Staggered

 Yes another stag has fallen.  We have had a few of these drop off our fence. It is a wonder the fence can hold all four of them.  A year ago it happened but this one is not quite as big.  The rain in the past two days would have added to the weight.  The fence attachment point is solid but the board it was attached to collapsed.  I took a quick video and have found some more that I had not unloaded.  I will get onto those soon.  As usual we have a floor of detritus after the wind and rain and it looks like very black clouds coming again just now.

I took this last week with the stagfern still on the fence

North Wind

Debbie had various meetings and updates going on, however called a holt at 4:00pm.  We walked to a cove at the Jawbone Sanctuary.  The locals have been doing this for years as you can see small sandy beaches and alcoves dotted all over the place. It is also a rocky section but I notice there are no waves despite a warm northerly wind.  I got out the new snorkel gear which is the Tahwahli brand. These seem to have a better way to get the flippers on your feet.  We timed the swim for almost high tide.  I have noticed previously that the whole area is a sand basin at low tide. The new gear works well. I only swam around for 10 minutes or so. There were other snorkellers so we can get in each others way. They saw a ray further over but I will save that for another time.  The water was clear but the lower Sun seemed to be glaring.  The main thing I saw was scuttling crabs, so watch where you put your toes.

Looking East

SaltBush Sitter

Grand Kiddies here there and everywhere

 I seem to be running a day late which happens from time to time.  We had lots of grand kids running around yesterday and some more on the end of the phone.  We did not head back to Clifton Springs in favour of a rest day here.  After three days of running around we need a slow day. There was fruit cake, apple pie and roast dinners so we will have enough for a few more days as well.  In between, we tried a different playground which is smaller but set further back from the seashore and further from the onshore breeze.  Asher did well, as it was her second party that day.  I may get to try my new snorkel birthday present out later today.

That's a big slice

Asher is geting too big for shoulder rides

GF getting smaller

 There were five of us watching the footy and may have preferred being on the beach but we did go for a short walk to the nearest cove as soon as the footy finished. There were about 20 people there with lots in the water.  The lasagna was a winner and Mick arrived from the MCG just in time. This also meant that Bill and Bronwyn did not have to take Anna home.  We acknowledged the pies win although Bill was not too happy about it. 

Jawbone Sanctuary

Lasagne mmm...

Footy Bonanza

Brisbane had to overcome a blistering start by the Blues but they did do it last week.  I would have them ahead at the end although the MCG and the crowd  will be against it. I think there were more Carlton supporters than Brisbane last week in Brisbane.  I have had more birthday calls this morning and some special delivery chocolate.  This would have to be the warmest GF day since 1987. It was 31° that day when Carlton beat Hawthorn.  I have just finished the lawns here and it is 26° already at 10:00am.  We have a GF crowd of  three coming to watch the game here, how cozy.  We don't have a lot of space so maybe just as well.   PS my monitor images are still inconsistent. The isolation cable I need to chase this problem has been cancelled so I have reordered it from someone else.  I also got two other cables delivered to attach old speakers and they have failed as well. It's hard to get good help.

Estelle did candle blowing via the phone.

Ice Cream Day

OK Winter is over the Sun is out so it must be time for ice cream.  There was two tubs at Williamstown so I tested one out this afternoon prior to the guests arriving over the weekend.  I have just come back from a Tim & Julie lunch at the Middle Park Hotel.  It's a good thing the  Government have declared a Public Holiday for my birthday so that people like Josh & Alison could also make it.  Haven't seen them since their wedding.  The hotel is well appointed and with very attentive staff. Also close to the beach on a warm day.

Grandpa's Orchid

 We have been given a number of plants from time to time. The conversation goes, "We can't do anything with this, you have a try."   It seems to come down to position and sunlight. There is a bit of feeding and watering going on but the orchid man down the road says find its position and don't touch it for at least a year.  The back courtyard has bloomed and around 20 orchids have run their race, died off and now been cut back. In the middle courtyard,  they are playing catchup. The last stalks from Grandpa's pot have opened up this morning. There are about seven of them here.   We turned attention to the Western courtyard as well, moving some pots into the Sun. The weeping cherry is on the bloom.

The plant lady is till going strong

The last batch for this year

blossom weeper