Midweek Update

The gazebo now has a second rip in it.  Trish patched the first rip.  We then went to put the canopy back on and it ripped again.  So now the gazebo is 'up' but it has a rip in it,  I dropped in at Bunnings to see if they could supply me with a new "Oztent" 3m x 3m canopy.  The guy I spoke with knew all about spares and replacements and after a quick look on the computer he discovered there were replacement canopies for my gazebo model and at $40  I immediately ordered one.  It has to be delivered up from Brisbane but was told if one was in stock there I should have it in a couple of days.  I continue to wait.

It is a bit overcast and showery this morning and I have tipped 9mls of overnight rain out of the gauge.  The pool has again been topped up and I haven't been on my bike this morning. I lower the front leg of the gazebo to ensure all the rain drains from the roof.

Cooler weather blew in around Monday!  Top temps are now in the high 20's, a blustery (and dust carrying) southerly has blown all the humidity away.  Last night we didn't even have the fan on in the bedroom.  There has been a significant drop in the temp of the pool.

Computer Club was reasonably busy again on Saturday.  One of the guys I had helped out the week before with his laptop turned up with a bottle of distilled 40% proof alcohol.  All I had to do was add the essence of my choice to the alcohol and 'voila' I would have a 1.125l bottle.

Don't let the label fool you, check the bottle neck and screw top and you will see it is actually a 1.125l Bundaberg Rum bottle!  The real Sambucca will set you back around $60 for this size bottle so I was pretty pleased with my $11-50 investment.  I have asked him for a second bottle of alcohol, this should then replenish our supply of Rum!

The Community Association has kept me very busy this week.  Caloundra Airport is right near to our estate.  The concern people have is with Helicopter Schools conducting training 'touch 'n go's and doing repetitive circuits at low height over the estate.  A company at Maroochydore Airport has won a contract to train 50 pilots from the Middle East.  Sunday morning the company decided that two helicopters would do training at Caloundra Airport.  So on Sunday residents experienced over 4 hours of non-stop helicopters doing low level circuits over the estate.  As there were two of them residents had no escape from the barrage.

I have some good contacts so eventually after a few hours it was time for action.  Emails suddenly went off to the local MP's, local Councillors, The Sunshine Coast Airport CEO, and the Helicopter Training School protesting over the prolonged training session.  One mum wrote on our Facebook Page that her daughter was crying with her hands over her ears asking mum to make the loud noise go away.

The Airport CEO got straight back to me saying he would investigate. He shortly afterwards contacted me again saying planned activities for the day by helicopters had concluded.  Emails and website updates followed over the next day or two.  I am still awaiting a final response from the company involved.  An hour or so of continuous flights is reasonable but over 4 hours on a Sunday by multiple helicopters was too much.

Friends Ian and Kerri are heading off to Singapore and Malaysia in April for ten days.  So yesterday, to help introduce them to Malaysian food, the four of us journeyed down to Sunnybank south of Brisbane to try some Malaysian food.

We had a quick look around and then settled into lunch.  Needless to say we ordered our favorites, Chicken Curry, Char Kway Teow, Lobak, Salt and Pepper Squid and a Roti.  Ian couldn't believe the bill at $48!  Kerrie really enjoyed it.  Ian is a little more conservative and he found the chicken curry not to his liking because it was a little spicy.  That just meant there was more for us!

Rather than travel over 100k's just for lunch, we had a look around a local shopping centre then adjourned to a pub before tackling an evening meal at a different restaurant.  The afternoon was very pleasant.  After visiting Dr Dan's for a red wine we eventually went back to a different restaurant for an evening meal.  This time we had Hainan Chicken Rice, Malay Fried Chicken, Satay Skewers, Singapore Fried Noodles and Murtabak.

We managed to get through it all.  The food was fine but not to the same quality as our lunch had been.  The satay sticks had been deep fried and the Malay Fried Chicken wasn't as good as we usually experience when in Melbourne.  This time we were up for $60!

Then it was a 100k+ drive back home.  After plenty to eat and drink during the day, Trish and I both slept really well.  It was a day Ian and Kerri won't forget!