Day trip to Kings Beach and BBQ at the Grand Parents

After Henry, Chris and Frank returned from their mammoth 50km bike ride, we (Frank, Megan, Marcus, Chris, Jemma and Henry) piled into the Vito and drove North to Kings beach at Caloudra.

We met up with Dave & Dianne and their two children Damica & Xavier.
 Had a swim.
Henry went and bought hot chips.
Dave went and bought a 2l tub of blue ribbon ice cream and a packet of plastic spoons.
After we were finshed at the beach we drove to Ian and Fays for a BBQ dinner.

Bike Ride

Henry, Chris and Frank did another bike ride.  Henry took his GPS doodad.  After every ride he uploads the data to a web site called Strava.

More to come

River Loop Bike Ride

Henry brought his bike with him from Canberra.
Sean kindly lent chris a bike.  Henry brought peddles and shoes.
This morning Henry, Chris and Frank set out on a river loop ride.  We picked up Bob Manthey down at Corinda. 

Chris is supposed to engage in some holiday exercise so a ride to the Grammar boat shed seemed like a good idea.  Evidence is handy to have too.  That guy on the right has a bit of a gut.

While we were in the rowing vicinity, we figured we should tutor Henry on the finer points of rowing.  We dropped in on Rowing Queensland where I row from and put them on an Ergo (Rowing machine).  Legs-Body-Arms-Arms-Body-Legs.  Here you see that technique nearing perfection with only a few minor points to be addressed.

This is why the guy has a big gut.

Christmas day

We were awoken to the melodious tones of the bin truck making it's collection and then in case we were not fully awake to view the baby Jesus, it returned a few minutes later to do the other side of the road.

A present was demanded and supplied and then it was off to church.

Megan has been organising kids to play musical instruments and they gathered on the dais.

And here is Megan

After church we went home and had morning tea.


After morning tea, Dan and Jemma insisted that we receive a present and what do you know - "Monopoly Empire" and as any good family person would know this is the seed of arguments.  True to form the arguing has begun even before the first roll of the dice.  There are arguments over how the games works, the rules, the placement of bits, who starts first.

A quick reference to the rules and we find the YOUNGEST STARTS FIRST!!!!  get that OK!

Then those not playing arrive and get grumpy because they are not playing.  Those who are playingh and by definition already grumpy get grumpy because the others are interfering or not willing to participate by reading the rules and providing adjudication.  Others suddenly loose the ability to read if they are asked to refer to the rules.

Ideas for the Family Christmas Gathering

You know you have the 20-25 family adults and their random kids together in a park for an afternoon.  The stealing santa is so last year.  What do you do.  Needs to be fun and memorable would be good.

Here are some brain storm idea

MASTER CHEF
Leveraged off the idea that Daryn & Clare had for the Physio active Christmas Party.
We hire a guro chef and ovens / kitchen stoves.
The 20-25 family types are randomly arranged into groups of 3 and each group of 3 are given written instructions and raw materials and cooking equipment to make one part of the christmas meal.  Then they cook like mad for 30 minutes or whatever.  Then all the bits are brought together for the meal. 

MAKE A VIDEO
Get a creative team - Facilitator + camera operator to come and help / organise the koning family to make a humorous christmas message video.  In one hr, the facilitator works with the family to script & rehearse and film the video.  They then go and edit it and upload to youtube.  The family continue with their party.

ART
Get an artist to come and facilitate the family to make a mural.  Maybe a christmas mural painted on white Vinyl. Then go hang it on the bridge across the western freeway or at Taringa.  The artist bring s the material and paint and ideas and helps, coaches, facilitates.  Cajoles the non participats and so on.

CRAFT
Same as art but some object(s) is / are built.  Maybe one big object maybe one little object per person.  Maybe super well done thingos that are then donated to a shop to be sold for the poor.

Dan and Lucy

Lucy has been itstised.  This photo was actually taken on 13-DEC-2013 but I only just saw it.  The blue thing is to stop Lucy from gnawing at her stitches.

Piano lifting

Megan brought home a Yamaha mini grand electric piano.

Kerbside cleanup.  You know it goes.  Those people who cruise the streets looking for old washing machines or parts of rusty BBQs.....

So Mitch (14yo neighbour) and Chris were press ganged into lifting it out of the Vito and setting it up in Sarah's room (she is long gone).  Luckily or unluckily as the case would be, many many years ago, the UC ran a monthly youth rally and we had one of these pianos.  In my younger days they appeared somewhat lighter but still too heavy to have any other memories other than their weight.  So I had the necessary knowledge to assemble it.  It comes in two main parts.  The keyboard and base is one part and the string section is the other.  The Legs are put on the keyboard and base and that part set on the floor.  the string section is then hung off the keyboard and swung through 90 degrees and locked in place.

This thing is just like a real piano.  Strings and things but also it has built in microphone pickups.  This one even came with a amplifier / speaker.  It also came with impressive heritage.  It was used in times past at the Darwin entertainment centre of all places.

All connected up and of course it did not work.  All manner of leads and combination of plugs and sockets were tried.  All to no avail.  That was weeks ago.

With a Christmas visit from Henry imminent, the need was on to get rid of it.  My suggestions of taking it to the tip or even just giving it away to someone who would in turn ask me to take it to the tip were summarily rejected. 

Dan tried a couple of things and it worked.  Don't ask questions.  Just be thankful its working.

Last night (Sunday night) we were sitting at the Oxley carols enjoying a good sing a long when Megan suggested we go and get it and put it in the school hall.  Chris was keen and a second set by a kids entertainer called JAM convinced me that now was the time.  We walked home.

At home we dismantled it and loaded it onto the ute.  Vertebrae compressed!.
We drove back to the school.  Careful not to run over any wayward kids we drove through the conveniently unlocked gate and up to the school hall.  it was also conveniently not locked.

Noticed a friend "Som" and co-opted him to help lift.  Megan directed and Chris, Som and myself reassembled it.  It was connected to the PA system in the hall and a few notes played to reasure ourselves that Oxley school can now enjoy the melodious tones of a baby grand and a $50 reconditioned by Chris Casio harmonsing and leading the kids through the National Anthem.  What are the words again you ask.