10 February, 2009
May they rest in peace...
03 February, 2009
Summer in Australia: - A bit of a 'catch up'
With the current water restrictions (Wed & Sun: - Before 10am and after 4pm) in place, coupled with this current hot dry season we are having, both at work and in the suburbs it is very dry (not to mention in the country and our farmers). Over the Christmas break, we ripped out our first season veges of Tomatoes, and replanted with some fresh stock. Whilst seedlings went in which were about 5cm tall, in the 2-3 weeks that they have been in, they are now nearly 40cm! Must be all that yummy Chook pooh I put into the vege patch whilst it laid fallow! Macc wanted to help with the vege patch (Tomatoes, Basil, Capsicum or Peppers and some Chives + Rhubarb) by turning over a small patch. Well, a small area that he wanted to bury his belated Christmas bone... The Ham bone! I was soooo angry with him, and he knew it, as he went off to the garage and tried to hide as soon as he saw it was me at home!!!
We also had the opportunity of finishing off insulating the house. We had some left over insulation from when we did the laundry (here, here, especially here, here, here, here, here & here) so it got used as a 'lining' of the upstairs study walls (in the roof space) and an additional bag of batts went into the area above the dining room, previously not accessible. Yesterday, the study was actually not to bad, heat wise, although a little stuffy from there being only the one window and not allowing the delightful breeze to pass through. but it WAS cooler!
Last week also saw the Diamond Princess arrive in Sydney. She is a very loooooong cruise liner indeed, not to mention BIG!
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18 January, 2009
Clipped wings and flights of fancy... (and some other stuff as well...)
Last week, we finally had our ISP changed over from Virgin Broadband... Now, whilst this is an incredible service, when it is running, it was more often than not, slower than dial up! We tried installing an external antenna (which gave us some respite and additional speed), but then it started to slow down again! It even got to the point where, if on the net and a phone call came in, the modem would go 'on-hold' whilst the phone was in use, and sometimes the phone would even drop out!
Anyway, I digress, we now have a super fast Internet connection and a return to a 'landline'! Happy as a 'pig-in-mud'!
We have also been busy in and around the house as well. I have been asked (and repeatedly asked...) to hang some hooks in the recently renovated bathroom. It is not that I was trying to get out of it, but there were two bits of timber that we had to choose from! I wanted a slightly fancy version, whilst L was looking at a plain piece. The piece that had a bit of trimming about it, was from an old dressing table that the FIL had and I thought that, with a bit of trimming here and there, it could be used. It was!
And then today, we were pottering around the house not doing much, went off to get L's car detailed as she gets a new one tomorrow, and she also got a pedi and a manicure! I hung the hooks as mentioned, and then we went into the 2nd bedroom and started hanging some of the pictures. I had to find the staple gun mind you, so we got started. All 'pictures' were hung and it was only left to the plaster wall vent L purchased for an 'art work'! It was a scene of some branches and a couple of birds sitting upon them. After putting some hooks in and then gluing them... they did not want hold tight, so I got another style and glued it on. All hung and it was looking good. Until... the hook came off and the plaster vent shattered! It was agreed that in, the unlikely event of it falling, there would be NO tears, right! So out came the vacuum (again) and mess all cleaned up until a replacement vintage bird was hung... Alas, a broken flight (down to the floor) ended in it being in more than one piece! Luckily enough though, there was a smaller one to be found...
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06 January, 2009
Out with the old and in with the new...
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31 December, 2008
NYE 2008: Let it all begin!
Cubby rebuild...
Over the last couple of months, the cubby has been getting much more of a lean... It was about to fall over! So, I tried to take the roof off to brace it up a little, but as I touched it, I quickly found out that if I was to try and lift it off, the whole house would simply fall! The previous owner of the house, had a little girl, and I think it may have been a rush job to build it many years ago, as some of the joints were... well... not that good!
So on the weekend Christmas break, we dismantled it, and I built two new side wall frames. The back yard looked as though a cyclone (tornado) had gone through it!
We also did a 'new' floor, as the old one was just chipboard on a couple of bricks! Great for ALL sorts of bugs and stuff when kids are inside!!!
Now, yesterday afternoon, frames were finished and the rear cladding was nailed on. Right hand side cladding and window were also installed and then the cubby was placed onto the new floor. Whilst L was off getting dinner (it was too hot to cook anything, and that is a story in it's own right that I will tell you later...) the cladding and window were completed on the left hand side.
Now, as I said, it was rather hot and as I was busy, L said that she will do dinner, But as it was hot, we were busy so she decided to go to Alpacino's Pizza & Pasta house nearby. She left and dodged her way through traffic at a nearby intersection where a motorcyclist had an accident and later died. When she got to Alpacino's, it was closed! She left and then called me and it was decided to go to the local Lebanese bakery, where they have the BEST, woodfired pizza's. Sounds good? NUP, it was closed as well!!!!
By this time, somewhat deflated, she came home and defrosted some stir-fry beef, cracked open a bottle of Vietnamese sauce and cooked some rice. What a disaster! This dinner was so hot (spice), she could barely eat it! I had one bit of the beef and some rice, and I swear that it took off the lining of my mouth!
So, here I am, at work on New Years Eve (NYE). Outside it is a lovely day, where we are expecting a top in the city of around 30 degrees C. Our site is one of (if not THE best) the best sites for the NYE fireworks. Fencing has gone in and will not reopen until 10am. There is already thousands of people out there waiting. These are mainly backpackers (UK and USA to name a couple), and have already started drinking as grog is not allowed inside. It is not even 9am! We will be at home tonight, with family, having a BBQ, enjoying the spa and having a game or two on either the xbox or the PS2.
Your turn: What are your plans to see in 2009? Have you made a resolution yet, and will you?
Have a great night everyone, and stay safe. See you in 2009!
28 December, 2008
Enjoying the summer after Christmas!
But, I just thought I would share some shots of what our Christmas day entailed...
10 December, 2008
Man, have we been busy!!!
Firstly, in news other than homely stuff, 'L' had another cycle, however, this time, it was a negative. Friday, she is going off to have some investigative surgery to have a look at the insides... More on that in another post!
So, what have we been doing? A lot! Tiling the back (and front) verandahs...
Before:
During...
And finished & cleaned off...
Also, the second bedroom was still in the colours that were in it when we bought the house 3 1/2 years ago, so a change was in order...
Clearly, the previous owner's little girl had influenced the colour choice...
And, as tomorrow is 'L's' birthday and a party will be had on Sunday, we are doing a spot of cleaning!!!
I promise, I will post a photo of the present I have got her tomorrow afternoon!!!
19 November, 2008
Oh what a ... day!
We had to get to the clinic early on Monday for another transfer. This was to be our4th transfer since collecting the follicles a short time ago... So we left early as we had to drive in the morning peak. Trouble was, somebody forgot to tell the rest of the city, that they should also be driving and we got to our destination an HOUR early!
So, nearby, there is a hotel with a coffee shop attached so we parked the car and went there. I was no sooner inside, and thought I recognised some girls sitting there having their breakfast. And it wasn't long before I realised who they were... They were the girls from 'Make me a Supermodel' and here they were, stuffing their faces, being demanding for coffee in a take away cup and generally being a right royal "prima-donnas"!
Then it was time to go to the clinic for the transfer, which went as expected and I will not bore you with the details, and we headed home for a rest. There were a few 'sharp pains' in the lower abdo, and all, but all was going well. We then had to drive into the City, as L had to have an appoint to go to followed by a follow-up/debrief from the Pilot Program that the IVF Clinic had done. This was a weight loss program, that re-educated you on how your body works with food. Eating every three hours, a strict calorie total for the day and a 45 min walk at least 3 times a week. The program leader was sending tips on things to do as well through the 6 week program. All up, L had lost nearly 7kg, drop three sizes in her jeans and is enjoying her walks! All we have to do is get a positive that sticks!
That's all for now, but will keep you updated as we go... We are going to the Canberra Craft Markets this weekend, so lots of crafty goodness will be there!
14 November, 2008
Colourful time here in Sydney...
I simply love this time of year...
The days are getting longer, and warmer with a top of 35 C expected here today... There is also the colours of spring/summer happening everywhere. From some spots in Sydney, you look over the city and you can see the purples of the Jacaranda's, reds of the Brachychitons and the yellows of the Grevillias.
This morning, on my way into work, there must have been some back burning of the National Parks as there was a very distinct smell around and a smokey haze as well. Of, the summer is not far away now... Apparently, we have a very high to extreme fire risk with a lot of the National Parks have a large amount of leaf litter within the understorey of the bushland. Lets hope that it does not get away like it did back in 2003.
So here are a few of those lovely trees I mentioned. The Jacaranda mimosafolia:
And the Brachyciton acerifolia:
The garden is beginning look quite good at the moment, and the vege patch is especially so. I planted a few tomatoes and they are nearly 6 foot tall already! The Truss variety is doing the best, and has a few branch's of tomatoes on them already, so hopefully we will be having home grown tommies!