Finish Line

Saturday, 31 December 2011

This photo is for Tim F who loves the Sydney Hobart. This is the official finish line (this yellow buoy and across to the one on the right of the photo). For me today it was the official turning buoy in the Sandy Bay to Kingston via CSIRO recreational paddle, veterans division.  Competitors : 1.     I saw most of the last of the Sydney Hobart boats drifting up the river as I paddled and a tonne of little plastic kayaks out on the water as the weather was fantastic.

Warrior Tips

Saturday, 31 December 2011

Tip for young warriors:

Always remove your pyjamas BEFORE taping on your body armour.. 

Back on the water

Saturday, 31 December 2011

SA was lovely and all but I was very happy to get back on the water as soon as I could...

We've resolved to purchase some plastic kayaks for the next trip to KI as it's the perfect kayaking location really - lots of little bays and dolphins and beautiful blue green water..

Boarding Passes

Saturday, 31 December 2011

It amazes me that we can get up and go for a swim on Kangaroo Island in the morning, then be home in Tassie by the evening after a boat trip, a drive, two planes then another (shorter) drive home.  In fact, if we had taken an earlier ferry (we took the 10:30 am but they run every hour from 8:30), and had a direct flight, we would have been home in time for tea. As it was we arrived home at 10:30pm - a neat 12 hour trip. The flights were all on time, and the kids were great - Zali discovered the $2 (for 5 minutes) massage chair in the departure lounge and after begging for coins and having a go, she raved about it so much I noticed a whole lot of people who were sitting near us having a go too! She's saving up to have another go next time we find ourselves at Melbourne Airport.

Rock Sink Holes

Tuesday, 27 December 2011

 

 

Right, so as I mentioned before, at Flour Cask Beach, on the turning of the tide (Low to High) you can see these cool sink holes in the rock..where the water sucks up and down like a bath plug as the waves crash further out to sea.. We put small things down the holes to see where they ended up but the larger things were a bit difficult to experiment with as they wiggled too much when you picked them up..


Kangaroo Island

Tuesday, 27 December 2011

There's always something new to discover on Kangaroo Island..  Today we went to a beach where the water came bubbling up and down through holes in the rock platforms as the large waves crashed further out to see. Actually it's impossible to describe so I'll leave it to the photos..  In the meantime here's a photo of Zali and a Christmas tree on our 'local' beach at Penneshaw..

Adelaide Light

Saturday, 24 December 2011

The more I compare these photos with the one of my last paddle (well it wasn't my last paddle but the one I last had my camera with me) the more I notice the stark contrast in the brightness of the light! Anyway - I just like this photo - it's Jett and his new buddy Nathanial whose mum and dad are in the surf club (hence the ride on the rubber ducky). I recon you can almost see the heat pumping off the pavement and sand dunes!

Surf Rescue

Saturday, 24 December 2011

Today at West Beach Zali and Jett were lucky enough to get a ride in a surf rescue rubber ducky thingy.  You'd need a magnifying glass to see him but Jett's head is there popping up on the left side of the boat (and Zali is standing in the black and white top).  Jon and I were surprised at the enthusiasm with which Jett clambered into the boat as the last time he was on a small speedboat (at Freycinet a few years ago) he was holding on to Jon for dear life for the duration of the trip - admittedly it was a bit rougher that day.

There's a pelican in the photo too - if I'd held off the shot for 1 second longer there would have been about 10 of them as that was the first of a crowd which came flying by - and half an hour earlier 3 dolphins swam past just a few metres from shore too.   I went for a swim but I couldn't stop thinking about sharks.I wish I could have gone for a paddle.

Splash!

Saturday, 24 December 2011

Last night we went to my cousin Linda's place where Zali and her doppelganger Charley and Jett got to play in another pool!  Lucky them! Today has been hot hot hot and although we went to the beach where it was considerably cooler, up here in the foothills it's roasting in fact at 9.30pm it's still 30 degrees! sheesh. 

Planet Adelaide

Friday, 23 December 2011

After a dark and cold 4am start and two flights we arrived on Planet Adelaide at 9am, just in time to get to the very popular 9.30am breakfast at the adjacent-to-airport Ikea.    And get this, if you spend say $30 getting an ikea breakfast (which is hard to do given the breakfast special is $1.95), you get exactly that much discounted off the price of your ikea goods - how exciting is that!  If you are a) Tasmanian (us) and b)on a high protein diet (Jon), then that is VERY exciting!  Adelaide is like a different planet at this time of year - to go from windy/rainy/mildly sunny Tasmania, to Adelaide when everyone is putting on jumpers if it is below 30 degrees is quite a shock. It's not as bad heat-wise this year as it has been in previous years however I'm finding my stupid ankle is really really annoying at the moment as I can't get out to run or even walk in the national park we are staying right next to. 

 

 

In better news, Jon's sister has put in a pool (I think backyard pools are a compulsory requirement here) since last time so the kids have spent most of their waking hours in it and the rest of the time on the Wii so they are certainly enjoying their holiday. 

 

Saturday Morning Paddle

Saturday, 17 December 2011

 

 

 

 

 

Since the depths of winter I've been going to a weekly group paddling session whenever I can. The sessions are about 90 minutes long and are really great for improving speed as they are really interval training sessions of various lengths and of course in variable conditions (generally freezing in winter, windy in summer).  Even more important than the actual training though has been the chance to meet some other paddlers who are around my speed and training for the same events.  This morning (when another paddling plan sadly fell through due to injury) I went paddling with Ian, who lives miles away (by Hobart standards anyway) but was able to be convinced that a paddle from Kingston beach to Margate (16k) was a good plan (which it was as it turns out).  Paddling with someone else is really good not just from the perspective of company but also for safety. Which isn't to say that I'm not ok by myself, but it's better with a paddling buddy.

Sports Day

Thursday, 15 December 2011

Jett and Zali took part in an event the other day. I wasn't there to see it but I still knew when I went to pick them up that they'd been in an event. How did I know you ask? Because they were wearing this plastic 'ribbon' proclaiming their participation.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst my initial urge was to melt these 'ribbons' back to the plastic sludge they started as (as the risk of asphyxiating my family), I've kept them around while I've been working out exactly why I hate them so much (aside from their horrible plasticyness of course).  I think I know...

If you are going to give a ribbon, at least have it say something positive.  And  if you're going to do the touchy feely thing of giving every kid a ribbon you may as well go the whole hog and have that ribbon say 'Well Done' or 'Great Effort' or something like that. To merely report on the events of the day (albeit with a smiley face) seems like a waste of effort.  Although I guess it does make them reusable (as hey - they aren't going to biodegrade after all) - I might pin one onto myself after going to the dentist. Although perhaps that isn't an event as such. Maybe I could save it for a court hearing, or perhaps a riot - although that might make it harder to evade the police afterwards.

 

School Assembly

Thursday, 15 December 2011

It's school assembly season, and here is Zali showing us how the oldest girl in a Swedish family would dress up to celebrate St Lucia's day. She looks great although it looks like she put her feet on the wrong way round in the morning.

 

Heirloom

Thursday, 15 December 2011

Granny knitted a family heirloom this year when she churned out 3 wise men, 3 sheep, 2 shepherds, Mary, Joseph, Jesus, a crib and an onlooking donkey.  This is right up with her efforts in the 80s when I commanded her to turn out some extremely complicated designs (way more complicated than pictured below but you get the idea of the style) in time for various social events.  Anyway - the obvious problem is there's more than one descendant so I'll clearly have to up my efforts to get my siblings disinherited asap.  So Mum it was Paul who cleaned my roller skates with your toothbrush, not me as previously thought. And despite previous admissions to the contrary it was Denny who painted the side of the house with orange enamel paint when Dad told me her explicitly that she was not allowed to touch that paint.     If that doesn't work maybe I should just get in early and start sticking little red stickers onto them with 'cathy' written on them.   

 

Nothing a cupcake photo can't fix

Thursday, 15 December 2011

I'm sure you're annoyed that I haven't updated for a while but I know you'll forgive me because who doesn't love a cupcake photo! These were for a fundraising thing for Denny's work where she set up an indoor mini golf course with blocks and office stuff including a blacked out office and a glow-in-the-dark ball which sounded like great fun.
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2011summary
Finish Line Saturday, 31 December 2011
Warrior Tips Saturday, 31 December 2011
Back on the water Saturday, 31 December 2011
Boarding Passes Saturday, 31 December 2011
Rock Sink Holes Tuesday, 27 December 2011
Kangaroo Island Tuesday, 27 December 2011
Adelaide Light Saturday, 24 December 2011
Surf Rescue Saturday, 24 December 2011
Splash! Saturday, 24 December 2011
Planet Adelaide Friday, 23 December 2011
Saturday Morning Paddle Saturday, 17 December 2011
Sports Day Thursday, 15 December 2011
School Assembly Thursday, 15 December 2011
Heirloom Thursday, 15 December 2011
Nothing a cupcake photo can't fix Thursday, 15 December 2011
Wedding Feet Monday, 5 December 2011
Street Party Monday, 5 December 2011
Christmas Tradition Monday, 5 December 2011
Not so romantic getaway.. Friday, 2 December 2011
Not My Cake Disaster Friday, 2 December 2011
My Cake Disasters Friday, 2 December 2011
Blue Skies Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Mercury Surf Safari Monday, 21 November 2011
People's day on the Mountain Monday, 21 November 2011
People's day on the highway Monday, 21 November 2011
Fairy Flotsam Monday, 14 November 2011
Road Trips Sunday, 13 November 2011
Backing up Sunday, 13 November 2011
Tullah Challenge Saturday, 12 November 2011
Tullah! Friday, 11 November 2011
Craftarama Thursday, 10 November 2011
Where are the women? Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Watch out for that Light Saver Luke. Monday, 7 November 2011
Going Places (or not) Sunday, 6 November 2011
Summer - Today Only!! Sunday, 6 November 2011
On the water.. Saturday, 5 November 2011
Waterfalls and Pandanas Sunday, 23 October 2011
Uniform pondering Sunday, 23 October 2011
Boats at Freycinet Sunday, 23 October 2011
before & after #23 - Out Takes Saturday, 22 October 2011
before & after #23 Saturday, 22 October 2011
Freycinet Challenge Monday, 10 October 2011
Clothing Challenge Update Monday, 3 October 2011
Re-United! Monday, 3 October 2011
Bogan Sensitivities Monday, 3 October 2011
MTB Boot Camp Friday, 16 September 2011
Otway Fly Friday, 16 September 2011
Extreme Granny Friday, 16 September 2011
Ruuuuunnnnn!!..... or walk, really.. Friday, 16 September 2011
just quickly.. Friday, 16 September 2011
Child Torture Monday, 12 September 2011
Great Ocean Road Monday, 12 September 2011
not like the old days Monday, 12 September 2011
Otways Sunday, 11 September 2011
Book Week Sunday, 28 August 2011
Funnest Game EVER Sunday, 28 August 2011
Winter Challenge Take III - Part II Sunday, 21 August 2011
Winter Challenge Take III - Part I Sunday, 21 August 2011
In other news.. Thursday, 18 August 2011
Gen Y. Thursday, 18 August 2011
Happiness Monday, 15 August 2011
New Traditions Saturday, 6 August 2011
Back on Deck Saturday, 6 August 2011
Welcome Home Me! Sunday, 24 July 2011
Snow Day! Sunday, 24 July 2011
Bear Grylls Cake Sunday, 24 July 2011
Local Skiing Sunday, 24 July 2011
Babushka Matchboxes Sunday, 24 July 2011
Ok, so maybe there's two Wednesday, 13 July 2011
The Only Reason to Not Move to Tassie Wednesday, 13 July 2011
on the snow! Monday, 11 July 2011
on the water Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Happy Birthday Jamie Saturday, 18 June 2011
Pump Track Saturday, 18 June 2011
Local Footy Saturday, 18 June 2011
School Cross Country Tuesday, 31 May 2011
My new blurry boat! Tuesday, 31 May 2011
Forgive me? Tuesday, 31 May 2011
Tough As Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Snow! Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Frustration Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Life in the slow lane.. Friday, 6 May 2011
Community Service Announcement Friday, 6 May 2011
Stanley & The Nut Tuesday, 3 May 2011
Mural Fest Saturday, 30 April 2011
Mt Roland Saturday, 30 April 2011
Holidays.. Saturday, 30 April 2011
My New Phone Sunday, 17 April 2011
I love cooking too.. Sunday, 17 April 2011
Jett loves cooking Sunday, 17 April 2011
Under the Deck Thursday, 7 April 2011
The other Weming? Thursday, 7 April 2011
Happy Snaps Monday, 4 April 2011
The Cute Weming Wednesday, 30 March 2011
The Wemings Wednesday, 30 March 2011
A long time in the making (sort of)! Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Power Plant Monday, 28 March 2011
before & after #22 Monday, 28 March 2011
before & after #21 Saturday, 19 March 2011
Footy Figurines Saturday, 19 March 2011
Binalong Bay Sunset Saturday, 19 March 2011
in other news.. Sunday, 6 March 2011
Loss Sunday, 6 March 2011
What's with Zhu Zhu pets? Thursday, 3 March 2011
Atlas Sewing Machine Sunday, 27 February 2011
What I did on the weekend.. Sunday, 20 February 2011
Ouch! Tuesday, 8 February 2011
16! Friday, 4 February 2011
Hanging out Friday, 28 January 2011
Egg Island Friday, 28 January 2011
Measuring Day Friday, 28 January 2011
Harvest Friday, 28 January 2011
I'm still here.. Friday, 28 January 2011
2011$ Challenge Take 2 Sunday, 16 January 2011
20$11 Challenge Thursday, 13 January 2011
In other news Saturday, 8 January 2011
Job Well Done Saturday, 8 January 2011
Lovely Zali Saturday, 8 January 2011
More Maria Photos Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Maria Island Wednesday, 5 January 2011