Our First Ekka

Ekka, what the heck is an Ekka?  Turns out it is a fancy name for the local show.  Growing up in a regional area of Australia, I had avoided the huge crowds of the Ekka safe in the thought that I had seen all the animals I needed to, and avoided all the motion sickness rides I could.

The year 3 school excursion is to the Ekka, so I took advantage of spending some time with my dear child and her peers, and headed off to share the day.  Thankfully it was a work day, so the crowds were bearable.  The school also had enough parents volunteer, that we really only had to spend time with our own children.  Big downer for them, they had to wear school uniform and complete a work book!  Despite all of that, we had a ball.

 

 

After busting to try out one of those dagwood dog things that people had been talking about and walking around with....Mum can you take off the batter stuff so I can just eat the hot dog?!  We also managed to fit in one of those award winning strawberry ice cream cones, and that was delicious.  All the little ones enjoyed the day, but were quiet on the train ride homes, exhausted from the activities.

 

 

Happy 9th Birthday

After an awful childhood experience of no school friends over for birthday party celebrations, this year I did agree to hosting something.  After about two months of deliberations, the youngster decided that she would much rather spend her birthday celebrating with the extended family. 

I had arranged an ice skating morning, or so I thought.  Turns out "arrange" means to actually phone the public centre and confirm that some special event is not on that is booking out the entire block of ice!  After some quick public ridiculing about my ability to organise a birthday, we headed off to ten pin bowling instead.  Turns out this was a much better option and even the Grand Father got in on the action.  After 2 years of dating, I still learn new things about my adopted family, the old fellow hates to lose and is extremely competitive about bowling!  After looking at the scoreboard, I doubt that I will be invited back for the next outing, unless it is revenge he is looking for! 

After bowling I had to endure a session at Sizzler's.  Despite cheesy bread being a favourite of the youngster, my ability to consume food that may have been touched on the salad bar of life is fairly limited.

Rear fencing Progress Update

Remember that little fencing project we were finishing off http://65yearplan.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/rear-fencing-project.html?  Well the mid point looked like the Great Wall of China being constructed in our back yard.

As I was down having a look at the progress, I noticed that the off cut boards were making their way into landfill.  Of course this saves on the tipping fees as the guys simply throw the boards behind the retaining wall and then place the fill on top.  Trouble is the frugal side of me sees potential and burning money, or burying money!  The boards are quite expensive, and already cut into metre or so lengths.  I see a future project of little vegie garden patches being a great outcome. 

The picture shows the retaining wall at a metre high, so I carefully balance my way along the 50m wall, bending over and picking up the off cuts and throwing them over the wall.  Then I have to walk along the wall and pick up the off cuts to carry them....

.....around the big holes, up the small hill, past the chicken pen, across the yard and put them in a new pile for construction on another day.  By now I am smiling at the conversation playing through my head from my adorable partner....you need variability in your fitness program, otherwise you will get bored.  I am fairly sure that this was not the variability that was being suggested!  And the love of outside landscaping is a very one sided passion in this relationship.  After a few more boards, the weight of them starting to bite into the legs and arms, and I am sure the chickens began to laugh and giggle each time I passed their pen.  Good news for them, even if I want to reach in and strangle the little darlings, I doubt I could have closed a fist to make a difference!

At the end of daylight my pile looked like this....