XMas party!

It's that time of year again. Same place, same crowd (with a few new arrivals), same awesome playgound.

The bearded guy isn't getting better I'm afraid. He sure is as intimidating as last year!

This was Ella's first proper encounter with the bearded dude. Rightly apprehensive. It paid off to be courageous however. I got a beautiful Kaercher high pressure cleaner, and Ella got an industrial-size Play Doh set (which she's probably half-eaten by now).

Here's one of the newcomers this year, young Eva

Here's Eva's proud Dad, Jules, and Natalie, proud mother of another Ella

And this is Jack, Jules' son, showing off his new-found taste for undies. Good lad.

All in all, and awesome day. Put me down for next year.

Live from the crypt

The Beautiful South Coast

Went down to Moruya today, an early Father's Day trip. Weather and food were spectacular. Check out the views.

I move like Jagger

I just do

Zoo time!

Stunning day today. And we saw giraffes. Yay!

Sis and I could have stayed there for a day. They're my favourite animal, period.

Mum did the driving. Honest to gods, that was nearly as scary as yesterday's flight-of-terror.

Posing.

Monkeying

Running

And... playing with roos! They're the best.

I don't know that the feeling is mutual, though


Ella approved.

We had lunch. And a nap. It was nice.

En route pour Dubbo

So here we are, stuck in a tin can and bored thoughtless. We are on our way to Dubbo, supposedly to visit the great zoo up there.

We picked the bumpiest day of the year for this. I kid you not, we're seeing 120km/h headwinds today, which isn't great in a plane that droops along at 300km/h.

I'm sleeping this off

Ella is snacking, as usual

Mum and dad are obviously enjoying this. Go figure.

Anyway. Ella and I are really, really glad we survived this flight. Hugs all around!

Pizza delivery

Nu Zuland

Friend -

We're back in New Zealand, where the temperature is an unseasonal 20 degrees. We came over on Wednesday and have been catching up with friends since. 

Today was zoo time. Here are a few pictures of another great adventure. I'll try to post more regularly - I have so many things on the boil at the moment (and pre-school coming up in 10 days!!).

These big birds are seriously threatening. But thankfully slow.

Ella was pretty scared, but not enough to stop posing.

Fascinating stuff. Though I can't remember what I was looking at then. Something striking, I'm sure.

Monkeys. In the enclosure, I mean.

Fierce creatures

Ella got a good lick. Yuk

All in all an exhausting affair

Good ol' Auckland

Wings over Illawarra

Wollongong, hitherto known to me for its car dealerships, hosted today Wings over Illawarra, a nicely put together air show (see http://woi.org.au/)

Air show, I hear you say, the Mecca of sore necks and sunburns? Well, perhaps. 

Except for the huge concentration of amicable propellerheads. This is Alan, a F/A 18 commander in the RAAF who spends his weekends displaying the very last flying Meteor. Dad and the boys met him in Temora a few weeks ago, he took me in for a closer look.

If you don't see me in the first picture, have a closer look too.

I also had a good chat with this bloke in the Navy Seahawk. All started well with the usual fist bump...

... until he noticed the Air Force badge I was wearing. Oops. Sounds like there's healthy competition between the two shops.

Vrrrrrooooooaaaaaaaaaaa

Backstage on the parking, on the way to our plane

Bye Wollongong

I'm glad someone took pictures on departure: I snoozed from engine start to landing back in Sydney. 

A good day? You betcha!