Just bloody slack

Hi All

Well you guessed it i have just been too bloody slack. Three weekends ago we chopped down a huge frangapani out the back that was covered in bouganvillia and i have tried to download the photos from the camera but it just hasn't worked.

The year 11s are finished at school so my job is slowly starting to wind down for the year which is good. two weeks left of school and then holidays. Claire works for another week after me and then we have four weeks off together. The plan is to wizz down to Alice for Christmas, have christmas with the boys and then come back up to enjoy the wet season. It's real "build up" weather at the moment...it feels like about 99% humidity all the time.....your body and cloths are constantly wet....other than that it's lovely.

I think my old 250 (you know mum the one that sat in the shed at 39 for ages) I think has finally died today. I am just waiting for Claire to get home so we can pick it up in the trailer. It's a bit sad as i reckon I've had it for close to 25 years. Anyway we will se what the verdict is when we get it home.

Thats about it for now. Love Marty and Claire

More of Bathurst

Zacky gave a comprehensive account of the weekend so I won't bore you further except to add that the wedding was a classic. Anne W baked the wedding cake and I can't remember a more delicious fruit cake.

I spent an hour with Beth and Dave on Saturday. They treated me to the usual Iso hospitality.Dom and Amanda made a great couple. Maria A did us proud. Jack and Fran's place is coming on a treat. Tom, Liam (has shot up 15 cms), and Connor are planning their Christmas holidays.

When Murray G and I finished golf this morning a fellow member said " That grin on your face indicates a good game" Murray a staunch Labor man said to me. "That has nothing to do with golf. It will be weeks before my grin is wiped off -not while the Libs are self destructing".

Love to All Dad/Tjilpi/Old man/Kev.

greetings from the south coast

Hi All,
Everyone lazy or just busy?
Last weekend mum dad and I had a road trip to Bathurst! Friday night we had dinner with Maria and her gorgeous men, giving mum and dad the royal treatment as she always does.
Saturday mum and dad did the big wedding gig of Dom W. and his bride Amanda.
Maria, Jerome and I hit the op shops of Bathurst. Boy do I love a country op shop, and I must say, Jerome is showing a great deal of potential, with a very good eye for treasures and bargain hunting.
Satuday arvo I spent at the art gallery where there was an exhibition of several local artists, and an amazing library of art books which I enjoyed.
Needless to say it was also one of the coolest places in town to hang out as the outside temp was somewhere in the high 30's, with a hot wind blowing. God I hate a westerly wind.
I did manage a stroll in the central park later in the afternoon followed by cheap chinese and a cold beer, and was asleep by 7pm!
Sunday we said our goodbyes to Maria and Jerome(Kevin was off partying somewhere) and made it to Glenbrook for a late lunch with Jack and his mob.
Fran is up to the final touches of the interior decorating of the kitchen area, with some amazing art/craft work she has done herself. She's pretty clever, with a great eye for detail.
We were all home safely sunday evening after a great weekend.
Otherwise its work, yoga, beach and garden. The bamboo is out in force again especially in the property behind us, owned by a 90 something year old woman, so we will get in there this weekend and try and get it a bit under control. That bastard who planted that bamboo, if I ever meet him, he will get a piece of my mind, and if I have the good fortune to meet him in a dark alley even better! (as if)
Thats it for now. Get the billy on, as dad should be home from golf any time now.
Love to you all, whatever you are doing
Zak

Hi All

I've just done a Katie -spent half an hour posting a blog and lost it. Here we go again.

I was the lucky one to see Annie's musical. You should have seen the look she threw the control room when the lights came on during the lead role singing the best song of the musical. There was a fire alarm and we had to vacate the premises. As Annie says "We will all remember the first night". I would have loved to have snapped that look but you'll have to be satisfied with a shot of Annie and one with her and the band.

Congratulations Lucy on your leadership role.

Head down Liam and Lucy as you gear up for your HSC year.

Best wishes Tom in your exams. You have worked hard -enjoy the results.

We're looking forward to seeing Moo and Jules in their walk on part of the crowd in Submarine.

Love Dad/Tjilpie/Old Man/Kev.

news from the capital

I suppose if Marty has finally put something on, So should I. Well the musical is finally over!! No more afternoon or weekend rehearsals, in fact I don't know what to do with myself as I am getting home before 5.30 this week. It was great that Dad made the trip to see it. The show got rave reviews from all the staff and even the writer came down and enjoyed it. We are now picking next year's musical as the boss loved it so much we reckon we'll get whatever we want next year! It was certainly difficult doing a cross campus musical but I think it was worth it as the kids loved it.

Steve and I had a great time at the musical even though it rained again. However next year the organiser has decided to move it to Bateman's Bay. Don't know whether we will go, I think it will be very different and I think it will be more like Byron Blues festival which has a lot of big international and local acts and not so many of the smaller and less well known acts that we all love to Narooma to see.

Lucy got house captain of her house Irin Irin, it's sort of like a senior prefect and she is on the leadership team for next year. We are all very proud of her.

Our new kitchen is booked in for the 9 Dec, apparently it will only take three days, as there isn't any real renovations or building that needs doing. All they really have to do is rip the old one out and put the new one in. Am looking forward to having a beautiful new kitchen for the new year.

Marty, did you get my text message about running into Diana Harvey. She told me I had to say hello to you. She hasn't changed a bit still gorgeous. Her daughter is a brilliant violinist and also sings and plays piano.

That's about all for now. No musical in the near future so hopefully won't be too long before my next post. Love to all, Annie

News from the Top End

Hi All

I keep waiting for something exciting to happen to write about but things have been pretty same same for a while. Lana went back to Germany and we really enjoyed having her. I have been flat out at work getting ready for the end of the year. Claire did her exam on Monday so her study is finished for the year. Only one unit to go and she has her degree.

It has now rained three nights in a row which is great. Tomorrow night we go and watch Randal perform in his school's end of year show. Apparently he is very talented. Clancy (although he calls himself Mario now) has moved up from Qld and is a keen as fisho which is handy because Joes boat has arrived and its flaaaaash. He dropped in last Sunday after him and the boys took it out for it's first spin.

Only 4 weeks to go till the end of the school year. Claire finishes up on th 18th and we go to Alice to catch up with the boys. We then head straight back to Darwin to enjoy a couple of weeks of hanging around home together.

I think Buddy grew another brain cell the other day as he seems to have stopped chewing up thongs (touch wood). He seems to be coping better with the thunderstorms than our poor Lucy.

I will try and post more often even if it is just an update.

Love
Marty and Claire

greetings from the south coast

Hi all,
Well this is a first, that Im signed in again before anyone else.
They say(whoever they are) that no news is good news, so I suppose everyone is just busy.
It was great to spend the day in Newtown and Marrickville on Saturday. Lots of great coffee and food and just watching the world go by. Shopping was pretty pathetic but thats a saving in itself.
The days are getting longer, and its gorgeous to have time in the garden at the end of a working day. The girls are in trouble today as there was only one egg, but as I told Hasi, everyone has their off days. (he should well and truely know that after living with me for so long)
I have already been asked by several interested women, about the events of the big 80th birthday next year People are talking of a gathering to top the 70th! Can we do it??
Thats it from me.
Love to you all, Zak

greetings from the south coast-again

Hi all,
Just wrote a whole heap, and it has vanished into the universe. Such a computer wizz!!
Oh well..
Thanks Moo, mum and I have just been checking out your latest welsh treasure-fab colours.
Last Saturday, I spent the arvo at Gerrigong with the Cowra Iso girls. They had come together for a few days and had invited me to share some time with them. It was a great arvo. They are all gorgeous woman, and have a great energy together.
Before Gerrigong, I spent the morning strolling round Berry. I bought 2 brand new items of clothing at a total cost of $100!! I dont know what came over me. No doubt I'll be wearing them till they fall apart.
I must be on a roll, as next Saturday, Im finally going to get myself to Newtown, and maybe even Glebe markets!!
Good luck with the musical this week Annie. I know it is going to be fantastic(even without the radio microphones)Im glad dad got sorted to be there, however you know we are all with you in spirit, and impatiently await the release of the video.
Yesterday was 34degrees, and today is 24. Its the mad before christmas weather that we get every year, that no one ever seems to remember, except me.
I did my 3rd 6am class of cardiac boxing today. Shoudn't my arms be looking different by now??No whales today.
Mums done the sudoku and is trying the "not so quick crossword."
I think I'll take a stroll to vinnies before the rain sets in for the arvo.
If you are reading this for the second time, my first effort must have found its way to the blog.
Hope all's well with everyone,
Love to you all, Zak