New Years Eve 2005

Last night was Voided Hand's bucks do. Shalom Iceman and myself met everyone at the gates to Gloucester Park, a pacing course located near the centre of town. We had a table booked for the 20 - 30 of us, enjoying a meal, while mainly losing (on a small scale), while the bookies made big winnings. After the final race, we moved on to Burswood Casino - where Shalom and myself called it an evening, before losing too much. A good time was had by all.


Bingley got a great walk yesterday (whilst I worked) - making lots of new doggy friends at the estates park and lake. We took him again this morning, but perhaps a little late, as no other dogs were being walked. W and I then went to see Harry Potter - I'd had to book it earlier in the week to ensure we got in the Gold Class cinema. Having a naughty lunch whilst watching the film in eze-boy seating. We both enjoyed the film, however having just re-read the book a lot of the missing story line really were obvious. I suspect I'll enjoy The Chronicles of Narnia more.

It's just gone 8pm, and we're all (the four of us plus the menagerie) settled in the comfy chairs outside, being W.A. we don't have daylight saving (don't get me started on that one!) so it's dark already. We've got a bunch of candles lit, to accompany all the Christmas lights. Bingley is just about asleep on one of the chairs - we he's not quite there yet, as he's not snoring.

Mrs has had us looking up Simply Red on the internet, in our never ending attempt to prove the internets worth. We didn't have much success, since their site is nearly all 'under construction' - we did however manage to order her a Simply Red mug.






So it's going to be a quiet seeing in of 2006, I've even got our book club book 'Wilbur Smith - The Triumph of the Sun' on hand.

Categories

• christmas
• books

Favorite Photos - 8 -

I've flagged a number of photos as 'favorites'. I'm going to post them up, and say why they are thus marked. This will probably take a number of postings.

Group 8
And probably the last for some time...

A great time in Wales

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Kit Ben Johnsen & Lady Jinni Kenos

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Posey Jive and family

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Hanna Tingling Loin - 1st time in Perth

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Kit Ben Johnson

Categories

• favouriephotos
• photos

The lull

I now find myself in the Lull between the two eyes of Christmas and New Year. This is partially brought about by being at work, with lots of people off, and so few interruptions from what I call 'real work' - ie programming WooHoo, something I don't get to do much of any more (too many rosters, pay sheets, management reports, and lately interviews to sort out).

W's not working, and is spending her days shopping, or sewing - making beady necklaces and bracelets - and a new pillow for Bingley, who's now managed to convince us he'll behave sleeping in the bedroom.

We had a management lunch today, normally we like to keep at least one of the so called 'management team' in the office, but being Xmas n'all we risked it. Fortunately the paper still managed to get out, despite our absence. Tomorrow night is the races for Voided Hand
's bucks night - then another long weekend (that deserves another WooHoo).

Categories:

• christmas

Christmas decorations

Here's the Christmas Lighting plan for next year.

Categories:

• christmas

Christmas Update

Christmas day (or afternoon / evening) was spent at Miss Early and Ray Plumes (I'm migrating away from single letters for names, and trying to use something slightly more meaningful - at least I'll be able to talk about more than 26 people! - I'll see how it pans out.) W (except for some people who'll stay as single letters) was still not 100%, but well enough to sit and eat - which is our main duty over Christmas. As always lots of great food (especially Mrs Alison Aeon's trifle - always a winner.) Didn't go in the pool this year, the weather continues it's strange behaviour, and as the night progressed we even found ourselves lighting the outside heater. Footy and Reds children, are no longer children - Horny Motorman had her partner Tintin with her, I suspect they will have been roped into driving Norman South & Mary Control home - being still sober.

I took a load of photos at Miss Early's request of all their family together (Ray Plumes's kids are over from the UK for Xmas) - photos can be seen here. I've still got to sort out the good from the bad, and photoshop them.

On Boxing day we were invited to an impromptu bar-b-que at a neighbours. More food! They live only a couple of doors down from us, but it was amazing how different their view was of the farm / fields, their lower (and closer) location giving a totally different profile.

Yesterday was wasted around the house and in a failed attempt to go to the Cinema (it was too packed, so we returned knowing we'd not enjoy the crush). I did fit a small dog flap (large cat flap) on our rear patio security door for Bingley - only to discover we couldn't find the key for the door, so couldn't leave the main door open to give him access overnight.

Friday is Voided Hand's bucks night - a night at the races - I think - as I'm waiting on Footy to call with the details.

But for now - back at work, as if Christmas never happened.

But I do love my Uber-Orbs

Categories:

• christmas
• party

Christmas Photos

I've added a bunch of Christmas Photos - Here...

All taken on Xmas day.

Categories:

• christmas
• photos
• L
• bingley
• D
• A

A Bingley Video

Not very interesting unless you want to see our dog

Categories:

• bingley
• video

Merry Chrismas

Not a bad haul this year...

R:
Some uber orbs
Robbie Williams CD
Dilbert Calendar
Jar of Pickled red cabbage
Steak Knives (I really did)





W:
Chrismas snow theme decoration
Pajamas
Dressing gown
Sewing Case
Jewelery Box
Handbag
Hankies
Cuddly toy


R&W
Suitcase



Harley & Cookie:
Turkey breakfast


Bingley:
Cuddly Toy
Squeeky Ball


Chickens:
We didn't cook them

Not that we're materialistic.

Categories:

• christmas
• party

Religion

After hearing much talk at work about this new branch of religion, I decided to chase it up - and I like what I read. To me it all makes sense, certainly as much sense as any other belief system I've looked into.

See for yourself... The Church of the flying spagetti monster may at first sound a little off field, but it holds as solid as all the mainstream beliefs. Here in Aus their has been a big push to try and get Intelligent Design theory teaching into the schools . I'd be whole heartedly behind a similar campaign for FSM.

Check it out, it could change your life.

Categories:

• christmas
• fsm

Christmas Eve - W's meme

Christmas eve - it sure doesn't feel like it. Apart from cooking two large turkeys, it's felt pretty much like a typical Saturday. I even got called by work - which is typical for a Weekend.

I've a horrible feeling that I'm going to be called tomorrow by work. We have one person who works in Kalgoorlie, who is unable to remember his password. We spent much of Friday trying to help him - you'd think resetting a password wouldn't be that hard, but it's complicated by the fact he's the only person there who uses the system (they are all supposed to have moved off it, but he's slow) and so we have no other accounts we can ask him to use, and the system he's logging on to is not accessible from Perth. The IT guy who could easily fix this is not really available, so I've just got to hope that his memory recovers with all the festivity.

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Here's W's response to this Year-in-Review meme.

• 1. What did you do in 2005 that you’d never done before?
• Became a traffic engineer
  

• 2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
• No - still not fit

• 3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
• No, no one close - they were all far away.
  

• 4. Did anyone close to you die?
• No, but M gave us a scare
  

• 5. What countries did you visit?
• None
• 6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
• Heaps of money
• 7. What dates from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
• 1st August - Bingleys Birthday
• 8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
• Getting a distinction in engineering exam
• 9. What was your biggest failure?
• Still thinking about this one
  
• 10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
• Yes I'm ill now
• 11. What was the best thing you bought?
• Bingley
• 12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
• Harley
• 13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
• Leo's
• 14. Where did most of your money go?
• On the chickens
• 15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
• Belly Dancing performance
• 16. What song will always remind you of 2005?
• Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo
• 17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

(a)Happier or Sadder?

• Don't know - santer hasn't been yet.

(b)Thinner or Fatter?

• Thinner

(c)Richer or Poorer?

• Richer

• 18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
• Tai Chi
• 19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
• Work
• 20. How will you be spending Christmas?
• Sewing beads, Gardening, Dog Training, Tai Chi practice, eating, not working.
• 21. Did you fall in love in 2005?
• It's ongoing
  
• 22. How many one-night stands?
• None
• 23. What was your favorite TV program?
stargategare Atlantis
• 24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
• No
• 25. What was the best book you read?
• Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
• 26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
• Black eye peas (& Belly dance music)
• 27. What did you want and get?
• Chickens
• 28. What did you want and not get?
• This flu (I always get what I want)
• 30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
• Can't remember - I'm getting too old
• 31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
• Not having to work
• 32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
• Walking gear
• 33. What kept you sane?
• R.
• 34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
• -
• 35. What political issue stirred you the most?
• I totally ignore politics
• 36. Who did you miss?
• I always manage to hit him
• 37. Who was the best new person you met?
• Belly Dance teacher
• 38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005:
• Don't stress
• 39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
• Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo :-)

Categories:

• meme
• christmas

Wet lungs

W at long last has gone to the doctors, after days of insisting she has to go to work. He's told her she's got fluid on her lungs, and must stay in bed, with a course of anti-biotic. However she still managed to stop over at Kalamunda to do some xmas shopping on the way back from the Doctors - so she's still not doing as she's told.

Christmas is nearly upon us, and as usual it's got here faster than ever. In fact this year I don't feel I've had any time to get things ready (which equates to buy lots of Christmas stuff). Probably because I've go so much work on, and so few people to help out.

Quiet

Since the weekend party W lost her voice - which has now changed into an awful cough. She's not really well enough for work, but she won't not go - especially this close to Christmas. Christmas appears to be a fun time to work at the council, lots of parties, meals etc. (Correction by Wendy - I've been trying to finish everything off before Christmas)

Meanwhile my work put on drinks and food last Friday night - not really my thing, standing on the grass outside work, drinking for hours and having a snagger or two. Although I do miss watching all the late night punch ups (not a story to tell here I guess).

We are very light-on at work, everyone taking holidays in the good weather. (Hacking cough from W). Plus I'm still sifting through all the job applicants, today I had the pleasant (not) job of sending out all the rejections - just in time for Christmas. Interviews start in January.

Categories:

• christmas
• party

Thats a wrap

W's mum R was in full wrap yesterday, as she went out helping the Red Cross wrapping presents for charity at one of our big department stores.

Categories:

• christmas

Favorite Photos - 7 -

I've flagged a number of photos as 'favorites'. I'm going to post them up, and say why they are thus marked. This will probably take a number of postings.

Group 7

S & E & D - Managed to get this pose!

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D & L & A

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S & C Like us, obviously so happy together

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M & S in taken on an incredibly beatiful walk last year

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Guess I've gotta have one of me!

Categories:

• favoritephotos

Crikey what a scorcher

We're up early (ish) to finish off the cleaning, although I suspect we'd be at it most of the week if we didn't have R here.

W has lost her voice this morning - so the mornings not all bad ;-). I'll have to talk her into not going to work.

I didn't take a single photo at yesterday party, so I've nothing to put up to pad the blog. However we took Bingley to his 2nd training lesson - he is probably the worst there at walking to lead, but came up trumps at wait, site, & come. I bet that's really impressed you (not) - captivating stuff these blogs!

I've added a few more photo's on Bingley Chronicles

Categories:

• christmas
• bingley

Party

Just about to go to bed after a big party at our house. Friends from Work, Tai Chi and Belly Dancing came.

Too tired now to go into any real detail, Cookie is missing, and I want to go to bed. Yawwwwwn! It's been a very hot day.

Categories:

• christmas

Rate your music / Party

Since my last post I've really been sucked in by the rateyourmustis site.

That graphic is made from random images from our albums.

I've been spending all my free tie entering a list of all our albums, and where I think I can remember - I've given them a rough rating.

This link takes you to our current album list. - Unfortunately this doesn't contain any of our classical albums (the site doesn't have most of them, and it's a pain entering them all) - nor does it have any compilation albums (which we've a lot of). However for specific bands/groups/performers it's pretty neat.

The neat thing about having all our albums rated, is the site can show me people with very similar tastes (it's spooky how close some peoples collections are to ours) - and I can then see what other albums they have, and how they are rated.

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I've now given in keeping an egg count - as we're getting at least 2 a day now.

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Most of today has been spent getting ready for a big party at our house tomorrow. Were expecting about 28 people (friends from my Work, W's Work, Tai Chi, Belly Dancing etc.) so we've been in tidy up mode. I'll give an update tomorrow (or Monday if it's too late).

Categories:

• music
• cds
• eggs
• party
• christmas

CD Sale

Today work had a CD sale on. Like the book sale last week, we were presented with a room decked with CDs, all originally sent to the West for review. These are sold at very cheap prices, the money going to charity. I bought a few, I would have bought a lot more, but the room was packed, and it getting slowly harder and harder to get to the tables with the quickly dwindling supplies. Anyway I've found the site Rate your music which allows you to keep an online album list (and rate them etc.). So if you want to know what I bought - the 1st eight can be found here. However, bare in mind that I'll probably be adding more of our albums to the list, so these eight will get lost amongst the rest if you come back to the link later. OK the albums are a rather strange mix, but at least I recognised all the names. I also got a few compilation albums, but I've not worked out how to put them up yet.

We've been trying to go to see Harry Potter in the gold-class seating at the cinema (with the lazy-boy seating, no kids, and wine/nibbles served during the movie) - but it's been booked solid for the last two weeks. Meanwhile I've been listening to the Harry potter audio books in the car going to/from work for the same duration.

Categories:

• CDs
• cinema

Hafla

The beautiful Saphyra led the students in a series of wonderful dances, entertaining family and friends. Whilst this wasn't the largest of venues, it was ample of what was needed, and we were all felt well entertained by the end of the night - full of nibbles, and impressed by how much hard work went into the show. W's mum gushed at how well W danced, whilst I got to see the result of all the last few weeks labours by W infront of the sewing machine. The next term starts in January, so W has to take a break for a few weeks (something she's not sure she's happy about).

Went to the show last night - I've put some photos up HERE. I'll be adding more detail / video etc. as soon as it's ready.

Heres the photos from the night

Egg count 13

Magnets

Mmmm Magnetey

Wouldn’t it be really cool to have a magnet that can drag things from across the room, or even from another room? A magnet that needed you to plan ahead when moving from room to room, for fear of damaging anything electronic in rooms that it passes through. Too strong to be shipped in a plane, and capable of breaking your arm if it finds something to pull on whilst being carried… If this sounds like a good idea to you, then take a look at this beauty from here.
For some reason W has refused to let me have one for Christmas! And even goes as far as saying, I can’t have one full stop! Come on out their – petition her to let me have this niffy toy.

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Tonights W's bellydance performance - so she's taken the day off to prepare, I'll give a full review tomorrow.

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Current Egg Count 11

Categories

• christmas
• bellydance
• eggs

Wendy Presents...

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Bingley managed to hurt himself again this morning, he yelped and yelped, but we didn't know what was wrong. He even slowed down eating his sausages (they usually disappear faster than is physically possible). So it was off to the vet again. However by the time W had got him there, he was all better again. We suspect he got bit on the tongue by an ant - he's such a wimp!

Categories:

• bellydancing
• bingley

Favorite Photos - 6 -

I've flagged a number of photos as 'favorites. I'm going to post them up, and say why they are thus marked. This will probably take a number of postings.

Group 6

We were off to a fancy dress, I've always loved W in a basque

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Can't let my best photos go through without a shot of JM

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Js and As - with newcomer, they both now always look so happy

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Ds in UK from our holiday last year, this girl simply doesn't age, and she's as wonderful as ever. Amazing.

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Old school photo - that's me top center

Categories:

• photos

Christmas

Today was Christmas lights day - a frenzy to get as much Christmas decorations up as possible. Unfortunately with little success, as the day was interupted with present distribution, Bingley walking, and a lot of sewing for Wendy, who needs to get her costumes ready for the Belly Dance show they are putting on this week.

We did however manage to get the tree up, here's a blurry shot trying to show the lights - but without being bothered to use a tripod.

What I can't understand is why our artificial tree (what you didn't guess!) drops more needles than a live tree. I think next year will call for a replacement, as a lot of the branches are now held on with broken up chop-sticks.

Categories:

• christmas

Lazy days

I always manage to leave things to the last minute - sending the Christmas cards, getting code written at work, fixing things around the house, getting ready for parties, getting the Christmas decorations up, wrapping presents, distributing them - all these things are currently on my hit list, but somehow I'm still managing to talk myself into a lazy Saturday. - Just like Bingley here.

Categories:

• bingley

Christmas Drums

Current egg count: 7

Picked up this great PC add on (it uses the USB for power) - Father Christmas playing two drums to a selection of Christmas carols. His arms go up and down, and beat out a rather loud rythm. Great tacky gadget! Wendy loves it (not)

Categories:

• eggs

New books

Current egg count: 6

<-- and they are getting bigger!

Website for today: The Daily Kitten

One of the nice things about working at WAN is that Editorial get lots of books and CD's to review, and once in a while all these books / CDs are sold off internally, to make money for charity. Today was one such day - a book sale.

As usual, I forgot all about it, until about an hour into the sale, where all the best picking had been made, and much hunting was needed for something you'd like. However, given the price (a dollar or so per book) it's worth taking a punt, even if most of your purchases are dribble.

So I bought a bunch of books (see list below). I've entered them all into BookCrossing - I suspect most of them will start travelling eventually anyway.

One interesting thing with a number of these books, is their ISBN numbers printed were either incorrect, or didn't exist. I guess that's because they are sent for review - and (possibly) they either didn't make it to press in the end, or the ISBN was temporary.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Virgin
by Erik Barmack category Entertainment
Registered by robandwend (15/3) of Perth, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, December 08, 2005
1 journaler
BCID: 281-3514383

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Snatched
by Helen Vnuk category Nonfiction
Registered by robandwend (15/3) of Perth, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, December 08, 2005
1 journaler
BCID: 521-3514381


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Dancing on knives
by Jenny Pausacker category Children's Books
Registered by robandwend (15/3) of Perth, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, December 08, 2005
1 journaler
BCID: 794-3514379


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Who Built the Moon
by Christopher Knight, Alan Butler category Other
Registered by robandwend (15/3) of Perth, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, December 08, 2005
1 journaler
BCID: 661-3514375

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Weird Stuff
by Richard Tulloch category Children's Books
Registered by robandwend (15/3) of Perth, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, December 08, 2005
1 journaler
BCID: 607-3514372


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As Far as You Can Go
by Lesley Glaister category Mystery & Thrillers
Registered by robandwend (15/3) of Perth, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, December 08, 2005
1 journaler
BCID: 174-3514368


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Maximum Security (Cherub)
by Robert Muchamore category Mystery & Thrillers
Registered by robandwend (15/3) of Perth, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, December 08, 2005
1 journaler
BCID: 678-3514365

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The Monsters of Magic (Magic: The Gathering Anthology)
by J. Robert King category Science Fiction & Fantasy
Registered by robandwend (15/3) of Perth, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, December 08, 2005
1 journaler
BCID: 397-3514363

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Small Eternities : The Aldous Lexicon
by Michael Lawrence category Nonfiction
Registered by robandwend (15/3) of Perth, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, December 08, 2005
1 journaler
BCID: 129-3514362

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Code : A Mathematical Adventure
by Sarah Flannery, David Flannery category Nonfiction
Registered by robandwend (15/3) of Perth, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, December 08, 2005
1 journaler
BCID: 319-3514358

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Code Noir
by Marianne De Pierres category Science Fiction & Fantasy
Registered by robandwend (15/3) of Perth, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, December 08, 2005
1 journaler
BCID: 721-3514356

Categories:

• eggs
• bookcrossing