Oz day 2010

What a show!
Skyworks, sponsored by Lottery West was the biggest, longest firework show we've ever seen!
Reports of $half million were spent on the show, that was free for anyone near enough to see / hear it!

 

A beautiful night! The breeze dropped, the air was warm, and a crystal clear sky! You Beauty!

 

 Let the show begin...

 

  

  

And after a whole hour of bangs n flash, Poor Noonie was ready for bed!

 

Australia Day 2010 comming up!

Jan 26th is Australia Day, so we're gonna be celebrating in style this year! It seems more popular than Christmas here, so it'd be rude not to join in?

Cait's especially looking forward!

That's what happens when you put bubbles in the hot tub!!!

Oh dear!
What a mistaka ta maka!!!
We were about to change the water in the tub, but wondered what would happen if you introduced a 'little' bubble bath and turned it on, so had a great time with all the bubbles before draining the old water!!!

All better now though, with fresh water from the 'hot' tap, which was actually the cold tap, but runs at 45 C for a few minutes. Gettin' 'otter by the day right now. 42 forcast for today (Sunday) so off to the beach where it'll be cooler and a dip in the sea is always welcome?

Messing about on the water ?

Our good friends Charlie & Tracey kindly invited us out with their Kayaks to Shelley foreshore this afternoon.
We had a great time and took the barby (be rude not to!) Charlie & I went up river to see some wildlife and found a pelican with one wing! He tried to take off, but flew a short circle before landing again, we thought all of it's mates would call him 'boomerang' lol
Tracey and PP had a go after the girls showed us all just how easy it is too! No-one fell in, but the river at it's DEEPEST is just waist high, so no worries there!
PP did very well and took to it like 'a duck to water' We think we may get some kayaks now as we had such a lovely time. Lookin' forward to the next time. Gotta get fit somehow?

Jcp X

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year!!!

Well - We're still on hols and all is well - We've had a relaxing few weeks, pottering around the house and garden, which is starting to look more like a home, but a long way to go?

New Year's Day is celebrated here in WA with fireworks and BBQ at Shelly Foreshore, so we went to see the new year in with Charlie, Tracey and few other friends.

 

We weren't happy with the new colour decos on our tree, so decided to take yet another step closer to becomming true Aussies, or 'Pozzies' as we're affectionately known, and buy an artificial tree. (Noonie and I will still buy a real one for the garden though!)

We saw the Goanna again, across the road from the last sighting, but still going strong!

Most people go south for the cooler temps this time of year, so Linda and Murray took their camper trailer to Busselton. A last minute availability, so there were no pitches for us, but Murray came back the day after setting up Linda and gang in the tent. He wanted to finish some balustrading arund their house, so we looked after 'Buster' for a couple of nights, which has made us look closer at the pet shops for when I finally complete OUR garden!!!

We also took advantage of the 'Dixon's' kind generostity in allowing us to use their pool in their absence.

It was only a few days later, that we went to Busselton ourselves, to see what it's like (about 2 1/2 hour drive from home), and found it to be quite rotten and ugly in places??? ;-)

 

 

So - Looking forward to Feb now. Noonie's birthday, back to work and more sun, sun, sun!!!

Oh - PP at Hopman cup today, so she'll, no doubt have some pics for you too!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

What a month! We had a great Xmas and are looking forward to 2010 here in Aus.
Just a few pics here of what we've been through (It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it?)
Started off by getting our tree - And as we're at the beginning of our summer, we decided to change the deco colour scheme to reflect the 30+ temps and clear blues of the days, so this pic will be updated when we get more of the baubles etc in our cerise / turquoise theme.

Cait had been learning to play the flute at school (her last year at Ranford Primary) all year and was delighted, though nervous to play a duet at the end-of-year graduation! She suffered from nerves, but pulled through on the day to raptuous applause! Well done Cait!

BBQ season here lasts for months, so PP had a go at doing the yorkshires on the barby. First attempt was a little 'crunchie' on the bottom, but she's perfected her technique now, so you'll be amazed to taste the wonders of the barby when you all come visit. She's even goin' to try roast beef, pizza and even chockolate cake (not all at once, mind!)

Lighter nights, (getting dark about 8.00pm) now meant the girls could use the lawn at the front as an obstacle course. They dreamt this up between them to maximise fresh air and imagination all at once (which we're in full support of!) They spend hours bouncing a ball to each other, riding bikes, chasing each other (and me) and swimming in anyone's pool who invite us over and when there;s no pool, there's always the warm, clear Indian Ocean (see Xmas day below), so we're all fit, healthy and happy... Well, 'fit' might be an exageration for me!?! lol

See what I mean about the 'fit' bit? This is PP topping up the water-melon with Vodka a la Jamie?
Goin to tackle this beast over Boxing Day (and possibly a few days after?) at Sam n Pete's place (Friends from Plymouth, living in Byford, about 20 mins east of us)

Christmas Day 2009 started and ended with HEAPS of prezzies from Santa.The girlie's faces were a picture as we settled down to some serious ripping of paper and tape, starting at 5.30 am (That was PP up and awake, not the girls!) We finally fell into bed at 12.30 pm after a fulll day of fun and great company!

After a barby breky with Charlie n Tracey at Coogee beach, we had to have our obligatory swim in the sea. Not too busy at 10.00am, so having a go on Charlie's kayaks seemed like a good idea. Except I couldn't stay upright, so let the girls have a go - they took to it like the proverbial duck - sickening!

Not sure how Santa managed to jetski past us when he should have been with you guys in England, maybe the jetski is his new form of transport, taken over from the sleigh???

 

Even the marine life was happy to play on Xmas day! This is Cait holding one of about a dozen starfish we found!

So - Happy Christmas to all who read this - and a Merry New Year from Oz!

Deck the Halls...

Well - the tree, anyway and possibly a bit of the veranda?

Cait's Christmas Limo...

PP rather liked the look of this one...

 Noonie liked this little one for her room, but we persueaded her to go for something a little bigger...

 

It's hard work, pulling you Emily - maybe Dad should just put the tree in here?

 

I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK...lol

Dad! It's not an icy pole!!!

And the guest of honour, looking a bit bare, 'till we get some more decos in the new 'summer' colours?

Cait's last game for the Pumas

Cait played her last game of Basket Ball today... For the Willetton Pumas anyway!
She received her trophy and handed back her orange vest as she'll not sign up for them next year. She's already planning on joining the tean at her new school, Carey College in Feb though!
Keep watching, so see her 'shoot some hoops'!!!

Goanna on the run!

Driving home from golf last Sunday, I turned into the road that goes by our house and saw a piece of rubber rolling along the pavement. It was only when I got a bit closer, that I could see that the 'rubber' was WALKING!!!

It was this little fella, a 'Goanna' or an Iguanna, as we Poms call them!


I got out to take a photo and it stopped in the shade of a tree, so I walked up and took a few shots (Photos)

It was only when I showed the guys at work, that they told me that these things run like the wind AT YOU, and bite, scratch and scream as they climb to your head, so I guess I was bit lucky? Or do I have the powers of 'Mick Dundee'????

Either way, I'm a 'dumb Pom'! lol

Just managed to find a small clip of what we were doing at Lancelin, so added it here.
No 'play' this weekend - girlies on Guide camp, so child-free all weekend! Dave's house warming tonight, Golf in the morning, brunch with Charlie n Tracey tomorrow then collect girlies from Hillary's tomorrow arvo - no time to PLAY!!! ;o)

Another day with the 'boys'

Last Saturday, The 'boys' from work decided to take a little trip 'Up North' to Lancelin 4WD area... ...again, as it's such good fun!
Travis took his brand new Mitsi Triton (above) and quite quickly got it stuck (see saw fashion) on the tip of a dune. Finn's Landrover Disco soon pulled it to safety though.

John, being John couldn't help himself when Trav's 'young fella' started to squirm, so his motherly nature came out - He HATES kids!!!

We had lunch back under some shade and most of us (No Nige!) returned to the dunes for some serious action. We were determined to climb this one. It's only about 40 metres high and at about 50 degrees? John gave it a good go, but couldn't match Finn's tracks, where we almost made it to the top??? (I went with Finn as I didn't want to risk Phoebe so soon after getting her back!)
Trav gives it a go too, but still couldn't reach Finn's marks!

The dark tracks were John's, but he made them coming DOWN, not up! Finn was the winner in his old Disco!!!

Here, John lines up to go DOWN, but he experienced 'momentary loss of traction' unitl Finn had to pull him out too! - He DIDN'T get bogged, just lost traction!!! lol

More fun next time, as I think I'll be braver to take Phoebe again - Summer hols coming up, so we'll certainly be beach driving! Watch this space. Jcp