Bush walking

Or more like bush bashing combined with some water crossings. I was talking into a short bush walk only about 10minutes or 130 metres. Humm, knew it was going to be longer than that and I was prepared as I took my walking pole and even remembered tl take it out of the car.
Very pretty place

As you can see I was watching where I was walking, lots of vines snaking across theground purely Im sure for the purpose of tripping unsuspecting people up. Happy to report that I did not kiss the ground with my butt nor did I get my feet wet, soles of shoes yes but not feet.

There were two creek crossings.

I did pause to take a couple of pics

Almost across here.

Not my finest moment but managed to get across and back.
Sheridandid get her fourth loop of d/ts, it was a high rating one, she had said that I needed that one as well, I think jt was a difficulty of 4, terrain of 3.5,ha but did alreadyhave it, oh well it will count for next loop. Waz and I have only 18 more toget to our first loop, there is 81 different combinations, its the higher ones that are left.

Cakes

I bought tencakes the other day, cakes of wool. As it is almost the end of the financal year, Spotlight had 50% off all their wool. I bought ten,it was all I could carry. Thinking that it would last several weeks if not months.

Well I must be knitting more or faster as it appears that I am knitting a panel of 10 inches by 48 inches in three or four days and it takes almost one of these cakes per panel. I usually work in cms but the pattern was in inches and my tape measure does both so no hassld there.

Earlier in the week, I delivered what I had been knitting, its almost two years since I donated and there was two suitcases and four shopping bags. Only four blankets as most were beanies, neck scraves and fingerless gloves. I will stick with blankets for now as that is apparently the greater need at the moment.

These are the cakes, I am currently knitting up the white and grey colours.

 This is one of the panels, its so much quicker to put together as well. Next term I am going to learn or relearn to crochet.

A pretty Sunrise

A couple of weeks ago, we left home at around 6.15am. We were heading to the park for parkrun. It starts at 7 but as I was being a volunteer, the requirement was to be there at 6.30am.

This shot was at 6.15am just at the end of the street.

Bit later 6.30

At the park, more colour 6.45 am, completely light when the runners left at 7 oclock

New car, a red one

As everyone knows that red is faster. Truth was, it was to be my colour choice and I liked the blue, then we were told that the blue and white had an extra charge/cost of $500 because of the metallic paint but no extra charge for the red. I didnt even need to think about it before saying the red is a nice colour, we'll take that one. It was nice too that the red was the one we test drove and so when we collected it, it only had 6 kms on the clock which we did.

There was a big purple bow on the bonnet, the salesman Peter took the photos for us and we had to cut them as the sun was bright.

I got given some flowers as well, probably as I handed over the money while Warren handed over the keys and paperwork for the jeep.

We took it for a drive to get coffee and cake, Lucy will be going for her first drive tomorrow and then I have an appointment mid morning. Will have to get used to the park brake on the floor, no key start and blinkers on the right rather than the left.

The Big Freeze 5

This is not anything to do with weather but is a fund raiser for Mnd or motor nerone disease.

One of AFL footballer was diagnosed in 2013 and by his own admission felt sorry for himself for a couple of months then decided to turn it around. With his family and the assistance of the afl, the big freeze was started.

The first year people were asked and for the privilege of being pushed down a slide and into a large ice bath in front of thousands plus paying $10,000 each to the cause.

Last year all the team coaches went down the slide, they also dress up.

This year again it was by invitation and quite well known sports people, most of them, now retired.

Freddy Mercury made an appearance.

Nick (Freddy) is blonde and built, he retired two years ago. He was so good that we didnt know who Freddy was at first.

Beanies are sold as well and each year they have increased the orders, again they sold out 300,000 at $20 each.

Pjs

I thought for a split second I was back in China last night. I had not taken anything out of the freezer for dinner and we ended up being out most of the day. When I realised there was nothing to cook, Warren suggested fish and chips at the local shop. Saves me cooking so I agreed and even offered to ring up and then go and pick up. Usually if we have fish and chips, that Warren's turn to "cook" so thats what he does.

His order was dim sims and potato cakes, I added a couple of prawns cutlets and we were done and dusted. Friday night must be the night for F&c as the shop was busy.

What made me think we were back in China, in the libe up to get served was a guy wearing red plaid pjs! Now I didnt think to look at what he was wearing on his feet.

I was so surprised as it was quite common to see people out shopping or walking the streets at night in China wearing pjs, never before here. Guess there is a first for everything. I did get a glimpse of his face and he looked mid thirties, Caucasian probably a tradie.

The Barty Party

Ash Barty was playing in her first tennis final in Paris on Saturday night our time. We recorded it to watch later and even though we heard that she had won, we took our breakfast and sat in front of the TV.

I met Ashleigh a few years ago at a Federation cup, at the time I didnt realise she was only 17.  She announced just after that that she was retiring from tennis. She had been on tour for some time, won Wimbledon as a junior but being away from home and family was too stressful for her.

A great sports person she then played professional cricket for Queensland for the next two years. A friend, also a tennis player asked her to play doubles in a tournament. Ash discovered her love of tennis again and returned to professional tennis aged nineteen. Three years later, she won the French Open on the weekend and has now gone to number two in the world. Not bad for a kid from Ipswich.

Ash getting ready to serve. Looking forward to seeing how she goes at Wimbledon

Tawny Frog Mouth Owl

Warren has been telling me about these for several weeks and even though he had told exactly where they were, I had not seen them. There is a pair.

Today I was looking for the kookaburra that I had seen the last time I had gone that way and to my surprise I saw one of them. He was only about three metres above me, I took the opportunity to take a couple of photos.

Its hard to see him as he is sitting very close to the trunk on the left hand side.

Parkrun

Warren has been doing this most of this year. A 5km run through a park on Saturday mornings. He has run here at home, in New Zealand and also in Queanbeyan NSW.

All run by volunteers, Warren has also done a couple of mornings of voluntary runs.
This week it was my turn, as I go with Warren each time and they need an extra body, Warren suggested that I do it.

It did mean that Lucy couldnt go, we have been going for a walk while Warren runs, we go in the opposite direction and it has become a tug of war when we first set out as she wants to go where he has gone.

I had to sign up to be a member and then download an app on my phone.

This was us watching the runners set off, then ten minutes from this photo we were on duty. First two runners came in at 7.18, they left at 7am, closely followed by another guy pushing a running stroller with his two kuds inside, they looked to be about five and six, imagine the extra weigh!

Two of us were doing bar scans, as they cross the finish line they are given a token which they brought to us to scan their membership and the token. That then records their postion and time. All results and photos are placed on the website by mid afternoon.

Warren took another 6 seconds off his time, think he has done a pb every time he has run at home.

Snow!

Snow in Queensland, top news item. Yesterday it was announced that snow was possible in the hottest state in Australia. That was a big call as NT is pretty hot as well but then I realised that is a territory not  a state so pretty confident that my statement would be correct.

Anyway last time is snowed here was four years ago and before that, not recorded. The snow is a fair way from us well within a days drive but so cold and windy today. Apparently the snow started around 7am and looks quite thick.
Cold enough at home for me today so I will be content to watch the snow scenes on the news.