Clancy

 

Planted this grevillia in our garden today- a memorial to Clancy our Kerry Blue Terrier who we had to take to the vet this week. Clancy was 13 years old, we acquired him when he was 5 years old, from a young couple who both worked long hours and were having problems keeping Clancy at home. He was a real people dog and just wanted to be around people, he was always jumping their high fences and ending up at the school or the shops. He has no road sense so it is a wonder he was never hit by a car! Anyhow he came to live with us, and as we were around a lot more, and there were other dogs for company. He did escape on a regular basis, but gradually it was only when there was a thunderstorm, but we always got him back. He would always be nearby someone when we were at home, either in the bedroom, the garden, watching TV- he was a lovely do and we have wonderful memories of Clancy.

Day Off

ANZAC Day was a beautiful autumn day. I made ANZAC biscuits- yummy, and Amy and I walked into Tuggeranong via the back of Bonython, it was a lovely day for a walk. We had an ice cream at the new gelato shop in Tuggeranong, then we went to call Bill who was going to come and pick us up. However I had left my phone at home charging- I forgot to bring it, even after Amy asked if she needed to bring her phone and I had said no! We had to find a payphone- luckily there was one- first time Amy has had to use one of them- so a good learning experience for her! We rang home, it worked and Bill picked us up- quite an adventure!

ANZAC Day

 

Bill and I got up at 4:15am on ANZAC Day and went to the Dawn Service at the Australian War Memorial. Bill usually goes every year, we used to go as a family quite regularly up till the kids hit high school and found it harder to get up! I hadn't been for a number of years, but after our trip to Europe last year following in Bill's grandfathers footsteps and visiting Pozieres, where my great, great uncle Robert Middleton Bond was killed, I decided I should start going again, and glad I did. It was a moving ceremony and makes you reflect on what so many have done for our country, soldiers, their wives and their families. There was a real reverence to the morning and a wonderful way to start the day.

My Special Mirror

 

Lachlan put up this mirror for me yesterday.It was quite a job as it is a very heavy and a  very special mirror, so very. I told Lachlan I have raised his status from useful to very useful!

 

The mirror was from my mum’s house and is really the main thing I have from her place. I did not know the story behind the mirror till recently- it is as old as me. When my older brother Michael was born, in Pingely a very small town in WA, my dad was managing a farm and mum went off to hospital and  came home to a very messy house. On seeing the mess she burst into tears, so when I was born a year later in Adelaide my dad made up for her last home coming by having the mirror especially made and it was hanging on the wall in a perfectly clean house with a bunch of flowers! So it is very sentimental and is now hanging on my wall thanks to Lachlan!

. Turns out I got some of the details wrong so here is the updated version from mum who finally wrote it down!

 “We went to WA for you dad to manage a property up north for a bookmaker, who lived next to his uncle in Perth, but he collapsed in the heat He had to sleep in a Nissan hut as the promised new house was not built and I stayed with relatives in Perth getting morning sick every day. We moved south to Pingelly, a lovely place but your Dad was a farm labourer and worked from dawn to dusk.

The farm was 15 miles out of the town so he really could not help the mess, as we only had a wood stove to cook on too and to heat the water. I chopped the wood as he was too busy. Such a contrast when I came home to our own house in Adelaide.

Sunday Breakfast

 

Last Sunday Amy was up before 9:30am- which is a miracle so to celebrate I made coconut pancakes with berries and maple syurp- they were pretty yum!

 

Dogs

 

Time for some dog photos- obviously am struggling with things for my blog this week. Amy was up before 9:30am on a Sunday- wondered what was wrong with her! Anyway a photo of her and Benji having a nice cuddle. Then some photos of Jack and Bill. Every morning around the same time, Jack goes crazy for about 5 minutes. Sometimes he runs around and does crazy figure of 8's or he attacks Benji or anyone that looks at him. You only have to look at him and do a little step towards him and he charges around like a little crazy!

 

 

This Week

Bill was busy on Friday night up at the Canberra Astronomical Society Public Night at Mt Stromlo, so Lachlan agreed to come out with his mum to the Canberra Rep Play which was Under Milkwood by Dylan Thomas. I struggled with the play and was ready to come home at half time, but Lachlan decided we should stay on. It was well acted and well done I just found it hard to get into, but it was nice to go out with my son, and he did drive us there in his Subaru, which he can accelerate really fast in - such a boy thing, but he does keep to the speed limit!

Marulan and the 150 degree Meridian

On the way home we drove in to the actual township of Marulan off the Hume Highway and checked out some of the historic buildings and also Meridian Park, where they have a monument on the 150 degree meridian from which Australian Eastern Standard time is set and Marulan is the only Australian town right on the 150 degree meridian. A fact probably only of interest to geography teachers !

Belmore Falls

We also discovered the Belmore Falls just out of Robertson. Again spectacular views including a view across to Kangaroo Valley.

Vintage Cars

We came across a vintage car show at Robertson and they had some lovely cars. It is a bit of a worry though when they start including Beetles and Combi Vans in vintage car shows.

Old Cedars B&B

We stayed at a lovely B&B in a house called Old Cedars in Bundanoon. It was a lovely house with lovely gardens and lots of lovely sunshine streaming in. I slept for two nights 7 hours straight which is a record for me-so a very relaxing break.

Glow Worm Glen Walk

One night we walked down to the Glow Worm Glen and were really only expecting to see a couple of dozen glow worms if we were lucky but were amazed at all the glow worms, it looked like you were looking into the night sky!

Bundanoon

Bill and I headed to Bundanoon in the Southern Highlands for a weekend away. We had a lovely time and stayed in a lovely B&B called Old Cedars in the town of Bundanoon a two hour drive from Canberra in the Southern Highlands. We had beautiful autumn weather and the autumn leaves were just spectacular. We did a 3 hour walk in the Morton National Park. They must breed them tough in Bundanoon as they graded the walk as medium but it had some steep climbs, lots of fallen trees to climb over or under, little creeks merging with the track in places but it was a fantastic walk with lovely views over the valley, the Fairy Bower waterfalls, rocky cliffs and lovely temperate rainforest to walk through. We enjoyed our scones, jam and cream afterwards back in a Bundanoon Cafe.

Gunning Two Day Bike Race

 

Bill was directing the Gunning Two Day race for the ACT Veteran's Cycling Club so I went out on the Saturday to help out so took a few photos. I enjoyed the day, I signed on the riders, helped with the timing of the time trial then drove the trail car behind the riders for the 2nd stage of the race which was 50 kms from Gunning to Breadalbane and return. Got to enjoy the country side at a leisurely pace in the comfort of a car, it was a fun day, but wore me out!