return of the tiger

Once again another successful flight.  Sat next to a nice v. hungover young man on return to Melbourne.   He had coincidently flown over on the same flight as me for a birthday party and a bit of closure.   He didn't get the closure and I didn't ask what the closure was about but in no time at all we were touching down in Melbourne.   It a pity Tiger don't fly to NZ.

isn't he just beautiful

Jack 19 days old.

sun glasses reading glasses what the

Now I have done the full range of combinations of things you can do with you sunglasses and reading glasses.  I have
Worn one pair of sunglasses while having the second pair sitting in my head.
Put my sunglasses on over my reading glasses
Worn my reading glasses on my head while wearing my sun glasses
Worn my sunglasses on my head while wearing my reading glasses
And now for the ultimate
Worn my reading glasses over the top of my sunglasses.

a tiger adventure

With tiger air the adventure begins before you leave the ground.   The walk down the long verandah and then the across the windy Tarmac.  I had made allowances for the cold and rugged up in my warmest winter coat, zipped and encased I would not freeze but what I hadn't made allowance for was the wind or more to the point my hair.   Walking across the Tarmac  I  was weighed down by my 7 .2 kg luggage on one arm and my 5 kg handbag on the other arm with  my boarding pass grasped tightly  in one hand.   By the time  I  finally struggled up the steps and into the plane I  was walking blind.   My hair swirled and whipped  and wrapped around my face.  Finally out of the wind my hair released its grip on my face and fell in limp strands away from my eyes.  I looked up to see the immaculately groomed stewardess to my right and the composed smiling steward to my left.  I blew the remaining hair from my face.   Hard to believe I did my hair before I left I grinned rather foolishly.   I awkwardly handed him my pass and he directed me to my seat.   I took a step forward and came to an abrupt halt.  My carry on bag had turned sideways and wouldn't fit down the aisle.  I stepped backwards heaved the bag around end ways and made a hurried dash for my seat.  

Flying tiger

Now I am all for a cheap flight especially when I can get a return ticket for not much more than a one way ticket but I have to confess I miss the activity and the feel of the main Tullamarine terminal.   Second time I have flown Tiger and I feel like I am waiting at a bus terminal.  Ok it doesn't help that it is an evening flight but still where is the atmosphere.   It is still an hour before my flight and the place is starting to fill up a bit but there isn't the pizazz of the main area.  Oh well small sufferings for a cheap flight.  Everyone - except for Andrea has warned me against flying tiger.   They cancell flights all the time, they are terrible, I've heard nothing but bad reports about them, they start out cheap but then charge for everything.   So have you actually flown Tiger I ask them.   Well no but I've heard they are terrible, they operate out of a tin shed, they this they that.  Ok the tin shed might be at least a little close to the mark but it is a big tin shed and well heated, just no atmosphere.   And I am willing to find out for myself.  One thing I can say is I'm not the only one  willing to give them a go.  I bet the other airlines would love to be doing the business that Tiger is.   Their flights are full and there are plenty of them, so will hold judgement until my return but so far so good.

know exactly how it feels

Now know literally what it feels like when the shit hits the fan - or in this case the turbo head of the vacuum cleaner.   Must admit that I was not exactly paying attention while I vacuumed the lage patterned rug on the lounge room floor when the vacuum hit something.   Oh great Willow thank you very much.   Surely you could have waited and gone outside.  I looked at the two little rolls on the floor.   I must have stopped in time as they were still intact and not spread all over the rug.   Without turning the vacuum off I turned the head over to see if it would need cleaning.   Ping, ping, ping, ping and little lumps of soft brown shit were thrown off  by the spinning turbo brushes all over me.   Yep guess the head will need a clean and now me too!

round the lake twice this week

OK not a fantastic re-start to my training but it is a start.   Did notice that I had dropped back about half way.  Not as fit as I was but not as unfit as I was.   Will have to ramp up the training after my long weekend.    Promise.

retired

It wasn't the most elegent of bags and it once belonged to Jarrod but it was lightweight and the perfect size.   We made many a trip together.   In the end held together by safety pins the seams gave out totally.   My new backpack is a liIttle smarter looking than the old one but it is also smaller and just not quite right andit doesn't have a holder for my water bottle but I'm sure we will get used to each other.

how cute muddy pawprints

I must admit to being a bit distracted.   I was talking on the landline to a friend.   The day was wet and overcast.   I sat at the kitchen bench talking and absently watching as Modo trotted past from the laundry for about the sixth time.   Curiousity finally got the better of me and I looked to see what he was doing.   It was then that I noticed the kitchen and laundry floors covered in muddy pawprints.   He had been enjoying himself running in and out of the house in the mud and rain.  
Note to self.  Always make sure outside doors are locked on wet days.

more diamonds than stones day

I took the train into the city from Croxton this morning as I had to visit a government department.  I found the building and walked in.   When I finally found the right department on the right floor I was in and out in 5 minutes, job done.   That's amazing - I was expecting to spend a good half hour there at least.  I came home and made a couple of phone calls-one was less than satisfactory but got the job done.   Next the ducted vacuum unit. It had decided to stop working the previous weekend and I hadn't had time to do anything about it until now.  Phoned the vac guys they explained how to disconnect it and said bring it down and we will look at it tomorrow.   Vac disconnected without drama and with vac in boot headed off.  Damn should have stablised it to stop it rolling around.   Didn't have too far to go so decided to put up with it.  Half way there and I was beginning to realise that not far to go is a long way with a large drum rolling around in the boot.  Finally I was on Burwood Hwy but couldn't find the vac place.   Been there a couple of times before and there is a big sign for the street so why can't I find it today.   I wandered up and down the general area without luck and the drum continued to roll.   Finally becoming a bit anxt mainly because of the thumping and bumping in the boot and because it was nearly closing time I decided to pull over and check the map on the iPad.  Ahh it's Ferntree Gully Rd not Burwood Hwy.   Hung another uee.  Vac rolled a bit more.   Ugh.   Once on the right road there was no problem in finding the place. The lady was nice so dropped vac off and headed home.  So much nicer without a free rolling drum in the boot.

there goes another weekend

Another weekend of no training.  Did however have a wonderful meal at the Croxton hotel.   Had the seafood and I am generally not a seafoody person BUT this meal was fantastic.  The prawns were huge and didn't have that been frozen texture and the rest of the seafood was spot on as well.   Have to admit that it was most likely the sauce that made the dish but who cares.   Would have to have been one of the best meals I have ever had even though it was simple.   I couldn't resist telling the chef how much I enjoyed it.
Also told myself it wasn't too bad for my training as I was eating healthy.   It's amazing how much you can believe something when you really want to.

jack daniel

Jack arrived about 6.39 w.a. time.  Nearly two weeks early.  Born at Joondalup  weighing 3.4 kilos - 7 lb. and 52 cm - 20 inches long.   So he is only a little boy.   Brown hair and can't wait for the photos and have decided seeing as I can't get time off work until mid October that I am going to fly across for a long weekend when I have an RDO.   YAY.  Oh and he has his nana's short big toe.

          The magic of the Internet.  This is Jack at about an hour old.  Isn't he just beautiful.

so how is the training going?

My training is going great - well except for the weekends.  Instead of my planned double  training sessions on the weekend somehow they have been replaced with too much food and socializing.  Guess life is not perfect it I really must get back on track.

lomond hotel

Had a great night out at the Lomond hotel in Nicholson St Brunswick.  Arrived early for a pub meal and the regular group of  local musicians who had been there since early afternoon were still playing.   They gave the place a real Irish feel with their banjos, mandolins, mouth organs and guitars.   Great entertainment, great food, booze what more could you ask for on a cold wintery Melbourne  evening.  Just had to order the chefs surprise package for the curry of the day and it wasn't half bad.  In fact I'm glad their wasn't more of it other wise I would have pigged out totally.  Around eight the booked act arrived and gave the atmosphere a country and western feel.   Loved the Johnny Cash numbers.  Like all good things it had to end and we finally got the men standing long enough to push them up the steps to the parking lot and into the car.