December 29, 2008

Happy New Year!

We are all well. Amanda has found better working hours (no weekend work) since coming home and we're all better for it.

It's 2 years since we arrived in Canada. This is hard to believe. We have not been very good with keeping in touch and will rectify this over summer.

Will's folks are battling on determinedly at home despite finding the daily chores increasingly difficult to manage. Stewart is amazing - still singing in a choir, attending community meetings, getting himself to church and still driving his car! Has had a couple of falls but no serious damage done. Bron is doing exercise classes once a week and had a bit of a health scare in the middle of the year which meant a few weeks in hospital and a few more in rehab.

After the loss of Mrs. V's Mum we are reminded of our mortality. We think of Rita regularly. Hi Rita. We will be in touch soon.

This all combines to remind us that we'll be aiming to make the most of the next 20 years or so. We're planning long service leave (that's 3 months of paid leave - a feature of Australian working life) in 2010. May even find ourselves in the northern hemisphere, who knows.

We are thinking of moving to nearby Queenscliff - as a place with a bit more to offer teenage boys than St. Leonards which is still mostly full of retirees.

This year draws to a close. We have been ludicrously busy. A friend recently pointed out that the reason we seem to be getting busier all the time is that we are actuallly just getting older and slower. Us blokes especially who are only really able to cope with one thing at a time - are reduced to being able to focus on half a thing at a time. He might be right but I'm sticking with the notion that we're just doing more stuff.

Take the last 10 days for example. Finished my teaching for the year, went to boys end of year concert, stayed up to 4am putting the 'finishing touches' on my last assignment for the year, took the boys camping to Walkerville (nice but no photos) for 3 nights, came home, stayed a night in Melbourne to see Madagascar 2 and Billy Elliot (a musical from Northern England), came home, had a few families for drinks on Christmas Eve for Jack's 12th birthday, had 20 family members for lunch on Christmas Day, half of them stayed the night and for Boxing Day, went to the Australia v. Sth Africa Test at the MCG, and today lay on the couch.

I'm meant to be on holidays.

Jack hosting his last school assembly. He's off to school with his father in 2009. Who's a lucky boy?

Having my study on top of work and family life has pushed me pretty hard this year. I probably should have spent the year settling in after a busy 2007, but I'm sure that when the study is over I'll be glad I did it. One year to go. M. Ed. Worth it? I'll let you know.

Did you see this in the night sky in late November? Jupiter, Venus and the moon aligned to make a smiley face in the sky. It is not set to happen again in 28 years. 2036.

Motley Crew share Christmas meal.
Timmy, Claude and Amanda on Christmas Day.

Depsite being 68 for the past 12 years, Claude turned 80 this year. We held a party at our place.

Claude was reduced to hitting the Pinata Frog across the back of the head to celebrate the occasion.

Three-fifths of The Glory Box in song writing mode. In theory we get together every 3 weeks to write songs. Have written 15 (or so) sure-fire hits. Being in a band is easy if you (1) don't play live at all and (2) record nothing just write songs. We plan to act on recording this year but finding the time is a challenge.

Jack turns 12. That hair!

And we've just got a dog. Daisy the Staffy puppy arrived in early November and is boldly tolerating a fairly disorganised and confused training regimen. But we're getting there, or at least that what we keep telling ourselves.
George 'n' Daisy.

Jack 'n' Daisy

Last few months

Recent school holidays. Port Campbell then Lake Mungo with Beaumonts. Managed to squeeze in an assignment too. Right now I'm avoiding writing reports by doing the blog for the first time in so long it's likely that nobody looks at it no more.

Actually, I've got to go and will add stuff soon.








Lake Mungo. South-west New South Wales. 10 hour drive. Three nights in bush. Boys only.

May 8th

Exploring the saltmarsh.

Captain Jack on the soccer pitch. Fleet of foot. Fancy footwork.

The Bellarine Rail Trail. We went on a community ride and won a new bike (Jack's) in a raffle. Handy.

With bikes outside Davo's gallery in Queenscliff. www.saltcontemporaryart.com
He paints Swan Bay. Our bay.


Rail Trail. Burnt eucalypt woodland in background. There's a local firebug starting fires all over the Bellarine. Now there's a sensible way to spend your free time.

John, Ainslie & Judy. Wedding was a supreme success. Amanda's cooking next day was exceptional.

Time for a haircut, Curly Brothers.

Not a trip to Thailand. A meal in Melbourne to celebrate Justin's 40th.

George in the middle of his seatbelt ordeal. Somehow twisted himself in his seatbelt and was 'locked in' for over an hour. Each time he moved the belt tightened, which was funny at first...
Emergency services called in to take car apart and release George.


Menacing George about to nail unsuspecting opponent.

Congratulations to the Osbornes. Youngest looking grandparents we've ever seen - apart from the Lamothes, and the Fyfes.

April 2

We'll keep our blog running on a shoestring and will update once a month. We often find ourselves thinking about what we were doing a year ago...

First term was short and frantic. I worked six days a week - with cricket coaching each Saturday. All games were in Melbourne so it generally meant getting on a 6.30am bus on Saturday morning. I'm also studying - or trying to.

Amanda will begin a new job in April. Diabetes education as part of a health team. Four days a week. No weekend work!

We earned our Easter break. We spent the first weekend camping on the Murray with Janet and her family on an island. Over the years the Murray river has carved a complicated path constantly changing its route. The island is formed by a breakaway creek which looked destined to become the new Murray before human intervention. Janet & Pete own a tiny piece. We''l be back. The Murray is a controlled river. Water had just been released from the Hume Reservoir to increase the flow for Easter tourism. A few weeks earlier it was possible to walk across the Murray. Water politics will escalate. Not enough rain.
300 - 400 year old River Red Gum. Gnarly.

We returned home to collapse, sleep, play and study.
Jack made this BBQ'd lamb. ALL his own work. Nice.

George has a new set of golf clubs and has nearly finished his Harry Potter binge. He turned 9 on March 29.
Jack has joined a new soccer team and has a pair of fancy white boots.

Amanda and I (mostly Amanda, as it happens) are cooking lunch for 100 people on Saturday. Judy and John's last daughter gets married on Friday and they are having a lunch the following day. We offered because of all their kindnesses especially over the last year. A fine way to relax at the end of the holidays...

I've got an assignment due tomorrow.

March (and February, and January...)

To blog or not to blog? Might as well.
Please let others know that we'll be updating this at the beginning of each month.
After a blast of heat in early January, its been a mild summer with little if any rain. A week of hot (30's) weather forecast and it's mid-March. Sunrise this morning over the saltmarsh.

Meet Charlie. Amanda's youngest brother brought his first child (a girl) into the world just a few hours after February 29. Chloe and Charlie are doing very well.

Johnston J. whacks one to backward point and sets off for another run against Barwon Heads.


Mr Harry Potter I presume.

The brothers Johnston before a game. Cricket season is done.


Meet Matt. The Glory Box are having another crack at world domination. Here he is strumming one of his newies. First rehearsal coming in April. Recording in June.

Local madman Flag Man. Has flown the Albertan Flag a few times for us.

Meet Pip and Olive. Olive may yet turn out to be Oliver. We'll have to wait for a bit.


Sav Blanc, Champagne and Chardonnay after a liquid lunch in Queenscliff.

Home

After a more than a week of catching up with friends and family (every day, every night) today we have finally stopped for a few hours. The week has been really hot - too hot. 42 degrees, 40 degrees, 38 etc. Today is mild 24 and sunny with a light cool breeze blowing off the sea. It is great to be home. We do miss our friends and our life in Barrhead. What a great thing to have done. We all are very pleased with the year that was 2007.

We have been visiting places that we felt we needed to visit to really feel like we were home - local beach, Pt. Lonsdale lighthouse and rocks, Queenscliff. Playing lots of backyard cricket.

Ever had sand kicked in your face when at the beach? If so, it would be pretty unlikely to have been these angry-looking boys who - if you can get beneath all that muscle and testosterone (and sinew) - are actually just sweet, gentle guys.

Never judge a book by its cover.

Point Lonsdale lighthouse. A favourite place.

Backyard cricket. George squaring up to thump one through wide mid-wicket, just forward of the nectarine tree.

We are thinking of everybody back in Alberta because school starts again today. Not wishing to gloat or anything, but we have another 3 weeks before school starts again.

Hello Mr. Michaud. Hello 6A (A & C). Work hard! Have fun!

I'm about to head off and play tennis in the sun. All I need to do is grab my hat, slap on some sunscreen and head on out into the sunshine. Don't you just love summer holidays?