Lachlan's Week

It is a tough life being a uni student! Lachlan started back at 2nd Semester 2nd year this week. He didn't have lectures on Monday so he worked instead. Tuesday he had to go in for some a couple of lectures, Wednesday no lectures so slept in, Thursday he has some lectures and then Friday was Bush Week so classes were cancelled. He had to sign up for Labs and Tutorials this week but they don't start till week 3! He didn't get the times he wanted for some of those so wil have a few long days and a few gaps he didn't want but I don't feel too sorry for him!

Amy's Week

Amy started back for her final semester of Year 12 this week. One week down and around 15 to go! It was a relatively easy week this week, which helped ease her back into the routine. Amy has dropped maths and picked up another history, so all going well she will end up with a major in History, English, Chemistry and Biology and a minor in Maths. She has the same teacher for English and her two History Classes- Roman History and Early British History, so she is happy as he is a great teacher. She has a new teacher for Biology and is already having interesting arguments with him and enjoying it- he is an atheist and she is doing Evolution and Biology and Amy is not afraid to express her opinions. Chemistry she says is okay but again she has a great teacher which makes all the difference, so at least this term is starting off on a positive note! She has one class on Tuesday morning and a late start on Thursday which means she can have a sleep in with full days the other days.

On Monday night we sat down and came up with a list of options for next year which included:
- Arts Degree in History and ANU ( not sure if she will get high enough marks to get into ANU)
- Vet Nurse Course at CIT
- Gap Year- get a job and work
- Public Service as Year 12 graduate ( no idea how easy or hard this would be)
- Customs Dog Handler ( have since found out requires physical fitness test so would require a lot of effort on someones behalf to get fit!)

Then later in the week I was looking on the University of Canberra website to see if they offered an Arts Degree- they don't have the traditional arts degree but you can do a Bachelor of Arts in Museum Studies but the one the did raise some interest for Amy was a Degree in Cultural Heritage Conservation- where you learn how to conserve artifacts- photos, books, artworks, sculpture etc, so that is now another option.

At least we have a bit of a starting point and somethings to go look at at the open days for ANU, CIT and UC coming up at the end of the month!

Zonta

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On Saturday morning I went to the Zonta Activity over at Lyneham Chapel to assemble 4000 Birthing Kits for women in Ethiopia. This has been a yearly event, with the church helping out Zonta for a number of years, but this is the first time I have been and feel a bit guilty that I have not done it before. Zonta is an International Women's organisation that are involved in various programmes to assist women and this is just one project. Lyneham Chapel has a big hall and when I arrived at 9:30am it was full of tables and people working away. I spent nearly 3 hours folding black plastic and putting them into zip lock bags. We were just doing the preparation and in the afternoon they were expecting at least another 150 people to arrive to help assemble the kits. I got to catch up with my friend Louise Lambert, so the time passed very quickly.

Parramatta

Amy and I stayed in Parramatta for one night on our trip to Sydney, I had a lovely time walking around Parramatta, there is a lot of history in this city, with a heritage walk that takes you past some of the historical buildings and places of the early European settlement of Australia. We then caught the river cat into Circular Quay and spent the night in the city after going to Mary Poppins.

Life is Too Short, So Eat Desert First

I must confess I have a sweet tooth- I wish I didn't but it is hard to fight. So when we discovered the Gum Nut Patisserie in Berrima on our trip up to Sydney I just had to take this photo! I love this suggestion!

Amy and I shared a cake- there were so many to choose from- they were delicious, so much so that we called in on our way back home for another taste test. I think it is an excellent half way point!

Mary Poppins

Amy and I went to Sydney during the week to see the musical Mary Poppins, it was just fantastic and I enjoyed every minute off it! It is my most favourite musical ever! The costumes, songs, choreography and the whole stage production was just wonderful. Amy wouldn't let me sing along to the songs, but it was okay for the little girl sitting behind us to- that was cute- life is so unfair!. Amy loved it, but she rated Wicked as the one she has enjoyed the most. Mary Poppins the movie came out when I was a young girl and back then going to the movies was such a big thing, so I think it is associated with lots of childhood memories. We had a wonderful night and the fact that it rained practically non stop the whole time we were in Sydney and put paid to some of our plans did not dampen our spirits!

Not Much Sleep

Have had broken sleep the last few days- the Tour De France has been just too exciting. Normally I watch the highlights at 7:30am and at 6pm and don't watch the live coverage as it is too late for me, but since Thursday night, the tour has been too exciting to wait, so I have been doing things like sleeping with the TV on and when I wake up see what is happening, or last night going to bed at 9:30pm and getting up at 12:45pm to watch Cadel Evans in the time trial. It was worth it last night- as Cadel made up the 57 seconds he needed plus more to take the Yellow Jersey and 99.9% be the winner of the Tour De France- the first Australian to do so! We were all up- Lachlan and Amy couldn't believe their mother was up so late! One more night to see him ride to Paris- then I will be able to get some decent sleep!

Tour De France

It has been a quiet week at our house, nothing much to report, however at 7:30am each morning or 6pm each night some members of this household will be found with eyes glued to the TV watching the highlights of the Tour DE France. I find it too hard to stay up late at night and watch the live coverage, but Bill has stayed up on the weekend. It is all very exciting and so far so good for Aussie Cadel Evans. Who knows what will unfold over the remaining week or so!

Not only do I love the bike racing, but the scenery in France is just beautiful, I would really love to go and see more of France other than Paris. Speaking of Paris, I got an email from my mother regarding Paris informing me of all the places we should have gone to see while we were there- all this from the women I had to force to go to Paris! She has also informed me that once Amy has finished Year 12 and that I don't need to worry about her any more I need to take mother on another overseas holiday- I fear I have unleashed a demon!

Purple Package

A mysterious purple package arrived in our letterbox today from an overseas destination. I had to make sure we were not under surveillance when Amy opened it up. It contained two syringes of a suspicious looking substance. It says on the packet it is an oral shot of chocolate. I am not to sure about this, maybe I should insist that I sample them just to make sure!

Monga National Park

On the way home we drove in to look at Monga National Park. It is just over the Clyde Mountain and about 15 km from Braidwood. It is a lovely stretch of temperate rain forest and there is also a glade of ferns and plumwood trees with a boardwalk. It was a lovely little stop, and I always enjoy going somewhere I have never been before!

It was a lovely break away and the kids survived fine without us, didn't seem to miss us at all!

Seafood Extravaganza

As part of the accomadation package we had, we had two nights accomadation, a cooked breakfast delivered to our room each morning and Saturday night we had dinner in the Briars Restaraunt- the Seafood Extravaganza. We thought it sounded a bit over the top but believe me it was not! When it arrived at our table all the other diners around us just stopped and watched it arrived, a number commented and offered to help us eat it! I didn't have my camera with me and should have- I even googled some seafood platter images to see if I could find one like it but none of them came anywhere near it! It was just superb and we had a magnificent feast of seafood. A whole lobster cut in two, Clyde River oysters ( I left those for Bill), king prawns, king prawn cutlets- which were very lightly battered and on a skewer, calamari - with a very light salt and pepper batter, Morteon Bay Bugs, grilled fish, sauces, french fries and a lovely garden salad with caramlised onions and chargrilled vegies through it- it really was a feast! The amazing thing was that before I met Bill I only ate fish!

Summit of Mt Durras

It was lovely and clear at the top and you could see all around. We spotted two kangaroos, a mother and her older joey, they just looked at us like we were looking at them!

Batemans Bay

Bill and I went down to Batemans Bay for the weekend- it was our 23rd wedding anniversary, Bill suggested we go so I couldn't say no! We left Friday night, Saturday mid morning we headed out for a walk at Durras North. It was clear and sunny and no where near as cold as Canberra! We walked along the headland then up to the summit of Mt Durras, had a lovely time.

Interesting Tree and Fungus

Walked past this tree and thought I had to take a photo, it has an unusual trunk for this part of Australia. I also spotted some fungi, so took a photo of that!

Bill at Bike Racing

Here are some photos of Bill, he has the red bike, blue shirt and ride stripe in his cycling shorts. Our club has from A Grade to G Grade, I ride in F Grade and Bill rides in D Grade. The race was out at Gundaroo and though it was cool it was clear and sunny.

Bike Racing

One of the club riders is a photographer and he was out at bike racing the other week and took some photos of us all. Here are a few of me. It was a mass start as it was a Secret Handicap and nearly everyone took off really fast- except me, so by the time I got to the big hill the big bunch had gone, at least it meant I got some good photos of me taken!

Lachlan's Fire Party Commentary

Couldn't get this to attach to the previous posting so I am trying this way.

Lachlan had a late birthday celebration and start of the holidays dinner on Monday night with a BBQ and fire party at our place. There were about 8 of them, all studying at ANU, mainly college and high school friends. Lachlan brought out Woolies supply of sparklers and with a couple of bags of flour they seemed to amuse themselves! There was a new person there, one we hadn't met before, Erin, from Newcastle who happens to be in some of Lachlan's psychology classes and physics class. That is about all the information we know!

Didn't get many photos as I was tired and it was also very cold- we had a minus 5 that night!

Fire Party

Lachlan has finished exams and is now on holiday mode for the next few weeks. On Friday he got up about 2pm and cooked himself breakfast- looked pretty good!

Solar Panels

Our solar panels were put up on Friday, we signed up for them back in March so it has taken a while. They still have to be inspected and connected to the grid but at least we have progress! The photo was taken at 4pm so the solar panels are mostly in the shade but normally we will have pretty good solar access as we are a north facing house!