Sunday Afternoon Snapshot
Sunday, 20 May 2012
  It's Sunday afternoon and Zali and Jon are napping off the effects of their City to Casino races this morning (Zali and Jett did the 2.6k version, Jon did 11k). Note the finishers medallions they are both wearing..
And Jett is obsessively following a football game online..
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Modern life bites back..
Saturday, 19 May 2012
Today we were out and about for most of the day so Jon recorded the Port v North Melbourne game. We were all very sternly instructed (multiple times) not to let him know the outcome of the game if we should find out (Jett is obsessed with following all the scores and tipping on the web so he was the most likely culprit).
So we got home and Jon got a beanbag and a beer and settled down to watch the first quarter. About 20 minutes into the game the TV rang (see previous post if you need further explanation) and it was Jon's mum (fellow long-suffering Port supporter) ringing to say what a great game it was and how exciting that they won by just one goal! heh heh heh… Despite Jon's despair, it was actually a blessing in disguise as Port were playing so badly and were so far behind up until the middle of the final term, I recon he would have turned off the TV missed the end if he hadn't known Port were actually going to win. And also it is great that Jon's mum is getting into the habit of skyping us from her iPad!
In other AFL items of interest, as I mentioned Jett is obsessed with AFL games and results and the family tipping competition. After the Port game we were talking about how it was only Port's second win for the season. I asked Jon who they had beaten already and he said 'St Kilda in the first round' whereupon Jett piped up and said 'that was by only 2 or 3 points'. We're talking about a game that happened 7 weeks ago here - so I looked up the result and although Jett was a point off (Port won by 4) I'm still pretty impressed. I think.
In unrelated news but I'll tack it onto the end of this post anyway, the kids both learnt to skate today. After strapping them into roller-blades and very stinky protective gear, Jon and I left them wobbling around at a Skate Centre while we went for a ride (they had been invited to a party there, we didn't just abandon them. Well actually we did but we figured they'd be fine, or at least too injured to go anywhere if anything did go wrong). Anyway by the time we got back 90 minutes later they were skating around eating and holding cake laden plates in one hand and a spoon in the the other. Success!
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Jetstar gets one back.
Friday, 18 May 2012
 So after finally checking in my bike bag (20kg on the knocker) and armed with my exactly 10kg carry-on bag, I headed down to the boarding area for the Hobart and Launceston flights - which looks like a large shed tacked on to the end of all the 'real' departure lounges. To my horror I discovered that they've stationed two Jetstar staff at the entrance to this area who do nothing but weigh (and collect cash for) every single item of carry-on bag that comes into that area They couldn't have done it in any other part of the airport as there are so many approaches, but in this shitty shed space it is feasible. And sure enough, my 'handbag' with my macbook, camera, phone, wallet and book plus assorted other stuff.. weighed 4 kg. Doh Actually it would have weighed less if I'd remembered to take out my 600ml bottle of diet coke. So $60 later… Still I can take comfort in knowing that I've gotten away with the old, 'fill the official carry-on to the max then pretend my handbag contains nothing but a feather' tactic heaps of other times so I guess I'm probably still ahead.
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You Yangs
Friday, 18 May 2012
  I really wish I'd taken some more photographs of our trip to the You Yangs yesterday because it was such a great day. Also there would have been some cool action shots to be had of us going up and down giant lumps of dirt and zooming around lovely banked flowy corners through the predominantly flat eucalyptus plantation. Thankfully Jo did take a few with my camera as I tackled a little rocky uphill section that took me three attempts to get up last time I was there (September). This time I did it first time - Yay!! Of course of the improvement was mostly due to my new lighter bike with dual suspension but nethertheless I made it and since lugging the 20kg bike bag to and from the airport and across Melbourne has been a whole event in itself I'm going to take personal credit for all riding improvements no matter how undeserved.
The photos are of the aforementioned rocky section - firstly of me approaching it, then walking the bike back down (riding down that section would have been another challenge altogether that I wasn't ready for).
We only got a little way towards the other steeper and more challenging area of trails so there's plenty more of the You Yangs to explore another day (for Jo) or another trip (for me).
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Fude Cultcha
Friday, 18 May 2012
When in new places it is important to sample the local food culture (at least if it is made with large amounts of sugar anyway).. The cupcakes were expensive at $3.80 for a regular, $4.80 for a 'deluxe' - sadly they were all eaten before I was able to take a photo so you'll have to use your imagination. The macarons from the local posho supermarket chain were only $1.95 each.
I wonder how long the macaron fad will last (as it's clear the cupcake fad is certainly easing off).. and what will be next? Clare (who is just off the plane from LA) reckons CakePops.. or maybe lollypops? milkshakes? cups of jelly? Slices have gone out of fashion in the last decade or so, maybe there will be shops dedicated to slices, like caramel slice, vanilla slice, coconut slice.. yum..
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Riding with my homies
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
  Today me, Jo and Clare went for a not very adventurous, but very fun ride along bike paths that included some fun little single trail bits with mostly doable obstacles. It was cool and there was barely a hill in sight. yay Melbourne.
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Trouble.
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
 Or as our twin owning friends would say (well maybe not say, but hear one zillions times a day..).. Double Trouble. Cute though.
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Melbourne Bike Paths
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Yesterday Paul sent me out on a long bike ride from Port Melbourne linking the Main Yarra Trail, Gardiners Creek Trail, the Anniversary Trail, and Capitol City Trail. He thought it would take me around two and a half hours to do a big loop of the city but what with road works and dodgy sign posting and road crossings it actually took me almost 4 hours. Although it got a bit frustrating, and I got a bit hungry, it was fun. - Melbourne is a great city for bike-path riding.   
I had planned to take a photo of all the bridges I rode across, but after 2 the novelty wore off and it would have probably taken me 8 hours if I had stopped at every one.
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More industrial paddling
Monday, 14 May 2012
Since I'm here in Melbourne for the week (as a holiday from my holiday) I thought I should take advantage of a paddling group which starts from nearby Paul's place in Port Melbourne where I am staying. I could hire a boat, pfd and paddle and do the session for just $15 which was too good an opportunity to pass up. The photo is of where we started from - only I took that about an hour and a half before we started so by the time we left the shore it was well and truly dark and the industrial landscape and shipping channels were represented only by flashing lights. Luckily all the other paddlers were also lit up pretty well, so I could follow them out in the choppy conditions. Apart from being dark, it was also really rainy so it was quite a battle at times - being in an unfamiliar boat which handled like a bathtub also made it extra challenging but it was all ok.
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Ultimate Challenge
Monday, 14 May 2012
So today I lugged 20kg of bike, 10kg of carry-on, and my little bag with a laptop, book and all the other stuff, from Melbourne Airport, on and off the sky bus, on and off two (2) trams, and up and down the streets of Port Melbourne. I was very pleased with my efforts (all to avoid paying $60 for a taxi since I know how hard I worked on Saturday to make a total of about $65) . Then I had to put together my bike.. Generally I avoid any bike maintenance as 1) I hate having dirty hands and 2) Jon does all that stuff. So more than 2 hours (and a few texts to Jonno) later later I was still trying to work out what I was doing wrong. It would have been hilarious if it wasn't happening to me.  
So I went from feeling very independent to feeling like a complete ditz. Oh well. Somehow it suddenly all worked and I was able to go for a quick ride before it got dark.
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Making do..
Sunday, 13 May 2012
 If there's one thing more frustrating than not being able to get the lid off a bottle of diet coke, it's mountain bike orienteering without a map board. You have to stop every thirty seconds to get your map out of your back pocket and revise your route plans (if your memory is as bad as mine). And as mountain bike orienteering suffers from having to stop all the time to punch controls anyway, it doesn't need any further interruptions to the flow.
So when we turned up to MTBO at the Domain today without my map board, this electrical tape was actually a pretty good solution.
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Modern Moment
Sunday, 13 May 2012
So the kids were resting up from fighting the Empire, or the Force or whoever it is when they play Star Wars, by watching some ABC3, and I was pottering around the house slowly getting ready for Mothers Day Dinner later on (very very slowly as I'm still in pyjamas and it's almost 11). Anyway, from the games room I heard, 'mum... MUM!', 'MUUUM'.. so I poked my head in... 'Mum the TV is ringing!' And it was! Jon's mum had skyped us from her new iPad (mother's day gift from Jon), and the TV was now a big Skype screen, and she was our very first caller. Very clever. She may have noticed I was still wearing pyjamas though...
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ahh... NZ
Saturday, 12 May 2012
 Take us back. You were so much fun.
It's cold here and way less fun, and also I can't find one single shop which will accept the remaining $40 NZ spondoolies that I have in my wallet.
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Cake Workshop
Saturday, 12 May 2012
 Running a cake workshop is rewarding and fun but it is a lot of hard work. For today's workshop I doubled my work load by holding it in a new venue which wasn't a teaching kitchen, but the function room of a local hotel. Whist it was nice and close, running an all day decorating course at a venue like this requires a lot more stuff and a lot more planning - I had to provide everything from dishwashing liquid, to bench wipers to knives to tea towels. Let alone the cakes and decorating supplies and equipment. So it's been a busy few weeks of preparation including chasing up a local kitchen manufacturer as I needed them to make me some elevated bench tops for everyone to work on as regular tables are no good to stand and work at all day. Of course these little bench tops (you can't quite see them in the photo but they are 50cm x 50cm raised platforms which I had to assemble myself) also had to be packed and transported and then unpacked and they are practically a full carload in themselves.
So it's been a big day. I'm glad it's over.
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Cross Country
Saturday, 12 May 2012
 
The Waimea Heights Cross Country is a very colourful event. Zali raced over her first reasonable length course (the Sandy Bay one is pretty short) and finished a very respectable 4th so she'll get to represent the school at the inter school cross country next week. Pretty good for no training at all. These photos are courtesy of a parent with a very good camera and clearly some photography skills.
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