Patrick's Formal

 It was a close run thing! Covid caused all sorts of disruptions including the cancellation of Patrick's Formal.  However, they did manage to reschedule so last night (a Monday) the boys dressed to impress and headed off.

Love Those Lemons

 Although our lemon tree is growing (slowly) it gets a D minus for fruit production.  Brett and Cathy brought a bag of lemons from Geoff Walsh's tree so we are back in the black as far as lemons are concerned!  There was juicing and freezing  and collection of rind to ensure we eat well over the next month or two.

Family Dinner - Because We Can!!

 Because restrictions have eased, Lisa called a family dinner.  It was like old times.  Mark was sorting the Barbeque

and offerings of food and wine had been brought along.

A balmy night allowed an outdoor feast.  Lisa had been moving rocks on the block at Eildon on the Saturday and punching out a feast on the Sunday.  It was a great evening 

and there was time to catch up on happenings over the covid lockdowns.

Adam's (Late) Birthday Dinner

 The post-Covid era has left us with a bit of catching up to do.  Adam's birthday is a distant memory but we had dinner to celebrate last night.  Squire's Loft appears to be back to normal.  The place was jumping!

Birthday Portraits

Yesterday we got our birthday portraits of Patrick and Sophie to finalise birthday season for the year.

How About That! Whitehorse Calendar

 A couple of months ago there was a call for photos for the Whitehorse Calendar and I sent in two.  I was more than a little surprised to see one of my photos on the front of the calendar and another in the June page (top left).  The only downside was that the photo reproduction was absolute rubbish.

Long Lunch

We have occasional catch ups with Claire's ex-work colleagues. Today it was lunch at Mornington.  It is an easy drive down and on this occasion we were delayed by a train line sweeper. I had not seen one before.

Lunch was delicious (Margaret is a great cook) and the afternoon went on to late.  It was a very agreeable way to spend the day.

Cooper Drops In

 Cooper decided he would call in to see us after school today.  He walked all the way from school with his massive bag.

We had a great visit and a good chat.  Over afternoon tea we caught up on how things are going since the schools have started up again.

Nearly Summer - Really?

 We have had some amazing weather for this time of the year with freezing mornings and dramatic skies.  It does provide the opportunity to try photographing some local urban landscapes.

The Thrill Of The Chase

 It's that time of year again.  We head for the shopping centre and spend quality time looking for a car park.

Then into the shops - normally a simple activity.  However, when Christmas shopping and your head space is in between "vague" and "no idea" this becomes a major challenge.  The excitement can be clearly read on our faces!

Mark's (Late) Birthday

 As we are opening up again we are racing to catch up on missed celebrations.  Mark's birthday is some way in the past but we had a celebration at the Doncaster Greek Tavern.  No one went home hungry.  It was very Greek - and big!

New Wheels?

 The new car market is a strange place at present with the production delays across the world as a result of the pandemic.  Adam is looking at a new car but it has to be ordered well ahead.  The hot contender is the latest Toyota Land-cruiser and he had a test drive today.  We snagged a lift.

It is a great car with all the bells and whistles needed for both comfortable highway and off road travel with none of the "truck feel".

Great Work

 After Lachlan took part in the Maths Olympiad at school he was quite unsure how he had performed.  He should not have been worried as he was in the top ten percent of the state.

Garden Maintenance

 It is surprising to us looking at the growth in the garden over the past year.  Of course the best part is that the maintenance can be accomplished with an hour or two's work in a morning.

So now we can take the next month or two off!  The rear garden has also come along in the past year.  The emphasis here is colour and it's currently looking good.

Locating the Lake House

 Mark and Lachlan headed for Eildon to do an "overnighter" on the block and do some clearing in preparation for summer.  There was plenty of fallen wood for a barbeque and swags provided the accommodation.

Lisa came up with us the next day to inspect progress.  First stop was Mansfield for coffee and provisions.

There is plenty to do on the block.  Mark was setting out the footprint of the house in preparation  for the excavation and removal of dirt.  The house will have a fantastic outlook over the valley that leads down to the Lake.

Just down the road is the beautiful Picnic Point and boats can be put in the water close by.  Relaxing summers can be seen in their futures.

Fortress Donvale

 Wall building continues at Donvale as Adam works on his wall.  The only concern now is that the accumulated momentum will result in the house being buried.  It's looking good.

Holly's Birthday Portrait

 Holly's birthday photo was only a little Covid delayed this year but we have it in the bag ready to go into the Frame of Fame (aka Granny's Gallery).  We are very lucky to be able to watch our grandchildren as they develop into young adults.