A visit to the long lost aunt!

Today, I took mum up to visit my auntie Dell. This meant another drive north up the freeway to the Central Coast. Auntie Dell is not 'really' my aunt, but her late husband came out from England with my dad, and as such, are as good as family as family themselves. She is also my Godmother and we even have the same birthday (albeit 30 years different!)!

They came down for L's funeral, and I had not seen them for many a year prior to that, so I thought it would be great to catch up properly. And to make it an even better trip, Maureen had recently had her second baby, Tristan, a brother for little Trinity! The girls, and auntie Dell, put on a fantastic lunch of chicken and salads, and we certainly didn't go hungry! And to top it all off, we even had Profiteroles for desert with coffee!

Maureen, Aunty Dell & Colleen, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Maureen Tristan, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Colleen Tristan, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Mum Aunty Dell, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Mum Anuty Dell Me, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

As you can see, auntie Dell (and even both Maureen & Colleen AND even my mum) are not very tall, and I was very much the odd one out. Yes, that's me standing behind auntie Dell who is ALSO standing! I do not know where I get my height, as I am head and shoulders above mum, from memory dad as he died in 1992, and my brother and sister!

We were up there much longer than I had thought we were going to be, as I wanted to get home so as mum could drive herself home before the peak hour rush... This was not the case, and after the 90 minute drive down the freeway, I was home very tired, but relieved to be here all the same. What a great day!

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Picton Show 2009

Today, we went out to the Picton Show. I was invited to come along with A,S,M & W and L's mum & dad, J & M (are you with me still?) :). The forecast was a bit so so, but we headed out with a slightly overcast morning. A & S were on the look out for a couple more 'girls' to join Velma & Daphne in the chook yard as Daph as been a bit 'broody' since being confined to the chook run (she was enjoying being a free range bird in the back yard)!

So we got to the Showground and headed straight to the Chook Pavilion, where there were a couple of birds for sale, but not the breed they were after. There was also some very UGLY chooks there:

Ugly Chook only a mother could love, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

For Sale, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Are you looking at me, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

There was also a shearer who showed us how sheep are shawn! He was great in the demonstration, and really got the kids involved with handing around some of the wool. He also showed us how wool is graded, and traded, and how much they get paid per sheep!

Shearing Sheep, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Grading the Fleece, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Fleeced, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

The boys also had a couple of rides, dodgem cars together, whilst M went on the slide and W went on the train!

Max Slide, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Dodgem Cars, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Will Train, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

There was also a 'Snake Man' there who was doing a show, which was very informative, but one thing I didn't like was how he demonstrated how blind they really are! OK, he's an expert but with the worlds deadliest snake on the ground, did he have to show how close his foot can go to it? Here's W & M, with a Python, which is non poisonous...

Will Snake, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Max Snake, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

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Smelly flowers and a vege garden!

Today, was a day in and around the garden, off to do some shopping and finally to get my hair cut!

So today, the tomato's got a tidy up and tied up, the corn is 'kicking-on' and the lawns were all tidied up. Even Jasmine gave a helping 'paw'!

Jasmine Vege Patch, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Vege Patch 2009, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Also in the garden, the 'Dracunculus vulgaris' we got at a Garage Sale about 4 years ago now, and although it flowered last year, we missed it coming up! This year though, I spotted it last week, and it is now staked and almost ready to open up. It is standing at almost 1m tall!

Dracunculus vulgaris, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Dracunculus vulgaris, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Dracunculus vulgaris, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

And finally, at the end of the day, I think a spa will be in order to rest my tired old bones... What do you think?

Spa House, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

And then there's Macc, I think he is keen to go inside, don't you?

Macc wants IN, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

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Wet, bogged in the sand, but a great weekend!

This last weekend, was in fact a long weekend and a great chance to go camping, right? Well so we thought...

I got up to the camp site late Friday afternoon. Showers/rain had been forecast, but I would be ok, I have a Camper Trailer right? A,S & W arrived a couple of hours later, whilst M & I got it all set up. So all we had to do was get dinner ready, sausages, boiled potato's & salad. During the cooking, there was the odd drop of rain hitting the hotplate BBQ'ing the 'snags', but all was good and the kids were having fun.

Once they were in bed, we enjoyed a couple of 'refreshments' and having a chat through a brief thunderstorm.

Sat morning, we woke to a cold, overcast day, but not raining (yet). We had breakfast of eggs on fresh bread (YUMM) thanks to A cooking, and headed off on an adventure into Tea Gardens. Along the way back, we past an entrance to the beach, a 4wd entrance (remembering I have a 4wd...) and headed in. Looking left, there was a Nissan Pathfinder bogged, so I decided to go right, make a steady long turn and head back out. WRONG, I ended up bogged and the car was sitting on the chassis rails, and the tide was coming in! I remembered that the local garage had a service if in this situation, so I called them. BUT, just after I hung up, a passer by offered assistance, and winched me out, and then, using a 'snatch strap' (4wd recovery equipment) towed me to a safer location for me to go. It was here, that the recovery team arrived, and although I had already paid by credit card, $150, I did not care as I was out. Another 30 mins and it would have been having the incoming surf against it!

We had decided to pack up after both kids (and dad) were coughing and the rain was not abating. Within 60 mins or so, we were done and on the road heading home to dry out... What a weekend!

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Jamie's Baptism

Today, we had little Jamie's Baptism... A lovely day was forecast, but true to form (for C&P anyway), it ended up quite gusty and the coldest day in 7 weeks!

On another matter, you might remember a few weeks/months ago, I was after input for a colour change to my house... I have got some colours and have painted the outside of the kitchen window... I have photos of the before, one option and another option below... I am after some comments!

Kitchen Window Schemes, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

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Back home, but sick as thanks to the Dust Storm...

On my final day/evening in Doha, when walking around, I was amazed at the amount of people sitting around, in parks, buildings trying to find some shade in the very late part of the daylight... But, I had NO idea what it was all about until I realised I was walking down the street that had all of the banks, and the people were waiting (even on a Friday) for them to open and withdraw their wages! It wasn't until around 6pm that people started moving, joining lines and scuffles were on!!!

Doha Waiting for Banks to open, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Doha Bank Waiting, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

I also got this shot of the two swords, I will have to do some research to learn exactly what they are about though!

Doha Al Samad, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

As well as being back, Sydney yesterday had a major dust storm... The only problem I had with it all was that the night before, we had a good old thunderstorm pass through, and I opened up my windows to enjoy the fresh air! 5.15am when I woke up, the morning sky was as red as anything I had ever seen... Then I realised, I had bedroom windows open, and after a couple of hours when getting ready for work, I started to wheeze pretty bad, and I new I would not be getting to work and hunted down an old Ventolin... By lunch, I was at the doctors surgery, on a nebuliser and being closely monitored, or off to emergency! I ended up AOK, and a quick trip to the chemist ($145 poorer) back home and sealed up the house!

And, here are the pets, I haven't posted about them in such a long while... Macc is his usual self sleepy head on his bed, whilst Jasmine, still with a little red tinge about her, taking comfort in the leather lounge!

Sleeping Macc, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Sleeping Jasmine, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

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Doha through my camera...

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Changing face of Doha (Thematic Photographic)

Yesterday, when I was in my meeting, we got talking about the amount of demolition & construction work was happening in Doha at the moment. I walking around the day prior, I had noticed that a lot of the buildings were being demolished in a sort of revival type fashion.

Doha, which is not that big a city, is built along the shores of the Corniche. On one side is a 'New' Doha, whilst on the other, the side that I am currently staying on, is the 'Old'. When viewing across the Corniche and the harbour from the office yesterday afternoon, it is really such a stark difference between the two! The far side, full of multi story, glass and steel towers, whilst on this side, it is filled with stone, brick and concrete buildings, most of which are lucky to be under two or three stories. There are a few to the exception and these are mainly Hotels.

So I thought, I would grab, where I could, a few photos of some of the works in progress. There was many MANY more, but in the limited time I had, and the workman at the gates or nearby (and me not wanting to offend anyone and be thrown in jail!), I managed these two sites. The first is an old Hotel, which I understand had been closed for many years as it was seen by the Royal Family, 'too close' to the Palace, and wanted it closed/removed. I guess they got their wish:

Old Hotel, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

At first, I thought it was under repair after a bomb had hit it (and thought I got the wrong flight and ended up in Kuwait or Afghanistan, but no, I was in Doha! The second I was walking past, and all I could see was a dust cloud (of sorts) as I approached. Oddly, opposite there was a new hotel (or apartment's maybe) being constructed, and all of the dust was going into it. I pitied the painters on the inside with windows open!

Changing face of Doha, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

So, today is my last FULL day here, and the day is mine. I have been trying to catch up with a friend here, who I met in Feb when I was here, but time schedules have not been the best, so maybe another time. So I went across to the 'New' Doha and here is what the construction is like:

Doha New Construction, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Doha New Construction, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

It is also the Eid Holiday, which is a very big event. The papers FULL PAGE ADVERTISMENTS, are all congratulating as per the following:

On the happy occasion of

EID AL FITR

We extend our congratulations to

Eid Holiday, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

His Highness The Emir

Skeikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani

His Highness The Heir Apparant

Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani

and the people of Qatar

So I suppose I had better send my congrats to them as well, just to keep on their good side...

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Written Inc.: Thematic Photographic 67 - Urban

Doha by night (and some day...)

Doha Night Skyline, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Tonight, I went out with my trusty, albeit OLD, Olympus C-50 camera and that above pic is the resulting shot I got... Well, it was a series of four that gave it to me, shhhh....

When I was walking back to my hotel, through the Souk, I also got a photo of the 'Pearl' and also the Doha Islamic Cultural Centere:

Doha Pearl, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Doha Islamic Cultural Center II, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Tonight’s meeting went well, and I suspect I have also met a very good friend. He is from Mumbai, and is very knowledgeable. BUT, in more exciting news, I have today found out, that a photo of mine is now a published (on the internet, but heck, it's published) so go and have a look (it's about half way down), tell me if you find it!

Tomorrow, I am again have another meeting, this time, at 1.45, I am being picked up and taken to the office... Then it will be onwards to various sites from there, so things are progressing nicely. This trip has also earned me the status of SILVER Skywards membership, yeah! ------

An Inland Sea in Qatar!

First, this is going to be a very QUICK post, as I am about to go into Old Doha for a bit of shopping before it gets to hot and unattractive (as in, for me when I am walking around, wet from sweat, yes, VERY unattractive I know)!

Yesterday was a very tiering day to say the least... It all started when the phone rang at 5.15am... NOT my mobile which was thankfully on silent due to time zones, but the hotel phone which was right at my ear! I was sort of awake anyway, but I was definitely awake after that!

I eventually got up, showered and ready for my meeting and headed down to breakfast... Food here is just fantastic, and the meeting went really REALLY well! It was a 2 and a bit hours of various discussions about Doha. I am now going to be having a follow-up meeting on Thursday morning sometime, that’s how well it went!

So, after the meeting I went quickly into the streets below where there is an abundance of shops, selling anything and everything, and it is replicated (randomly) like some weird scientific experiment! But, nevertheless, it is cheap! I made a purchase of a broad brimmed hat (NO, I did not forget mine, it was crushed beyond all recognition at home!) for the afternoon in the dunes. And on that note, I will let my pics tell the story of the afternoon, as I have gotta run!

Inland Sea Safari, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

1. Doha Desert Safari 2, 2. Doha Desert Safari 1, 3. Doha Desert Safari 4, 4. Doha Desert Safari 5

Inland Sea Safari, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

1. Doha Inland Sea, 2. Doha Inland Sea Pink Flamingo's, 3. Doha Desert Safari Downhill

Inland Sea Safari, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

1. Doha Inland Sea Dinner Table, 2. Doha Camels, 3. Doha Inland Sea Camp, 4. Doha Inland Sea------