(Used to be) Springwood Colquhouns

The end of the road

2010-01-09T12:08:00.004+11:00

I’ve had difficulties with Blogger recently so have decided to move our blog to here (my book group blog was deemed a spam blog and was shut down from 9 November until yesterday).

I will try and make subscriptions for family members to get new posts via email. If you don't get one soon, it's as easy as clicking on the Subscribe button at the right of the new blog and entering your email address. Posting comments is also easier – just click on the appropriate link in the post or in the emailed post.

No more will be posted here after Saturday 9th January 2010. Thank you Blogger, it was (mostly) fun.

TGIF - Generation gap

2010-01-08T11:39:00.000+11:00

The Generations

The Silent Generation are people born before 1946
The Baby Boomers are people born between 1946 and 1959
Generation X are people born between 1960 and 1979
Generation Y are people born between 1980 and 1995

Why do we call the last one generation Y?

I did not know, but a cartoonist explains it eloquently below...

Learned something new today?

Rain, rain, go away

2010-01-06T13:11:00.002+11:00

Click here for a video clip of the drains overflowing - the water is at the front of the building, outside the Council Office, but just the same as the one Patou and I were watching landing on the Courier van at the back of the building.

It's raining again and I hear thunder - Ian, Rob, Ishbel and Zanny are having a day at the beach and have gone to Manly.

Rita (the Library Courier) has just let Gillian know that there are now two raincoats upstairs . . . just in case.

Normal transmission will be resumed shortly . . .

2010-01-06T10:18:00.006+11:00

We had a bit of excitement at work yesterday afternoon when we had a severe rainstorm and the library was flooded.

Patou and I were sat at my office window, happily watching a large spout of water coming off the roof and landing on the Library courier's van when the "Help!" call came from the branch staff upstairs.

We dashed up, armed with buckets, to help out - drips from the roof in the Reference area. The photocopiers drenched, water streaming in at the front doors. I ran to get a broom and bucket and mop and began to try brushing the water away from the front door.

Gillian appeared, absolutely drenched. What had she been doing out in the rain? She hadn't been outside at all - she had been in the Children's area, hurling books off the shelves and over her shoulder as she tried to save them from a torrent of rain coming through the roof on to the shelves and floor.

With water coming through the light fittings in several parts of the building, the library was unsafe and we closed it. It took a while for the library to empty though - we couldn't chuck the borrowers out into THAT!

We spent the last part of the day drying off books, furniture, mopping water out of the carpte tiles and moving furniture so the wet carpet underneath could dry.

Today the library is closed and there are big fans blowing to try and dry the carpet before it gets too smelly.

At some stage all the books in Reference and Children's will need to go back on the shelves.

I have suggested we put the books back in colour order as I have recently done my bookshelves at home

- they will look much prettier and, though I can't find what I'm looking for, I do find other stuff I'd forgotten about! And customers come in asking if we have that book with the red cover . . .

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T20:15:00.004+11:00

Ian and I had a quiet Hogmanay. All three kids were out for the evening. Jamie went into the City with some of his friends, Rob was at a Scout friend's house and Ishbel was at a sleepover birthday party. Both Ishbel and Rob had not been well, Ishy with a cold and Rob with a stomach upset so we weren't surprised when we got a call sometime after 11pm to come and collect Ishbel. Up until then Ian and I were at home with Sharon and Holly. Holly had been planning to be in the City with Jamie and his pals but she and Sharon had had the same stomach upset as Rob and were feeling a bit weak and watery so they came round to our house and we played board games.

I have been sitting up in Ishbel's room most of today, listening to a book on tape (hers is the only stereo with a cassette player). I have book group on Sunday. Usually we have a late Christmas lunch early in January where we organise what books we are going to read in the coming year, but don't discuss a book and have our discussion meeting on the third Sunday as usual. This year, however, there has been a change of plan which passed me by and we're having the discussion this Sunday and the lunch on the 17th! The book shops are closed and all the library had was the talking book. It's been a nice relaxing day, I did some cross stitch too - a Peter Rabbit alphabet I bought when Ishbel was an infant!!!!!

On Wednesday I was in town with some girlfriends. I won two tickets to a play, The Book of Everything, at the Belvoir Theatre in the City. I'd invited my friend Heather to come too. I'd initially rung Sharon to ask her to come with me, she'd recently taken me to something at the same theatre, but she and Holly already had tickets so I invited Heather instead and we arranged to go to the same performance and arranged to go all together and to have dinner in town afterwards. Unfortunately, as mentioned already, Sharon and Holly were unwell and couldn't go so she gave up her tickets and I asked Catherine along and Heather's mother (who is over from Canada) was able to take advantage of Holly's concession ticket.

The Book of Everything is a book we read together for book group in early 2008 so we were pleased to be able to go. And it was really, really, really good. We were a bit concerned to see lots of children in the foyer - the book, while ultimately about optimism, features domestic violence and we wondered how the children would deal with it but the production was a very humorous one and I'd really love to take Ishbel, if not the other two.

As planned, we went in search of dinner after the play, the lady sitting next to Catherine suggested we go to Crown street where we would find lots of restaurants. Fortunately Catherine had brought Ken - her TomTom navigation thingy - because we hadn't a clue where we were going. We thought a Wednesday night would be quiet - we were sooooooo wrong and ended up waiting 20+ minutes to get a table at a Thai restaurant. Luckily it was a good meal and worth the wait in the end. It was after midnight before we got back to Springwood.

TGIF - Three Men on a Hike

2010-01-01T14:08:00.000+11:00

Three men were hiking through a forest when they came upon a large raging, Violent river.Needing to get to the other side, the first man prayed: 'God, please give me the strength to cross the river.'Poof! ... God gave him big arms and strong legs and he was able to swimacross in about 2 hours, having almost drowned twice. After witnessing that, the second man prayed:'God, please give mestrength and the tools to cross the river' Poof! .. God gave him a rowboat and strong armsand strong legs and hewas able to row across in about an hourafter almost capsizing once. Seeing what happened to the first two men, the third man prayed: 'God, please give me the strength, the tools and the intelligenceto cross the river' Poof! .. He was turned into a woman. She checked the map, hiked onehundred yards up stream and walked across the bridge. 'If at first you don't succeed, do it the way your wife told you!'

Boys at Christmas

2009-12-29T19:14:00.001+11:00

Christmas again and again and again

2009-12-27T09:05:00.002+11:00

We've been 'doing' Christmas for ages now it seems.

The kids have been on holiday since last Wednesday, the teachers having two extra pupil free days at the end of the year - that took me by surprise. Ishbel had to spend a couple of days at Tanderra while Ian and I finished off the working year. Ian is now on holiday until 11th Jan while I will be back at work between Christmas and the New Year and in January until 11th Jan when I'll have a couple of weeks to get the kids through the long holidays - they go back to school at the end of Jan.

Our round of Christmas parties started with a BBQ at Bec and Steve's last Saturday before they piled kids and new pup into the car for Christmas on the north coast. Ishbel also had a party on Sunday at the pool but the rest of us had some respite until Wednesday (23rd) when we went to Janet and Steven's for a BBQ. Steven has been building new decking out the back so we went to admire it. And eat ourselves to a standstill! The next evening we were at Sharon's for dinner. And ate ourselves to a standstill!

It was a relaxed start to Christmas Day with the kids having quite long sleeps until the last one, Rob, got up about 9:30am. Karen, Dan and Xavier came over for lunch and stayed until about 6:30pm. We then had a quiet hour or so before Janet, Steven and their girls came over. That got rid of the Crhistmas pudding and Christmas cake (like we needed to eat anything else) which we worked off with a loud, tuneless, SingStar competition. The Colquhouns did not win!

Yesterday we headed down to Roey and Pete's for lunch with them and Pete's Mum, Pat. Roey and Pete have had renovations done and have opened up the back of the house with a new kitchen/family room with large french doors onto the garden. Looks good.

Tonight we are going out to a local Thai restaurant with Janet, Steven, Sharon and the girls. We started last year going out together on Christmas Eve rather than buy presents for the other families but coudn't arrange a night altogether before Christmas - on the night we were at Janet and Steven's Sharon couldn't come and on Christmas Eve when we went to Sharon's Janet was working so tonight is our Christmas dinner out - a bit of overkill at this stage but we're going through with it anyway.

Can't wait for a night in.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2009-12-25T01:46:00.000+11:00

And here's some Christmas 'singing' for you - the type us Colquhouns should undertake :

A reflection on Christmas and cuisine

2009-12-24T09:13:00.000+11:00

Early Christmases in Sydney were a melancholy time for the first few years. The early rulers were Protestants, who encouraged sobriety and believed that too much celebration was a popish thing. Some of the most puritan did not even mark it as a day for attending church, as this was regarded as a practice that belonged exclusively to Sundays. This Puritan legacy helped to keep Christmas a family day - again a cause of sorrow for those who were separated from family.

One element of the traditional Christmas and its pagan antecedents was a focus on food. The scarcity of food supplies in the early years of Sydney's settlement mirrored the general scarcity in the 'old country' winter, but while the northern household might store up preserved fruits and fatten up precious poultry for the special event, there was little opportunity to plan ahead in Sydney.

In 1788, the record tells us that the governor and the officers dined heartily. The following year, with colonial stocks very low, the governor ate turtle, especially bought in for him from Lord Howe Island. As to the rest of the settlement, little is known, though there are rumours of precious flour rations being deflected from use in making common damper to innovative creations such as parrot pie.

1803 is the first year that the public record specified how the whole establishment ate. The Sydney Gazette records that extra rations of fresh beef, suet and raisins were provided for the military and civil establishment while the convicts were given extra rations of salt pork and flour.

This apparently was not considered good enough; the Gazette also recorded that some pigs went missing, and one convict who stole a pound of flour from a private house got 200 lashes on Boxing Day.

From those early days of salt pork and scarcity, by the mid century the food situation had certainly improved. Richard Peck, importer of 452 George Street advertised in 1848 that he could sell you a range of teas - black, flowery Peko, Souchong, green, gunpowder, or Hyson etc. His coffees were roasted daily - java, manila, mocha etc. He stocked muscatels, prunes, candied orange peel, a variety of almonds, brandied fruits, pickles and chutneys, including mango. He had walnuts, pickled onions, French capers, sauces, oils and eight kinds of vinegar - Richard Peck, the Simon Johnson of his day. All this might be washed down with some of his range of wines - champagne, hock, claret, Madeira, port and sherry.

In contrast, the Colonial Wine Depot at the Bulls Head further along George Street had in for the Christmas rush many varieties of spirits, as well as Guinness stout, Barcley's stout and 'every article in the trade at low prices', while 'for the working classes' he had ordered in 500 cases of Byass's Ale at 6d a bottle or 4 dozen for 20/-.

From Shirley Fitzgerald at The Dictionary of Sydney

TGIF - The Broken Mower

2009-12-18T16:35:00.000+11:00

When our lawn mower broke and wouldn't run, my wife kept hinting to me that I should get it fixed. But, somehow I always had something else to take care of first, the truck, the car, playing golf - always something more important to me.

Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point. When I arrived home one day, I found her seated in the tall grass, busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors. I watched silently for a short time and then went into the house. I was gone only a minute, and when I came out again I handed her a toothbrush. I said, "When you finish cutting the grass, you might as well sweep the driveway."

The doctors say I will walk again, but I will always have a limp.

Moral to this story : Marriage is a relationship in which one person is always right, and the other is the husband.

For the kids

2009-12-17T16:26:00.000+11:00

We have been using the NORAD Santa Tracker for a few years now.

NORAD is the bi-national U.S.-Canadian military organization responsible for the aerospace and maritime defense of the United States and Canada. NORAD, created by a 1958 agreement between Canada and the United States, provides advanced warning of impending missile and air attacks against its member nations, safeguards the air sovereignty of North America, and maintains airborne forces for defense against attack.

NORAD began tracking Santa in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement for children to call Santa misprinted the telephone number. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief's operations hotline. The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born.

Since that time, NORAD men, women, family and friends have selflessly volunteered their time to personally respond to Christmas Eve phone calls and emails from children. In addition, we now track Santa using the internet. Last year, millions of people who wanted to know Santa's whereabouts visited the NORAD Tracks Santa website.

The NORAD Tracks Santa website helps you count down to Christmas. In addition there is a Kids Countdown Page with lots of fun games and activities and you can follow Santa on Google Earth.

What Jamie did for Karen's birthday

2009-12-16T18:20:00.005+11:00

L-R: Jamie, Chase and other climbers on the top of

the Sydney Harbour Bridge on 14 December 2009

Jamie's friend, Chase, had been given a double bridge climb ticket and was going to go with his older brother but the older brother was fiddling about getting back to Chase so he offered the ticket to Jamie.

The boys took the train down to town and their climb started at 12:30 but not before they were all breathylised.

Now he sits during the news, where the newsreaders on most channels sit in front of a pic of the bridge, saying, "I've climbed that bridge," "See that bridge? I climbed that," and "Did you know the bridge is made of only straight bits of metal?"

Going West by Maurice Gee

2009-12-14T13:00:00.000+11:00

Just beautiful . . .

Fire watching

2009-12-13T15:05:00.004+11:00

I responded to an incident call on Friday afternoon. It was just about 1pm when the pager went off saying there had been a smoke sighting and could crews gather awaiting further instructions. I'd meant to put my PPE in the back of the car that morning but had forgotten so I had to drive all the way home (and wouldn't the roads be just CLOGGED with slow drivers???), get my kit then drive back in to Springwood and to our shed. Luckily the others waited for me.

We then headed back out here to the Winmalee shed (I could have met the others there) and sat there until after 6 when we were tasked to go and relieve Karen's brigade who were watching the fire from Faulconbridge Point. And there we sat, taking regular weather readings until after midnight when we were relieved by a Valley Heights crew. We'd whiled the time away by having dinner - those tightwads at Winmalee didn't think to feed us - we got the generator started and made ourselves toasted sandwiches and cuppas.

Pete L, Tracey and I got ourselves comfy on the rocks and played I Spy (two goes each and we were out of ideas) and The Prime Ministers Cat.

Pete McD. had been banging on about setting up his hammock all afternoon. I thought he was joking until I saw this :
I'd put my name down for the 6am crew on Saturday so was up and out again before 5:45 having got home after 1:30am. Again we were tasked to sit watching from Faulconbridge Point and taking weather readings every hour. I was armed with a book this time which I got a little bit read of and Holly played Uno with Craig. We were relieved some time after midday by Karen's lot again and headed home.

Shortly after we were back on the bitumen again and just outside Robbie's school we came across a car accident. A young girl had gone head first into a power pole and there was a live wire on the ground. No one was hurt luckily. We put witches hats on the road to keep people away from the power line and did traffic duty while waiting for the NSW Fire Brigade and the Police to come.

It was a hot, exhausting day and although we had a street party on and I was supposed to be going out with the school Mums, I just went to bed and tried to sleep.

The boys went with Jamie's friend Scott to their first concert last night - Lamb of God at Luna Park. They had a great time they said. They went down on the train but Ian went down in the car to bring them back, I didn't think it would be wise for them to be travelling home by themselves late at night.

Ishbel was supposed to be going to Carols by Candlelight with her friend Zanny but they had a bit of a falling out and she ended up coming home. She and I watched an episode of The Goodies before we both went to bed.

Tall tales and true

2009-12-11T19:49:00.001+11:00

Sportsperson of the Year

2009-12-11T12:27:00.003+11:00

We were back at Robbie's school again last night for another award ceremony. We almost forgot about it, Rob had to remind us while we were having dinner. Oops!

When we arrived at the school we were given a programme booklet. Looked through it twice to find Robbie's name and see what he was getting a prize for. Nothing. Looked through it backwards. Still nothing. Eeek! Told Rob to go and find out what was going on. The deputy principal, Mr Burnett, reassured Rob that he was getting an award for Sport, there had been a mistake in the printing. Relaxed again.

Sat through HOURS of prizes. Bum sore. Hot. Tired. That was Ishbel! Finally, the Sports prizes. The kids line up at the side of the hall, waiting to come on to the stage to receive their prizes before they stand facing the audience for a final round of applause. Suddenly had a second crisis of confidence, did the teacher reading out the prize winners have Rob's name on her list? Would he be left standing at the side like a dill when all the others had been called up?

The teacher did have Robbie down as (one of two) Sportsperson of the Year. Phew! She not only remembered him, but she said a little speech about him (the only student to have such a rave review) saying he was amazing, into everything and she listed all the sports teams he was in, a natural athlete and all round one of the nicest people she knows. How about that for a glowing report. So proud!

I was also greatly pleased to see Alex and Claire, my friend Joanne's daughters, get prizes; Alex for English (Yr 7) and Claire The Caltex Prize for Best All-rounder (Yr 12, best student across all subjects). Claire has finished school now and was just back from a week away on schoolies week. Joanne would have been so proud too.

Robbie's Award Day

2009-12-09T19:32:00.005+11:00

In complete contrast to yesterday, I turned up early to Rob's award ceremony and had half an hour to kill. It was OK because they gave me a cup of tea and I had time to go and pay the 'voluntary' contribution. With three schools I get muddled about which school has been paid and which hasn't.

Rob got his award for coming second in Legal Studies. Here he is just after getting the award.

And here he is with Kate (his honourary cousin).

Kate seems to be completely incapable of posing naturally - you have no idea how many times this picture was taken - this is the best of a bad lot!

Ishbel

2009-12-09T18:57:00.002+11:00

Ishbel with the Teacher's Core Values Award medal

and with the Premier's Reading Challenge Gold Award - this is for participating in the Premier's Reading Challenge for 4 years in a row.

My clever girl

2009-12-08T11:49:00.004+11:00

I have been up at Springwood High School this morning because that is where Ishbel's school went for their end of year presentation ceremony. We'd been advised that Ishbel was getting an award, but not what it was for.

I nearly missed it! I saw Ishbel off on the bus to school as normal this morning and came in to work and got so thoroughly engrossed that I was in the middle of a thorny cataloguing problem discussion with Gillian when I realised it was 10 o'clock and the presentation began at 10 o'clock. I hadn't even got around to putting my bag away so was able to just grab it and race out the door. (Ian is up in Queensland so was unable to be there).

I was in plenty of time. Ishbel was called up with the others getting prizes in her class. There were prize winners for the various subjects they do (English, Maths, HSIE, Creative Arts, etc) and prize winners for the school's core values (Learning, Positive Relationships, Personal Growth and Healthy Environments). Ishbel's prize, a medal actually, was the Teachers Core Value Award - Learning.

Yay!

Unfortunately, the battery was flat in my camera so rubbish photo. Will try and get photo of Ishbel and her medal tonight or tomorrow and post then.

And I get to go back tomorrow to do it all again with Rob.

Apparently this sign was necessary at one library in the US!

2009-12-08T08:42:00.000+11:00

Because I liked it . . .

2009-12-07T12:37:00.000+11:00

TGIF - EU Directive No. 456179

2009-12-04T16:58:00.000+11:00

In order to meet the conditions for joining the Single European currency, all citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland must be made aware that the phrase 'Spending a Penny' is not to be used after 31st December 2009.

From this date, the correct terminology will be: 'Euronating'.

Thank you for your attention.

Shakespeare

2009-12-02T19:13:00.000+11:00

This was played on the radio this morning.

Mo gotta go

2009-11-30T17:01:00.004+11:00

Sorry, should have posted this a couple of days ago. Been busy.

Monday was the last day of the Mo. The picture shows how big and bushy it got (even without dangly bits) but it was with great relief all round that it was removed without ceremony on Monday night.

It's not too late to donate on Ian's Mospace page - he's raised $730. It would be great if we could tip it over the $1000 mark.

On the Mo theme, here's a story from Newsbiscuit :

Selleck’s moustache killed in gun battle
Tom Selleck’s Magnum PI moustache, which starred with him in the hit 1980s TV series ‘Magnum PI’ died today in a gun battle with a Los Angeles SWAT team outside an LA drinks store.
The moustache never recovered after work dried up and was devastated when Selleck degided to go without a moustache for a few years, only to return with a younger, bushier model. Eventually, it sank into playing the moustache of deliverymen and repairmen in porn movies.

Witnesses say that the moustache was hysterical, shouting that when he and the guy who used to play Higgins used to go ‘tomcatting’ around Hawaii, and could get ‘any tail they wanted’. The moustache is survived by some bumfluff.

Jason O’Mahony

Ishbel's poem

2009-11-30T08:29:00.003+11:00

Ishbel wrote this poem at school.

I don't want an outside cat!

I don't want an outside cat
A nitty gritty slabby tabby cat

I don't want an outside cat
A cat that hides in the bushes

I don't want an outside cat
A fighting with other outside cat

I don't want an outside cat
A crying at the door for breakfast cat

I don't want an outside cat
A hiding under cars when it rains cat

I want an inside cat
A furry purry Bermilla inside cat.

She may have a point - Abigail and I are waiting to go up to the vet this morning. Jamie and I took her up on Saturday morning with a nasty, suppurating wound on her cheek which she has got in a fight with another cat/possum. She was given an antibiotic injection and a painkilling injection and this morning the vet will decide whether she needs an operation to open the wound to be drained.

TGIF - What's up Mac?

2009-11-27T15:09:00.000+11:00

For those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on...

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, 'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this:

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO : Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.

ABBOTT : Mac?

COSTELLO : No, the name's Lou

ABBOTT : Your computer?

COSTELLO : I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.

ABBOTT : Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.

ABBOTT : What about Windows?

COSTELLO : Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT : Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO : I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?

ABBOTT : Wallpaper.

COSTELLO : Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT : Software for Windows?

COSTELLO : No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?

ABBOTT : Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT : I just did.

COSTELLO : You just did what?

ABBOTT : Recommend something.

COSTELLO : You recommended something ?

ABBOTT : Yes.

COSTELLO : For my office?

ABBOTT : Yes.

COSTELLO : OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT : Office.

COSTELLO : Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT : I recommend Office with Windows.

COSTELLO : I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

ABBOTT : Word.

COSTELLO : What word?

ABBOTT : Word in Office.

COSTELLO : The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT : The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO : Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT : The Word you get when you click the blue 'W'.

COSTELLO : I'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO : That's right. What do you have?

ABBOTT : Money.

COSTELLO : I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT : It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO : What's bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT : Money.

COSTELLO : Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT : Yes. No extra charge.

COSTELLO : I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT : One copy.

COSTELLO : Isn't it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT : Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO : They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT : Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT : Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO : How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT : Click on 'START'. . .

Hot weekend

2009-11-24T13:11:00.011+11:00

It was hotter than hades all weekend, a Total Fire Ban was declared and then yesterday we woke up to a freezing 16C! If we all get the 'flu I won't be at all surprised.

It was a peaceful weekend with the boys off at a Venturer thing called Waratah that they go to each year. Just popped over to Facebook to see what they got up to but I don't think they've written about it.

I saw Robbie for the first time in what seemed like ages this morning (Tuesday) because the boys left for Waratah before I came home from work on Friday afternoon, I was at the station on standby until after 6:30pm on Sunday, the day they came back - I think I may have seen Robbie fleetingly before he went off to bed after his heavy weekend - he told me they made a raft out of an old table - I was up early yesterday morning before Rob got up to attend a conference in the City, he was at work by the time I got home and by the time he got home after 11pm I was tucked up in bed, snoring! I had trouble recognising him when he popped his nose round the bathroom door!!!!

Ian drove up to the Waratah with the boys because they needed someone to pull a trailer. He was unsure whether he would drive home again afterwards, I didn't want him to because it would be very late. Anyhow, Ishbel and I were the only ones home and readied ourselves for a girls night in. We rang and invited Karen so she and Xavier (promoted to girl for the evening) came over for a few hours.

Xavier is walking really well, albeit with that holding his arms up and out, loose-kneed, orangutan looking way. He'd just been doing a step or two when we saw him not long ago. It was a bit disconcerting when he bolted off along the length of the kitchen!

On Saturday evening we had some of the RFS crowd round for a BBQ. We had to arrange ourselves round social butterflies Nigel and Amanda who we hadn't seen for many months. Nigel is now working in real estate, working Saturday and Sunday and unable to come to training. We hadn't got together with the others for a while either so it was nice to hang out again.

On Sunday I'd put myself down for Standby at the station. I went armed with a board game, Carcasonne, and a book. The first thing we did was get loaded up in the truck and drive into Springwood for coffees! Just as we got back in the truck we watched a man scrape the car in front of him as he reversed into a car parking space. He then started to drive forward again to leave. Quick as a flash Steve was out the truck and over the road to tell him that if he didn't report it, we would. He tried to deny touching the car. "There's six firefighters in that truck would testify otherwise," said Steve. How did he think he could get away with it?

Back at the shed, I swept out the tanker bay - a complete waste of time because the wind blew all the dust and leaves back in again and by the time we left, it looked as it did before I started! In between weather reports from Narrow Neck nr Katoomba and Glenbrook, we played games, Carcassonne as mentioned before and Scrabble on Pete's iphone. At one point, according to our calculations, the RFS FDI or Fire Danger Index hit the new rating "Catastrophic"! I bought a couple of boxes on Friday and wrote out a list for our Bushfire Relocation Kits.

About 2am on Monday morning the cool change came through (I know because I was awake) and by morning it was even quite chilly. I had to be at the train station to catch the 6:40am train to the City to attend the Public Libraries NSW Conference which is being held in the Masonic Lodge on Goulburn Street - we had the speeches in the hall complete with big thrones, etc. Most of the speeches were interesting but the last session was deadly and it was all I could do to stay awake.

We wake up to the 6am news each morning. In this morning's news was a story about a ram raid on a fashion shop in which Prada bags among other goodies were stolen. I wonder if our management team, Vicki, Patou and Leisa, were involved - they were staying down there for a couple of nights!!

It's a scorcher!

2009-11-20T14:31:00.003+11:00

It's very warm here today. I've just been down to the bank during my lunch break. When we first go out of the building, we're still nice and cool for a few minutes but the heat is quite oppressive and despite dandering along at what Gillian calls "Melanesian pace", I was soon hot and bothered.

I met Klaus in town. His brother Michael is back again (he comes for several months every 2-3 years). He left Germany yesterday with 8C and arrived this morning to this! Reminds me of my first trip to Australia - I left Edinburgh the first day we had snow and 30 odd hours later arrived to 40C in Albury-Wodonga!

A thunderstorm is now rumbling about and there was lightning when I was out. Gillian was curious as to the temperature and look what she found :

It was forecast to be a warm one but I don't think a top of 44.4C was cited.

Travel Advice for Australia

2009-11-20T08:00:00.000+11:00

These were posted on an Australian Tourism Website and the answers are the actual responses by the website officials, who obviously have a great sense of humour (not to mention a low tolerance threshold for cretins).

Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia ? I have never seen it rain on TV, how do the plants grow? ( UK ).
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die. __________________________________________________
Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? ( USA )
A: Depends how much you've been drinking.
__________________________________________________
Q: I want to walk from Perth to Sydney - can I follow the railroad tracks? ( Sweden)
A: Sure, it's only three thousand miles, take lots of water.
__________________________________________________
Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in Australia ? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay ? ( UK)
A: What did your last slave die of?
__________________________________________________
Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia ? ( USA )
A: A-Fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not . . . Oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.
__________________________________________________
Q: Which direction is North in Australia ? (USA )
A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.
_________________________________________________
Q: Can I bring cutlery into Australia ? ( UK )
A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do. . .
__________________________________________________
Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? ( USA )
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is . . . Oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.
__________________________________________________
Q: Can I wear high heels in Australia ? ( UK )
A: You are a British politician, right?
__________________________________________________
Q: Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? ( Germany )
A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers. Milk is illegal.
__________________________________________________
Q: Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can dispense rattlesnake serum. ( USA )
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from. All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.
__________________________________________________
Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Australia , but I forget its name. It's a kind of bear and lives in trees. ( USA )
A: It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of Gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.
__________________________________________________
Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia ? (USA)
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.
__________________________________________________
Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia ? ( France )
A: Only at Christmas.
__________________________________________________
Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? ( USA )
A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first

Mo on the grow

2009-11-18T17:25:00.004+11:00

Here he is a little over two weeks on. This is a vast improvement with the two little dangly bits shaved off - he was going for the bandido look over the weekend but it was frowned on and it's gone.

Not our brigade but it'll give you a taste for the RFS

2009-11-16T19:53:00.001+11:00

Good old South Katoomba - ? now renamed - some of them are even nice people!

Celebrating 40 Years of Sesame Street

2009-11-16T19:41:00.003+11:00

Bit late with this, Sesame Street was celebrating its 40th Birthday last week.

Hooray for Cookie Monster!

I think that this would have to be my favourite Sesame Street thing though :

It was a big hit when we lived in Iserlohn.

TGIF - Nunsense

2009-11-13T11:34:00.000+11:00

Three nuns were at a rugby final.

Three men were sitting directly behind them.

Because their head-dresses were particularly blocking the view, the men began to badger the nuns, hoping that they'd get annoyed enough to move to another area.

In a very loud voice the first guy said, "I think I'm going to move to Sydney; there are only 100 nuns living there."

Then the second guy spoke up and said, "I want to go to Tasmania; there are only 50 nuns living there."

The third guy said, "I want to go to New Zealand; there are only 25 nuns living there."

One of the nuns turned around, looked at the men and in a very sweet and calm voice said,

"WHY DON'T YOU GO TO HELL .. THERE AREN'T ANY NUNS THERE!"

Convicts, chicks and chocolate - what more could you ask for?

2009-11-10T20:20:00.006+11:00

Flickr slideshow for the Book Thieves weekend away

We were reading The Secret River (Mother knows this one well!) for my Springwood book group this month. A while ago we decided that, because the book was based on the Hawkesbury River and the main character, William Thornhill, is based on an ancestor of the author called Solomon Wiseman who settled there in the early 1800s, we'd go to Wiseman's Ferry on the Hawkesbury for a weekend.

Months ago I rang the Wiseman's Ferry hotel to see about room costs and booking. I was told we didn't need to book. Last Wednesday I filled out an online booking thing and, not having had a reply in the stipulated couple of days, rang them on Friday to check. Good job I did. They were booked out. I was told they are always busy on the weekends! The man on the phone didn't hold out much chance of me getting a room in Wiseman's Ferry that weekend - there was a wedding on. Turns out he was right and, many phone calls later, we ended up having to take rooms at a place called St Albans, some way north of Wiseman's Ferry. Catherine gave the woman our sob story though and she gave us a special rate.

Not everyone was able to stay overnight. In the end there were just 5 of us staying overnight and 8 of the full group quota of 11 who were able to go at all. We gathered at Mary's house for 11am on Saturday morning and headed off in two cars. We'd not arranged a rendez-vous at our destination but figured the Wiseman's Ferry hotel, built as a home for Soloman Wiseman, would be the logical place. Luckily the girls in the other car thought so too.

Having 'powedered our noses' we headed back down to the riverside park to have a picnic lunch. It had been cloudy all morning but the sun came out as we set up the table and it was lovely by the river, feeding crackers to the kookaburra. After lunch, with champagne, we went back up the hill to the hotel, everyone grabbed a cuppa and we had our meeting.

Heather still had the last couple of pages to go. They happened to be the pages where William Thornhill is sitting on the verandah of his house looking out at the cliffs opposite. The description of the cliffs, as the rest of the story, is beautiful and Heather read it aloud to us as we gazed on the same view. We then got on with a discussion of the book, all had enjoyed it, and put in our reading suggestions for next year. We don't usually have a meeting in January because folk are away and this year it would be on New Year's Day so we've determined to go on an excursion to the movies - regardless of what film is on!

The meeting over, we said goodbye to the day trippers and Catherine, Trish, Heather, Mary and I piled into Mary's car and headed off for St Albans via the ferry. En route we stopped at a tiny little cemetary. They seemed to be a healthy lot; even in the mid to late 1800s the people were living into their 80s, 90s and even one to 100.

Finally we arrived at the Settlers Inn. We'd booked two rooms with the hotel needing to put an extra bed in one of the rooms. This seemed to be a bit of a challenge for the staff but finally we were shown to a couple of cabins out the back of the lovely old 1830s Inn. Drawing our names out of a hat, we decided on who was sleeping where and I ended up in Cabin 6 with Heather.

We had a drink in our room before going across to the Inn for dinner. The menu didn't look real great initially, there were no vegetarian or even chicken dishes on the menu and I thought I was stumped but when I asked about getting veggie something I was offered goats cheese tart which turned out to be very very tasty.

Waiting for our meal we were joined by two french men, Jean-Paul and Christophe, who ended up joining us for our meal. Everyone we met asked what we were doing there and we'd tell them about reading The Secret River. One of Jean-Paul's children had had to read it for school so he knew about it. Later we were joined by an aboriginal man, Colin, who had also read it. We also met Henry who is Deputy Captain in the RFS up there.

Back in our room we had more wine and chocolte, chatted and went to bed. Mary and Catherine were up early and out for walks early the next morning but Heather and I must've slept until 8:30 or so and were last ones up.

We had a breakfast of leftover picnic bread, salad and cheese then went for a wee walk across the river from the Inn. Saw a lovely cottage, Price Wilson Cottage, which looked idyllic. We ended up stopping in Windsor for fish and chips (the fish shop there is famous) and in an absolute downpour checked out the local markets. Then we headed south and back home.

TGIF - Questions you just can't answer

2009-11-06T16:31:00.000+11:00

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are flat?

Why do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they know there is not enough?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Whose idea was it to put an 'S' in the word 'lisp'?

What is the speed of darkness?

Why is it that people say they 'slept like a baby' when babies wake up every two hours?

Are there specially reserved parking spaces for 'normal' people at the Special Olympics?

If the temperature is zero outside today and it's going to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold will it be?

Do married people live longer than single ones or does it only seem longer?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

Did you ever stop and wonder...... Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these pink dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?'

Who was the first person to say, 'See that chicken there... I'm gonna eat the next thing that comes outta it's bum.'

Why do toasters always have a setting so high that could burn the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?

Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their bum when they ask where the bathroom is?

Why does your Obstetrician, Gynaecologist leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway?

Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs !

If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

Why do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

Stop singing and read on.......

Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?

Do you ever wonder why you gave me your e-mail address in the first place?

Mo on the go

2009-11-06T07:49:00.006+11:00

Thought I'd show you the difference a week makes!

He's pretty pleased with himself. It grosses me out - should've kept my mouth shut!

Not a lot of snogging going on around here; it's waaaaay too prickly. And he's starting to look like Captain Mainwaring!!!

Mo' mo stuff

2009-11-04T16:30:00.001+11:00

To sponsor Ian's Mo, you can either:
* Click this link http://au.movember.com/mospace/254992/ and donate online using your credit card or PayPal account
* Write a cheque payable to 'Movember Foundation', referencing my Registration Number 254992 and mailing it to: Movember Foundation, PO Box 292, Prahran, VIC, 3181
Remember, all donations over $2 are tax deductible.

Melbourne Cup

2009-11-03T14:53:00.002+11:00

It's the Melbourne Cup day today. It's about 7 minutes to 3 so the race will be starting soon. People flapping about here trying to get the TV to work - it's usually used to display what the security camera in the Council office is recording. We might have to race down to Retravision if it doesn't work!!

I've got $6 riding on 3 horses but I don't know who they are at the moment.

Going to get hairy around here!

2009-11-02T09:03:00.004+11:00

Ian is taking part in Movember this year.

Movember is an annual, month-long celebration of the moustache, highlighting men’s health issues, specifically prostate cancer and depression in men.

Mo Bros, supported by their Mo Sistas, start Movember (November 1st) clean shaven and then have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their moustache.

The idea for Movember came about in 2003 when a few mates were having a beer in a small bar in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Inspired by the women’s health movement, it was recognized that men were lacking a way to engage and actively involve themselves in their own health. During a conversation about fashion and past trends, the idea came up to bring the moustache back for one month, and in doing so, have some fun, raise a small amount of money and hopefully encourage men to talk about their health with each other.

As his Mo Sista, I am not going to shave my legs all month.

TGIF - Cat found

2009-10-30T14:08:00.000+11:00

This poster was put up by Japanese students and photographed in Brunswick, Melbourne :

Well done that girl!

2009-10-30T12:01:00.003+11:00

We had Josie at the vet last night for her 1 year old injections (Xavier had his?)

We were commended on what a lovely-natured, well-behaved dog we had and on the good condition she is in (not too fat, beautiful white teeth).

She was a vet we hadn't seen before. I didn't tell her the pearly white teeth were probably because of the roughage in Josie's diet - couches, hot water bottles, wellies, garden hoses, mobile phones . . .

Laughing at work

2009-10-30T09:35:00.003+11:00

Gillian had me in hysterics yesterday (I hope this reads as funny as it was at the time).

Gillian took a book off the cataloguing shelf called Dear Editor . . . The collected letters of Oscar Brittle. And she read from the flyleaf : "To some newspaper and magazine editors, who don't have time for his 'exploits', he is 'opinionated' and 'divisive', while others 'don't know what to make of him'. to some readers he is 'living in the past'; an 'arrogant toff' who needs 'a drink poured over his head'. To his growing legion of fans - those who understand him - he is 'commendable' and 'heroic'; a man of ideas, of pedigree, of unimpeachable integrity, and, quite simply, the most significant and powerful contibutor to public debate in contemporary Australia."

Then Gillian read a few excerpts :

"There are so many things that make me cranky, I don't even know where to start."

Oscar Brittle, Killara, NSW in The Australian Monday February 27, 2006

"Dear Editor,

After six years of painstaking research, I am able to conclude that all of the world's conspiracy theories are the work of one man. That man is Derek Ronald Jenkins of 12 Millwood Lane, Cambridge, United Kingdom. (Block out the address if you need to.)

Facts simply do not lie.

Jenkins has been placed at the scene of some of the most newsworthy events of the last fifty years - the My Lai Massacre, the murder of Lord Mountbatten and the Oklahoma bombings. He has well-established links to the CIA, the KGB, the BBC and the Black Hand. He spends up to 80 hours per week on the internet and last year received England's fourth highest annual private telephone bill. His blinds are usually drawn. He has got to be up to something."

Rejected by the Hobart Mercury

and

"Dear Editor,

I have recently been self-diagnosed with prostrate cancer - thanks to the electric internet and some gentle prodding. However, I still have a few questions. How can I skip the middleman and convince a surgeon to go ahead and operate? Or is it possible to 'self-medicate' in these situations and remove the wretched gland myself? I'm very tempted by the latter, I must admit."

Rejected by the New Idea magazine

This all had me nearly hysterical and certainly in tears with laughter. My hysteria only increased when the next book Gillian pulled off the shelf was called An exact replica of a figment of my imagination.

One for the hypercondriacs

2009-10-26T15:59:00.002+11:00

The Google Flu Trends website enables you to track the flu world-wide.

Actually, not world-wide. I was going to explain how using the drop down list at the left of the full screen lets you narrow down to your particular area - for me Australia > NSW - and in giving it a go, found that the UK isn't white because it's virtually flu free; it's because there's no data from there. Hmmmm.

Ah well, if you want to see what risk Karen and I are facing . . . must remember and book us all in for the free H1N1 jabs clinic. Although, listening to the radio this morning, it might be better to wait a few weeks to see if Ishbel will be able to get it too - at the moment it's for the over 10s as they haven't worked out how many doses to give the children but some guy on the radio said this morning that that should be worked out in a few weeks.

The first one off to a 'real' fire

2009-10-24T20:05:00.002+11:00

We got a call yesterday asking for crews to attend a fire at Wentworth Falls over the weekend. While my back is much better, I have some work to do to make it strong again and won't be back to the RFS for a couple more weeks. So that was me out. Rob was at work so we couldn't confirm his availability so Jamie got the guernsey. We are awaiting Bec, the Duty Officer, to contact us to let us know if one or both boys will be required tomorrow.

Jamie was to be at the shed by 5:15am. At almost 4:30am I was awake and went up to wake him. They went up to Hazelbrook in the PC (Sh*tbox) where they met the crew who had been out in the Cat1 (Big Red Truck) during the night and headed up to Wenty.

First task was working on deepening the containment lines by doing some more backburning. Then they were moved and were doing some blacking out - checking smouldering logs etc to ensure they don't reignite. While doing that they were told the fire was making a run back up the hill towards them so they had to beat a retreat to a containment line with several other brigades which they were tasked not to let the fire cross. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) had helicopters on the go and they managed to slow the fire down enough to eliminate the danger. During this time Jamie and the gang were hanging about doing nothing for 3 hours - "hurry up and wait" is the RFS motto! They were relieved about 5:30pm and sent home.

The NPWS had been doing a hazard reduction and initial thoughts were that the burn had got away from them, but Jamie says it looks like it may have been arson . . .

TGIF - Technical problems

2009-10-23T15:35:00.000+11:00

As the system administrator at work, I'm seen by many staff as the computer guru and most of the time just fudge it because they know soooo little about working computers so this struck a chord (click on the picture for a bigger look):

What's everyone else doing?

2009-10-23T14:42:00.002+11:00

There going bonkers on the internet in one way or another as this shows : Gary's Social Media Count

Away at a conference this week

2009-10-23T10:36:00.001+11:00

Gillian and I have spent the last few days in Sydney at the SirsiDynix Asia Pacific User Conference 2009 in Sydney. (SirsiDynix provide the library management system which the Blue Mountains Library uses to issue and return books, catalogue them, etc.)

We have had an interesting and exhausting mix of business and pleasure.

We went to the theatre and saw an all-girl production of The Taming of the Shrew by the Bell Shakespeare Company (Gillian is still a bit traumatised!) and we tested iced coffee and hot chocolate at the Guylian cafe on Circular Quay (both highly recommended).

We had been to some of the libraries on the Library Tours so decided to catch everyone else up at the Customs House Library which is a really interesting building.

We also attended the conference dinner at the Overseas Passenger Terminal which has beautiful views of the Opera House.

As with any conference or other event there are some boring bits

and you have to take the good with the bad, but there were some compensations

and we have come away with some gems of information which make it all worth while.

TGIF - Microsoft Support

2009-10-16T14:24:00.001+11:00

We've all talked to this guy . . .

Xavier's First Birthday

2009-10-14T18:47:00.003+11:00

A good time was had by all.

And here's more photos : Click Here

Best friends

2009-10-14T18:37:00.002+11:00

Awwwww

Then and Now

2009-10-14T18:13:00.005+11:00

Josie in January

Josie today

TGIF - new mouse for women

2009-10-09T15:34:00.000+11:00

I was sent this by a collegue and I'm not sure I should be indulging him . . .

After years of research, scientists have discovered that women do not like the standard mouse supplied with PCs.

Scientists found that there is no physical reason for their aversion; it is more of a Psychological problem.Some women reported that their mouse 'just didn't feel right' in their hands.

Based on the research, a new mouse has been designed especially for women.Various field tests have been carried out on the new design.

Customer feedback has been positive:

Julie from Hounslow said: It feels so much better. More comfortable, more like how it's supposed to be.

Susan from Chelmsford added: I think mice were originally designed just for men, but this new type is definitely made for women.

Hillary from Kent said: It fits right in with my lifestyle. I took to it like a duck to water, every woman should have one!

Sally from London said: It feels so natural.

Of course, we need to remember these were English women responding thus.

TGIF - Big slip

2009-10-02T13:46:00.001+10:00

How on earth did they get this right?

Jamie's school photos

2009-09-30T14:05:00.004+10:00

Jamie came home with his school photos this week. They came in a lovely presetation booklet that included this page which gave me a giggle.

The quote reads: "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world" and it appears from this page that the quote comes from both Nelson Mandela AND our Jamie.

I don't remember Jamie telling me about meeting this great man but then he never tells me anything about what happens at school.

Again, double click to see the picture full size.

NAPLAN results

2009-09-30T13:55:00.005+10:00

In May Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 did some literacy and numeracy tests as they always do. This year was a bit different in that the test was a National test, the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN).

Ishbel's results are below. I thnk if you double click on the image it will make it full screen size. To help you interpret the result:

the lighter blue bit within the blue column tells you the range of achievement for the middle 60% of Yr 3 students in Australia
the black triangle shows the national average for Yr 3 students
the clear triangle shows the average for Yr 3 students in Ishbel's school
the black dot shows Ishbel's result.

As you can see she has her black dot off the scale in several areas - this means "the result is well above the expected level of achievement for Yr 3 students".

Go Ishbel!

Some links for you

2009-09-30T13:51:00.003+10:00

Finally uploaded and ready to look at:

Dust storm video - commentary by Rob. Unfortunately doesn't look quite as ORANGE on screen as it was here.

Xavier - it starts off sideways; don't worry it gets righted.

2009 Photostream - includes our latest day with the wee one.

The weekend in review

2009-09-28T13:59:00.002+10:00

Image via Wikipedia

Still not back at work. I write this wearing my pyjamas and my RFS fleece with a hot water bottle down the back of my trousers and I am using the keyboard and mouse on the ironing board so I don't have to sit.

The back cracker lady (osteopath) wants me to have a phased return to work but when Vicki raised this with Council's HR/HB&S dept they said I have to be fully fit for work before I can return. If I'd hurt my back at work I would be covered by Worker's Compensation and they would be doing everything they could to get me back to work so I am quite cross and frustrated at this. (Not entirely surprised though - Gillian broke her collar bone a couple of years ago and they said the same to her). Because I had to take so much time off to look after Ian and take him to appointments over the past 6 months I have used half the sick leave I had accumulated prior to 20th March and will run out of sick leave this week. I am going have to eat into my annual leave which I was trying to build up so I could spend time at home with the kids during the long summer/Christmas holidays. I don't know if this will be taken into account by Ian's Worker's Compensation claim.

Anyway enough of my woes.

Had a lovely visit from Karen, Ben and Xavier on Friday. Ben and Jamie played XBox while Karen and Xavier entertained me in my bed. Jamie had finished his exams and had a couple of days off. Rob finishes his exams today but has to go right back to full routine - I think.

Everyone had a busy weekend.

Rob went off to the City all day on Saturday to meet up with half a dozen of the kids he went to Japan with. He had a great day. He borrowed my camera but I haven't seen the photos yet.

Jamie meantime was on duty in Springwood town centre for the RFS Open Day. Valley Heights man a stall with Winmalee and Faulconbridge brigades each year. Later he went on to the Walker's house. His mate Nick's parents, Graeme and Kim, are involved in a re-enactment society and Jamie has been going each month for quite a while. He is busy making his own chain mail something. Weeks of work has resulted in a square of chain mail about 10x10cm. This week he came home with a sword he'd bought from Graeme. Very pleased with himself he was.

Ishbel had a date with her pal, Zanny, for a sleepover. Ian and I thought we were going to have a lovely quiet day just the two of us but then Zanny rang to postpone picking Ishbel up until 3pm! Not long after that Jamie arrived home.

On Sunday morning Ian and the boys were up early to go paintballing with Nick and Graeme. They came home early afternoon not only covered in splodges of blue paint but also in large bruises that look like burns from a particularly large cigarette. Brutal stuff! Asked if he'd had fun and if he'd go again, Ian said Yes and No.

TGIF - What not to do with a library book

2009-09-25T11:53:00.001+10:00

Some of you might be astonished, stunned, flabbergasted, astounded, gob-smacked, speechless, amazed, dumbfounded, incredulous or just plain dismayed by what some people do with their library books. Some may not be astonished, stunned, flabbergasted, etc. that someone has felt the need to make a poster like this one :

The need for most of those instructions beggars belief. I'm pleased to be able to report that the injunction not to "Fight bears with this book" is one that we will be able to leave off the Blue Mountains City Library version of this poster - all our drop bears (koalas) have been to koala training and are fairly tame!

Paul McGreevy on TV

2009-09-23T18:24:00.002+10:00

Paul McGreevy was on last week's edition of the ABC science show, Catalyst. They had shown a program from the UK about the miseries of pedigree dogs that had been shown elsewhere on the ABC the week earlier.

Here it is: Pedigree Dogs

Life on Mars

2009-09-23T11:02:00.009+10:00

All (or most) of NSW was issued with a Severe Storm Warning last night. It sure got a bit gusty and there were reports of cricket ball-sized hail stones in Crookwell but as we were going to bed last night it was pretty calm.

I woke up not long before 5 this morning and could hear the wind in the trees - it sounded almost like the surf. I opened the blinds to watch the sunrise. And watched the sky turn from pink to orange. The storm has brought a whole load of soil in from the Red Centre and dumped it in the Mountains and Sydney.

Jamie initially thought there was a fire.

You can see other people's pictures on the ABC radio website and on the Flickr blog and here is a Youtube slideshow also from the ABC:

It was one of Jamie's work mornings and he said it was the worst ever - the wind was really strong and he had trouble keeping hold of the papers and magazines! Not to mention the drying, choking dust.

Hopefully I will be able to upload the video Robbie made this morning here (I'm making my second attempt just now) or I might have to do it on Flickr. NO, it can't do it - will try uploading it to Flickr.

Worthy of TGIF - but this sadly, bizzarrely is real life

2009-09-18T19:31:00.001+10:00

With our tax returns done for this year, we got our annual child care refunds and stimulus package money. We discovered we qualify for a special Large Family Bonus (first time we've been aware of getting it even though, presumably, we've been a "Large" family at least since 2000).

The full amount of the bonus, for one year?

$29.20

We're hotly debating how to spend it now - groceries, shoes, text books . . . Any suggestions?

We babysat Xavier today

2009-09-18T19:12:00.003+10:00

After a rocky start (we didn't realise he hadn't had his breakfast) we had a lovely day.

Ishbel was main care-giver and did a great job.

A room with a view

2009-09-18T18:53:00.004+10:00

I hurt my back last Thursday morning (the 10th) and have been in bed mostly all day every day since so this is the view I've had all that time.

The upside is all the reading I've got done.

Went to see an osteopath lady this afternoon. She's written me off for Monday too and I've still to stay off my feet and on my back as much as poss.

It's killing me to miss out on all the shopping, washing, cooking and cleaning that needs to be done.

TGIF - WARNING! GRAPHIC BOATING ACCIDENT PHOTO

2009-09-18T10:37:00.000+10:00

THIS IS A PICTURE OF A MAN WITH JUST SECONDS LEFT TO LIVE

Follow up on World Survey

2009-09-16T12:38:00.004+10:00

Was going to put this as a comment to the last post but it's too funny to miss.

Not long ago we had "Mumbai Calling" on TV. One of my very favourite TV programs this year; I found it hysterically funny.

My favourite episode was where the workers in the call centre were having trouble with British regional accents. Richard E Grant played a failed actor who was brought in to teach them how to identify and deal with those regional accents.

TGIF - World Survey

2009-09-11T11:51:00.000+10:00

Last month a world-wide phone survey was conducted by the UN. The only question asked was:-"Would you please give your honest opinion about solutions to the food shortage in the rest of the world?"

The survey was a huge failure because of the following:

In Eastern Europe they didn't know what "honest" meant.

In Western Europe they didn't know what "shortage" meant.

In Africa they didn't know what "food" meant.

In China they didn't know what "opinion" meant.

In the Middle East they didn't know what "solution" meant.

In South America they didn't know what "please" meant.

In the US they didn't know what "the rest of the world" meant.

And Finally . . .

In Australia they hung up because they couldn't understand the Indian accent.

It's spring!

2009-09-07T22:46:00.002+10:00

TGIF - toilet humour

2009-09-04T08:54:00.000+10:00

I was barely sitting down when I heard a voice from the other stall saying: 'Hi, how are you?'

I'm not the type to start a conversation in the men's restroom but I don't know what got into me, so I answered, somewhat embarrassed, 'Doin' just fine!'

And the other guy says: 'So what are you up to?' What kind of question is that?

At that point, I'm thinking this is too bizarre so I say: 'Uhhh, I'm like you, just traveling!'

At this point I am just trying to get out as fast as I can when I hear another question. 'Can I come over?' Ok, this question is just too weird for me but I figured I could just be polite and end the conversation. I tell him, 'No........I'm a little busy right now!!!'

Then I hear the guy say nervously... 'Listen, I'll have to call you back.. There's an idiot in the other stall who keeps answering all my questions!!!'

Quiet weekend

2009-08-30T10:19:00.004+10:00

We had Sharon and Holly over for dinner on Friday night. Ishbel had been hanging out all week for tortillas so we had those and nachos, Yummmm.

Holly had wanted a driving lesson so Ian took her out after school. She'd been threatening to pay for lessons because Sharon kept shouting at her when she crunched the gears so we offered to take her out. Ian got her sorted and she went away happy.

Robbie went off on Friday evening to the snow for a weekend cross-country ski-ing with the Scouts.

HR postponed - until when, who knows, it's all dependent on the weather - too wet and too windy this weekend. So Jamie and I were out doing more trail cutting -exhausting. It's nice to walk back over your trail though and see what was achieved. Because sometimes several people go over the ground after you, you don't always get to see how it turns out.

Steve gave me a short bit of RFD training afterwards - doing stall recovery - what to do if you stall going up a hill. Our brigade PC is a Landrover Defender. To say we are less than impressed does little justice to the passions the vehicle elicits. Suffice to say it is universally described as "The Sh#tbox". I kept getting first and reverse mixed up and we called it a day.

Ishbel away for the night having a sleepover with Britany.

Had Steve, Bec, Hugh and Francoise over for dinner. Francoise has Meniere's Disease and needs to keep to a very low salt diet. She rang up to ask what I was planning to feed everyone and ended up offering to bring the main - spag bol. I love it when I invite people to dinner and they bring the meal!!! A lovely night which ended up with Steve, Ian and Hugh arguing about fire-fighting tactics.

Jamie and Ian up and out by 6:30am so here I am enjoying the peace of just the dishwasher and the washing machine drowning out the radio! Time for a cuppa and a read before they all come home.

Fingers crossed

2009-08-28T14:56:00.003+10:00

Jamie and I have our names down for our brigade's HR tomorrow morning. Hoping the weather holds out for us - getting conditions right can be very tricky - it can't be too wet or too windy or too dry or too hot.

TGIF - Kissing frogs

2009-08-28T08:51:00.000+10:00

This guy is 72 years old and loves to fish.

He was sitting in his boat the other day when he heard a little voice say, "Pick me up."

He looked around and couldn't see any one. He thought he was dreaming when he heard the voice say again, “Pick me up."

He looked in the water and there, floating in the water was a frog. The man said, "Are you talking to me?" The frog said, "Yes, I'm talking to you. Pick me up then, kiss me and I'll turn into the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. I'll make sure that all your friends are envious and jealous because I will be your bride!"

The man looked at the frog for a short time, reached over, picked it up carefully, and placed it in his front breast pocket.

Then the frog spoke again, "What, are you nuts? Didn't you hear what I said? I said kiss me, and I will be your beautiful bride."

He opened his pocket, looked at the frog and said, "Nah, at my age I'd rather have a talking frog."

Zits was apt this weekend

2009-08-26T08:24:00.001+10:00

Awa' stick yer heid in a bucket

2009-08-26T08:05:00.003+10:00

Poor Josie, she just can't take a trick at the moment.

I noticed she had a little weeping sore on her wound and Ian and Ishbel took her up to the vet yesterday. $200 later she has had an antibiotic injection, antibiotics to give orally and an Elizabethan collar/bucket.

As I left the house this morning she was crashing around and the collar had split! She had me pinned against the kitchen bench trying to get up close for a cuddle.

Poor baby!

Another big weekend

2009-08-23T21:14:00.004+10:00

I note the last two weekend reports start "I should have posted this earlier but . . . " Let's see if I can do something different this weekend.

Haven't seen much of the family this weekend. I've been on a Rural Fire Driver course (Friday night, Saturday 12:30pm-11pm and Sunday 8am-5pm). It's so you can drive safely under lights and sirens and also teaches recovery for if you get a vehicle bogged and need to rescue it. The course, unfortunately, is heavily weighted in favour of those who drive the trucks which is not me yet. I'm there doing the 'light' component but spent a fair bit of the time in the back of a truck watching the boys having a go. That said, when I did get to drive the PC I got one-on-one attention. Today when we were out doing 'stall recovery' - how to recover yourself if you stall on a hill - I got to drive a Cat 7, one of the smaller trucks. I was then allowed to drive it back to the road. Woot woot.

In a month we do the second part of the course and the assessment. It is an overnighter with us going out west to Rydal.

Ian, Jamie and Ishbel meanwhile were heading out early on Saturday morning for Cronulla, all the way across town and south to the seaside where Jamie was playing his AFL match. It was the first time Jamie's team has played in a few weeks and unfortunately they lost. It must be nearly finals time, his season seems to be taking a long time, Robbie's soccer finished weeks ago.

Robbie was called in to work on Saturday afternoon and was still there when I came home. He's had a few shifts since the holidays where they've called him in at the last minute. I think he likes the money he earns.

Ishbel, having done the trip to Cronulla, was rewarded with a sleepover at Zanny's. She didn't come home until 6pm tonight and Zanny and Jeanne stayed for dinner - an Indian banquet which Ian had prepared for us. Yum!

Ian is recovering fairly well from his surgery - just getting his pin out on Wed - he was pretty sore for a day or so but I think it's better now. He's off work until Thursday at least; he has a GP appointment on Tuesday and an appointment with the hand specialist physio on Wednesday - he's just a bit concerned about how much flexibility he's going to have in his wrist.

TGIF - Lost in Translation

2009-08-21T14:07:00.000+10:00

This is a true story from the Japanese Embassy in US!!!

A few days ago, Prime Minister Mori was given some Basic English conversation training before he visits Washington and meets president Barack Obama... The instructor told Prime Minister Mori, when you shake hand with President Obama, please say 'how r u'. Then Mr. Obama should say, 'I am fine, and you?' Now, you should say 'me too'. Afterwards we, translators, will do the work for you.' It looks quite simple, but the truth is... When Mori met Obama , he mistakenly said 'who r u?' (Instead of 'How r u?'.) Mr. Obama was a bit shocked but still managed to react with humor: 'Well, I'm Michelle's husband, ha-ha...' Then Mori replied 'me too, ha-ha.. .'. Then there was a long silence in the meeting room.

Ishbel's birthday party aka the best laid plans . . .

2009-08-17T19:59:00.005+10:00

(Should have posted this last week but I've been really busy)

Up early on Saturday morning, head spinning with all the things I thought I had to do. At the supermarket for 8am when they opened. Whizzed round and all at the checkout by 8:20am. Not the usual couple of hours as I bump into people for a long chat and perhaps a diversion to the coffee shop.

Among the to-dos was to bake a birthday cake. Having never had any luck baking cakes from scratch in the old house, we are now used to buying packet cakes. One of the advantages is that Ishbel can now follow the instructions and make her own cakes. All went perfectly until the timer went to tell us the cake was done. Twenty mintues later and the cake was burnt - I'd opende the door of the oven but not switched it off!

Back to supermarket for another cake.

The invitations said, I'm sure, drop the kids off at our house at 2pm and we would be taking them down to the indoor climbing centre in Penrith.

Ishbel was telling the girls to arrive at 1:30pm. One of them did. The mother of the other rang us from the climbing centre at 1:30 asking where we were . . .

Had a lovely time at the climbing centre. "Best day of my life," was Ishbel's verdict.

Here's the slide show

Home for pizza and a movie. The pizzas stuck to the tin foil and we burnt (again) a couple of them. Someone spilt juice all over the table.

Head spinning with shrieking girls and Pink on the CD player.

Karen, Dan and a still bit poorly Xavier arrived.

Cake had its outing. I have a square tupperware type box for cakes. It came with an insert with handles that you can pull the cake out with but the handles have broken off so I tend to put cakes on the lid and use the bottom of the box as the lid.

Ishbel didn't know that and, as she took the cake through to the dining room, did't have hold of the bottom/lid of the box - result - chocolate icing all over her foot and the dining room carpet!

Xavier tried some climbing of his own up the stairs. Was doing two steps up, one step down, quite happily until he face-planted a stair and tears ensued. Karen tried to interest him in the stairs again but he wasn't having any of it.

By 9pm two of the three guests had gone home. Zanny was staying overnight. Girls pretty good, not too noisy and we headed off to bed. Read for a while and fell asleep with the light on. Just getting into some deep snoring when Ishbel arrived at my bedside - Zanny crying and wanting to go home - at 11:45pm. Tried ringing her mum but got no answer and she didn't think her dad would come all the way down from Lawson to fetch her. And I had no intention of driving her up there, aside from being dead beat, I'd had a wine or two during the evening. After much persuading the girls agreed to try and go to sleep. I went back to bed.

Where I tossed and turned for another couple of hours, expecting one of the girls to appear at the bedside asking to ring Zanny's mum again.

And then up early to go to RFS training.

I NEED SOME SLEEP.

Jamie's big week

2009-08-15T07:50:00.003+10:00

Should have posted this earlier in the week but it's been frantic . . .

Jamie passed his driving test on Tuesday and is now on his P plates - red ones for 2 years (speed limited to 90Km/h) and then green Ps for 1 year (speed limited to 100Km/h)

TGIF ~ An Italian, a Scotsman and a Chinese man

2009-08-14T19:40:00.001+10:00

An Italian, a Scotsman and a Chinese man, are hired at a Construction site.

The foreman points out a huge pile of sand.

He says to the Italian guy, “You're in charge of sweeping.”

To the Scotsman he says, “You're in charge of shovelling.”

And to the Chinese guy, “You're in charge of supplies.”

He then says, “Now, I have to leave for a little while. I expect you men to make a dent in that pile of sand.”
So when the foreman returns after being away for a couple of hours the pile of sand is untouched.

He asks the Italian, “Why didn't you sweep any of it?”

The Italian replies, “I no hava no broom. You saida to the Chinesea fella that he a wasa ina charge of supplies, but he hasa disappeared and I no coulda finda him nowhere.”

Then the foreman turns to the Scotsman and says “And you, I thought I told you to shovel this pile.”

The Scotsman replies, “Aye, that ye did laddie, boot ah could nae get meself a shoovel. Ye left th' Chinese gadgie in chairge of supplies, boot ah couldna fin' him neither.”

The foreman is really angry now. He storms off toward the pile of sand to look for the Chinese gent.

Just then, the Chinese man leaps out from behind the pile of sand and yells, “SUPPLIES!!!!"

The lost art of reading

2009-08-14T15:54:00.001+10:00

There's an article in the LA Times from a few days ago about how the quicker pace of life makes making time out for reading more difficult to find. It's well worth reading in its entirety, but this part I particularly liked:

Reading is an act of contemplation, perhaps the only act in which we allow ourselves to merge with the consciousness of another human being. We possess the books we read, animating the waiting stillness of their language, but they possess us also, filling us with thoughts and observations, asking us to make them part of ourselves.

Sister Act

2009-08-14T08:47:00.004+10:00

From the Nature & Health Newsletter Issue 14 August 2009:

She might have pulled your hair when you were little; however, Ulster University researchers say that having a sister increases your odds of having a happy life. Their study found that both men and women who had at least one sister scored significantly better on tests for optimism, achievement, and resilience. Why? Co-author Professor Tony Cassidy explains, "The presence of girls in a family is strongly linked to better communication, which is fundamental to health, while boys have the opposite effect."

I'm H-A-P-P-Y, I'm H-A-P-P-Y,

I know I am, I'm sure I am,

I'm H-A-P-P-Y

I came across this in the school newsletter

2009-08-13T09:08:00.005+10:00

Australian Poem

Dusty red roads for mile after mile

Paddocks stretching far and wide

Stands of trees row after row

The golden sun burning the crisp brown dirt

The sun slipping under the horizon.

by Ishbel

Birthday

2009-08-11T13:04:00.000+10:00

Out to dinner tonight.

A good weekend continued . . .

2009-08-11T12:40:00.010+10:00

We had a lovely meal out with our grown up friends on Saturday night. In the end it was just Janet and Sharon that joined us, Steven had the 'flu (a cold) coming on and we left him at home doing the ironing!

On Sunday morning I picked Ishbel up from Zanny's sleepover party and she and I headed for Sharon's. Sharon had invited Ishbel to go up to Megalong Valley where Holly keeps her horse, Wilga. Holly is away on a school camp but Wilga still needed to be fed and brushed and so on. Ishbel jumped at the chance and those two headed off together.

Meanwhile I picked Catherine up on the side of the highway and she and I visited the Grower's Market at Blackheath before heading down into Megalong Valley to catch Ishbel and Sharon up. Somehow Catherine and I ended up shovelling horsey poo for the afternoon! Ishbel got all the fun stuff to do and quickly made herself scarce. We got 4 big bags of poo for Catherine to take home to her garden.

While we were there Sharon introduced us to Russell who was there with his 10 year old daughter, Savannah. Savannah has a pony, Dexter, and they were kind enough to offer to let Ishbel have a ride. So Russell took her down to a covered arena and gave Ishbel a 'proper' riding lesson for 20 minutes or so - little girl heaven.

See the Flickr slideshow of our day here.

On the way home we popped in on Catherine's friends Michelle and Ben and gave them a gift of a bag of horsey poo. (Michelle is on your crew at Faulco RFS, Karen). A traipse round their garden and a cup of tea later and we discovered I couldn't reverse out of their driveway!!! I rang my brigade Captain, Steve. I knew he would know what to do and he's got a monster 4WD of some sort (it's a brown one). Luckily he was home and was round within 10 minutes - in uniform!! I told him the uniform wasn't necessary - he'd been at a course all day - he said - I think he sleeps in it myself.

A good weekend so far

2009-08-08T18:05:00.004+10:00

Lazy morning this morning then shopping with Ishbel who had a gift to choose for her friend Zanny who turns 9 the day before Ishbel. I have just dropped The Girl off at Zanny's for a birthday party and sleepover.

So Ian and I are going out with Janet, Steven and Sharon to the chinese restaurant at Wentworth Falls for an adults only dinner. Feeling very grown up!!!

Went to RFS training this afternoon. Only 3 of us turned up so we couldn't do the trail cutting I'd expected. So we ended up going down one of the fire trails for a drive in the Big Red Truck, did some map work and weather work and THEN I GOT A DRIVE OF THE BIG ED TRUCK. Whoooooooo hooooooo!

THEN, coming out of the track, we heard Winmalee responding to a smoke sighting on our patch. Got back to the station and we got sent out to assist. As it turned out the fire was down on the plains but we had a nice ride down another track!

Relaxing chez Colquhoun

2009-08-07T15:49:00.003+10:00

Rob and the dogs just hanging out together

Josie relaxing - maybe she fell asleep reading . . .

Never darken our doors again

2009-08-07T09:12:00.003+10:00

I had an appointment with Dr Jayamohan (Dr JJ) at the Cancer Care Centre yesterday afternoon and he has told me they don't need to see me again and, Dr Taper having said the same when I saw him earlier in the year, they have discharged me. Cured!

TGIF - Women who know their place

2009-08-07T09:07:00.002+10:00

Barbara Walters, of 20/20, did a story on gender roles in Kabul, Afghanistan, several years before theAfghan conflict. She noted that women customarily walked five paces behind their husbands.

She recently returned to Kabul and observed that women still walk behind their husbands. Despite the overthrow of the oppressive Taliban regime, the women now seem to, and are happy to, maintain the old custom.

Ms. Walters approached one of the Afghani women and asked, 'Why do you now seem happy with an old custom that you once tried so desperately to change?'

The woman looked Ms. Walters straight in the eyes, and without hesitation said, "Land Mines."

Moral of the story is (no matter what language you speak or where you go):

BEHIND EVERY MAN, THERE'S A SMART WOMAN!

Is nothing sacred?

2009-08-05T10:27:00.003+10:00

Has this been getting a run in the UK?

Haggis invented 'by the English' not the Scots. The Daily Mail has a rant here.

Wikipedia, that new font of all knowledge has the Scottish poem Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedy, which is dated before 1520 refers to 'haggeis' - Thy fowll front had, and he that Bartilmo flaid; The gallowis gaipis eftir thy graceles gruntill, As thow wald for ane haggeis, hungry gled and I'm happy to go with that - Haggis in Wikipedia

Recovery

2009-08-04T11:50:00.003+10:00

Josie had her operation yesterday. We dropped her off at he vet in Lawson about 8:30am and Ian and the boys went up about 4:30pm to bring her back home.

The vet says he found and removed a tiny little bit of ovarian tissue about the size of half a matchhead and that hopefully will be the end to the matter.

She just needs 24 hours quiet recovery so I am off work today and dagging about the house with Ishbel.

Ish and I had a late night last night, not getting back from Rock Eisteddfod until shortly before midnight. Another great night of dance spectacular. Springwood High School did marvellously but were rather overshadowed by Northmead High School who managed to get a jumbo jet on stage!!!

Another busy weekend

2009-08-02T17:25:00.002+10:00

Usual morning of shopping, housework and AFL. Jamie's opposition forfeited the match this weekend but the team photos had been organised so he still had to go down to his home ground and he'd been warned that the Reserve grade might need players. Indeed he did end up playing with them (older people in their early 20s). Enjoyed the ramped up pace and even managed to score a goal. Chuffed at that. The Penrith team won - Jamie got the impression the Reserve grade hadn't won many games this year because they were stoked - it's what Jamie's team has come to expect.

Once they were back we took Jamie and Robbie's old beds round to a friends. She has recently separated from her partner and was moving into a new place with her children. Several hours and one false start later the beds (Ikea beds - to explain the several hours) were up and we gobbled up some pizza before home to bed.

Jamie and I were up early this morning and out to RFS training. I knew it would involve cutting trails for the upcoming hazard reductions (perhaps 15/16 August, Karen & Dan - although keep 15th free coz that's Ishbels birthday party day). Jamie only came because I said if he didn't make an appearance at the preparation he'd likely not be allowed on the HR.

In fact, we did not only do trail cutting - did a few training drills for the first hour and half or so, including marshalling vehicles. If I'd seen this video, I could have tried some of these moves!

Another big start to the week tomorrow - Josie is off to the vet to be de-sexed again. Here's hoping all gets properly done and we don't have to repeat a third time.

In the evening Ishbel and I are going with Janet to the Rock Eisteddfod. We've been for several years in a row now and always enjoy it.

TGIF - Fun Librarian-style

2009-07-31T19:17:00.000+10:00

From the American Library Association

Not happy

2009-07-26T10:48:00.002+10:00

Our supposedly de-sexed puppy may be in season!

We noticed some blood last weekend - thought it might have been a leech but it has continued. Took her to the vet on Friday and he thinks she might be coming into season (she's about the right age for doing it the first time). Either that or she has an infection.

Anyway $400 + later (Bella also had her annual injections) we have got some massive antibiotics to give her and I have to leave her at the vet tomorrow and he will take a swab to see if he can diagnose her problem.

If she hasn't been de-sexed properly (there might be a tiny remnant of ovarian tissue somewhere) she'll need another operation and it could be like looking for a needle in a haystack - Expensive and invasive.

TGIF - Jokes only understood in Scotland

2009-07-24T16:21:00.000+10:00

A pregnant teenage girl phones her dad at midnight and says: "Can you come and get me? I think ma water has broken."
"Okay," says her dad. "Where are you ringing from?"
"Fae my knickers tae ma feet."

"A Glasgow woman goes to the dentist and settles down in the chair.
"Comfy?" asks the dentist.
"Govan," she replies.

What did the male Siamese twins from Glasgow call their autobiography?
Oor Wullie.

A guy walks into an antiques shop and says: "How much for the set of antlers?"
"Two hundred quid," says the bloke behind the counter .
"That's affa dear," says the guy.
"Aye yer right!" replies the bloke.

Did you hear about the fella who liked eating bricks and cement?
He's awa' noo.

After announcing he's getting married, a boy tells his pal he'll be wearing the kilt.
"And what's the tartan?" asks his mate.
"Oh, she'll be wearing a white dress."

Ten cows in a field. Which one is closest to Iraq?
Coo eight.

Three wee jobbies sitting on the pavement.
Which one's a Musketeer?
The dark tan yin.

A Scotsman in London is having trouble phoning his sister from a telephone box. So he
calls the operator who asks in a plummy voice: "Is there money in the box?"
"Naw, it's just me," he replies.

While getting ready to go out, a wee wifie says to her husband: "Do you think I' m getting a wee bit pigeon chested?"
And he says: "Aye, but that's why I love you like a doo."

What was the name of the first Scottish cowboy?
Hawkeye The Noo.

What do you call a pigeon that goes to Aviemore for its holidays?
A skean dhu.

How many Spanish guys does it take to change a lightbulb?
Just Juan.

What's the difference between The Rolling Stones and an Aberdeen sheep farmer?
The Rolling Stones say: "Hey you, get off of my cloud."
And an Aberdeen sheep farmer says: "Hey McLeod, get off of ma ewe."

What do you call an illegitimate Scottish insect?
A wee fly b*****d.

Did you hear about the BBC Scotland series that features the queue for the toilets at Waverley Station?
It's called The Aw' Needin' Line.

While being interviewed for a job as a bus driver, a guy is asked: "What would you do if you had a rowdy passenger?"
"I' d put him off at the next stop," he says.
"Good. And what would you do if you couldn't get the fare?"
"I'd take the first two weeks in August,"he replies.

Two negatives make a positive but only in Scotland do two positives make a negative - Aye right.

A Glasgow man - steaming and skint - is walking down Argyle Street when he spots a guy tinkering with the engine of his car!
"What ' s up Jimmy?" he asks.
"Piston broke," he replies.
"Aye, same as masel... "

3D Ice

2009-07-23T16:49:00.003+10:00

Ishbel and I went with Cailey to see Ice Age 3 this afternoon after dropping Rob off to work. When we got to the pictures at Penrith it was to find that it was the 3D (and more expensive) version of the film being shown. They gave us some NHS look-alike 3D glasses and we settled down to the film. The girls thoroughly enjoyed the film, and the 3D effects. Me . . . it's too dark in there for me and all I wanted to do was sleep.

Weekend report

2009-07-19T19:55:00.006+10:00

The weekend began with RFS training on Friday night. Jamie Neale's dad had invited all those involved in the search and rescue mission to join them at an hotel in Katoomba but Steve, now our Captain, said he had a fun night of training for us instead so along trundled Robbie and I.

And it was a hoot! Somehow our "Ropes and Ladders" training session ended up, not with me adding another knot to my repertoire (of 3), but with us abseiling at Warrimoo in the dark!!! It was alright for Rob, he's been abseiling with the Scouts, but it was a first for me. Steve took some photos and said he'd send them on so I'll load them here and on Flickr when they come through.

Saturday night was Babysit Xavier night, something Ishbel's been counting down to all week. We think things went well enough that we have asked Karen and Dan if we can do it every six weeks or so despite the fact it meant even less sleep than usual for me.

The wee one was quite content during the evening. He thoroughly enjoyed a bath with Ishbel - we'd forgotten about the bath running as we made up his travel cot so it was lovely and deep - but didn't have much milk at bedtime.

We made up the travel cot in Ishbel's room and he went off to sleep really easily. However, around 2:30am he woke up grizzling. A wee cuddle and he went back down but woke up again later. Another cuddle and again off to sleep but again only for a short time. On the third time I gave him another bottle which he polished off in one gulp almost. Then (about 3:45am) he went back to sleep until after 7am.

He'd drunk his morning bottle during the night so he just had yoghurt and toast for breakfast. Same as us really! We were just getting ourselves ready to take Xavier a wee walk when Karen and Dan arrived. She gave him a feed that put him off to sleep! But we walked him up to the shops anyway and he was soon sitting sharing hot choc and a spoon with us.

This afternoon I took Rob out for a driving lesson. It's the first time he's driven a manual car. We've only re-insured the manual Suzuki for the boys; we can't afford to insure both cars for the boys driving, it's about double our normal, and we'd already done the Suzuki before we realised. We just went round and round a couple of loops in the local streets lots and lots of times while he got used to going up and down the gears. It was a bit jerky at times and I ended up feeling somewhat seasick but he mastered the skill pretty well in 30 mins or so.

Then he wanted me to drive him down to Blaxland where he works for McDonalds. He didn't want to have to drive on the Great Western Highway but I said for him to try going along Hawkesbury Road and we'd stop before he got to the highway if he wanted. However, he made it all the way down to Blaxland without a hitch.

Ian is off back to work tomorrow (although he'll have to be off again on Tuesday for a GP appointment). He nearly went back to work last week but stayed home to supervise the kids during the school holidays and anyway his hand has been somewhat sore. It's my turn for a week off this week. We've got Ishbel's mate, Britney coming tomorrow. And lunch with a girlfriend organised on Wednesday and I'll have to see who else I can catch up with . . .

Karen's making me do it . . .

2009-07-19T19:52:00.002+10:00

Jamie brought me home a copy of The Daily Telegraph on Thursday. I'd made it on to page 3 of the paper - or at least my beanie did!

(Double click the picture to enlarge it)

UK search also successful . . .

2009-07-17T12:44:00.002+10:00

From the wonderful Newsbiscuit site this exclusive report :

A 58-year-old British prime minister missing for two years has been found alive. Gordon Brown, from Glasgow, Scotland, went missing in Westminster’s political jungle shortly after taking assuming his new role two years ago.

Cleaners alerted emergency services after finding Mr Brown wandering aimlessly around the UK political scene, suffering from critically low poll ratings and a severe lack of exposure.

Mr Brown’s father, who flew to Westminster to join the search, said his son looked ‘gaunt and defeated’ but was lucky to be alive. Brown was thought to have wandered off into the jungle without any kind of moral compass.

TGIF - Office Mozart

2009-07-17T12:08:00.001+10:00

Too funny to wait 'til Friday

2009-07-15T18:13:00.000+10:00