A day at the footy...

Today, I spent the DAY at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) as the footy (AFL) has started again… The Sydney Swans are the Premiership Club after winning last years Grand Final!

As this was their first 'home game', they had a special ceremony for the Premiership Flag. Then, it went around the Stadium for a lap of honour! The field looked great, despite the showers about, although the first half (two quarters) was sloppy/greasy play. In the end, the Swans won, Swans 17.12(114) to Suns 11.7(73)

Unveiling Premeriship Flag

Premiership Cup and Flag

Premiership Cup

Premiership Flg

Swans Facebook Status

In other news, my other football (NRL) team, Parramatta Eels, FINALLY won a game, after losing 50-0 last week, we won over the Cronulla Sharks!

Parra Win

Hoo roo for now...

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The weekend that was...

It was a weekend of highs and lows, and in the end, a bit of a blurr actually... It all started friday, which was a simply stunning day weather wise, and in the late afternoon, there was a definate 'spring feel' about it.

Saturday, I was up semi early apart from a neighbourly issue, but that's an aside... The main thing for the day was to get to the SCG and to watch the Swans AFL game. This was to be a high, but alas, in an absolute cracker of a game, it was a last minute loss against Hawthorne. For weeks, I had been looking at getting a guernsey, and tonight I was in luck, as they were having a sale and it was reduced from $90 to $65, yay me!!

Swans Sale

Cheers...

SCG with Grandstand removed

Being part of a group of people and talking and catching up, made it difficult (not to mention the lack of suitable service at the game when a concentration of people demand service) I was quickly running out of phone power. I was delivering score updates to many people at the end of each quarter. It was a real 'nailbiter' of a game! Sitting in the cool, even with suitable clothing, gave me an almighty back ache, so I was glad to get home, heat-pack, and lie flat...

Sunday was another nice warm sunny day, and it was off to catch-up with some friends. Whilst the kids went into the play areas, we sat and chatted and soon we had some lunch. I had a hotdog and wedges... Soon enough, it was time to go, and I was heading to ANZ Stadium for the footy, different code this time - NRL.

However, along the way, increasingly, a headache was gaining momentum, and by the time I got to Silverwater Rd, I turned around and headed home... Soon after, I was being (physically) sick, and ended up sleeping off most of the afternoon...

MM Wedges and Hotdog

So, that was, the weekend that was...

By the time I got back to the car at Central Station

Hoo roo for now...

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Weekend Wrap Up...

Well, it all started (again) on Friday, another bust-up with the ANZ Bank!

You will recall that this is not the first time, Banks... ARGH! being the first, whilst on only Thursday, FML FML BANKS FML FML was the second. However, on Friday afternoon when I got home, another ltter addressed to L was sitting in the letterbox! This one though, was a DOOZY in that it was a final letter of demand for the letter I received the day before!!!

It ended up with a 2.5 hour long call to the ANZ Bank, and the resulting response was that I will get a call today (sometime). My reply was if I do not get a call by 5pm, then come 9am Tuesday, I will be on the phone to the Ombudsman... We'll see! In the end, I had a major headache so I took a couple of pills and had a drink (which was not a good combination by my own admission) but I slept from around 7pm through to 3.15 and then again to around 8am...

Saturday though, I spent driving here and there and back again it seemed trying to get some All Terrain (A/T) tyres for my car. This was proving to be a very difficult exercise as they do NOT have them in the major brands in my size (235 60R 16). The calls I made said that they can get them, but they also wanted a deposit to order. I was not prepared to put a deposit down IF it was not a tread pattern I wanted, so I looked elsewhere. I eventually, 3pm, found a place near home, that the guys across the road mentioned to me about! A LOT cheaper as well, and a pattern I was happy with!

After having them fitted, I got the car detailed at the local Crystal Carwash, they had a special for wash, interior and a polish for just $69! AND, as part of the deal, you get a Coffee AND the daily paper, so added bonus!!

Saturday night, I had dinner up with M, and we sort of watched the footy, Parra lost to the Knights, but that was OK as the Bronco's lost the night before, so we were even! We also looked at the possibility of a holiday later in the year, where to is the question though!

New A/T Tyres

Clean Car after it got detailed

Free Paper & Coffee

Sunday morning, a planned spotting outing was called off as it was dark and grey and rain forecast... So I headed up to the north past Dural to drop off some stuff at a mates place. On the way back, I stopped in at Hargraves Nurseryland as I wanted to get some Camellia's for the fence line behind the spa house. They didn't have the ones I wanted though, and I SHOULD have gotten another variety there, but that was an after thought... Next week though I will be back out there. They have a deal on, that any plant over $14 is 50% off. These are $30 pre-sale, so a bargain! I will need 10, so I will go out on Saturday and get 5, and then again on the Sunday, get the other 5. WHY? because on the bottom of the receipt you get a 10% discount of whats been purchased OFF your next visit! So if I get 5 Camellia's on Saturday at $30 each, that will reduce to 5 x $15 $75... On Sunday it will be $75 - $7.50 bringing it down to $67.50... BARGAIN!!!!!

BUT, I did almost buy this bit of garden sculpture... Maybe on the weekend...

Garden Art that makes me smile

BUT, I will NOT be buying this outdoor setting!

'Nice' Garden Furniture?

Hoo roo for now... ------

Domesticity, Environmental Rant, Footy and a Wedding!

Last night, I needed to get stuck into the study room; it had become somewhat of a dumping ground. BUT, more importantly, it has files that I needed in order to do the last two years of L's tax! Her last year working and the last year of the investment property she had. I was also throwing out and clearing the amount of PAPER that has amounted! I just find it incredible that in today's environmental/sustainability world, we can not move to electronic statements and the like, especially from financial institutions and from Share Companies! But anyway, there's my rant for the day...

Today is going to be a busy one, and I am hoping that the bank will have my credit cards ready, if not, then I will be moving to another institution as there is no reason as to why they should not be at the Branch for collection... Time will tell!

Tonight is also footy night, with the Swans v Carlton, to be played at the SCG! I've only been to a single game at the SCG, mainly been to the ANZ Stadium, so I am looking forward to it. However, I am still waiting for my membership card to arrive so as I can GET IN! I am sensing that a call to the office, that assured me it would arrive in time. It means though, that I now have to leave work, drive home only to drive (or train) back into the city to go to the footy and then head back out home AGAIN!!!

I was hoping for some clearing, dry sunny weather over today and tomorrow, as the lawns really do need to be mown. Perhaps, as it is a busy weekend with footy tonight, a 101st (21st + 80th) party on Saturday night, that I might be able to get it done on Sunday afternoon... Time will tell! Not tio mention, though, that I am entertaining a friend who is up from Melbourne for the week, and he's bought the weather as it is nice and clear down there (so I was told yesterday it was 22c and scattered cloud)!!

Also, rumour has it there's a little wedding on tonight, my invite must have been with my Credit Cards; lost in the mail... What are you doing for the wedding, watching, or wide berth?

Hoo roo for now... ------

The path continues & Finals Fever!

Well, with there being rain (and possible thunderstorms) forecast, I awoke early on Saturday morning and went straight to the weather radar to see what was happening. And yes, there was rain out along the coastline! So, at 5.30am I headed across to the in-laws to collect the trailer and get the supplies (roadbase and sand) for when the hired help arrive.

I had some breakfast along the way, said hello to the in-laws and hooked up the trailer and headed back towards home. A call from the hired help ensured that things will proceed, and I went to the landscape supplies shop. I ordered and paid and when I got out to the guy on the loader, it was a mate I hadn't seen in, like years, and he got me the roadbase first. I said I would return when it was out and headed home.

The roadbase was out in no time at all, and during it, there was more than a couple of raindrops, so I quickly left to return to the landscape supplies to collect the sand with about a couple of wheelbarrow loads of roadbase left! So I got there, and was ushered infront of three other trucks, and I said my goodbyes and left. When I got home, the hired help had done nothing so when I backed the trailer into the garage, the first wheelbarrow load was quickly shoveled in and the first coarse was being laid when it absolutely BUCKETED down! It remained this way for the rest of the day (and even into today).

Tools down due to rain

So, the path was eventually laid, and by this time, the BIL, SIL and the nephews were on their way over to help. Good timing guys!!! Anyway, we had some cheeses, beers and watched the replay of the AFL Grand Final where Collingwood were the better team on the day. I cooked a Tandoori Chicken Roast, and for dinner. Not to mention a couple more beers. Oh, by the way, Macc was out of duty due to boredom, so the Forecat went to take on the additional role of Security!

Forecat turns SECURITY

So, today it was all about the NRL Grand Final, where St George played a great game and beat the Roosters. St George were also, the better team out on the field... I will )tomorrow) post some more pics of the path. It is at the stage where we are brushing in the sand to help 'lock' it all together! So stay tuned!

Hoo roo for now...

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How was your weekend?

How was my weekend, a bit busy and a bit of a headache... Let me explain.

Saturday, saw me heading west out to the foot of the mountains to visit mum, and have lunch with her. It had been a little while since catching up with her, and it was great to see her again.

I then left her to go to Blacktown Olympic Park, which was the venue for the Baseball and Softball when Sydney hosted the Olympics. However, it is now more of a multi-purpose sporting facility, mainly AFL and Cricket being played on the main arena. It is also the (temporary) home for GWS AFL Club until they are included into the national competition in 2012, when they move to Homebush. I was here though, to see a mate have a run-on game, and I think he had a great game!

GWS12

GWS08

GWS14

I had to leave though, about 1/3 through the last quarter so as I could meet up with my brother and a few friends for the Swans v Collingwood match. It was really touch and go as to making it on time, but I managed to get in with about 15 minutes to spare! However, the result was NOT a good one!

Sunday, I went to the bakery and grabbed some morning tea, before heading to see the B & SIL with M & W. They are doing some renovations there soon, and we chatted about these whilst having morning tea and coffee! I headed home with the best of intentions to do some gardening, however a rapidly hitting headache (which turned migraine) put that to a halt, and instead, I slept it off only waking to put Mr M out for a wee stop and to feed Miss J.

So, that was my weekend, I hope that yours was a good one!

Hoo roo for now...

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Counting down already... For the working week to finish!

How sad is that, I am ALREADY counting down the working week! But it has been a long, not to mention tiring, week!

Things are going along well with regards to the sale, I should hopefully engage an agent next week! The Solicitor has started the contract preparations and we are talking to the bank! I had NO idea that there is SO much work that has to be completed in doing this, zip, zilch NONE!

Last night, I also had dinner with BKBS. I missed S's birthday when we were in Egypt, but I did call on the day! I think, from memory, we were heading towards Cairo at the time! S has also grown So much, and looks as though he will be walking real soon...


God-daughter B on the other hand, was her normal 'happy to see you' self, which I simply love about her! We sat, talked, played silly games before a dinner of taco's, which were so YUMM and I had not had them for ages either; thanks B!

Towel Bat, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Work is really getting busy, REAL busy, and will be that way for more than a few months I suspect. There will be some early morning starts, and even some late afternoon finishes as well!

I am also in the lookout for a hobby, I do not know what, but something to keep me occupied. I may even go back to Uni, change my course, maybe to the MBA, I am not sure. But I feel as though I need to do something new, and to keep my mind active!

And finally, I have decided to not go back to having a cleaner, and that I am more than capable of pushing a vacuum around the house now that I am doing a lot more exercises and that my core muscle groups are stable enough to handle it. Sure, I might get them back every once and a while and do a 'top to bottom' clean, but for the most part, I think I will be OK!

Since I came home, footy season is now well under way, both NRL and AFL. This weekend, I will be most likely heading to the SCG to see the Swans play, so I am hoping that it will be a warmish night. Otherwise, I will be wearing my lovely warm leather jacket from Italy. Of which, I have been wearing to work the last two days; it's excellent!!!

Hoo roo for now...

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It's FOOTY season, FINALLY!

It's been no surprise that I have been a bit down lately, hek even I KNOW that! But, I have been seeing the doctor and getting 'better' via changes in medication. Hopefully these will 'kick-in' soon!

Anyways, I digress... I have been asked to the opening round of the 2010 NRL Season of the Mighty Parramatta EELS 'v' St George Dragons. Now, most people don't really know what team I support, but here's the thing, I like the colour green! So when I was at school, my football colours were blue and gold and as such, I supported Parramatta EEL's! Mind you, the last game I went to at the old Cumberland Oval was just before they won the Premiership and the Grandstand burnt down! AND, a guy (Andrew Fitzhenry No. 470) I once went to school with even played for them! So my history with supporting the EEL's goes way back.

EELS, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

BUT, in 1982, I changed alliances to support my favourite colour (Green) the new club, Canberra Raiders! Nothing more than the fact the jersey colour is green!

RAIDERS, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

But I have always had, as my No. 2 team, the EELS so for tonight, GO THE EEL's!

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