HOTY run sheet

THURSDAY 

5:00 rise and shine

Shower feed dog pack usbc lead

6:00 Depart Corinda 

6:45 Arr airport

8:00 Fly

WEATHER

From what i can see it's looking cold.

Fri 11-22

Sat 16-23

No rain.

Bring a jumper. 

WHAT TO BRING

Zootie or singlet

Hat

Seat Pads (if you use)

Shoes for boat

Water Bottles.

Blazer

I have cox box & speed coach and chargers. 

Waterproof bag for phone. 

FOR PUB CRAWL

Shorts and Tee shirt and footwear. (I plan to take mine to Hawthorne on Friday and hide it in the trailer).

Money.

FORMALITIES

Blazer

ETC

phone chargers. 

Toothbrush. 

THURSDAY 20TH

People arrive (see prev message)

Get MIKI card.

4-6pm Riverland bar.

Also the Melbourne OBA function is on in the evening.

FRIDAY

TBA Breakfast together - thoughts 

8:15 Tram 75 from Stop 8 car Spring & Flinders. Miki card

8:45 Hawthorne Rowing club

Rig boats

(10am other crews depart)

Snack?

12 noon ish when Rob arrives

training row to start. 

Couple of U turns to go back through big bend. 

3pm arr Start line. 

3pm -Alice rendezvous with Angus for briefing.

6pm Dinner - Tazio 

61 Flinders lane. Blazer.

Early night zzzzz

SATURDAY

TBA rise and shine. 

Need to update this. 

8:00? meet in the park. Warm up by running. 

8:30 hands on

8:40 Boat in the water

9:00 Race time. 

Evening

Dinner. Blazer.

PACKING LIST

ON PLANE

Jeans

Dark shirt 

Blazer

HOLD BAG

Cox box

Speed coach

Chargers

Socks x 3

Undies x 3

Black Good shirt

Black Polo shirt

TInnie stay

Last Sunday I observed that one of the supports for a tinnie canopy was broken. 

A busy few days delayed action.

THURSDAY morning I had the real estate inspection of my rental. After that was done,  I checked the BCF website and learned that these covers were called Bimini and the Jindalee store had a spare. Given boats come in different sizes and the Web site showed multiple Bimini's, I guessed that the back stays would come in different sizes. This meant that I wanted to see the pole so I could check the size. 

I arrived at BCF and the fellow at the counter checked the computer and we went looking for the pole. Couldn't find it.  Another employee found it. I checked the length and it was too long. I took it anyway. 

At work I drilled out the pop rivits and cut it to length. Ground off the burrs. Drilled new holes. I used a M4x30mm screw as I did not have me pop rivets. 

WEDNESDAY morning I got up early and took my new pole out to Centenary and reassembled the tinnie.

House Clean

Started a deeper clean of Glenrich St. 

BOND CLEANERS

The real estate had provided contact details for two bond cleaners.  One did not respond to phone and text. The other arranged to meet and quote but cancelled the day before. I contacted the fellow who'd done the Magee St clean. I'd been very impressed with him and his team. He came out but hadn't realised it was a different real estate franchise. He said he only works for Ray White 

a weird Week in review

It's been a bit of a weird week. 

MONDAY I skipped men's group because I felt a bit weird and too many things to do. 

FRIDAY I misread the grammarians rowing schedule and didn't show for rowing.  A cardinal sin. 

SATURDAY park Run was reasonable with a reasonable time of  36:47. 

The next chuck of the day was spent cleaning. Then into work to fix up the Grammarians electrical spares kit.

Met up with Phoebe at Glenrich st and drove to the Royal Mail at Goodna to watch a guitarist.  We watched a couple of bands.  They were a bit ordinary. The sound was muddy. The guitarist we went to see was part of a band. Left a bit early. 

SUNDAY

Dennis was at Centenary said hello. 

Only 8 boats at Centenary and three coaching plus me.  I asked if it was ok to take an early mark. Swing past home dropped Mags and changed into church appropriate clothes and drove to attend Church with Phoebe.   It's a very sad situation with politics buggering the congregation. 

After church we drive via home and then collected Rodney Metcalfe from Mt Ommaney and proceeded up to the Sunshine Coast. 

Lunch Rob, Phoebe and I at ? Fish and Chips.

We drive to Budrum Private Hospital and visit Aunty Marg. Phoebe had brought a card and gotten Chat GPT to write Aunty Marg a poem. So kind and wonderfully thoughtful of her. Aunty marg is still sharp as.    Lois and her husband Frank arrive. We chat and listen to stories. 

Drive home. 

Drop Rod.

Buy Thai for dinner. 

Sleep. 

Moving pt1

Slowly clearing and chucking junk. 

MON 17 evening

Feeling a bit down. 

Too many things to do

Park Run

Sweltering sun and humidity Brisbane style. Mags and I started well but faded after the turn around. Several short walks and a drink stop for both of us. 

36:47. 15-NOV-2025

Skip - sweet Caroline 

37:56

35:03

36:21

37??

HOTY Planning

 Once again we are low in enthusiasm for the HOTY.

MINIMUM OPTION
Fly down Friday first flight Friday and return Saturday evening.
As a sweeping generalisation, Qantas seems to have the lowest fares. 

Qantas First Flight  5:05am arr MEL 8:30am $412 then lets add 2hrs to get to Hawthorne 10:30.  
Jetstar is 6am-9:20 am $327 so even later and we really don't trust Jetstar.
Assume say $100 taxi.  So the spend is $512 and we essentially arrive later than the rest of the club who we believe will arrive 9:30.  - So we will forget this option.

 

THURSDAY - SUNDAY (Traditional Option)
The question becomes: What to do in Melbourne during the day on Thursday.
QANTAS    8am-11:25   $335 
Extra legroom $47
Virgin 8:55 - 12:15 Virgin $299 Flex. $35 cheaper but gone
Virgin 10:55-2:15 Flex $389
Flight Centre > Virgin $269 "Choice" incl bags  CHEAPEST BUT!
ahh but add $29.95 Booking fee -> $297.95  Essentially the same as on the Virgin web site.
Extra leg room exit row add $81.  Standard seat $0.  Oter seats vary $22-$28.
Interestingly they have seats in front of the wing.

SUNDAY 
Qantas 7am $284  CHEAPEST
Virgin 8:10am $389 "Flex" includes a bag  ($282 no bags)
Flight Centre>Virgin 7:10 "Choice" incl bags $329
 

Sweet Caroline

Grammarians had naming ceremony for their quad/four.

The name "Sweet Caroline" came about from two histories.  One was the singing of Sweet Caroline as we pub crawl after the HOTY and secondly, and more movingly, after Caroline who used to Cox us and who was run over and killed while jogging in Graceville. 

As an aside, I see Caroline's mum at park run. She told me she took up running in memory of Caroline. 

mums birthday

Aniversery of mums birthday.  Pondering life. Relationships. The way we fit in to the world. 

White Sauce

WHITE SAUCE

For Tuna mournau or lasagne 

Need to refine this

100gButter

10 tablespoons flour

120g butter

6 dessert spoons plain flour

1.8L milk

Park Run

After last week's 35:03 PB, this week- off the pace by 3 minutes- coming in 37:56. Phoebe did her first in ages striding home 46:52.

37:56

35:03

36:21

37??

Felt good up to the 2.5k turn around.  Not long after the turn around, began to feel heavy. Lost the mojo.  It was hot and humid. Walked and Stopped twice on the return journey for water. 

This shows me back in plodding mode

Samsung Cloud

 3-OCT-2025 Received email notifying me of the deletion of Samsung data.
30-10-2025  Logged in and went looking to see what data was there.  As far as I could see there was 25MB of data but I could not work out what it was.  I was looking to see if it was photos but eventually gave up.  Just ignored and deleted the email.

---

Notification of Deletion of Data in Samsung Cloud

---

Hello. This is a message from the Samsung Cloud service.

As per our service's policy, your data in Samsung Cloud including data stored in Smart TV, Family Hub, and Galaxy Wearable will be deleted on 2025-10-31, the day you will have been inactive for more than 12 months. Once deleted, your data cannot be recovered. If you wish to prevent the deletion of your data, please use the Samsung Cloud service again before the scheduled date of deletion. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact us through FAQ or 1:1 Enquiry on our Customer Support website.

Thank you again for using the Samsung Cloud service.

■ Account ID: xxxx

■ This email was written on 2025-10-03.
■ Please do not reply to this email as this email address is not monitored for responses.

 

 

 

we bought a house

FLOOD

Park Run

5:30 Alarm

6:15 Depart Glenrich st

7:00 Run

Set the alarm for 5:30.

Got up and clicked the kettle. 

Quick shower and began dressing. 

Heard Phoebe open a Chinese takeaway container and called out to not feed the dog. Phoebe called back she was feeding magpies.

Unlike last week where everything was rushed and late, this week we ran early.   Plunger coffee in sipper cups half drunk in the house and completed as we drove. 

Arrived plenty early and so parking was not an issue. I took the long way as a warm up.  Started with a walk then jog.  Stopped to stretch. Jogged again. 

As we've done recently,  Phoebe left early with Mags. Walking.

I lined up with the cult members and we were away. 

Times have been reducing

Last week 36:21

Prev week 37:??

Pushing towards my pb of 36:07

This week we finally managed it 

Rocks Riverside parkrun results for event #588. Your time was 00:35:03.

Park run PB.

Rocks Riverside parkrun results for event #588. Your time was 00:35:03. 

Been trying to beat my previous PB of 36:07 over a year ago. I'd managed 36:21 last time (2 weeks ago) and 37 something the week before. Weights and coffee on Tuesday's, a run and coffee on Thursday's. Rowing and coffee mon wed & Friday's. 

This week, started with coffee and upon arriving early, did a warm up run complete with stretching. Phoebe took off early walking with Mags. Left me free to start un encumbered. We were off and starting in the middle of the field was interesting being hemmed in by the young and fit and dads with prams and ladies with dogs. I managed a bit of spring in my step which was a good thing. 

Round the first corner and the crowd begins to stretch out. We are 500 in and feeling good. Past 1k and still haven't seen Phoebe. Closing on 2k and I see them. 

 Mags insists and I grab the lead.

 The JW's are offering support but the old couple with the piano accordion are missing replaced by a lady with a dog who is having a moment. The lady that is. The dog is picked up by a runner.

 Reaching the turn around and learn a valuable lesson as there are a lot of people who use this as an opportunity to walk. Duck and weave overtaking on the grass beside the path. Closing on 1k to go and I spy Phoebe not long after so does Mags. Mags decides we need to catch up. I'm wondering if being pulled along by the dog provides an unfair advantage. Legs are wobbly so focus on bringing back the spring. Mags is determined. Phoebe is tantalisingly close but as is in keeping with the female species just out of reach. Press the accelerator but the distance does not reduce. Luckily Phoebe pulls the the side and cheers me on as we run past. Mags turns and I have to drag her a bit. I think Mags thinks we should be together. Round the last corner with just under 500 to go. At 100 to go We see Phoebe again calling out encouragement much to the entertainment of others. Onto the final flat and Phoebe is running beside me. She peels off to the side as I cross the line. Friend Bruce Leslie offers a hello and I gasp some unintelligible response as Mags and I collapse onto the grass.

Magpies

Starting again feelings

It's weird.

Every now and then I get reflective about life.  A feeling stimulating thought or visa versa. 

Watched RR's house on "Grand Design's" with Phoebe last night. 

It's weird thinking about buying a house. Who'd have thought. But it's different to buying a home when you are young. Then the future seems endless. Now in 60's, it's more about not being homeless once one retires and can't afford rent. 

I guess old and young are touched by the insanely high home prices. 

HAPPINESS

https://thomsoneu.blogspot.com/2024/02/happiness.html?m=1

definition of happiness as:

Something to do, 

Someone to love, 

Something to look forward to.

Google tells me this is attributed to one Alexander Chalmers.

HOB Head Of the Brisbane

5:15 alarm

5:30 depart 

6:00 park

6:30 launch

7:20 race start @Toowong RC

8:00 finish @Toowong RC

8:30 back at the shed. 

8:45 breakfast

Arrived at the shed and it was a bit crowded. BGS had parked their ute really inconveniently on the hard stand.

The race went well. The boat sat up much better than Friday. Rate seemed to be 29.

At the turn we managed to swipe the bow number off the BBC boat. 

On the way home, as we approached the dutton Pk community pontoon, i could hear Phoebe call out.  Wasn't game to look.  That's verboten. We had a nice rhythm and looking would upset the balance. 

It was great to see three BGS school eights competing.  We were 150m from the finish and one of the BGS eights powered past us. 

pumping iron

On Tuesdays going to the gym in the RQ shed. 

Leg press 70+70=140

Bench pull 12.5 x 2

Romanian 2x20

Single arm push up on chair 15 

Lunges 17kg

8-10-2048 Blood pressure

132 on 78

From:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/blood-pressure/art-20050982

Top number, called systolic pressure. The top number measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats.

Bottom number, called diastolic pressure. The bottom number measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats.

Top number: 130 to 139 or

Bottom number: 80 to 89

=>

Stage 1 hypertension

Maintain or adopt a healthy lifestyle. Talk to a healthcare professional about taking one or more medicines.

Monday men

At Chris PFP's place. 

Soul happiness 

Northbrook Gorge

After Saturday was consumed cleaning Tim's house...

SUNDAY

Frank coached at Centenary and Phoebe went to Sunnybank Hills UC.

Then

Road trip through Fernvale where we had lunch from the bakery. I had a chicken lettuce and mayo sandwich and Phoebe had a salad roll. 

Split yard Creek turn off toward Mt Glorious. 

Past the small car park for the long walk. Arrived at the main car park for the short walk. 

Shoes on. 

Togs on. 

Down the car park. 

Across the road. 

Down a steep hill.