Update

Hi All

I'm on my way to Darwin! Marty's holidays begin 20th June. I have a commitment with the Monks on 22nd and then I'm on the plane to Darwin. Get the boat ready Mart.

I have been setting up the slide projector and taking a snap on the camera then posting it to "My Pictures" and showing them to Nana. I'll post a sample. Hope it comes out.

Love to All

words from thesouth coast

Hi all,
Actually really Mart and Claire. Life sounds so exciting up there. I was a bit worried when you first moved, those first few weeks sounded pretty hard, but you have definitely found your feet now. Good luck with the new job Claire-so much time for reading on the bus, thats what I love the most, even though mine is only a 13km trip!
And Im very impressed that you have checked out the op shop scene.

It all sounds beautiful, all the local places you are exploring- how can I convince Hasi he would love it up there for a few years.
And last but not least-love those shorts!!

P.S. Annie you are my hero-4 sessions a week at the gym!! Send me that energy.

Love to you all.
Namaste, Zak

No Fish Photos

Hi All

Sorry but no fish photos this time. Last weekend we went out on the harbour but didn't do any good however it was really just a chance to go out and try the new canopy I bought for the boat. Claire and I went out one weekend earlier in the year and got so burnt and sunstruck that we were quite ill. The weekend before that we went to Corroboree Billabong (thats where the lily photo comes from) and although we put the boat in we did a lot of cruising around the flood plains and not much fishing. It was more of a camping relaxing weekend though the mozzies were unbelievable. The weekend before that we went to Unbrewarra Gorge and Douglas Hot Springs. Unbrewarra was really pretty but the camping ground was really crowded. Luckily a mate I work with and his family got down there early and saved room for us.
Claire has a new job starting at the beginning of June at Batchelor College. It's an Indigenous Higher Education Institute. It's a promotion and she is really happy. Batchelor is about 100km south of Darwin (the gateway to Litchfield National Park). There is a free bus that goes down and back everyday that takes about an hour each way but she sees this as an opportunity to study.
We think we have found a house to buy. We have been to look at it twice and I am going to ask Joe to have a look next weekend. It will need work but it has everything we are looking for. Unfortunately there are no pictures on the net as I think the agent must be semi-retired. He hasn't done any of the hard sell which is great as I'm a bit over being asked if you want to put an offer in after just walking through the door.
Zak we have most of the Op shops sussed though they don't seem to cater for mens fashion as well as they do for the girls. having said that I got a great Mambo Loud Shirt the other day.
We are both really enjoying Darwin. There is so much to do but we miss the boys and all our friends in Alice.

few rambling thoughts from Annie

Hi all. sorry I haven't signed in for a while, I do read the blog every couple of days. Steve, lucy and I have just come back from year 11 information night. I can't believe my little girl is going into year 11-pretty scary stuff!! Had a quiet holiday with John Fran and the boys as well as Tjilpie - no show without punch! visiting on the middle weekend. Wow can teenage boys eat a lot -not to mention Dad. Sang at a wedding a few weeks ago it was lots of fun, haven't sang at a wedding for years, it felt really good when a woman asked us after if we were a professional group. Also got a bag full of goodies for singing. work is great since the horrible old music teacher left for another job, I feel so much happier even though a lot of equipment has been stolen and damaged. the new music teacher seems so much more realistic she has four children form 9-16 so probably is a lot more attuned to teenagers than the other one!! Moo good to see you climbed Mount snowdon what an achievement, and doing it the hard way. it puts our climb up to pigeon house in the shade. Our kitchen has finally been finished with a beautiful new stove which I love cooking with as well as nice new pots. Still attending gym sessions each week, I aim to do four to five classes each week, though last few weeks have only managed four classes. I love it. Lucy has also joined and comes with me a few times a week though she likes the machines more I think. I just love group classes. I think thats about all the news, sorry I tend to ramble a bit with my thoughts going everywhere, it is after 10pm on a week night and i am thinking about heading for bed really soon.

congratulations Moo and Jules

Moo, I am so impressed that you guys did Snowdon!!!!!
Should I ask how you got Jules to do it, as I know we couldn't persuade him when we three were up north together.
Dad-I especially love the bit, where you and Ron went to the cop shop for accommodation! Dont we all remember when the olds would tell us, if all else failed, go to the police station? and I thought it was a bit of a scare tactic! All these years Ive missed out on sleeping in a police cell. Im definitely giving it a go on my next trip-bugger the op shops.

Hi All
Great to get the news from Katie and Moo. I have tried to get on for a week but the computer told me my "cookies" had run out or some such gobbildy gook. But I'm back on! Hurrah!
Ron and I had a great trip to Warnambool after a shaky start. The train was supposed to reach Cootamundra at 1.40am but got there at 4.10am. Ron was frozen stiff. Got to Melbourne 3hrs late. The train from Melbourne was 1/2hr late getting to Warnambool at 5.10 when we were told our hotel booking was non existant. We went to the police station and asked for a cell for the night. A very helpful police officer did some hunting around and found us digs at a motel about 1km from the track. We shared the quaddie on day 1 which gave us a bank for the next couple of days which we duly squandered.
Spent Mothers Day with Nana Margaret and Marie who provide a great turkey dinner.
Went to the GPS Athletic Carnival on Saturday with Murray and Dan Watts to see Murray's grandchild run.
Can't take a trick with Tom's footy tipping.
Love to all
Dad.

Greetings from Wales

Hi All

We have just returned from a fabulous 5 days in North Wales. The weather was glorious and the op shops provided good merchandise. We also did something we have been wanting to do for a long time - we climbed Snowdon! What an achievement. We walked up the Rhyd ddu path (if anyone wants todo further research). This is a much steeper and, therefore, less populated track than the one from Llanberis that most people choose. I nearly gave up a few times, and Julian nearly went over the edge (Kate will understand why I was tempted to push him off. Memories of Llyn y fan fach). Getting to the top was worth it all however. The photo shows us on the summit. My calves are still recovering from the tortuous climb but should be OK for my gym class on Tuesday.

There are a few less squirrels in the garden since Julian has perfected his aim with the airgun. We are hoping that will help save the new birds that will hatch with the arrival of Spring. And Spring really has arrived. Time to get into the garden and enjoy it while it lasts.

Love to all. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

notes from the coast

Hi everyone

I had a great road trip, just me and Nick(Cave) down the coast to Maffra-op shopping all the way! had a wonderful time with Mya, bushwalking, swimming, yoga, music and copious cups of tea and lots of talking,as well as having time with Jack, Ben, India and Ben. On the way home attended Anzac Day service at Cann River, hung out at Tathra, checked out the sunset at Bermagui,played, read and ran on the beach, found lots of markets and garage sales and enjoyed being with me.
Could have stayed on that road trip forever.

Hasi returned home last tuesday from his German trip, with a few treasures for his sweetheart.I felt like I had a new boyfriend for a few days, which was lots of fun. And... we have abeautiful heirloom from Hasi's parents, which I fell in love with at first sight on my first visit to Steinen.

This weekend we celebrate 2 years in no 40!!

Thats it for now,
Love to you all, Zak