valiant

When in the country.   Went back home for the weekend so of course couldn't resist the opportunity of driving around in a 1966 valiant station wagon for the weekend.   Some of the finer points of the valiant are column change, floor high beam dimmer, no power steering, no heating and of course bench seats.   You gotta love a car like that!

training, training

My training got off to a good start.   The first thing was a change of diet.   If this training was going to work it had to be the whole hog.   So stock up on veggies.  Decided to make a pot of veggie soup.  1 bunch of celery, 2 bunches of spring onions, half a butternut pumpkin, 2 large red capsicums, half a Chinese cabbage, 2 large sweet potatoes, two large cans of diced tomatoes and some packaged stock for flavour.
I pulled the big pot out of the cupboard chopped the celery leaves and all and put it in the pot.  Mmmm, the celery half filled the pot, might have over done it a bit on the celery.  I looked at the clock.  I was rather pushing it for time.   By the time I got this soup made and cooked it would be time for work.   I threw the stockNAND the diced tomatoes in and put it on the gas.  I worked my way through the longest to cook veggies until I just had the cabbage left.   I looked at the time, quickly chopped the cabbage and jammed it into the top of the pot and balanced the lid on top hoping for the best.   This was a workout in its self just trying to get the soup cooked in time.   I quickly got ready for work while keeping an eye on the soup.  Amazingly by time I was ready for work, so was the soup.   I scooped a very generous amount into a container for dinner and left the rest to cool.

stampede

Now I've totally done it.  Allowed the kids to talk me into doing the Stampede with them.  I know why they want me to do it.   It's not just so we can do a family thing together.  They want to totally humiliate me.   Like the time a few - well several years ago when we decided to go do the 1000 steps at Ferntree Gully national park.  I felt great until about half way up.   I looked around me and the kids had disappeared.   I bent over and 'read' one of the plaques that were located along the steps.  I huffed and puffed and gasped for breath.  It was obviously interesting reading as I read it for quite some time.   Finally I decided to move on - a little slower this time to truly enjoy the beauty of the walk.  A couple of minutes later my youngest Cameron appeared  in front of me.   Come on mum he encouraged everyone's waiting for you at the top and then he took off running back up the steps to again join his siblings at the top.   Well not this time guys.   I might have been unprepared for the 1000 steps but this time around I'm a little older and a little wiser and you guys are also a little older and if my reckoning is correct not any wiser and a lot unfitter.   So from today I'm going to be in training so even if I do come last it won't be a totally humiliating last.  I will come last with style and dignity.
By the way the Stampede is a 10 k endurance run around a mud and obstacle course.  There are no winners it is done for the fun of it and to raise money for lifeline and canteen.  I don't know when or where the fun part comes in but hopefully it won't be to agonizing.

bulldogs v. hawks

We had it all worked out.   Would leave home and catch the train into the city to see the footy.Still 100 meters from the station and the outward bound train was there.  You know that the two trains basically cross each other at the station don't you.  I looked at David, he checked the time and started running.   We arrived in time only to have to empty out my bag so David could find his Myki card.   By this time our train had pulled into the station, we finally found the card swipped on and jumped onto the train.   Now I am all stressed and flustered.  Checked the time again and realised that we were early anyway.  That was good in a way as we had plenty of time to have a walk around Ethiad Stadium.  Found our seats and settled in to watch the game only to realise we had the next generation of yobbos sitting behind us.  They yelled complaints and advise for most of the match.   I looked at them as amusement value but it would have been nicer if they hadn't been there.