Sophie Starts the Season

Sophie had her first practice match today and had a great time.  She is certainly looking the part. We could not get to the game today but look forward to seeing her in action in the future.

Football Season Approaches

James has moved to the Mitcham Tigers this season and today they had a practice match against Whitehorse.  It was all very low key as Mitcham had to "loan" Whitehorse 5 players but at least it was an initial hit out.

Birthday Lunches

Mitchell's birthday was some time ago and we have had trouble catching up but it all worked out today as we combined Mitchell and Ebony's Birthday lunches.  We headed for a favourite - Ang-Ang in the Ringwood Town Square and it did not disappoint with a delicious array of Asian inspired food.

 The Square has the great advantage of a great Ice-creamery a few steps away so the meal was concluded there. Next problem was staggering to the car.

Sophie's Grand Final Win

Sophie has had a good run with her team on Saturdays with the result that they played the Grand Final for a win today. The team has come together this season and Sophie thoroughly enjoys her Basketball so this was a fitting end to the season.

 Sophie never leaves the opposition wondering if she is there or not. Her forceful play enabled her to contribute 3 goals to the team total.

 The girls were quite happy to receive their medals after the game and there were some proud parents (and grandparents) on the court too.

Friday Night - Grand Final Win

James' team has been quite dominant in the Friday Night comp and the Grand Final was held last night.  They cruised out to a comfortable lead early but late in the second half they let their guard down and the opposition came within 2 points.  The boys held their nerve and did what was necessary for a comfortable win.  Not bad for a team with no Coach and no training sessions.

Birthday - The Final Fling

As the Family had given Claire a voucher for dinner in the Eureka Tower, we decided to use it on the anniversary of our first meeting (50 years ago in Kerang)

We found our way to the 89th floor and were given a table overlooking the MCG where the first game of the 2018 AFL season was being played.

 Jack was at the game so we were able to check on him between courses.  We were able to visit the Skydeck (on the floor below) between courses and watch the sunset over Melbourne.

Even the toilets provided an impressive location to conduct your business.

The dinner was as magnificent as the location with a degustation menu covering crab, caviar, cheeses, quail, lamb and a sweet of unknown origin but it included chocolate, ice-cream and a light liqueur based cream on a biscuit base.  A fantastic night

Jack Plays his Season Ender

Jack saw the end of his basketball season today with a loss in the preliminary final.  Today the boys were outclassed by a better team but they have had an impressive season and have formed a great team under James as their Coach. Jack had a good day with plenty of goals and assists.  His skills have also greatly improved this season.  James should also be happy with his Coaching debut with the improvement in the team and the positive vibe he has maintained through the season.

Friday Night Basketball

James and his mates run their Friday night team like a well oiled machine.  They do not appear to need a coach as they have been playing together so long they seem to know each others' moves instinctively.  They were certainly untroubled by the opposition tonight, winning by a large margin.

Touring Bruny

One of our objectives in visiting the Island was to get to the Lighthouse.  Many years ago the Inchleys had travelled down from Hobart to see it but they arrived at 4.10 and the gates had shut at 4.00pm.  On this occasion we arrived well before closing.

The Lighthouse is on the southern tip of the Island and even though it was a fine clear day with little wind elsewhere, there was a gale blowing at the lighthouse.  It is quite a location with commanding views of the rugged coastline.

Dinner included local wine and local cheese and the following morning it was on to the ferry and back to the airport.

Boating on Bruny

One of the major attractions on Bruny Island is the boat ride down the east coast of the southern part of the island.  A lot of people do the tour but it is very well organised and operated.

We climbed into one of their boats and donned one of their wet suits and headed off at about 40 knots.

The boat took us close to the impressive granite cliffs and ocean stacks and into ocean caves.

At the southern tip of the Island we got up close and personal with some of the sea birds and seals of the area.

 We were lucky to have decided to travel on a magnificent day that meant the ocean swell was at a minimum and we were able to access areas that were normally off limits.  It was a fantastic experience.

Eating on the Island

Bruny has a reputation as a foodie heaven and we saw nothing to dissuade us from this view.  Even the Pub had a fantastic nibbles menu.

 We sampled the berries grown on the island in a whole range of food.

A winery had a fantastic restaurant with a range of local produce on the menu -

and the local Beer, Cheese and Pizza place was doing an absolutely roaring trade.  We took some of the cheeses back for later sampling but they did not last long.

Heading South

We have wanted to see Bruny Island for some time now and the "want" translated into planning last year. Air BnB seemed the way to go so we booked in over a weekend that happened to promise great weather.

 The hire car from the Airport took us into Hobart to collect the Inchleys and then on to the Island to check out our accommodation. The place was high with a spectacular outlook.

 Inside was idiosyncratic to say the least. Every surface was crammed with nick knacks,crystal vases, porcelain pots or silver.

However the position and comfort made up for the need to continually have to create space for basic activities.

We did spend a bit of time on the deck!