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

Speedcam Hijinks

JSR sent this to me yesterday and I thought you all should know about the ingenuity of the youth of the ACT.

Enjoy,
Mondo

Friday on my mind

Friday started with a visit to the Dr for Mondo and a day off work
Next AJR's school asked that as many students as possible stay home today, as the school is not safe, so he's at home. Here is the report on what made it necessary for him to stay home. AJR and all the year 6 kids will spend all of next week at the Erindale College, I have no idea why they cannot send the year 6 kids to Wanniassa High, where they have all been for an orientation, and the kids are closer in age.

JSR comes home early to study on Friday, although today study is mostly the inside of his eyelids on account of how sick he feels. I fetch MLR home and JSR discovers she is covered in hives, we sprint back to the same Dr to have her checked out, then off to the chemist for some antihistamine medicine. MLR's torso was covered in blotches and whole areas were white and raised. The Dr could write letters in the hives using the pressure of his finger!!! She also has hives in her scalp, and parts of her legs and arms. Very pretty. I am pleased to report that after just one dose of zertec, MLR's hives started to calm down.
Tomorrow has to be better.

Retirement

Retirement seems to be the buzz word this week.

Michael Klim, at 30, has decided to hang up the togs, he is going to concentrate on his swim school and he regrets that he did not win an individual gold medal.

John Laws yesterday announced his retirement in November 2007 after 55 years on radio - I cannot imagine doing the one job for 55 years!!!He is going to write and travel- lets hope he has invested his $14million a year pay packet well. For more info check here.

Michael Parkinson, born in Barnsley, Yorkshire in 1935, is set to retire after his last show which will be run this Autumn in the UK. He plans to write his biography and continue to host a Sunday lunchtime radio show. Saturday nights will not be the same without him.
Here is a potted history of him. Parky has been married to the same woman, Mary Henegan since 1959!

Happy retirement guys!

Bikes, Rain, stuff, etc.

Here is MLR (being Dorothy the dinosaur) on her bike that she got for her birthday.

Well it is raining in the capital and we are loving it (except for the temporary Australian's who continue to drive as if in Monte Carlo), Goulburn is loving it more as they have had more rain this week than in the past two years - they are thinking about having more than one shower a week now!!! We had snow on the Brindabella's as we came home last night. What is not to love about winter. On the 14th of June we had road closures due to snow between here and Bungendore - kids could not go to school and workers had to stay home, I thought about moving to Bungendore!!

School holidays are rapidly approaching and the newly tarmacked car park beside the National Library and Questacon is going to host a snow dome for the the kids. MLR has been invited to a party there, followed by a sleep over. She already has her bag packed.

Canberra goes blue for refugees!

From the 18th of June for one week we saw several of Canberra's national treasures lit up in blue to celebrate world refugee day.

For more information go here. And here.
For a picture from Flikr go here.

Sicko is coming

As you are probably aware, Sicko, the new movie/documentary by Michael Moore, is being released on the 29 June 2007 in the US and then here soon after. It has already been shown at Cannes, where it met with acclaim (15 minute standing ovation).

This expose is about the problems the US health system has, with under insurance, the lack of a government funded health care safety net and some of the consequences of these issues.

Here is what Mother Jones had to say.

Here is a review of Sicko from Cannes Film Festival, and another from the American Society of Registered Nurses.

This review includes a You Tube promotion of Sicko.

If you find the release date in Australia, then let me know.

Mondo

The rain started as the school bell went and the rain continued on into the evening making the trip home slow again, although not as slow as yesterday, when, after negotiating the car crash, I had to pay a fine for being late at afterschool care! Tonight the Monaro Highway and Yamba drive outside the hospital were banked up or stopped, while the Parkway was slow but steady and no accidents.

MLR had to walk from her school to the afterschool care centre, which is based at another primary school, when the ACTION bus service failed to turn up! 45 minutes of walking through the rain with no raincoat or umbrella!!!

On a completely different tack, an incident at Erindale where I shop regularly was slightly alarming, see here.

Let's hope that the weather is kinder to you and that you lack angry "shop lifters' in your area!!!

Mondo

Rain and Road Rage

Good news today, stage 4 water restrictions have been delayed until August. Keep your fingers crossed for more rain. Here is the Canberra Times report.

Coming home tonight I encountered long delays on the parkway due to a multi car crash. By the time we got to the crash site, just before the Sulwood Drive exit, all the cars were off to the side and we were able to drive past easily, however in true Canberra style we had to do the travelling at 10-20 Ks an hour, why do we have to watch cars on the side of the road? Thinking about this and looking for a report that would confirm the delay of stage 4 restrictions I found this site Canberra Road Watch. This lists bad drivers in the ACT by their number plate, got to be worth watching, if only to ensure that we are not on it!!!!

Cheers,
Mondo

Update on where to send AJR to High School

In the end we asked AJR to make the decision about which school to go to. He thought about this for three days and then declared that he wanted to go to Wanniassa. We hope that he enjoys this school.

Fireworks Night

The family gathered at the MonashMob mansion to enjoy good food

wine and beer

and fireworks.

Where to send ARJ to school

In the ACT all the high schools go from year 7-10 and then you go to college for years 11-12. Each school has a speciality or focus and so kids often go to an "out of area" school. Here is the story of our exploration of the high schools in the ACT.

This last three weeks we have been looking at High Schools for AJR - can he really be that old? Apparently yes. We started with Mackillop Catholic College, which was in favour with AJR as his best friend was going there. I went to the information night (along with lots of other parents I knew) and did not see anything that made me want to send him there more than anywhere else. Apparently AJR's best friends parents had the same thought and now the friend is going to Wanniassa High, and AJR too if he can persuade me. I am not keen. Next I dragged AJR to Lyneham High, this school was recommended to us by Uncle Paulie and another teacher, however in the end I think it is too far from home. Next we all went Alfred Deakin High. We all ended up here because JSR had left work too late and had to go straight to the school. The tour was well organised and the school seems to have a lot to offer. It is closer to home than Lyneham and is well resourced for all levels of student. Last week we went to Melrose High, which is near where we used to live in Pearce. MLR went to LR's for the evening. We were impressed with this school, and we would be happy to have AJR there. As we went to leave Melrose, we discovered that we had locked ourselves into the neighbouring school carpark. So we taxied home and then I went to collect MLR, at nearly 10pm. Our last visit is to Wanniassa High on Wednesday night and we hope to have no new adventures. Wanniassa is the school that AJR has automatic entry to, as Monash is a feeder school for Wanniassa. We have decided to rank the schools, Alfred Deakin, then Melrose then Wanniassa. Hope you found all this illuminating!!! I found it tiring, but interesting.

JSR

So that you all know how wonderful he is, I am sharing this photo with you. This is what came home on tonight, they are so beautiful. Thank you!!!!!

Autumn weekend in Canberra

I love Autumn, beautiful blue skies, crisp days and cool nights. Friday night I arrived home with extra children, M&D arrived from Sydney and chaos reined. Chicken and salad for tea and a long evening chatting (I did give the extra children back at some stage).

Saturday M and I went shopping while D went off to the galleries. Back from the shops and the girls M, MLR and Mondo went shopping again, this time to an education bookshop and FSW (shoe warehouse). At FSW we squeezed into a car park right in front of the shop and I was reminded of a time long ago when we got run into in this car park. MLR was about 2 and had fallen asleep in the car, so AJR and JSR got out and shopped while I watched MLR. A station wagon pulled in next to us and I felt a bump, I stared at the car as it backed away - then I realised it was coming into the space again and again I felt a second bump!!!! The car backed out and went off down the row. I got out of the car and started to look at the damage, which fortunately was limited. The people in the car came up to apologise and I realised that I knew the mother of the driver them from our local primary school!!!

JSR had the best afternoon, he scored 84 in golf (first time he broke 90, and he only broke 100 in January) maybe I am living with the next "shark".

Back home to clean and dust and wash. Then CJK and the kids came over and chatted, while I continued to clean. We had cheese and biscuits out in the patio, with M and the children ran all over the place. Towards 5pm we added a glass of wine and D came back from the galleries. About 6.30pm Bron and Andy, A-R and B-J came over for dinner. Not the most exciting dinner
party I have ever had, the company was fine, however the food was ordinary.


Sunday M&D went off to the opening of the Canberra Glassworks in Kingston (aparently about 4,000 people went through in two days) and then they went next door to the Bus Depot Markets. We headed off to Kingston for lunch, followed by a walk around Woden and back home at 5pm. D had chopped all the claret ash and it is now ready for the green waste, thanks D.
After tea M, D and I did the word quiz in the SMH, where you solve a nine letter word puzzle - we were excellent, finding 40 words out of PERISCOPE - I checked the answers today and was disappointed to see that the paper had used words like Prep and french language words to get their 40!!!

More cool sites

Here are several interesting sites

Stars in You
Insert a photo of yourself and see which star you most closely resemble!!!!


The internet can change your life
which is a series of lessons on many aspects of the internet, from guitar lessons to widgets, put together by a Librarian in Guam, so can't be too bad!!!! (thank you again JC)

RSS or Really Simple Sindication
In case you need to look like you know all about this, here’s a cute video to explain it.

Mondo

Dendy and Romulus

After promising myself that I would go to the Dendy cinema (replacing the iconic Electric Shadows), ever since it opened in December last year, I finally made it last Tuesday evening. The Dendy is part of the extensions that have been made to the Canberra Centre over the past 18 months. It is up stairs from Borders Bookstore, and a food court and so from my perspective is ideally situated - books, coffee, food and art house film - what more could you want.

In my quest to experience this cinema, I nearly went with the Library Technician's group, who were booking one of the rooms out at the beginning of this year for a get together. Unfortunately this was cancelled when Dendy had to close due to the storm damage Canberra suffered on New Year's eve. The water damage for the Dendy is now fixed, although they are still fixing other parts of the Canberra Centre, more about that later.

Dendy has 1100 seats, in two parts - the standard cinema setting with very comfy seats, and being new is a treat. The other part, Premium Class, has two cinema's, one with 30 seats and the other with around 100 seats. The premium class has its own exclusive lounge, full in-seat dining and bar service as well as opulent electric reclining seats, with drink holders, bottle coolers and lift up arms so that you can cuddle!!!

LR had free tickets to see an advanced screening of Romulus, my father an Australian movie, starring Eric Bana and Kodi Smit-McPhee, directed by Richard Roxburgh. Kodi is an amazing child actor and well worth watching.
So LR, SM and I headed for the 6.30pm session on Tuesday evening. We all stopped for a kebab in the food court and then went up the stairs to the cinema. It is an interesting movie and despite the seriousness of the issue that it explored, ended up being positive. Go see it. It opens on the 31st of May. After the movie finished, the three of us went and had a sticky beak at the premium class and we were very impressed. I suggested that LR might want to book out the smaller cinema to celebrate her 40th next year!!!!When you book out the whole cinema, you can screen your choice of film, which for LR would be science fiction or science fantasy.

At about 8.30 we went off in separate directions to our cars. Unfortunately for me the way back to my car was blocked off by workmen fixing the walkway, part of the ongoing development and storm damage work going on at the Canberra centre. I spent the next 40 minutes or so working out an alternative route back to the right car park (there are many car parks and they all look the same), I then paid an outrageous (for Canberra) $6 for parking and headed home again.

Interesting IT Tools

Here are two gadgets that people might find useful. Thank you supersleuth JC.

BibMe

To make your bibliographies as you go along from the resources you are using online.

Open Source PDF writer

This enables you to create PDF documents, that are compatible with adobe acrobat, without having to purchase Adobe Professional or Adobe Writer.

Enjoy, Mondo

Superman and the rain

As my friends in Canberra know it has rained twice in the past week, and as they have pointed out to me (many times) most of the rain falls in Tuggeranong Valley. JSR told me yesterday that the papers are now reporting that Tuggeranong is hogging the rain. Here is the Canberra Times article suggesting Tuggeranong is the rain capital of the capital!!! I wonder if this will affect house prices? Remember too that the Tuggeranong rainfall is based on the weather station at Monash, so Tuggeranong rainfall is really Monash rainfall!!!

Here is how the MonashMob celebrated the rain on Monday night!!!

Of course Superman had to help (aparently she cannot be supergirl as then she would have to wear pink!)


We are about to go to stage four water restrictions, the discussion is that this will happen at 1 July. This stage is going to be much more difficult than earlier stages. Here is a list of restrictions for every stage. Let's all really hope that this drought breaks soon.

Hyatt for breakfast

Sunday saw the 642.4 gang meet at 10am to celebrate the fortyonederful birthday of TSS. The Hyatt in Canberra is famous for its morning teas and high teas. We had lots of little cakes, little pastries and fruit. Our coeliac friend had her own plate of incredibly rich cakes. For more information check out TSS's thoughts here.

A picture of the tea lounge is here.

The next planned outing for the four of us is to Ikea in Sydney on the Sunday between JC's birthday and CJK's birthday, which should be the last weekend in July!!! We will be leaving Canberra at about 7am, which means I will leave home around 6am so that I can pick people up all across the north of Canberra.

Here are a few of my favourite things...?

Just a few interesting, strange and bizare things found this week.

If you are interested in clocks then here is a "Polar Clock" for you to check out.

More computer art.

Fantastic foodie photo's complete with the recipe's behind them. Time to start cooking...

The full Wiki. You know wikipedia, now meet the rest of the family.

The real names of musicians.

Now you can play the piano online.

Biographies online. I searched for Bob Hawke and got Neville Bonner. I searched for Paul Keating and got Tim Fisher. I searched for Cathy Freeman and did not find any Australians. Suffice it to say, it is not strong on Australian personalities.

Find out what happened on the day you were born. Kakorama. You will be pleased to know that eggs cost 57c a dozen in America on the day I was born.

Autumn in the Garden

It is definitely autumn here in the nation's capital and while the sun is out it is warm enough, but stay out of the shaddows and don't go out early or late - won't be long before the first frost!

The calistemon's are adding a really bright spot of colour in the garden right now.

Happy mother's day

Happy mothers day to all the mothers I know, hope you are having a wonderful relaxing day.

I was watching David and Kim the other morning (as you do when you are home with a sick child for most of the week) and they had a cook on explaining how to do a swiss roll. At the end they explained that the cook would not be back next week as his wife was having Mothers week and he had to stay home to look after the five children!!!! I like the idea - one day for each child perhaps?

Children are a great comfort in your old age - and they help you reach it faster, too.
~Lionel Kauffman

Insanity is hereditary; you get it from your children.
~Sam Levenson

All mothers are working mothers.
~Author Unknown

God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.
~Jewish Proverb


Enjoy your day (or more).

Mondo

School Holidays

Two things to report from the school holidays:
On Tuesday we took the kids to see Meet the Robinson's. We had thought that we would go to the 3D version, however the price was too expensive (no Tuesday discount for 3D). I highly recommend it if you have not yet seen it.

On Friday we went to Gametraders to get a new game for ARJ's DS. It came out in the US on the 22nd of April and is due out here in July sometime!?!?

How does that work? The world is not that big anymore that Australia has to wait an extra two months. Gametraders (Australian owned unlike other stores) thought the same way and imported them independently and they were available on Friday, we got one of the last Pokemon Diamond games at around 10.30am.

Update on large shopping centres

My ears pricked up the other day when I heard on the radio about a large shopping centre in Kent, UK and I thought about my earlier post. I have not heard of the Bluewater shopping centre. So I thought I would investigate. Despite the fact that it has 330 shops, the same as the Metrocentre in Gateshead, the Metrocentre is still the largest shopping centre in the UK.

I am therefore even more impressed that Miranda Fair has 631 stores, while everything is bigger and better (and colder) in Canada and West Edmonton Mall has over 800 stores.

Just to confuse me I have just found the Aussie "big 8" and their size is based on square metres not number of stores!!!

THE BIG EIGHT

* Knox, Victoria: 142,244 square metres
* Westfield Fountain Gate, Vic: 138,163
* Chadstone, Vic: 137,076
* Westfield Marion, SA: 132,553
* Westfield Southland, Vic: 128,028
* Warringah Mall: 127,177
* Westfield Bondi Junction: 126,779
* Westfield Parramatta: 126,754

Then there is the proposed extended shopping centre in Castle Hill, NSW which is predicted to be 170,000 square meters of shopping joy. For more information click here.

Enjoy your shopping experiences where ever you may have them,

Mondo

Audrey Fagan

What a tragedy, Audrey Fagan, Chief of Police in the ACT dead at 44.

If you want to know more about this, then click here.

Cardboard Coffins? Not for Canberra

As the political centre of Australia, it is good to see that RiotACT has finally got its teeth into something really important.

Cardboard Coffins

Actually all joking aside RiotACT is a good alternative viewpoint on what is happening here in the National Capital.

The Autumn Garden

The garden is full of autumn colours, I really love this time of year.

And it is raining again (I promise not to photograph it), who could ask for more.

The Cootamundra wattle plantation has gone (forever if they know what's good for them). Here are the before and after shots that I have been waiting so long to share.

This berry is on the same tree as the tree on the first photo on this page.

The lambs ears here in Monash are mad - it is autumn, it has not rained enough for months, and yet here are some self seeded lambs ears springing up in the front garden!!! I plan to replant them near the BBQ out the back to replace the citronella plants.

MLR's birthday

Some of you may already know that MLR turned 9 on Anzac day this week. She had a wonderful day with lots of phone calls and lots of presents and demanded cheese on toast for tea as she did not want to go out!!!
MLR chose an ice cream cake for the second year running and most of it is eaten now. Thank you everyone for making it such a nice day.

Large Shopping Malls

I just thought I would talk about huge shopping complexes today as I was talking about Miranda Fair (Westfield) yesterday and it got me to thinking about the largest shopping complex in the world. One of my colleagues is planning to go to the largest complex, West Edmonton Mall in Alberta Canada, in a few weeks and I thought I would check it out. Apart from shops it has two hotels and a camp ground, it has a water park and putt putt golf as well as two indoor walking tracks to keep you fit. It sounds like you could spend a whole holiday there.

The largest shopping mall in England is at Gateshead, near Newcastle, Metrocentre. We drove past here last year on our way south from Edinburgh, but did not stop. In addition to the 330 shops it has an indoor theme part and a computerised bowling alley. It claims to be the largest shopping centre in Europe!

While in Scotland we visited the Paisley Centre, on the edge of Glasgow. I thought it might have been the largest shopping centre in the UK, however I think that despite having a skating rink, which the kids really enjoyed, its real claim to fame is that the town is the largest in Scotland. This town had a large textile industry in the 19th century and is where the Paisley Pattern originated.

Terrific Tuesday

This week has become all jumbled up due to the fact that there is too much going on, so I thought I better just mention Tuesday 17th. I know most Tuesday's are busy or hectic and I really do not like them, in fact I have compained before. However this Tuesday was the day that JSR was due to have his exam and I waited with baited breath to hear how it went - started at 1.10pm, due to finish two hours later. So when the phone went at 2.20pm I was convinced that something had gone horribly wrong. But no, he was fine and heading off for a late lunch and would come home afterwards. "Did you pass?" I asked trying to make my voice as unemotional as possible. "Oh yes, 90%!" Right oh then. See you later.

Later that evening JSR got his birthday present, Dylan Moran, on stage at the Canberra theatre, met up with friends afterwards for a drink. It was fantastic and JSR really was able to enjoy it as he had finished his exam. Only one more subject and he will have his Masters in IT.

Camp Grampa

MLR went off to stay with Grandma and Grandpa for a few days. She set off on Wednesday and headed for the council pool at Helensburgh. Here MLR played with her cousins ARC and TDC in the water for some time. Over the next three days she visited Symbio Zoo, near Helensburgh, as well as visiting a lady clown at Miranda Westfield shopping complex, where she was first to offer help and opened a pot that had been full of fire to reveal a rabbit!!! You will be pleased to know that no one was hurt in this display.

Did you know that there are 631 stores at the Miranda complex?

I went to Bundanoon to collect her on Saturday. Apart from the home my parents are building at Bundanoon the other thing that Bundanoon is famous for is Brigadoon, held every year in April and in 2007 it is on next Saturday, 28th.

On the way home we called in at the Brand Depot out at the airport here. Very similar to the one at Moorabin in Melbourne. We both came away with shoes (must be the girl thing).

Birthday and Anniversary in one

Happy birthday Dad, hope you have a great one.

Happy Anniversary me, 26 years ago today, I joined the public service - I thought I will join the PS and then figure out what I want to do!! I thought this would take up to three years. Hmm.

Mountain Trails Camp

This is the third time AJR has been to Mountain Trails near Wee Jasper in south eastern New South Wales.

A bus picks him up from a near by high school and takes him out there (about 2 hours away). Here they ride horses, go caving, practice archery and games. This time AJR caught a yabby, and built a fort in a dried out creek bed.

AJR was not happy to go this time as he wanted to go to a party on Friday, however I had already paid so it was not to be. AJR left on Monday morning at 9am. On Tuesday morning I received a phone call from the party friend to say that the party was moved to Tuesday and could he come? On Wednesday morning I received a call from Mountain Trails to say that he was sick and could I come and take him home?





So far this week has worked well.

Clipart by http://www.1clipart.com/

Sunday at Tilley's

Having not had enough travel for one weekend, I headed for Tilley's
at Lyneham for brunch with Pam I do love brunch. After a wonderful feed
I went to the Lyneham Post Office, which is actually open on a Sunday - proving that Canberra is civilised place after all.

I sent off a letter and a birthday card to Sally in
England. Happy birthday Sally.

In the afternoon I gained an extra child, J, who was going to camp
with AJR on Monday. JSR continued battling with the course and wondering why he ever signed up.

Clip art from: http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/

Painting Music

Try this link, here you can write your own symphony while creating an artistic palette. (the link is in the title)

Happy Easter

Here comes Petter Cottontail
hoppin' down the bunny trail
Hippity hoppity Easters on its way!

Origin of the rabbit at Easter time:

The rabbit is well known as a sexual symbol of fertility. In various parts of the world, religions which developed from Babel also associate the rabbit with periodicity, both human and lunar (Egypt, China, etc.). As you may remember, the Mother Goddess Semiramis (Easter) is associated with the Moon. In other words, the Easter bunny symbolizes the Mother Goddess.

Origin of the Easter Egg at Easter time:

The egg was also a symbol of fertility; Semiramis (Easter) was the goddess of Fertility. The Easter egg is a symbol of the pagan Mother Goddess, and it even bears one of her names.

From: http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t020.html

Images from: http://www.webweaver.nu/linkus.shtml

Fixing your slice

Of course there will be no more bad golf days now, as JSR has a new hybrid club that will solve all the slicing.

But just in case, here is a solution to your bad golf day.

Music Links

Found a link to LyricWiki, which is a free site where anyone can go to get reliable lyrics for any song from any artist without lots of ads. I had a play in there this morning and found lots of lyrics to songs I like.

Another source of music info is Music Australia, which is broader in that it provides information on music, musicians, organisations and services, all from a single access point. You can find music scores, sound recordings, websites and a range of other music-related material held by a large number of Australia's cultural institutions, such as libraries or the National Film and Sound Archive, the material is not necessarily available online.


Image taken from http://www1.medialiteracy.com/visual_aural.jsp

A dogs life

AJR decided to photograph our dog Millie, whom he loves very much. Here are a selection of his pictures.

Hectic Tuesday

Most people have hectic Monday's, while I mostly have hectic Tuesday's.

Here is how this weeks Tuesday went

• 6am up and at em
• 6.10 blogging
• 6.45 empty dishwasher and fill
• 6.50 put out garbage bin
  
• 6.55 get AJR up
• 7 am get food into AJR's camp bag
• 7.10 pack toiletries into AJR's back pack
• 7.15 make cheese on toast for breakfast
  
• 7.25 shower
• 7.45 drive to shop to buy lollies
• 8 am arrive at school to meet bus for camp
• 8.35 bus leaves for camp with AJR aboard
• 8.45 back home and pack lunch for MLR
• 8.50 deliver ironing to Dale
  
• 9.00 deliver MLR to school
• 9.10 get petrol
• 9.30 arrive work - park illegally because so late, then as leaving car see two legally parked cars leaving, so dash back to car and swerve round corner and park properly.
  

After all that, the rest of the day seems so much easier.

AJR is off to Camp

Just had to let you know that AJR is off to Camp in Tathra, NSW south coast today for two nights and three days of fun and mayhem. They will be staying here. He is so excited. It will be interesting to see how much dirt he will bring back. MLR is going to the same camp at the end of the year and is not impressed that he is going now and she is not. AJR is also off to Wee Jasper for the first week of the school holidays, which he also enjoys.
Ciao.

Interesting sites

Here are a some sites that we have been looking at lately

www.expertvillage.com
Has training videos on everything (well nearly), Automotive, Beauty & Fashion, Crafts, Food & Drink, Health & Fitness, Hobbies, Home & Garden, Music, Parenting, Pets, Sports, Other. (thanks for finding this TC & RC)

another one we like is

About.com
This has information on everything, although less video's than ExpertVillage. We used it extensively for planning our trip last year.

On a slightly different note we have been tuning into a different way of listening to music.
Pandora
This is set up like a radio station, you tell it what sort of music you like, say Elvis Costello or the Commitments and it will then play music that is a similar genre. Best of all it will play it all day with no ads, and no DJ interruptions. For more of the background check here. You can set up as many "radio stations" as you have interest in music.

Eiffel Tower's birthday!

I thought you ought to know that Saturday was the birthday of the Eiffel Tower. Here are some other useful facts. Happy birthday Eiffel Tower

• Date of birth: March 31, 1889 (hoisting the flag to the top), built for the Universal Exhibition in celebration of the French Revolution.
• Age: 117 years
• Contractor: Gustave Eiffel & Cie
• Engineers: Maurice Koechlin & Emile Nouguie
• Architect: Stephen Sauvestre
• Studies: Begun in 1884
• Construction: 1887 to 1889 (2 years, 2 months
• and 5 days)
• Composition: 18,038 pieces, 2,500,000 rivets
• Weight of the metal structure: 7,300 tons
• Total weight: 10,100 tons
• Height: 324m (height with flagpole)
• Coordinates :
• Latitude : 48º 51' 32" North
• Longitude : 002º 17' 45" East
• Numbers of visitors up to December 31, 2006: 229.623.812
• Distinctive feature: recognizable throughout the entire world
• Number of steps: 1665
• Owner: City of Paris

I did spend some time in the garden on Saturday and managed to cut back the roses and a tree close the the drive. All my roses are carpet roses, although no one has told them that they should be close to the ground!! They soar up towards the sky with abandon. I have trimmed just one into a standard, so we will see how that goes. Yesterday was a bit of a revolving door. JSR left for golf as usual and I dozed in front of Thursday night television, thinking about the cooking and cleaning to be done. At 2.15 Liz and the kids arrived with lunch and at around 3pm Sarah and the twins came over. We proceeded to devour chips and large quantities of tea and coffee!! JSR arrived home about 5.30pm. Just before 6pm Liz, Sarah and the kids headed off, as JC and family arrived for an evening meal. Dad arrived home around 7pm.

Today was spent cleaning the house and catching up with watching all the things I did not have time to watch during the week. Still not seen Morse, sorry JSR! JSR has chopped down the Claret Ash, whose roots were pushing up the pavers as they headed for the house!