01 January, 2025

Happy New Year - Welcome to 2025

As a Christmas present to myself, I have finally upgraded my 2016 model DJI Phantom 4 drone. It has served me well over these years, and has travelled well too! But, it was now time to upgrade.... And a DJI AIR 3 it is!!

This new model has significant enhancements over the Phantom 4, camera is far superior, its also small and easier to transport and fly!!

First fly was at the 'Running Man' (Sprinter" from the Sydney Olympics in 2000. This, and two others, were atop of thr Centerpoint Tower and after removal, scattered throughout Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush. However, with the recent upgrade of the M4 (West Connex) tunnel, its now near the Homebush Bay Drive intersection, and has intrigued me since being placed there!! So I had, HAD to get a photo of it!!

RUNNING MAN-1

RUNNING MAN-2

Now comfortable with the flight controls, it was the following day or so, the 'Light Horse Interchange' where the M4 (joins the City to thr West) and the M7 (more of a 'Ring Road' from the M5, passing the M4 and joins the M2 to the north). In the very middle of the intersection of the M4 and M7, stands the Australian Light Horse Sculpture Parade is dedicated to the heroic troops who served in the Australian Light Horse, and their horses that could never return. It has a central mast and four sets of red poles, representing the Australian Light Horse on parade. The 55-metre-high mast with its reflective crown, located at the centre of the Light Horse Interchange, provides a focus to the sculpture. The lit mast and crown symbolise a torch in the dark.

LIGHTHORSE INTERCHANGE - BIRDSNEST-

LIGHT HORSE INTERCHANGE M4 M7-

NOW, feeling a lot more confident, I headed to the East, and discovered the 'Sydney Motorsport Park (formerly the 'Easter Creek Raceway') where the V8 Supercars race, as well as the speedway (long story involving that) and the drags are held all on the one location...

SYDNEY MOTORSPORT PARK - EASTERN CREEK-

Time for some more frequent, daily adventures ahead....

Hoo roo for now...

------

Bernie

20 January, 2024

Resting Up - but managed to get something achieved!!

YES, I have been resting, not much choice really when its difficult to do much at all, but I have also been somewhat busy... With ASSISTANCE!!!

I moved house back in the November of 2016. And, late this week, we managed to cut down the boxes I have left to unpack, by 7 or 8!!!

These were bought into me basically, and they were also easy targets, alcohol!!! Now, wines were basically thrown, as were spirits that were open, and beer!!! I am not a beer drinker really, especially XXXX that Queenslanders seem to like, so they were also thrown down the sink!!!

Once sorted, and photographed haha, they were then put into the China Cabinet and set aside now for consumption in the comoing weeks or months (year?) haha

Hoo roo for now...

------

Bernie

17 January, 2024

A fall - and extreme blood pressure!!

WELL WELL WELL..... What have I done!!!

I was up a laddrer, dead-heading the climbing Roses clambering over the arbor over the outdoor dining area, and with a few canes left to tie back, it started to rain... And yeah, rain up a ladder that shiny aluminium, aren't a good combination I found out!!!

As I started to climb down, I slipped off the middle (theres only thee) step, and started my rapid descent, I tried to brace mt fall on the outside dining table (hurt my left thumb in the process), and finally landed on the paving on my right buttock... This did my bad back absolutely NO favours at all, and arranged a GP visit for Tuesday as it was the earliest I could get in...

Anyway, at the Doctors, she asked all the normal things about the fall and injury, gave me some pain relief and then asked to have a look at the Blood Pressure. Well, she was, as I was too, HORRIFIED at the level!! She asked if she could retake it, and I wasn't about to say no, and the second reading was WORSE!!! And whilst it will always rise with pain, the levels were just shocking. So a change in pain relief to something else, and the prescription for BP management, and I was off on my way again...

The following day, I visited my pharmacist, and she re-took my Blood Pressure again to see what was going on, and to report back to the GP...

I was certified OFF work for at least the week, for rest...

Hoo roo for now...

------

Bernie

07 January, 2024

Busy Weekend!!

Well, it has certainly been a busy as weekend... I went out for dinner on Friday directly after work, and it ended up being a late night! Italian was great, with Garlic Prawn - Shelled king prawns, sautéed in cherry tomatoes, garlic and chilli. Served with wood-fired bread, as an entree we shared, and I ordered the Bufala e Gamberi - Buffalo mozzarella & basil topped with prawns and chilli, whilst my mate had the Campagnola - Italian Meat Lovers – ham, salami, sausage and fior di latte cheese!! (we also may have shared there too....) We also finished off with the standard coffee over a chat with a sleeping doggo on the next table!...

Saturday, whilst I went in to do a brief spot to see a mate up from Melbourne, I only stayed a little while, and headed back home to do some housework and stuff; all boring really!!!! Another day, another doggo though!!!

However, today I managed to achieve a lot of things. The half wine barrels with the roses growing over the arbor, I ripped out the Petunias that didn't survive my trip away, with some new trays of flowers to grow, and I also managed to install a security camera system!! Quite proud of that really!!! And finally, ordered some new things online shopping wise, nothing exciting just some new swimmers!! haha

Hoo roo for now...

------

04 January, 2024

Back To Work Blues

Ugh, it was a 'back to work blues' kind of day today....

It was, on the most part, a pretty good day as most of the hype I had heard, wasn't on today, but in the late afternoon, yeah there was a bit of critical thinking needed, and QUICKLY!

We had a driver up north, who would've missed 2 ccritical pickups, but a bit or work, re-routing included, ensured these times were all met... I am yet to see if it all worked out though, but I suspect all is good as I had no calls after I left work!!

ONE more day tomorrow, and hopefully a relatively good day ahead!!! And then out to dinner with a mate, standard thing really!!!

Whats your plans for the weekend?? I just have some editing of photos to get through really, nothing too much!

Hoo roo for now...

------