Craig and Glynis

Latest photos of foster dog Kato

2009-05-27T20:00:00.001+10:00

Mum's Day

2009-05-10T20:23:00.003+10:00

Happy Mother's Day, Mum.

Love you, miss you.

Kato's extreme makeover!

2009-05-08T20:28:00.000+10:00

A bath and a clip and he's a new man!

Kato, my latest foster dog

2009-05-06T20:26:00.000+10:00

Kato: Maltese x Shih Tzu, 7 year old male.

Rosco has grown!

2009-04-24T20:35:00.002+10:00

He's doing really well in his new home with three kids who adore him and a cat who tolerates him. A happy little chappy.

Walking so nicely with Jazz at Albert Park Lake.

Day 5 with Rosco

2009-01-08T19:47:00.003+11:00

After a rocky start (for me also) Marlee and Rosco are starting to get used to each other. We went out last night and when we came home, it seemed that the two of them had bunked in together. And here is the proof that they can be close to each other without any growling (on Marlee's part mostly).

Today they actually played really well together. Well Rosco has always been happy to play, and Marlee was just the tolerant one. But she actually instigated play with Rosco; firstly she teased him into some tug of war with a toy, then it was chasey outside with Marlee doing the chasing rather than the running away. A big shift in attitude on her part.

Interesting.

Our (foster) puppy Rosco

2009-01-06T16:23:00.005+11:00

Rosco was rescued from a place where he was not wanted and mistreated. Such a terrible way for a pup to start his young life.

He and Marlee met and we thought we would see how they would get along for a couple of weeks, and if they get along well enough, we may keep Rosco as a part of our family pack.

After a vet check this morning, he seems to be in good health (albeit still a bit on the skinny side, but I am gradually increasing his food intake to get some weight on him) and the vet thinks that he is between 10 and 14 weeks; so we're calling it 12 weeks. He had his vaccination (without a fuss) and now we'll just concentrate on fattening him up to a normal weight, and show him a better life.

Marlee is a bit of a grumpy old lady about it all, but she has to learn how to interact properly with the pup. She is having a crash course in canine communication. Hopefully she will warm to him and we can see if he has found a forever home with us.

Day with the dingoes

2008-12-14T22:45:00.013+11:00

Today I had the opportunity to interact with dingoes at a dingo sanctuary. So after a 2 hour drive up north past Seymour and through Violet Town, we arrived at the sanctuary which is lovingly run by Gill and Richard. It was Julie Fechner of the Dingo CARE Network who guided us there and they were very generous with their time.

They have 7 pens set up with different family groups within, and we were able to enter these fenced areas to "meet" the dingoes.

Some of which were quite friendly and used to human interactions, others were weary of strangers and others would not approach at all. None of which were aggressive. There was one mother bitch with her pups who was giving warning growls, but she was just trying to work out if we were a threat, and warning her pups not to get too close to the strangers. But she eventually worked out that we were no harm to her pups.

We used our dog listening skills on these semi wild dogs, and the results were just amazing. Gill and Richard commented on how the dingoes did not react to our presence as much as they normally do when visitors come to the sanctuary. There were 8 strangers amongst them and they did not feel stressed by our company.

It was amazing to see that we were all able to communicate so succinctly with them without saying a word. An amazing experience.

Gill and Richard offered an open invitation for us to return whenever we were in the neighbourhood, which I think I will definitely consider!

Thanks to Julie for organising the visit, and to Gill and Richard for their hospitality and time.

Xav comes to visit

2008-11-17T17:13:00.001+11:00

Marlee just ran around and licked him. Xavier was not scared at all. He just closed his eyes when Marlee came by, knowing he would get a lick or a flick of the wagging tail.

Meeting Rick Allen

2008-11-06T14:27:00.003+11:00

Such a nice guy. He was very generous with his time and gave us a very relaxed tour backstage. We also met Phil Collen, who was also a nice guy in the brief moment he spent with us.

Rick was a really genuine, grounded person and spent the time to sign autographs and take photos. What an experience.

Proceeds of the Meet and Greet went to The Raven Drum Foundation.

Def Leppard - Newcastle

2008-11-06T14:19:00.002+11:00

So one show just wasn't enough for me. Afterall, it was 16 years ago that Def Leppard last toured, so I had to get as much as I could in case they never come back again!

So I bought a VIP package on eBay that was a Meet and Greet with Rick Allen (drummer) in Newcastle. Crazy but true: in 24 hours I flew to Newcastle (via Brisbane) and met up with John at the venue. We were then taken backstage where we met Rick, who gave us a tour of backstage. We watched the show almost front row again. Then early the next morning I flew back to Melbourne. A whirlwind 24 hours.

Vivian Campbell

Phil Collen

Rick Allen

Joe Elliott

Rick Savage and Phil Collen

Def Leppard - Melbourne

2008-11-03T14:16:00.002+11:00

The Russo's and I went to see Def Leppard at Rod Laver Arena. We had 2nd row seats and we had an amazing time.

Up close and personal with the band.

What a night!

Unexpected visitor

2008-10-19T14:07:00.002+11:00

A cat came through the doggy door, and just made itself at home. Luckily Marlee was in another part of the house, because I don't know what kind of mayhem would have ensued within the confines of the laundry! After ejecting the cat over the back neighbour's fence, the crazy cat came back into the laundry. Obviously its not too perturbed by the smell of dog, and really wanted to stay. If we had no dog, we may have considered keeping the sweet little thing (he had no collar). Perhaps I should have taken it to a local vet to check for a micro chip, but Marlee eventually had her chance to see off the intruder over the back fence again. This time the cat got the message and we never so it again.

Pets Day Out Frankston

2008-10-12T14:04:00.002+11:00

A rather eye opening say at a Pet expo, on a very hot October day. I had my FeltPets display on the end of the table, along with the Dog Listeners.

Cricket is a dangerous sport

2008-09-24T14:02:00.001+10:00

Craig's broken finger.

That'll teach him to miss a full toss while wearing cheap gloves!

Meeting for the first time (in my memory anyway!)

2008-09-03T04:58:00.002+10:00

My Aunty Khim and Uncle Bret.

We spent a lovely day getting to know each other and they drove us around their beautiful countryside (and had a lovely carvery lunch).

Cardiff Bay

2008-09-03T04:55:00.006+10:00

Cardiff Bay in the blazing sunshine!

Did you know Roald Dahl was a Cardiff local?

Self portrait with the aid of this mirrored sculpture outside the Millenium Centre in Cardiff Bay.

Welcome to Cardiff!

2008-09-02T04:53:00.001+10:00

Its a bit wet!

Sunshine finally

2008-08-31T07:21:00.004+10:00

The promised sunshine finally arrived so we went out for another stroll down through Soho to Covent Garden. We went to the London Transport Museum and spent a few hours there. Very interesting to find out about the history of the Underground. Then we went to find some nice gelati and went to lie in the park to enjoy the sun's rays.

Excellent food in Soho - Barrafina

2008-08-29T07:12:00.003+10:00

Had a wander through the Photographer's Gallery in Covent Garden.

We managed to get a spot at Barrafina, a Spanish tapas establishment in Soho. It is like Movida in Hosier Lane Melbourne, except that the chef and kitchen are right there. So you could see the finishing touches to each dish, which was lovingly garnished with such care. And the food was excellent to boot. It was entertaining to watch the dynamics between the head chef and his subordinates. Yes, Chef. No, Chef.

Postman's Park

2008-08-28T07:08:00.002+10:00

A day out walking around London. We visited Postman's Park where there are plaques commemorating the selfless deeds of local heroes. Very strange.

And a photo of Craig at St Paul's.

A day in the country side

2008-08-26T04:16:00.001+10:00

Near Canterbury in the village of Spelling, watching a cricket game. Not the ideal summer's day and our team lost.

Traflagar Square

2008-08-21T18:16:00.004+10:00

Amazing that the city of London can prop up such a huge screen against a monument! This is the site of the handover for the London 2012 Olympics.
We walked by the square on our way to the theatre and saw some rehearsals taking place for the ceremony on Saturday.

Yesterday, while we were exploring the Seven Dials area in Soho, we saw David Schwimmer (he of 'Friends' fame) window shopping. And last night, when we went to see a theatre production called 'Fat Pig' (starring two of the actors from 'Love Actually') we noticed David Schwimmer in the audience! He is following us...

In transit

2008-08-19T18:05:00.000+10:00

Frankfurt Airport at 6am ish... very early. Awaiting my connecting flight to London City Airport.

Off and away again

2008-08-18T18:02:00.002+10:00

Somewhere over the centre of Australia.

Monty Roberts

2008-08-18T13:57:00.003+10:00

Went to see Monty Roberts at Werribee Park. What an amazing thing he does for the better treatment of horses (and people!).

And we had the pleasure of spending a breakfast with Monty in St Kilda. A very generous man with his time and with his candidness on his life and experiences.

Yappy Barkday!

2008-07-02T15:01:00.003+10:00

Happy Birthday!

Marlee is three years old today!

Another sheila

2008-06-27T22:26:00.003+10:00

Congrats to Erna for becoming an Australian Citizen (officially).

The largest cricket painting collection

2008-06-27T22:23:00.004+10:00

Craig went a bit crazy at a public auction, and bought a few cricket related paintings.

I'm qualified as a dog listener

2008-05-24T10:02:00.005+10:00

I have just completed the Advanced Course in Amichien Canine Communication.

What a great 3 days it has been, and I have learned so much. Whether I choose to practice and give consultations to people with issues with their dog's unwanted behaviours, will be totally up to me. However, I am probably leaning towards fostering work or working with shelters and rescue centres. I have many choices ahead of me now and its comforting to know that they are there.

And I have met so many different types of people and personalities, all brought together by our desire to understand the dog and how it can sometimes struggle to live within our human world; and knowing now that we are equipped with the knowledge to help.

Back home to reality

2008-05-11T23:05:00.003+10:00

One thing that has fascinated Craig and I while we've been in London, are the urban foxes. They literally live in amongst the backyards. This guy above was our first. He sat and watched us watching him, quite nonchalantly.

Next we saw this guy sunning himself on a shed roof in the backyard that is attached to the house that we're renting the loft.

And this mum and cub were frolicking next door. Quite a novelty to us, but a right pain for residents as they rummage through rubbish bins and leave a stink behind wherever they go.

Brugge, Belgium

2008-05-08T21:51:00.003+10:00

We had a lovely 3 days in Brugge in Flemish Belgium. A gorgeous little canal town not unlike Venice (except with less tourists and pigeons). We enjoyed walking the streets and discovering little squares and pretty vistas and bridges over the canalways. Our second day we took a 4 hour bike tour through the countryside around the old town. It was a glorious sunny day and we had a small group (3 plus our guide Jos) so we had a really informative time. I even tried a little Belgium beer called Kriek, which is a cherry flavoured beer (amongst the some 500+ varieties of Belgian beer). I could get to like that kind of sweet beer I have to say!
Our third day we just walked around the town and went to the Chocolate Museum. A fascinating story of how Belgium became such a centre for chocolate. There is also a new Fritje Museum: a museum dedicated to the fried potato chip, claimed to be invented by Belgiums (and not the French!). The Belgium fritje is a staple in Belgium. It comes accompanied with any food you order. You can also find vendors in market squares selling their fritjes with any number of sauces: mayonaise, tomato sauce, chilli sauce, curry sauce, mustard etc etc etc. So me being the fry queen, I really enjoyed the fritjes!
And Craig enjoyed the chocolates. There are so many chocolate shops in Brugge that it was hard to work out which ones were the good ones (some may argue that all Belgian chocolates are good) but Jos gave us a tip on the best (and most expensive) place to buy fresh hand made Belgian chocolates (that aren't factory made): The Chocolate Line. Amazing stuff there. I must say the smells that came out of some of those shops were amazing though. Mmmmm praline...

Brugge is also big on lace. I'm talking giant doilies and hankerchiefs and the like. But we never found out why but apparently its been big for 500 years. I did not buy any lace.
Sorry but photos will be uploaded when I get home in a few days time.

Fair weather at last

2008-05-04T05:48:00.004+10:00

Wow we had lovely weather today: sunshine and warm even! I didn't need my jacket and scarf at all as I walked around Greenwich and the Royal Observatory.
We booked our trip to Bruge on the Eurostar today; we leave on Monday and back on Thursday. Just a short break in a Flemish town with canals. Looking forward to it. Weather looks good too: 23 degrees!! Woohoo!!

Rain Rain Go Away

2008-05-03T06:52:00.006+10:00

My time in London has been marred by rain. Hard to get out and about when its pouring with rain. London is difficult to negotiate as it is with the sheer number of people here, let alone dodging puddles and umbrellas.
I have managed to get out a little bit, but have mainly stayed in SW London in Balham, where our flat is. Its kind of nice getting familiar with a place and becoming a bit of a local. We walk by this cute little italian restaurant on our way to Craig's office and the tube station and they wave and say hello. They have great food and a killer dessert.
Since my last update I have been shopping on Oxford Street and at Sloane Square. I've visited the British Museum and see the Rosetta Stone. Checked out the beautiful young people in Camden Town (kind of like St Kilda only bigger). Been to Borough Market under the railway bridges.

In the coming days I hope to make it to Greenwich and the Observatory, weather permitting. Sunday I will be catching up with a uni friend and we're going to Spitafields Market for some shopping and browsing. Plus Craig and I are planning on a little getaway for a few days; maybe to Paris, Lille or Brugge in Belgium. We had planned to go to Dubai but that idea will have to happen another time.
And while we've been here we've seen another baby arrive safely in the world to Andrew, Caroline and little Eva: Fergus was born on the 30th April. My second new born in 3 weeks.

A teenager

2008-05-01T06:49:00.001+10:00

My gorgeous god daughter Ysabell is now thirteen years old. A teenager already. How time has flown by and she is becoming a young lady.
Happy Birthday Ysy!

So far

2008-04-25T18:46:00.004+10:00

The weather has been shocking.
After the first day of my arrival, it has been wet and gloomy. Typical really. Yesterday we had sunshine in the morning, then heavy rain that turned to hail and then came the thunder and lightning. Then it was sunny again. But cold.
Our apartment is quite cute: a one bed loft flat. We have had some teething problems with the agent. Short term leases leave something to be desired here in London. Not sure how they expect you too wash your clothes with a washer that isn't plumbed, or watch tv with no aerial. Or cook with no pots and pans. Unbelievable. No cutlery, no glasses, no kettle.
Last night we went to a function at the New Zealand High Commission to welcome the Black Caps to London for a test match series against England.
The venue was 17 floors up in New Zealand House and had the most amazing views of London. There was a balcony that you could walk three quarters way around, so nearly a 360 view of the London skyline. Spectacular to watch the sun set.

So the NZ squad is probably what they admit would be their B team, as most of the high profile players are in India for IPL. They will come to the UK to join up with their team mates.
The only recognisable player (that I knew anyway) was one of the Marshall borthers. So we had a chat with him and a few of the other players and entourage. All very nice guys.

Away with the fairies

2008-04-21T17:32:00.001+10:00

I'm off to London tonight for a few weeks in the English spring, ie. cold.

Hopefully Craig and I will get a chance to go away somewhere for the weekend, we're hoping Scotland or the like. Or at least day trips into the country side.

More later...

Happy Birthday Baby!

2008-04-14T23:41:00.003+10:00

Andrei Xavier Teo

was born tonight at 9:07pm

weighing 7lbs 12 ounces or 3.7 kgs

Alls well with Mum and Bub (and Dad too - it was a loooong day!)

Captain of industry off and away

2008-04-14T00:04:00.001+10:00

Up the pointy end, then the back end!

Happy 40th Birthday Gav!

2008-04-13T21:58:00.002+10:00

Life begins at 4(0)...

12th April 2008

2008-04-03T23:49:00.002+11:00

Continuing with the 80's theme, I went and saw Duran Duran at the Palais Theatre. What a fantastic show. No support act, over 2 hours of Duran Duran. And what a set they played. Covering all their albums in the past 30 years! Can you believe they're all nearly 50!! It was fantastic, and I'm glad I went. John Taylor is sill hot, and Simon still has it on stage. Nick is still very pretty.

Sk8 Party for an 8 year old!

2008-03-30T23:28:00.000+11:00

Happy Birthday Jasmine!

And most of us adults took to the rink and risked injury. For some of us, its been a long time between skates. But it was a fun day and fun was had by all, especially the birthday girl.

Friday night on the town

2008-03-29T12:03:00.004+11:00

Well we decided to be sociable and go out with people from the RCC.
We met at the JWow wine bar in the city and had a few drinks (non-alcoholic on my part anyway); we were a few bottles behind them by the time we arrived.
Then we went off to have a bite to eat at the Yak Bar, which was lovely tapas.
After that we met up at a scary place called the Club Retro in Lonsdale. And as you might imagine, they played retro songs.
I'm talking Belinda Carlisle, Roxette, A-Ha, I believe "Dancing on the Ceiling" got a run...
Tragic.
It was full of people 25-35 probably, with a few 'younguns' thrown in for good measure.
But what was frightening was: I kept seeing groups of guys, twenty-somethings, standing in a group in the middle of the dance floor, singing their hearts out to "Total Eclipse of the Heart" with their eyes closed with beer in hand.
Mind you, I knew most of the words to every song myself, but I'm 35, I'm allowed! And I'm a chick. Most of the songs were chick songs, and most of the guys knew the words too. At last the truth comes out...
It was a very amusing night.

Melbourne F1 GP

2008-03-16T18:59:00.003+11:00

Well, our vantage point for the aerial displays has been downgraded since we moved further south from the Albert Park circuit. Not much point in capturing the moment as they fly ever so quickly overhead and are gone beyond the trees before one can focus the camera!

And the noise isn't quite so ear shattering.

But we can still hear the light buzz of the F1 cars doing their rounds.

Surprise!

2008-03-15T18:57:00.000+11:00

Happy 40th Birthday Joe!

A party organised by Reen got him completely by surprise, with friends and family present. A good night had by all (with too much food of course!).

A gorgeous wedding in the gardens

2008-03-09T23:59:00.000+11:00

Andrea and Alex tied the knot at Fitzroy Gardens. It was a glorious day, a lovely ceremony, a gorgeous couple, and friends and family. A truely happy day of celebration. We wish them all the love and fun that a life together, forever can bring!

Rachael is 4!

2008-03-08T11:19:00.002+11:00

Four on the fourth! We had a lovely day in the park with a few of her friends. Mum Max made a terrific cake with brown sugar for sand! Amazing.

Yarra Valley

2008-03-07T11:26:00.002+11:00

We took our friend Alex to the Yarra Valley to show him the countryside. We had a nice lunch at Domain Chandon with a gorgeous view of the mountains.

Then we drove to Sassafras for some Devonshire Tea at the famous Miss Marple's. Alex being English, thought we were trying to make him feel at home, but we just wanted scones! )Which turned out not to be the traditional kind served at Miss Marple's.)

Another year older

2008-03-03T11:18:00.000+11:00

Happy Birthday to E!

Who is now 31!

Yippee!

Hit The Road Jack

2008-02-29T11:13:00.002+11:00

This is 'Hit The Road Jack'. He came from America, spent some time in the UK, and has just been to South Africa, and now is in Australia. He is a little Jack Russell stuffed toy that is traveling the world. Each person has him for a week or so showing him around their home town, and everyone gets to see where everyone lives. He's been on the road for over a year now and still has more ground to cover. He will head back to the 'States after I've taken him to see some of the sights of Melbourne. It's been fun (and a little strange) showing a stuffed toy around town and taking photos of him at interesting places.

For more pics of 'Jack's' trip to Melbourne, have a look here: HTRJ Slideshow

Ben's 2nd Birthday

2008-02-24T11:10:00.000+11:00

So my godson Ben turned 2 on the 20th of February. He is such a little man now! He has such a cheeky smile.

Accidentally Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T11:07:00.002+11:00

We needed to go to Yering Station to have a look at a stone wall. It was an option specified by our architect, so we had to have a look and decide if we like it. So we made a time in the week to see it, and it just so happened to be Valentine's Day. A day we don't really "celebrate", but we had a lovely lunch and drive into the Yarra Valley.

Oh and we liked the stone wall.

Sorry

2008-02-13T22:32:00.003+11:00

Below is the wording of the Australian federal Parliament's full apology to the Stolen Generations:

"Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.

We reflect on their past mistreatment.

We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations – this blemished chapter in our nation’s history.

The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia’s history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.

We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.

We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.

For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.

To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.

And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.

We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the nation.

For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in the history of our great continent can now be written.

We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians.

A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again.

A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity.

A future where we embrace the possibility of new solutions to enduring problems where old approaches have failed.

A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility.

A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia."

St Kilda Festival

2008-02-10T20:37:00.000+11:00

What a lovely day for a walk around St Kilda with thousands of other people.

E and Baby X

2008-02-05T23:29:00.000+11:00

E has been in hospital since Friday.
Seems she has a slight rupture on the uterus and a blood clot on the placenta. Which apparently happens often.
Everyone is doing fine. She's a bit sore, Baby X is a.o.k. G is tired.
E will have to take it easy for a few weeks, when she gets discharged. Very short walks only (max 5 min) and lots of rest. She'll be having weekly check ups with the obstetrician and after 3 weeks they'll see how things are and go from there.

Launching website

2008-01-12T17:20:00.000+11:00

The FeltPets website is now 'live'

www.feltpets.com

...

Day before his birthday

2008-01-07T00:03:00.000+11:00

and he's off to Mumbai for 5 days.

Happy New Year 2008!

2008-01-01T22:34:00.000+11:00

What a Christmas

2007-12-27T00:05:00.000+11:00

What a Christmas we have had this year. Dad checked himself into the hospital on his birthday - Christmas Eve, and spent the night. Christmas morning he was discharged, but he found himself back there Boxing Day. Looks like he will be there til the 29th of December. He has a procedure with the urologist on the 4th of January and should recover in 3 days according to the doctor.
Moral to this tale: check your prostate!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-21T11:57:00.001+11:00

The next step

2007-12-11T00:27:00.000+11:00

I've been invited to do the Advanced Course with Jan Fennell.
Its a huge honour, although I haven't been able to turn my own dog around as yet. But we'll see how we go before I accept that invitation...

Result

2007-12-05T23:55:00.000+11:00

Melbourne Demons (108/4) def. Richmond Tigers (107)

Craig Nott: run out 1 (4)

Bowling: 1/15 (2ov)

for more photos: Richmond v. Melbourne Twenty20

Twenty20 tonight

2007-12-05T12:09:00.000+11:00

Today is the big day. Craig is sitting out his usual mid-week cricket team and saving himself for tonights Twenty20 for Richmond CC. He's been a nervous little bunny since Good Friday this year, and now its here, finally. Hopefully he'll get over the nerves and enjoy his experience playing with the big boys.

Wednesday the big day!

2007-12-04T11:00:00.000+11:00

Jan Fennell

2007-10-26T20:27:00.001+10:00

I've just finished a 2 day Foundation Course with Jan Fennell the Dog Listener. It was really rewarding being a part of her class. I have her books and her dvds, but there's just nothing like hearing it from the source. She also went through her research with wolves, through which she developed the methods for Amichien Bonding. Truelly enlightening, and it all makes sense. Its just unconventional and you have to unlearn all the things that we were taught about training dogs. Her way gives the dog a chance to think for itself and learn what is the desired behaviour without force or provocation. She was inspired by Monty Roberts, the Horse Whisperer, who has done amazing work with horses.
I could go on, but what I will just say is: any dog lover or potential dog owner should read her books and watch her dvds. you will learn so much and you will be rewarded with a well adjusted, happy and stress free dog.

Andrea and Alex sitting in a tree...

2007-10-07T11:00:00.000+10:00

Congratulations to Andrea and Alex on their engagement!! How exciting!!

I'm going to be an aunty again!

2007-10-06T11:01:00.000+10:00

G&E are expecting a bubba in April - I know, another Aries. It will be like father like child! Tehee.

Last Saturday in September

2007-09-29T21:29:00.000+10:00

We are Geelong, the greatest team of all
We are Geelong, we're always on the ball
We play the game as it should be played
At home or far away
Our banners fly on high
From dawn til dark
Down at Cardinia Park.

44 years and what a way to win the Premiership Cup!

Craig is a happy boy.

Another celebration

2007-09-22T10:03:00.000+10:00

Happy Birthday Frog!

Congratulations

2007-09-17T20:02:00.000+10:00

to Yas, Matt and big brother Alex on the arrival of Isabella Claire. Happy Birthday little one.

Happy Birthday

2007-09-17T10:01:00.000+10:00

to my OLD buddy Reen! Wuv you!

We're all settling in

2007-09-16T00:29:00.001+10:00

Life without ducted heating... *sigh*

Happy Birthday

2007-09-12T20:05:00.000+10:00

Mum would have been 65 today. Happy Birthday Mum.

Move 1 of 3

2007-09-10T23:51:00.000+10:00

So now we're into the new address. Well, most of us; there remains a few items and a few kitchen drawers that are yet to make it across. But essentially we're moved in. The kitchen is partially stocked, our clothes are partially put away, the dog has her bed and toys scattered around the house, the box room has been established. It is home.

We're no longer helping to decide what 30 something DINKs watch on TV

2007-09-08T10:04:00.000+10:00

We had our ratings box removed yesterday. They wanted us to continue but what with the prospect of moving twice, it was just not practical. Its kind of weird turning on the tv and not logging in on the ratings box. There's an empty spot (you can see the dust shadow) on top of the dvd player. Now Craig can watch A Current Affair without fear of giving it ratings points, lol.

Just heard

2007-08-30T19:36:00.000+10:00

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

The Blood Moon

2007-08-28T23:33:00.000+10:00

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?

2007-08-28T12:34:00.000+10:00

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

2007-08-27T00:11:00.000+10:00

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

First stage

2007-08-24T19:28:00.000+10:00

... 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

2007-08-19T21:11:00.000+10:00

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

2007-08-17T22:27:00.001+10:00

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!

2007-08-06T18:07:00.001+10:00

To our house!

6 degrees!?

2007-08-03T23:41:00.000+10:00

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

2007-08-02T14:36:00.000+10:00

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.

Sunseeking

2007-07-31T23:29:00.000+10:00

We're off to FNQ for a few days, just lazing by the pool, soaking up some rays hopefully.
I'm back on the weekend, while Craig goes onto Darwin to enjoy the Darwin Cup with Cam. I'm sure they'll get up to no good! He won't be back til Tuesday morning on the red eye.
Meanwhile I'll get the keys to the house on Monday - yippee!

Happy Birthday Ciska!

2007-07-24T11:23:00.001+10:00

Congratulations to the Muelenkamp Family on the arrival of Ciska Margaret this morning. A healthy baby sister for the boys to dote over. And she gets to share her birthday with older brother Zac! Happy Birthday to you too Zac!

Remembering Ezzy

2007-07-20T14:10:00.000+10:00

So cold!

2007-07-18T09:08:00.001+10:00

Boy was it cold yesterday! It was 6 degrees and it hailed and rained so much.

Can't wait for spring to arrive...

Dad in Cheshire

2007-06-13T10:42:00.000+10:00

Dad has been having fun visiting with George and Judy, and Aunty Alice too (who suprised him by being on the same bus as he!). George also took him to the animation studio he works for, Hot Animations, who makes the likes of Bob the Builder. Very interesting stuff!

Photos courtesy of George and Judy.

Condolences

2007-06-13T10:13:00.000+10:00

To Dale and family, on the loss of his father on the weekend. May he now rest in peace.

Home, wet home

2007-06-11T08:05:00.000+10:00

We've made it back home to wet old Melbourne. Its cold, its raining, and we wanted to turn back to go back to the UK!
But its nice to be home in familiar surrounds; although spending 9 days in London really allows you to get to know it better. Now we look forward to picking up Marlee, and catching up with friends and family - well, Gav is the only one home at the moment: Erna is still o/s and Dad is continuing his journey in the UK.
Photos will be uploaded soon. Its 8am and its time for a shower and a nap after a 20+ hour flight home...

Marlee's new coat from Harrod's, just the thing for the coming winter walks.

Leaving London

2007-06-09T10:22:00.000+10:00

Today is our last day. We check out at 11am and we'll probably put our bags at Paddington Station as our plane doesn't depart until 10pm. So we have pretty much a full day left in London town. Craig will go back down to Balham to chat with the NZ guys, and I might wander around the British Museum... or go shopping... or whatever takes my fancy!
Back to cold gloomy Melbourne, but it will be nice to be home in our own beds, and to see our little dog.

London: Day 8

2007-06-08T23:18:00.000+10:00

Today Dad left London for Cheshire. So we had breakfast with Craig at Troubedour, then he went to workm while we went back to the hotel to check Dad out. We leisurely made our way to the Victoria Coach Station and Dad got on the bus at 1pm for a 5 hour ride via Birmingham to Crewe to meet up with George, Judy and Aunty Alice - whom Dad thought he was meeting later in Gloucester. What a suprise for him!
Craig and I went to Balham to meet a couple of Kiwi's who've been living in the UK for quite a few years. We had a lovely home cooked meal and great conversation, and managed to get on the last train on the tube home to Earl's Court.

London: Day 7

2007-06-07T17:27:00.000+10:00

Another quieter day today. Craig went to work in the morning, while Dad and I went to see the Queen. She was in, but not taking visitors though. Then we strolled through Green Park and made our way to Covent Garden. Would you believe its Malaysia Week at Covent Garden?! They have stalls with food and crafts. Some traditional clothing and art and tropical fruits on display. Dad met a lady there that a friend of his back in Australia knows. What a small world. To come from the other side of the world to be in London during Malaysia week and to meet a friend of a friend.
After walking around for a bit we went back home to rest.
I went out for some window shopping along High Street Kensington. I made my way towards Harrod's where I was to meet Craig after work. I didn't quite anticipate the distance and was very tired by the time I reached Harrod's (via South Kensington station).
For dinner we had some food that Dad bought at the stalls: char keow teow, beef rendang with roti chanai and chicken satays.
Tomorrow Dad heads off to Cheshire to meet with George and Judy.

London: Day 6

2007-06-06T02:05:00.000+10:00

Today we had a more sedate schedule. Late breakfast at The Troubadour (a fave) then we headed off to Knightsbridge to visit the institution that is Harrod's. Some parts of which are a bit over the top (the Egyptian Room has marble columns covered in hyroglyphs), but the food halls were something to behold. We, of course, went up to the pet store on the upper floors where there were two very cute Westhighland Terriers for sale... 1,300 pounds sterling each... that's AU$3200 for a puppy! Outrageous!
Then we headed to Chinatown in Soho to meet up with a cousin of Mum's, John and his partner Peter, for lunch. It was delicious but they ordered way too much food - a tradition upheld even on the otherside of the world! John was awarded an MBE for his hard work and long service for Parliament. Very impressive.
We meant to go to Buckingham Palace for a quick look, but after purchasing Dad's coach ticket to Crewe (Cheshire) at Victoria Coach Station, we decided to get back to base to rest. Tonight we're going to the theatre to see Boeing Boeing, a remake of a 60's play, near Covent Garden. Afterwhich we will head back to the hotel for leftovers from lunch for supper!

London: Day 5

2007-06-05T18:00:00.000+10:00

Today we had a big day planned. We got on one of those "hop-on-hop-off" buses and saw some of the sights around London town - Marble Arch, Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Royal Albert Hall, Big Ben (again) and the Houses of Parliament etc. We got stuck in traffic on Regent Street on the way to Piccadily Circus and we didn't get to the London Eye til about 1pm. That's where we got off and hopped on a boat to cruise along the Thames to Tower Bridge. We had some interesting commentary from the boat crew, some of which you weren't sure were true or not - ahh the British humour! Then we went into the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels, which were rather OTT for my taste.
After that, Dad and I were rather exhausted. So we skipped the "hop-on-hop-off" bus option and took the Tube straight home to crash at 4pm. Dinner was had in-house we were too shattered to venture out.
A quiter day is planned tomorrow...
Pictures to come when we get back home.

London: Day 4

2007-06-04T23:41:00.000+10:00

Jetlag helped me with getting up early to pick up Dad from Heathrow at 6am. Alex (bless him again) picked us up and drove to the airport, where (eventually) Dad appeared through the arrivals gate, looking quite fresh for a man having travelled cattle class from Kuala Lumpur for 12 hours (albeit with two lovely blonde Australian girls next to him).
After being dropped off at the hotel, and a quick freshen up, we headed off to have some breakfast, afterwhich we introduced Dad to the London Underground. We three headed off to the London Eye to check out the view and to give Dad an idea of where everything is. We saw Big Ben, then had a quick peak at Westminster Abbey, then we headed off to St Paul's Cathedral.
Dad and I scaled the 400+ steps up to the various viewing positions above the dome... and made it back down more than a little bit weary!!
That was the straw that broke the camels back and the mission was to get Dad (and I) back to the hotel before fatigue really set in. Now he has been checked into his lower ground floor room and taking a well deserved nap. We'll rouse him for dinner in a few hours time.
My feet are sore!

Son of Shand

2007-06-04T15:51:00.000+10:00

Congratulations to Glenn and Max on their new baby son, and Rachael's little brother, Lachlan Andrew born at 2:10pm and weighing in at 2.79kgs. May he be a complement to your already wonderful family.

London: Day 3

2007-06-03T23:35:00.000+10:00

Today was scheduled for Craig to play cricket for Alex's team down south over the Thames in Dulwich. So he picked us up at midday and we made our way down. We saw the huge Battersea powerstation that towers over the surrounding neighbourhhood, drove through Clapham (an Aussie ex-pat hangout) and through Brixton (traditionally a Carribean community area) and to Dulwich to a lovely cricket ground.
Craig and Alex opened the batting and did the team proud with an opening partnership of 139 or so; the team finally declaring at 180, Craig - not out for 85. I was very proud and he was exhausted. By the end of the day, they bowled out the opposition and the match was (easily) won.