Someone's going to Melbourne

but it's not me! After whacking on 3-4 kg's over Christmas, and maintaining an unacceptably appalling exercise regime whilst in Brisbane, I've had to give up any idea of attempting Geelong. They hurt enough when you're ready for them, no need to grind yourself down for 6-7 hours to be unhappy with the result.

However, Fay had arranged with her sisters to met up in Melbourne while we were down there. Of course the sisters are not going to give up their get together just because I'm a big wimp!

Today was the first really great day we've had for a few months. We hit the beach and the surf was perfect for a couple of middle age people trying to remember how to body surf. Fay has since gone off to work and I'm sitting here planning an adventure.

A Land of Flooding Rain

In case you were wondering (Not just you Sylvia :P ), the floods are all around us. However we are not cut off; and we didn't get cut off, just. The waters cut the road south to Murwillumbah and almost cut the road an Chinderah. However there was a break in the rain that coincided with the high tide, and so the waters didn't get much above the road level.

It seems like the low is not affecting us as much today, so we may have seen the worst of it. Most of the flooding is upstream in the tweed and it seems to be dropping now.

We seem to be used to the weather here now. I don't mind sleeping in 26C and 92% humidity. I used to think that was a bit sticky. Is this what they call going troppo?

Fay's work

I forgot to add that Fay has commenced her job at NSW Health; about three months after the successful interview. It seems that it's easier to get elected to parliament that to get a part time job at NSW Health.

She is working as an AIN (Assistant in Nursing) in the Community Health unit at Tweed Heads Hospital. She loves it, except for the driving. She didn't let the driving put her off though, she hired a bigger car and took a driving lesson to make sure she was up for it. Of course she was.

Do I need to add that she loves it? I believe she never wants to see another program in her life.

New Year, back at work

The New Year was rung in by us being sound asleep. All the local fireworks were canceled due to the wild weather we've had up here for the last couple of weeks.

The ugly baby Friar Birds did a neat trick on Christmas day. The hopped out of the nest and started wandering around the tree they were in. Their parents kept on coming back to feed them, so we believed they couldn't fly. Three days later, when I returned from Brisbane, they were gone. So I assume that they learned to fly in those three days. Which is fortunate as the wind hasn't gone under 20 knots for very long since.

I've been commuting to Brisbane for just over a month now. The work I thought I had lined up in Melbourne fell through. Luckily I've picked up a contract in Brisbane doing data modeling, which I'm thoroughly enjoying. Which is good because the commute is a bugger.

I have managed to arrange a room at my sisters place for three nights a week, which results in me only driving up and back once a week. My boss is happy for me to do the 40 hours in four days, so I can come home Thursday night and spend Friday with Fay. The only downside to this arrangement is that my nephew has just got himself a drum kit, and my niece has taken up the electric guitar!

Ugly Babies

Two nests were built in our tree this year, one lot of young ones were eaten, but the others have been going pretty well. It may be due to the great camouflage; and also the fact that the birds basically look inedible.

This is the nest. It looks like a cotton wool ball wrapped in straw. If you look carefully you can make out a beak to the left of the top of the nest.

Another look at the nest, and on the left of the nest you should be able to make out a baby's beak, green eye and ear. A hole in the side of it's head!

Rob and Annette's Visit

Rob and Annette are some friends that we met 10 years ago in Sydney while Fay was working at Qantas. They came to visit us on their way to New Zealand for a couple of days of rest. They were lucky that the weather was bad as we couldn't take them up Mt Warning, or paddling in the creek. However they did have to endure walking to the Byron Lighthouse from the main beach and walking to salt a couple of times.

We also managed to eat quite a lot of pretty good food. The Thai in Kingscliff has picked up again, the Choux Box cafe was on it's game, the Salt Bar had excellent pub grub and the Rock Salt Pizzeria served some great pizzas.

So we have some unfinished business with Rob and Annette and we'll have to try and get them back here to try the new Italian in Kingscliff and the new Fins restaurant at Salt.

Comedy Night

We went to our second comedy night at the Salt Bar. At $6 entry you can't go too far wrong. It was actually great.

We decided to cycle down there as it's only 2.5km and we didn't feel like walking. However when we got the the bridge about 500m up the road they were closing it to do some test drilling for the new pedestrian and cycle bridge. We got chatting to the workmen and told them we were heading for the pub and asked whether the bridge would be open later that night.

When we cycled home and approached the bridge, they were waiting for us and started to say that we need to do a breath test before we could cross. We had a laugh and they escorted us across to many knowing smiles from all. We've got some good people up here.

4 Months to the Half

I'm going to attempt the Geelong Half Ironman on February 10 next year. I need to get a goal up so that I keep up the training. Another reason for choosing Geelong is that it seems I'll be spending quite a bit of time down there for work from November to April.

We've been having some big storms up here. Fantastic light shows and heavy rain. We even had some hail last Saturday; however we were spared the big one that hit nearby Lismore in the hills. They had extensive damage.

Fay is slowly getting closer to taking up her job. The main issues are with vaccinations.

On a beautiful day Fay goes for a swim

It's sunny, mild day here today. Everything that summer offers, without too much heat or humidity. Fay decided to hit the creek at high tide, and I took a video of her returning to the pontoon.



Meanwhile I proceeded to do some coding for the fellows in Melbourne, inside, at my PC. Some of us have to work!

Fay has another Job

Fay went for an interview Wednesday and was terribly disappointed about how she went. Until the interviewer rang her up to offer her the job!

It is involved with a team that aims to get old folks who have had a stay in hospital back to their home and living as independently as they can, or want to.

So it's a big step in her career into the area of rehabilitation and trying to improve the lives of the aged, rather than assisting them to get from day to day.

She really likes her work with the aged.

That went fast

One minute it was the 4th and now it's the 16th!

Anyway the pee wees have almost completed their nest. It took a lot longer than usual. The main problem was the female, as she is missing most of her right foot (claw?) and she is constantly flying at the windows and looking at her reflection. Still the male has got most of the nest done and we're watching it every day.

The first triathlon was Saturday. It went well and we had a great time. It's great to be racing again, mind you I probably won't be so enthusiastic in a month or two.

Today was one of those near perfect Sundays. We went for a ride early this morning, had a lazy breakfast after and then read for most of the day. The sun was shining the sky was clear and the creek was full of people enjoying themselves.

I'm packing for Melbourne tonight and I'm heading down for the week tomorrow. It will be good to see the Melbourne Crowd.

Nesting Birds

We have our Magpie Larks (pee wees) building a nest outside our window again. We think they're too late as a lot of birds already have their chicks in the nest.

Still it's fun to watch them build the nest from mud and spit. It's started to rain again, so I think that will set them back again.

More news as it comes to hand.

Long Ride

I went on a ride with Phil this morning, Fay slacked off and did a ride on the mag trainer. We went out through the hills towards Murwillumbah.

We stopped on the way to take a look at the airstrip at Murwillumbah and then on to a coffee shop for some morning tea. A blues-roots singer was playing a steel guitar and didn't sound too bad at all.

We headed home via Tumbulgum and Stotts Creek before heading over the hills and back home. A 60km bike ride on a lovely sunny day.

Almost too good.

Everybody's Out

We've just been out to sit on the breakwall and check out what's happening. The wind has dropped the rain has gone and it's back to lookinging like this.

The beach was full of surfers heading for the large waves leftover from the storm. The birds are catching up on fishing and every toy that hasn't been out for a while is out. Surf skis, tinnies, motorcycles, bicycles and all the people that go with it.

A definite feeling of summer coming on. It won't be long.

Still blowing the birds out of the trees

The wind is still howling up here and it feels cold and miserable.

Hopefully it quietens down tomorrow. Another day exercising indoors.

Stormy Weather

We have had a storm for the last 48 hours or so. It is meant to continue until tomorrow sometime. These are some photos from the breakwall at 10am.

They were taken at low tide, so the waves are a lot farther out than usual. So we're heading back down after lunch to see the waves.

I seem to have caught Fay's bug, so I'm taking it easy.

We sacked our tiler last week. He seemed to be a pretty tragic fellow. He just couldn't seem to get his act together or give us a reasonable story. So we still don't have tiles on the floor, after 10 months without carpet. We should have the floor down in a couple of weeks.

We are also starting to get quotes for the bathroom. Since we sold our Sydney flat, we have committed to this flat for 10 years, or so. We'll see what happens.

Go Go Gadget: Walkmen NW-S203F

This is the new addition to the running kit. It has a stopwatch, fitness goals and a pedometer built into a combined Radio and MP3 player. It's shaped like a stubby cigar, if you remember what they look like, and it weighs about the same.

The earphones it comes with are top notch for running and the only sore point is the software that you have to use to load songs onto the little sucker. It only runs on windows and has a pretty lame interface. I don't know why they don't just use the drag and drop.

I haven't had much chance to use it with the calf injuries, but I should be back on the road in the next few days. I had a massage yesterday and that certainly helped.

Rolling with injuries

I suppose it had to happen that I would come a cropper after my last post. I went for a run on Saturday afternoon and developed a cramp/spasm in my left calf. My right calf was also painful. I ran, limped and walked home from the 7km mark of a 10km run. Not fun.

I improved over the Sunday; so Monday morning Fay and I went up the creek. The Ospreys near Salt seem to have eggs, so we may have some babies there this year. We don't expect any from the pair near the VMR.

After we got back I braved the water and attempted some rolls in the small plastic kayak. Surprisingly it went very well. So I should be good to do some trips up and down the coast pretty soon. Maybe a trip to Byron is on the cards!

Training

I'm racheting up the training now. Not sure about the target, but they'll come. The more likely are the Noosa or Byron Olympic distance. Less likely are the Canberra or Port Macquarie Half Ironman.

Cycling up here at this time of year is unbeatable. I've been out down the freeway for the 74km round trip a couple of times. The Condong 40km Sunday morning rides are a bit chilly on the hands, but the warm gear is standing up to it.

I managed to make two squads this week and working on the stroke to get some semblance of speed back.

Today I'm off for a run along the beach on the low tide. So that should be pleasant.

Fay is still struggling with a sore calf. She has tried a few things but is still finding it difficult getting going. We may try some aqua-jogging at the pool to see if that helps.

Go Go Gadget: Beyonwiz

I went crazy just before the Tour De France and bought the Beyonwiz 'media centre' box. It replaced the set-top box ( for receiving digital TV), the VCR and the DVD player. It also will play movies downloaded from the internet, podcasts, music and display images from our PC's, via the WiFi network we have. It also allows you to 'pause' live TV and do all that PVR timeshifting stuff, including jumping 10 seconds forward and backward in a show.

It's a great box that's working well. I'm still using the IceTV guide, so at a push of a button I can see what is on for the next few hours, or days, and then record them for watching at a later time.

So I manage to catch more show's I'm interested in, and can skip through the commercials I don't like.