Earthquakes and Jingle Bells Rock

Dad is in a grumpy mood because he was woken up by the sound of the wardrobe doors rattling last night.  Apparently most of Darwin was awake at 2.30 this morning and everyone is looking bleary-eyed.  Dad said that the whole house shook for 30 seconds and he then laid awake worrying about a Tsunami.  I slept through it, didn't hear or feel a thing!  However, my teddies fell out of bed and found their way back onto their shelves.  Dad said it was a 7.6 earthquake about 600km away.

Today our class gave a Christmas performance for our mums and dads.  I wore my elf hat Auntie Janet gave me when I was in England.  Dad said it was good as it was the only thing that made me different from the other kids.  Mum was really proud which is why she kept telling me to turn around.  Must be so the other parents could see me.

Dad has finished decorating the outside of the house.  Says we look like the Griswolds of Gouldburn Street, whatever that means. I am sure mum will hide the electricity bill from dad when it arrives.  Since the photo, we have added loads more lights,including some in our trees, but at least it will give you an idea of what it looks like.

I only have two more days at school left.  Can't wait until Christmas.

Have a great Xmas and new year.

Jake (and mum and dad)

Turtles, Solar Eclipse and Auntie Janet

What a couple of weeks it's been.  First mum and I went to Casuarina Beach to see the release of baby turtles.  I got to hold one before they scuttled off to the sea.  They were so cute, I wanted to keep one and bring one home, but I had to let it go.

We also had a solar eclipse of the sun.  I woke up very early and woke mum and dad up to go and see it.  We went and stood on the bridge at Rapid Creek and watched the sun come up with the moon in front of it.  M & D said it was a very spiritual moment before heading home for a coffee.

Best of all though was Auntie Janet coming for a week.  We had loads of fun making chocolate crispies, buying stretchy frogs and lizards, swimming in our pool and her taking me to school each day.  We also put our Christmas decorations and tree up.  Dad said it was too early to put them up, but I think he had  a great time doing it.

Best of all though was taking Auntie Janet to the Rodeo.  We took our chairs and got ringside seats.  Not that I stood still for too long as it was so exciting I stood up for most of the time.  The bulls were really fierce and kept throwing the riders off.  But the best was the motor bikes which did loads of tricks flying off ramps and over containers.  I want a bike for Christmas but mum and dad have already said no. 

Mum and dad did nothing but eat, have coffees and drink wine whilst she was here and are now on a detox diet and having a very quiet weekend.

New School

I started a new school yesterday and made an immediate impression.  Mum got three phone calls from school before she bothered to answer!  Seems like she didn't care that I ran into a post in the first break of my first day and hurt my head.  Apparently, I now hold the record of the quickest time to visit the medical centre, less than 2 hours after starting.  Dad doesn't know whether to be embarrassed or proud of me.  Secretly I think he's proud!

Apart from that I really like my new school (Essington) and have a great teacher called Miss Louise.  Mum and  Dad are scared of her, but thinks she is just what I need.

Anyway, here's some photos of me in my new school uniform.

Just photos - me and soccer

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.