Ebony's 21st Party

 After many weeks of planning, Ebony's 21st party was held at home.  The house was transformed into the perfect party venue with a bar area in the carport, quiet areas to the side and a main room all set up with lights and sound system (courtesy of Mark Walsh).  It all ran so well.  I don't think Ebony could have hoped for anything better.  She is now officially 21.

The 2024 Blog Book

 Each year we get a book of the Blog printed off.  We find it to be a useful historic reference on many occasions. The US publisher we have been using for years appears to have gone belly up so this year we had to use a publisher in Holland.  They did a good job.

Handrail Installed

 As we get older and more wobbly it seemed like a good idea to install a handrail on our rear steps.  They were purchesed a while ago but are now in place.

Lunch

 Claire and I had been trying to have a regular Thursday lunch date but things seem to have intervened over the last couple of months.  However we got back to it today with a visit to Ang Ang.  It was not the intended target of our attention but The Sub Urban Pub looked a little too pub like for us.

Holly and Sophie's Formal

 All Holly and Sophie's planning and preparation finally paid off with a very successful School Formal.  The first part of the evening was at Brett and Cathy's place before the real action moved to the other venues.  Of course the girls looked stunning and the boys looked like boys.

Project Completed (Finally)

 It has been a long time!  Last year we decided to sell the caravan and the Hilux and reconfigure the property boundaries to make use of the newly available space.  The legal process through the Titles Office took six months then there was drive reshaping, fencing and creating new garden spaces.  It has all now been completed.

The changes have had little impact on the rear Unit apart from increasing it's area on the Title.  Where we once stored the Caravan, the new raised garden is performing well with the new plants growing rapidly.

We took space from the drive to increase the rear garden area and that has now settled in with new plants.  We are very happy with the final result.

Visiting Tom and Ruby

Angel's parents, Tom and Ruby, invited us to visit their place in Gough's Bay while we were in Mansfield.  Their amazing log "cabin" inspired by the Canadian log houses, was built by a local company using locally sourced timber.

The house is in a beautiful setting with fields and local woodland providing plenty of dry timber for the wood fired heating.

During the Covid epidemic, Angel spent her study time in the loft area amongst the massive timber beams.

Luckily the weather was perfect.  So while Ruby was doing the Masterchef thing in the house, we sat around an open fire over which Tom cooked the roast for dinner.  

The Mansfield Marathon

Mansfield put on perfect weather for the running of the Marathon, clear and quite cool. The preparation work started at 7 am for an 8 am start.

There was plenty of nervous anticipation prior to the start (or it may have been the cold).

We thought it was going to be a small field of runners but it was a crowded start.  As the gun went, everyone set their watches going and off they went

Sophie was running the half Marathon and had expected to take 2hr 20 min but she flew home in 2 hr 5 min which was a personal best.

James was next after completing the full marathon in an amazing 3.hr 17 Min. Another personal best and coming in fourth!.

Then Adam came in fifth place with a time of 3 hr and 25 min. - yet another personal best!

All the careful preparation for this run had paid off with amazing performances from all three.  We are not quite sure how this could have happened in the Reid Family but we could not be more proud of our athletes.

The Delatite Hotel - Mansfield

 As Adam, James and Sophie were taking part in the Mansfield Marathon on Mother's Day, we decided to take a couple of days to see the area and watch the event. We stayed at the Delatite Hotel in the middle of Mansfield.  It was a building I remembered from my childhood when I visited with my parents so I was intrigued to stay there.  We were pleased to find the rooms fully renovated although access was still via a steep old staircase. However the character of the old hotel had been retained.

We used the external fire escape for our room access.

Mark was working on the Lake House so we were able to meet up for dinner.

Concrete Arrives

 The recent dry weather produced ideal conditions for Mark to organise the concrete required around the Lake House to underpin the rear deck and in the underhouse battery room.  This will greatly reduce the amount of dirt entering the house as work continues.

Under the house a concrete pad is now in place to accommodate a games room and the house solar system.

Lake House Plaster

 Mark is really pushing ahead with the plaster of the Lake House.  Most of the plaster panels are in place but the next task is sealing it all and preparing for painting

Lisa is trying her hand at finishing the plaster, taping the edges and preparing the corners for painting.  with the plaster on the way some of the kitchen has now been installed.