Long Lost Pathway...

I got some paving bricks well over 12 months ago, with the intent of doing a pathway up to the spa... Well, it is now, finally, nearing a reality! I have had them piled up at the front gate, and I was sick of seeing them! They were bought around the back, and laid in such a way that didn't need any to be cut. BUT, I was worried I would not have enough... In the end, I was left with all of the half bricks, as well as NINE full ones. Was that well planned or what?

The Path That Will Be

Pathway to house

REMAINING Paver Bricks

The pathway was dug out in preparation for the roadbase and sand tomorrow. There will be a 50mm roadbase and a 10-15mm sand layer, as it isn't really a load bearing pathway! I was grateful for the hired help to make this happen, and for also bringing lunch! Don't you just love the Forecat on duty to supervise the works, and Security to make sure NOTHING goes missing! Just before I took the photo of Macc, there was an Indian Minor sitting on his food bowl, so clearly, he was flat out working!

Digging of the Pathway

The Forecat

Security

Lunch, with thanks to the hired help, consisted of home made Wraps. These were Turkey, salad on a Mango & Ginger Chutney with Egg Mayonnaise; YUMM

Mayo & Mango Ginger Chutney on Wrap

Salad for lunch

So, tomorrow I will be up early as I have to go and pick up the trailer from the in-laws! Then on my way home, I will be getting 1/2 a cubic meter of both roadbase and sand. Then it will be a matter of laying, consolidating the roadbase, screening a small layer of sand before laying the pavers. Then, removing the outer edge and mixing up some concrete, so as they can be 'haunched' to lock it all together!!! So a lot of work to still do tomorrow, with rain forecast towards the afternoon and the possibility of thunderstorms to boot!

Hoo roo for now...

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Contemplating things...

This is the chair that 'L' spent a lot of time in before she died last year. You see, it went into use when sewing, x-stitching and general craftiness. However, it is now tending to sit by the bookcase, waiting for another use as in this house it is all about the 'R' principle, Reuse, Reduce, Recycle. So, what am I using it for now? Well apart from it sitting right there next to my turf journals from the International Turf Society, I am tending to use it to sit in, contemplate life whilst sitting in it when on the laptop as it is a little more comfy than lying to a side on the couch!

Contemplation Chair

That bottom shelf though, is full of cookbooks, craft books/magazines, cause she was a bit of a crafty person our L, and there is also her Fenton collection (well, some of it!).

This last week I have also been somewhat ill, constant migraines and so on. I went for tests to see why, and most of all, everything is good. WITH exception to my chronic hayfever. Yes, as a Grenkeeper and an Agronomist, I have allergies to pollens and (of all things) GRASSES! So I have been told to stay as clear as I can from my allergens (yeah right, I work at a Garden!!) and I am also on some fairly high steroids for respiratory aid. So hopefully, I will be able to breath, sleep and more importantly live a little more comfortably!

Oh, and before I forget, as I was backing up my phone (and don't ask me HOW I did it, it just HAPPENED), I have managed to wipe ALL of my contacts this morning; some dating back to old school friends... So please send me your details so as I can rebuild my address/contacts!

Hoo roo for now...

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Wordless Wednesday No. 39 - Pests, Pets & Petals

Paper Wasp Hive/Nest

Jasmine Back Lawn

Macc

Unknown backyard flower

Yellow Clivia Spp

Hoo roo for now...

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Something a little 'sporty'

It all started the weekend BEFORE the Grand Final, that wasn't! Let me explain...

Saturday morning of the 18th September, I was invited out to Blacktown Olympic Stadium for the U18 AFL Grand Final to watch a mate play. It was SUCH a good game, and at the end of regular time, it was all tied up at 87 each! now here is where the rules differ between this lower grade and that of the AFL in that, here they played an additional 5 mins each way PLUS 'time on' so as a result could be achieved, WHERE AS in the AFL, they are playing the Grand Final AGAIN this Saturday! Stupidity! So here are some pics from the day:

First Bounce GAME ON

Fighting for the ball

Full Time Score

Full Time after extra TIME

Done well guys, you can hold you heads high!

Blacktown Olympic Stadium was the home for Baseball & Softball for the Olympics in 2000, and they later included a turf cricket pitch (my former work life was managing these) and is now a multi-purpose stadium including AFL.

Blacktown Olympic Park

So, this weekend (which is a long weekend here) will have the AFL replay Grand Final (now with 5 mins each way + time on) on Saturday, the NRL Grand Final on Sunday and a rest day on the Monday!!! AND, I think there may even be a car race as well, bring it on!!!!

Predictions FOR the weekend? Well as it seems lately every game I put a 'tip' out there, my team goes down, BUT I WILL STILL stay with St Kilda in the AFL and any other team OTHER than St George in the NRL, so GO the Roosters!!!!!

Hoo roo for now...

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Since the last post, I have been...

BUSY AS!!!!

Allow me to elaborate. Thursday, I spent most of the day with total IMBECILES! So, on Thursday night, even though I wanted to simply get trashed, I could not as on Friday, I had to do it all over again in the morning, however, the afternoon would be somewhat (a lot really) different!

I spent the afternoon on a judging panel. It was very pleasing to do this, and to see the result, but there will be more on that in the coming weeks/months.

Friday evening, I went to a mates place for dinner. He cooked a really nice piece of Steak, bacon, mashed potato's and peas with corn. I also had a drink (OK, I had TWO as I had to drive) before getting home. I had a SKYPE call to my bestie in the States, before heading off to bed to watch some TV and get some sleep.

Saturday, I was up early, so I got the mower out, and did the lawns, 2 loads of washing, weeded a garden bed where the Dranuculus is coming up (hopefully with some flowers again) and got some lunch (Hamburger with the lot, NO BEETROOT) and settled down for the AFL Grand Final. This was a great match, and for the 3rd time in VFL/AFL history, it ended in a DRAW! Saturday night, I made dinner (for my mate) of creamy sun-dried tomatoes and garlic pasta, with chicken... It was very YUMM!

Then today, again up early, so I got some more washing done, bed sheets, and gave myself a haircut; a Number 3! Then it was off to get my God-daughter her birthday present. I was wanting to get a plant/tree that has her name in it, but alas, this was not an easy task. So I ended up getting her something else. Again, her father made the cake, and this year, it was a Lady Beetle (or is it a Lady Bird?)! Happy Birthday Little B!

Breanna Lady Beetle/Bird Cake

Breanna stikes a pose

Little brother Sydney with his Loader

Hoo roo for now...

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Wordless Wednesday No. 38 Ships and Flags

Flag Ships Panorama

Ships and Flags

Hoo roo for now...

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Some stuff around town...

Today, was SUCH a lovely day, I took a walk to get a couple of photos... These are some of the ones I took... These little buggers, really do some damage when they are out foraging for some lunch or dinner. The Sulfur Crested Cockatoo has a powerful beak, so its best to NOT feed them if you want to keep your fingers!

Sulfur Crest Cockatoo

Next, up, when walking around Farm Cove, I spotted some anglers trying to catch some dinner. I am not sure if any of them have succeeded yet though...

Fishing

Then I got into the Royal Botanic Gardens a little proper, and they are just stunning at this time of year.

Spring Walk

Lion Gate Lodge

Victoria Lodge

I also got a shot of Fort Denison, but due to it being late in the day, and heat haze, it is not the best really...

Fort Denison

And there are some Glass Story Panels called the 'Veil of Trees' (Installation by Janet Lawrence and Jisuk Han) that are really quite fascinating to read. And at night, they have some very subtle lighting to show them off as well!

Glass Garden

Tomorrow, for Wordless Wednesday, I will be having something very colourful that floats, so stay tuned!

Hoo roo for now...

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Olympics: - A 10th Anniversary of "The Best Games Ever"

Recently, Sydney celebrated the 10th Anniversary of Sydney hosting "The most successful Olympic Games ever" (Juan-Antonio Samaranch, had withheld from Atlanta in 1996 the epithet "best-ever Games", which he first delivered at the closing of the Olympics in his home city of Barcelona, in 1992, and then also accorded Sydney in 2000).

It was a busy day, in that there was a LOT of people at the venue, to witness the relighting of the Olympic Cauldron. To mark the occasion, Cathy Freeman was invited to light the cauldron, although this time, hoping that the technical glitch that had it sitting just above her for 3mins and 40 seconds did not happen again! However, her nemesis paid a visit with the Cauldron lighting itself, and later extinguished, before she got there to do the job properly! Here is what the cauldron looks like during the day:

Cauldron Close

And here it is, at dusk, with the flame burning again;

Cauldron at Dusk

Sydney, during the games, was such a great atmosphere to be in. People were friendlier than normal, the public transport ran better than it ever had (still to this day) and the vibe was just awesome! It was a time that I will certainly never forget!

Hoo roo for now...

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Bikes: - A great way to get around, right?

Then WHY are these ones NOT being utilised like in Europe?

Melbourne Bikes

Because, unlike in Europe, it is LAW in Australia to wear a helmet! Ok, for something like $2.50 a DAY, why wouldn't you use it to get around town instead of driving? I mean, how easy is it (as a tourist) to pay a small fee, unlock your bike, and ride about and at the end of the day, you don't even have to return it as you simply lock it back in at any other bike stand around town!!!

Melbourne Bikes

Now I get the whole safety issue, don't get me wrong, but why is it so widely used in Europe yet not so here? Maybe by getting rid of cars in the city is the way to go, I don't know, but it is certainly a hot issue in Sydney at the moment!

In Europe, here are some of the bike stands that are widely used, and in a much more acceptable way...

Aalborg, Denmark Bikes

Parisian Bikes

Hoo roo for now...

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Wordless Wednesday No. 37 Spring Walk

Spring Walk RBGS

Flower Bed Lawn RBGS

Hoo roo for now...

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