JUST a couple of words.... This series of pics is from the art installation along the Bondi - Bronte coastal walk, "Sculptures By The Sea"...
Hoo roo for now...
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Hoo roo for now...
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Ok... It has been done before, and people have even done a book about it, so I thought I might give it a go as well... There may be times when its a little 'quirky' but it will be (basically) a different location from within Sydney (mostly) every week... I will try and get these up of a Friday, but it could be anytime over the weekend really!
So, today marking week 1, where do we start... With 'A' of course and that's an A for...
AVALON
Avalon is a northern beachside suburb of Sydney, in the state of NSW, Australia. Avalon is located 35 kilometres north of the Sydney CBD, in the Pittwater Council LGA and is otherwise know as the Northern Beaches region.
History
Avalon was named after the mythical Avalon, a legendary island in Celtic languages mythology. According to legends, Avalon was an earthly paradise and the final resting place of King Arthur apparently!
European Settlement
The first land grant in the area was 60 acres (240,000 m2) to John Farrell in 1827. A 400-acre (1.6 km2) land grant was made to Father John Joseph Therry in 1833, who fought hard for the recognition of the Catholic Church in the colony. He built a church in this area but his plans for a settlement never eventuated. In the 1920s, the area was still known as 'Priest's Flat'. Arthur J Small handled a subdivision in 1921 and chose the name Avalon.
Commercialism
Avalon features RSL, bowling and sailing clubs; a supermarket, shops, cafes and a cinema. Sport & Recreation.
Avalon Beach is a surfing beach and has a 25 metre salt water rock pool at the south end. Avalon Beach Surf Life Saving Club members patrol Avalon Beach.[3] Several former surfing world champions are also past or current Avalon residents.
Avalon Soccer Club, established 1982, has over 80 teams and 1000 registered players. Avalon Junior Rugby League Club has contributed several players active in the Australian National Rugby League. Avalon also has a small nine hole golf course.
Culture
An episode of the American TV show Baywatch, was shot at Avalon Beach in the late 1990s. Producers of the show, seeking to relocate from their Californian base due to cost constraints, proposed a full relocation to Avalon. However, following complaints from residents (supported by former world surfing champion and local property owner Mark Warren), the series moved instead to Hawaii.
Hoo roo for now...
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Ok, so over the weekend, I moved - or at least, I WAS moved! we had to vacate our office at work, due to mainly an office relocation as repairs were needed elsewhere. BUT, these changes are only a temporary thing alas...
A short time ago, when I went to China actually, my office was stripped bare, dampness was repaired and then it was re carpets and painted. I came back from China, and unpacked. In that very same week, it then became clear that again the packing boxes were needed as we were about to move, this time, up to the other side of the site! We will be here for at least 3 months!
So, Friday I spent the afternoon, packing, sorting repacking my boxes. I only had 3 of them, as well as my PC. Now a lot of my files are all electronic, in that I scan everything and then save as a PDF. And, yes, every single morning I get an email from the server saying that I need to make space as my allocation is nearing its capacity! I mean, fair go, I've been here for over 10 years now, and I have a lot of files already, and I think the allocation is a paltry amount, can't you give me some extra space? Anyway, I digress...
After unpacking, the carpenter was still working in the building, we settled down to work... We were still having the bathroom fixed with a new toilet, roll holder towel roll etc, and there was some noise about the place. BUT, now, it is dreadfully quiet in that we are the only two in the building, we've locked the door to the outside but it is a really nice place to be in! Closer to the city for starters, but a renovated sandstone Gatehouse - really nice! If the weather was nicer, I'd take a photo and post, but its returned to winter here, and its Grey and overcast!
Hoo roo for now...
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Every now and then, we have to have a good hard look at ourselves, and think, am I OK? Well, over the last week (and a bit), I HAVE done this, and I am taking steps to fix things... Re-invent myself if you like!
There are more subtle changes, if you like, but I have also made a monumental step forward as well - or at least I think anyway! This was hard to do, but even so, harder to maintain! But its done now, and there is no going back. I will however, make a small purchase for a 'replacement' for another spot, as I do feel kinda naked without it, but I am sure that this will pass!
I am also having a new outlook on things, and last night/this morning, I have made steps to rid myself of negativity and hurt. This was in the way of an SMS, and I feel good about my decision!
So, where to from here...? Onwards and upwards is all I can do or say! I have made mistakes in the past, and whilst I can't turn back time (sing darl, just like Cher) I acknowledge that I've made them... BUT, I certainly have a new direction in where I want to go and what I want to achieve!
NOW, its all about re-connecting, I have a lot of blogs to catch up on (these will be done over this next week as I am just about finished setting up my RSS feeds again on new laptop), people to see and old acquaintances to find. It's going to be a great journey!
Hoo roo for now...
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Last night, I had an interesting phone call where I've been asked to do a presentation about organ donation. Basically, it will be 'My Story' and the circumstances behind making the decision when I did. BUT, I am grateful in the knowledge that 2 people have benefited from the decision I/we made!
However, I went for a bit of a walk earlier today, and there was simply some magnificent colour about early this year!
Here are some closer looks at some of the specimens, the colours are simply stunning, and will come along as well over the Spring.
Along some of the pathways within the Gardens, there are a lot of Clivia spp lining them, and they look truly wonderful - both the orange AND the yellow...
Even looking to the skies, the good old Grey Headed Flying Fox's are about...
Hoo roo for now...
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Video day today... First up is the 'Jedi Kittens Strike Back' series...
Then we have Declan from X-Factor, yeah a little cooky, but he did a great job on this song in the first of the live performances!!
Hoo roo for now...
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Today, apart from being on a flex day, I sat on the judging panel for L's Award. This year, the nominee's were all very good, and the panel were all fairly consistent so it made it a pleasant experience to 'make the call'!
I also, finally, managed to clear everything I put onto my WD networked hard-drive, so as I can reformat it so as my MacBook can see it. BUT, as soon as I plugged it into the Mac, there it was, folders sitting there and even a file I left there as a test... SO now, I need to move everything BACK onto the networked hard-drive and enjoy it all, all over again!! I will also be getting an 'Airport Express' which will extend my wireless network at home, it will also have my sound system connected to it so I can play music from any of my PC's to it, and I will also be able to stream movies as well to the TV! This is getting all way to technical at home now, as I can move shows from TiVo to a PC, watch movies from Internet anywhere in the house, stream music from any PC and even the music L stored on the x-box just before she died!!! I won't know what to do with it all once its all set up!!!
Hoo roo for now...
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Well, today, it was an end of a very passionate era, I removed my passionfuit vine! These were put in JUST after L died in 2009, so they had done their time only being good for a couple of years! They may have gone an extra season, but the Lemon Myrtle, Blood Orange, Lemonade tree AND the Kaffia Lime tree were all suffering, so it was time to go.
It had stretched over some 15-18m along the colourbond fence. The last neighbours next door, after a spat of an argument concerning their dog getting into my yard, threw the vine BACK over when it was full of fruit! Silly them!
Anyways, my last bucket of fruit is going to be delivered to a old crafty blogging friend of L's, whom I've also become friends with since... I sent her a txt asking about her Vanilla Ice-Cream supply is like due to the vine removal, and, well lets say the reply seemed very keen to get some! So I am off to the Shire on Tues afternoon!
Hoo roo for now...
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