Juliaacv There are firework displays in most of the big cities in Australia - at least I think there are! Certainly in the capitals and the major regional centres around us.

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Suranga Abeysekara

@hiru84 (942)

• Malaysia

4 Jan 16

Wow, it's a nice experience. Hope you get more fun from it.

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Suranga Abeysekara

• Malaysia

4 Jan 16

@JudyEv Why not? We enjoyed well.

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

@hiru84 It's nice to get together with family and/or friends at New Year.

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

Thank you. Did you see the new year in?

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@Elizaby (6902)

• Pensacola, Florida

4 Jan 16

I saw it in here in my room watxhing New Year rung in first in New York city and then an hour later our local welcoming the New' Year with the pelican drop from my bed as the pelican dropped downtown on TV

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

I don't understand about the pelican. Do you have pelicans there?

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

@Elizaby What a good idea. Thanks for explaining it.

@Elizaby (6902)

• Pensacola, Florida

4 Jan 16

@JudyEv Yes, but the peican drop I think is more in honor of a campiagn a few years back when businessses desighned statues of pelicans to palce in fromt of their buldings to encourage reading for children. Many fine displaysa and the pelicans were auctioned to raise funds for reading. so we have now a lighted pelican that is raised on a crane and drop like they do the ball in New York.

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@fishtiger58 (29820)

• Momence, Illinois

4 Jan 16

the photo after the man hanging from the gutter was amazing. I liked the trees lit up in the water too.

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

Some of the house decorations were incredible. We enjoyed chuffing quietly along the canals looking at the houses.

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

@fishtiger58 At one house a young girl was dancing on her patio for the line of tourist boats going past. We all gave her a clap and a cheer.

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@fishtiger58 (29820)

• Momence, Illinois

4 Jan 16

@JudyEv I would love to do that sounds like a blast.

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@SIMPLYD (90721)

• Philippines

4 Jan 16

At least you get to enjoy the new year with friends and family . It must be so cold , as you were at the beach to enjoy the fireworks.

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@SIMPLYD (90721)

• Philippines

4 Jan 16

@JudyEv Oh that's good then , because it's so nice to be at the beach when it's summer.

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

It wasn't cold at all. We took jumpers with us but didn't need them. It is summer here.

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@Tampa_girl7 (50524)

• United States

4 Jan 16

Thanks for sharing your pictures.

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

I'm glad you enjoyed them.

@gr8nana6 (6614)

• Conyers, Georgia

4 Jan 16

Wow beautiful pictures, that man hanging does look real, lol.

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@gr8nana6 (6614)

• Conyers, Georgia

4 Jan 16

@JudyEv He sure does,if you hadn't mentioned it I would have questioned it for sure

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

He does look real, doesn't he? That's why I thought I'd better mention him.

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@Dragonairy1 (1722)

• Newcastle Upon Tyne, England

4 Jan 16

It sounds lovely, especially the beach part. I went to a local pub with my mum and dad, and husband until about 11 then came home to see it in.

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@Dragonairy1 (1722)

• Newcastle Upon Tyne, England

4 Jan 16

Lovely sunset as well x

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

@Dragonairy1 That sounds like a relaxing night.

@garymarsh6 (23404)

• United Kingdom

4 Jan 16

Lovely photos Judy. Happy New Year to you!

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

And to you Gary.

We have a concert here in ten days so it's all back to normal now.

@KristenH (33393)

• Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

4 Jan 16

Glad you were safe and sound. I stayed up till midnight and went to bed right afterwards. Happy 2016!

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@KristenH (33393)

• Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

5 Jan 16

@JudyEv Thanks Judy. Same back to you, too!

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

And a Happy New Year to you too! May it be a good one.

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@Serena_1 (186)

• Shenzhen, China

13 Jan 16

Nice trip. Our new year actually comes untill next month. I will get together with my family, have a big meal, talk about the past and the future,and also fireworks. It will also a good time for us, I think.

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Jan 16

Chinese New Year is a wonderful occasion. The parades are marvellous too. I know you'll have a great time.

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@Serena_1 (186)

• Shenzhen, China

13 Jan 16

@JudyEv feel proud of our country as you say so. Thanks very much.

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@Shiva49 (26776)

• Singapore

4 Jan 16

Thanks for the share, nice video too. We had a rather quiet New Year hoping, as usual, that it will bring good tidings - siva

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

I think many of us feel a little more optimistic at the start of a new year. It's like a new beginning.

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@Shiva49 (26776)

• Singapore

4 Jan 16

@JudyEv I always resolve - build on the foundations mostly laid down by our forefathers including the mistakes they made for us to learn from them - siva

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@GardenGerty (160953)

• United States

4 Jan 16

Hubby and I just hung out at home all evening. We did stay up to see the new year in though.

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

I don't think we'd have bothered if we hadn't been with our friends.

@LadyDuck (472060)

• Switzerland

4 Jan 16

This is a wonderful place where to start the Year. Was the fire started by the fireworks? We went to bed around 11 PM, I did not feel too well and we both were tired.

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

The fire was well away from the fireworks and I haven't heard what started it yet.

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@jaboUK (64354)

• United Kingdom

4 Jan 16

Those lights were spectacular. My daughter and her husband built a beautiful house in Mandurah years ago, but never lived in it. They let it out, and then sold it about 5 years ago.

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

Apparently many of the houses on the canals are owned by overseas folk who use them as holiday homes. Certainly quite a few were in darkness.

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@TheHorse (220266)

• Walnut Creek, California

4 Jan 16

I just relaxed at home and spoke with a friend by phone.

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

That's as good a way as any. Happy New Year to you.

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@troyburns (1405)

• New Zealand

4 Jan 16

Happy new year Judy. It was a quiet one in the Lamb household. Our local movie shop was closing down so this year we spent our modest holiday money on DVDs instead - at $3 each for fairly new releases it was too good to refuse, so we bought about 40.

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

Sounds a great way to go. We always buy up if things we're going to use are on special.

@andriaperry (117146)

• Anniston, Alabama

4 Jan 16

Nope I wimped out and went to sleep.

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@JudyEv (342110)

• Rockingham, Australia

4 Jan 16

If we hadn't been with friends we would have wimped out too.