Lanyon Homestead

Dot, I and Bec visited the historic Lanyon Homestead just south of Canberra the other day - one of the oldest country homes open to the public and decorated in high Victorian style mimicking Britain at the time. Indeed, parts of the complex date back to convict days - earlier than 1850. The commentary we had from our guide was detailed and informed .... all the way down to the treatment of the convicts, which was pretty terrible. The surrounding country in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains was also attractive. Rob and Max were also there, but did not come into the house.

AS

Au Revoir Ella and Flynn

Our 10 days with Em and her family ended a couple of days ago when I, Dot and Bec drove to Sydney. Dot was on her way home via her brother's home and I and Bec arrived for a conference on the State of Australia's Cities (SOAC). Here are some of the final pictures of the grand-kids we took this time round. They were mostly taken at Canberra's lovely Arboretum, especially in the playground attached, which is decked out with equipment resembling plants and shrubs!

AS

An Unusual Meal

Kids are often not very adventurous when it comes to consuming new and unexpected foods. We had an opportunity last night to test this hypothesis when nine of us (six adults and three children) went out to dine. We chose, bizarrely you may think, a Peruvian restaurant in Canberra's suburb of Dickson called Cholo's! And, on the menu, were such delicacies as Ox Heart and tongue and Llama chops along more usual foods cooked in Peruvian style. The kids, by the way, were Flynn, Ella, and Max, pictured successively here. Despite the late hour - about 6.15 pm - they seemed to be alert and connected. We were originally booked into a Brazilian restaurant, but when we reached there the music was so loud and the promised entertainment of scantily dressed women dancers was iffy for young minds that we cancelled that in favour of the opposite side of the continent separated by the Andes.

I also have to say that Flynn was spared the choice of food. He chose the safety of breast milk and some manufactured purée. Max and Ella, on the other hand dived into ethnic food and found it tasty - no complaints. I guess she's used to Mexican, Ethiopian and other menus, so the new didn't come as a shock and the meats were attractively disguised!

If you sight a Peruvian restaurant in your neighbourhood, I'd recommend giving it a go, even with young kids in tow.

AS

Sporting Max

Max's parents have introduced to a large variety of sports, other than BMX bike riding, skateboarding, fising and that sort of thing, In winter he plays soccer, in summer cricket and tennis, and all year round there's swimming. We went over to the impressive swimming centre in down-town Belconnen - one of Canberra's major suburbs - last Tuesday evening to see his coaching at all of the major styles - back-stroke, breast-stroke, free-style and even butterfly. Here he is in action:

Last night he went to a cricket match lasting about 2.5 hours and both sides were required to play in full regalia. Here he is preparing to bat, and the second picture shows him at the crease on the right in the red helmet.

And an action shot shows trying to hit a ball, though in this case he missed.

And here's Max bowling.

Part of the game was watched by Ella and Flynn. Actually the latter was sitting on the grass with his back to the game, while Ella started her cricket career trying to hit Em's deliveries - maybe she'll play for the Matildas one day.

Finally, a group photo of Max and his cousins illuminated by the setting sun.

AS

Playing in the Park

On a nice fine day we met up with Emily Ella and Flynn in a lovely park close to the centre of Belconnen and Lake Gininderra. We started at the lake-side where the kids caught sight of their first Black Swans and a variety of other bird life. Even I learned something new. The cygnets actually have greyish plumage, not black, as you can see here.

But most of our time there saw Ella try out a variety of standard and even strange play equipment: a rocking contraption, the inevitable slippery dip, a spinning cage, and amazingly a flying fox. Mind you, Ella had to be held on tightly, especially as it moved quite quickly. She's only 2, but very game when it comes to trying out these things.

Then came a spinning device, which even Flynn tried at his tender 9 months.

All this took place in lovely surroundings - lots of tall trees, grassy banks, and even cascading water nearby.

AS

Cousins Together

One of the great delights of our current trip to Canberra is seeing Ella, Flynn and Max play together. A few days ago we travelled in convoy from Sydney to Canberra where Emily and kids were to stay with Greg's parents, Mike and Moira. Dot and I are staying with Bec, Rob and Max a short distance away and we're seeing quite a lot of each other.

During the journey here we did something really imaginative and stopped at an eatery with golden arches at a motorway stop half-way between the two cities. This is where I whipped out my camera and took pictures of Ella and Flynn sitting in high chairs:

It was a day later that we got Ella and Flynn together with Max. Incidentally we were going up Gininderra Way when I saw a remarkable sign at the roadside. It read FLYNN! Most suburbs in Canberra are named after prominent people, so I was stunned that the locals saw fit to name a suburb after someone who is only 9 months old. Anyway, here they all are sitting on of Bec's sofas.

After this shot and play with some of Max's toys, we headed outside on a nice day and Ella was taken with Max's trampoline. She was soon outside and bouncing on it furiously despite being a little less than 2.5 years old!

We soon added Flynn to the menu and he seemed to express great pleasure at being able to join in - and to Ella's delight.

And soon Max joined Ella for some serious bouncing.

Ella wound up with some gardening. She's very attracted to plants and here she is watering one of Bec's flower pots.

Later in, Ella tried on Max's crash helmet - the one he uses with his BMX bike and skate-board.

Sixth Rebirthday

Today marks the sixth anniversary of my cardiac arrest in November 2007. Well, I'm still going strong and hopefully I have another 30 or so years left to enjoy. Meanwhile, I've now reached Canberra and we're staying with Bec, Rob and Max while visiting Emily, Ella and Flynn, who are staying nearby with Greg's parents. We'll all get together from time to time over the next 7 days.

AS

Babes in the Wood?

Yesterday, the six of us (Emily, Greg, Ella, Flynn, Dot and me) had a lovely trip by train from our apartments in Sydney city down to circular quay, the opera house and the botanic gardens. After that, we back to our apartments to meet up with David and Shlomit and have afternoon tea in a nearby cafe. Here some pictures of us in our walk around some of Sydney's attractions.

Ella makes a donation to a couple posing as a gilded statue at Circular Quay.

Strolling to the opera house.

The Opera House precinct had some construction work, but it was hidden behind a lovely mural which Ella inspected.

Her she's almost encaged in a barbed wire commemoration to the wife of Lachlan Macquarie, one of Australia's early colonial governors. It's right next to government house, home to the NSW state governor.

And it's fun playing among the massive roots of a Moreton Bay fig tree.

Or tapping on a wooden drum from Vanuatu. Notice Flynn enviously looking at her performance.

Then to the botanical gardens' cafe for tea and coffee - none for wither Ella or Flynn.

And a stroll uphill through the palm grove towards Macquarie Street via the NSW Art Gallery on the Domain. That had a visiting exhibition of American (USA) Art and large letters spelling AMERICA in front. Here's Ella sampling the letter C, observed by Emily and Flynn.

Later that afternoon we went to the cafe with David and Shlomit and we see several members of our party studying the menu.

AS