A Warm Wednesday

We have a warmer day today and I must admit we are both feeling more comfortable. Trish has the beginnings of a cold which we hope won't develop into something more serious.

Our friends from home are in the air as I type on the tablet. We will collect them from Tullamarine in an hour or so.

Most likely we will eat in Richmond tonight.

We caught up with Eddie and Patsy on Monday night in a new restaurant near Springvale. It was a comfortable night with easy parking and a quiet little spot.

We have the footy at the MCG tomorrow night but the forecast isn't looking too good. But it is Melbourne and you never know!

Let The Merry Making Begin!

The pressure has come right on today!  Since just before lunch it has been non-stop go!  Trish and I headed to Fountain Gate, Trish wanting to check out Spotlight while I was more than happy to wander into the Good Guys.  Trish picked me up and stated the car key wouldn't go into the driver's side door to unlock the old car.

$5-50 and a dispenser of graphite from Bunnings had the errant door lock working perfectly.  Around 1pm we arrived at Keith and June's for some lunch, a cool beer and for me to update their supply of movies and TV Shows.  The meal was great, the beer cold and we managed to pass on a few movies and TV series as well.

The email on my phone was going off regarding problems (only small) with the Community Association website.  I contacted the web site designer and passed the message on.  We were not the only clients experiencing problems.

Hopefully a solution has been reached.

We caught up with good friends Eddie and Patsy for a meal at a restaurant near Springvale just after 6pm.  The advantage was the parking was nearby and abundant.  The restaurant was not hustle and bustle and the food was very acceptable.

It was a delightful evening, lots of laughs with good friends and several drinks to boot.  The sweets were OK too as the photo shows.

We are not sure what is happening tomorrow at this stage.  But I am sure it will work out OK.

Our friends Kerrie and Ian arrive early afternoon on Wednesday!  The weather has been on the coolish side ever so dour, dull and cool.  It certainly doesn't want to make you get outside and do things.  It should be around the low to mid 20's later in the week.

A Nice Winter's Day

We awoke to temps around 10 degrees this morning here in Melbourne's S/E suburbs.  Then the sun came out and we are looking forward to around 20 degrees.  But it isn't winter just yet, it is autumn here in Melbourne.  At home in S/E Queensland this would be a mid-winter's day.

Our first day here was spent sorting glasses out.  At least we tried that but with little success.  It would take around 14 days to complete the manufacture and we would expect to be back home by then.  The chain store SpecSavers didn't appear to be much cheaper than where we had previously got our glasses back home.

As we don't want the 'specials', their prices are no different to most others.  We were told the range at our local SpecSavers would be the same as in Melbourne so there was no real advantage to purchasing now!

Some other gift buying and checking out "Specials" at Rivers ensued.  I did buy a long sleeve polo top for $8.  The way the weather currently is here it will be a good buy.  We will spend much of the weekend with the kids and stay at home.

Monday is flat out with a lunch and dinner already booked.  Kate and Trish have something planned for Tuesday (Kate may take a 'sickie') and I will be left to my own devices.  Kerrie and Ian are due around lunchtime Wednesday and the merry making will begin. An evening meal in Richmond will be the most likely scenario we feel.

We will be taking them around in our Melbourne car.  Thursday looks like lunch in Carlton before Ian and I head off to the MCG and Carlton vs Richmond.  I have a Balcony Pass and his entry ticket already.  Friday looks like St Kilda with the evening with Kim and Dave.  We will move to Kim's to stay as of Friday night.

Some chocolate thing is planned for Saturday and later that day we head down to Drouin for the night with Russell and Irene.  Sunday morning to Bazz and Rainy's. The afternoon a 'tour' to some wineries before finishing up at either Malaysia Garden or Hoi An. 

Monday night is the Tram Car Restaurant while Tuesday will be lunch at which ever restaurant we missed on Sunday Night.

We hop on the plane back home first thing Wednesday morning.

Arrived Safely

What a difference 6 hours makes.  From leaving Caloundra late in the afternoon to being at Kate's home 200ok's away in Melbourne.  It was actually warmer in Melbourne upon our arrival last night than it was at the same time back in Caloundra!

But that isn't the case right now as I type away.  It is around 20 degrees here and quite overcast.  Click on the photo for a larger view. It isn't going to get much warmer over the next couple of days.

That late afternoon flight has its advantages.  We get a whole day to get ready so nothing is rushed.  The plane is half full at best but you do miss the footy if your team is playing.  I switched my phone on to get a score as the plane was taxiing into its parking spot.  It was close at that stage but by the Bolte Bridge my team had won comfortably.

Despite now having been here for 12 hours my ears still haven't cleared from the flight.  It is quite frustrating actually.

The kids are all at school now so we have the place to ourselves.  We will check out having our new glasses made while here so that is the first job this morning.  We are on our own tonight and look like we are baby-sitting tomorrow evening.  that gives us time to settle in and find our feet.

The old car we have down here is running very well indeed.  It will get a good work out when friends Ian and Kerrie arrive mid next week.

Finally Getting Sorted

The Chiro has now been visited and my back is reasonably OK.  Clothes are spread out across the bed almost ready to be packed.  My recently acquired tablet has been loaded with podcasts, movies and TV shows so I am certain to be entertained while on the plane tomorrow night as we trip down to Melbourne.

Yesterday we headed to the optometrist and now I have a 'prescription' for new glasses which we will now most likely do when in Melbourne.

I have been successful in gaining a Balcony Pass for Ian at Thursday's MCG match between Richmond and Carlton and we have already purchased his entry ticket into the ground. Ian and Kerrie are flying down to Melbourne on Wednesday 26th and will spend a week with us down there.  They have a hotel room booked in the City.

The lawn was mown yesterday late in the afternoon just prior to a glorious swim and a frosty home brew (or two).

But perhaps the highlight of yesterday was lunch which we had at a small Thai Restaurant beside Pumicestone Passage.  As it has been quite warm the last few days this was a marvellous spot as the photo shows.  The food was a lunch special at under $10 but you would not have wanted to have been very hungry as they were budget sized serves.

But it was delightful.

This morning's bike ride was down to Pumicestone Passage again and obligatory photo that goes with that.  It was a little cloudier earlier and this has impacted on the water color.

But it was a delightful ride followed by a swim in the pool.  The recent warmer weather meant the pool was over 25 degrees this morning and very comfortable for a swim.

Click on both pictures for a larger view, then on the "X" in the top right hand corner to return to this page.

Last night we watched Telemovie set in the Cold War period in London.  The new TV series Resurrection was previewed on one of the local FTA channels.  It looked interesting so I grabbed my tablet and downloaded the first two episodes which we later watched.  We finished our viewing with the 4th show in the third series of "Silk" which is probably one of our very favourite TV shows.

It was a great TV viewing night!