Tis the season to be jolly...

But NOT for one Christmas Lights participant!

Last night, a mate and I (and his dad) went out to get some pics of Christmas lights around Merrylands/Greystanes. Along one road, Cumberland Road in Greystanes, there was a small series of houses with lights, music and FOUR Mr Whippy Vans!

Cumberland Christmas

As I was taking a photo of the Nativity scene in his lounge room window, he came up to me and asked "don't you think you should ask..." My initial thought was to say, "well, if you don't want your place photographed, then WHY do you decorate it and put up the lights"... But instead, I went the diplomatic path and said, "well ok then, is it ok then?"

"It's to late now isn't it" was his reply, to which I said to him "actually its not as I havn't taken a photo yet", folded up my tripod and walked away instead! Where's your Christmas cheer mate?

Cumberland Rd Christmas

Cumberland Rd Christmas

Anyway, after here, we went down to Camellia Rd (number 44 Camellia Rd Greystanes actually) and they were great. I took the criticism from the previous location (and asked) to which the family & friends sitting at a table enjoying the passing traffic, asked "where would you like me to pose"?!! Now THAT'S the Christmas cheer!! These guys are great, friendly and I urge you to go and have a look see what they have. Lots of Christmas scenes in the windows, and boat load of Santa's (not to mention a great looking lawn and garden!)...

Camellia Rd Christmas

Camellia Rd Christmas (see Santa's Sleigh?)

Camellia Rd Christmas

Camellia Rd Christmas

Hoping to go to some more on Saturday/Sunday nights...

Hoo roo for now...

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Happy Birthday Louise...

Today, you would've been 41 and enjoying life... Missing you dearly...

Today, I commemorate you in B&W...

Louise

Louise

Louise

Louise

Louise

Hoo roo for now...

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Farewell to the flying pigs (F-111)

I was lucky enough, to last week take a quick trip up to Brisbane for the final flyover of the F-111 as they enter retirement... It was an early start to get to the airport for the 6.30am flight, and for the quick 1hr flight north. The forecast wasn't great, but I held onto hope that at LEAST, it would not rain.

Luckily for us, when we arrived it wasn't raining, there was a lot of high cloud, so we jumped on the train to the International terminal first up. After a quick look around, no external observation deck :( we got back onto the train and headed for Brisbane city. We got off the train at South Brisbane, and walked through the University to the ferry wharf. The River Cats here pick up a fair bit of speed, and before long we were heading towards the city, Storey Bridge and all the way up to Bulimba and the International Wharf that my BIL built a couple of years back.

Brisbane River

Bougainvillea South Bank

Storey Bridge

City Cat

Bulimba Ferry Wharf

International Terminal Alex Built

As time was nearing for the flyover, we headed back into Brisbane, and when we got off the River Cat, and waiting for the small ferry to cross the river to Kangaroo Cliffs, it absolutely POURED down... Not looking good. But, we took refuge under a covered pathway near the wharf, and after about 15-20 minutes, it stopped just as our ferry arrived!

Once on the other side, we quickly walked towards the stairs that would take us up the cliff... It was hard work, humid after the rain, but I was thankful I was in shorts! There was more than a few people up there already, and the crowd grew until the actual flyover! After a girl next to us had noticed the formation approaching prior to us, I would have to say, it was all over in about 10 seconds, but I was glad to have been there to see/hear them!

City Ferry

Formation

Formation

After the flyover, we again headed down the stairs to the ferry (it was a lot easier to go down than up) and headed back over to the City side and to the 'Pig & Whistle' pub for lunch, an organic beef burger and chips!

Lunch

After lunch, we headed back to the airport for a bit of spotting, as I noticed a grassy knoll just before the International station. We got off the train, and in the time to walk out of the terminal, guess what, AGAIN it was pouring! We got back to the Domestic terminal (via the train) and did some spotting (through glass :( ) from the safety of rain...

Alliance Fokker VH-FIW

VH-VBF

Virgin 738 to Sydney

Getting home was late due to the lateness of the inbound aircraft due to weather in Sydney. Another quick 1 hour flight and home at around 10.30pm... A great day, and thanks again Jayden for the trip!

Hoo roo for now...

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Getting my 'mojo' back...

It's no secret, but lately, I've lost my 'mojo'... But over the last week, I seem to be getting it back little by little...

It's been a busy time also lately, with a quick trip to Melbourne, I started painting the house, but since then, its either been SO hot or raining, so I've not been able to continue! Also, the house will be repointed on the sides and the facade will be tuckpointed, and waiting for this to be finished means I can't really continue anyway...

But today, I baked some cup cakes, as a 'trial run', and they are now cooling waiting to be frosted...

CC Bater

CC Ready to bake

CC Cooling

Hoo roo for now...

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Family Christmas Gathering...

Our family, mum's side, has always had a Christmas gathering early. This way, we can then go off to have our own family gatherings! This is not a bad way of doing I think as it allows you to all come together, but still with immediate family 'on the day'!

Strutt Family

Anyway, Saturday, we got together... I was up early and out to the Warwick Farm Farmers Markets, we used to go all the time before April last year, and it was somewhat comforting to go back out there! I got two bags of Green Beans, 2 bags of small Cherry Tomato's and a knob of Ginger to make a regular, Asian Green Bean Salad (with Cherry Tomato's as an extra today!). It is so simple to cook, and SO tasty!

• Green Beans, topped and tailed.
• Fresh Ginger (to taste), grated.
• Soy Sauce (to taste)
• 4:1 ratio of Peanut Oil and Sesame Oil depending on how big the serving is!

Simmer beans for a couple of mins in a deep pot, keeping them crunchy, whilst warming oils in a wok. When ready, remove from water and ensure they are WELL drained. Then place into the wok with heated oil, and stir-fry for about a minute, then add ginger and soy sauce. continue to toss about in wok, and at this point, I added in the tomato's for about a minute, then plate up (or into a bowl) and serve. You can also have these as a cold option!

See, I told you it was easy, AND tasty too!!!!

Hoo roo for now...

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Life, and going to Melbourne for a couple of days...

Lately, life, in general, has been feeling a little like this...

Luna Park Roller Coaster

BUT, as I am now seeing somebody about my depression and 'anger management issues' I am beginning to see a light at the end of a very long tunnel! So on Monday, evening at that, I book a flight to get me out of town for a couple of days (just 35 hours to be exact!) to get away... I will post about exactly what the trip was about, tomorrow, but suffice to say, it was a moving time for me, and I had a great time.

Prior to 'The Event' though, I grabbed a tram and headed out to St Kilda to Acland St for lunch. There are a lot of cake and Patisserie shops in this street, but I was good, not a cake was eaten!

After lunch, I walked past Luna Park, which was closed, and the old Palis Theatre. These are below...

Luna Park Entrance

Palais Theatre

Hoo roo for now...

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Friday Fill Ins

Friday Fill Ins*

1. Sometimes, I wish I could turn back time...
2. I almost ALWAYS attempt to fix something, before stuffing up (about) the whole thing.
3. Small problems, to me, often seem insanely big at the moment...
4. Maribeth is very enlightening.
5. I keep meaning to keep in contact with friends, but its hard to call when they move and don't give me their new number...
6. I haven't done ANY housework yet.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I am looking forward to staying dry and warm as its cold and wet at the moment, tomorrow my plans include seeing a psychologist for my depression and Sunday, I want to be happy (at least for the first birthday party I am going to!

Friday fill-ins are sponsored by Janet at Friday Fill-ins.

*I saw my friend Maribeth doing these, and I thought I need to re-start blogging, so why not start with this!!!

Hoo roo for now...

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The Great Steam Train Day goes pear shaped!

When our train got back to Lithgow, we alighted and I managed to get a couple of contrasting pics of the old and the not so old... Here we have a Sydney Terminal bound, V set.

16102010_Two Motive Powers Elec and Steam

We watched our steam train head back to Katoomba, and headed for the car to take an adventure into the Newnes State Forest. After all, we had plenty of time... right?

16102010_LVR Train

We drove through Lithgow to see Mr S relatives house, and then up Scenic Hill that overlooks sleepy old Lithgow. We stopped at a lookout (only for a couple of mins, it was bloody cold) before the left turn at Clarence Station and into the State Forest. The roads are all reasonably good, but although muddy and slippery due to the snow, I locked it into 4wd. I showed Mr S and Mr L the way out to the Glow Worm Tunnel (for another day) and headed back into Lithgow via the Tunnel View road and we waited in the car until the scheduled time for the Dinner Train to Tarana...

16102010_DirtyGV Rear

NOW, I had always thought it was a 5.35pm departure time, and when we got to the platform and into the waiting room, I felt as though I wanted the world to open up and swallow me, as I had made us MISS the train, as it left at 4.45...

We weighed up options, a cab out to the pub would be cost prohibitive, and so we simply headed BACK to Katoomba for some dinner there, MY SHOUT!

So there it is, out in the open, I STUFFED UP in the train time causing us to miss it and miss the dinner train to which I was looking forward to. Another time maybe!

Hoo roo for now...

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The Great Steam Train Day continues...

Continuing from the last post, sorry for the delay, but I have been a little out of sorts...

Once we had boarded our train to Wallerawang, and started to pull out of Katoomba, I started to get a couple of pictures, but due to the snow, cold and not really ALL that much to see, we ended up having some morning tea. Mr L went up to the dinning car to get something for him and Mr S to eat, and coffee's to drink, something to warm the cockles due to it being cold. Here we can see Mr S having a look around at the old photos that were hung in the cabin we were in (know as 'dog box's' in the day), whilst Mr L is well into his VERY hot pie and below it, an example of the photography used (Taronga Zoo Hippo)!!

Mr S & Mr L enjoying Morning Tea

Hippo photography

On our way to Lithgow from Katoomba, we passed through the Zig Zag Railway, which was once the only way to cross the Blue Mountains. There was also a similar trip up/down on the Sydney side in between Emu Plains and Glenbrook. But here, we can see some of the old rolling stock which is under storage. I will talk more about the Zig Zag later.

Garrat Restoration Zig Zag

Once past, we then entered the 10 tunnels, which by-passed the zigging and zagging, and we were soon entering the Lithgow Yard, which once house a locomotive shed, carriage workshops and the like that was all very necessary as part of its mining history. But now, there is only a very small remnant of these buildings and so on, and here is an old turntable.

Lithgow Yard Turntable

Once out of Lithgow, we then headed further West, towards Mudgee, and off onto a small branch line that would take us past the Wallerawang Power Station. Here though, we are under a Diesel power, as the steam engine is to the rear and will pull us back to Katoomba!

Turning For Wallarawang

Disused Wallerawang Platform

Once in the station at Wallerawang, we were given a 'party' type arrival, with show motorbikes, a Rotary Sausage Sizzle and entertainment abound... We were even allowed to walk up and get close to the Steam Engine Lachlan (or 3237 Class). Here I managed to get a couple of shots of her workings, and of the men that keep her a well oiled machine...

3237 Wallerawang

Engineer Oiling the Piston

Main Wheel Piston

"Lachlan"

Taking On Water

4701 OLD Candy Livery Wallerawang

I will do another post about the remaining afternoon, TOMORROW (I promise)!

Hoo roo for now...

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