Summer is here again

After looking at houses yesterday we cooled down in the pool for an hour - Amelia loves it (even though she can't swim or touch the bottom in the shallow end). Callum wasn't sure first time, so we let him watch from his bouncer.

Today, it is expected to 38degrees, so we might have to kick me dragon out of the pool early...

(hmm - air con looks like a useful option...)

redback

I forgot to say - we killed our first redback at the weekend - it was just sitting there on the pool fencing, looking very menecing (it was all of 4 mm wide at the body), and we were delighted when it jumped into the mortein spray, then rolled under my shoe...

NYE06

We ummed and ahhed about it, but in the end we bundled the kids into the car, drove to the nearest railstation and made our way into the city for NewYearsEve 2006. Given our late planning, we didn't have tickets for anywhere, and so decided to get to the grounds of the Opera House - where we should get a good view of the 9pm Family Fireworks.

And we did.

Amelia (and Callum) was very good considering she had to sit outside in a small area for nearly 6 hours.

We didn't think she would forgive us if we stayed another 3 hours for the main event (plus getting out of the city would have taken hours), so watched the midnight fireworks on the tv.

Pics follow:

More pictures here

Xmas Day

That's Xmas day (nearly) over. In the end it warmed up for the afternoon and we ate our dinner (bbq'd salmon and king prawns with various salads, followed by frozen pineapple sherbet and yogurt for desert) outside under the parasol.

Amelia had no sleep all day, and so gave up during supper...

thank you

A special thank you to our readers in Mid Lothian (and Australian Post for not pinching the cash :-))

Xmas Eve

How very British - grey and wet :-)



How are we supposed to have a barbie in this? (tomorrow looks much better though)

a different xmas

You know it's going to be a different Christmas when:

• you remember you need to clean the BBQ for the main meal
• you can't decide if you are going to brave the traffic and go to the beach, or just sit around the pool
• you are praying it won't hit 40D, as you don't have air con
• you are wondering which Tshirt would be best to wear on the day, and if shorts are too formal
• garlic prawns or snapper?
• plum pudding or icecream?
• people are singing christmas carols and sweating from the effort
• the earliest you are going to phone the rellies is 11pm....

More pictures...

It's Friday, so time for some more pictures, especially for those that don't get our emails...

warm again

It's friday, and it looked a little cool this morning so I took a jacket to work. Why???

Now, (late lunch time) it is about 35d outside, and a very dry heat.

because of the dry/hot/wind, there is now a total "fire ban" in the Greater Syndey area:

Warning: A Fire Weather Warning for Very High to Extreme Fire danger. A Total Fire Ban is current. Refer to Fire Weather Warning for the latest Rural Fire Service Total Fire Ban information.

Total Fire Ban Rules


During a Total Fire Ban no fire may be lit in the open. Fire permits are suspended during a Total Fire Ban. This includes incinerators and barbecues which burn solid fuel, e.g. wood or charcoal.

You may use a gas or electric barbeque, but only if:

• it is on a residential property within 20m of the house or dwelling
• if it is a picnic area and the appliance is approved by council, National Park or State Forest
• it is under the direct control of an adult
• the ground within 2m of the barbecue is cleared of all materials which could burn
• you have an immediate and continuous supply of water available.

Finally some pics of Callum...

Sorry for the delay...


(Amelia seems to be getting on well!)

The local wildlife

We now have a couple of new visitors to the pool - 2 Eastern Water Dragons!

One has a stumpy tail, the other still whole. They seem to like lounging on the far wall of the pool, and going for swims in the water...

(Amelia loves them.)

Callum is

One month old :-)

The weather again

Yesterday was Tuesday, so, I must have been in Melbourne. Where it was 38degrees (well, it is Spring!).

On the flight back to Sydney this evening, the captain informed us that due to a change in the wind direction the temperature at Sydney had dropped - 10 degrees in 20 minutes!

busy

Well, I've been a bit busy, and so the blog hasn't been updated recently; Callum Nathan was born at 12.17am on the 26th October...

baby, baby, baby...

... Still not here - 6 days overdue and counting...

(still, i did get to sleep on the sofa in the birthing suite on Sunday night.)

weather again

Well, back at work now, although my 'wound' is still healing.


This weekend was interesting for weather. Friday/Saturday were two of the hotest October days on record - reaching 38degrees. Hot enough on Saturday for Louise and Amelia to go swiming in the pool (and for me to discover the large number of dangerous looking spiders living on the fence next to the pool!).

Then sunday a change in the weather - drizzling and only (!) 20degrees - in fact the car claimed it was only 16degrees when we went out to get a newspaper...

Hospital Checkup

Today was my checkup with one of the surgeons. Everything is ok, but still need to take it easy - no heavy lifting etc.

So what happened?

Well, perforated appendix with abscess, and acute appendicitis; my appendix had ruptured inside my abdomen, leading to gangrene, abscess and pus. Far too messy for keyhole work (bet the surgeon got a surprise).

Apparently particularly bad/messy; I would have been in hospital in a matter of days if we hadn't gone to the GP...

Discharged today

Got let out today. Still hurt, can't stand up straight, but have had the drain removed, and the last of the heparin jabs (which leave very nice bruises in your thigh). Signed off work for the next week, and not allowed to lift anything of great weight (unless I want the subcutaneous stiches to tear...).

I now weigh less...

Well, that's it done - appendix is out, big cut*, self administered morphine (PCA - patient-controlled analgesia, and a very dry mouth.

Keep getting woken up for IV shots of antibiotics:

• Gentamicin
• Flagyl
• Ampicillin

And 12 hourly jabs of heparin to stop me getting DVT (on top of the powered leg compression bandages!)

*didn't get the keyhole surgery - not sure why. Got a nice drain in my side though...

Ho Hum - I'm actually pretty ill!

4pm.
We went to a GP/surgery in Hornsby; I'm really feeling a bit crap.
Great - possible appendicitis, off to A&E (round the corner) for a second opinion.

5pm.
Very busy at A&E - still waiting.

6pm.
Still busy - been seen by triage nurse who things I look a little 'peaky'.

7pm.
Give me the drugs - it hurts!

7.30pm.
Calmed down - morphine is good.

9pm.
Off to X-ray. Probably appendicitis, but could be divirticulitis (not great, long term condition)

11.30pm.
Off to X-ray again, for a CT scan.

Going to be scheduled for appendectomy early tomorrow, probably keyhole.