School Photos 2022

 

                                      Katy Year 7                                                  Ella Year 9

Happy Birthday Ella

15 today! Wow and no photo to prove it! It was the first day of Term 2 though which always make a birthday morning more complicated. Anyway Ella's pressies included black puffy, rock climbing shoes, grey trackies and some nice body care stuff.

Plus she treated herself to her third piercing (!) and a few weeks later breakfast out with friends.

Running Partners

While Ella was busy at throwing training, Katy joined Indi and I on a run. We did a lap around central basin of Lake Burley Griffin with Katy on her bike and Indi and I trying to keep up. It was a glorious day and lots of people and dogs were out having fun. Indi got to test the new water bottle Katy had bought her. It was a hit!

More Long Weekends, More Gardening!

The gardening slashing continued for a second long weekend. The acacia at the front had become too big, crowding the surrounding trees and plants. Sometime ago, I gave it a haircut in attempt to help those plants around it. Not sure it did much but recently I'd noticed that the very tips of the acacia were looking rather sad and dry. I suspect it was either coming to the end of its life or it hasn't liked the recent wet weather. Either way it gave me a reason to remove it! So another few trips to the green waste. I also took out another hydrangea making way for a third waratah.

The front garden looks very different without it - and especially now (as I write this post a month later) it looks sparse as the leaves have fallen from all the deciduous trees. I've taken more photos of the front for posterity sake as our neighbours house will be going soon...

Getting Creative

Ella loves to sew and create. When she decides to do something she puts in all her energy and time into it. School holidays are a perfect time to do this especially when we are both at work. Ella's recent creation include -

a plethora of crocheted animals

a full circle skirt made from a sheet! It took several attempts at getting the waistband right!

Another Year, Another Birthday

My birthday started off with a super nice morning run with my favourite pooch.

Next were a handmade presents from the girls - a crocheted whale from Ella and a frog made from clay and painted by Katy!

We ventured to blochaus for an afternoon bouldering session. Gareth, Jessica and Lewys joined us. The day finished with a relaxing dinner of burgers at Capital Brewing.

Andy was stuck for presents. Luckily he didn't purchase the robotic vacuum cleaner he thought might be a good idea and instead we agreed to buy a combined birthday present this year - a gravel bike!

We, actually mostly Andy, began researching online eventually narrowing down the ideal criteria. I chimed in about colour! However it became very obvious that the sort of gravel bike we were after were in short supply worldwide!! 

On a whim, I called into a local bike shop on the way home from work later in the week to have a chat and check their stock. As it so happened their partner shop in Gunghalin potentially had our 'ideal' bike (type and size) in a box waiting to be built. A quick call confirmed this and we arranged to visit for a test ride a few days later.

And so at the end of the week, we rode the bike and decided to buy it despite the bright red colour! A few modifications were necessary and we took our new gravel bike home a few days later. 

 

Andy got to christen it with a tour around the arboretum while my first ride was several weeks later - a work commute. It's nice to ride - much lighter and quicker than my mountain bike and I'm slowly getting used to the colour!

 

Easter Long Weekend

Easter long weekend allowed us time for gardening. First on the list was a clean up of the veggie patch; removal of the dying summer plants and then re stake the raspberry canes. This was followed by a trim of the crepe myrtles (one in the back and one in the front).

Meanwhile Andy had other ideas - borrowing Rob's super dooper tree extender saw - he cut down so much of the pistachio tree that we couldn't see the lawn or the deck!! 

So then next on my list was to help cut up the branches. One bonus is now we have boxes and boxes of kindling. Luckily for the long weekend!!

 

Not Home for Dinner - No Worries!

 Don't worry Dad, we'll keep your seat warm and might eat you dinner if Indi gets a chance!!

Latest Splurge

We were hoping on our WA travels last year to pick up a painting, possibly an indigenous one that we could take back home. However everything that we looked at was lovely but wrong size or wrong colours Then I stumbled across WA artist Helen Ansell. Her artwork is bold and reminds me of many WA flowers and birds. 

I'd been eyeing off a painting for several months then I finally made the decision to make the purchase! Called 'Head Full of Flowers' this gorgeous print is perfect for our living room. Now every time I look at the painting, I feel very happy and am so glad that I bit the bullet!

 

Working Bee

The first weekend of the school holidays was spent relaxing working at the lodge. Opting not to drive for hours on end to Easter O in Queensland, this was our only trip of the holidays.

With a couple of late withdrawals, the working party was much smaller than previous years. We were joined at the lodge by the supervisor Tony S; the Walter/Jones clan and another family of 4. The jobs on the to-do-list included renovation of room 6; renovation of the downstairs toilet, shower and change area associated with the sauna, renovation of the main lounge area; removal of all the window pelmets; clean out and restock of the stores; firewood stacking; wombat digging clear out; garden weeding and general odd jobs as needed!

Jobs were divided up based on preferences and skills (if required). Rob and I did the reno of room 6; Andy took down the pelmets; Al, Max, Ella and Alma did the store restock run and clean up; Mira and Katy did the weeding of the front garden; Rob also cleaned out the wombat digging. A late decision saw Mira, Alma and Katy painting the bedheads of rooms 7, 8 and 9. The other family cleaned out the hidden ski dumping room; began on the downstairs reno as well as various odd jobs. Meanwhile Tony ran between jobs ensuring everyone was on task and happy plus problem solving as issues arose.

 

We all helped with the wood pile stacking - and Max collated a timelapse of our efforts!

In between, we managed a few short walks / runs. Overall the weekend was fun (and tiring). Our family and Tony stayed up on the Sunday night making it a long weekend which was lovely.

Also exciting was the erection of a sign at the (very vacant) Guthega ski centre - a new cafe opening before the winter season!!

Solo Saturday O

Sometimes one regrets entering and volunteering at events especially when the weather is cold and rainy and everyone else in your family is injured or other commitments have popped up. That was the case recently. I trekked out to the Gib, ran (or actually mostly walked as it was very steep, thick and slippery) around the 3km course then had to wait until it was time to control collect. The first control on my collection course had a spectacular view which slightly made up for the next 90 mins trudging around the hill to pick up the remaining 9 controls. Glad to get the job done and was very happy to have a hot shower back home.

End of the Athletics Season

The final Saturday morning of little athletics was definitely not summery! The rain held off though as the girls enjoyed their last few events with their friends. It was a great group that included U 13 - U16 girls. Most weeks we averaged about 5 - 9 girls as someone was sick or away. It was also awesome that they were (mostly) happy to do the work :)