Balmoral Canoeing

Climbing the moreton bay figs
First Sailors Bay Sea Scouts arrive with canoes in tow

Tom working on his competitive spirit

Listening at the muster

Lots of scouts

Balmoral sunset

Canoe games

Every year all of the scouts in the district come together at Balmoral Beach for canoeing games and a game that they complete over a 2km course. At the start of the event our scouts and Northbridge Scouts arrive by boat from up Middle Harbour. The scouts organise all the canoes on the beach and then its game on. Here are some of the pics from yesterday.

Growth Rates

The global economy might still be skydiving but the kids are growing. This year Tom has grown the most out of the three boys. At the start of the year he and Alex were almost the same height. Nick has some catching up to do. I haven't measured their actual height but Tom must be around 158cm now as he is almost as tall as me. One day I will manage to take a photo where they all smile at the same time, maybe bribes are called for.

Weekend with 5 boys

Avalon Beach in the 1930s

Matt and Jake are staying with us this weekend. Our family of three boys is now five. I can't tell you what this feels like to sit at the dinner table with Jon and five boys. Yesterday Tom, Matt, Jake and I headed to Avalon Beach to surf. Well they surfed and I kept a lookout from my deckchair on the beach. We headed home and I made up a big pasta lunch with salads. Other things on this weekend are Nick's swimming lesson and gardening for me. The recent rains have turned on the weeds and there is some clearing up to do. The hopefully some more planting in the coming weeks. I noticed yesterday that the garden has many different aspects when viewed from different places within it.
It's the end of the year and Sydney has that almost Summer feeling about it. I'm looking out for teaching gigs for next year and have been to two interviews so far. Offers of casual teaching abound but nothing permanent as yet.
Last week I published to Kindle at Amazon. I have been writing on and off now since 1999 and finally feel the need to find a readership. 2010 has been a good year. Roll on 2011.

Daytrip with Rosalind

View from the lookout at Garden Island
The view north east, almost original Sydney

Doyles at Watson's Bay where we had lunch

Rosalind and chapeau

Moi aussi

Watson's Bay beach, the gorgeous view from our table

Looking back towards the City

The Florentine skies of Sydney

Back at the Quay

Ferries old and new

Rosalind and I have been enjoying collaborating creatively on writing and illustrating. Today we went on a ferry daytrip on Sydney Harbour. We experienced the beautiful weather and the ocean breeze across the water. After reaching Circular Quay we set out for Garden Island. There we found an amazing 360' lookout and also visited the Maritime Heritage Museum. From there it was on to Watsons Bay for lunch. All of the inner harbour ferries stop from 1-2pm. So it's lunchtime for everyone. Roz had the salmon with mango chutney on a potato rosti, I had the Ulladulla flattie with chips. The sun shone across the water and we whiled away the time talking and laughing. Travelling in Sydney by ferry is the best.

Photos of the Kids

Alex and his friend Robbie at the assembly day
Alex is relaxed after school

Tom and Nick

Portrait of Alex as a young man

They change a little every day.

Vanessa

Vanessa
Vanessa and I (self portrait)

I met up with Vanessa in Chippendale. We went to the pub near her home called The Rose Hotel. It was great to just have an hour and a half where we could actually sit and talk to each other. I don't think I have had the opportunity to catch up with Vanessa for over a year. So it was really special. She told me about her trip to New York and the immigration law work she does. We talked about our kids and families. I met Vanessa in 1988 when we both worked together. Time has changed who we are and our self identities but it has not changed our friendship.