Bandstravaganza

Last night was Bandstravaganza - where the students from the Instrumental Music Program across the ACT come together and play. We packed out Llewellyn Hall and listened to combined bands from Year 6 through to the Senior Jazz and Senior Concert Bands (years 9 - 12).

It was a great evening and really encouraging to hear just how far the kids can go with an instrument. Claire was very inspired and Rosemary now wants to play trombone.

How does your garden grow?

Very quickly is the answer to that question at the moment. The warm weather, coupled with lots of rain means that Canberra is as green as can be and our lawns and gardens are going berserk. You can almost see the grass growing on a sunny day.

The roses, while plentiful, are not looking their absolute best due to the rain, but very pretty anyway. No more pittosporum in the side bed - look!

And these little fellows are currently growing up on one of the beams in the carport.

Baucau -1

We went on a trip to Baucau on Sunday. It is a nice place, and has quite a different feel about it to the other parts of Timor that I have been too. Cool and refreshing, rather than hot and dusty. It is set 300 metres above sea level, and has a permanent freshwater stream.

We were not able to spend the night, since all the accommodation was booked out well in advance. Tourism in Timor is going off (albeit from a low base).

This is the famous hotel, the "Pousada de Baucau".

This is a church we found on the way.

Yea olde Baucau market place.

Zumba!

Claire and I went to our first Zumba class last night. Susan (dance teacher school mum) is running them once a week at the school. Apart from my lack of coordination, it was great fun and a good workout. Lots of 30, 40 and 50 somethings with a few 12 - 14 year olds thrown in. No mirrors to be seen, which makes it miles better than going to a dance studio!

More than a month of Sundays

...since I last posted here. Since then there has been, in no particular order:

• The Arawang 6/5 choir coming second in the National Eisteddfod Under 12 Choral Championships (yay Claire)
• The end of the netball season (yay Claire and Rosemary)

• Book week (cute costume Stephanie -- Fern from Charlotte's Web)
• The arrival of the George Foreman Grill to replace the old faithful sandwich toaster. It's not as good, but it is close.

• Spring in Canberra, which means Floriade. This year we had zebras and went to Nightfest, with gorgeous umbrellas lit from underneath.

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• A visit to the Botanic Gardens.

• A visit home from Dad, including a trip to the snow.
• The dog released from captivity (yay Suzi, leg is healing well)

• A week at Lake Macquarie.

Skiing at Perisher Valley

It has been a bumper year for snow, and we all went to Perisher Valley to get in some late spring skiing. Stephanie didn't want to go. She said that she doesn't like things that are cold and slippery.

She changed her mind pretty quick.

Up the Stairs

Every morning (well, most mornings) starting at 0550 hrs I haul myself up and down the stairs at Christo-Rei, Dili, in a pathetic attempt to stave off middle age.