Update

Nothing much to say really, other than mum and dad did a photography course last week.  This has given dad licence to think he is David Bleedin' Bailey which means that he keeps taking photos of me smiling, not smiling, colour, black and white, various depths of field whatever that is.

We have had some fogs here in Darwin over the last week and of course dad has been getting out and taking photos of this as well.

It's coming to the end of my first season in amateur soccer.  Although we lost more than we won, I have made new friends and have had great fun playing.  We were meant to have our team photo taken at training last week, but half didn't show in our kit.  Mum did take some photos of me and my mates for you to enjoy.

Mum has gone down to Coffs Harbour in NSW for a few days.  It's a significant birthday for Auntie Lyn.  Must be 40 as she is a year or two older than mum!  Dad and I are fending for ourselves as best we can.  No doubt dad will take more photos.

Looking forward to mum coming home.

Another holiday

I have been on school holidays for the last four weeks and we all went over to Western Australia for two weeks of camping in the great outdoors.

We went to Kununurra and Lake Argyle and had a brilliant time.  Kununurra was fun and we did all sorts of stuff.  We went on walks, fed fish and visited Zebra Rock wokshops.  The best bit was the Kununurra Agricultral Show though.  Dad and I went on the dodgem cars which was even better than the giant slushie I had.  They even had a circus challenge for us kids which included juggling, tight-rope walking and spinning plates.  Dad suggested that they include sword swallowing but the man in charge didn't think it was funny.

Dad unable to stand up after Mango Smootie and giant piece of cake

Mum and dad didn't think it funny taking me to Kununurra Hospital that night either.  Neither did the rest of the camp-ground which I kept awake with my persistant coughing at 1am.  Dad muttered something, including a swear word, about how my ailments always clear up the moment we arrive at the doctors or a hospital.  I was fine the next day, but the rest of the camp site looked very tired.  M&D think it could have been a reaction to the giant slushie as it had no colours that are found in nature.

We also found lots of small farm house style cafes for my treats.  These mainly consisted of Mango Smoothies, ice creams and as many different types of cake as I or dad have ever seen. We were in our elemement!

This driving bit is so easy

Oh yes, the countryside was also really different with lots of big hills which is so different from Darwin.  Mum and dad loved the Boad trees.  These are trees that have few leaves and look as if they are upside down with the roots sticking into the air. 

Dad freezing in Lake Argle

What - not a saltie

Spinning two plates - easy

View from camp site

We then went to Lake Argyle for a few days.  The lake is Australia's largest body of fresh water (25 times larger than Sydney Harbour and 1000 square kilometres).  It was brilliant watching the sunsets across the lake from the side of the infinity pool. Mum and dad wouldn't go in - something about being too cold.

On mum's birthday we went on a sunset cruise and I even got to drive the boat. We saw lots of crocodiles (only Fresh water crocs so not harmful), Euros (a type of Kangaroo) and loads of birds.  I got my own back on dad for not going in the infinity pool with me, by jumping off the back of the boat with a noodle.  This meant dad had to come in with me even though the water was really cold.

We came back yesterday, having set out early and drove 850km (500 miles).

Back to school on Tuesday.  Can't wait to tell my friends about the dodgem cars.

Bits and Pieces

My annual birthday photo with the Buddha

It's been a busy month since my birthday.  We have been landscaping the front garden after mum and dad ripped out the golden canes which created the screen for the burglers.  We now have lots of rocks at the front which mum and dad have put Chinese pots and light on.  I have also put lots of little buddhas in there as well t brighten it up.

Helping Dad in the garden

Mum has been doing most of the work and the neighbours are complaining about dad's efforts to mum.  To be fair to mum, she is letting them know that dad has just had a hernia operation and can't lift anything heavy for weeks.  I think dad's taking advantage though, surely he can lift a cup of coffee.

Dad - 20 ton of rock has arrived for mum

I had my sports day last week.  If you remember last year, dad distracted me at the start of my race and I came way last.  This I sent dad down the end of the track and did much better.  I came second in my individual race (just pipped at the post), second in our relay race (we would have won, only one of my team stopped to wait for his friend to catch up and win - mum still hasn't forgiven my team mate - she can be so embarassing) and fourth in the sack race.  All in all a much better effort than last year.

Should have nobbled the kid in red!!

  

Not happy dad had a hernia operation!

I am now on a school break and soccer has finnished for a month.  Dad says my team, the Casuarina Rowdies (Black), are playing much better now.  We even face the ball sometimes from kick-ins and goal kicks.  We have won 3 of our 10 games, drawn 2 and lost 5, although only dad is keeping count  I have now scored three goals and forced an own goal! I think the best bit about playing soccer is the rice crispy chocolate crackles dad makes for the end of the game.

Best Birthday Ever!!!

Dad said he was lucky to get an ice-cream on the beach front at Exmouth, where ever that is, for his birthday.  He's also reached that age where he's starting to reflect on life and keeps muttering something like 'in my day, I never went to Bali for my birthday.' 

Anyway, enough of him, cause I have just got back from Bali, which is the best place ever!! We went for just four days, but we all wished we could have stayed longer.

Mum and dad wanted to spend the time with me, but I insisted on going to the Kid's Club each day.  Don't know what mum and dad did and don't care as I had the best time ever!!

Kid's Club

I got up to up to so many things like catching frogs for a frog race and searching the hotel gardens for plants to make Bali offerings.  BUT, the best thing was the water park and the fast green slide.  It was the best ever!! Mum and dad kept picking me up too soon, so I had to keep telling them to come back later.

The rooms were brilliant and each day the people who made our room up made animal scultures from the towels.  Ours made elephants and dogs (siting and laying).  We also had Bali dancing one night and I got to dance with them.  Dad said they were scary dancers but I thought they were great.

The fast green slide

Did I mention the fast green slide.....

Excited or what!

Cool towel elephant

Dad's scary dancer

I am already planning my next birthday trip back to Bali.

Salamat Tinggal

My first football game

After weeks of hard training (Well, one hour a week on Wednesday afternoons for the last month) I finally ran out onto the Field of Glory - otherwise known as Malak Oval. I nearly scored two goals, but was denied by not being able to use my left boot on one occassion and my enthusiasm to keep runnng in a straight line, even though the goal wasn't there on the other.

I think Dad is really mean to say that 'we looked like a flock of seagulls chasing a chip.'  Secretly, I think mum and dad were really proud of me.

We played the Italian team Azuri University this morning and no-one can remember the result, mum says it was 1-1 but dad said it was 2-1 to the other side.  Either way it was great fun for mum and dad as well as me and our team, the mighty Casuarina Rowdies.

Possum Magic

We have all had sleepless nights recently because a possum has adopted us. It has been running up and down the balcony in the middle of the night and it's made it's home in a gap in a wall outside. Yesterday dad had enough and borrowed a trap from Sandy and Greg and I helped dad set it with an apple. Within half an hour we had our possum. Dad woke me up very early to tell me we had trapped it.

I went and gave it some food (carrots and apples) before putting it in the back of dad's car and taking it for a ride to nearby bushland.

We gave it some more food before releasing it to it's new home. We will all sleep sound tonight, except possibly the possum.

Finally, a Donkey (and an Emu)!

Hurray. I finally got to meet my favourite animal - a donkey. Mum has a friend who owns a property just outside Darwin with hundreds of cattle, two dogs, a donkey and an emu. We called in on the way back from Lake Bennett where we spent the last four days.

I am still on school holidays so dad took the week off and we all went away on a mini break. I had a brilliant time playing golf (with dad), mini golf, riding my bike, swimming in the lake, canoeing, walking and playing games with mum and dad. Dad's going back to work tomorrow for a well deserved rest.

Also my friends Tayla and Jayden from Adelaide arrived in Darwin and came down to Lake Bennett.

But the best bit was the Donkey!