Camping Show

Yesterday we headed off to Rosehill for the annual caravan and camping show. It is absolutely massive with exhibits by hundreds of companies in the caravan and camping industries. We saw some great caravans that no longer come with just basics. Gone is the bright orange and purple. You now have toilets and showers, stereos, LCD TV's, microwaves and washing machines. Mind you, the more features they have the more they cost. Some caravans were $100K + and you would then need a huge vehicle to tow it.

I found myself all excited at the prospect of one day being a grey nomad and wishing my years away to the day I can retire and travel the country. What a waste, I have another 20 years of work left. Although I will need this time to save up and be able to afford the luxury my dear husband requires for travelling.

I would be perfectly happy with the small 2 person pop-up - however, we have an issue, as Phil needs to have a shower and toilet. Part of the fun of holidaying is a van is walking up to the public ammenities block. The one I want is $16K - the one Phil wants is more a caravan which costs a lot more.

We left thinking perhaps we might just start with a small tent for weekend getaways. Oh but Phil hates mossies! I don't know what the problem is - they don't bite me!

DEXTER has me totally engrossed or grossed.

I was quite the disgusting couch potato on Monday. I was flicking through foxtel and got totally engrossed in the series called Dexter. When I say engrossed, I mean this is two ways. One, I sat through all 12 episodes; and two, it is a pretty gross crime series where the main character is a blood spatter expert with the Miami police. On the side he is a serial killer whereby he justifys his acts by only killing other bad people who kill. It's all quite grusome.

Yes it is really quite bazaar and more so as I don't normally go for these types of shows. The story was just engrossing to me and at the end of each 1/2 hour episode, I needed to know what was going to happen in the next. Finally by 7.30pm I could get up and make dinner.

I must say though - I didn't have a very good sleep. I had some disturbing dreams, so I don't think I will be doing that again for a long time.

http://www.sho.com/site/dexter/home.do

Easter Long Weekend

We spent the weekend painting. Philip got a start on the bathroom downstairs where we are doing a cheapy reno to spruce up the space a bit. We also painted finished off some painting in the kitchen. All a perfect job for a rainy weekend.

On Sunday I went into the city to see the Archibald prize exhibition. There were some great paintings and some not so great paintings (I think you need to be on some serious drugs to understand them). I have to agree with the winning painting however. I thought it was a wonderful painting and the colours were just wonderful in it.

“This painting celebrates Del Kathryn Bartons love for her two children and how her relationship with them has radically informed and transformed her understanding of who she is” “The title of the work – you are what is most beautiful about me – alludes to that utterly profound ‘in-loveness’ that all mothers have for their children.

Born in Sydney in 1972, Barton has a Bachelor of Fine Art from the College of Fine Arts, University of NSW, where she taught for three years until 2003. She has had regular solo exhibitions since 2000 and has participated in national and international group shows including the Helen Lempiere Travelling Art Scholarship, the Blake Prize for Religious Art and the Sulman Prize. She was a finalist in the 2007 Dobell Prize for Drawing.

Thoughts!

Something to think about.......

"We are what we think! Our emotions are the slaves to our thoughts, and we are the slave to our emotions.

The problem we have swinging the the vines of thought is that we are never where we are. We are alwasy digging in the past or poking at the future, but rarely do we rest in this moment."

Just another weekend

I've been off work since Wed lunch time as I was feeling so lethargic and just wanted to sleep. On the Thursday I got up and went for my usual walk at 6.30am, but when I got home, I was so exhausted and slept until 10am. I went to the doctors and I had a high temperature - she said I probably had some viral thingy. So I stayed home Friday as well and just slept and plonked on the lounge. I was feeling a little better on Saturday and Sunday, but still tired.

We have heaps of work to do outside the house at the moment, so I started helping Phil shovel some dirt that has to be relocated into the top garden out the front. I only could manage a little bit of work and had to do something a bit less strenuous.

Saturday arvo Carolyn came over and we ended up having a totally random night with Dean and her son joining us for some Thai food.

Sunday I mowed the lawn to tidy up the backyard as I couldn't stand it any longer. I also spent some time decluttering the house which I didn't mind too much. I played some Vivaldi which helped me get heaps done.

Kiama Jazz Festival

It was a splendid weekend of Jazz in Kiama on the weekend. We drove down Friday night and stayed at the Bellevue B&B which is a heritage home built in late 1800's and has been restored. It sat up on a hill overlooking the main town and across the road from the little mining cottages.

Friday night was a bistro meal at the local Leagues club - nothing to write about here. We then headed to a pub for a couple of drinks and back home.

Saturday was a glorious day with blue skys and the sea sparkled in the sunlight. We took a walk to the blowhole which I had not been to in many many years. It hasn't changed a bit. I was left curious though if the actual hole had grown in the past years. There was no great show at the blow hole as the sea was so calm.

Saturday night we headed off to dinner at Go Heat, a wood fire pizza place for some fine entertainment by Jan Preston who played her piano and some great old boggie woogie hits of the 40's and 50's and many covers of the old great blues hereos. I was in heaven and enjoyed it immensley. Phil survived quite well and tried to enjoy it as much as he could.

Sunday was meant to be a trip to the air show in Albion Park, however, I was not so popular with the husband when we realised I had the days wrong and that it in fact had been on the Saturday. Anyway, it meant sitting in the park and listening to some live jazz in the park.

Well - at least I was a happy gal.

Phil flys to Cessnock

Phil had another 4 hours to log in his flight log book yesterday. He took off from Bankstown and flew to Cessnock. All went very well and again he impressed the instructor. The flying school has 180 students, and they are fast tracking Phil through so he can be an instructor as they have so many students and not enough pilots. Phil actually has more qualifications than his flight instructor. Phil has his commercial, senior commercial and instrument rating which is more than his instructor has. So - all is positive for the forced career change at this stage.

He came home last night a very tired boy. I can't wait to see him walk in the house with his white pilot shirt and bars on his lappel. "Don't get me wrong, he looked pretty darn good in his shorts, hard hat and nail bag too"

OMG - not the Audi

Well we have a ding in the Audi. I had a teary women come to my door the other week and my stomach just sank. I almost closed the door in her face as I feared she was to tell me the worst - that the she had run over the cat. I said "what - it's the cat" - she tearfully said "no, I have reversed into your car". I let out a sigh of relief "is that all!" I said. "I thought you had run over my cat". It's just a car, it can be fixed.

Anyway, no great damage, just the front fender thingy over the wheel. There are so many things in life that are worse than that - even if it is an Audi! I'm looking to update anyway.....

Art

Well I am so proud to own my first 'Real' piece of art work (sorry mum, apart from yours which I truly love) - This art is called 'Shall We Dance" and it was painted by Anthea Slade. I just love her paintings. This painting reminds me of Phil and I when we were married. Enjoy!

Our boat

Here is a pic of our boat which we have so much fun on.

Note for Kelly: See the 2 storey house in the background to the right - that is where your old house was.

Update on Reno's

Cement rendering and new decking balastrading. You can see at front of house, render is still wet.