Hawaii

 Adam, Kate and family have decided to forego the joys of winter in Melbourne and have relocated to Hawaii for a week.  Current indications suggest they are surviving the rigours of the climate.

Birthday Lunch

 The School Holidays offered the opportunity to catch up on Birthday lunches.  On this occasion we had the additional drama of the car battery dying when we tried to move.  We were obliged to have lunch in a little cafe in Croydon while waiting for the repair man.  This turned out to be a good thing as it was generally agreed that the burgers they produced were among the best we had tasted.

We found that as people grow, the rear seat of the Honda Jazz seems to be shrinking.

Travelers Lunch

 Our merry (and increasingly elderly) little band of travelers met for lunch at one of the restaurants we had all used when we were first married.  Fedeles in Glen Waverley has not changed that much since but our lunch was spectacular.

Then it was back to the Reid's for afters and to sort out world affairs.

Cooper - Basketball

 Cooper and his mates had a relatively easy win yesterday.  They had been moved up a grade but they are still doing well.

The Passing Parade

 We attended the funeral of Kath Carter yesterday.  I had known Kath since my youth as the mother of one of my friends (Colin) and more importantly, as a great friend of my mother.  Kath was 103 years old and had been suffering from dementia so her last years were not happy.  She was an extraordinarily strong, independent and intelligent woman so the funeral was a celebration of her achievements and drive.

The Last Supper

 Having sold their family home of 30 years, Terry and Tricia are in the last stages of cleaning out ready for their move.  We visited them to have a last meal in the old house in celebration of their new home and lifestyle.

Soccer After Sunset

 Jack has a penchant for playing soccer in the dark after sunset on freezing nights.  No exception on Sunday night.

Jacks shows considerable skill on the field although on this occasion, the boys were outclassed by a team from Heidelburg.

Lake House Has Walls

The Weather Gods took pity and allocated a couple of days without rain so the walls of the Lake House garage could be started on the new slab.  The concrete blocks had to be moved from the bottom of the block.

Lachlan used the opportunity to develop his skills with the fork lift.

The walls are now at a height that requires them to be filled with concrete before the next courses of bricks can be put in place.  Hopefully this week.

Lazy Monday

 Today was my first "King's Birthday" holiday since 1952 when I was 6 years old. (I can't remember the last one).  Monty decided to bring Brett and Mitchell over for a visit in celebration of the occasion.

Above Ground (At Last)

 With the completion of the slab at the Lake House, work can now start on the building.  First job was to bring up the blocks that will be used to make the retaining walls and start laying them.

The laying has started.

Jack's Gallery Entry

 It has been a while since Jack's seventeenth birthday but we finally took his photo for Granny's Gallery today.

Winter Cleanup

 We have been promised a few clear days in a row!  Time to do a winter cleanup and cutback ready for the Spring.

I See Sun

 Wow! The sun is out - let's go to lunch!

The Slab is Finally Poured

 All the prep work had been done and all the reinforcing steel was in place. The weather had caused interminable delays but Monday was clear.

The pump and the concrete arrived around 8.00 and the pour was underway.

The slab was finished in the early afternoon and luckily the rain held off until late night so the concrete cured without damage.

Jack's Soccer

 Jack had a busy Sunday.  Following the family celebration of his birthday he had a late soccer match.

All the games of the day had been delayed so they were playing under lights.

This was our first opportunity to see him in action as his other games had been in locations requiring an overnight stay or had been cancelled.  We must be his lucky charm as this was their first win against Brunswick.  They were happy little vegemites at the end of the day!

Jack's Birthday Gathering

 Jack's birthday celebration has been a moving feast with all the other family commitments.  It was worth the wait.  It was a day out of the box.  It was the first opportunity for a family catchup for a while.

Cooper - Basketball

 Cooper and his team had a good game last night.  It was a relatively easy win and Cooper had his eye in throwing goals from out wide including a 3 pointer.  

Job well done!

Sophie - Netball

We watched Sophie play with the school Netball team today.  It was a bleak day and there was a correspondingly bleak result.  Although they were outclassed they gave it their best shot.