Cruising & City

So I skipped a day, but continuing with 'C'...

I have some friends from brisbane staying with me at the moment. They left just before Christmas on the Celebrity Solstice on a 12 night cruise over the Christmas/New Year period. I did photograph their departure, but the other morning, the 3am alarm went off as I was heading in to shoot the cruise liner coming into Sydney Harbour.

There was some stunning light about and I took a pic of the Sydney Skyline with the Opera House in it (the Harbour Bridge was to far to the right from this location really... haha)

Anyway, the MS Noordam (Holland America Line) entered through the heads first, and was lucky enough to sail past in this light...


This light didn't last that long though, when the Celebrity Solstice (Celebrity Cruises) sailed through...

It was a nice morning to have been out on the harbour...

Hoo roo for now...

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Busy and @bangkok lunch

Today is 'B' - Busy and @bangkok...

Well - today was a bit of another grey old day, and this morning, I had visitors... You see, Louise had made a quilt a couple of years before her passing in 2009. This quilt, whilst largely finished, just needed the quilting stitching done. A mates mum, who is also a quilter, is going to finish it for me.

But after they had left, I finally went and had another attempt to catch up with a mate from Canberra and his girlfriend from Geelong! I tried yesterday, but as I had just missed a train, and it was a public holiday timetable, it would have been a 2 hour train ride to them (or a 44 minute drive and then c. $40 in parking! 

So today it was it, lunch in Captiol Square @bangkok Thai Restaurant! We started with the Satay Chicken skewers (with a thick cut bread) and Em and I had the Chicken Pad See Ew. Very nice, as usual...

Later in the afternoon, after we had left, there was a fire in the lower level food court - right where we had lunch!!!

Fire crews fight Sydney building blaze

Hoo roo for now...

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Abandoned

Today I went for a bit of a drive, I really wanted it to be a 'nice day', but I got a grey and humid day that also ended up with showers... Oh well!

So I went across from Penrith to Richmond, through Agnes Banks. I thought I would have another go at going through all of the suburbs in Sydney, alphabetically. But as I had started to head north, there wasn't many with A as a start NOR was there that many, so I had a rethink!

Instead, to start with, I thought I would simply go through the alphabet, and create my own theme based on what I saw. Today, its 'A' - Abandoned...

I don't really know how I got to Freemans Reach Park, but the elevated view gave me this old, somewhat abandoned shed...


On the return towards home, through Wilberforce, I remembered that on 'Freemans Reach Rd', there was an old house, often photographed as well, so I headed up there to have a look see... It has clearly gotten a lot worse than I remembered it!!!




So thats it, 'Abandoned' is done, what a way to spend New Years Day!!! Hope you had a great New Years Eve, and a great day to start 2017!

Hoo roo for now...

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Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year

And welcome to 2017!!!

It would be remiss of me to reflect upon 2016... I sold the home Louise and I purchased in Merrylands, bought a house closer to mum, a new car, and I also ended up in intensive care of all places!!!

The move, whilst traumatic, it also closed another chapter and allowed me to become more at peace with life as well...

I am also grateful for the many MANY friends, both near and far, I have... And whilst I don't have the time to send you ALL a personal message, I am just grateful for you all just 'being there' when needed...

So, to you and your family, from me and mine, I wish you ALL a safe NYE, don't drink too much, and a safe, happy and love filled 2017, what ever it brings!!!!

Whilst the Sydney Harbour Bridge was be covered in fireworks, theres no better show, that of 'Mother Nature'...

Happy New Year!

Hoo roo for now...

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I'mmmmmm Baaaaaccck!!!!

Well.... I am BACK!!!!

There has been SO much happening of late, I can not begin to tell you... But today, it has all come to a conclusion...

You see, after many months/years of agonising over it, I have sold up in Merrylands, the house that Louise and I had shared so many happy years, and also some of the darkest moments I have ever experienced. It was a delightful old home, built in 1927, and came with a large yard.

But, living alone, in a large house and yard, came with a lot of maintenance, which my bad back, could not do anymore. Although the memories will always be with me, it was just simply time to sell! Although purchased for a good price back in 2005, 'bring on the removalist', I was shocked at what I got for the house, which meant I could clear the mortgage, and then buy in cash, so I am a home owner, and debt free!!! It is truely a wonderful experience!

Whilst my sale went through without any hassles, I can not say the same for my new place. What was meant to be a 10 day settlement, ended up being a day short of two months!!!! Oh well...

NOW, I can get on and lay a new lawn in the courtyard, put a deck to the rear of the house with an awning as well, and then I am all done with nothing else to do!!!

Lots of posts over the coming weeks as we get things done, but for now, this is a brief update!!!

Whats everyone been up to of late??

Hoo roo for now...

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Ok - so today I got a new watch...

Ok, so today, I did something completely random, I got myself a new watch (as a belated Wedding Anniversary/Christmas present...)

A few months back, I did a market research for an international cloud company, and I got a Myers Gift Card. I also got some money for Christmas. So, this morning I trundled down to Myer in Westfield Parramatta and did some 'me' shopping. There was a few I liked, but it came down to two, this one and a Michael Kors model.

Otherwise, today was spent having lunch with a mate, and a trip to the chemist for a script and home, where housework (yawn) took my afternoon through to this evening.

Hoo roo for now...

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Goodbye 2015 and Hello 2016

Well, its another year, and welcome to 2016... Finally, the rest of the world is now here given we, in Sydney, are amongst the first to see in the New Year!!

2015 bought mixed feelings for me... Some good, some bad, some beginnings and some endings, but most of all, it was press good in most parts! I managed to supply some photos for a project in NSW, I did a shoot of a heritage aircraft which flew for the first time in nearly 40 years (and an article on it as well) and I am waiting for the magazine to arrive!!

But most importantly, friendships, I have this year had some of the best people around me, and I am grateful for this!

So what does 2016 hold? Well, I will be spending the first month or two with a very exciting moment in my life. It will take a little while to get done, but it is 'time' to do it now. Also, this year I will be looking at a replacement for the old Suzuki, it is still a fine car and does what its asked of, but it is just at the point of a few noises here and there... I don't know yet, but it will be the second 'big event' of the year!

So what ever it is you have planned for 2016, I hope that it brings you much joy and happiness!!

Hoo roo for now...

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Happy Birthday Louise... For you are 46 today!

Happy Birthday Lou...

Today, you are 46 years old...

• or 552 months 0 days
• or 2400 weeks 1 days
• or 16,801 days
• or 403,224 hours
• or 24,193,440 minutes
• or 1,451,606,400 seconds

Either way - my love for you never ends, regardless of how much I may miss you... (6 years, 7 months and 26 days...)

Hoo roo for now...

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2015 Excellence In The Environment Awards

The winner of the Louise Petchell Memorial Award for Individual Sustainability was Kelly Williamson - Campbelltown City Council!

Kelly was given recognition of the change she has facilitated across the organisation in regard to sustainability at Campbelltown City Council, and the resulting positive impact on both the organisation and environment. She has overseen many projects, including energy savings via the installation of photovoltaic systems, solar pool heating systems on all of Council's aquatic centres, sustainable products in building upgrades as well as organising committees and funding sources within Council!

Louise's parents were also attending the Awards, and here they are with Kelly

And here is ALL of the award winners from the Excellence in the Environment Awards 2015

(With thanks to Eventpix, for the photos to share...)

Hoo roo for now...

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NSW LG Excellence in the Environment Awards

Well, its been another year since the NSW Local Government Excellence in the environment Awards...

This year, I again was invited to judge the 'Louise Petchell Memorial Award for Individual Sustainability" Award, and then, present the award to the recipient.

This year, the event was held at the Dockside Function Centre, Darling Harbour; in 33c heat!! YAY, we ALL know how much I HATE wearing a suit and tie, right!!

Lunch was impressive, and I had the 'Seared Salmon Supreme, Almond Crusted with aged red wine sauce, caramelised vine ripens tomatoes & asparagus tip (which I left of course) on a bed of mash...



For dessert, I had the Mango & Raspberry sorbet cake, with a seasonal berry compote with a passionfruit coulis...



At the conclusion of the event, all of the awardees had an official photo taken, below, I will be sent the pics hopefully tomorrow, so I will update then with another post etc...



I would like to thank all those associated with the Awards, and making Louise's memorial even more important today, 6 years after her passing...

Hoo roo for now...

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