I blog therefore I am

When we were driving all those hours on Thursday and Friday I found myself thinking about what I would post if only I had managed to get around to setting up blogging from my mobile. So I picked up a pad of paper and a pencil and began doing it the old-fashioned way. Adam laughed at me.

Thursday, January 10, 2008
I have wheels

We began the day with a trip out to Glenorie with 2 yowling cats in the back of the car. Tom apparently found this hysterically funny greeting each mournful "Merrrowwwwl" with loud giggling. This got old very quickly.

Next was a quick trip to the shops, new sunnies for the kids. a new portable DVD player for the car and some activity books ( I claim this to be mindful consumerism and money well spent on preserving our sanity).

Then home to pack the car. While I was doing that my new bike was delivered. I hopped on and wobbled my way round the cul-de-sac a few times. David laughed at me.

It felt really good to be back on a bike, I haven't ridden for probably 15 years! I'm looking forward to this.

Friday, 11th January, 2008
A little too close for comfort

As we drove towards Melbourne in the afternoon there loomed ahead of us a bank of dark grey cloud. Fat drops of rain began to spot the windscreen, lightning flashed on the horizon.

Then suddenly we were in the thick of it, the rain began in earnest and the wind rose.

Flash! Bang! Less than 100m ahead in the trees beside the road lightning struck and a branch fell to the ground in a burst of flame. As we passed the now blackened patch of grass another strike grounded just behind us on the other side of the road.

I've always wanted to see lightning strike but I'd prefer not to be quite that close in future.

Saturday, January 12th, 2008
Sun, swimming and shooting

The Golden Valleys campsite is lovely, the kids (big and small) had much fun on the trampoline and in the pool. I was persuaded to join in a game of battleships which involves trying to swim past the person who is in while they try to grab you with their eyes closed. It was fun, and surprisingly strenuous! Adam got himself designated archery range supervisor and we had a good play around with the weaponry. I'm reasonably pleased with the results I got out of my longbow on her first outing but as mentioned I do need to work on my technique out of self-preservation if nothing else. Either that or get Adam to make me a full length arm guard.

These 2 pics shamelessly pinched from magdalena. Man there are so many things wrong with what I'm doing there.

These are the slightly faded versions 3 days later.

The evening entertainment was duly entertaining and there was plenty of good food, fun and booze involved.

Sunday, January 13, 2008
Time to pack up already?!

It was COLD this morning! Tom wanted to swim and was mightily displeased when we said no. I cooked bacon (1kg) and eggs (12) for breakfast till I'd had enough, after which it was a case of every man for himself. Then we packed, scoffed a makeshift lunch of left-overs and shoe-horned ourselves back into the car. Why is there always more stuff going home than you packed in the first place?

Leish took us to her parents' place to show us around and introduce us to the horses, they were gorgeous, horses are good people :)

Monday, January 14, 2008
If I hear anything else about Ben Ten my head will explode

Tom spent the vast majority of our time in the car this trip watching Season 2 of Ben Ten. When he wasn't watching he was talking about it. I suppose if I'd actually listened to any of it I'd know all about the various aliens that Ben can transform into and all about the various enemies he encounters. I'm rationing him to a few minutes of ear-bashing me at a time, Adam on the other hand has promised to watch it with him, what a nice dad (sucker!).

I'm heartily sick of takeaway food, we've had far too many stops at maccas and I need some real food, next time we travel like this I'm doing what my mum always did (and which always pissed me off when I was younger) and will be making sandwiches and taking decent food along for the road trip.

We did the Rutherglen detour stopping at Stanton and Killeen for their muscat and other wines and Gooramadda for their olives and olive oil. After that there was no more space in the car so after lunch at the Tuileries cafe we were homeward bound.

Which brings us to today

My house is trashed, there are bags of stuff everywhere, there's a mountain of washing to do. So what do I do? Invite friends of Tom and Caitlin over for a play of course.

We've just had dinner on the front deck and I'm sitting out here finishing my post and being eaten alive by mosquitoes. Life is good. No, really, it's all worth it!