Winter Returns

 We are at Willie today and I have been wanting to try the ring here.  The rain refuses to stop but I checked the radar and it seemed that the intense parts had passed over and it was going to ease. If an earthquake is not going to stop me then surely this weather can't. I drove over to the track in a deluge, so much for the easing part. The place was deserted and soggy. Just walking from the car to get my backside trackside meant I was soaked. There was no chance and with a gathering this afternoon it will have to wait til another day.  Maybe we can call it slosh and toss.

JawBone Snooze

 A snooze was definitely on the agenda this afternoon after driving across from the Yarra Valley.  The roads we took along the way were along previous adventure race routes. I can remember toiling the bike over the Christmas Hills from out of Yarra Glen. We had to get to Yarra Bend to put the kayaks in. We walked across to the Jawbone and found some quiet sand for a half hour snooze and a frothie.  The tide was way out so snorkelling was not so good but there were a few kids messing in the shallows. There was also a volleyball match without a net, just a line in the sand.

Willie WorkOut

The gym here always seems to be vacant when I get to it and I have pursuaded an extra guest to come along this time as she is stepping up to regular exercise as part of the overall recovery process. Having it to yourself is a good thing or not. One other reason for low numbers could be that the pool heating has stopped.  We saw the sign on the door about no heating but had to see for ourselves. The control panel is removed from the wall so that does not look good.  The best I could get is a toe in the water (not mine).  Reception sounded like Sgt Schultz.  We will know more when the manager gets back tomorrow but does not look to be a simple fix.

Medical Update No 356

 We had the longest discussion yet about developing side effects with the ongoing treatment. Technical discussions were held about a very long enzyme chain which shows a variation in word 594 but it is only word 600 that can be significant.  In the end today's dosage was postponed, in favour of resting and recovery. Hooray!  More tests will be done and detailed observation continued but mostly the problem is resolved.  So we have had a slow afternoon to recoup at Williamstown. We bid farewell to the outgoing manager here.  She is retiring and I quipped about her being able to move in here now and it is TRUE. She is deciding on the right unit to take up.  The new manager will have to be on her toes.  We have bought some new jeans and tops for the 90th birthday, so nothing like some retail therapy to help the healing.

Willie Buffet

 We have been here three years and there has been an open wall at the back of the dining table. Now empty open walls are not allowed and there was always a possibility that this style of furniture may be discontinued if left much longer. Maybe we might get another war with Vietnam which is where this stuff is made and that would be the end of it. Why can't furniture be made in Australia?  Now we have a big cardboard packaging problem but the recycle place will take it.

Fish Diver

 A Pacific Gull is twice the size of normal gulls and this one was having no nonsense from the interlopers after it caught a fish and started tucking in right on the rocks in the Jawbone area.  I went down for a snorkel this morning. I was in for about 15 to 20 minutes and when I emerged this gull was there tearing  into a fish.  The fish I was filming in the water were way bigger than the bird itself so this fish was a good meal size. Some Japanese tourists arrived and they were filming on their phones and the lenses on these phones were considered professional quality when they showed me some closeup video.  I may have to rethink my opinion of phone lenses. These were easily twice the size of my phone lens.

Willie Town Weekend

 Debbie is having a meditation weekend starting today, run by her business partner Pete.  It seems to me these sorts of retreats are held in the rainforest where you stay for the duration and can taste the serenity, not the back blocks of St Kilda. Due to current medical issues everything is being tried out. I did get in a gym session just now with 20 mins on the bike machine for 7.5km and 8 minutes on the rowing machine for 2km of distance.  The other news here is that the hard working manager Penny is retiring soon, so we are hoping the next person keeps this place in the same ship shape condition and keeps our backyard mowed.  I am being buzzed by roulettes just now, don't they know the grand prix is finished.

Willie Workout

I had time for a morning gym session and had the gym to myself however in the background the ladies pool session was in full aquatic mode.  I made it a leisurely paced session with 5km in 20 min on the bike machine and 2.5 km in 10 min on the rowing machine. I was paying attention to the left knee which did ok so I think we can try a bike ride at the weekend. I notice they have their own bus here for various excursions and it was parked at the door but only four customers were waiting. We have not fully walked the entire grounds here as I am not sure where they hide that bus.

evening walk (post prandial)

Spruce Up

The Karcher machine has been out and the whole driveway area and retaining wall has had a water blasting and if that wasn't enough the various courtyard bricks also got the treatment today. I poisened the weeds sticking thru a few days back and now they have been blasted away but the roots would have been soaked in it by now. We made our way to Willie and have received the Christmas chocolates however there is a note saying we have a present as well.  The first thing Debbie sees is a plant that has died out the front so the gardening continues to extract it.  Other news here is that the foam rocket ship from Estelle's launcher has made it back from the neighbour's yard.

Christmas Window

Willie Gym

Debbie's exercise revival has continued into the Gym here. We had a short half hour session to show her some of the machines. I tested my knee on the bicycle machine for 20 minutes while she put the rowing machine to good use.  I finally got the Reef book back in the library and selected a good old thriller from Patrick Forsyth.  We noticed jigsaws can be borrowed as well and there was one single piece on the footpath outside. Now that is a puzzle trying to figure which one it came out of. They have all the decos up as we are a bit behind at the moment. 

Willie Session No 12

 Debbie has gone to retrieve Kaia so I have some time for a morning session.  There was all manner of exercise activity in the centre but fortunately it did not involve the gym.  There were chair exercises and aerobic sessions thru the morning but all in the main hall. I did my similar routine but this time profile six was a large hill that took 25 minutes to ride up. After that I crossed to the rowing machine but got caught up in interval training which consisted of 10 seperate 500m lengths with a 30 sec rest period. I did five of them for 2.5 km total.  I snuck right through the middle of the aerobic session to get into the library to return a book. Last night we were all ready to try the new fish and chip shop.  The last one closed and we were not happy.  So we look up the number and get a message about it being closed on a Tuesday. Drat. We got take away Thai instead.

Gym No 6

 I think it is around six sessions I have had now in the Willie gym. This time on a Friday afternoon at 1:30pm, I had it to myself, as is often the case.  I did the same combination as last time with 30 minutes on the bike machine, followed by 10 minutes on the rowing machine, with some recovery at the end of each one.  I have been gradually stepping up the "effort" level.  I set it to six which is half way to the maximum of twelve.  This level was tougher with four equal hills between four low points.  I also went into the pool for 10 minutes of slow laps, but only 6 or 7 strokes per lap. Followed up by 10 minutes in the spa tub area. I have heard some people complaining about the temperature but it seems plenty warm enough for me.

183000 calories burned in 7km

Short Pool

I tried a normal swim in the Willie pool. You can get in 4 or 5 strokes per lap so it is an interrupted swim but it can be done.  The tethered method would give a better result. As for the machines, the next one on the circuit is the Lat Pull down.  In my morning exercise set, I do 40 repititions of each exercise so I am  doing 40 of each of these before finishing on the bike machine.  I have now worked out the temperature panel whereby the spa temperature got a boost while I was in the pool. But I only spent 10 mins in the spa area.  The sign says no spa use after 10pm, not sure if that means the pool as well. Lastly I called into the library but could not find the light switch.  I grabbed a book and filled out the sheet via phone light.

Tethered Swim

 My Williamstown neighbour has made up a contraption to keep herself relatively stationary in a small pool, whilst at the same time keeping up as best a swimming pace as you can.  I have now tried out this idea and it does feel a bit strange.  The below photo shows a weight belt, which I think came from a scuba diving suit. There are also different stretch type cords with a carbiner style attachment and also one inflexible length that attaches to the wall.  When I first tried it I was touching the end of the pool with my hands. So changes were made to swap out a stretchier cable for a stiffer one.  This was all just a tester for me but in the few minutes of usage I hadn't gotten used to it. There is a constant tugging from behind but it seems with time you can smooth the experience. In my case a shorter section of the stretchier rubber would work better.  When I am full time at Willie I can explore this a bit more. 

This hook was placed in the wall for the tethering

Rowing

This time I tried the rowing machine at Williamstown.  The screen interfaces seem to be different on each machine although I have only tried two so far.  Knees and arms collide when you first get on board both of these and getting the hang of positioning is the first step.  The rowing is working both arms and legs but I seemed to emphasise the arm pull.  I went for 1.2km taking 250 strokes which took around 10 minutes then after a rest did another 500 metres before switching to the bike machine for a leisurely 10 minutes. One of the neighbours came with her swimming harness which has many interlocking pieces but that is something I will look at trying in future.

PS There was a big party here last night that they have each year. This venue is 27 yar old and there are still a few residents that have been here for that entire time.

Willie Gym

On Saturday mornings the main centre is a bit of a ghost town. You have to let yourself in with a key. I am particularly interested in the bike machine in the gym.  The last time I was there, a bloke was sitting on it reading the newspaper.  It is the seated style of bike machine with a back rest so sitting there with paper opened is possible but I doubt it would allow for serious pedalling.  This time I had the gym to myself but only used the bike machine. It is an older style but still allows for 6 different hill profiles to choose from.  I did 30 minutes and worked up a sweat. It looks out over the pool thru to the green court where a few were doing some croquet. 

Sandy Point

 After visiting Aunty Patty we had lunch at Sandridge Beach. This is a spot we used to go to from Essendon. There is a huge cruise ship parked there at the moment. We have seen it there before and is using Port Melbourne as its Summer base on 10 day trips around New Zealand.  On the way back we went to the Sandy Point reserve. There is a trail there we have not walked before going right out to the start of the Yarra.  There is also a seat with good views of passing boat traffic.

Virgin Cruising

Sandy Point

Willie Swim

 My back is a bit dodgy with various gardening activities but with a few pills and a heat bag it seems to be freeing up. The forecast was for rain this afternoon so I went across to the Jawbone area this morning, instead of later today.  This is my second go at a snorkel in this area. It seems that the tides arn't necessarily a consideration as it gets deep quickly, although it helps when swimming among the rocks closer to shore. I can see the area is made up of two bays and I have been checking out the closest.  There is a bit of a beach further around. I have not seen a single fish, except for a starfish but there must be some here somewhere. I think the video has worked this time but do not have the gear to unload it at Williamstown.

rock pools

bird hide

centre of the arboretum

Tall Grass

 Made it to Williamstown on the first leg of the Bucko. The grass here has taken off.  It must be a month since we were last here and the backyard is green as. There is no mowing this time around maybe tomorrow morning as I think Debbie's plane is around midday.  I have to get the train schedule to Richmond and the only trick is changing trains at Flinders St. 

Roses are Red and Grass is Green who cares if its long if its never seen

Birthday Prep

 Have made it back to Willie for some more birthday fun tomorrow but are here early for haircuts.  In the meantime I went for a short ride around Willie, called into the chemist and generally rode around town.  We have printed a birthday certificate with a printer that hardly gets used and the black cartridge seems to be clagged.  We will be on the bike again tomorrow morning so maybe can find the right ink cartridge.  Have I mentioned the hair cutting, whereby the lady who cuts hair here in the Village, lives back home near Drysdale but does not cut hair there, only here.