an experiment up loading video or ...Skye's latest diet

 

okay I see it is unfocused and taken while on the road in Northern NSW. Hope you can access it alright. The photo is clearer.

Skye (8 months) playing with cousins annika and mathew

poodle with pink ears

Saw a white poodle with pink ears yesterday outside Woolworth's in Campsie (of all places) at 8 'o' clock in the morning. He/she? was looking out of a truck window as was his owner (a man) as if waiting for someone. My first thought? It's nearly Mardi Gras time.

One of the events leading up to the famous parade in early March is (or used to be) a doggie get together of local gays. The poodle with pink ears remnded me of that. I attended one once, saw all kinds of costumes and outfits, not only on the dogs.

Sydney's Mardi Gras is now a big money spinner for the city. People come from all over the place for the month long festivities, following hot on the heels of the Sydney Festival.

Talk about hot, it's going to be a hot one today. Am planning to go to the pool with Annika to cool off, then work on getting her interested in going to the museum of modern art to see Annie Liebowitz's exhibition. I've always liked her stuff and I believe the woman needs the money! Not that my concession price ticket (children under 12 free) will make that much difference. It's good to expose the kid to something other than Shrek & Toy Story, good though they are. But it's been hard getting her interested in going to the city this time. Not sure why.

Just had a thought, there might be a picture of Annika's great love, Michael Jackson in the exhibition. That'll get her.

For now we have to work out which movie to see tomorrow. We've done Narnia, I kind of fancy Tangled, having seen in the preview some of the amazing things they do with the woman's long blond hair. Gulliver's going to be too scary according to Annika. She fancies Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Oh dear.

Misperceptions

Packing: pack what you think you need then halve it.
Tying a parcel with ribbon:  mark off what you think you need then double it

oops double mailing

Sorry to my email recipients who recieved 2 versions of the previous blog. I was in a shopping centre using Mcdonald's free WiFi and every time I pressed the edit button it signed me out. The second version is the 'correct' one.

I hasten to add that was the only thing of Mcdonald's I was using as I whiled away the time waiting for my car to be serviced. Fortunately they didn't charge me as much as I was expecting thereby justifying the new bra and sandals I  bought while waiting.

I've put out the new photo calendar (thank you Kathie, great memories of our recent adventures) washed my new 5-pack of Sloggis (undies to the uninitiated) whch are now ready to wear (thank you Maxine) and tried out my new induction cooktop and pots (Thank you Maxine, Cristina & spouses)

Great excitement as I cooked the evening meal. For once in 11 years I could have three pots going all at the same time (only had 2 burners before) and I didn't have to wait 10 minutes for them to heat up. In no time I had fried chicken, cauliflower and cheese sauce on my plate. Looks as though the microwave might become redundant. T'will be interesting to see what the next electricity bill reveals.

Having brung on the new, I'm now casting out the old. I spotted a book swap store in Burwood yesterday, have earmarked it to off load some books. Speaking of books I've just finished reading A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. It was published in 1995 and is a great read. I love the characters and feel for them through their many trials and traumas.

But I digress.

I've been busy tearing up old bills, receipts and invoices this morning. Not a bad occupation when you feel like tearing your hair out watching the cricket. England looks very strong, Australia bumbling along. At least I've got room in my filing cabinet now.

Going to use up some old frozen bananas and make a loaf out of them then a short rest before heading out for the Opera House to see 'Love, Loss and  What I Wore.' Not sure what it is but it's probably funny. I hope so.





  

NYE in Bangalow

For once I wasn't in Sydney for NYE. Instead I spent a lovely 6 days in Northern NSW with Maxine, Dirk and the delicious Skye in a house lent to them by friends.

I almost didn't get there. The Jetstar craft flying up around the same time as me couldn't land because of poor visibility and returned to Sydney. The trusty prop plane of Rexair made it, albeit a bit bumpily, and to the accompaniement of teenage girls screaming every time we hit a tiny airpocket. Such sooks!

 Fortunately the rain held off for the next 3-4 days so we could get out, exploring downtown Bangalow's 2 streets on day 1 and lunching at the pub;



lunch at the pub 





we call this pose 'Hello Boys!'

 the next day re-visiting Byron Bay. It was like arriving in the middle of 'Schoolies' week. The place has lost its charm I'm afraid. Skye had her first encounter with the ocean, not that great but let's face it, it takes a while.



on the road

 Day 3 we shopped in Ballina, nice wide streets full of people nearer my own age, many of them in electric buggies!!! Not yet please!

We had some success with Skye in the pool, splashing arms and legs very seriously. One day I'm sure it will be with joy, all she needs is more exposure. Dirk is not so sure.

The grownups behaved like children when the scrabble board came out in the evenings, Maxine fiercely determined to put down the best possible word every go, and taking her time about it (Dirk and I worked on the cryptic crossword while she ruminated!) Dirk claiming he didn't give a s.... but still keen to play, and me, well of course I was perfect!

The beer and wine flowed, Maxine cooked some super meals and Skye was an angel... except for the early rising. The latest was 5.45 am, the earliest 4.45am . When she's awake that gal is ready to party, to the extent that she doesn't realise she's hungry. It's like she's afraid of missing something if she stops to eat. Another determined girl in our midst, what could we expect?

And what would a holiday be like without Maxine and a bean bag?

On New Year's Day it was too wet for Skye to go on the grass, the cat was too lazy to entertain her, the cows didn't visit and the chooks had lost their novelty. She missed the lone wallaby hopping along the bottom of the garden. The kid was getting cabin fever. We headed for Bangalow in the misty rain. Our favourite cafe was full, we ended up at the bakery; they had to give us free food to get rid of us!

I left Bangalow glowing in sunshine and arrived in Sydney in a storm. Picked up late delivered Christams cards and reflected on my lovely break. Thank you for making it possible Maxine and Dirk.