Just heard

from Craig. He is on his way to Chennai (Madras) and will spend 24 hours there before coming back home. Yay!

The Blood Moon

Despite the patchy cloud cover, we managed to get quite a good look at the lunar eclipse.
More pictures in my PhotoBucket Album ... Click Here ...

Good deed for nought?

While walking the dog this morning, we came across a rainbow lorikeet floundering on the grass. I watched it for a bit, pondering what I should do. I decided to call the vet, who gave me a number for a wildlife rescue, who then in turn called Parks Victoria who called me back, while I waited and watched the bird make its way up a tree. A ranger came and he picked the bird up (after it had fallen out of the tree). It seemed to be a baby still, its tail feathers not quite developed, and a bit of down sticking out of its wings.
Well I left the bird in his capable hands and continued to walk the dog.
On the way back past the same place, Marlee was off lead and she came upon the same little bird. Thank goodness Marlee kind of listens to me and she didn't touch the bird, but she did give it a fright, poor thing. So the ranger just left it there afterall. I'm not sure why. Some other people were there and heard me yelling at Marlee and they were looking at the bird too, but I told them that I'd spoken to the ranger already. What to do? A guy said he would look back on the bird on his way back from lunch.
I don't know. Maybe the ranger thought it best for it to fend for itself? Or maybe there is nothing he could really do? Hmmm.

UPDATE: Apparently juvenile lorikeets get turfed out of the nest to encourage them to learn to fly, and that mum and dad will be still feeding it. So that's why the ranger left it there.

Bombay Madras

Craig has left for India for 6 days.
Just me and the dog.

First stage

... of renovating has gone smoothly. We saw the architect and he showed us the initial floorplan ideas for our house. More details at Making Base Camp.
We're planning on moving the week of September 10th, sooner than anticipated, but after that week Craig is busy with the Twenty20 World Cup Championship.

A day at the footy

My first game of the year and Craig's sixth, we went to see the Cats play the Kangaroos. The Cats won and Craig was a happy boy (and so were all the other Geelong supporters). We did have some "entertainment' with opposition fans giving each other schtick for most of the game. Very distracting, but the game was pretty good. A nice day out.

Its been a year

We went down to the Gibson Steps, just before the Twelve Apostles, to see the lone apostle where we scattered Mum's ashes back in November 2006. It was a lot colder and windier and less friendly than we remembered! But we carefully made our way down the steps to the sodden beach, and gingerly walked to where we were before.

And there we threw ten roses into the water, one for each of us and one for each of her five sisters.

Then Dad released the last of her ashes into the waves. She is completely free now. Dad felt that it was time to let her go.

Then we hastily made our way back before we were trapped by the incoming tide and waves, bidding goodbye to the lone apostle and to Mum.

Next year we'll visit her at Lilydale where her plaque is located in memorium, and pledged to visit her again at the Twelve Apostles in the summer time, when the weather is more welcoming.

Its hard to believe a year has passed us by already without her.

But she's always in our hearts and in our memories.

Apologies for the dark photos, but it was quite inclement down there! For more photos of our visit to see Mum, see my PhotoBucket Album ...Click Here....

We have the keys!

To our house!

6 degrees!?

Back in very cold Melbourne...
Craig is in Darwin for the Cup Carnival: the gala Ball on Saturday (I don't get to see him in his tuxedo - bummer), sunset cruise on Sunday, Cup Day on Monday. Then he's home via the red-eye on Tuesday morning
In the mean time, I'll get the keys to OUR house on Monday - yeah!

Tropical Palm Cove

Well its warmer than Melbourne, but the sun only shines in the morning. Then the rainforest musters in the clouds and the sunshine is filtered. No soaking up of rays. But it has been relaxing. We've strolled along the beach to Palm Cove (about 15 minutes walk to the jetty) for breakfast. Last night we went into Port Douglas for dinner at one of our favourite places, only to find that Sassi La Cucina is now owned by new people. The meal was lovely but just not the same. And there's a huge crane hovering over a development at the start of Macrossan St which looms over the township. Yet more apartments. This region is going through a development boom and there are big plans for Palm Cove too. Its all getting too big. Come and visit before it gets too overun with tourists!!
This afternoon we have booked some massages, seeing as the sun is not co-operating. Tomorrow we check out and we plan to spend the day at Kuranda on the railway and cable car.
At least its warm here.