Sat 23/8 National Archives

Saturday 23-August-2025

Park run followed by a beautiful breakfast by Phoebe. Scrambled eggs, avo and tomatoes +? Salad,  toast and marmalade.

At the leisurely time of 11, we began discussing what activity or visitation would be undertaken and settled on a dual National Archives and Portrait Gallery visit as we thought both would be relatively quick.

Off we drove and parked next to parliament house. 

Walked through the house of reps garden which when old parliament house was in use, was not open to the public. Observed tennis courts with green surface.

Walked through this area which has a timeline of women in parliament embedded in the pavement along with green blue and white tiles. 

Onto the National Archives 

As we entered, the young fellow on the door enticed us to catch up to a tour.  I found that very enlightening. The young lady had opened the case that keeps documents associated with the constitution in darkness to preserve the ink. 

My learning was that the Australian constitution is in fact a act of the British parliament. 

Moved from the display about the constitution to this other display. 

Onto the train section which was interesting but I didn't take any photos. 

It was now past 1pm and my blood sugar was low. Stopped at the Cafe for a caffeine and sugar hit. 

Following all of that, went to Gungahlin and I bought a Beanie and Henry and Phoebe visited woolies. 

23/8 Ginninderra Park Run

 

Visiting the chilly south and Henry and I did park run. Phoebe attended as my personal photographer in order to curate my social media image.

 

First time in ages I've managed the whole 5k without any walking. Henry, having finished ages before me, ran back and ran with me. A blessing and a curse as it precluded any walking.

I suspect seeing Phoebe appear several times along the course helped preclude walking as I never knew when she'd miraculously appear

 

Ginninderra parkrun results for event #646. Your time was 00:38:02.

Congratulations on completing your 51st parkrun and your 2nd at Ginninderra parkrun today. You finished in 287th place out of a field of 377 parkrunners. You were the 166th male and came 7th in your age category VM60-64. Take a look at this week's full set of results on our website. Congratulations on setting a new Personal Best at this event! Congratulations on your fastest time this year.

 

1970s National Library

Time warped back to the 1970's at the national library. 

A time when you could have a life-be-in-it campaign right along side the Marlborough man all while listening to "Horror movie".

It's interesting to see the innovation of the time. Not that they mentioned the first microprocessor being released in 1971. In fact there were a few notable absences: kids dinking on dragsters, fairlight synthesisers.

At the political level we had Timor, Vietnam, Papua new Guinea independence and our mate Sir John dispatching Gough.

let's be sure to remember that it's the kids who grew up in that free range '70's who have overseen the rules and restrictions that keep today's kids safely tucked up in cotton wool.

It's 2025. Someone got a tardis or a delorian?

BNE->CBR

At St Lucia.

Night before put my big bag in Jai's car. I brought the clothes for the plane in a separate woolies bag.

Black pants, belt.

Collared shirt.

Black Asics, socks, undies.

Sloppy Joe and puffer jacket. 

4:00am alarm.

Dress. Shove pj's in back pack. 

Leave previous days clothes at Phoebe's place. 

4:15 in the car.  Jai driving.

4:45 at the airport. 

Moved PJs and toiletries to checked bag. 

5:00 bag drop

Queued for security.

5:15 we were walking past gate lounge one and observed they had their own coffee.  Stopped and bought a long black to share. Walked and sipped to gate 32.

5:45 on plane. 

6:05 Departure.

8:04 at Baggage claim.  Waiting. 

On the way to Henry's place, stopped at Ainsley shops.

Bought croissants and eggs etc for breakfast. 

Several naps throughout the day on henry's couch. Felt quite tired.

Visit to National library. 

Lunch at a Cafe in Kingston

Snooze

Shopping for dinner and skiing.

Dinner- Minastroni.

Ski Packing List

Epic pass

Jeans

Black Jeans

Undies

Socks

Boots

Black runners

PJs

Tee shirt

Running shorts

Sloppy Joe x 2

Puffer Jacket

Handkerchiefs 

Thermal tops

Thermal bottoms 

Goggles

Gloves

Velcro strap

Lens cleaner

Soap

Comb

Toothbrush 

Toothpaste 

Face washer 

Beanie 

Sun glasses

2 woolies bags

Short extension lead 

4 way Power board

Phone charger

Long usbc lead

Short usbc lead for car

Torch

Thin string

Zip lock bag

FOOD SHOPPING 

Wraps

Block cheese

Hot salami

Sao

Peanut butter

Eggs

Cucumber 

Tomatoes 

Custard powdered milk

Dry mix

1 cup custard powder.

1/2 cup sugar

4 cups milk powder

Making custard on the stove

1 cup dry pre mix

2 cup water

The custard box says:

2 tbsp powder

1 tbsp sugar

2 cup milk. 

We note 2 cup milk is 2x250ml = 500ml which is half a litre. 

Powdered milk instructions are that 1L water with 1 1/3 cup of milk. 

We also note that 1 litre is 4 cups.

The next observation is that there is dissention in the cooking world about the number of tablespoons in a cup. Ranging from 12 to 18. We will use 12.

So 3 LITRES

Custard powder:

2 X 6 = 12 tablespoon spoons = 1 cup

Sugar 1 tbsp x 6 =6 = 1/2 cup 

Milk is 500ml x 6 = 3L

3 L MILK

1 1/3 × 3 = 3 3/3 = 4 Cups powder

4 cup x 3 = 12 cup water

So we need

1 cup custard powder.

1/2 cup sugar

4 cups milk powder 

Camping Yaramalong

The camping group had decided too go camping at Yaramalong. Last minute decision from Phoebe and I to attend. 

FRIDAY NIGHT

Left work early. Started packing. 

Phoebe came over and we went to Mt Ommaney.

Bought matching trackie dacks and pyjamas. 

Got home and both of us decided we were too stuffed to pack.  Opened a bottle of wine. Then a second. Went to bed. 

SATURDAY MORNING 

Gave up on going to park run.  Instead, drove to work and collected tent poles.  Could not find ropes or pegs so onto Bunnings. 

Loaded the Landcruiser and finally drove out.

Arrived Yaramalong and met Chris P and Robyn inspecting a steep part of the drive.  I thought we were way late but it seemed we were right on time. Dave and Peta were already there. 

Didn't think much of their half 44 gallon drum "fire pits". They basically shielded you from the radiated heat. 

To cook breakfast, I broke a jammed and therefore useless tent pole. 

SUNDAY MORNING

Phoebe did communion. 

Chris' birthday dinner

TUESDAY  

 Did roast beef, backed potatoes, onion and pumpkin and steamed cauliflower and broccoli.

Phoebe made gravy which was awsome.  I did white sauce.  After all if you are having roast beef, you need gravy and if you are doing  cauliflower and broccoli, you need white sauce.

In attendance were:
Chris
Dan
Lewis,
Clare,
Peter,
Phoebe and
myself.

Phoebe had kindly purchased a couple of classics books and a card as a present that I claimed was from both of us.  So nice of her.   

 

 

 

 

HOTY ergs 5K 1 & 2

SUMMARY 

14/8 Thursday 21:01 

10/8 Sunday 22:09

8/8 FRIDAY 21:18 

7/8 Thursday. 22:07

6/8 Wednesday 23:20

THURSDAY 14 AUG

Paul B had told me one can warm up quite some time before.  Looking on the net confirmed that one can get the lactic system going and then take a break up to 2hrs apparently so that strength is back ready to row. 

I did a warm up. Experimented with drag factors. Settled on 15.  Then took a short break to set up a speaker and cue Spotify.

Started just slower than 2:09 but tried to get it down to 2:06 within a couple of hundred metres. 

SUNDAY 10 AUG

Started too hard and faded.

110 drag factor @ Centenary 

 Obviously hit the end of the easy improvements.  Need mental and physical impairment. 

THURSDAY 7 AUG

This is my second 5k erg.

This time my focus was on trying to be consistent for the whole 5k.

Shaved a minute off my 5k erg

Today 22:07

Yesterday 23:20

Today's approach was to try and keep a consistent split and rating. Not race pace. Just going for control. Pacing myself. (As distinct from yesterday where the objective was to finish without stopping) stopping is bad.

WEDNESDAY 6 AUG

First 5k in forever.  Motivated because the grammarians have asked for 5k erg times for yarra selection. I actually doubt if I'll be in a decent crew and to a degree feel somewhat off to the side.  It feels like we actually are not one club but a thing called the F8 and separately to that there's the haves and then the leftovers and I'm in that leftovers grouping.  None the less, a good motivator.

Wednesdays Facebook post:

Had to do a 5k erg. 

Got the erg from under the house. It was dirty and in two bits. Looking for excuses: Maybe today's job could be just to clean it and get it ready. After all, I'd done my first weights session on Tuesday morning and the ache was setting in. Excuses Excuses....

Sat on the seat. We are committed. Certifiable. Set Spotify. Selected 5k. I wanna live in a dream seemed somewhat appropriate. 

And we were away. 

Today's objective is to do the whole thing without stopping. 

 Two dangers identified: Firstly if too light, might give up from boredom and secondly if going too hard, might crash and burn gasping for air. 

Got on a roll with 100 metres on 100m off. Kicked it along nicely. 

After it was over, showered and hopped in the car. The play list was still running and serendipitously, the song playing was Divinyls "pleasure and pain". A notable line:

It's a fine line between pleasure and pain

You've done it once, you could do it again

Whatever you done, don't try to explain

Ha ha

Madness takes it's toll.