The Family Bandwagon

Happy birthday Os

2012-01-30T07:05:00.000+11:00

Dear Oscar,

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday dear Oscar

Happy birthday to you!

*big hugz and lots of love*
Aunty Dayna and Unkie Bruce
xxoo

Weekend!

2012-01-27T22:37:00.001+11:00

The weekend is here, finally.

We finished work a little early tonight to take a quick spin to Knox - we completed our cutlery set, and Dee got some cupcake baking trays, whilst I splashed out on some running gear. The guy in the Mountain Designs shop had even heard of the ToughMudder course!

Two more months of training for me, then: I'm nowhere near ready yet but I can already see an improvement, and I'm totally psyched about doing it! We're going to head down to Phillip Island on the Friday (run is on Saturday morning) with my two team-mates, maybe stay 'til Sunday to make a weekend of it - a muddy, freezing, exhausting weekend!

Tomorrow we might have a friend or two over for a barbeque lunch I reckon. Saturday is my Cheaturday - a day to refueling on carbs and eating/drinking those things I've denied myself during the week - so at the very least I will have some chocolate and beer. Probably not at the same time.

Plans for the weekend?

Puppygate 2012

2012-01-14T09:25:00.001+11:00

A couple of weeks ago, Lucy jumped her fence while we were out and went wandering off down the road. When we realised she was no longer in the backyard, I went walking up Baker Street following the sounds of barking, and found her a few houses up where they keep Rottweiler pups -- indeed, they'd locked her in their backyard and left a note on our door but she'd managed to escape again.

We didn't know how she got out, but "hardened" the perimeter in various ways: more wire, nails, tent-pegs so she couldn't tunnel under, etc. A few days later she got out again but this time we were home and vigilant and Lucy made it as far as the driveway before I was after her with a leash.

I reached the bottom of our driveway in time to see Lucy sniffing around the neighbours front yard, whilst said neighbour, rather irate, harrangued her from the porch. Mongrel this, mongrel that. I collected my dog and faced off with an apoplectic middle-aged woman. "She bit my duck! She bit my duck! That cost me $100 vet bill! I'll call the council!" I promised to come back once I'd put Lu back inside.

She was raging! Pointed out paw prints in the mud, but grudgingly admitted she'd not actually seen Lucy do anything - indeed, she hadn't seen Lucy before that day. When did it happen, I enquired? "Yesterday," she sputtered! Ah, but Lucy wasn't out yesterday. "The day before then," she groaned. I agreed to pay the vet-bill, all the while protesting Lucy's innocence - considering it "neighbour tax" and helpfully warning her about the many dogs in the street, not to mention the area. She was nice as pie once she had the money in her hot little hand.

Then yesterday we were putting the final touches on a dog proof fence -- 6-foot high, staked into the ground, made from electrified adamantium -- and Lucy, recognising the inevitability of yard-bound life and wanting one last fling, saw her opportunity and made a break for it. She'd been somewhat under house arrest for the interim, chained up when we were out and supervised when she went out for a pee, so we were quickly after her.

This time she didn't bother with the neighbour, walking past towards her German suitors, but nevertheless our Crazy Lady neighbour was out there brandishing a pitchfork and flaming brand, with the now-tired threat of a call to the council. Difference? This time she met Dee.

"Calm down, she wasn't even in your yard," I imagine Dee said, but it's hard to be reasonable with unreasonable people. "Good, call the council!" Dee returned with Lucy, then went back for a chat that was reportedly even more frustrating than the first. "She's not a mongrel," Dee explained to me later. "That's just factually incorrect." She did however manage to get a copy of the bill and a receipt for the money I'd paid.

The end result is we're finishing the fence today and hoping our neighbour -- a renter, "townies, eh?" -- was so distraught by the situation that she moves out and we never see her again.

If you haven't got a penny..

2011-12-22T06:07:00.000+11:00

A ha'penny will do...

I made my mini Chrissy puds today. I used approx 400g of fruitcake and a good splash of a brandy/rum/alcohol from Spain. :-) I cut up the fruit jellies from Adelaide to make the 'holly' (which took ages).

No idea what they taste like, but they look pretty. :-)

I also want to try making these:
Rudolf tartlets
but I'll have to find substitutes for most of the ingredients. They look cute tho.

Hope everyone's Xmas planning is going well - we're off to the cabin on Friday so I'll look for you online tomorrow (your Thursday pm).

*hugz*

Happy Birthday Lisa!

2011-12-20T20:42:00.000+11:00

Dear little-big sister,

Hope you have a wonderful day full of wonderful things!
Did you get breakfast in bed?

Happy Birthday!!!

*big hugz*
-d&b-

Happy 18th Carolynn

2011-12-18T22:04:00.001+11:00

Dear Carolynn,

Hope you had a fabulous 18th birthday and that the year is full of everything good.

We look forward to seeing photos of your party.

Lovenhugz,

Aunty dayna & unkie bruce

Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat

2011-12-13T07:11:00.000+11:00

Please put a penny in the old man's hat...

Hi all,

We're going to be spending Christmas in a log cabin in Devon this year. I'm hoping to have internet so I can chat to everyone but we may need to play it by ear a little.

Anyway, I'm trying to get everything organised before we go and I want to make those cute little Christmas Puddings that Nana and Mum make.. I've found a few recipes on the internet but I want the fail-safe/tried-and-tested variety.. and I thought you guys might like it to.

So, Mum (or Lisa?), could you please put the Mini Christmas Pudding recipe in the comments to this post?

I'm sure I've had the recipe in the past (I must have, I made them 2 years ago and Bruce's Dad liked them - which is why I want to make them again)... but I can't find it now.

Thanks!!

-the Xmas Elves-

School's Finished...For now anyway

2011-11-28T10:34:00.002+11:00

So I have finally finished school, until I find out about Uni or TAFE. I feel confident about my exams but hate the wait to find out about my results. I've been driving heaps, I don't realise how much time mum spends in the car because I'm doing all of her driving when I'm home which is good :) I'm upto 27 hours only another 93 hours to go. I'm helping out with the step up week at Bendigo Senior, I did so much walking aroud on friday helping students find classes and carrying the food and drinks for the BBQ lunch, I felt it on saturday.

getting organised

2011-11-27T13:56:00.002+11:00

Thank you for the info on the international finances. I'd love to borrow a money belt. Hoping my ING card will be good for overseas.Today I booked accommodation for Chris and Emma's wedding. We have a suite and a cottage at Fleurbaix, as close to Fortnums (where the wedding will be) as we could manage. (about a kilometer). Also paid RACV for travel insurance and made a Christmas cake. Smells good. Always made Dad decide to made a boiled fruit cake he could eat immediately.

After all the rain yesterday, today is glorious. Think I need to get out the electric hedge trimmer and tackle the bush although it seems a shame when it's about to flower. leaving the big hedge to Dave. He was at Mum's today and has a big job when he gets here.

Julie and John Gibson are coming for afternoon tea tomorrow and I had a call from Sue Wall (Hay) to see if I wanted to go to a dance there next weekend. Can't because it's the Red Hat Christmas party on Saturday.

Trip to Tocumwal next Wednesday. Leaving at 7.45am so an early start.

I know Christmas is coming but I haven't got on to that yet.

Hope all are doing well. Chat soon on Skype or the hangout.

French-Roberts update

2011-11-25T09:05:00.002+11:00

Mum seems to be doing most of the posting so I thought I'd better update on things here. I can't believe Christmas is just around the corner, I'm not really prepared but there's so much happening before then. We've got break-ups happening every week - the Uniting Church invites playgroup to theirs, we have HIPPY (the program Trinity's been in these last 2 years), Connections, and we're having one just for playgroup this year as well. Usually once the church Christmas party has happened there's no playgroup but Julie-Anne and I have decided to go for 2 more weeks and finish the week before school breaks up. The feedback has been good, one mum said it's hard to find things to do in the holidays so she appreciates playgroup going that bit longer. The only thing is that the ladies that help out in the kitchen (cutting up fruit, setting the table, cleaning up afterwards) won't be there but the mums are all happy to help out. Tamara said she'll do it as long as we don't mind watching her boys and I've volunteered Carolynn as well LOL

Carolynn is waiting for her results now, then in January she'll find out if she gets to go to uni. In the meantime she gets to do some driving. I seem to spend quite a bit of time in the car LOL It means that Carolynn's hours are going up gradually. She won't have enough to go for her licence when she turns 18 but hopefully by the time she is 19 she'll be driving the laser around.

Now it's time to go to playgroup, we're making ants on logs (sultanas on celery and cream cheese) and fruit kebabs for snack today. Hopefully we'll have another quiet day today, it's easier when we've got under 10 children :)

Sassafras

2011-11-25T09:02:00.002+11:00

I'm looking at accommodation near Sasssafras for Chris and Emma's wedding next March. Glenn and Dee, do you know of any that aren't online? I thought you may be prepared to give Josie, Rob and family a bed at your place if they needed one. Only 60 guests so no cousins I'm afraid. Denise, Pete, Mum and I thought we could share if we can find somewhere with easy access for Nana. Have a couple of possibilities near Olinda but they are disappearing fast.

Good news

2011-11-25T08:59:00.002+11:00

Rob Hamilton is in remission. He still needs to finish a the chemo and have the radiation course but from the PET scan, he is in remission. I guess that means they can't see any cancer, but still can't understand why they couldn't check dad a second time like that. We did ask but they said it wouldn't show anything.

Booked the tickets

2011-11-24T19:55:00.002+11:00

Today I booked my flights to (and from) Birmingham. I leave here on Friday 27th April at 6pm and arrive at Birmingham at 12.35pm Saturday 28th April. Flying Emirates so we have a stop at Singapore and Dubai on the way. I have two straight through flights on the way home on Saturday 30th June, with only a Dubai stop. Airport bus transfers are well timed (but not so close there could be a problem, I hope). Still sorting travel insurance. Need advice on how to carry money and how to send some so I have some there. We'll chat Dayna.

I've given Lisa the money for three shares in the bracelet she ordered for Auntie Denise's 60th, so you are all on the card that I'll deliver tomorrow with the bracelet. It arrived yesterday and Lisa wrapped it today.

My advice on Carolynn's present is the universal gift card (known as cash) for any who ask. Lisa mentioned a JB HiFi gift card but with mine she can spend it anywhere and it doesn't run out of time.

Engagement

2011-11-20T19:55:00.003+11:00

Exciting news last night at Denise's 60th birthday. Chris and Emma announced their engagement. Wedding will be 31st March ( not clashing with my Red Hat Goldrush or my trip to Wales) in Sassafras since that is only 20 mins from home for them. She flashed the bling to let us know. Nanna was prepared and we chose a gift and made a card this morning, then went to Denise's.

I spent the night at Nanna's because my car had been showing a red battery (which the RACV man this morning told me meant the battery wasn't charging). Problem is a shredded alternator belt. Solution is to take it to a garage. I'll ring tomorrow to see if that will be to the RACV or to Col's. The RACV will tow it regardless. It's at Nanna's so I might need to uncover the Torana if I need wheels, or I might get plenty of walking happening.

Frustrating since the vaccuum has also thrown a belt (maybe more) I found the directions so might try taking that apart and then I'd just need a new belt.(once I have a car to go get it)

Planning a trip

2011-11-10T20:41:00.004+11:00

After a wonderful two weeks visit from Dayna and Bruce, I decided to start sorting my visit to them. Got some prices on an April to June stay. At the moment Malaysia or Qatar are offering the best prices from Flight Centre. Dayna, what dates would suit you. I guesstimated 26th April to 25th June on my request but wanted to check on any dates to suit you. Best to get to London on a weekend? and similar for leaving?

Val and Peter Loomes are coming for a visit this weekend. Probus on Monday, Spinners on Wednesday, Denise Drysdale on Friday. Need to fit in visit to Fairthornes and make some Christmas puddings. Not sure if Denise's birthday dinner is the 19th or 26th. Trinity tells me her school fair is this Friday and I have a Red Hat meeting on Friday afternoon.

Visitors mean I'll clean on Saturday morning and I've already washed sheets and remade the spare bed. Think we might have fish and chips or chinese for tea.(so much for my diet?) Still trying to get some order in my room but at least I've put the suitcase away and most of the now clean clothes. Wondering how your flight went Dayna and Bruce.

Today I weeded the tomato bed. Mostly I weeded out tomatoes and pumpkins so I've tried to plant them in better places. After much rain, I was amazed at how dry the ground was in some places. This is why my house still needs work. Jared will come and mow again over the weekend. Much needed although it's only been a week and a half since he last did it.

Hope Carolynn's exam went well today.

Back on the knitting that is still very confusing. fingers crossed it will work out in the end.

Lots of love and hugs to you all from Mum

Melbourne Cup Sweep

2011-11-01T12:07:00.000+11:00

To give Bruce a proper taste of Australia and the Melbourne Cup, we've organised a Cup Sweep and you all have horses. Winner gets a UK Chomp.

The draw occurred this morning at Mum's and was undertaken and overseen by Mum, Bruce, Lisa, Carolynn, Daria and myself.

1	Americain	Dayna
2	Jukebox Jury	Auntie Denise
3	Dunaden	Damien
4	Drunken Sailor	Mum
5	Glass Harmonium	Cheryl
6	Manighar	Daria
7	Unusual Suspect	Bruce
8	Fox Hunt	Pete
9	Lucas Cranach	Nana
10	~~Mourayan~~	~~Mum~~
11	Precedence	Jules
12	Red Cadeaux	Jared
13	Hawk Island	Oscar
14	Illo	Glenn
15	Lost in the Moment	Trinity
16	Modun	Bruce
17	At First Sight	Dayna
18	Moyenne Corniche	Carolynn
19	Saptapadi	Adam
20	Shamrocker	Lisa
21	The Verminator	Lily
22	Tullamore	Dee
23	Niwot	Lisa
24	Older Than Time	Carolynn

Good luck everybody!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T11:20:00.000+11:00

Happy fright-night everyone.

We went away this weekend, off down the coast to the Cumberland River campsite just past Lorne. Gave Andy (and Jules) a little taste of camping, although we stayed in a cabin -- which turned out to be a good thing, given the weather. Is it weird to get nostalgic when watching peoples' tents getting blown over, just as ours did those many years ago when we were last here? Watching from the comfort of a gas-fired room, of course.

Happy to say that we had a bunch of proper "occa" Aussies in the next cabin, so in one night Andy got more exposure to our authentic culture than is in a whole box-set of Kath & Kim. Unfortunately, the truly golden highlights of their conversation (which we listened to from the relative safety of our own little fire pit, giggling at the inanity) aren't exactly suitable for this bandwagon. (In one, a man was describing something he saw on a footy-trip/buck's night/Thailand trip, loudly and with great enthusiasm. Dee, who was sitting opposite me across the fire-pit, confirmed it: "Yep, he's got his pants down.")

LOL. No, literally.

Last night we celebrated Halloween with a couple of purportedly scary movies, both which were hilarious: Silent Hill (should've stayed a computer game title only) and the classic Poltergeist ("This houyahse is cleayahn!" "No it isn't." "Yah're rahght!").

Spook to ya later, fam!

Happy (belated) birthday Glennji!

2011-10-16T08:21:00.001+11:00

Hey little brother,

Hope you've had a fabulous weekend and everyone has given you lovely presents!
We'll be bringing one with us. :-)

*hugz*
-dayna- & brucey

Happy birthday in memory, Dad

2011-10-08T11:06:00.000+11:00

Happy birthday Dad - love you, miss you.

I didn't have my Tullamore Dew with fish and chips today (had to work instead)..

Anyone want to join me to raise a glass in remembrance when I'm visiting?

Happy birthday Damien

2011-10-03T16:01:00.001+11:00

Happy birthday little brother, hope you had a brilliant one with your beautiful family! :-) You'll be happy to hear that, as your duly appointed representative, I blew out the candles AND ate your cake.
No need to thank me.

Welcome Lily

2011-08-29T10:00:00.000+10:00

Dear Lily Sofia,

Happy birth day. Your Mum, Dad and big brother Oscar are very pleased to finally meet you.

You have a large family who are also eager to meet you - have you met Nannie and Nana yet? Unkie Bruce & I can't wait to visit in about two months.

See you then. *big hugz*

-aunty dayna-

Cockatoo visit

2011-08-10T16:18:00.005+10:00

Lovely to meet little Jules and have plenty of Nanny cuddles. I'll try to upload a few photos.

Baby update

2011-08-09T13:14:00.002+10:00

This morning we had our 36week midwife appointment. Damien got to come along as well which was really good (he has missed the last few because Os has been asleep). We were very interested to find out how baby is lying. The last two appointments she has been transverse (lying sideways with her head on my right) but she had since seemed to have moved. The midwife had a bit of trouble locating the baby's head so we had a quick ultrasound and the baby's head was down, but after a second opinion from the doctor we were told the baby is actually lying oblique (on an angle with her head towards my left hip). So she had turned a lot and maybe a little too much!! We're booked in for an extra appointment with the doctor next week where we'll see if the baby has moved again and if not talk about our options. Apart from moving around into the wrong position, everything seems to be going alright. A lot of kicks and movement, especially in the evening. I've been feeling a lot more mobile than I did with Oscar at this stage... I've been doing a bit of shopping and we've been out for dinner a few times, and I can still get up from the floor! :)

Oscar is doing well. He's still at childcare the same two days a week until next week... gives him something different to do (staying at home involves a lot of tv watching while mummy rests :-\ ) and it also gives me a break. Recently he has been doing a lot of singing. Even if he doesn't know all the words he still gets the tune right so we know what song he's singing! It's especially impressive when he sings a song we haven't taught him.

Damien is going well, also. He has been really busy getting things organised... carpet cleaning, lawn mowing, tree chopping and all the other household jobs that I can no longer do! I'm very grateful for all the work he does :) Our next job is to finish tidying our room so that we can move the bassinet in there.

That's about it from us! Hope everyone else is doing well, also :)

Happy Birthday Chez!

2011-08-01T08:00:00.002+10:00

Happy birthday Chez! I know there wont be any drinking and/or carousing but I hope you enjoy your day (and we'll eat plenty of cakes at lunch :D)

Happy Birthday Trinity

2011-07-31T08:39:00.001+10:00

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear Trinity
Happy birthday to you!

hope you have a fantastic day!
keep your eye on the post - we sent your present yesterday.

*big hugz*

Happy Birthday Mum

2011-07-30T19:30:00.002+10:00

Hope you had a wonderfully relaxing day, Mum. I'm sure the roses enjoyed the haircut. hope lunch tomorrow is tasty & your birthday celebrations continue for as long as possible. :) I'll bring your pressie in October. :)
*big hugz*

Welcome to the world Jules

2011-07-29T23:00:00.001+10:00

Congrats Glennji & Deeji on your bundle of joy. Looking forward to meeting the new nephew in October (and seeing all the nieces & nephews!)
*big hugz*
(yes, I've posted this in the past.. ooOo time travel. ;) hehe)

Mom says fibrocartilaginous embolism isn't good for dogs

2011-07-27T09:59:00.001+10:00

Whilst I wait for a release to build -- gotta love being a programmer -- I thought I best pen a quick update on the trials and tribulations of our "little" puppy Lucy, who is due to come back from a two-night stay at a specialist vets today.

On the weekend she fell at the bottom of the stairs, and while I didn't see it the noise was an almighty thump and she seemed a bit shocked afterwards. I gave her a hug and she ran up the stairs, but stumbled again at the top and almost fell over. It was heartbreaking! I sat her down on her bed and ran my hands over her to see if she'd actually broken anything.

Since that time she was having trouble walking, her back paw "knuckling" over and sliding on the wooden floors. When she didn't seem to be improving, we took her to the local vet, who suggested a spine or brain injury (!!) and referred us to a Dr. Peter Laverty, who was kind enough to slip us in between his other patients.

Overnight observation showed she wasn't improving (very quickly, anyway), so we signed the release for a myelogram. This x-ray was not without its risks, but would locate the problem and tell us whether she needed surgical intervention.

Another nervous night (her timing sucks -- with Dee about to go into labour any second, we really need our rest) and morning and we get the results: it is not a compression or swelling, so it is very likely a random "spinal stroke" (fibrocartilaginous embolism) that will fully heal itself over the next 6-weeks -- it could've been much worse! Dr. Laverty suggested that it was more likely that the fall was due to the stroke, not the other way 'round. Lucy will still not be allowed downstairs for a long time yet.

This week is the week

2011-07-23T10:55:00.001+10:00

A recent ultrasound suggested Dee has "polyhydramnias" - that is, too much amniotic fluid - and the follow-up had the specialist ready to do a Caesarian on the spot (practically), but Dee obviously wanted a second (and third!) opinion from her doctor and midwife.

On Friday we got that opinion, and now the game-plan is set: if little Jules hasn't arrived by Thursday we're into the hospital overnight for inducing Friday morning. And if he can't be induced, ol' sawbones McGee is standing by for a c-section. Either way the lad is coming out!

It is still more likely that he'll come on his own this week, statistically speaking, but just in case we've asked Dee's ma to come over and look after the place for a few days.

It will be great to finally meet the little guy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAYNA!

2011-07-22T08:44:00.002+10:00

I know, I know, we've already said it.. on facebook.. google plus.. some people maybe even in person. But dammit, this is tradition, so here we go..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAYNA!!

Happy Birthday Dayna!!

2011-07-22T08:43:00.002+10:00

Have a brilliant day bringing science to the masses, and an awesome weekend!

Web page designers

2011-07-11T18:26:00.002+10:00

Kerry and John Dunn have bought a motel in Kyabram. They need a web site and Kerry asked if anyone in my family did that sort of work. If you are interested, I'll get her to contact you directly. Any takers?

more tidying up

2011-07-10T19:08:00.003+10:00

Sorry I forgot the camera. Today at Lisa's I moved things around in the living room, made pikelets for lunch and sorted the plastics cupboard. Carolynn worked in her room filling the new drawers. Lisa cleaned the bathroom, toilet and then started on her room. She found and moved out the cot but her bed was full of clothes when I left at 4pm ish( with the cot mattress.) Ian, the landlord, called in to check Adam's reports of mould. He will replace the bathroom fan but thinks the mould is due to the number of people in the house, the lack of circulated air, overcrowding. He congratulated Lisa on what she manages to achieve. He will try to find the key to the windows so they can open the windows on a sunny day. I brought in the washing and put out the last load so more moisture in the air to try to dry the washing.

Tomorrow I'm going at 8.30am so that Lisa can take Carolynn to the dentist at 9am without the little girls. We'll continue the clean up while Adam is away although he said Pat may bring the trailer when they return on Monday to clean up the yard. Not holding my breath on that one. If Lisa can manage to sort her room the passage is next job in line. Couldn't fit the panels for Jared's room in the car but he is private as long as Daria can be kept out. I'm joining Probus for lunch at the Manchester Arms. I'll call to try to get my heater checked out in the afternoon. Ian, Lisa's landlord, will get a new fan for the bathroom and fit it sometime next week.

I have the Wool Show Tuesday and Thursday and then on Friday and Sunday. The Red Hatters have a cocktail party at Strathfieldsaye on Saturday night, but I have a ride so just need to get the cooking done. That will be a busy week and I turned down the opportunity to have a boarder from the Sheep Show for the weekend. Off to Ballarat to see John Ives on Monday and will go to lunch at John and Kerry's then home. Next week should be quieter???

No power tools

2011-07-06T19:30:00.004+10:00

Today I sawed the pieces of panelling we can use for Jared's walls. Hope Lisa and Jared can move anything that won't like to be hammered from their respective bookcases. I've also pulled out the shoe tidies so we can put one up for Jared and one for the little girls. The fluro desklight was repaired with a new globe so is good to go too. I'm ready for another session on Saturday. Lisa I'll be home tomorrow until lunch time but I think you are going out to Latrobe with Carolynn.

Great school reports for Carolynn, Jared and Trinity. Carolynn has had a driving lesson in wet weather so tick that off.

Glenn and Danielle I have more 0000 clothes , this time from Damien and Cheryl(blue). I'll hold them until we see how big your little man is.

Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3

2011-07-05T09:16:00.000+10:00

Ignore me: I'm trying out the "send to Facebook" button that I've just added to the bottom of each post -- if it works, it means you can publish here, then click "[f] Send" at the bottom of the post and type "Family" to send a link to that group on Facebook -- let's try it, eh?

The week that was

2011-07-03T11:54:00.003+10:00

Hi all. Thought this the best way to catch you all and I 'll post a reminder on FB to check in because I don't and I hadn't seen Damien's last post.

Games I have for the Wii are Play Motion, Crazy Mini Golf 2, Family Game Show, Just Dance, Mariocart and Wii Fit plus. All still unopened because I'm too busy.

What power tools do you want Damien? Glenn has the sander at the moment. Dayna's drill set is here and I'm keeping the Makita one Dad bought most recently.

We did get Jared set up in his own space yesterday. Think we could attach some panelling to the back of the bookcases to make walls. Lisa the large panels are 4 ft wide. I think we could cut two down to 3 ft to fit the bookcases and maybe use another one as a door that Jared can pull across when he wants to say the door is shut. We'll probably have to use a hand saw to cut them. I found a powerboard for him.

Maybe Adam should look at this diet Damien and Glenn are using if Damien is getting results. I want to know more especially when you can eat pizza and icecream on your free day.

lisa I'm free next weekend again if you want to do more. You can call to collect the drawers for Carolynn and the panelling on Tuesday or Friday morning if you want so Carolynn can get on with her room.

Shopping with Denise on Monday but no idea of times. Lunch out with Nana on Tuesday but home before and after unless I stay for coffee with you all. Spinners on Wednesday, home by 3ish, Exercise Thursday then out for afternoon tea at the Gibson's and maybe square dancing with Denise at night. Meeting Friday afternoon.

Photos of the new rooms wanted. I'd like Adam to move some of the adult books to his two bookshelves to free up the bookshelf in the passage for the children's books. Bring the cot and mattress back here when you collect the foam mattress for Daria. So much easier to plan than to do but we are making progress.

I want more power tools

2011-06-27T08:55:00.003+10:00

We've got a bit of a break between visitors so I thought I should write a quick update.

We were expecting Darryl at some point before the baby was born, but he surprised us by calling us a few days before the weekend to say he'd be here along with his family. Luckily I had just spend a large chunk of the previous weekend cleaning the spare room (for the guys to come and fix our shutters) so we were okay. It was great to see Darryl, Alicia, Charlotte, William and Spencer, and although Oscar got a little upset about having to share his toys early in the week (especially after his nap when he was still tired) by the end of it he was happily (for the most part) playing with everyone. He seemed to like following Charlotte around, copying her, and later he and Spencer both copied each other.. which was good, because they were playing together, but not so good if they both wanted to play with one little toy :) I think it's a small taste of what's to come for him though. Daz was brilliant.. he made us the wardrobe (which we're still in the process of filling), fixed up the front security door, reattached the linen press door.. just generally did those tasks you really need power tools to do. We repaid him as best we could with beer and chocolates, but I think we still owe him big time.

This weekend Rach arrives, which will be great too. She's staying for a week, and I know Os is going to love having family here who don't want to ride on his bikes or read his books ;) Sadly Rach wont be bringing power tools to fix up whatever is left, but that's okay.. I think Chez has got a day off work so I'm sure they'll get up to no end of hijinks.

Speaking of Chez, she's doing really well. Only 10 weeks to go, and the little girl is very active. Os calls her "baby sister" and occasionally points out toys for her :) The time seems to be flying by now. We put up some photos of Cheryl so you can see her belly too.. I don't think it's as big as it was for Ossie. Either way I'm sure you'll agree she looks beautiful.

And me.. I'm on a weird low-carb diet. I'll write more about that when it's over if you're interested.. Then I'll have final numbers and the like. Either way, it seems to be netting a result for me, which is good.. because I do miss delicious carbs.

The big clean up

2011-06-25T18:27:00.002+10:00

Today we moved Adam to a different area. He decided he would rather be in the corner of the lounge so some changes happened on the day. By late afternoon, Adam was repacking his things in the corner of the lounge. His desk had been repaired and the area for Jared was mostly clear. Lisa cleaned the windows and washed the curtains and we cleaned the floor and vaccuumed the walls.

I think tomorrow will be a day for them to catch up on the cooking and get settled. Maybe next weekend we can collect the bookcases for Jared's wall and set up his bed.

We have a new floor!

2011-06-03T16:57:00.001+10:00

We got a floor laid today! Just one of the many, many benefits of being a pregnant woman (*Glenn ducks*) is you can ask for special treatment, like "as early as possible because we've got a baby coming". Dee found the flooring company on Monday and found out that "as early as possible" was before the end of the week! Good stuff! So last night we moved out all the furniture and ripped up the last little bit of carpet, then slept with the mattress on the floor where our dining table should be. Dee was happy to find it wasn't as hard to get up from the floor as she worried it would be. (Lucy woke us nice and early, of course, although arguably it was harder for her to lick us since she had to bend down.)

Rock and AJ (real names?) turned up this morning and got to work: we put up a drop-sheet across our door to block out the dust (but not the noise), then left 'em to it. Lots of hammering and grinding from behind the orange curtain, so Dee took the car out for a service and I put on some headphones. "A nice hardwood floor...", Tasmanian oak? Something like that. They were finished by about two o'clock, with another 24-hours before we can walk on it (so camping out again tonight); in a couple of weeks (once it has settled I suppose) they're back to sand and polish it. It already looks good!

Lucy was a reasonably good puppy during all the ruckus, although we had to block off her path with sheets of plasterboard because she just wanted to help. By the afternoon she'd grown used to it, and went outside to harass the neighbours little dogs. So funny to see muddy little "Milo" or yippy "Hannah" chasing a big black Great Dane around the yard! Considering that Lucy has been sneaking into Milo's yard and stealing his toys, I'm not surprised he chases her.

So we are slowly but surely getting something like settled. This floor was a big one, as it really brings the room together with all the painting, plastering, sanding and amateur-carpentary we've done over the last month or so. French-doors this weekend, getting it polished before the end of the month, a couple of rugs, photos and/or paintings, a little bookshelf cabinet by the door and we're done with our bedroom!

4D ultrasound

2011-06-03T16:24:00.001+10:00

We had another ultrasound this week, a little check against heart defects (sonographer said it looked fine, but we haven't had the final confirmation from the doctor yet -- not worried). A nice little ultrasound centre in Berwick, and we found out the meaning of "4D scan" when she showed us his face in 3D ... and then he moved! Opening and closing his mouth just like a real baby might (and he's looking pretty baby-like now), it was amazing to behold. Technology is awesome! Science, you rock. They printed out a couple of 3D pics, with the digital copies on their way (can't scan the thermal-prints) so you might've seen the blurry pic from Flickr:

For me, seeing him move was another "wow" moment, like hearing his heartbeat for the first time. In these pictures, he's got his hands in front of his face so you can only kind of see half of him -- but who do you think he looks like?

(The sonographer also showed us around his head -- he's already got hair! That might change who you think he looks like?)

Thank you Dayna

2011-03-21T17:20:00.002+11:00

Today I received a postcard with Paddington bear on it. Since I think it was posted when Nana's was, my Paddington has been travelling a bit. Lovely to get and I know you have found a place to live, while you were just going to look when you wrote the card.

Funeral to go to.

2011-03-21T17:18:00.002+11:00

Just to let you know Auntie Joan (Papa Staley's older sister aged 90) passed away on Friday. She hasn't known anyone for a good while. I'll take Mum to the funeral on Wednesday morning. A celebration of a life well lived.

Movement at the Station

2011-03-18T10:45:00.002+11:00

Little Squirty wasn't offering a swift kick to the stomach, but I'm fairly sure there was some first tentative steps to movement last night, I got Glenn to put his hand on my stomach and we both felt a little nudge at the same time, there were a few more squirms that Glenn could not feel. ...Well it was either the baby or some pretty weird gas.

Thank you to everyone for your well wishes on the new home! Glenn and I are loving it, the first 3 days were frantic shopping days, we still require a table and more importantly a couch! We picked up one of those awesome bendy-over lamps on sale from freedom for Glenn's lab, which we have started to paint, slow baby steps, I went a bit "Must get everything done" on a list of things that will probably take up to a year thinking that it was indeed possible to get it done in 3 days, I have never felt so much pain.. after reconsidering it is 10:54 and I'm still in bed.

Looking forward to a trip to Bendigo on the weekend for some more goodies.

Love to all, and big squishes.

The long way home concludes

2011-03-11T08:58:00.002+11:00

Today Glenn and Dee collect the keys to their new house. Another step in their adventures. I'm sure they'll post photos when they get the internet sorted. They'll be back next weekend for another load. I know Les would have taken a trailer load and the way he packed it would have all got there in one trip. I'll be happy for the visits the extra trips mean.

Nana got the postcard from Dayna and just loved it. Waiting to hear how your move and new job are going. Much love and thoughts headed your way.

Today I'm out to lunch with the Red Hat ladies. A member is returning to England at the end of the month and she's invited us for lunch at her daughter's. Next Friday is a picnic in the park at Castlemaine. The group has certainly meant more socializing.

Now Glenn and Dee have moved on, I hope to lose the 2 kilos I've gained in the last few months. Difficult to do with my outings that include yummy lunches, but I'll see how I go. Glenn has downloaded more Zumba for me to help.

Lots of love to you all

Back again

2011-03-07T09:27:00.002+11:00

Hi all. Well done Dayna for the birthday posts for Jared and Adam. Lisa said Adam has spent his Geek present now and is waiting for a parcel.

Now I'm back and I've bookmarked the page, I'll remember to check in more often.

Looking forward to the photos from Cardiff and soon there'll be photos from Cockatoo as well.

Two new babies this year will be very exciting.

Lots of love to all of you

Mum

Happy Birthday Adam

2011-03-03T14:47:00.001+11:00

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to yooouu

Haaapppyy biiiirthday toooo Adammmmm

Haaapppy birrrthdaay tooo yooooouuuu

Woohoooo!

Old man. ;-)

*hugz* from the wintery UK.

Happy Birthday Jared

2011-02-28T14:41:00.000+11:00

By the magic of internet, I can make it look like we were online for your birthday. ;-)

Happy Birthday!!!

Hope you had a fabulous day and that you enjoyed playing Laser Force with Uncle Glenn.
Let us know when your pressie arrives!
*big hugz*
aunty dayna and uncle bruce
:-)

We miss you, Dad.

2011-02-25T10:06:00.000+11:00

Obstinate li'l tyke

2011-02-21T20:42:00.001+11:00

We had our third ultrasound today, and it was great to see the little tyke (and even better to see the li'l heart beating!) but try as she might, our sonographer could not get the scanner into position to tell us the sex.

It was a 10am appointment, and it's my theory that the little person to be was not used to being up so early - the scanner showed him/her all curled up, feet crossed, arms over face and hands in fists. We prodded, moved, waited; nothing would make the bub move to a more 'helpful' position. "Gets that from you," Dee couldn't help but remark. "Just being cheeky."

We've got another scan next week, so fingers crossed.

Happy Birthday Bruce

2011-02-12T10:02:00.003+11:00

Or: My belly-dancing debut

Once again it's been a long spell between posts. Since Mum's New Year wishes we've been keeping busy.

We've had a holiday in Germany (Frankfurt and Darmstadt to be precise) including setting off some fireworks for Silvester (New Year). Ooh eer (it's not illegal in Germany but I was scared by some of the antics we saw in the street!). Technically, we were on holiday before Mum's post but I didn't think anyone would be too picky. :)

I've travelled the country for a multitude of job interviews. I am extremely happy that one of them came through for me - even if finishing and moving is kinda stressful right now.

And then last weekend we celebrated Bruce's birthday (3rd February - just for the record). He'd booked a table at Zorbas Dance - a local restaurant that sounded a bit strange. Every Friday and Saturday they have Party Night with a 3-course meal, belly-dancing, plate smashing and more.

Bruce and his dad picked me up from the train station. Happily this meant that I didn't have to take my backpack to the restaurant and I didn't have to walk far in my party shoes. ;) Our waiter for the evening was fab - he started the night with "The soup is minestrone, the cheesecake is strawberry and the service is appalling." (It wasn't - although the MC was a big scary man!)

Food was tasty; I had halloumi, vege moussaka and cheesecake while Bruce had pork and mushrooms, lamb and mushrooms, and cheesecake and mushrooms (without the mushrooms). After food the crazy began - or as the MC put it: "Action time!"

Although it was Bruce's birthday, I'm sure I spent more time doing silly things! Highlights - dancing on the table, dancing out one door and in the other, the in-house belly-dancer making Bruce join her for a wiggle (I have video!) and, of course, being a Zorba Girl.

As far as I can tell, the only requirements for being a Zorba Girl is that you're a girl and you're at the restaurant. :) After a few 'moves' on the dance floor we were shepherded into a side room and allocated costumes. It was up to us whether we put it over our clothes or not, so Georgie and I decided to follow Bruce's philosophy: if you're going to do it, do it properly! We shimmied, we wobbled, we had a good laugh. It made me think it could be fun to find a class. And maybe next time there'll be less belly to wobble. :-)

T'was a good evening and definitely strange. I spent more time on my feet than I expected but the party shoes were surpisingly comfortable - at least until midnight. ;)

Bruce enjoyed himself, that was the main thing.

What's everyone else been up to?

*hugz* from us

Happy New Year for 2011

2011-01-01T09:48:00.002+11:00

Happy New Year
Lots of hugs and love to all of my family and friends
Hope to see all of you this year and pray for health and happiness for all of us.

Happy Birthday Lisa

2010-12-22T19:01:00.001+11:00

Looks like I'm not the only slack one in this family. :-)

Sorry I'm a couple of days late, Lis - but better late than never!

Hope you had a beautiful day and that Adam and everyone pampered you for the day! If not, then you're owed two days of pampering and relaxing to make up with it! ;-)

I've got your present - it'll be coming with Carolynn's one. After the crazy weather that we've been having, I've decided to wait until after the Christmas rush to pop them in the post (apparently the sorting offices are backed up already!). I'll let you know when they're on the way!

I really hope you had a fabulous day. I'll catch you online soon!

*hugz*

Beginning to feel a little like Christmas

2010-12-19T04:47:00.000+11:00

It's hard to believe that Christmas is next week. It doesn't feel particularly like it just yet - certainly my flat doesn't feel Christmasy and I have to go to work on Monday, so it's not even holidays for me yet. However, we did have the work Christmas party last night, so today feels a bit closer to the festive season (and no, it's not because I had too much to drink).

The work Christmas party always has some kind of "entertainment" and this year they got a silhouette artist to come along. It's quite a weird thing - this guy cuts your silhouette out of paper while you stand there. Most people got a traditional style portrait (head and shoulders only) but he asked me if I wanted head and shoulders or full length. I gave him the choice and less than two minutes later, he gave me my caricature silhouette. I love it - reminds me of Alice in Wonderland and you know that's a look I quite fancy. :-) Bruce just got head & shoulders (but didn't get an option - I think after mine he started doing more full-length ones). It was a good night out and a lovely beginning to the festive season.

It started snowing here yesterday. It's been fairly cold for the last few weeks but it's now looking like I might actually get a white Christmas (it's been fairly white up north for weeks now). We had a terrible time trying to get to a shopping centre for some not-quite-last-minute shopping - it took us one and a half hours to drive there (usually it's about 20 minutes) and when we arrived we were told that the whole centre was shut! What kind of crazy management closes a shopping centre on a Saturday just before Christmas?! At least we got out of the flat for a little bit. I quite like the snow, I just hope it doesn't stop us getting to Cardiff on Monday night!

Any updates on Christmas plans from Australia?

*hugz*

Happy birthday Carolynn!

2010-12-18T23:22:00.000+11:00

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday dear Carolynn,
Happy birthday to you!!!

I'm a little late with this post but not as late as your pressie will be - I bought it more than a month ago and it's still sitting on my floor - oops. Sorry! It will be in the post this week, so keep an eye out for it.

I hope you had a wonderful birthday with lots of sunshine. The snow has come back over here again - in fact, it's snowing even as I write this.

*big hugz* from the cold side of the world.

Happy Birthday Dee

2010-12-07T09:37:00.003+11:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEE!!!

Tramboat trip

2010-11-26T09:17:00.007+11:00

On Wednesday Nana, Denise and I went on a bus trip to Melbourne for a trip on the tram boat. It's not an actual tram as theowners were advised that would sink so they had a boat made to look like a tram. Our tour was to the pub. We had coffee and a slice for morning tea, then fish and chips or chicken snitzel served at the pub. The weather was warm but perfect for travelling on water. The aircon on the bus was working hard especially on the way home. As it was Denise's birthday we all sang to her and she got a slice/cake with the only candle they had ( a 50th) She was happy with that.

Autumn in the UK

2010-11-16T18:33:00.004+11:00

I keep promising a Bandwagon update.. and here it is. It's been a busy few months - apart from work bring non-ideal we've had a few trips away - York for the August bank holiday weekend, Paris in early September, Manchester at the end of October for the Science Festival. I've got photos from each trip but haven't uploaded them yet - I'm not as quick as Glenn and Dee were.. but they didn't have the distraction of work either. :)

As you're all enjoying longer and warmer days, my days are becoming decidedly colder and darker. Daylight savings ended a couple of weeks ago so it's often dark before I get home. Many of the leaves don't like the cold and have been getting their own back by jumping off the trees and making footpaths slippery. I didn't manage to catch a falling Autumn leaf so I'll just have to hope I don't get the flu. Mum, did your Easter catch work?

I carved my first pumpkin this year - a tiny little thing no bigger than my fist. Bruce made a regular-sized one and we watched Nightmare Before Christmas while we carved. It was good fun.

To continue the Autumnal celebrations, last week was Guy Fawkes day so I headed up to Wednesbury for the weekend. We thought about looking for fireworks displays on Friday (Guy Fawkes Day) but it was fairly dismal weather - lots of drizzly rain. It didn't stop us burning a sparkler or two outside. Bruce's folks also found some indoor fireworks in the loft. They were pretty funny - little pellets stuck on cardboard that fizzed, sparked or produced weird fluffy ash. Saturday was a completely different story - it was cold but clear and perfect fireworks weather. We joined several thousand others at Himley Hall for a giant bonfire (the stack of pallets looked as tall as a house and probably the width of the carport!) and firework display. The fireworks were set to music and made it easy to forget the chill. The hot chocolate with flake also helped us keep warm. :) It was definitely a good evening and well worth the entry fee and the wait to get out (we arrived early enough to miss the wait on the way in).

It's a bit worrying to think that the next public holiday will be Christmas - where did the year go?! Between now an then I've got quite a few projects to finish at work and some more jobs to apply for - it's certainly a busy time of year. Ooh and make sure you update kaboodle or send me wish-lists - I need to do my Christmas shopping soon!

*lovenhugz*

Happy Birthday Glenn!

2010-10-14T12:15:00.004+11:00

You there. You up the back, with the t-shirt on. No, not you, next to you. Yes, you. Glenn, is it?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Ookky ookook, ookle ookook.

2010-09-30T11:43:00.001+10:00

Because everybody needs a monkey.

Spring

2010-09-23T19:07:00.006+10:00

Some spring here.

Update from us

2010-09-23T13:39:00.004+10:00

As usual, it's been a while since we posted anything on the bandwagon, so I thought I'd give a bit of an update. This week has could have best been described as Hellishly busy. After a few weeks of not much going on at work, suddenly a client came to us with a massive job and a really tight deadline.. today being said deadline, and I'm writing this over my lunchbreak while awaiting any more feedback from them. Unfortunately, this was also the week in which I've got two Iaido demos.. one on Sunday, and the other yesterday afternoon. This basically meant that the last few days I've been starting around 6 or 7am so I can get the work done and also so I could leave early Wednesday for the demo. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but the sum result is I'm pretty tired :)

So the demos. Yesterday afternoon Takeo and I were at a big park in Adelaide for a half hour or so. We did some kata together, then faced off against each other with Takeo attacking and me defending.. then we did five each alone (we were clapped at the end!) and finished with some bamboo cutting. The crowd actually built up to be pretty large. Cheryl has posted photos, and I'll chuck a couple in here.. you can see it's fairly sparse in the first one, but by the end there's people behind us watching as well. The demo Sunday should be a bit less stress.. it's just for my Dojo in Reynella, so myself and a couple of students will do about 3 kata each and that will be all.

If you want to see all the photos you can see them here.

We hung around at the Moon Lantern Festival after the demo to eat some delicious Korean food and watch a few of the shows on the main stage. Oscar also tasted his first ice-cream.. which was Cheryl's ice-cream, but he didn't want to share ;) We got it off him when we offered him a banana instead.. he loves his fruit!

Oscar is growing up so quickly and learning a lot. He's gradually adding more words, some from us (like "nan" and "up") and some from childcare (like "ta" and "more") and some he just seems to pick up himself. He started saying "nose", "mouth" and his favourite "eye" suddenly one day. He really likes to mimic us too.. sometimes you wont realise you're doing something (like scratching the top of your head) until you see Os doing it too.

He's becoming much better at feeding himself.. some foods are easier than others of course, but he loves using a spoon, fork and knife when he can. He also loves reading books.. I think that's his favourite quiet time activity. Sometimes he'll even sit down and look through the books himself. We play a lot, he loves chasing and hiding games, and really likes exploring outside. He can get a bit quiet and shy with new people, but I reckon it takes about 20 minutes for him to get used to them (and it took about 2 minutes with Sam :))

We're looking forward to seeing Mum and Nana next week, even if there is a fair bit of cleaning the house still to be done. I'm getting Wednesday and Thursday off work (which I appreciate even more after this week) and then Friday Cheryl and I will go out for a few drinks with friends to celebrate my birthday. Gotta make the most of the experienced babysitters :) Monday is a public holiday too! It's going to be a good week :)

Hmm.. I think that's it from me. Hopefully Cheryl can pop on and say how her work is going, and anything I might have forgotten. I'd better get back to work!

A busy day

2010-09-19T17:37:00.005+10:00

Feeling very weary but pleased with what I've accomplished. I also washed and polished the kitchen floor and did a load of washing (still to put that away). The pic shows the old heater from Denise and Pete, which was in front of garage doors, moved next to the shed where there used to be lots of cut up wood to be burned. Moving it just around the corner was the best I could manage. There is still some cut up wood for Nana, Denise and Pete and the chiminea as well as some in a drum down the back. Even moved some old wheels round to the side where I can forget them. Other outside jobs done were poisoning the weeds and feeding the lemon tree and I made sure I didn't mix those up.
Cooking is on the to do list but Monday pm or Tuesday look good for that.

Work on the horizon

2010-09-18T19:11:00.000+10:00

Just a quick note to say my contract with the place in London is all approved now, and I might be starting work for them on Monday (!!). Of course, I'm not sure if I should actually do anything before the actual contract is signed, sealed and delivered, but hey -- what else am I doing, really? (Plus it would be nice to get a little extra money now ... we're rapidly burning through our "holiday funds", even without rent to pay (thanks Mums) -- if I start on Monday I can probably put in an invoice on the 30th, and get paid for two weeks work thirty days after that. Better than nothing!)

I'm sure you're all reading The Long Way Home (you are, aren't you??) so you know we took a little trip to Albury-Wodonga this past week. Well, actually just Albury -- Wodonga isn't anywhere near as nice or clean or modern as the New South Welsh half of the pair. We had a trip to Ettamogah Pub (in Table Top) one day, and stopped in Beechworth on the way home. It's a lovely little town, full of boutique shoppes and lots of "housey" stuff ... Dee spent a couple of hours and could've spent more wandering around, checking stuff out and picking up business cards. I think we'll be visiting again once we find a house...

We also stopped at Wangaratta to see some family friends of Tricia's, and got scones with jam and cream! Diet starts (again) tomorrow.

Bathroom Makeover

2010-09-17T20:46:00.002+10:00

On Thursday Cameron's came to measure Nana's bathroom. They suggested a large shower and no bath rather than squeezing in a shower and bath. Nana never uses the bath so she decided a large (1200cm) shower with glass on two sides would be nice. Today I took her to choose her vanity and taps. She's having a mixer tap on the vanity. Out of two, she picked one she'd fancied on the competition day. It has a narrower cupboard but Nana felt would be good to get close to if washing her hair. She is also having a cupboard in the corner, to store towels . They'll also provide towel rails. I mentioned an IXL light/heater and fan. We may have to pay the electrician to fit it. The girl helping us there showed Nana some taps that she loved for the shower.
We then went to National tiles to choose wall and floor tiles. Not a very big range to choose from. Nana found one she liked for the walls and we brought home four samples of floor tiles so we could see them in situ. They are a fawn colour with the floor ones slightly darker than the walls. Leaving them for Auntie Denise to have a say over the weekend. They are also replacing her toilet. Now I need paint samples to check against the tiles.
It's very exciting and everyone so far has been very enthusiastic. Work is to start on 11th October.

The tidy patio

2010-09-12T14:37:00.001+10:00

Spring must be coming. Sitting out for a BBQ by the chiminea.Now I've cleaned the blinds. We're ready for summer.

The Jeep

2010-08-20T12:27:00.003+10:00

Glenn backed out of the drive and they headed for Cohuna to show the car to Trish. They'll stay up there a couple of days. Glenn's former boss has contacted him, so job prospects look good.
House hunting or holidays next.

matching reality to graphic design.

2010-08-15T08:43:00.002+10:00

The UK flag t shirt is great. Now do we all need to match our icons on the Blog?
What an interesting pic that would make.

Happy Birthday to Cheryl

2010-08-01T07:45:00.000+10:00

Happy birthday Cheryl
Have a great day.
Lots of love from
Mum

Happy birthday to Trinity

2010-07-31T08:18:00.001+10:00

******Happy birthday to Trinity*****
Have a great day. I'll see you tonight.
Love from Nanny.

Happy Birthday Mum

2010-07-30T23:40:00.001+10:00

It may seem like I'm going back in time, but it's just because I'm on the other side of the globe. ;-)

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday dear Mum

Happy birthday to you

*big hugz and kisses* from London.
xxoo

(Email) From Bangkok, with love

2010-07-30T18:19:00.001+10:00

Hi all, Dee's brother just informed me that there was an explosion (or a series of) in Bangkok -- but I thought you'd be happy to hear that we left the capital for Koh Samui that day, and had no idea it had even happened!!

So yeah, a quick note to say we're fine and relaxing on the beach far away from any "civil unrest". If you don't hear from us for a little while it's because the internet terminal is way up on a hill, and I'm lazy.

But of course feel free to drop us an email saying how relieved you are to hear that we are alive and well. :-) Oh, and tell anyone else who might want to know, in case I've forgotten.

Trinity's kinder party.

2010-07-29T13:43:00.001+10:00

Hi all.
Lisa made the cute fish shaped cup cakes for Trinity's kinder party. She said cutting the spearmint leaves was difficult and took way longer than she had hoped. Still she got them done and they were a great hit. I'm going to try for a photo.

My Busy Life!

2010-07-23T11:50:00.002+10:00

It's been too long since i last updated the bandwagon. So here it goes...Will and I have been going out for over a year now Yay! School is going well I'm doing the best in english and math, I have the cisco exam next week, finally after i failed it. I had to wait about 6 weeks before i could do it again. Next weekend is my Calisthenics concert, It's trinity' first concert. The weekend after that is Will's 18th birthday. I don't know what to get him for his birthday, any ideas?

Happy birthday to Dayna

2010-07-22T06:11:00.003+10:00

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear Dayna
Happy birthday to you.

Lots of hugs and kisses from me to you and from Nana too.

We'll celebrate your birthday here on Sunday, when we go out for lunch.

I wanna cupcake!

2010-07-20T11:42:00.004+10:00

Hehe - Lazy Glenn is sleeping so I thought I'd take the opportunity to use the lappy, we have decided to stay another 3 nights in Vientiane - the hotel is cheap and nice plus has the added bonus of a functioning air conditioner, its so fantastic in the afternoon I turn it down to 20 degrees,throw a blanket over myself and read, its amazingly luxurious, Glenn laughs at me.

We are planning what to do with the remainder of our time here, I think we will travel to bangkok then skip across to Siem Reap, see some temples then head back, then make our way down towards Singapore, hopefully having enough time to stay a week at one of the islands, I need to check out prices though, Ko Samui seems well placed but I'm uncertain if I will be comfortable on a beach resort with 19 year old females swanning around in skimpy bikini's, don't get me wrong, I'm not prudish, in fact if I had the body I too would be swanning around is something akin to dental floss, but given I don't, the idea intimidates me.

Oh and in other very exciting news I have finally caved and joined Facebook, I'm still not convinced... watch this space....

Not much longer now I hope till we are home, both Glenn and I cant wait, travelling has been fun, but we are both desperate now to be on home soil. An email from our travel agent advised that the boat has been delayed another 4 days due to bad weather, however he believes this time will be made up when it arrives in Singapore, so fingers crossed.

Love to you all!
hugs dexo

Cake day

2010-07-19T21:41:00.002+10:00

Last year I made myself a black and purple black forest cake for my birthday. I selflessly took it to work and shared it with my workmates. This year I won't be making myself a birthday cake - I've made summer cupcakes for tomorrow.

Our office has a roster for cake. Every Tuesday, someone brings in a (usually home-made) cake. Fortuitously my cake day is this week - so I'm starting my celebrations early. It took me about 3 hours tonight to make and ice these cakes. I don't have a real oven in my flat - just a microwave convection, so I can only cook 6 cakes at a time. The icing also took a long time - washing out the piping thingy between every colour gets to be a drag, but I think the results are worth it. Now I just have to hope I get them all to work without damaging them.

Wish me luck!

Now can someone else post something please?!
:-P

Happy Birthday Daria

2010-07-14T17:21:00.009+10:00

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday dear Daria

Happy birthday to you!

Have a great day!

...and rest!

2010-07-06T13:25:00.002+10:00

I've had a busy couple of weeks working hard taking physics to the public. You can see a great photo of me engaging with some policemen on the IOP blog. The days haven't been especially long (we were out on the South Bank from noon until 5pm) but they were very tiring. The weather was great for us - sunshine and around 28 degrees every day - but it made it difficult to sleep at night. Especially when it was still 27 degrees in my flat when I got home at 8pm!

I went to Ireland for the weekend, we took Physics in the Field to Spraoi in the Park. It was a great event - in a sunny park in the middle of Waterford. Unfortunately our kit didn't turn up, the courier who assured us overnight delivery just didn't deliver. I'm glad that we use common house-hold object for our tricks, it meant that Alex and I could just head to the Tesco supermarket and buy everything for the weekend. We didn't have any logos or giveaways and our stand looked a bit haphazard but people still enjoyed learning about our tricks and often came back to our table again and again. :-)

Today I'm at home, waiting for a parcel delivery. I've realised that I have been writing my address wrong - Willesden Green in the tube station and the suburb is Willesden. But it's easier to write the address as follows (and I've updated the Contacts page too):

The Annex
24 Aylestone Avenue
London
NW6 7AA
UK

Please update your address books and tell Nana too.

Time for someone else to update the Bandwagon. :-)
p.s. Glenn, when you're back can you update the buddy icons?

Early mornings

2010-05-22T19:09:00.000+10:00

Technically I've been in my flat for two weeks now.. admittedly it doesn't really feel like it - but that's probably because I've been too busy to just hang around.

You may have read on FB that I was working last weekend - three long but fun days. Friday I drove four of us to Wales, after hassles getting the hire car that we'd ordered.. apparently the previous rentee had been in a bingle (you guys know what I mean here, right? everyone I've spoken to has no idea what I'm talking about and I'm beginning to think I'm making up words..). Anyway, apparently they didn't have any car for us (and it was not their problem?!) but eventually it was sorted out and we headed off, two hours late, in a 9-seater VW shuttle. Not the easiest thing to drive through peak hour traffic, but I managed!

We spent the weekend showing people physics tricks, like how to stick a kebab stick through a balloon, making straw oboes (like I did for Manchester Science Festival Speedy Science), growing marshmallows (and shrinking them again) and tipping cups of water over people's heads without them getting wet.

Drove back to London on Sunday night (more used to driving the van by then).. and got home around midnight. I didn't have to go to work on Monday (that's the rules - work the weekend, have Monday off) and I'm having this Monday off too. :-)

I'm slowly settling in to the flat. The full window makes it difficult to sleep later than 7.30am.. which is good and bad. A few days I've got up early, started putting things away / organising stuff and was late for work because I wasn't watching the time. Oops.

What's everyone else been up to?

Moving moving

2010-05-07T23:27:00.000+10:00

I didn't take much of a lunch-break, so I've got time to write an update here. :-) You all know that Glenn and Dee are moving back to Australia at the end of the month (via a long and interesting travel route). So, I have to move out on my own (again *grin*). I was a bit worried about finding a place that I can afford, is easy transport from work and has all of life's little luxuries (like non-shared toilets, your own kitchen and maybe even a washing machine). I'm happy to say that after spending hours looking at potential places on the internet and viewing one in real life, I've got a place to move in to!

Unfortunately, the photos were taken down before I could steal them to put up here, so you'll have to wait for me to take my own to see what it's like. It's a self-contained studio with a grown-up bunk bed (ie. my bed is above the bathroom and there's a ladder to get to it..hehe). It's got a kitchen area (with two gas hotplates, a convection microwave, a small fridge/freezer and a table and chairs!), a lounge area (with sofa bed - in case of visitors) and my very own outside courtyard (probably less than 2m squared). It's compact, but good. Although it's all one big room, the raised bed makes it feel more like a multi-room flat. :-)

Anyway, I pick up the keys tomorrow and then have two and a bit weeks to move everything! How exciting.

*hugz*

Question!

2010-05-04T10:18:00.001+10:00

Does anyone know where you can download the android software for nokia??

more photos?

2010-05-01T19:19:00.004+10:00

the photos worked here so I'll try for a couple more. They do take a while to upload. This time it let me upload three at once. I've included me in a working hat.

Here was what I did for the afternoon.

2010-05-01T18:36:00.005+10:00

Trying for more photos.

Backyard blitz and a silver lining

2010-05-01T18:07:00.004+10:00

Hi all. Since the volcano meant Dayna and Bruce stayed an extra ten days, we got the artificial turf laid and that inspired me to tidy the edges with pavers. Lisa helped there as well as help while the turf was laid and sand swept in.
Today I got more pavers and replaced the old ones under the pots and also did the walk into the vege garden. Also trimmed the edge of the path and sprayed to discourage the ants. Maybe rain is coming.
I'll try for photos yet again.

What we've been doing

2010-04-29T12:51:00.002+10:00

Time for an update from the Adelaide family :)

Firstly Oscar. Poor little thing has been trying to get over tonsillitis this week. It started with a fever last Wednesday that kept on coming and going. By Monday he was quite miserable so we took him to a GP and got some antibiotics. He's been enjoying his special little drinks of medicine. He sucks it out of the syringe! :) Yesterday his fever went down and he slept for about 6 hours and was feeling much better. Today we went to our GP and she has also prescribed some drops for his eye which is a bit infected (probably due to him spreading his infection when he rubs his face). Os and I stayed home yesterday and will be home tomorrow again instead of our usual work & childcare routine. The doctor thinks that he should be better by the end of this weekend.

As well as childcare & work, Os and I have been busy with a few other things. We attend a nutrition class every second Monday as part of a study on childhood obesity through one of the universities. I've learnt a lot from the classes, plus they provide free childcare during the class and a fruit platter to share ;) We also usually attend playgroup on a Thursday morning and catch up with Os' little friends and do some craft activities.

Damien will be teaching his second class tonight. He got another call last night from someone interested in joining, so the class is steadily growing. When Oscar is well enough we'll come along to a class and take some photos :)

And finally, it was our 6-year anniversary last weekend. We didn't end up doing too much because Oscar was unwell, but we did have a nice dinner at home.

Oh yeah, I've also put some photos and a video of Oscar walking up onto Facebook!

Update on Life

2010-04-28T14:43:00.002+10:00

Ok...well looks like I can't do work experience through school but can do it privetly. They won't let me because I don't live on the boarder and the duty of care to me and they need to do a workplace visit. I'm still having trouble with CISCO but it's getting better and the teacher is starting to help me but i need to like be louder or else i don't get help...stupid i know. Will and I have been going out for 11 months now and everyone is surprised we're still together because he is trying to download a virus to make another virus, I don't know why but he is. If anyone knows where to download it that would be much appreciated. Well I think thats all.

Finally a Madhouse update.

2010-04-26T15:58:00.004+10:00

Of course I mean the French-Roberts Madhouse. Where do I start?

Our youngest perhaps. Last Wednesday afternoon we decided to head to the marketplace for a look around. I was carrying Daria through a little shop and a large pottery vase with plastic leafy decorative stems fell from the top shelf as we passed. Luckily the vase missed us both (I'm not sure what brushed my wrist on the way down, but that and the noise made me step back and cuddle Daria in to me) Something lighter hit Daria, probably the stems as it would've scratched her head and made it bleed a little, and as we stood there with her crying hysterically a bump appeared on her forehead. The other side to where she had to have glued (I don't think I posted about that, hope everyone caught up with it over the Easter holidays) The guy that approached us didn't seem to know what to do, Adam joined us and asked what should be done in this situation and the guy said "What do you want me to do". So we left and went looking for Centre Management - do you think they are in the same area? No, after 2 shop owners had no idea we went to Big W and finally got some helpful advice. It was almost 5.30pm, Centre Man would be shut anyway, but it's down the road. Instead we could find a security guard and report it, if we found a cleaner first they can call security. That's what we did, headed to the food court where we knew we'd find a cleaner, and had a guard come to us. He was really helpful and took down an incident report, he tried to see the shop but it had closed.

The next day we got a call from the shop owner. She was really apologetic and said when she'd been told what had happened she asked about a report and didn't know we'd given one until security started work at 12.30pm and had called her to say we'd spoken to the guard. She told us to drop in next time we were there. We made a trip out on Saturday, especially since we hadn't made it in to Big W Wednesday night. She thought I said "Azaria" when I said "Daria", so there was a card and a bag of goodies with a misspelled name, but a nice thought all the same. Daria got a fairy outfit which Trinity fell in love with and wore all Saturday afternoon and Sunday.

Daria's fine anyway. We just wanted to make sure the proper procedure had been followed with the incident report and checking that the shop was safe. They still have similar displays, but perhaps the one that fell wasn't as secure on the corner of the shelf - it didn't look very stable in my opinion.

On to Trinity - she's enjoying pre-school. They're doing dinosaurs at the moment, and she often breaks in to song "I LIKE DINOSAURS"... it's very cute. Her favourite sentence seems to be "What are we doing tomorrow?" and "What are we doing the other tomorrow?"

Jared's doing fairly well at ESC. Needs to work on his maths, but his mid year report was good. At least he's not getting in to trouble. One of his friends was suspended Friday for fighting with another student - Damien, remember the "good" kid at the pool?

Carolynn is struggling a little with Cisco lately, but doing well in her other subjects. She's trying to see if she can do work experience in SA but it looks like she needs special permission because it's interstate. The careers teacher is doing what she can but we will let Damien know more when we do. I've taken her out once to drive, it's so hard to find the time. We drove around the carpark at the Schweppes Centre for a bit then on some quiet roads near our house.

I applied for a job last week, waiting to hear if anything comes of it. Other than that there's nothing new with Adam and I. So some photos -

Carolynn was under the dragon Ping at the Easter Parade.

Had to take a photo of Dayna and Bruce waiting for the Parade to start. We sat just outside the Chinese Gardens.

Daria in the Chinese Garden with my umbrella.

Trinity in the Garden. I dressed both little girls in their Chinese outfits for the occasion - or their PJ's as Trinity called them LOL

And finally a photo of Jared. This was actually Easter Sunday in our messy backyard - Jared juggling eggs.

ANZAC

2010-04-25T17:45:00.002+10:00

Happy ANZAC day, everybody: may we never go to war.

I haven't made it to the dawn service in Hyde Park, but I'm going to attempt Anzac bikkies ... then tease the London Marathon runners with them as they run over Tower Bridge. :-)

Carolynn's Deb Ball

2010-03-27T22:12:00.004+11:00

We had a great night last night at the Ball. Carolynn looked beautiful, Will a dashing partner. All performed their dances well and could even remember them to do them again later in the evening. I've forgotten most of the dances I used to know, but with Auntie Denise, Dayna and Lisa danced the night away. I'll try to add some photos.

Tees, Teeth and Tsuka

2010-03-21T18:05:00.004+11:00

Dayna said we need to get the old bandwagon a-rolling along again, so I thought I'd give a quick update on what I've been doing for the last few weeks.

Last Saturday I had a tee up on TeeFury. My previous tee, Oh The Humanity, had sold just over 500.. of which I get a dollar for each.. so I was hoping for something similar. This time around it was my Flight of the Conchords tee, and I sold over 1100! It was quite a shock.

As it turns out, I wont be splurging on some awesome holiday just yet.. Last week a tooth that has been going downhill for a while started really hurting. On the other side I had another tooth that had a chip out of it.. which meant for a week I was unable to eat on either side of my mouth. On Tuesday I had the bad tooth out, and having seen it I can say it's better to be gone. Then on Saturday I finally got the other one filled. Dental work is sadly quite expensive, so that was the end of my big profits.. the rest is going to stay in the bank for a while.

Today I had my Iaido grading (if you haven't seen the site, go and check it out - I built it over about 4 months). The grade was "San Dan Ho" or provisional third dan.. basically each dan grade takes two years to achieve, so next year I'll have my third dan grading. It was pretty hard, but I think I've passed.

Also on the topic of Iaido, I'm opening a dojo in Reynella. I'll be borrowing equipment from the Honbu, and the hall hire is cheap enough that I just need two ongoing students to pay the rent. It will be interesting to see how it goes, anyway, and see if there's an interest for it in the southern suburbs. It'll open at the end of April, after school holidays.

That's about it from me. Maybe if we can get updates from Lisa or Glenn I can write one about the Adelaide Mason you're all really interested in, my man Oscar :)

So much rain...

2010-03-08T18:57:00.000+11:00

I've been here for nearly a week and we've only had a few days without some kind of precipitation. Fortunately there have been none of the giant hailstones that battered Melbourne, but there's been almost 140mm rain in the last three days! And I thought that this was a country of drought!! Good thing I know how to swim. :-)

Speaking of swimming, tomorrow Mum and I plan to start our "get fit" regime with a trip to the indoor pool for aqua-robics (or something).. luckily I'd left my swimmers here from last trip - and goggles too - so I'll be able to do some laps. It'll be good to get started doing some kind of fitness stuff.. I really need to work out a routine or something (like synchronised swimming? ..that would be funny!)

I'm afraid all of my photos are on the other computer and my phone isn't roaming well, so this post will be text only for now.

Someone else's turn to write now! Time to get this going again.

*grin*
*hugz*

Les at home

2010-02-09T16:29:00.003+11:00

I'm very glad to have Glenn's company and support. Les has many variations in mood and how well or otherwise he's feeling. Today I went to collect a wheelchair. If it cools down we can take him for a walk. He didn't eat much for lunch but had a couple of small bowls of icecream this afternoon.
Tomorrow afternoon I've booked a haircut and colour in the afternoon so Glenn will be in charge here. Dad enjoyed showing him how the Tom Tom works. Looking forward to Dayna and Bruce's arrival. Edith and Landon just delivered some home grown veges.
Thank you Dee for loaning Glenn to us for a while.
Lisa and Daria called in this afternoon and we saw Trinity after kinder. Glad she's enjoying it so much.
Love to all
Mum

Living in slow-time (Bendigo)

2010-02-08T17:57:00.001+11:00

In Bendigo, and everything is running in slow-time.

Right now I sit at the dinner table, quietly digesting a roast chicken sandwich and drinking a Foster's Light Ice while I think about how to describe my time here so far, and "slow-time" is, I think, most appropriate. Whether it is due to the long daylight hours, the wide-open sky or the natural pace of country Victoria, each day has seemed to last an age: long days with little to do (and that's alright with me, Jack) and nowhere much to go in a hurry.

The contrast to working-life in London couldn't be more striking, and I'm revelling in the "late" mornings (8am) and brightly lit days, where the sun melts into pastel pinks then burnt reds at around 9 o'clock at night. The nights, too, are warm, balmy rather than the oppressive muggy heat of the northern states. I help Mum when (and how) I can, but really, walking down to the supermarket for groceries is more a pleasant stroll than an onerous chore; indeed, it gave me a chance to get a snag in bread from the sausage-sizzle outside the market in the name of supporting the Eaglehawk tennis club. Even yesterday's task -- giving Dad a nice, peaceful day at home -- resulted in a trip to the local pool with Lisa and the kids. We splashed, we played, Jared jumped off the diving boards and I got sunburnt. There are worse ways to spend your day.

I miss Dee, of course, but I can't say I miss London, nor that I miss work. We talk on Skype each morning, evening for her, but this is already the longest we've been apart in over eight years. No doubt it's good for us in some way.

I want to come back to Australia permanently now.

One long day (London to Bendigo)

2010-02-08T17:56:00.001+11:00

We arrive at London Bridge Station to find a crowd amassing in front of the Jubilee Line gates -- closed for "crowd control" on the platforms -- and quickly decide to find another way. We struggle through the ever-growing hordes out onto the street, hail a black cab and speed our way towards Wellington tube. Next stop, the Houses of Parliment (and of course Big Ben)! From there it is a short ride to Heathrow followed by a long walk to Terminal 3. We check my bag in and say our tearful goodbyes at Security.

Once through to Heathrow's inner sanctum I check the departure board and head straight to my gate. There is already a line forming; I join it anxiously, all too aware that airlines routinely overbook flights, but soon the line is as long behind me as in front. Eventually the gate opens and we file down a long corridor, across a "sky bridge" and in to the 'plane to stow our carry-on and find our seats.

It's an uneventful flight. I watch five movies, play a little Nintendo DS and try to sleep. By the time we get to Hong Kong I've been fed three times, I'm mostly awake and halfway home. We descend, skipping across the white cloud peaks like a stone across water; as we dip below the clouds we see a calm ocean, dotted with islands and wrapped in fog. I press my face to the cold window and we zoom over small fishing boats and trawlers, lower and lower until I think we're going to ditch into the sea. At the last possible moment the coastline rushes by beneath us and our landing gear kiss tarmac.

It's a two-hour stop-over, which turns out to be just enough time to get through the security checks, decide I don't need $500 HKD ('though I'm tempted, just to see what the currency looks like) and find my terminal. There is free wifi Internet here, so I shoot off a quick email to Dee, then one to work to let them both know I'm alright. As our departure time approaches I'm up and stretching my legs, which means I'm close to the front of the line when the gates open -- lucky, as I'm in the final row once on board. This next leg of the journey, Hong Kong to Melbourne, is much the same: movies, games, a nap or three, then it's seatbelts on for the descent into Tullamarine (now rechristened Melbourne Airport). Our Aussie pilot tells us it's 29 degrees Celsius and I wonder at the logic of keeping the internal temperature of the aeroplane at a chilly 18.

The hideously coloured (but well-appointed) red-pink shuttle-bus drops us as Southern Cross Station on Spencer Street. Nothing remains of the old Spencer Street Station except, perhaps, the tracks: the wide, clean boarding platforms now point towards soaring glass walls, escalators shuffle you mechanically towards cafes, gift-shops, restaurants, the entire commercial microcosm -- asleep, for now -- safe under the multimillion-dollar frozen-wave folly of a roof. In short, an international train station. I wonder at the homogenisation of our cultural history -- the old Spencer Street, with dirty walls, worn floors and broken roof, nevertheless had a certain quality about it, perhaps not "charm" but at least a personality which Southern Cross lacks -- but on balance I think we've gained more than we've lost.

I wander the near-empty station looking for a way to get to Bendigo tonight. The departure board lists only two outward journeys, both to Geelong but no further, but I dutifully follow the signs towards "Information" hoping for a timetable or, God-forbid, a human being to speak to, but all I find is a replica of the same departure board that greeted me upon arrival. I step through the great glass curtains which, sensing my approach, draw back and admit the heat and smells of the city's streets.

Smells: petrol, bitumen, sunscreen, the wholesome decay of vegetation, the ocean and much more, blending expertly into that unique bouquet of "place". I recognise the smell, and begin snorting huge nostril-fills of it, attempting to trigger and strengthen the latent connections between odor and memory as I walk down a likely-looking street for little more reason than it is slightly downhill. Ah yes: King Street. King, William, Queen, Elizabeth. Collins Street, Bourke Street. Little arches under the raised trainline. Flinders Lane, with restaurants and trendy bars. A bare-chested young man in tan cargo-shorts -- backpacker's uniform -- sleeps away the balmy night on a great stone plinth outside an impressive office block. Not willing to emulate him, I walk into the second backpacker's I see, not having built up enough courage by the time I see the first.

I ask for a single room, but there aren't any. I ask for a bed, anywhere, but the unshaven youth at the steel-caged reception desk tells me they are fully booked. I wonder if a balding, slightly overweight 30-year old just isn't the look they are going for. Maybe if I had more wrinkles, the prematurely-old face of an itinerant wanderer, a career traveller.

So. What to do? I could return to the scene of my earlier cowardice and hope they have beds but I'm at the steps of Flinders Street Station now, standing under the familar screens and archaic-looking clock of the main entrance. The heat makes me sweat, and the sweat makes me stink. I feed a couple of tiny gold coins into a ticket machine and its issue to Platform 3 to await the Lilydale line train to Camberwell -- Grant will put me up, he's a good chap. Provided I can remember where he lives. And that he still lives there.

Perhaps forty minutes later -- forty minutes in which I find that the trains are clean, the drunk teenagers polite (in comparison) and that having a fancy Android-based smart-phone with Google Maps does you no good at all if you don't have a 3G Internet connection -- I'm standing at the door I hope is Grant's listening intently for any sound of response to my ever-less timid door knocks and wondering if I should step up the assault to doorbell-level. I do, and Grant answers, to his credit (and my secret disappointment), with little visible surprise at my presence.

I spend a blissfully stretched-legged night on the couch, and the next day Grant drives me to Southern Cross Station on Spencer Street. The drive unveils the parts of the city that were hidden by darkness and I remember loving this little city. As we take our leave I promise myself to get him something to say thank you for answering the door at half-past midnight to a dishevelled, smelly foreigner then inwardly laugh at the prospect of picking him up a nice souvenir in Bendigo. I make it on the 7:15am train to Bendigo. I'm not sleepy at all.

Update from Adelaide in the form of an epic novel

2010-01-31T20:12:00.005+11:00

Hey all,

I thought it's about time we did an update from us. Let me start with childcare..

Friday a week ago was to be Oscar's first day of childcare, and Cheryl's first day of work. We were totally psyched for it, I was going to take lunch off and we would both drop Os in and ease him into it. Unfortunately, best laid plans and all that, Os got a fever Thursday night which continued throughout the day. We decided it was better for Chez to have her first day, so (with big thanks to my boss) I took a half day, dropped Cheryl at work and took Os home. Unfortunately his temp continued to rise, and once it got to 39.6 I took him to emergency. 3 hours, much poking and prodding and a very unhappy Os later we were able to take him home, Cheryl having left work early to catch the bus. The doctor's final report was along the lines of "probably a virus, we can never be sure with kids, no other problems so he'll be okay in a day or two".

It wasn't an ideal first day.

Over the weekend his temp sorted itself back out and he was looking fine for his Wednesday childcare when on Tuesday arvo he picked up a fever again. Thankfully while generally these things are 48 hours or so he was fine on Wednesday and was able to have his first day.

Once we got him there, he was fine. I suspect if you surround him with toys and girls who smile at him he'd be happy anywhere (and who wouldn't?). Apparently it took a little while to get him to sleep, but once they found out the tricks (rubbing his blue bear against his face, patting his leg) they got there and he was asleep when I arrived to pick him up.

Oh, that's the other thing. On his childcare days I leave the house before 6am, walk 4.5kms to the train station then train into the city and bus to work, to be there by 8am. Then I leave at 4pm, bus to the childcare and pick him up.. although the plan is for me to stay there with him for a while, to help him get comfortable until around 5:30 when Cheryl finishes. There's probably a bus I could catch later in the morning, but I need a couple of big walks in the week. Plus when Os is older I can say "back in my day I had to HIKE for 45 minutes through the SNOW etc etc".

On Friday he stayed home with Nanna and Granddad who by all accounts doted on him and carried him everywhere like a little prince :) So he's only had the one day.

Sunday (today!) we had his birthday party. We had something like 25 adults and 10 kids, but somehow we didn't run out of food or seats.. Certainly not something we could have done at any of the units we lived in ;) It was a really great day.. Os had a sleep from around 10:30 until 12:30, so he was in a really good mood for his party. He even got to eat some cake, although I'm sure he didn't realise it was a treat. Babies played with Os' toys, kids played the Wii and ran around outside, and adults ate, drank and generally made merry. Just as a first birthday should be. I'll post photos up to flickr later, and I'm sure Cheryl will post some to facebook too.

I might get Cheryl to jump on now and tell you how her first few days of work are going..

Cheryl here :) Work is going well. My first shift back my supervisor got me to do most of the sales to help me get back into the swing of things. Nothing like being thrown into the deep end to refresh your memory! Apart from wondering how Os was doing, it all went well. I'm enjoying being back at work, and Os & I are slowly working out our new routine. And I'm enjoying not having to worry about all the supervisor stuff I used to do! It's also great just being around my work friends and students :)

Okay, that's it from us.

Happy birthday Oscar

2010-01-29T09:13:00.002+11:00

Imagine three voices:

Happy birthday to you ...
happppy birthday tooo yooou..
haaaappy birthdaaay deear Ozzieee...
haappy birrthdaay tooo yoou!!

Lots of love from London.
xxxooo

Elementary, my dear Watson!

2010-01-18T04:10:00.001+11:00

We "Northerners" (well, temporary) had a sunny, if cold, day today, the first in weeks if not months. Perfect weather, in fact, for an early morning walk 'round Regent's Park, so I was up and out the door shortly after breakfast. I must admit, I felt bad for the birds swimming in the near-frozen lake but they didn't seem to mind.

Dee and I have put together a list of 101 things to do in London before we leave, and so yesterday (Saturday) we had a "Sherlock Holmes"-themed day out. We tubed to Baker Street from London Bridge, then walked along the street until we found number 221b - Sherlock's address, although apparently when (Sir) Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the mystery stories Baker Street only went up to 100! These days it is a tiny museum (and gift shop) to the fictional detective; I even had a chance to sit with Dr. Watson himself!

Afterwards we headed to an "indy" cinema on Baker Street for the new Sherlock Holmes movie (starring the inimitable Robert Downey Jr., who I'm quite sure I saw shopping in a little specialist food market in North London last year). Not the greatest cinema, as it turned out, but appropriately located nevertheless - and they served wine and popcorn, so by the time the movie was over I was feeling rather jolly indeed. We stopped briefly at The Globe - the pub rather than the Shakespearean theatre, because I've been past it a bunch of times but never entered - before walking through Soho to meet Dayna and Bruce for dinner at Wagamama.

After some so-so Japanese food (not bad, but not something to write home about - oh, sorry, guess I shouldn't have mentioned it then) we went searching for London's last and only street lamp that is powered by burning sewer gas. We eventually found the "poppy lamp" in a little laneway off The Strand, and were disappointed to find that it had been converted to electricity after a hapless motorist knocked the original over with his car!

So disappointed by this were we that we had to retire to the local "Coal House" for commiserations over a glass of bubbly. Our spirit suitably lightened, we walked along The Strand, over Waterloo Bridge, and towards home.

We are very much looking forward to seeing you all again soon!

Happy New Year for 2010

2010-01-01T15:41:00.002+11:00

Happy New Year to everyone.
We stayed up to watch the Sydney fireworks. Damien, Cheryl and Oscar left this morning to return to Adelaide. I've washed the sheets and towels and this afternoon we packed up the Christmas decorations.
We had a visit from Palliative Care on Wednesday. Ruth was very sympathetic about the run around Dad had in hospital. She will chase up the referral to Oncology but this is a difficult time of the year to be sick. Dad has a supply of pain killers and other medication. I try to get him to eat so he'll be a bit fitter to cope with any treatment. Just taking each day as it comes.It was good for Dad to have the children around for company although he does get tired.
Nana enjoyed a visit on Tuesday before she and Auntie Denise flew to Maroochydore for Dot's 70th birthday. Lisa and the family came on Wednesday for tea and to catch up.
Thinking of you northerners with freezing conditions while we melt here. Good swimming weather and last night it rained so I don't need to water today.

Cold Christmas (#2) in Scotland

2009-12-28T23:37:00.001+11:00

Well we're back in London today, after a 7 hour (!!) train ride last night - we were delayed for over two hours, 30 minutes out of London, so by the time we'd caught our bus back home it was almost midnight.

Luckily we'd prepared: in Glasgow we bought dinner for on the train, and upgraded our "cattle class" seats to first-class for the princely sum of £15 a pop. So we sat in relative comfort in the (actually too-warm) cabin, snug and safe from the ice and snow outside, and eventually we rolled into Euston Station.

It's been a fun couple of days. We arrived in Irvine (on the Scottish coast, with views of the Isle of Arran) late Thursday night, and Andy and his dad "Rab" (Robert) met us at the station. A short but treacherous walk along icy streets - Dee took a tumble just metres from the door - and we were in the Melrose apartment.

Robert and Dorothy, Andy's parents, looked after us like we were family - delicious food, silly conversations (the "craic") and plenty of the ol' Christmas cheer. We had scallops, Christmas roast, "square sausage" & IRN BRU and even found time for a traditional British curry at an old Scottish pub somewhere in town. We got presents! "A selection for the wains," said Rabbie, handing us each a Cadbury's selection box. "The wains always get a selection box." (I have no idea if that's how you spell it!)

We had a couple of walks while we were there - down to the frozen beach front, past a pub that is older than white settlers in Australia, and into a shopping plaza nearby - but mostly stayed inside (too cold!). We watched a lot of football! (Soccer to us antipodeans.) They really are the nicest people, and of course we invited them to come visit us in Australia...

This weekend is Christmas #3 - now the pressies for Dayna and Bruce have arrived!

There are a couple more photos on Flickr, and I finally got 'round to uploading some of Dee's birthday celebrations, too! Finally, here's a funny IRN BRU ad (it's a Scottish softdrink).

The beach in winter

2009-12-28T00:15:00.001+11:00

We've just been for a walk along the beach in Cromer. It's a seaside town in Norfolk (East English coast). As you can see in the picture, we had to wrap up warmly before we went out - it's less than 10 degrees out. :-)

I'm staying with Bruce's family for the week. There's Bruce's folks - John & Gwen, his Grandad & Bruce and I. We're staying in a listed building (built in 1800s) which was super cold when we arrived but has warmed up after leaving the heating on all night. It's a strange house with three stories - kitchen & a family room on ground floor; two bathrooms, a lounge & a bedroom on first floor; and three bedrooms on second floor. I'll keep fit running up and down the stairs. :-)

We're just about to go and have lunch. *big hugz* thinking of everyone.