10/7 Canberra Old Parliament

THURSDAY

Henry collected us from the airport.
Chilled at his place for a bit.

Drove to Dickson and shopped.
Lunch at a Asian cafe - I had Beef stroganoff,   Phoebe had a spicy Soup and Henry had a breakfast wrap.

Home to unload the groceries and then off to Supercheap for new wiper blades.

Back home and Henry is cooking roast pork.
Glass of Schnapps for everyone.

 

 

Apparently Prime Ministers could adorn their walls with paintings from the national gallery.  Gough chose just one.

The Aboriginal Tent Embassy Protest visible across the road.

I wonder how we become one nation (not the fish lady's political party) 

 

 

ROAST PORK

 

10/7 BNE-CBR Ski Trip

FRIDAY 

 It's been a busy week and consequently packing was left to Thursday. I had planned to leave work at lunch time but in the end it was 4:30pm.

Arrived home and greeted enthusiastically by Mags who was continually disappointed that I was not taking her for a walk. 

Feeling a bit drained so figured I needed food and also to actually start. To this end I popped a spag bog in the microwave and went downstairs to get the ski gear.

Sat back and looked at my blog to see notes from previous trips.  

Collected clothes and shoes and began to lay them out on the table in the lounge.

Finally packed.

Phoebe came over and we (Including Mags) drove via West End where I dropped off a back stay that I broke.

Stayed the night at Phoebe's.  

The alarm woke us at 4am and by 4:15 we were out of bed.
Fletch drove us to the Airport.  At the Airport a big traffic jam waiting for the stop-drop-go.  Inside crowds meant we had to queue for the bag tag machines and the bag check.  Then a very long queue to get through security.  We arrived at Gate 1 as they announced boarding for our flight.

After we got on board, take off was delayed about half an our as they waited for a tug to push them back.  Landing was about half an hour delayed to 8:20.  

Phoned Henry as pre arranged and walked to the 10 minute pick up car park where we arrived as he was driving in  

 

Qantas doing a great job encouraging less gluttony  

Although they did offer seconds.

 

 

 

 

 

F1 Movie

Went to see the movie "F1" with Old Sherwood dads - Paul, Bob, Fil, Frank & Frank.  

In my view it's a good movie.  The best action flick I've seen in a long time.  Especially I think it is much fresher than Top Gun Maverick. 

It's a sort of Star Is Born coming of age type story line although the old driver (Brad Pitt) does not have the alcohol or drug issues pulling him down in the star is born way.  Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and has all his hallmarks of big camera angles, shots and sound track.  

It does have a bit of a product placement feel about it with symbols like Mercedes prominent throughout the film and I assume they got onto the various countries were F1 races are held and asked for money to showcase them.  Abu Dhabi & Las Vagas score high on the obvious showcase stakes, with an Etihad jet flanked by jet fighters trailing coloured smoke and appropriate camera angles to showcase the Etihad name flying low over the course in the Abu Dhabi and in LasVagas, the younger driver attended a very cool night club.  Mind you, I doubt if I will have the money to live the F1 fan lifestyle.

Last time I saw Brad Pitt I thought he looked very young.  Now he seems to be cross between Robert Redford and Harrison Ford. I felt he played the part very well.

We watched at the palace Barracks Cinema.  There was a big footie game on at Suncorp (Qld Reds v English Lions) with signs saying football parking at $75.  Paul had established cinema parking at the usual rates after ticket validation.  So after navigating the traffic restrictions on the nearby roads I was able to easily secure a park.  Interestingly, on the way out, the system did not want me to pay anything for my parking.  I was expecting $9.  There was a huge traffic jam to get out.  We had agreed to meet at La Dolce Vita on Park Rd Milton.  Finally made it and parking on the road was easy.  Ordered an Italian Hot Chocolate and some cake.  So bad ha ha.  The hot choc was awesome like syrup.  Home around midnight.  Slept until just before 5.  That's one way not to wake at 1am.  But no Thursday morning run though.

(The lions thrashed the Reds 52-12 - No wonder the heads were down) 

 

24/6 UKE Phoebe Cake

Tuesday day and Phoebe and I traded texts.  I got the hint that she'd like me to accompany her to a dinner with her ukulele group.

Met Aaron who I know from Monday night men's group and his wife and son.  Most of the guests kids attend state high.  Men and kids sat around a fire pit.  Later Phoebe was presented with a Birthday cake.  It was a really lovely night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

29/6 Auntie Marg

Awoke in the middle of the night to one of the realities of owning an electric car.  The range is lousy so you have to keep it on charge and I'd forgotten. 

Leaving Phoebe to have a few more minutes sleep,  Mags and I drove to Woolies at Oxley and plugged in.  Took mags for a short walk and while walking decided 50kW chargers are just way too slow. 

Back home. Tempted Phoebe with a coffee and she had a quick shower. Packed a few clothes and fed the dog and we were away. 

First stop Indooroopilly to use the superchargers.  See the complexity of a tesla.

Out the western freeway, North through the mountains to the west of Brisbane.  Breakfast Eggs Benny at Rendezvous bookshop at Dayboro.  Phone call to Auntie Marg to let her know we would be there late morning.

 

Arrived and met Rod at Marg's.  Cup of tea and showed photos of our trip to Turkiya.  Off to Auntie margs fish and chips store.

 

Then home to look for Phoebe's car keys which were found soon after the search began.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

28/6 Gold Coast Giovanna

Get away from Corinda was later than planned but still dropped in for a McDonald's coffee.  Priorities you understand. 

Set destination to Main Beach park run.  Google maps predicted a 6:58 arrival. As a result of chatting, missed the Smith St exit and took it next one. Still 6:58 arrival predicted. 

Luckily easily found a park near the toilets which were needed as a consequence of the coffee. Mags wears the haltie as I'm trying to get her to associate haltie with running and  not pulling.

Main Beach park run is a beautiful run.   Fairly flat but some small rises to add variety. Can't really call them Hills. The outward leg is a gravel track through the bush.The return leg is along the concrete footpath on the top of the dunes.  We could see mad English men and women swimming in surf.

The "run" was really walk-run-walk.  Close to my slowest time ever. 

Onto Giovanna and Dan's place. 

Lovely breakfast on their rear patio- scrambled eggs, ham, toast, coffee.   I used up some extra pieces of toast by lashing them with butter and jam.

HOME

Smooth drive home around 11. The traffic the other way was slow and bumper to bumper.

Snooze

DINNER

with Tim and Ro. Pork, veggies and finished off with pavlova left over from Tim's birthday dinner.