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The Family Bandwagon

Our family is spread out across the country and across the world, and what better way to keep in touch than a collaborative digital journal?

Sunday 31 December 2006

New version of Blogger

Hi all,

Just wanted to let everyone know that I've swapped this blog over to the NEW Blogger. What that means to you all is that you need to upgrade too! It's pretty simple, just say "upgrade to new blogger" or something.. and then if you don't have a gmail account, create one! Then you'll have a new email address (that you don't need to check if you don't want to), but you'll also be able to write new things to the Bandwagon.

Apparently there's more functionality and stuff, but I'm not sure.

I know it's a bit of a hassle.. but the old Blogger won't be around forever...

:)

p.s. happy new year everyone!

*hugz*

Saturday 30 December 2006

Happy New Year

Hope you all have a safe and fun New Years Eve tomorrow. Damien and Cheryl visited to say goodbye this morning on their way home. They've booked into Bordertown tonight. The motel has a pool they'll make use of.
Nana and Auntie Denise didn't get to Shep on Wednesday. Josie was sick. Since they were ready to go, they went shopping instead. They went to Shep on Thursday and had a nice day. Jodie took her (Chris's) car and then headed home to Melbourne.
Damien told me Lisa was sick today, so they didn't see her when they went to say bye. I rang to offer to have Carolynn and Jared but Adam said they were being great helpers. Hope no one else succumbs.
We had a quiet day here, laundry, floor washing and Dad put up the rest of our lights. The ants are busy again. Will it rain? It is in Canberra and Melbourne but not in Bendigo where it's needed.
I'm making sweet and sour pork stir fry for tea. That has used up the christmas leftovers before new year.
Lots of love to you all. We're thinking of you.
Love from Mum and Dad

Sunday 24 December 2006

Our Christmas tree

Thought I'd post to say "Happy Christmas"... and check out our Christmas tree (especially look at all our presents.. heheheh)! :)

O Christmas tree

I think we're just about ready for Christmas on Monday. Last weekend we made Baileys.. unfortunately I think we'll need to make some more THIS weekend. Hehehe. Here are two pictures from the evening and more can be found in my Christmas 2006 set on Flickr.

Toil and Trouble

Mixey mixey

Hope everyone is happy and healthy!

Wednesday 20 December 2006

Happy Birthday Lisa!

Happy Birthday! I hope you're having a good one.. we'll see you Friday night.

The Family Bandwagon

The Family Bandwagon

Stranger Danger

Stranger Alert, well nearly a stranger its been sooo long since my last posting... :( I have been keeping up to date though, Happy Birthday Carolynn!! Did you have a great day? I love seeing all the photo's, I especially dig the purple tree! :) oh and the puppy!! lots of puppies.... the more puppies the better. Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes. I had a great day, Glenn brought me some stunning bling from Paris, a necklace and matching earings!! ...of course I now have to go shopping to get some clothes to match! hehehe, oh and I have flying pigs! thanks Damien and Cheryl, I havent played it yet, Glenn wrapped them up as a chrissy present and put them under the tree, he's gone a little present crazy, I'm afraid when I get home tonight I wont be able to find the salt and pepper shakers... hmmm. Glenn is still sick! he's at home today, after not having much luck getting in to see the doctor's, the process is quite convoluted if you havent been before, then getting an appointment can take weeks! He is getting better just very slowly. We have been really enjoying having Dayna with us, I think we will be quite sad when she leaves, but it does mean weekends away to Manchester to catch up, which is always fun. I think the best thing at the moment is Christmas, our house is very festive, and the tree looks great, we will have to stick a picture online, we have decorated our own santa stockings and have pinned them to the fire place! hehe Dayna's idea, and it was a lot of fun! I'm really glad we did them. We also have a pack to make our own crackers as well, something for the weekend me thinks. Take Care everyone, big hugs to all. love deexoxox

Sunday 17 December 2006

Almost Christmas




Well, it is almost Chrissy and we still haven't finished our shopping - like mum and dad we have just been to busy with other stuff! But I am hoping to finish before Friday, unlike mum and dad LOL!
So, here is what we have been doing -
About 13 weeks ago (start of the school holidays) Manga got out of the yard to visit the dog over the back. We were hopeful, but it did end up being a male doberman and 3 weeks ago Manga had a healthy litter of 7. They are now getting really active and today they graduated from an inflatable swimming pool to chicken wire blocking them from the back door.
As previously posted, Carolynn is today a teenager! We gave her some cards and an iPod shuffle, and she got bathers and money from nanny and poppy, and money from nanna, and lip gloss from tamara, ray and adam. She has a break-up party at the pool tomorrow and that's it for school for her.
Jared finishes on Thursday, unless we decide he can have the last day off (Scott might be visiting that day) Before that Parent's Association still has the grade 6 graduation lunch and a BBQ for the end of year concert and awards evening (I am President for another year)
Trinity has been practising her walking between things, and has been walking further and further and not falling down quite as often. It is so cute to watch, she points at things like "I am going to walk over there" and off she goes :) Clever girl!
Oh, and Damien and Cheryl, we have booked a Chinese restaurant for Friday night, so if you are in town then you are invited, and if not I guess you miss out... :P We went there with some friends last month and it was pretty nice.
I think that is about everything, I will try to upload some photos now :)

A virtual card for you all

And especially for those of you overseas..

Happy birthday Carolynn

Hope you have a great birthday Carolynn. Finally a teenager. That's pretty scary! You certainly looked grownup yesterday in those high heels. We'll look forward to seeing you soon. Lots of Love from Nanny and Poppy

Saturday 16 December 2006

Getting in the Christmas spirit!

Hi all,

Today Dee and I went shopping for Christmas decorations. Poor Glenn is still not quite well (he got sick last week in Paris because he let his feet get wet). Shopping was busy - the taxi driver on the way home (yes, we got so much stuff we couldn't carry it) said that today was the busiest day before Christmas - apparently next Friday is too close. Regardless of how busy it was, we found a lot of festive decorations, including some great stockings - I'll post pictures below, and you can see more on my Flickr.

We had a lot of fun tonight, decorating until our little hearts were content. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

*hugz*

Creativity at work

Glenn's stocking

Dee's stocking - final

dayna's stocking

All ready to go

Wednesday 13 December 2006

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Dad was a wonderful Santa tonight. He has three more appearances booked early next week. We're hoping the weather is kind. Tonight wasn't bad, but he was very hot in his suit. Plenty of Ho!Ho!Ho's and he'll feature in several photos.
Our blue Christmas tree didn't win at the Connections Christmas craft show despite Carolynn adding lots of votes. It will be our tree for this year so I've put it in the front entrance area. Lisa's placemats were very popular with plenty of orders.
Tamara's wedding is the next thing on the agenda.(after two more days at work)
Lots of love to all. Looking forward to seeing those still in the country. Merry Christmas.

Monday 11 December 2006

Hi everyone

Hi everyone sorry I havent been posting I havent been able to find the site at school or on adams computer. Ifinish school on friday the 15th & I hope you dont forget my birthday.

Friday 8 December 2006

Happy Birthday for yesterday Dee!!

I DID remember yesterday.. i promise..
*smile*

I was even going to send you an sms.. then i realised it wouldn't work cos you're out of the country. :)

*big hugz* and i'll see you next week!

back on line

Hi all, using Dayna's computer that Dad has connected, I've got in to check emails and read the blog. It's not the same as ours was (whenever is it?) but I think it might be faster. Maybe because there's less junk on it. You all need to send me emails so the address goes into my address book. I hope Adam is able to save the family tree Maker information, my Luxor game, bejewelled delux with the crack, and I'll load back Print artist, Photoshop, and any other programs I find I'm missing.
Damien and Cheryl the Christmas tree is lovely. We have a blue and silver one to go in the display at the Church. I'll use it as our tree for this year then give the frame back to the craft group. I have the nativity scene in the fireplace and dad has made the star light up.
I haven't read the other entries from Glenn and D and Dayna. I'll look forward to that. It makes you seem much closer when I can write to you and read what you are up to.
Lots of love from Mum and Dad

P.S. Job..

I forgot to blog - I've decided to take the position in Manchester. So I'll be moving there at the start of January (probably in to temporary accommodation until I sort out a good place to live).

I've not had any formal notification of the position (I'll email them next week), but after speaking to the people who are effectively my supervisors, I've decided that the pssition will be challenging enough, but with enough flexibility to let me decide what I want to focus on - demos, workshops or just setting up a good system to make sure everyone can find everything. *grin*

So - I have work.. so I can enjoy my month's holiday (frugally.. the Aussie dollar doesn't go very far over here. *grin*)

yay!

Hello from Bristol

I'm sittling here in Bristol Library using free internet.. I've got 16 mins left.. so I'll have to keep this short.

I arrived in Bristol last night and found my way to the Backpackers (not as nice as the one in Manchester.. but cheaper - so I guess it's fair enough). After a mostly restful night, I decided to go wandering today. Unfortunately, it's been raining on and off.. so it's not the best weather for wandering. It's funny - it's cold, but a mild kind of cold - i KNOW it's going to get much much more icy! :)

Tomorrow I think I'll go and check out Bristol's science centre (predictable..).. it's called At Bristol, and unfortunately they've got the Alice in Wonderland exhibit from the States that I saw when I visited Glasgow Science Centre back in June. O well.. I'm sure they'll have lots of other things for me to look at and play with (I hope!).

Saturday I'm going to catch up with Jono and Erin (I worked with Jono in 2003-4) - they're currently living and working here.. and then on Sunday I'm getting a lift to Bath. I'm planning on catching the train from there back to Edinburgh, so I should be home around the same time as Glenn and Dee (although I don't know what time they're getting home.. o well..)

Hope everyone is well.. and I also don't have any photos.. although maybe I can upload the Bristol Cathedral when I get home (I don't have the camera cable with me).

Carolynn and Jared - can you each write a blog to let us all know what you've both been up to?

*big hugz*

Wednesday 6 December 2006

Well we're here in Paris, enjoying our break. Today we watched the highlights of the Ashes in a Canadian bar, cheering away (it's amazing how patriotic you become when you're winning!) and drinking 'moosehead'. The city is rainy, but beautiful - no photos yet because I'm writing on the Nokia via the hôtel wifi.

Today we got the last of the Christmas presents, so it's off to l'office de la poste tomorrow to send. Dayna, we got you a little tree ornament as well, from Galleries Lafayette (ps. it's purple) where we walked around for ages yesterday (that place is huge!).

Dee's birthday on Thursday, jeudi, so tomorrow (mecredi) I'm hunting solo - help! She thinks I'm kidding when I say I don't know what to get her. Poor little chickpea; she'll learn the truth soon enough I guess.

Anyway, hope everyone is well!

Saturday 2 December 2006

Christmas Tree photos


Well here's a photo of our tree. Cheryl made those fantastic beaded decorations, and the rest of the stuff we had bought last year in the post Christmas sale. It's only a tiny tree, but it works for us :)

You can see some close up shots of the ornaments (i was playing with the settings on the camera) here, here, here and here