Late Autumnal Colour In Winter |
05 June, 2013
04 June, 2013
Three Sisters - Katoomba
On Sunday, I went for a drive up into the Mountains, the Blue Mountains to the west of Sydney. In some parts of the world, it may seem more of a 'hill' as the overall height isn't really that high!! :p
When we left, it was cool, and VERY wet and the forecast was for it to get wetter (which we heard through social media and the news reports). However, once we got to the top of Glenbrook, the rain seemed to have eased somewhat. I was taking a German friend up into the Glenbrook National Park, and down to Euroka Clearing, as there has almost ALWAYS been a mob of Kangaroo's there when I have been up in the past. That was NOT the case on Sunday, grrr :(, so we continued up to Katoomba to visit the Three Sisters since the weather was easing...
As we climbed up into the Mountains, the cloud base lowered, and by Leura, we were in a thick fog, and this was how it was to be all the way through to Katoomba! We opted for lunch in the main street, and when walking back to the car, it looked to be clearing! So I drove out to the Three Sisters, and thankfully, it was clear as; both weather and visitors! It was though, very cold, and the wind was bitter!
So I took a series of NINE photos, and when we got home (eventually) I ran them through a 'photo-stitch program, edited the panorama, and here is the result (click HERE to see its FULL size (6000 pixels)).
Three Sisters Panorama
Hoo roo for now...
------29 May, 2013
Wordless Wednesday No. 83 - Vivid Sydney Colouful!
Sydney Harbour Bridge - Vivid Sydney
Sydney Opera House - Vivid Sydney
Sydney Opera House - Vivid Sydney
Sydney Opera House - Vivid Sydney
Sydney Opera House - Vivid Sydney
Pacific Pearl - Vivid Sydney
Pacific Pearl - Vivid Sydney
Sydney harbour Bridge - Vivid Sydney
Hoo roo for now...
------28 May, 2013
Sydney - by air!
today, I finally got to do a hell-flight over the CBD of Sydney, but it almost didn't eventuate!! A little thing called FOG had set in! It was early, it was think and it hung around!
BUT, I arrived out at Bankstown, and we had to wait a little bit, and constantly checking the webcams for the area. The aircraft, an R44, would be going out at max MTOW as there was four onboard; Pilot flying (training), Pilot Trainer, another learner (who'd later do his first solo) and little ole me!
The planned routing would be departing Bankstown, turning right at Rosehill, then following the Parramatta River, flying over the Southern Pylon of the Sydney harbour Bridge. then onwards to Goat Island near Rose Bay, U turn and back to Bankstown. Along the way, there was some pretty amazing sites, even with the remaining fog about the place!
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Sydney Opera House and CBD
'Carnival Spirit' in Circular Quay
Gladesville Bridge
ANZ Stadium - Home of the Sydney 2000 Olympics
I am SO grateful for being given the opportunity of doing this flight, it was a b'day present, and for the pilot flying, who was finishing his endorsement on the day… I had a BALL of a time!
Hoo roo for now...
------27 May, 2013
Vivid Sydney's back in town!!
Sydney Harbour Bridge - Observatory Hill |
Sydney Harbour Bridge - Observatory Hill |
Sydney Harbour Bridge - Observatory Hill |
22 May, 2013
21 May, 2013
Looking looking looking...
SOME of you may know, that recently, I have been on 'tenterhooks' for the last 18 weeks, well yesterday, it all came to a head… Finally, after 5 weeks since interview, yes thats right FIVE WEEKS, I was told that I was unsuccessful in an application for a position that would have kept me employed. In that time, not a phone call to advise of a delay, not an email to tell us whats happening, no, nothing, which really only added to the stresses of the process!
Now, I DO understand that there is a process involved with recruitment, but the way in which I found out, was, simply atrocious!! I was at my desk, when a person came up into the office, and although this person most likely had NO IDEA I was there, proceeded to tell person 2, that XX had announced that XYZ has got the job! After a couple of seconds silence, I then heard a door close… I was, needless to say, ropable, and I simply wanted to get out of there, there and then! But, I am better than that, and when my Manager came out into the office later on an unrelated matter, I aired my disgust. To the credit of him, he was equally mortified, not only the way in which I discovered the news, but in the way in which it was all handled!
Later in the morning though, I was 'summoned' up into the big office, where I was officially informed of the decision… So, for now, I am still 'viably' employed until everything and everyone is recruited, sometime in July, and at that time, I will become 'excess'! So today, after a sleepless night due to Monday's news, I had a day off to catch up on sleep, not that I got that much.
Instead, I mowed the nature strip first, then my front lawn. next up, the back lawn, and hung out a load of washing, and stripped the bed, and washed the sheets. I then got out some flannelette sheets, as it is getting cooler now!! Late in the afternoon though, I finally managed to get some banking done, but I had to travel to Rooty Hill to deposit some cheques! Dinner is in, a simple pie and baked spuds with peas and gravy. Its an interesting night on the box tonight, so I will simply chill, relax and 'try' not to get stressed anymore!
Hoo roo for now...
------15 May, 2013
Wordless Wednesday No. 81 My Office
My Office - Upper Level |
08 May, 2013
07 May, 2013
Clutch Problems...
Over the weekend, I started to develope a problem in the car; the clutch was begining to give out... The amount of 'resistance' or pressure in the pedal was getting less and less to the point where on Sunday morning when I went over to the shops, I was sitting at the traffic lights (First Gear - clutch IN) and the car was wanting to move forward on its own!! So it was becoming urgent!
So my days plans changed, and instead of going to a 4yo birthday party (and getting stuck either on the way there or home afterwards), I stayed at home.
Monday morning, I dropped the car at the mechanic's (2nd gear all the way and only about a 2-3 min drive), dropped the key in the mailbox, and headed into work. Around 7.30, I called Leo, and asked him if he was "surprised to see my car waiting for him"? We chatted about what it was doing, and I resigned myself to upwards of a $2,000 mechanics bill!
Late in the afternoon, around 2pm, I got "THE CALL", and to my relief, it wasn't the clutch at all, but the 'Slave Cylinder' that assist's the clutch's operation; the seals had gone and had been losing fluid into the cabin; between the firewall and the carpet!
So, even though it had a service at the same time, replacement of the slave cylinder and fluids etc, I got the car back about 5pm last night, and I am only $786 the poorer!!
Hoo roo for now...
------