December 2009

New Years Eve 1999 + 2009

December 31, 2009

Image by Mugley On this day ten years ago I worked the mid-shift at the Shell Petrol Station, Wicks Rd, North Ryde, Sydney. I finished at 7.30pm, having spent the day listening to customers telling me what they were getting up to with the millenium clickover, and what if everything breaks? What if technology fails [...]

Cat’s got the life, I must say

December 30, 2009

Taken with my new iphone, but more on that later

ex-mas

December 29, 2009

ex-mas The tree is packed away without ceremony before it lingers like an unwanted guest, shedding plastic pine needles all over the carpet. The children watch, without helping, but move forward to touch the shiny baubles one last time before they disappear into the garage. As always, there are leftover candy canes, some with masticated ends (the [...]

Time is running out!

December 28, 2009

Including today, there are only four days left to submit to Miscellaneous Voices: Australian Blog Writing No.1 Yes, for those of you who’ve been following the progress of the project – and have submitted your work, perhaps? – there has been a minor title change, but nothing else – including the criteria or guidelines – [...]

Our Christmas Day

December 26, 2009

1. Keira practising on her new scooter. Riley also got one, but I haven’t gotten a photo of him on his yet. Funny, Keira is more confident on this than her bike; Riley is the opposite. 2. This is Riley’s loop-the-loop Hot Wheels, which he adores. 3. This is me pondering my next move of The Amazing [...]

Merry Christmas!

December 25, 2009

Image source: Rod the Rabid Rodent I wish you all a lovely, relaxing day. I’ll be back tomorrow.

Christmas Card Challenge 2009 – complete!

December 24, 2009

I have just sent this picture in an email to family and friends – and a great many of you people. We tried to take a nice family shot yesterday afternoon (my sister is holding the camera), however the children were in their witching hour moods (yes, that still happens) and refused to cooperate. So [...]

A Ruined Catholic’s Christmas

December 22, 2009

We are at one of the bigger shopping centres to put our family’s contribution under the K-Mart Wishing Tree. I pull open the bag and hand one each to the children. Kneeling down, I explain what we are about to do. “We’re donating these presents to other children who don’t have much at Christmas – if anything at [...]

The countdown is on

December 21, 2009

As I type this the lawn mowers of the neighbourhood are a symphony of groaning engines, punctuated regularly by the sound of small twigs and stones split and crackle as they hit the blades. If I look up I can see dust rise in the wake of each yard’s master as they struggle to cut back their [...]