Cyclone Hamish And The Oil Spill.

We are still in Melbourne but we are hearing a lot on local TV about the container ship which lost over 30 containers off its deck during the last throes of Cyclone Hamish a day or so ago. It seems that one of the falling containers has split open the side of the container ship causing a huge oil slick to spill into the sea.

The spilt oil has then drifted onto the Sunshine Coast devastating 8 kilometres of prime surf beaches. The local councils busily set about removing the oil with heavy machinery when they were told to stop using machinery and resort to cleaning up by hand using rakes and shovels by the Environment Protection people. This would take an incredibly long time if it has to be cleaned up by hand.

I also heard there was 30mls of rain overnight at home.

Still In Melbourne

Tuesday was spent fairly quietly. I have managed to book myself up to see quite a few people throughout the rest of the time here in Melbourne.

On Wednesday I caught up with a Peter who was the School Council President when I was a principal at Doveton North Primary School. Peter's wife Helen is much improved but wasn't there when I visited, she was visiting her sister down in Gippsland. Helen had travelled there by train! It had been a while since I saw Peter so it was great to catch up.

Arj's computer has Windows XP and it didn't complete an update to SP3. I tried again on Wednesday and again the thing would not update. It will now stay with just SP2 on it. Trish went to see Billy Elliott on Wednesday night with 'the girls' while Arj and I stayed home and did some baby sitting.

This morning I had a movie swapping morning on with Jan Fitzpatrick. Lou Ann, I hope I have Jan organized to join Facebook now too! Get ready for your 'invitation'!

Some baby sitting again tonight before catching up with Eddie and Patsy for Vietnamese lunch on Friday. Then it is out for dinner and I have a digital set top box to set up before we enjoy a few drinks and watch some Aussie Rules football on TV!

Happy Birthday Trish

Friday was again mainly spent with getting items for Trish's 60th birthday party. We completed all purchases during Friday and then things were ready to go for the party on Saturday night! We went out for tea with Kate, Kim and the grandchildren to our favorite Malaysian restaurant. The kids loved it! Our table (and the floor underneath) looked like it had been hit with a cyclone. There was a lot of rice on the floor but James does like to feed himself.

Saturday was the big day! The party was a huge success with close friends and family in attendance. There was too much to drink and too much to eat! We had a guy come round and serve Sri Lankan hoppers, a crepe like crispy edible bowl filled with curry and sambal. Nearly everyone got stuck into it and the results were universal, the hoppers were a great success. This photo shows our family after everyone had sung "Happy Birthday" and the blowing out of the candles had been completed successfully.

The cake was sensational!

The last of the guests left at about 2 am. Cleaning up the next day was slow and methodical. But it was soon all completed. By lunchtime Sunday, things had been tidied up. Trish received a Pandora's Bracelet for her birthday and guests then brought her trinkets and add ons for the bracelet. It will be a great reminder of her 60th birthday!

Monday was a holiday in Melbourne so it was back to the jewellers to buy more trinkets for the Pandora's Bracelet. Some guests had given Trish cash to buy more trinkets of her own choice. The bracelet as a gift had been a great idea.

Then it was out to our favorite Vietnamese restaurant on Monday night with friends who had travelled down from Newcastle to attend the party.

Again our time in Melbourne had been fun and fattening! And on Monday it was warm enough to get back into short trousers!

Shock Horror On Arrival In Melbourne - No Internet!

Our trip down to Melbourne was as usual, a bit of a hassle but OK.

In Melbourne the weather was overcast and grey. The temperature was in the mid to high teens. From the air Victoria looks like "the moon". Everything is brown from the extreme heat and lack of rain. The state has had less than 10mls of rain so far for all of 2009. There had been 10mls or so of rain overnight which had been the wettest day so far for the year. People's front lawns no longer exist. Everyone was enjoying the cold overcast weather after what this state had been through with the recent fires

We were collected from the airport by the lad (Chris) and spent a lovely evening with his family. Our daughter Kim joined us for the evening meal and then transported us to her place just south of the city where Kate came over and collected us in the "Telstar", our "Melbourne" car upon which we had spent over $2000 having the gear box recently replaced.

It was then Kate told us the devastating news, their internet connection was down at her home and they didn't have any idea when it would be back up again! Fancy, me having a day (or even days) when I couldn't get on the internet! The 'net' was down for just the one full day.

Our first full day was spent getting some items ready for the party on Saturday, this meant buying the drink! That task has now been accomplished!

My friend's son in Texas got his photo on the front page of the local newspaper's and it was also available on the internet for 24 hours before it disappeared. I am putting it here so Lou Ann can have a more permanent record. This group has successfully been fighting to save the local Picture Theatre.

I keep in touch with the owners of the house for rent on our right hand side as you face our place. They now live in Switzerland. I was just updating her on how the moving out had gone and Sandra told me the news about the young family who would be moving in. They have recently enjoyed a holiday in the Swiss Mountains near where they live.

Today is more party organizing stuff, Kate and Arj are both at school while the two kids are at "Day Care" which they just love.

In The Air

Today we fly to Melbourne in preparation for Trish's 60th birthday party to be celebrated with a few friends and family. The 'real' big day is tomorrow but the small party will be held on Saturday.

We are expecting a sweaty 32 degrees here today on the coast while Melbourne is expected to be 19 degrees. A quick clothes change will be in order upon our arrival down there.