six weeks until settlement!
we are beginning to start to contemplate the task of moving. also the possibility of having house warming parties. also whether we want to give the place a "lick of paint" before we move in. also, giving notice to our landlord. also, sending out change of address notes (though that won't happen for a while... as i said: "beginning to start to...")
melbourne is getting colder. we got the heater out and are using it almost every day, because we are wimps!
30 April 2006
16 April 2006
THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW...
While that last post covers some of what we were up to 7 months ago, this post will detail some of our exploits from this month. To be more precise, from Sunday the 9th of April, between the hours of 8am and 5pm (approximately), when we headed out to the Dandenong Ranges and went for a little stroll through the forest.
We left home in the morning, but ran into trouble almost immediately - our tram (and most trams into the city) weren't running to their destinations because there was some sort of charity run (Run For The Kids) sweating its way through the city. We started walking earlier than intended.
After facing the reality of the Melbourne trains' Sunday timetable, we were well and truly ready for a nice bit of fresh countryside. From Belgrave station, we followed a roadside path to what surely must be a contender for the world's least useful tourist information offices ("They don't let us have any maps here...") - although, to be fair, they do sell roasted chestnuts. Anyway, despite the best efforts of the tourist information man, we found the start of our path. After a couple of kms of walking through dense forest of immensely tall trees, we came across a picnic area, where we stopped for a bit and ate an apple each, whilst being watched and circled by a large squawk of cockatoos (well then, YOU tell me what the collective noun is for cockatoos).
After this, we headed up a path that lead away from the road, and climbed and weaved, steadily higher and higher, through very green and peaceful bush land for another few kms. We came out of the trees, onto a quiet country lane, past country houses and a guesthouse, and a cute cast iron bench to which Rachel took a particular fancy. We followed this road for a while, then came across another picnic area, and decided that it was time for lunch. It was drizzling by now, and the only space in the area that was covered was the information board, so we sat on the ground underneath it, munching away happily as passers by gave us odd looks.
We then continued on our way, beginning our descent back towards the starting point, down an increasingly muddy path. We took a brief detour down some perilously slippery steps to take a peek at Sherbrooke Falls, then continued along the path, which brought us out to a point almost directly opposite where we had started our walk. Back in Belgrave, we stopped of at the surprisingly good Queen of Tarts cafe, before shivering our way home for a nice hot cup of lemon and honey drink.
Pics may or may not be forthcoming.
Today (Easter Sunday, and our 3 years 9 months anniversary), we went for another walk, this time shorter and more local. We trammed up Sydney Road to Pentridge Prison, then walked from Coburg Lakes down along the Merri Creek to our newly purchased home, then back over to Sydney Road, where we had a nice lunch of bread and dips at Alasya, and Rachel went bargain hunting at VMart (no, that's not a typo).
Days off are great.
We left home in the morning, but ran into trouble almost immediately - our tram (and most trams into the city) weren't running to their destinations because there was some sort of charity run (Run For The Kids) sweating its way through the city. We started walking earlier than intended.
After facing the reality of the Melbourne trains' Sunday timetable, we were well and truly ready for a nice bit of fresh countryside. From Belgrave station, we followed a roadside path to what surely must be a contender for the world's least useful tourist information offices ("They don't let us have any maps here...") - although, to be fair, they do sell roasted chestnuts. Anyway, despite the best efforts of the tourist information man, we found the start of our path. After a couple of kms of walking through dense forest of immensely tall trees, we came across a picnic area, where we stopped for a bit and ate an apple each, whilst being watched and circled by a large squawk of cockatoos (well then, YOU tell me what the collective noun is for cockatoos).
After this, we headed up a path that lead away from the road, and climbed and weaved, steadily higher and higher, through very green and peaceful bush land for another few kms. We came out of the trees, onto a quiet country lane, past country houses and a guesthouse, and a cute cast iron bench to which Rachel took a particular fancy. We followed this road for a while, then came across another picnic area, and decided that it was time for lunch. It was drizzling by now, and the only space in the area that was covered was the information board, so we sat on the ground underneath it, munching away happily as passers by gave us odd looks.
We then continued on our way, beginning our descent back towards the starting point, down an increasingly muddy path. We took a brief detour down some perilously slippery steps to take a peek at Sherbrooke Falls, then continued along the path, which brought us out to a point almost directly opposite where we had started our walk. Back in Belgrave, we stopped of at the surprisingly good Queen of Tarts cafe, before shivering our way home for a nice hot cup of lemon and honey drink.
Pics may or may not be forthcoming.
Today (Easter Sunday, and our 3 years 9 months anniversary), we went for another walk, this time shorter and more local. We trammed up Sydney Road to Pentridge Prison, then walked from Coburg Lakes down along the Merri Creek to our newly purchased home, then back over to Sydney Road, where we had a nice lunch of bread and dips at Alasya, and Rachel went bargain hunting at VMart (no, that's not a typo).
Days off are great.
12 April 2006
DANRACHEL APOLOGISES FOR THE DELAY...
6 months late, but nonetheless, we present more PICTURES FROM SCOTLAND! Go on, have a butcher's - you know you want to...
In this update, there are pictures from Orkney, Skye, and Lismore, as well as a few randoms here and there, and some pictures of a bridge that was in the Harry Potter films. Click on Photo Album Number 2 to experience the joy of pix.
4 April 2006
POLITICALLY CORRECT NURSERY RHYMES
someone has to pull this out, every now and then. just so we can say WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO? personally, i like the good re-writings of these ditties, because they really can point out the awful truth of the matter. yes, they're sexist. yes, they're racist. yes, they pick on people with disabilities.
georgie porgie, puddin' an' pie
kissed the girls and made them cry
when the boys came out to play
georgie porgie kissed them too, in the name of fairness
was georgie a girl or a boy? trans? gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual?
georgie porgie, puddin' an' pie
kissed the girls and made them cry
when the boys came out to play
georgie porgie kissed them too, in the name of fairness
was georgie a girl or a boy? trans? gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual?
3 April 2006
DAYLIGHT, SAVED.
this morning we slept in. this is always a nice thing to do on a monday morning! even nicer was the fact that the sleep in was til 8am new time, so 9am old time. and i went to bed early last night. i am feeling well rested.
dan's wallet got stolen last week, which was annoying. by "stolen" i guess it's more "left behind and picked up by someone who didn't return it"... so he's been calling banks and medicare and vicroads and all that stuff to arrange new cards. we are yet to find out if metlink will give him a replacement metcard (monthly)... knowing how stingy they are, though, i doubt it.
autumn/winter has made itself known in melbourne, with temperatures NEAR FREEZING (by which i mean a top temperature of less than 15 degrees). our next door neighbour, from sri lanka, asked me if she would need to buy 2 heaters for her flat... which made me think of getting our heaters out, which made me realise that for the coldest bit of winter (july), we will be in our NEW HOUSE! grand.
dan's wallet got stolen last week, which was annoying. by "stolen" i guess it's more "left behind and picked up by someone who didn't return it"... so he's been calling banks and medicare and vicroads and all that stuff to arrange new cards. we are yet to find out if metlink will give him a replacement metcard (monthly)... knowing how stingy they are, though, i doubt it.
autumn/winter has made itself known in melbourne, with temperatures NEAR FREEZING (by which i mean a top temperature of less than 15 degrees). our next door neighbour, from sri lanka, asked me if she would need to buy 2 heaters for her flat... which made me think of getting our heaters out, which made me realise that for the coldest bit of winter (july), we will be in our NEW HOUSE! grand.
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