Photo day with the rellies

Off to Lindfield today for photos. Will have to wait a couple of weeks for the CD-Rom though.

Boxing Day - Aussie Style

Did think it was going to be poor weather, but ended up in the pool today - 2 hours with Amelia and Louise whilst Callum had a sleep. (No rellies in the pool)

Thanks to Claire and co

For Xmas pudding on Christmas eve.

(no thanks to the mozzies!)

Merry Christmas!

rain, rain and more rain

Anyone would think it was Summer.

(and that we have just put the tree up)

Back from a trip north

Just back from 6 days at a farmstay at Kookaburra Cottage in Bobs Farm - a hamlet in Port Stephens near to Nelsons Bay. As part of the stay we ventured out to Stockton Beach, home of the largest mobile sand mass in the southern Hemisphere* - AND WE MEAN LARGE!

* or NSW - the web is fickle, and undecided

More xmas lights

Back from a second set of lights being turned on - this time in Darling Harbour; unfortunately due to rain, far to late, and a bit boring. We left a little after the 'tree' was lit, only to see the second (and more impressive) set of fireworks as we walked back into the main CBD.

Xmas tree lights

Back from a trip into the city with A&C to see the main city xmas tree lights get turned on. Highlight of the evening for Amelia was seeing Big Ted, Little Ted and HumptyDumpty live on stage...

12 months in

We've now been in the house for a year!

And whilst it hasn't been knocked down (and the kitchen is still yellow and red, ala McDonalds), bit of it (ok - the garden) are coming on.

Amelia is now accepted for Preschool

We've had confirmation that Amelia is now accepted for 3 days a week at WestPymble PreSchool, starting in January 2009 (next school term). Originally she was accepted for the two day session (Mon-Tues) but we wanted her in the 3 day session so that she could go with her friends.

All pleased, and Amelia can't wait!

the rellies are gone (for a little trip to Noosa)

and come back next week...

Birthday Party for Callum

Yesterday we had a little party for Callum's 2nd birthday at the park - it was supposed to be last weekend, but Callum (and Amelia) were still infectious with Chickenpox).
Callum got a black sit on 'motor bike' trike, which he loves.

Happy Birthday Callum

Callum is 2 today (only 2?? feels longer!)

we had to keep him inside as he still has chickenpox (not that you can tell).

He really loved the birthday card from Grannie Waland - open it and it plays old macdonald in remarkable good quality (and loud!) audio...

We eventually got him into bed late.

the rellies are here

so we have moved in to the sewing room....

miniture sydney...

Beached from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

more sickness

My ribs still hurt. Louise is still recovering from the pox.

and....


wait for it...


Callum and Amelia have chicken pox as well. So that's the birthday party on Sunday cancelled. And we have to find out if Louise's parent have had it.
(C&A have been vaccinated, but 1 in 10 receipients still get a milder dose....)

EUWWW!

Just found a (sealed thankfully) pack of 'Kraft French Crepes' down the back of the larder cupboard.

Best before - August 1987.

Labour Day (NSW)

And Louise has chicken pox.

Callum and Amelia have both been vacinated, and I've had it before.

Hopefully no one at Naomi's birthday has got it from us.

Happy Birthday to Louise

Took the day off today - park this morning/lunch time, and DFO this afternoon. Kids a quite wound up though so it wasn't particularly fun :-(

Broken Rib(s)

Went to the doctor this morning, and it looks like I've broken a rib or two from the coughing.


And of course there isn't anything that can be done about it - "take 2 paracetamol 3 times a day"

Joy.

nothing like a lung infection

Well, it sounds so much worse than a cough!

(on anitbiotics - as is Louise, and Amelia)

Another warm day

Nearly through the first month of spring - and two days so far where the temperature has crossed 30degrees.

Unfortunately, the pool isn't warmed up yet - 14 degrees is a little too bracing!

Still ill - and now everyone has it

It's now wednesday - I'm back at work after two days off. Everyone has the 'cough' - Ameila is suffering more than Callum, and isn't sleeping well (neither are we).

morning and lunch at Sydney Olympic Park - Bicentennial Park

We spent this morning and some of lunch time at Bicentennial Park today. And felt the wrath of the first hot day of Spring - 31 degrees, making it hotter than most of last Summer!

I'm suffering from a bad cold/cough, which isn't helping.

Pics as promised

Amelia with her new dress


Callum opens his gift


Reprobates overlooking the Capertee Valley


Fog in the Capertee valley as the sun comes up


The fantastic Pool fence

A fresh new look...

But using a standard template that everyone else uses...

car keys...

Saturday 30th August - I give Callum the car (and house) keys whilst we are shopping in Woolworths. Unfortunately, I don't notice that he has left them on a shelf somewhere, in Woolworths.

Friday 5th September - I pick them up at Woolworths; a kind hearted shelf stacker found them, noticed the video rental tag on them, called the rental store who called me with her details.

Phew.

(new blank key = $77
New centrol locking fob = $213
Fitting = $50 per hour ~ 2 hours
Plus key cutting ~ $50)

Spring has sprung...

Horray - today is the first day of Spring (depending on your definition of course - Spring equinox isn't until September 22nd).

Suburban bonanza: life's good

"FORGET a sea change or even a tree change. The best quality of life is to be found in the suburbs, particularly those in the Ku-ring-gai and Hunters Hill local government areas."..."The bank's chief executive of retail, Ian Corfield, said the Ku-ring-gai LGA on the North Shore topped the list, followed by Hunters Hill, the north-eastern Melbourne shire of Nillumbik, Perth's Peppermint Grove and Sydney's Mosman."

Cool. Pymble (where we live) is in Ku-ring-gai...

Bobbin Head Park

Sunday saw breakie at Bobbin Head...

cold...

Just picking up on it being cold - it was 11degrees C in the bathroom this morning...

Still alive

Shame on me - no updates for ages.
(but is anyone reading them anyway..?)

So - pool fence is now finished.
Winter is nearly over.
We had a long weekend at a farm over looking the Cappertee Valley (where it was COLD)


Pics etc when I remember.

update

Well, still haven't finished the pool fence, sorted out citizenship, got Callum a British passport, or upgraded the PC.

Petrol is now $1.60 a litre (or, as we need RON95, nearer $1.70!) - at this rate it will be the same cost as the UK!

Back in Sydney

Back in Sydney now, for Mother's Day.

I managed to get the work 'business upgrade' this time - fly SAS, and you get economy to KL or Bangkok, then Business with SAS to Stockholm (via Copenhagen). SAS Business is ok - a nearly flat bed type seat - enough that I did get some sleep.

(I watched movies on the Economy bit in Qantas - there and back)

Sweden -2

Luggage has just been delivered to the hotel

Sweden

Horray - I'm in Sweden. Boo - my luggage hasn't made it (yet).

vegetarian products

A gripe (no - really? from a pom?) - in the UK many food products which used to be made with gelatine or renet have slowly moved over to using vegetarian replacements where possible.

Not so here - in fact I'm finding more and more products are now including gelatine. Pasta sauce has gelatine added to cream as a thickener

(Cakes are made with 'pre-gelatinised starch', but this isn't gelatine..)

Up goes the fence...

2nd weekend of putting up the (old) pool fence - 2 sides fully done, one side nearly done (with a safety gate), and the final side untouched.

Pleased with it, even it if does look a little wonky (going for safety, not aesthetics!)


Autumn weather is truly here now - can still get hot in the sun in the afternoon, but night temperature is dropping to the point where we have to close the doors in the evening...

2 Years - now we can become citizens

Well, we have been in Australia for 2 years now - Louise/Amelia on the 23rd Feb, me, 2 weeks later (ie about now) - so we can raid the piggy bank for cash to apply for citizenship.

Jazz at the park

Thanks to Nicky for inviting us all to Jazz in the Park at Wahroonga today - was good, if a bit nippy (where did the summer go!?!)

the zoo, the QE2 and the QV

We spent much of today at the zoo again, but decided to take the ferry over to Circular Quay - on the way over we saw both the Queen Elizabeth 2 and the Queen Victoria moored in the harbour...

Australia Day

Monday 28th of January was Australia day - a long weekend. We joined many others locally for a concert and fireworks at KMC Bicentenial Park where Amelia enjoyed the Shrek the Third stage show, and both of the kids got a balloon to try hold on to (A let her balloon go, but not before trying to beat up Brendan Nelson our local MP (oh - also leader of the Opposition).
Evening ended with fireworks by the same guy who does the new year fireworks off the Harbour Bridge at new year.

A meal out

Thanks to Claire for babysitting A &C last Saturday - we managed to get a meal out for what must be the first time since Callum was born (or longer!)

We went to Tables in Pymble, which was nice. Not having to handle A & C was nicer.

Zoo

We went to Sydney Zoo today using our year pass. Both A&C loved it - of course, A decided as we were leaving that she wasn't ready to go, and wanted to see the lions. Next time...

just to busy

more busy than a busy thing, that is exceptionally busy - will try to sit down at the weekend for an update, and more pictures...

New pool pump

More work - just had the pool pump replaced. The old one gave up (either it didn't like the new pool cleaner being attached, or was about to give up anyway). Ho Hum.

More on the drains

We had Tim the drains expert round again, this time with the camera - not as bad news as we expected - much of the pipe work has already been replaced - we may be able to get away with just treating a small section with chemicals for a next couple of years, then get it replaced as part of the house rebuild...

Happy New Year

Well, we made it to the family fireworks (the Sydney ones, not ones of our own!). Pics later.

Not as good as last year (or may be it wasn't as exciting as it wasn't our first NYE in Sydney), but not bad. The midnight ones looked good on the tv, and spanked the ones in Melbourne!

Back at work now.

(but off home soon, and perhaps a dip in the pool. It is summer after all)