Shopping and Leavers' dinner

Nicole and I started the day very virtuously by going to the gym. I managed 30minutes on the walker and then lifted some weights.

Camille wanted to go to Newcastle today to have a look for a dress for her end of year formal. We first went to Paul's warehouse to see if we could get replacement parts for Dylan's weight bench (I know it's really Nicole's) and a stroll through Spotlight to see if we could find some material.

Then off to the Junction to look at $500 dresses, hmmmm a bit expensive I think. Dylan was very good considering he was dragged around all the boring dress shops :) We didn't find anything so that will have to be another day. We went off to Charlestown but the most hilarious was us trying to find our way, guided by Nicole on mobile who had the nerve to tell me there was more than one exit from Charlestown shopping centre. How dare she.

We did make it back.

Flight to Newcastle!

Bit of an early morning today as the plane left at 8am. Jenny and Richard ran me out and only an hour and half flight to Newcastle. Nabs was waiting for me when I got off the plane and did she look fabulous. It was so good to see her looking so good after being sick for so long.

We toddled off to Broke after an interesting trip from the terminal to the car. We had to walk so far, trying to roll my suitcase over a recently surfaced carpark that had pebbles everywhere that kept getting stuck in the wheels and making it impossible to keep wheeling it. Good trip through to Broke, everyone looked great. The big news is that the house is finally to be started on the Monday we go to the Blue Mountains. Oh well we will be able to see progress when we get back.

MLC

Megan came over and we all got dressed to the nines to go and inspect Methodist Ladies College to see if it was suitable for out gorgeous baby. We were very impressed by the facilities. Jenny and Megan did the grand tour while I looked after I.

Who is the proud grandfather!

Richard had stayed home to get all his photos from the night before online. Very busy day for him. Paul arrived and we all had takeaway Thai for tea. A lovely family day, and off to Newcastle tomorrow.

Holidays!

Off on 3 weeks holidays today. I flew to Melbourne this afternoon (after racing into town to have my nails done, what indulgence!). Mike took me down to the airport as he had the day off, good boy to his old Mum.

Jenny and Richard picked me up from the airport. It was great to see them again, only a month since I was in Melbourne but I always enjoy catching up. Jen and I went into town to have a look at a floral display at Crown Casino, I was so disappointed that I didn't take my camera. The display was spectacular. We had a chat to the guy who created the display about some strange but beautiful flowers we couldn't identify. They were beehive ginger and he told us they were great infused in the bath for arthritus.

Richard went off to photograph the Monash Uni Medical students' ball. Jen prepared a fantastic salad for tea. Recipe as follows:
beans (cooked)
red onion, sliced
olives, pitted
grape tomatos
tuna
French dressing as required.
It was very yummy as well as the obligatory brandy...

Who's blog is this anyway??

Heres a photo of Dylan, finally happy!

He made this billy cart by himself. Clever boy. Good to see him having some good old fashioned fun! We took it to the top of the big hill & let it rip.....

Its ME!

Hey Mother!

You've updated your blog - nice piccies by the way, love the sea eagle.

Now if I can work it out I'll post a picture of The Beast that stayed with us this weekend (he was sweet really). His name is Bryce and he is a Dogue de Bordeaux - huge & slobbery! His owners were staying in the cottages & went to a wedding, so we baby sat. I gave them this pic when they left (printed A3). Ain't he luverly!

Kettering

Kettering was the focus this weekend. Marie and I decided to look for somewhere different to walk. I have been there so often but never walked around the headland into Trial Bay. It was a beautiful walk, soft needles under foot that made the walking very easy. As we set out the Bruny Island ferry started its journey over to the Island with a full complement of cars and vans. So many tourists are here at the moment and what a fantastic day for them to explore the Island. The bay was full of yachts, on the way down we had heard on the ABC that the Kettering moorings were full.

The bark on the trees was so beautifully textured.


The roots created a lovely tracery on the ground and along with the strappy plants created a bit of a trip trap for the unwary.

The view from Trial Bay, looking down the river.

Arthur River

Tasmania is such a beautiful place; this weekend we travelled up to Arthur River via the North West coast. We consisted of Marie, Jill and me. Marie and Jill had planned this for four years, I am glad they didn't get there before and that they included me in the trip.

Do what ever you can but get yourself to the Arthur River and take a cruise with Rob. This was very special, he knows the river and the local inhabitants so well. Just look at the magnificent birds we saw while cruising up the river. The opportunities to take photos were endless; kingfisher, sea eagle, wedge tail eagles, and a variety of ducks. I did miss the platypus we saw playng in the river; he was just too quick for me.

Welcome back

Well it is now 2006! I am going to start writing here again. The most exciting thing that has happened is that the new computer area is in. It isn't quite finished yet, I think I will have to give Mat a ring about that...moral is never pay until it is finished.

I haven't taken a photo yet but Mike took some of the 'empty' space. Must get on to designing the TV area now.

I have spread 10m of woodchips around and I am very happy with the garden at the moment, I have hardly done any watering all summer and the garden has survived.