Monday, March 26, 2012

A serviceman returns



A couple of weekends ago, one of my close friends who I grew up with in Tassie returned from serving in the RAAF in the middle east and I went over for a bbq at his inlaws place and spent a bit of time catching up.  Ryan and I used to do everything together when we were kids and in our teens and I was a part of his wedding when he married his wife Nicole.

Nicoles brother Darren flexing his muscles, maybe the next Ian Thorpe!?

 Ryan and Nicoles oldest Deakin.

 The youngest in the family Millie.

 Pyper

 Nicoles Mum and Dad(on the right) and Nicoles sister Jas.


Sunday, March 25, 2012

That time of the year.


 I may not look excited, but this time of year is one of my favourite parts of the year.  After having been training for what feels like months and months, we actually get to be able to pull on the boots and get into other teams instead of just guys from the club.  Yesterday we had our first trial match of the year after the first few games being washed out because of the rain and it was fun to run around, get a few kicks and hand passes, boot a couple of goals and see what the team is going to look like for the year.

 Last night was also the start of the first round of the AFL and Sydney and the new Western Sydney team opened up the round with the only game for the weekend.  While I was waiting for the game I got a text message that said it was from Aaron King and said "have fun at the footy". It felt like normal times with Aaron and I messaging back and forth if I was at a sporting event about what was happening, but it was just Aaron's name stored in my phone of course and my nephew Jalen now has his Dad's phone, so thanks it was nice to get a text Jay Jay.


 The Sydney Swans first out of the blocks.


 The new boys the GWS Giants running on for their first game.







 Lining up for a minutes silence for Jim Stynes who passed away during the week and also for the Australian national anthem.

 The first bounce of the season and the teams are into it.


The two mascots squaring off, was a good night and was some pretty good footy at times!  Now just for the mighty Crows to roll into town and I'll be extra excited!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

A dinner date!

 A few Sundays ago I headed up and had dinner with a couple of my cousins Carli and Filipa, who also live up here in NSW.   I remember being aged around 18 and 19, spending a lot of time with their family before I moved to Sydney the first time around and I brainwashed their family into following the Crows with me!   

Carli's husband Winston washing up with Fillie's husband Chris drying with Winston's brother Josh supervising.

 Fillie is looking cute with her first baby coming along.

 The Tom Triffitt clan with one ring in from an earlier time!  Go Ty!!

Fillie and I ready to bust some hoops!

Was nice to catch up with you both and spend some time with you.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

An Obsession.

Do you have an obsession that costs you a lot of Money!?




I have an obsession that costs me too much money, whenever the next book from my favourite authors come out, then I have to have their book for my collection.    Clive Cussler has always been one of my favourite Authors I have 48 of his books. I also love Patrick Robinson, Matthew Reilly, Tom Clancy, James Patterson and Dale Brown.

I don't know how people can use the new Ebooks, there's nothing quite like being able to feel the pages as you turn them or the smell of a nice new book!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Brothers!

 Growing up these two and I got into plenty of trouble.  It's funny how you grow out of things as you get older, we usually got along great, but there was times we all wanted to throttle each other.  I'm sure we drove Mum and Dad batty with our motorbikes and all the noise at all times of day and sometimes at night too, there was even times when one or two or all of us would come home with scrapes and/ or blood and we'd try to hide it if possible.  I do blame Mum and Dad for buying us motorbikes and living on a farm though.

My little RM80, used to love it and could pop it up on the back wheel on our track that we had made out in one of the paddocks.  We used to rip that paddock up pretty well, I don't think we were ever really grateful for those days and Dad letting us wreck his paddock with a proper track with jumps, and stutters and table tops and the other side of the paddock just getting ripped to shreds with a lap track.

Eden, Jared and I were early entrepeneurs, I remember one day when we all decided we wanted some honey, and on our farm we had these bees in a tree down in our creek paddock and growing up we saw how you had to smoke the bees out of the hive, so being smart, we decided we'd get their honey and lit the brush up around this tree the bees were in.   After awhile we saw the foley of our ways and saw the smoke wasn't going in, so we put the fire out and decided to go hunting instead as we all had pellet guns.  While we were hunting Dad came along and grabbed us and said Pop (our Grandfather) had been driving down the road to his riverflats and had seen smoke coming from our creek, seems as though the fire had restarted and so we had to go back down there and put it out properly.  I remember there being a church activity that day down at my Pop's riverflats and I remember thinking and hoping than Mum and Dad wouldn't tell everyone what I had done.  I wonder what my brothers remember about that day!! :D

 Jared and I lived together for awhile in Deloraine before I ended up moving to Sydney, was a good time, he did most of the cooking! :)  I got to be a part of his reception when he married the lovely Bec and they now have a little brood of three kids who I love heaps.  It's always good to go home and catch up.

Eden moved to Sydney soon after hiss Mission to NZ and him, a friend Joel and I shared a flat in Penrith for a few months, I remember him and Joel sharing a little room together and having these single mattresses on the ground and I had my own room with a queen bed as I had work already at for a freight company.  Some weekend mornings, I'd get up to go to the toilet  and when I went to jump back in bed, who did I find hiding under my covers, but the both of them, it was quite cozy with all three of us in there, and they would grin their faces off.

 Eden eventually ended up marrying his wife lovely Steph and went his own way and Joel and I rented a house for awhile and I eventually needed to move out, so I moved out to Richmond and shared a two bedroom flat again with Eden and Steph, then we eventually moved into a house in Windsor that they had bought to renovate as Eden had left the freight company we all worked for and had done an apprenticeship.  I look back now and wonder when he was doing all the renovating, what was I really doing!?  I payed no attention to what he was doing and now with ahving my own house, I'm always ringing him or Jared up and going so.......  How do I do this or that to the house...  Moral of the story being if you know a handy man or tradie, watch what they are actually doing and get tips as one day they may leave Sydney or where you are and you might need the expertise.  It was a sad day when Eden and Steph moved back to Tassie.

Love you two heaps!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Just posting a few pics

 Face the front kids, sit up straight Maddi!! :)

 Linc

 Dad being supervised by Alex, Linc and Maddi.

 Alex, Kelsea and Maddi


 Kelsea and Eamon

 Chloe enjoying a blackberry.





 Looking towards the home of my youth

 Chloe and Hugh



 All the kids love Jay and always flock to him.

 Maddi on Australia day at Binnalong bay

 Linc

 Hugh Christian and his favourite Uncle. hahaha

Sunday, March 18, 2012

A family get together


 The family usually get together once a month for an afternoon and after Aaron had just passed away and while I was still down we all went out to Mum and Dad's and rode the bikes and head tea together.


 The kids loved the cupcakes from the lovely cupcake fairy.



 Two of my nieces Kelsea and Maddi.


 Jared taking all the kids for a spin.



 Poor Kobe was just about to fall apart, but I had to take this photo of him with sheep poo on his toes before I cleaned him up.


 Eden and his son Lachie.

 Jared and his daughter Kelsea


 Alex and his son "little" Alex


 Just hanging out with the nephews


 Eden with Lachie and Hugh


 Marge is always good for a haircut!!


 Steph and Hugh


 Eden wishing he grew up in the flower power days.


 Jack and Hugh


 Nicki


 Dad hanging out with his motley crew.


 Becky and Jack.


 Eden, Jared and Dad.


 Alex stirring up all the kids :)



 Grandma(Mum) getting in on a pillow fight.





I miss getting to hang out with everyone together and talking or just fooling around.  

Love you guys!!