WW No. 51 - Sharp

Sharp

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

Macc Update and my new 'toy'!

FIRSTLY, an update on Mr Macc... He's now, doing very well after a final clearance that all is good... If I say to him, 'c'mon in the car' well he jumps up off his bed and is all excited... IF, on the other hand, I say to him 'c'mon mate, time to go outside' then he hangs his head, and hobbles to the door... So, as he is milking it for sympathy, he's getting better!

Yesterday, I finally updated my body - my camera body! I had been looking around now for a long time, and after a lot of research (looking at Hong Kong prices as I am about to go overseas) they were not that much cheaper at all than local! Harvey Norman were having a sale of up to 20% off DSLR's, so after calling a mate, the deal was done!! I am now the proud owner of a brand spanking new Canon EOS 7D! Whilst similar to my old Canon EOS 400D, there is a LOT to learn with the new layout and so on. My first stop for a shoot, obviously, was out to the airport for a bit of spotting, but alas, these shots were not as good as I'd like... But the afternoon was more of a social gathering more than a shoot!!!

BUT, this afternoon after getting back from the ARH, I fiddled around with the settings, got out my cleaning kit and gave my lenses a clean, and headed out into the garden to see what I could achieve! So this is my first (edited) shot from my new 7D...

Callistemon

Hoo roo for now...

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WW No. 50 - Macc in Critical Care

Whilst this is meant to be a WW, it will also have some words today! This past week, macc came down ill...

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Last Thursday, I got a call from my lovely neighbours that Macc was crying in the backyard, so I left work and came home, collected him and took him to my local, wonderful, vet. He did a thorougher consultation, made a couple of phone calls, and referred me onto the Animal Referral Hospital. When I arrived, they took him immediately into the emergency room... The original theory was a clot in his leg, this was later not proved.

Well, he spent 5 days in the ICU, and was only allowed home conditionally, if I was here to make sure he was supervised. He was not to run, or get excited... His discharge notes included:

• Right Forelimb Lameness
• Cervical Hyperaesthesia
• Left hind lameness
• Severe Rhabdomyolysis
• Low Thyroid levels
• Query Leptospirosis and Toxoplasma

He is now on the mend, slowly, and is more than comfortable at home, either on my bed or on the spare bed...

Hoo roo for now...

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WW No. 49 - Why Trains, Tall Trees and HIGH winds don't mix

V13 DCM8028

V13 DCM8028_CU

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

Blog Lovin... (Award??)

A very dear blogger friend of mine got this award, and I thought it was a great idea, so I thought I would do the same...

Basically this means we pass along the award, to be shared or just so you know, that I read you every day and your Blog makes a difference in my life....

So now I will do my duty and list 15 blogs that I read. Thank for making my life more full because of what you write.

1. Thank and link to the person who nominated you.

Thanks to Dackel Princess for originally posting HER award and allowing me to do the same... I had been reading your blog for many years now, and it was great finally meeting you in Berlin last year... You were also there for me, through the most darkest of darkest times in my life, to which I will ALWAYS be indebted to you...

2. Share seven random facts about yourself.

1. Whilst I have a Greyhound, my dream dog is a Blue Merle, Great Dane bitch... One day...
2. I suppose, and it's widely know, I like to travel... I calculated out my 'miles' the other week for a presentation I was giving. When I got home, I stumbled on a website that does it a lot easier than the way I did it!!
3. Coffee is my arch nemesis... I love it, instant, brewed whatever, just give me coffee... NOW!!
4. My favourite flower, is really something exotic... Strelitzia
5. I am driving my THIRD Suzuki... I have had one Suzuki Sierra, and two Grand Vitaras!!
6. I have been in the horticulture industry, primarily turf related discipline, for 27 years!!! OMG!
7. Ex gymnast/trampolinist, swimmer and footy player... Where did it all go pear shaped (body shape - its more of a beer gut nowadays!

3. Pass the award along to 5 deserving blog buddies.

Play along.... Go on, its free!!!!

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

Blast from the past: - Aalborg 9 June 2004 Sunset (11.25PM)

I thought I would go back into the archive of photos I have, and see what's in there... AND, as the WW yesterday was a 'sunset' theme, this photo I took in Aalborg, Denmark came to mind...

Aalborg Sunset 11-25pm.jpg

We were there for a conference, Aalborg +10 I think it was, and it was late into the evening... We had not long arrived, that day or the day before, I can't remember, but being the first time that far up into the polar cap, the days were long... VERY long! It was I think either the second or third night that we found that there was darkening curtains that blocked OUT the light, so after that we actually got some sleep!!!

I am now quite comfortable with the length of the days in Northern Europe, and I actually enjoy them! How times have changed...

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

WW No. 48 - Spotting Sunsets

Fishermen Coming Home

YSSY Evening Arrival

Afternoon Spotter

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

V Set Retirement Tour

On Saturday, early, I went on a train tour of the Sydney Metropolitan System, but it was an unusual trip in that the retiring interurban train was used and went on some lines that they do not use. The tour was being run by the Sydney Electric Train Society - SETS

HERE is a CityRail network map if it helps track our route!

I first drove from home to Granville, as there was trackwork on the line west from Granville, so there is a higher chance of getting a train from here; and lots of parking!

Anyways, I caught a train from here to Strathfield, which is where the tour was to start. I waited here for S and L, friends of my brothers up in the mountains who I have come to be friends with and we also all go to the footy together, which was later in the evening!

The crowd gathered on the platform, and from some sources, the train that was to be used had a good ‘spit ‘n’ polish’ from the sheds it was in over night. It was a 4 car, V Set!

V13 SETS Tour 25062011

From Strathfield, we headed west to Olympic Park. We were given a notice that there will be NO cab rides, photo stops will be plentiful and that times will be strictly adhered to as we were actually incorporated into the wider, more complex, CityRail timetable.

From here, we then headed out of Olympic Park and onto the Bankstown Line (Orange on map) stopping at Punchbowl and Erskineville along the way. It was hard for the organisers and station staff, as passengers at these stops often tried to board the train. After Erskineville, we headed into Central for a crew change (which is always the case for a train into/out of Central) before heading through the City Circle (Town Hall and Wynyard ONLY) and over the Harbour Bridge stopping at Milsons Point (red/yellow line), which had a great view back over the Bridge. Here, some of the passengers got out and headed down to a vantage point to get some pics of the train in the Lavender Bay rail yard (VERY rare) but we stayed on, as the route it takes to get down there was part of the journey not often taken! We headed up to Waverton (neck – siding) and then down to the Bay. This gave some great views back toward the Bridge overlooking Luna Park. We had a stop here, but were not allowed to get off the train due to OH&S.

Harbour Bridge Milsons Point

Harbour Bridge Lavender Bay

We made our way back up to the Waverton Neck and then doubled back to Nth Sydney and Milsons Point to pick up our wayward passengers before heading back over the Bridge and through the City Circle (Town Hall and Wynyard ONLY) again into Central (crew change) and heading out towards Cronulla (Blue line) for lunch. There were numerous stops along the way here and as the train was not allowed to stay in the platform (or in the rail yard there), it headed back to Hurstville to fill in time! Stephen caught up with a friend of his at Strathfield, and he sat with us on the trip, so we walked along the corso in Cronulla to get some fish ‘n’ chips for lunch. I mean, when at the beach, is there ANYTHING else to eat? Now Cronulla is a wonderful place, lots of cafes, restaurants and the like, L & I use to often go here for breakfast of a Sunday morning, but the consensus was for the fish.

Cronulla Rock Pool

Cronulla Beach Lookout

STOP Cronulla

Anyway, lunch was ok, company was great and that was the main thing! We walked back along the corso to be greeted with the train just pulling in. We were to now head back along the blue line into Central and around the city circle, this time, taking in Circular Quay, St James and Museum, where at Museum, we stopped for a photo opportunity, before heading back to Central, (yes, another Crew Change) and heading along the Airport East Hills Line (Green) all the way out to Campbelltown and Macarthur, which was the end of the line for electric trains. We were here for a little bit, the raffle was drawn (I didn’t win) and we were now on our way again through a mixture of lines… Green, blue and then purple and finally silver stopping at Rhodes! It was a complex trip here. Again, plenty of stops along the way, but at Rhodes, we had a group photo. As it was an association (which I am not a member of) I raced around the back of the guy taking the photo (President I think) and took some as well. I said to him that I will also get a photo of the group with HIM in it and took his camera. I also got some with mine as well. I will be forwarding it across to him as well… I think I will join...

V13 Museum

VSet Tour Party RHODES01

We left Rhodes back to Strathfield where we all said our goodbyes and exchanged details etc. S, L and I were going to the footy (ANZ Stadium is in at Olympic Park) so we caught a train to Lidcombe, where we went across to Dooleys Club for a quick drink and so as S could catch up with some friends. Again, we jumped on a train and headed into the stadium at Olympic Park. This was to be a game that was rumoured to be, a bit of a white wash for the Swans, and that we would lose convincingly. Collingwood are the team to beat, but, and the end of the second quarter, we had a 30 odd point deficit! However, the third quarter, we fought back and we actually got in front at one point, but Collingwood were just that little bit TOO good, winning by a goal (6 points). It was a fantastic game all the same… I eventually got home around 11pm… I didn’t do any processing of pics, and headed straight to bed after feeding both Macc and Jasmine!

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

WW No. 47 - Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)

Circa 28 August 2007, and as it is forecast RAIN tonight, I will not be able to get another shot of the Lunar Eclipse due tonight... So this is dedicated to it happening above us tonight!

Lunar Eclipse 28 ~ 08 ~ 2007 Sydney

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

Vivid Sydney - Sydney Opera House

Last night was spent with a trip into the city (well, actually, I STAYED in the city after work) for Vivid Sydney...

I met up with M at Central Station, and we walked (briskly; it was cold) over to World Square where we had Japanese for dinner before heading to the car for the drive down to the Rocks for Vivid. In Campbell's Cove next to us was a fire and music show, blah, and further around in Circular Quay was Customs House but it was just to bloody cold to stay out any longer... So I got a heap of pics of the Opera House and various stages and, well here it is...

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Hoo roo for now...

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