tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45034811368947039192024-02-19T13:59:53.806+10:00Sarah's House of TrousersLife with the Street boys.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-21403594533340249052013-07-18T17:22:00.000+10:002013-07-18T17:22:02.404+10:00The small window in the north westWhen we made the big move west, I had it in my mind to make the most of it and explore as much of the countryside as we could. So, these winter school holidays, being conveniently smack bang in the middle of the small window of time when you WANT to be outside, we set off to see what the Gibb River Road was like, to venture into the Kimberley. In 7 days we did 2500km which is small in Pilbara distance terms, but it just occurred to me that I would never consider driving to Sydney and back from Brisbane in 7 days, and we did more than that. All the trouser wearers and myself love the freedom and peace of camping, not the caravan park kind, but bush camping, and it is increasingly hard to find in these grey nomad - clogged parts of the north-west. The National Parks along the Gibb River are on the same page of my book - they divide the campground into 'quiet camping' and 'tour groups and generator-users'. Ha. At last a bit of positive discrimination! Enjoy the video and consider joining us next July when we return for a longer foray along the Gibb River Road. You need a 4WD and a high tolerance of dust ;)
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/siAoL4aka_o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-41537181278139012912013-05-10T17:42:00.002+10:002013-05-10T17:42:39.133+10:00Cape Leveque<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eTIMme3yqas" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-27196332943526696852013-03-04T22:10:00.002+10:002013-03-04T22:10:18.304+10:00Back in HedlandLast year Cyclone Lua had us housebound for a Saturday,and I recall writing a blog post about settling into life in Hedland. One year on and Cyclone Rusty had us housebound for two (work!)days, and kids home from school for another, so I thought I could start my own tradition. So here is my little slide show about returning to Hedland in 2013 after the summer break in Tassie.
Mikey would like to remind you of the heat and flies that you can't feel when viewing this ;)
Enjoy!
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mYjTl-v1XrA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-34337102267378777832013-01-24T16:06:00.000+10:002013-01-24T16:06:56.381+10:00Tassie Summer 2013Here are several snapshots of our summer weeks in Tassie. Same places as always, just bigger children and different natural disasters........
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CxBPhqC13M8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-78483675293302158422012-10-19T23:17:00.001+10:002012-10-19T23:17:43.904+10:00More videos from Sarah Carless (playlist)<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?index=4&list=ULogpZOfngiOE&hl=en_US" width="425"></iframe><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-22006315867077030782012-10-19T23:15:00.001+10:002012-10-19T23:15:43.460+10:00Springtime in Tassiehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogpZOfngiOE&feature=share&list=ULogpZOfngiOE
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-13661979680219178182012-04-14T21:37:00.003+10:002012-04-14T21:37:49.464+10:00From the dustpan and brushEaster in Broome, behaving in quite correct tourist fashion, savouring the sights, smells and sounds of this Kimberley town. And an interesting town it is too. But Pilbara prices prevail there.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/llr4Qa2bkA8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-11997725943242700452012-03-17T14:54:00.001+10:002012-03-17T14:54:45.340+10:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUvnByM2aueJKLZLIlzC0IAMEUQD5vRAVnJn-28PrCWAfnay1r3T6uiyvFus1W7TVqCdWHJTX9p-PAddn53tMaB3vb2MDKB6saH5tson31VzL86VFcN2g-uvh4iTV8uV85Y3XYvt05J8N/s1600/IMG_1472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="214" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUvnByM2aueJKLZLIlzC0IAMEUQD5vRAVnJn-28PrCWAfnay1r3T6uiyvFus1W7TVqCdWHJTX9p-PAddn53tMaB3vb2MDKB6saH5tson31VzL86VFcN2g-uvh4iTV8uV85Y3XYvt05J8N/s320/IMG_1472.JPG" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-33318796527445356972012-03-17T12:05:00.000+10:002012-03-17T12:05:13.243+10:00The Pilbara TrifectaAn enforced day at home prompts this post. Red Alert! Severe Tropical Cyclone Lua is pretty much on our door step, in Pilbara-distance terms, and we’re not allowed outside. So we’re getting to know our fibro-walled, lino-floored, proper hovel rather intimately. And to its credit, it has not shuddered yet. Excitement, bordering on anxiety, has been building in our town for the past couple of days. The checkout line in the supermarket extended to the back end of the shop, and ditto for the bottle shop. And we missed the boat there, because once it goes Yellow (Yellow Alert, not our skin from jaundice), the bottle shop had to shut. So we’re sober, but alert, as the coffee machine is well stocked, to see this one out. Let me see, we’ve suffered through 45 degree plus days, swallowed flies, paid $6 for a sausage roll, become blind to the general red stain on everything, and now a cyclone. Thoroughly christened to the Pilbara, indeed. Question is, do we like it?
The Streety boys (junior) are quite oblivious to where they are. They are so adaptable and have not complained yet about moving to the other side of the country. Mikey and I are both so proud of them. They enjoy seeing lizards, hermit crabs, the odd jabiru, sand crabs, tiny frogs (no cane toads here yet) and just generally playing in the red dirt. They have become quite adept at pulling out from their feet the huge ‘triple G’ thorns that thrive in our prickle patch of a yard. We are well-known patrons of both the local pool and recreation centre, the latter which offers rollerskating, the rollerskates being the ones you and I used to hire at the local rink. And for the record, the falls hurt just as much as when we used to go at the rink at Burleigh 30 years ago, given Magi’s expressions and bruises. And parents should wear steel-capped boots when accompanying two roller-skate -clad newbies. Fishing, both from the boat and bank, has become a pastime for us, with a notable catch of a sizeable barramundi by me the other weekend. Well at least we think it was a barra as it flipped around on the muddy creek bank, extricated itself from the hook and bounced back into the creek before our surprised eyes. Mikko insists that quad bikes, a very popular ‘toy’ around these parts, are not as fast as motorbikes, but I reckon neither of the boys would say no if they were offered a ride on one. The big Mick reckons quad bikes are for retards, quote unquote, for those who can’t ride a motorbike. So I don’t think we’ll be joining the Pilbara chapter of that club. We don’t have the inkwork to go with it, anyhow.
So that’s a yes for the junior half of the family. And far from landing in a culturally-deprived mining-town, I am now the dance teacher at the local high school, which runs a Specialised Arts Program. For the first few weeks I was feeling muscles I haven’t felt for years! I’m quite enjoying it, but working full time makes for a busy week and we’re all pretty tired come Friday morning. Mikey works long days and likes to get out and explore on his only day off. He frequently mistakes the Big Green Bus for a Big 4WD Bus and pushes the limits as to where it will go. So the BGB may be retired for something more Pilbara-appropriate. Just something we can hose out, is my request.
What do I miss? I miss a corner store, swim squad at Yeronga, cycling around Brisbane, kids playing on Bolan Street and friends. Do I like it? Yes. Does Mikey like it? He’s coming around. I think the new 4WD that’s been occupying his thoughts for a while will take the edge off.
So friends, we’ll be back in Brisbane around December 8 for a few days so please keep a day free and we’ll catch up and you can comment on our tans (it’ll just be fine grains of iron ore embedded in our pores, but I like to think of it as ‘mineral tanning’). See ya.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-73404765669903395392012-01-12T08:56:00.005+10:002012-01-12T08:56:59.068+10:00The Tassie ClubhouseFinally! A place of our own in this stunning part of the world. Geographically and geologically very far removed from the Pilbara. It's been like Christmas coming here, as all the decisions about tile colour and carpet type and appliances are now staring us in the face and we like it. So have a look and come and stay sometime!
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6QYb6atQKsw?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-51390118943436427412011-12-26T18:00:00.001+10:002011-12-26T18:00:43.183+10:00Christmas in the PilbaraWe personified the meaning of a 'quiet Christmas'. The words laidback and fuss-free come to mind as well. Santa found the boys no worries - he actually had a reccie here the week before just to check. And the flies apparently got an invite to someone else's party because they weren't around. You know, living here has slowed me down somewhat and I like it. I no longer feel in a rush to get anywhere, because the furthest place is 15 minutes drive away, and there's not a lot of choice so the decision making about lots of things is pretty easy. I feel really fortunate our house is airconditioned, but it is really nice in the shade with a breeze. Brisbane humidity sticks to you but the Pilbara desert heat brushes off your skin with a breeze. And you do make your own fun, as you may gather with the slide show below. Little things become big things that you get a lot more out of. Like a Boxing Day trip in the Pilchard, and our housemate Californian Sarah nabs a shark! Who would've thought?
Stay tuned for the Tassie Update. See ya.
Christmas in the Pilbara on PhotoPeach
<object width="445" height="296"><param name="movie" value="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/><param name="flashvars" value="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3D1067mtm&autoplay=0&embed=1"/><embed src="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="296" flashvars="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3D1067mtm&autoplay=0&embed=1"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-55269898242943944632011-12-06T16:36:00.001+10:002011-12-06T16:50:50.506+10:00The Pilbara Periodical<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zr3dI3pMZpY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">After
talking about it for what seemed like an age, we finally made the move to Port
Hedland in Wah Wah. So it was bye-bye to Bolan Street house and our lovely
neighbourhood, bye-bye to Balmoral High and bye-bye to friends and familiar
faces, sounds and smells. And hello to the balmy evening air of Port Hedland
(International Airport!). That balmy evening air doesn't get any cooler,
either. Actually, it's quite a relief from the desert heat of the day and quite
pleasant with the breeze ( or cyclonic wind, depending on the month of the
year). Life in Heddy (we live in South Hedland, 12km inland) is really quite
nice for us, at the moment. I'm on long service leave (how adult I feel being
able to say that!), Mikey works enough hours for two people I'm sure, Magnus is
finishing off the school year in school-based Kindy (uniform and all!) and
Mikko is without his big brother for the first time at a local child care
centre two days a week. All of our stuff arrived, including Sally and the big
green bus, and we've even aquired two house-mates along the way - a lovely
couple Jason and Sarah (distinguished by their Kiwi and Yankee accents
respectively). And a pool! Kmart does a roaring trade here, I tell you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Mikey and
I have realised how city-fied (do I say urbanised?) we have become in our
general thinking and expecations of things. Rules and regualtions, for
instance. City-thinking is: roads are for driving on, drive on the road to get
to your destination. Yes, yes, yes. But when the streets of the town are designed
to be like petals of a rose (ie circular patterns that challenge your sense of
direction big time) and you can see the place you want to get to, but the road
gently curves away from it, you just jump the gutter and drive through the
creek bed/spare block/ bit of desert bush to get there. General crowds is
another example. Beautiful Saturday morning (as is every morning here), we'll
head down to the beach and I'm thinking "there'll be heaps of people here
this morning for sure". Nup. Two cars, two people and a couple of dogs.
Where is everybody? There's always a car park at the shopping centre and the
playgrounds are pretty much empty (except for some tall lady with fly-away hair
and her two rambunctious boys). It's a boiling hot afternoon and there's 10 people
at the local pool. I feel a bit like I'm in the Twilight Zone.......<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Some
other observations:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 48pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Pilbara prices. This region may
as well have its own currency as it is running its own economy, I tell you.
$104 a day for child care. Real estate prices make Sydney look like a bargain.
Honestly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 48pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">When you see a road sign for The
Great Northern, it's NOT directing you to the pub in Byron Bay. Damn.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 48pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Is it sand or is it dirt? Is it
bush or is it desert? This landscape definitely challenges your mind as well as
your body. As Magnus said when we were choosing appropriate postcards,
"Are there any of just red?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 48pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Bush flies. So many of them and
they stick to you like glue. Walking along you'll see the person in front of
you wearing what looks like a randomly spotted t-shirt. Until a few spots fly
away. Then you realise what YOUR back must look like and begin swooshing your
hand for little effect.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 48pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">The desert keeps reclaiming. A
patch of red sand one day gradually becomes a small sand blow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 48pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">When cycling through said small
sand blows, HIT IT WITH SPEED!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 48pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Merry Christmas everybody. I hope
you can viewethe little film showing bits of our life here. We'll be
cherishing the cool climate of Tassie for a few weeks in January, in our new
house! So stay tuned for a visual feast of the southern parts of this truly vast land.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-17333671621911832822011-10-09T20:18:00.001+10:002011-10-09T20:18:49.409+10:00It's Springtime!And both our little lambs were indeed spring babies. Magnus is 5, Mikko is 3, the double pram is just about obsolete (and quite unroadworthy), and pretty much all baby goods have been given away. I may have snaffled a 000 singlet away just to remind myself how little they once were.<br />
Enjoy the show:<br />
<br />
Birthdays on PhotoPeach<br />
<br />
<br />
<object height="296" width="445"><param name="movie" value="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf">
</param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/>
<param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/>
<param name="flashvars" value="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3D12gcqth&autoplay=0&embed=1"/>
<embed src="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="296" flashvars="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3D12gcqth&autoplay=0&embed=1"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-74889024503925034082011-09-21T20:09:00.001+10:002011-09-21T20:15:48.999+10:0020 years and the manifestation of exponential<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" hca="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKsnlS9pbi6ZF32h5yup45BrGRLo0e6TUIzbSN5TzzEqg_0te_tWlKKTeMyLioq6U2vZ3PV9tx00EhDz6e9Fhg0ijM08A3pdz8VRSKdiZcQrNfILOkARdYcjl2KdCPnaeFu8soA2eCVH8/s320/P1010174.JPG" width="320" /></div>
<br />
Toby, Liam, Magnus and Owen<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rGaWvDWyPobMevqKyDL6FzKJ2jD6RHFSWBpSh4yJjZj1tBSWl9Nodb3_BFAS57DwLGtTTqUEUP8TqOP_Rc3hW7V-yiMM0JJKeIRFAmiouoQYorHyNE3T8TS7kmFVtZzau7mjoKPEFD0Y/s1600/P1010179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rGaWvDWyPobMevqKyDL6FzKJ2jD6RHFSWBpSh4yJjZj1tBSWl9Nodb3_BFAS57DwLGtTTqUEUP8TqOP_Rc3hW7V-yiMM0JJKeIRFAmiouoQYorHyNE3T8TS7kmFVtZzau7mjoKPEFD0Y/s320/P1010179.JPG" width="320" /></a>Magnus, Mikko, Owen and Liam</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGUTwa8TB31Dlt_LtvC_6bkzFeiGufa29mSy8UtgJ1nH9thph3tx67TByjj2wzm00nEZE-j_oDxkCApohsz848QymeoTYyfgGSz0i7YSgCs19cIJqnPSRBOIJrP9B-dg5i3yVIBVKUUrM/s1600/P1010068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGUTwa8TB31Dlt_LtvC_6bkzFeiGufa29mSy8UtgJ1nH9thph3tx67TByjj2wzm00nEZE-j_oDxkCApohsz848QymeoTYyfgGSz0i7YSgCs19cIJqnPSRBOIJrP9B-dg5i3yVIBVKUUrM/s320/P1010068.JPG" width="320" /></a>Kirsten, Fiona holding baby Roma, Jodi, Sarah & Liam (photo by Magnus!)</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpp_Ybr2F41E7cDjUdTL6vMC_2A3O2hbtME4_FPQsCFCqTMG5nSUpW2X6SKKWGWyMhH1STXIgQ7mKjGcsE3Uet1mPlsvcQt9KpS8Okf1ZtgmhoSWGbfXIP6q-2cT2W0A3Rw_h7KikwXSB/s1600/P1010176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpp_Ybr2F41E7cDjUdTL6vMC_2A3O2hbtME4_FPQsCFCqTMG5nSUpW2X6SKKWGWyMhH1STXIgQ7mKjGcsE3Uet1mPlsvcQt9KpS8Okf1ZtgmhoSWGbfXIP6q-2cT2W0A3Rw_h7KikwXSB/s320/P1010176.JPG" width="320" /></a>Half a football team with baby Roma cheering them on from her cot.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In the not-so- old-school Maths 1, there was always a lot of talk about <em>n</em>, and it's good mate <em>exponential</em>. I like to talk in concrete terms so Maths 1 didn't suit me very well, but today I was part of an excellent example of a mathematical formula. Take four PBC girls, add almost 20 years of life experience, do the brackets first and what do you get? Definitely not zero, as Miss Priddle insisted, but a bunch of beautiful children. </div>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-43695424715549948782011-08-25T19:10:00.003+10:002011-08-25T19:30:02.715+10:00And then there were 3<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcHs5EfJkeJoZZae6wHrmC3rEg7UsPaHy1bGXnjhz-cwjTIx9DLN_NP7wA90ot98ZrtxzYAGYaH8398NnofVPyw0wZCJd07fjnAyg8fJpoViFsPctWNYWh45tGWmUPqtMOelEy1FE7K4m/s1600/Pilbara_rails.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 284px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHcHs5EfJkeJoZZae6wHrmC3rEg7UsPaHy1bGXnjhz-cwjTIx9DLN_NP7wA90ot98ZrtxzYAGYaH8398NnofVPyw0wZCJd07fjnAyg8fJpoViFsPctWNYWh45tGWmUPqtMOelEy1FE7K4m/s320/Pilbara_rails.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644722899536259458" /></a>
<br />Our oldest, loudest, strongest and most rugged trouser-wearer has flown the house of trousers to set up shop over in balmy Port Hedland. In Heddy, as we've come to call it, you are guaranteed sunny days, safety training and a Tanami tan. Over everything. And Mikey has his shirt embroidered with his name because pretty much everyone in Heddy wears the Nemo uniform. The other interesting point about it is that you could not get any further away from Tasmania and still be on the Australian mainland. But, we do things a bit ass-about in this household, although there is always a goal in mind. So, soon enough, the messier three-quarters of SHOT will fly the Bulimba coop for PH to live again as a family and embark on a whole new range of adventures. So, just like Snakey Pastures in Tassie, Heddy House will be taking bookings, as soon as we've located a house, that is. Shipping container might be the go. Stay tuned!!!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-16965430139169425762011-07-17T12:47:00.000+10:002011-07-17T12:48:34.644+10:00You don't need a backyard......when you live on a street!<br /><br /><iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uy8AqDMmcyQ?hl=en&fs=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-64681505942749857082011-07-06T19:14:00.003+10:002011-07-06T20:29:00.434+10:00It's a firstWe went to the movies today. It was a first for the Street boys. And due to age and consequent attention shortage, Mikko was always going to be the weakest link. He did quite well for most of it, but his bulldozing tendencies could only be suppressed for so long and eventually he started roaming up and down the aisles, delighting in finds of almost-empty drinks and spilled popcorn. These treasures became his missiles, given he had quite a good posi, high up in the back. I'm not sure if the two children seated in front of us who moved seats were after a better vantage point or fed up with the falling popcorn and grunts of stubborness. Anyhow, I had to escort Mikko from the cinema when he started undressing himself (right before the final scene!). Contrary to what I thought, he actually took quite a lot of the film in, as he explains in the little clip below. And Magnus, verbalising his 4 year old thoughts, told me at bedtime: "Mum, you know what makes you knackered, or really worn out? Doing heaps of things one after the other, like a hundred million things."<br /><OBJECT id=BLOG_video-5b8403198f0f5269 class=BLOG_video_class width=320 height=266 contentId="5b8403198f0f5269"></OBJECT>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-14783695123318003222011-06-12T18:00:00.001+10:002011-06-12T18:02:24.297+10:00Self-expression can occur through a variety of mediums, movement being one.<br />Enjoy the show Magnus and Mikko put on recently.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/f2o-VSf5x2U?hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/f2o-VSf5x2U?hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-85713645788010521102011-06-02T19:10:00.002+10:002011-06-02T19:15:28.018+10:00Times, they are a changingSammy Day Care has been an invaluable part of our lives for the past three years. She has cared for both Magnus and Mikko like they were her own and they have regarded her like a mother, and her children, Will and Libby, like their own siblings. Sam and her family have sold up and are moving to the verdant pastures of Cooroy. We at the House of Trousers have been in traumatic transition for the past month, starting a new kindy, but things are starting to get a lot better. We wish you all the best, Sam, and cannot thank you enough for the three years of happy, playful and caring times you gave our boys.<br /><br />Farewell Sammy Day Care on PhotoPeach<br /><br /><object width="445" height="296"><param name="movie" value="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/><param name="flashvars" value="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3Dbeuqvt&autoplay=0&embed=1"/><embed src="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="296" flashvars="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3Dbeuqvt&autoplay=0&embed=1"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-39728937990343826342011-04-27T15:15:00.002+10:002011-04-27T15:26:55.713+10:00Easter FestivitiesWe braved the Easter risk of wet weather and went south for some camping and adventure. Seven adults and nine kids under 10, bikes, boats, balls, tubes and a whole lot of food and firewood meant for an enjoyable time. There was one teency weency anxious hour for the mothers when the fathers and children hadn't returned from their downriver exploration, but we found them safe and well along the Armidale Road, all smiles and shivers and the big blue boat worse for wear. Plastic is strong, but rocks and a fair current are no match.<br /><br />Enjoy the show!<br /><br />Goolang Creek on PhotoPeach<br /><br /><object width="445" height="296"><param name="movie" value="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/><param name="flashvars" value="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3Dtnm67i&autoplay=0&embed=1"/><embed src="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="296" flashvars="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3Dtnm67i&autoplay=0&embed=1"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-54749192105199103432011-03-24T18:56:00.003+10:002011-03-24T19:21:46.882+10:00The Fiddler, The Worker and the Aeroplane MakerOh to understand the workings of a four-year-old's mind. From what I'm gathering, observing Magnus,dinosaurs, rockets and general mechanics feature heavily, content wise (hence the hit book at the library - "DinoTrucks"). Metacognitively speaking, it's all black and white. No grey areas here. An answer is required for every question, even those questions that can't be answered like "Why when something's died-ed can't it be alive again?" My weary 5pm answer of "Because it just can't" doesn't cut it. And what a stark contrast to a 2 year old's personality. Tactile is the word that comes to mind. What you can touch and what you can see. Like Mummy in bed at 5:30am (what you can see) and whats on the end of my finger (what you can feel)and the rapdily developing vocabulary of "Mummy, booger! And what the 2 year old can do to re-affirm his place as boss (scream really loudly and get out of bed 10 times in 15 minutes)<br /><br />Anyhow, to come back to the title, which refers to all the trouser wearers in this house, these names were announced by Magi one morning. I had just returned from a run (and it feels quite strange to be saying that, but not nearly as strange as it feels doing it) and Mikey announced "Mummy's a runner!", to which Magi replied "Yeah, Mummy's a runner, Mikko's a fiddler, Daddy's a worker and I'm an aeroplane maker!". Classic.<br /><br />Mikey has since said that he wishes to be known as a paddler, not a worker, and so we toddled off to the Alley for an afternoon session of paddling (the boat variety) and paddling (the splashing around variety).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKOlZCxZV-3Ju2AlB8hN5wBqKrcQ0Ly8uEKaIKXLaSqHBQGESYc2TQ_TjcxcBZhkNsbcPtMct-ixO6RwBVX3JS_r8luNBY_VGzDzd06aFeo8XXHjSX_oNxGxYzvD0NI3ey45iT6N4HVFS/s1600/035.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKOlZCxZV-3Ju2AlB8hN5wBqKrcQ0Ly8uEKaIKXLaSqHBQGESYc2TQ_TjcxcBZhkNsbcPtMct-ixO6RwBVX3JS_r8luNBY_VGzDzd06aFeo8XXHjSX_oNxGxYzvD0NI3ey45iT6N4HVFS/s400/035.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587572814629748146" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-88575485780236095952010-12-31T13:30:00.000+10:002010-12-31T14:02:20.086+10:00The Roar of Roaring Beach<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95lc9720PR_AUFezsIqeNdZTL8ghjksi2s_c2xFTorzpBvkBCPSwSNLRqcW1KnGQQuboA9rmLm2p93JEEhWTnLgXnK-KsOJvi9Id17c4wb8amgl1fgtdhPP5BoKyWQXXsF_qcmgNREy-s/s1600/P1000476.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95lc9720PR_AUFezsIqeNdZTL8ghjksi2s_c2xFTorzpBvkBCPSwSNLRqcW1KnGQQuboA9rmLm2p93JEEhWTnLgXnK-KsOJvi9Id17c4wb8amgl1fgtdhPP5BoKyWQXXsF_qcmgNREy-s/s320/P1000476.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556690967250218562" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQGnzEhpijqdyakzvegDVCQDv1SQR2m7wqOmdP6bo67nckZMjhpY7HskZf6m5rNKQH4ShHXGQu-FzeZKpfxY5o3l8rfkuJMRFWCzSGmbDMk2HzKAgxq7WbWhFLXoo7AqDjZoPNkDpeUzd/s1600/P1000480.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQGnzEhpijqdyakzvegDVCQDv1SQR2m7wqOmdP6bo67nckZMjhpY7HskZf6m5rNKQH4ShHXGQu-FzeZKpfxY5o3l8rfkuJMRFWCzSGmbDMk2HzKAgxq7WbWhFLXoo7AqDjZoPNkDpeUzd/s320/P1000480.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556690950890817938" /></a><br />I'm particularly smitten with Roaring Beach. It's one of my top 5 beaches of all time. I think the name grabbed me initially, before I'd even seen it. My mother said matter-of-factly, "Oh, there's Roaring Beaches everywhere in Tassie. If it's got waves, they call it Roaring Beach". But I had to see it. You take a 7km winding dirt road from Nubeena, and then scramble up and over some sand dunes (it is here that my anticipation starts to build), through the coastal heath and past wombat poo and the odd dead tiger snake in the creek, to be greeted with a windswept, roaring beach set between two headlands and looking south to Bruny Island and the Hartz Mountains, with aptly named Wedge Island in the foreground. The waves are always roaring at Roaring, and the rock pools never disappoint if the swell(and temperature) don't suit your level of courage. The fossicking for washed-up treasure amongst the bank of rolling, smooth rocks is delightful; the cool, fresh southerly wind blasting in your face invigorates your body and soul. Today's visit, on the last day of the year, was timed well with blue, sunny skies and a nor-easterly gently blowing. Laden with wetsuits, towels, snacks and the boogie board we traipsed the sand dune path, Magnus' level of excitement equalling mine; "It's like we're in the desert, Mum!". And with the odd wallaby skeleton strewn over the sand, it was.<br />Both the boys caught some lovely little waves on the board, their bodies oblivious to the cool Southern Ocean current. I once again rejoiced in my investment of a full steamer wetsuit, the wearing of which there is an unwritten code - the time you spend in the water must equal, if not be greater than, the sum of the time it takes to put the wetsuit on and take it off. I followed that rule today for sure!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-22721336966893081632010-12-25T17:10:00.001+10:002010-12-25T17:13:55.541+10:00Christmas in TassieWe've had two temperate, lovely weeks in Tassie with Mikey ticking a lot of his boxes on his to do list. The Two Peters have finished their building and returned to the mainland; now we just need paintbrushes (and associated tedious labour), a reluctant plumber and an absent sparky (Hi Carey!) needed to make the place habitable. <br />Enjoy the slideshow!<br /><br />Christmas in Tassie on PhotoPeach<br /><br /><object width="445" height="296"><param name="movie" value="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/><param name="flashvars" value="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3Dtlu31a&autoplay=0&embed=1"/><embed src="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="296" flashvars="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3Dtlu31a&autoplay=0&embed=1"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-76413467086199185672010-11-18T12:14:00.000+10:002010-11-18T12:17:47.612+10:00The Tassie ShackThe Tassie Shack on PhotoPeach<br /><br /><object width="445" height="296"><param name="movie" value="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/><param name="flashvars" value="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3D10d98eo&autoplay=0&embed=1"/><embed src="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="296" flashvars="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3D10d98eo&autoplay=0&embed=1"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4503481136894703919.post-57877894511082724982010-07-28T19:14:00.000+10:002010-07-28T19:48:14.471+10:00Our guest from TaiwanAmy has been staying at our house for the past three weeks. She's looking after a group of students from Taiwan and, amongst her many duties, has to take oodles of photos of the lucky ducklings to be posted everyday on the web for their parents to see what it is they paid all that money for. Cut to the chase, Amy loves photography, and has an exceptional talent for it, and we've been her subjects, quite willingly, for the extent of her visit. Enjoy the slideshow of some of her excellent photographs.<br /><br />Aussie life with the Streets through Amy's lens. on PhotoPeach<br /><br /><object width="445" height="296"><param name="movie" value="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/><param name="flashvars" value="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3Djw1t0v&autoplay=0&embed=1"/><embed src="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="296" flashvars="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3Djw1t0v&autoplay=0&embed=1"></embed></object><br /><br />and Part two<br /><br />Aussie life with the Streets through Amy's lens Part 2 on PhotoPeach<br /><br /><object width="445" height="296"><param name="movie" value="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/><param name="flashvars" value="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3Dp2retp&autoplay=0&embed=1"/><embed src="http://photopeach.com/public/swf/story.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="296" flashvars="photos=http://photopeach.com%2Fapi%2Fgetphotos%3Falbum_id%3Dp2retp&autoplay=0&embed=1"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0