Roger Federer Wins Australian Open ...

"Melbourne: Roger Federer won his seventh Grand Slam final and his second Australian Open title with a commanding four-set victory over unseeded Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis here on Sunday.

The Swiss world number one overcame dropping the opening set against the rising 54th-ranked star to claim a 5-7, 7-5, 6-0, 6-2 victory in 2hr 46min to remain unbeaten in all the Grand Slam finals he has contested since his first success at 2003 Wimbledon. Federer became the first player to win three successive Grand Slams since Pete Sampras won at the 1994 Australian Open.

The Swiss went into this year's Open having won last year's Wimbledon and US Open. He now joins other tennis greats John McEnroe, John Newcombe and Mats Wilander with seven major titles and is closing in on all-time leader Sampras with 14. It was the 24-year-old's 35th title and his fourth win over 20-year-old Baghdatis, who beat three top-10 players to reach his first Grand Slam final and only second tour final overall.

Federer pocketed 900,000 US dollars for his Australian victory, swelling his career prizemoney to 21,274,573 US dollars. Baghdatis was bidding to become the first unseeded player to win the Australian Open since 212-ranked Australian Mark Edmondson won here in 1976 and his ranking has now climbed to 26. "

Hope this hasn't spoilt the tennis for you, in case you are about to see the match on delayed telecast.

It was a wonderful game, with some amazing tennis played. What I thought was interesting, though, was the presentation afterward. Baghdatis was very humble, and excited (I thought) at just being there and having played in the finals, whether he won or lost. He is an upcoming force to be reckoned with, I feel, after what he accomplished during the Australian Open. He was a lot of fun to watch. His fan base was amazing ... Melbourne has a big population of Greeks and Cypriots, and it seemed like they were all there watching and cheering !!

Federer surprised me ... during the presentation he was trying to make a speech, but began bawling like a little boy. I found that so endearing ... there is something about a man who cries, particularly in public (only the whole world was watching him !!) that is so heart-warming. Made him seem more human, not the cool "ice-man" he appears to be on court.

There you go, that's me for the moment. Just felt I needed to share this stuff about the tennis (wanted to do it last night, immediately after, but I was so tired I needed to go to bed !). Hope everyone has a great day.

Take care,

MEOW

A Simple Slow Saturday ...

Today has been a totally "blah" type of day. I awoke this morning to humid, smoke filled air (as a result of the bushfires less than 100km away). It was somewhat cool, so I turned off the air-conditioner (which had been on overnight), and opened all the doors and windows. Watched a bit of TV (Little House on The Prairie reruns !), showered, dressed, etc., and blogged a bit. Went shopping with Chicky. Came home and watched a movie - The Birds - then snoozed on the couch for awhile. Awoke to the house feeling really warm again, so closed the doors and windows, turned the air-conditioner on again, and blogged some more. Made dinner, ate it, then ... you guessed it ... blogged some more !!! It is now around 8.30pm, and I am ready for bed. How could I be tired ... I have done absolutely nothing. That's really pathetic !!! What is wrong with me ?? I need some routine and normality back in my life.

Routine is about to return, though, so I should enjoy my last days of laziness. Chicky goes back to school on Tuesday, to start her 7th and final year of Primary School - Year 6. That means back to early mornings, dropping off and picking up from school, helping out in the school canteen, the school uniform shop, typing up school newsletters, as well as my usual stuff at home. I am also going to do a Swim Teacher course, but the next one locally is not until April, so I intend practicing my swimming techniques in the mean time. I also offered my part-time services at a friends gift shop ... it sells nothing but cat items - ornaments, books, wall hangings, furnishings, collars, kitty litter, toys, etc., etc. It is a wonderful shop. My typing business seems to be having a reprieve, also, as I have had some phone calls and am currently working on a job. Looks like I may be busier than I thought I would be ... don't know if that is good or bad, yet !!!

So, there you go, that is my boring post for Saturday.

Hope every has a great weekend ... hopefully more exciting than mine is shaping up to be !!

Take care all,

MEOW

Peek-A-Boo ...

If I can't see you, does that mean you can't see me ???

Well, my Australia Day has nearly come to an end. I am just about ready for bed.

It has been another day of extreme weather for Victoria ... the temperature reached around 41C. Late this afternoon the wind started ... very strong wind, I might add, my daughter thought the windows were going to blow in (so she shut the curtains ... as if that would help !!!). We had a short, heavy burst of rain ... enough to cause the guttering to overflow, and the drains to back up on the road. Then it was all over. It is really humid out there now, almost like being in a sauna ... I don't like the humidity, which is why I don't think I could live in northern Australia (holiday - yes, live - no !). There are fresh storm clouds approaching, so who knows what is coming. I just hope there has been, or there will soon be again, heaps of rain falling on the areas where there are major bushfires happening. These fires are threatening a few townships, which must be quite frightening. Here's hoping that there are no more lives lost.

I haven't done a great deal today. Slept in, watched TV, played on the computer, went shopping, made yummy Tacos for dinner, played on the computer some more. My husband worked (he was offered some overtime, so thought he'd take it on) - now he is snoring on the couch. My Chicky hung out with some friends, made a mess (as usual), went swimming, generally had fun. That was our day ... exciting, huh !?!?!

Hope your day was, or is, a good one.

Take care everyone,

MEOW

Happy Australia Day

January 26th - Australia Day - is Australia's official National Day. It commemorates the landing of the First Fleet in Sydney Cove on that day in 1788.

Today is a public holiday all around the country, although most shops, etc., are still open as usual. Seems a shame that EVERYONE doesn't have the day off, but I guess that is the way of the world these days. Many people are even having an extended long weekend, taking tomorrow (Friday) off as well. It is sort of a last fling before all the kids go back to school, and life returns to normal again.

Haven't quite decided what we are going to do today. It's going to be 38C here in Melbourne, so something with air-conditioning will probably be the go !!

Hope everyone has a great day.

Take care,

MEOW

Now, What Should I Do ???

This is what my body is telling me that I should be doing .....

However, this is what I really want to do .....

What would be your choice ???

Have a great day, everyone.

Bye for now,

MEOW

Grunting At The Tennis .....

I’ve been watching a bit of the Australian Open Tennis on TV over the past week or so. There have been some fantastic matches, and some not so fantastic ones, too. I am not usually a tennis-watcher, but for some reason, this year, I have been really interested. However, one thing which I have found really off-putting, is the grunting / moaning / yelling that some of the women do every time they hit the ball (Maria Sharapova is one of the offenders !). What is it with that ?? It is awful. I heard one TV commentator likening it to a form of cheating, as the opponent is unable to hear how the ball hits the racquet, as the person is making so much noise, thus not being able to judge how the ball will fly / fall. Makes sense to me !!! Anyway, I just wish they would stop it … it almost sounds obscene, like they’re enjoying the game a little too much. LOL. What do you think ??

MEOW

A Wonderful Weekend Away ...

A Few Of My Friends ....

Just got back from a four day weekend at Bonnie Doon, where we have our caravan located permanently. It is only a 2 hour drive from home, so it makes it very accessible at short notice.

We had a great weekend, despite the weather … a horrible, hot 40+C for 2 of the 4 days, the others being 30+C … yuck. Luckily we have air-conditioning in the van, and a lovely television … we sat inside on the hot days, watching the Australian Open Tennis. Could’ve done that at home, but it’s much nicer being away, knowing that you don’t have any chores to do, or anywhere else to be !!

Our Victorian Summer has so far been one of extremes. We have had a record number of 40+C days this January. We have had quite a few dramatic electrical storms (Friday night, and Saturday night were very stormy … not a lot of rain, but plenty of light flashes and rumbles!) We have had not much rain either.

What a storm ....

The Morning After ...

On the drive home, we passed through areas where it looked like a huge whirly wind storm had been through … trees down – big ones, too, uprooted and laying down. We also drove through a huge section where up until a few hours earlier the roads had been closed, as a bush fire had been burning. Beautiful countryside, reduced to charred, smoldering dirt. Quite spectacular to look at, however ... luckily no lives or homes lost in this area, that we are aware of.

All in all, an interesting weekend. It was nice to get out of the house, although we spent so much time indoors anyway, but not at home !!! Didn’t get to play on the computer at all, so was unable to post to my blog, or visit any of yours. Apologies for that.

Anyway, back to reality again. School resumes next week … Tuesday 31st January … so my life becomes one of routine again. I have decided to do a course to become a swimming teacher … I feel the need to get out and about again, but don’t wish to do office work anymore. I spend enough time in front of computers at home !!!!

Well, there you go. That’s me for now.

Take care all,

MEOW

Lists, Lists & More Lists ....

"It can be helpful simply to make a written or mental list of the things you do each day. Then give yourself a mental credit for each of them, however small. This will help you focus on what you have done instead of what you haven't gotten around to do. It may sound simplistic, but it works. "

David D. Burns

I am a real list writer ... I have shopping lists, camping checklists, lists of what to do around the house before leaving for a holiday, what to do today lists (some days, although not everyday), and any number of other type of list that I cannot think of now. I keep most of these lists on the computer, so that if I think of something extra (eg. for the the camping checklist) I can add it on and print it out new next time. Makes life simple, and I rarely ever forget anything when we go away. It's a real pain, however, when I forget to take the shopping list with me when I go shopping !! Oh well, can't win them all.

Hope everyone has a great day.

MEOW

What Products Do You Use

This post was suggested by Aunt Josefina, who cleverly listed all her products … she is a walking Dove commercial !!

I guess I am an Avon and Pantene commercial … I just love those products.

These are the products I use on a daily basis ….

Soap: whatever takes my fancy when I’m shopping
Body Wash: Avon
Shampoo: Pantene
Conditioner: Pantene
Mousse: Pantene
Facial cleanser: whatever soap is in the soap dish (naughty, aren’t I !!)
Facial moisturizer: Avon
Eye cream: Avon
Deodorant: An Aldi homebrand
Hairspray: An Aldi homebrand
Toothpaste: Colgate Total
Perfume: Estee Lauder’s White Linen, Angel
Razors: Gillette (whatever my husband is using at the time !!)
Facial Powder, Eye Liner, Blush: Avon
Lipstick: Nutrimetics … Mulberry
Body Mousturiser: Sorbeline, or an Avon product
Hand Cream: Avon

What products do you use ???

MEOW

Garfield Says .....

I have this stuck to my fridge, and I so agree with what it says !!!!

I thought it would be nice to share it with my friends ..... enjoy.

Have a great day,

MEOW

Charles Schultz Philosophy

A friend sent me this via email today ... I thought it was worth sharing .....

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip.

You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Acheivements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia ." (Charles Schultz)

Have a great day,

MEOW

A Quiet Sunday For Meow .....

I have had a quiet old day, today … and last night, too, as a matter of fact. My Chicky had a sleep-over at a friend’s place last night, and has been out all day with their family today. My husband did an extra shift at work last night, and has been sleeping all day. Therefore, I have been totally alone since about 6pm Saturday night. It is now nearly 5pm Sunday.

Now, you’d think with all that time to myself, that I would get heaps done. Nope, I don’t think so !!! I have done a total of …. Nothing !!! Except, of course, blogging, but that I do anyway, whether I have heaps of time or not !!! Oh, yeah, I have done one whole load of washing, also … and hung it outside on the washing line. And, I paid a brief visit to my mum and dad, who live 15 minutes away. The rest of the time I have only been reading, watching TV, and printing a couple of DVD covers and labels. See, a total of nothing … how lazy is that ?!?!?

It is Sunday, though, and we have been pretty busy this week. Spent most of yesterday restoring our lovely outdoors area back to usable condition. This meant de-spider-webbing what appeared to be bucket-loads of web; sweeping up tree-fulls of leaves; throwing out months of rubbish, which Chicky just happens to leave out there (It’s not mine, mum, I didn’t put it there …. Yeah, right !!!); and generally just hosing and wiping down all the surfaces – removing months worth of dust. It looks great out there, now … guess I could’ve sat out there today and read.

I guess, Sunday is meant to be a day of rest … I’ve done plenty of that.

I mentioned the other day that we went to the movies as a family. Got me thinking how much this activity costs. The three of us, 2 adults and 1 child, paid $41 (Australian dollars) … $15 per adult, $11 per child. What a rip off !! (My currency converter makes that approximately $31 American dollars, or $36 Canadian dollars.) I can’t believe how much it costs to go to the movies these days. I’m really surprised the cinemas still manage to exist, what with the price of DVD hire, and the availability of pirated movies. They really should be lowering the prices, and encouraging more people to come. It’s just ridiculous. I was wondering, do these prices equate to what all you American or Canadian bloggers pay for cinema tickets, or is Australia just rip-off-land ??

Hope everyone has had, or is having, a great weekend.

Take care,

MEOW

I've Been Tagged Again !!!

I was tagged (again !!) by Aunt Josefina to do this 2x2 list. An interesting bunch of questions, I thought (don’t know that my answers are really interesting, though !!)

2 names you go by: Connie, Mum
2 parts of your heritage: German, Polish
2 things that scare you: Losing my family members (mum, dad, husband, child), Cancer
2 of your everyday essentials: Hairspray, Diet Pepsi (snap, Aunt Josefina !!)
2 things you are wearing right now: T-shirt, Track-pants
2 things you want in a relationship: Love, Friendship
2 truths: You never know what’s going to happen tomorrow; The Sun will set at night and rise again in the morning.
2 of your favorite hobbies: Reading, Blogging
2 things you want really badly: A win in Lotto (doesn’t have to be 1st Division !), A haircut !!
2 places you want to go on vacation: Canada, Alaska
2 things you want to do before you die: Become a grandmother, Win Lotto
2 ways that you are stereotypically a chick: I cry at weddings, funerals, anything; I love chocolate
2 things you are thinking about now: I really should be spring-cleaning, not blogging !! I am a very lucky person to have such a loving family
2 stores you shop at: Bookshops (any), K-Mart
2 people to tag: Cathy, Jay Are

Added 15/1/06:

2 weird habits: Having a bowl of cereal for dinner (instead of breakfast), Eating chocolate and potato crisps together (not in the same mouthful, however !)
2 favorite items in the house: my family, my cat
2 stores I wish we had: Walmart, anything else we don’t have here !!
2 things that make me cry: Weddings, Funerals
2 things I wish I could do different: Nothing, really !!!
2 things I do very badly: Get motivated to exercise, Diet
2 hidden talents: I can pat my head & rub my tummy at the same time, I can juggle
2 other email names: ????

There you go, that’s me !!

Bye for now,

MEOW

Friday the 13th .....

Just came home from the movies, where my hubby, Chicky and myself saw (finally !) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire … what a fabulous movie.

The special effects were just amazing, we were sitting there totally bewitched by the whole movie. I have read the books over and over, and the movie certainly does it credit. I must get it on DVD when it comes out. Can’t wait for the next installment.

Today was Friday the 13th … we came out of it unscathed, thank goodness. My husband has a particular dislike to Friday the 13th, as many years ago he was caught speeding, and subsequently lost his license (it was totally his own fault, he was mega-speeding !!).

It’s always a strange day, with many people being very superstitious about it. I’ve been doing a bit of reading about it (thanks to an article in our daily paper, and further reading on the net), and have come up with the following facts (fictions ??) ….

* Paraskevidekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th (try and say that one quickly !!).
* More than 80% of high-rise buildings do not have a 13th floor.
* Many airplanes don’t have a 13th aisle. For example, Continental Airlines, Air France, AirTran, KLM and Iberia.
* It is not unusual for hotels to skip room number 13.
* House humbers in Florence jump from 12 to 14 – the number 12 ½ replaces 13.
* NASA’s ill-fated moon mission, Apollo 13, was launched at 13:13 hours, from pad 39 (3 x 13) and aborted on April 13.
* Lawmakers in Indiana once decreed that all black cats wear bells on Friday 13th.
* Thirteen letters in a name brings the devil’s luck: Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy.
* Maritime folklore says a ship’s voyage must not begin on the 13th, particularly if it falls on a Friday.
* It is said: If 13 people sit down to dinner together, all will die within the year.
* The Turks so disliked the number 13 that it was practically expunged from their vocabulary (Brewer, 1894).
* Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue.
* There are 13 witches in a coven.

There are many more. Interesting, isn’t it ??

Hope your Friday the 13th stays superstition, and bad luck free. Just make sure that black cat doesn’t walk across your path ……

Take care,

MEOW

The Most Depressing, and The Happiest Songs

The following is a list of the Most Depressing Songs, and the Happiest Songs, as voted by people in Canberra, Australia.

The Most Depressing Songs

· Not Pretty Enough by Kasey Chambers
· No Aphrodisiac by the Whitlams
· Most songs by the Smiths and Morrissey
· I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues by Elton John
· Forever Autumn from the War of the Worlds
· Famous blue raincoat by Leonard Cohen
· Beloved Wife by Natalie Merchant
· Dishes by Pulp
· Maree by Townes van Zandt
· Leader of the Pack
· Old Shep
· Annie's Song by John Denver
· Are You Lonesome Tonight? by Elvis
· Two Little Boys by Rolf Harris
· Abide With Me
· The Wild Rose by Nick Cave
· Honey by Bobby Goldsborough
· Rusty It's Goodbye by Slim Dusty
· Leader of the Pack by the Shangri-Las
· Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinead O'Connor
And the song voted the most depressing?
· Ben by Michael Jackson, otherwise known as "that rat song". (With a special mention to Leonard Cohen for being the most-mentioned artist.)

The Happiest Songs

· Volare by Dean Martin
· Where's the Party by Madonna
· Zippedy Do Dah
· The Laughing Policeman
· Always Look on the Sunny Side of Life
· Feel Like a Woman
· Sunshine, Lollopops and Rainbows
· Sing by the Carpenters
· Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
· Crocodile Rock by Elton John
· Listen to the Music by the Doobie Brothers
· Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves
· Happy Happy Talk
· Midnight at the Oasis
· Happy Feet by Kermit the Frog
· Happy Go Lucky Me by Paul Evans
· Shoop Shoop Diddy-Wop Comma Comma Wang Dang

Interesting list …. What do you think ???

MEOW

What's In Your Handbag ???

Hi again …. I got some inspiration from Susie, who tagged me for a Handbag Meme !!! Thanks Susie :-)

Here goes ….

This is a photo of my basic black handbag (very simple bag, use it all year round, as I’m too lazy to change in Summer), and all the junk contained therein. It has lots of compartments, holds lots of junk !!

This is a list of some of the items it contains:

Pens (only 2, I’m surprised at that !)
5 different lip glosses / lip sticks / lip balms.
I perfume atomizer
I KFC refresher towel !!
I pocket knife/scissors/nailfile thingy
Avon hand cream
Avon sunscreen stick
Instruction book for my Nokia mobile phone
Vaccination certificate for my kitty
Mini sewing kit
Tape measure (you never know when you need to measure something)
Compact with soap leaves (it's amazing how many public conveniences don't have soap ... yuk !!)
Lotto tickets
My business cards
Fliers for the houseboat holiday we regularly go on
Cheque book
Sunglasses
Comb
Wallet (devoid of cash !!!)
In car charger doovy thingy for my mobile phone
Keys
Notepad

Not really very interesting, really !!

If anyone else wishes to follow suit and post their handbag contents, please feel free !!

That’s all for now.

Stay tuned … maybe I might find some more inspiration !!!!

Take care all,

MEOW

Writer's Block ....

Well, once again it has been a couple of days since my last post. Don’t know what has come over me, but I know it just feels wrong. Before our Christmas Holiday break, I was posting at least once a day, sometimes more, and had no problems thinking about what to write. Since coming back, I am stumped … what the heck do I write about ? There are only so many things I can write about a holiday where we sat on the banks of a lake, boating, drinking, etc. (see earlier posts whilst we were on holiday), so I guess I have pretty much exhausted that one !! Any ideas, or meme’s that anyone would like to throw at me ??!!!

OK, I guess I can write about my day today …

Chicky and I had a slow start to the day, sleeping in (it is still school holidays here in the land of Oz), having a leisurely breakfast, then getting ready to go grocery shopping. Went shopping, then came home again !!!! Installed some software on my computer (I got a CD Stomper (label maker for CD & DVD discs) for Christmas, and thought it was about time I started using it. Works well, great fun. Did a bit of washing ... same old, same old, really !!!

Now I am sitting here, trying to figure out what I can write, that won’t bore the pants out of people !!

Here’s a couple of photos from our holiday ….

DAMN BLOGGER WON'T LET ME UPLOAD PHOTOS - TRIED TWICE ..... NASTY BLOGGER !!!

So there you go, I honestly cannot think of anything to say !!! How boring am I (don’t answer that !!). Ideas, please …..

Oh, yeah, I installed the free Blogger For Word Add-On, so am attempting to post this from that … hope it works !!! Does anyone else post that way, or only via the Blogger Dashboard ?? (I tried it, but it didn’t work … must be doing something wrong. Am now posting this via the usual method !!!)

I will leave you all here, so take care everyone. I will try and be more creative next time I post.

Bye for now,

MEOW

Will You Bee My Friend ???

Winnie the Pooh is quoted in the book, Friendship Day:

"Good friends are sweet as honey."

Just a little post to let all my new blog-friends know how much I value their friendship, and look forward to hearing from them regularly, whether it be as comments on my posts, or by reading their posts and learning more about them. The blog-world is an amazing place.

Take care all,

MEOW

What Shall I Write About Today ???

After a couple of weeks of not posting daily, regularly, it is quite difficult to get back into the routine. I didn’t post yesterday, although I did spend hours reading everyone else’s posts, and making comments where appropriate.

We are currently still experiencing wonderfully warm (almost too warm) Summer weather, here in southern Australia. It makes for a state of lethargy on my part. We have been home 2 days now, and I still haven’t taken down my Christmas tree, and accessories, nor done any worthwhile housework. I have done some washing, but that doesn’t count !! I am finding it really difficult to get motivated, especially when my computer keeps looking at me. Perhaps I need to turn it off, so it doesn’t taunt me, and then I may actually get something done !!!

I was tagged by Connie (Mumbo Jumbo) to do this one … hope it make sense !!

4 Jobs I’ve Had In My Life:

Salesgirl in clothing store
Clerical assistant in an IT Department
Executive Secretary / PA in an IT Department
Supervisor at a boarding cattery

4 Movies I Watch Over and Over Again:

Dirty Dancing
Any old Elvis movie
The Sound of Music
Cool Runnings

4 Places I’ve Lived:

North Blackburn, Victoria, Australia
Kilsyth, Victoria, Australia
Hamburg, Germany
Wantirna South, Victoria, Australia

4 TV Shows I Love To Watch:

Here’s Lucy (reruns)
Gilmore Girls
Judging Amy
Little House on the Prairie (reruns)

4 Places I’ve Been On Vacation:

Cape York, Far North Queensland, Australia
Cruising the South Pacific
Central Australia
Bonnie Doon, Victoria, Australia

4 Websites I Visit Daily (I didn’t include blogs):

http://www.shopmall.com.au/cgi-bin/teemz/teemz.cgi
http://www.bom.gov.au/
http://www.geocities.com/donnetdivingqld/
http://www.60sfm.net/

4 Of My Favorite Foods:

Chocolate
Spinach and Potatoes
Fresh Bread
Pizza

4 Places I’d Rather Be Right Now:

Cape York, Far North Queensland, Australia
Ayers Rock (Uluru), Central Australia
Tenting out in the middle of nowhere, anywhere
Bonnie Doon, Victoria, Australia

4 Bloggers I’m Tagging:

Michelle - http://theladyjustitia.blogspot.com/
Madi - http://stardustmuse.blogspot.com/
Susie - http://mygobhole.blogspot.com/
Debs - http://aheartbeatlater.blogspot.com/


Oh well, can’t think of anything else to write, right now, so I guess I’ll sign off until next time.

Take care everyone.

MEOW

I'm Baaaack .....

Well, the prodigal cat has returned to the land of the bloggers.

Yes, we are back home, in our little suburban world.

We arrived home around mid afternoon, after a speedy 2 hour drive (it just flew - for a change, there was no traffic). We spent most of the drive home listening to the Beach Boys Greatest Hits … love that summertime music. Spent an hour or so unpacking, putting on a load of washing, tidying up, etc. Ordered pizza for dinner. Then ….. I sat down at the computer to catch up on everyone’s blogs, and, finally, to add my own !!

We were away for two weeks, and it was a great two weeks. I got a bit frustrated, though, because although I had my little Minimax Internet thingy, the reception was totally crap where we were. Usually it is OK, and I am able to get on the net instantly, but for around half our holiday we were all constantly getting “Network Busy” messages, or no reception at all on our phones and stuff (the internet thingy is supposed to work like a mobile phone, and anywhere you can get CDMA reception you should be able to get on the net). This put a total halt to all but the basic blogging …. not happy !!!

Anyway, back to the holiday …. The weather was mostly hot (one or two mild days, but no jumpers or jackets required for the most, except for the odd evening when it cooled down a little bit more than usual ). We spent at least every second day sitting down by the lake, going out in (or behind) the boats, playing in the water, eating, drinking, talking … generally just relaxing and having fun. I think I probably talked about this in the blogs I was able to post whilst we were away. I read a couple of books, watched a couple of DVDs, drank a little bit more than I would had I been at home, socialized plenty. Had a great time. It went too fast, though (doesn’t it always ??).

Our little boat, flying through the water !!!

A few major downers during the holiday, though, which made it very sad ….

A few days after Christmas there was a nasty accident out on the highway, a few kilometers away from the caravan park we were in. A couple of kids were mowed down by a car, when they tried to cross the road. Apparently they weren’t watching the traffic, as the elderly man who hit them said they just appeared out of nowhere. The little boy was killed instantly, and the little girl is recovering in hospital. The family are devastated. They are a local family, and were known by many in the area.

On New Years Eve, a woman who has been an annual in the park for many, many years, and was known by the majority of us annuals (people who have sites within the park, with caravans, annexes, balconies, carports, etc … generally permanent structures owned by us, on which we pay yearly fees to allow us to keep them in the park), suffered a suspected brain aneurism and collapsed … she was gone long before the ambulance arrived. She was married with a few kids. She was only in her mid 40s. Her funeral is tomorrow (Monday).

Also on New Years Eve, there was a huge grass fire on the opposite side of the lake to where we were, but was near enough to another caravan park that they had to be evacuated. It started late afternoon, and was finally contained around 2am New Years Day. No property damage, or lives lost, thank goodness. Those brave fire fighters worked hard, and it was a stifling hot night, too.

Last Friday evening, our friends received a call that another of our friends (also an annual, who was at that time with his children at a Wakeboarding tournament) had lost his father. He had only lost his mother about 7 or 8 months ago. I think the father died of a broken heart … they had been married for a very long time. Our friend was devastated, and immediately returned home to be with his family. The funeral will probably be later on this week.

What is it about this time of year, that bad things seem to happen more frequently than at others ??? It’s so strange. Makes me feel guilty that we were having such a lovely holiday, whilst others were going through such difficult times.

Anyway, I have now been sitting at this computer for around four hours. Think I had better go to bed … it’s been a long day. Will post again soon.

Take care everyone,

MEOW

Happy (late) New Year ...

Hi there, and Happy (late) New Year !!

Hope everyone is well, and happy, and had a wonderful night on New Year’s Eve. Ours was fairly uneventful, but great fun none-the-less. Listened to, and danced to, a live band in the caravan park, drank, had a ball …. You know the drill !!

We are still at Bonnie Doon, and will be here until the 9th of January. Today is fairly mild, with a coolish breeze, but it is wonderful. We had 4 or 5 days of high 30s(Celcius) / low to mid 40s temperatures, which ended on Sunday afternoon with a brief storm, but a huge drop in temperatures. Yesterday was beautiful, we sat down at the lake, but didn’t feel the need to jump in, as it was just perfect temperatures.

There was a fairly dramatic grass fire happening on New Years Eve, but fortunately it was on the other side of the lake, so we were safe. Got a nice night time photo. Also a couple of before and after shots of the area, by chance I had photographed the same hill before the fire.

Before the fire

Night time - still burning - New Years Eve

Afterwards ... New Years Day

Can’t really report to much in my world, because we have really done nothing other than relax … swim, boat, eat, drink, talk rubbish, socialize, and have fun !!! Not bad, huh !?!

I was unable to do much (read … nothing !!) on the internet prior to New Years, as a storm had knocked out the local phone tower, so everyone’s mobile phones were constantly dropping out, as was my internet card. I was not happy, as were most people. It is terribly frustrating not being able to make a phone call, and we all rely on mobiles here, as there are no land-lines. Also, yesterday, Blogger wouldn't let me post ... hope he will today !!!

Gotta go now, have some more relaxation time !!!! Will post again soon.

Take care everyone.

Bye for now,

MEOW