Operator Please - Just A Song About Ping Pong

Canberra Centre Visit

As I have mentioned elsewhere, there has been a large extension to the northern section of the Canberra Centre in Civic, this has given us a range of new shops, some like Borders and Dendy I have already talked about, but today Deb and I went for a mooch along the strip of new shops. We agreed that most shops were not designed for women, but for girls. I think we went into every shoe shop and it is nice to see something that you would not find in Myers, or DJs etc. Two of the shops we went into were worth reporting.

The first shop we were struck by was Aesop.
This has a range of skin care products and well being products. It was established in Australia with headquarters in Melbourne and is now available around the world. The store is very brown and looks a little like a cave, but once inside the staff were wonderful, very helpful and gave us lots of samples.
The next shop was just across the way, called Mecca Cosmetica, which sells cosmeceuticals. A great range that I had not seen before. In contrast Aesop, this shop was flooded with white light and it was a bit like being in the spotlight. Again the staff were great and we obtained lots of samples. The best thing about both shops was that there were different products in there that I had not seen before.

We finished off the evening with a chinese meal at the Hidden Dragon and demolished a very nice bottle of red wine. Next we were off to the chocolate shop for coffee and cake and found it closed at 10pm. Finally a bar was located and we had coffee and cake there. I left the centre at around 11.30pm way past my usual friday night bedtime.

It rained

The weatherperson reported that we should have rain on Thursday evening and we did - I do like it when the weatherperson gets it right. Tuggeranong 2.2mm and Canberra 1.2mm. As we had rain it was relatively warm overnight, dropping to 6.4 in Tuggeranong and 7.2 in Canberra - so no snow (or do I mean ice) on the car tomorrow!!!

Interesting sites and great time wasters

While surfing I found some interesting sites to share with you

• Desktop Blues

Click on the buttons to play the blues - I love it!

• Pipecleaner Dance

Make that pipecleaner dance, it's fun.

• Colour me

Find out about your personality, take this test

• Fact Monster

Great way to find the answer to your homework questions

Fun things to do in the Capital

Well I checked out this website today as it lists some different things to do in the ACT.


I can recommend the vintage fair from last year. People at Blundells Cottage dress up in settler dress and offer activities and sheep sheering, similar to what you would have seen in the 1890's. Entry is free and you can also buy food and drink.

Two weeks from now is a weekend of drive in movies, where the winter wonderland was for the school holidays. I am sure that we should take the children to experience the fun of a night at the drive in.

23-25 August are the night markets. I am sure the 642.4 gang needs to check this out.

MLR's Holiday Activities

List from MLR to her Dad, of activities to do one day in the school holidays

1. Play golf
2. See a movie
3. Buy baby born clothes
4. Have lunch

Hope he can keep up!

JC's birthday

Yesterday JC celebrated her birthday, and today the 642.4 gang kidnapped her from her home and took her to the Woodworks Cafe in Bungendore for spot of brunch. We mooched through some of the shops afterwards, however it was very cold and we had to leave the lollie shop as it was too cold. Another shop thoughtfully provided us with a woodfire to keep the chilblains away!!!

Happy Birthday JC

Sunset

the view from the side fence
towards the Brindabellas

Winter thoughts

As I sit here in the cold that is Canberra, my thoughts move northward to the heat of the tropics - Broome, Cairns, Darwin...

Update on snow

As a follow up on yesterday, I have to report that there was no snow, anywhere. A little in the hills and that was all. :(..

Weather Station in Monash

As some may know there is an obsession with the weather here in this household - with Mondo anyway - (this obsession exists in some other households I know of as well). JSR wanted to know what our elevation was as it is going to snow down to 500m today, and we wanted to see how high Monash was. We found that Isabella Plains, which is next door is 588m, and we figure we are close enough to them to be about the same. Another report I read said that all of Canberra is above 500m, this means then that we should all be building snowmen by tomorrow. Here is what the ABC had to say.

While looking for our elevation, height, distance from the sea floor or altitude, we found someone in Monash with a weather station. So if you are interested in incredibly localised weather then check this out.

Snowdome

On Monday of the second week of the school holidays, MLR, AJR, Mici and I went to the snow dome with JMK and JBK and their mother. As we arrived, just after 10am, we were met by TSS with two sets of wristlets for the kids, one with A on it and the other with M on it, AJR has not really taken his off since. In fact we have to ask him to take them off to eat. The link shows you one TSS made earlier. The temperature was only 1C at 10 am, so we were keen to get moving, at 12 it had doubled to 2C.

I have to say I was disappointed with everything at Winter Wonderland or the snowdome except the skating. The rink was good, the helpers were on the ball. CJK, AJR and JMK (aged 4) all got some decent skating in.

CJK and JMK

Everything else was a rip off. Next time we will just go to the Phillip Ice Skating Rink.

As you entered there was snow falling in bursts, however it was not snow but bubbles. The toboggan slide was great for JMK and AJR, the two M's were not interested - you sit in blow up boat and slide down. JMK had about 5 or 6 goes, but did not pay for all of them. Snowballs turned out to be buckets of ice that you had to form into balls and then could only throw them at a painted wooden snowman. Mici, MLR, AJR and I all had a go on the dodgems which we all loved (not sure how they relate to snow, but they are a good money spinner).

Mondo pretending to skate

We all went back to CJK's for lunch. I left AJR there to play with the the PlayStation. I drove to Bundanoon with the girls. We arrived about 4.20 to find that the white ant man had not arrived yet so Dad was not impressed. We stayed about an a hour and checked out the Kangaroo's and the two wombat holes, had a drink and froze a lot. Mici and I got back to CJK's about 8pm. Mici got home about 9pm. AJR and I got home to find a wonderful fish dish and salad courtesy of JSR - yum.

Weekend in Monash

On Friday evening I arrived at 4.57pm to collect AJR from the bus. He has been to Mountain Trails again for a week. I was feeling pleased that I had made it on time and sat in the car playing patience on my phone while waiting. Did I mention that I had to wait, well wait I did until the bus arrived at 6.23pm. By this time I was getting very cold, a little cross. AJR came off the bus and put his sleeping bag at my feet and then went to get his other stuff. I waited to collect the report (they give you a report on behaviour and what activities were accomplished). I sent AJR off to the car with the keys. I got the report and then also headed to the car and we drove home, telling JSR that we were on the way. He had been for his flu jab at 5.30pm.

At home I found that we had left the sleeping bag, I thought AJR had it and AJR thought I had it - you know how that goes. After much arguement and lots of phone calls I arranged to collect it from Latham on Saturday morning.

On Saturday morning I was late for my hairdressing appointment as I had mislaid my keys and then I still had to defrost the car. I did get my hair cut and then I collected the sleeping bag from Latham and then it was off to Lyneham for croissants. I took two huge crossants over to TSS's and we ate them with coffee and I ordered stuff for Mum's birthday next month. I left and collected two cappuccinos and arrived home at 11.10 to wave JSR off to golf. It was morning well spent.

Sunday I spent cleaning as Mici was coming for a sleepover. At 3pm MLR and I went to Maddy's birthday party. Three hours of bedlam (not the mental hospital, but close) with about 23 kindergarten plus assorted other age children all running around in the house - fortunately it is a large house. Home at 3.20pm and more cleaning. MLR and Mici had a great time, I made them home made hamburgers for tea and they were asleep by 10.30pm. Unfortunately they were up again by 6.15am on Monday.

Knocked Up

Well last week I went to see "I do" with french subtitles and a glass of wine, this week saw me at Hoyts Tuggeranong, trust me not the same ambience to see "Knocked up". This is about a one night stand between an educated, employed woman called Allison (please note the spelling) and a man, Ben, whose main interest in life was his next puff of weed and designing a soft porn website. I will leave the rest to your imagination!! Here is the official movie site, in case you want more! I think next week will see me in cinema's watching "Divorce" - hope they get on with the release date.

Mondo

070707

No my fingers are not stuck nor are the keys on the computer stuck, 777 is the date for today and is supposed to be lucky.

My friend Pam is hoping her first grandchild will be born today (I will let you know)

Global 777 events - 7.7.07 is celebrated all over the world. Check out some of the events that are happening around the world.

777 Weddings - Thousands of couples around the world are getting married on this special day. Hotels and casinos are offering special promotions.

7 things to do or not to do on 070707.

and in celebration of the auspicious date, Live earth concerts are playing for 24 hours. Here is the Live earth pledge.


I PLEDGE:

-To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth;

-To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become “carbon neutral;”

-To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2;

-To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;

-To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal;

-To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests; and,

-To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.

I will check back later in the year and we will see how "carbon neutral" I can become!!!

Mondo

I do

Thursday night TSS and I went to the Dendy for a new chick flick called "I do". TSS had half price tickets.

We arrived early and went to a small cafe around the corner for a quick supper and then headed back to the Dendy, where we purchased a glass of wine each. It was at the bar when I spied a good friend, DM whom I have not seen all year, Mrs P was with her. DM and Mrs P, TSS and I all chatted and walked into the show together and sat together. DM is going to pop over on Monday afternoon for a really good chat.

As the film was in French I managed to stay awake in order to read the subtitles. Pity this does not work with films like Shrek 3 that I slept through. I also enjoyed being able to take my glass of wine into the cinema with me - TSS and I had seat that you could remove the arm for canoodling!!!

Girls check out the movie, there is plenty of eye candy.

Mondo

Rainbow in a Fountain

If you have ever wondered where the pot of gold is at the end of the rainbow, then you need to check out this photo of Lake Burley Griffin.

http://the-riotact.com/?p=5260

Cheers,

Mondo

July already

Caught up with TSS this morning and visited Vinnies, where I purchased a small present for my mum's birthday next month. We then adjourned to the Savanah Restaurant, recently reopened in the restaurant strip outside the Hyperdome. Here I had a lovely breakfast, with poached eggs, tomatoes, bacon on sour dough with hollondaise sauce, with a plunger of Cleopatra champagne tea.

Photo courtesy of TSS

While waiting for the food I got to colour in my own place mat, fortunately for me, the food was better than the art. Savanah was a restaurant we regularly had lunch at for work, as well as the four of us as a family on the weekends. It was hard when it closed for renovations, as it was a great place for groups and families, without being a chain food stop. We also thought that with all the renovations, it may never come back, so it was with great delight that I found it open this morning. On weekend's they serve breakfast until 12.30pm, so that has to be a bonus. We meandered back into the Hyperdome and then I went off home, leaving TSS to shop (something she has not done for a month, so she was pretty keen).

At home I took a call from the school, the Principal of Monash Primary was on the phone to explain the process for next week. See here for the background. AJR will be bussed to and from Erindale College and will have access to a great computer lab, but no canteen. They have their own area to use for recess and lunch and have a section of classrooms. College finishes at the end of Monday, so they will only have to share the College for one day. The Principal indicated that they would be doing school work over the next week, for which I am grateful. I really object to the number of video's and cleaning jobs they usually get at the end of semester. The Principal also seemed to suggest that the repairs might take longer than three weeks!!!! Watch this spot.

I used my new convection microwave oven this afternoon, AJR made a chocolate brownie slice and Mondo an apricot slice. I will post more on Aunty A.

Mondo