2009 - The Year of the Extension

Dreams can come true! Plans can happen - sometimes it just takes time and patience - in this case many years. We have been talking about an extension for years, but now it has happened. We began looking around last year for builders and working out what we actually wanted and how much it would actually cost - always more than you want to spend! That part took 6 months, then it was 6 months of planning, approvals, etc and then 3 months of building and 3 months of getting the house organised but now we have our new house and it is wonderful. Will probably take the total of that combined to get the gardening done!

We were so lucky (fate, divine intervention, call it what you may) to get the original builder of our house- a woman -I think that is why the process was relatively trauma free! So now here are a few photos of the completed project. Will post more in the coming weeks or when I can get the teenagers rooms tidy enough to photograph

This is a view from the outside, we have put in some retaining walls and some paths, we have to get some mulch to put down then in spring we can start planting!

My favourite room - the kitchen/family room. We knocked down the wall to Lachlan's old bedroom and incorprated his old room into a bigger family kitchen area. We now have a table to eat at that is not covered in computers!

The rumpus room where we can lock the teenagers away in and bring them out only when needed!

WOULD YOU RATHER A NEEDLE OR SIT AN OBOE EXAM

When asked this question on the way to her oboe exam on Friday to try and help her with her nerves she actually said she would prefer a needle - this from a girl who hates needles! After her exam she did say that you actually felt better after an exam than a needle!

Amy had her first oboe exam on Friday- she did Grade 4 and passed with a credit and got some excellent comments. She did really well and is playing some lovely music. We went over for a practice with an accompanist during the week and it was lovely to hear the piano and oboe together and she sounded good!

AMY'S BEST FRIEND

Amy loves her dog Benji and any other animal around - always has. Benji manages to sleep in some weird positions!

Amy has had a busy couple of weeks and enjoyed them. A week ago she did a week of work experience at the local vet and had a wonderful time. She didn't mind the cleaning and lifting stuff she had to do, but she came home excited each time she had been in to watch surgery! She saw legs being operated on, dogs being desexed etc. She just loved it. It was wonderful to see her excited, motivated and happy. She even coped with seeing a dog being euthanised. It had gone into kidney failure and the owners decided it was time to say goodbye. Amy said it was very peaceful and she was glad she had been able to see the process. It was something when she was younger that she said she would not be able to do so could never be a vet. But guess what she wants to do now - be a vet!

Lachlan Turns 18!

The Yummy Portal Birthday Cake
Lachlan's 18th Birthday Dinner - He would not let us take him out to dinner so we brought it to him.

Cutting the birthday cake

The little boy is no longer a child- he is now a fully irresponsible adult! He turned 18 this week. We were going to totally ignore his birthday, because every time we tried to find out what he wanted to do he was very unhelpful. In the end we rang Lucy (the part time girlfriend) got her to talk to him and found out he would be happy to have Vietnamese Takeaway for dinner. He is in the middle of Year 12 assesment and exams so we put up with his clam like conversation and put on a birthday dinner for him. Lucy came over and made a magnificent "Portal" cake which Amy and Lachlan understood but Bill and I had no idea but certainly enjoyed. Evidently a "Portal Cake " is something from a computer game!

Mothers Day - A Month Late

Amy and I went down to Melbourne for Mother's Day. One night we stayed at my brother Gary , his wife Arlene's and got to catch up with them and Matthew who is now 18 months and has a wonderful play room.
Amy and I took mum out to the Australian Botanic Gardens at Cranbourne. We had a picnic lunch out in the Stringybark Gardens. While we were just sitting there we got to see two bandicoots wandering through.

Amy and Pam at the picnic table

Mum in her wheel chair!
It has taken so long for me to put this one up, she probably thinks she has gotten away with it! With mum's knee being sore she cannot walk long distances, but she was keen to see the Australian Gardens, so we hired a wheelchair, and that way she could could pushed around and just walk around the bits she wanted to see more closely. She was feeling a bit self concious about the whole thing, but she should no there is no mercy in our family! We had a great time, she enjoyed being pushed around in the wheelchair, and every time she got up to look at something, quick as a flash Amy was in the wheelchair- I am not sure who had more fun in the wheel chair - Pam or Amy!

Teenage Daughters!

Many of you probably already know Amy has been battling depression for the last 18 months. Last year was particulary rocky but she has come along way and is doing really well most of the time. She is doing lots of different things and has a good circle of friends. School seems to be a bit of a battle at times for her but school has been very good and supporting us through it.



One of the problems we had in the last part of last term was lots of headaches. Come the school holidays not a single headache. After getting her eyes tested and getting the all clear, we decided the problem was managing stress and anxiety and the key was relaxation. Of we headed for some counseling to find the miracle cure and learn relaxation techniques in one easy lesson! Wishful thinking!



Well Amy certainly managed the relaxation technique in one easy lesson - she fell asleep on the psychologists couch for 20 minutes! I figured that little snooze cost me $20 and the taxpayer $40! I guess the money wasn't completely wasted as I got some counselling while she was asleep- but I wasn't too impressed with her at the time - at least I can laugh about it now!

Devoted Wife or a Plot to Discover Secret Mens Business

It is 5:05am on a May Canberra morning, the temperature outside is 1 degree celsius. Most normal Canberrans are still warm and snug in their bed, but normal people do not reside at the Frost residence! The alarm has just gone off and it is time to rise and put on layers of clothing, cycling gear, shoe covers, gloves, anything you can think of to keep warm and head out the door by 5:30am leaving the dogs and teenagers to guard the house!

Flashing red tail lights and headlights on, it is a quick 30 minute ride at a brisk pace behind Bill to get to the waiting bunch in Philip about 13 km away. There we meet the bunch and ride at an even brisker pace. Fortunatley is is only for about 15 minutes and then we peel off from the bunch and head into the bakery at Manuka. Quick glance at the clock shows it is 6:20am! Most normal Canberrana are still asleep!

Time for a hot chocolate and fruit bun, chat to the others that have also pulled off the bunch, before we dash home on the bikes, make sure the teenagers are awake and ready for school, shower breakfast and ready to start the day, having been awake for 3 hours and already ridden 44km!

Yes, madness you may say, apart from those first few minutes rolling out of bed when the alarm goes off and the first few minutes on the bike in the cold I do enjoy it. And it is one way to spend quality time with your partner!

It is usually a bunch of about 6 to 8 of us at the bakery, usually all blokes but me - so it is a chance to discover what they talk about- well I must report nothing very exciting - motorbikes, fishing, bikes, more motor bikes, (I think 90% of 50+year old men have a motor bike) RFD or some other techno gadget, jobs and more motorbikes - that is about it- nothing too exciting

That is my Friday morning, so if you ring at 7am and wonder why no one answers thats because we are not home yet!