Blogging again!

I was going to shut down my blog, but decided to plug on for awhile. Not sure why really.....I must be feeling a bit bored!

We are both well and hope we stay that way :)

Winter is with us and the nights are pretty cold.....down to 9C....days up quickly to 20/22 which is just gorgeous.

Pam emailed yesterday attaching the newsletter from Rachel and James High School as Rachel got a big wrap from the Headmaster! She has been studying French for all of term 1 and got top marks .... a big congrats and a lovely happy picture of her on the last page. Naturally, Nan and Pop are particularly thrilled. I bought a pair of cute suede winter boots to be sent to her for her 13th birthday......I can't help myself....I will be sending them tomorrow. By the time August 23 gets here she will be looking for summer clothes, so off they go early.

Bowling is still high on our list of fun things to do and this coming Thursday I am going to play in my first serious competition. Wish me luck!

Silverton Hotel.....WAY outback !

We have many old, and to my eye.... beautiful hotels......this is one of them. What a great picture !
I haven't visited this area of Australia and am told by many that I should . Many years ago I visited friends who had moved from the U.S. to a town called Narromine which was on the edge of nowhere....enough for me....at least by road. Flying low in a small plane or better still a helicopter is how I would like to view some of the very different places in the interior of Australia that I'm told are fantastic. The 'Bucket List' is quite long ! Bank balance is ....don't ask !!!!! We always end up going way over our budget when we take a trip somewhere.
The weather has cooled down.....going right back up tomorrow.
I played bowls yesterday as a fill in for a guy who couldn't make it to play with two other men who make up a self select threesome. A different experience....the 'skip' or captain of this team was a pain in the butt !
I'm past putting up with people who act as tho a competitive game at the amature level is a life or death deal. My manners remained intact, but this particular person did get the picture after awhile ! Tomorrow I play again as part of a 'club select' threesome team. Much more laid back.
Perry has the cast taken off his foot next Wednesday. So far he hasn't had any pain with it.
He gets around very well in the house, but uses a crutch when we are out and about. Not much longer!

A happy thought !

What's with the weather ! Yesterday was the hottest August day since 1946....then last night was the hottest August night ever recorded here. IT'S WINTER !!!!!!! 35c during the day 20c overnight.
Today has been a beautiful warm day, but the heat is expected again over the coming weekend. Victoria has been the opposite.....cold wet and windy....fresh snow on the Alps. Spring starts September 1.....summer... December 1.
Things are pretty much back to normal after our six weeks in S.D. Enjoying bowling and catching up with friends. Pam, Rachel and a friend will be with us for a week September 22-29...can't wait to see them. We will get to celebrate Perry's 74th birthday together on the 28th. The years are going too quickly for our liking.....but we are making the most of them. Life is good here in this beautiful climate.

Perry has had a minor operation on a toe, that had to be done before he can have his other knee replacement. I told him I think it must be like having a baby....after you have the first one you can't imagine putting yourself through it again.....but something happens to your brain and off you go again !
The knee that will be done sometime in the near future is worse than the first one, but the Baker's cyst that was behind the left knee used to drive him to distraction so he had that one done first. Getting anxious about getting the right one over and done with as he is normally very active and knee pain has been getting in his way for a long time. Thankfully the medication he is on for R.L.S. is still very very good.

Haven't heard from Glen for awhile. That man spreads himself out very thinly.....coaching Christopher's football team again this year. This makes the third year....not sure that Christopher is that INTO football, but Glen is encouraging him to keep at it as it is a great way to keep him physically active.
Television viewing and the Internet etc can easily get out of hand if he isn't encouraged to keep up the outdoor activities.

For Jeanie

We don't have your email address yet.....so here are three pics for you taken at J & M's.....if you check this out sometime....please email your newest address. Hope you and Rachel are doing great. Love you x x

Pearl Lucy Baker

Pearl Lucy Baker arrived June 21 weighing 7lbs. Is that an adorably gorgeous looking newborn or what !
We haven't had a BABY in my family for awhile and the joy she has bought with her is wonderful. A trip down south to see her in person isn't on the radar unfortunately. Hopefully lots of pictures will pop up with emails.
Reports we have had so far say she has gained weight at the expected rate and is a very contented baby. Mum and Dad are starting to get a bit more sleep now that bubby is in her nursery .... of course the house is wired to hear every sound !!!!
Welcome Miss Baker...it's a great world....I'm sure you will do your bit to help keep it that way.

Morning of July 4 2009 Singing Hills Resort

Home again after six great weeks. Visited with brother and sister in law in Coleville....where several other members of our family gathered for a wonderful BBQ lunch.....visited Mom and Pop Davis's graves.....played golf at Singing Hills Resort which is now owned by the Sycuan Indian Tribe.....caught up with family again (Nancy, Kelly, Rob and girls at Glen's home...( Nancy treated us to a lovely lunch at Janet's Montana Restaurant).....spent my 70th birthday at the Brigantine restaurant (my favorite and I am now the owner of my very own iPod).....attended a pool party at one of Glen's friends amazing home.....toured the U.S.S. Midway ..... lunched with the 39 year old son of bowling friends from Bribie Island...( Jason has lived in San Diego for 10 years and has a very successful business building and selling refrigerators that are purpose built for the military etc).....played lawn bowls in Balboa Park.....bought lots of loot at Macy's sales.....lunched up at Julian.....spent a wild weekend at Martinez Lake where Glen goes to have fun with the speed boat that he has had for a couple of years.....attended grandson Christopher's 12th birthday at Fudruckers in La Mesa.....had a lovely meal and get together with Glen's girlfriend Catherine's parents at their home high on a hill in La Mesa with views all the way to Point Loma.....had a beautiful Mexican meal at the home of Glen's former wife's mothers home... ( Angie and her partner Jim, live right next door to Glen, Catherine and Christopher, which is lovely for them all. Former wife Carolyn lives about a mile and a half away which makes things fairly simple for sharing the child rearing.)
A great thing about the whole trip was the fact that we had our own "apartment" in Glen's huge 37' double bump out motor home....icing on the cake was the fact that we had full use of a BMW sports model car with sun roof !
However a huge downer for Perry was the fact that his younger brother wasn't able to find enough free time to get together.
It's quite sad really....they haven't seen each other for close on 25 years and realistically....won't see each other again in this life.
Phew....that was quite a post and I don't think I covered everything....but so be it!

A bit of a chuckle.....

Two more sleeps !!!!!!!!!
Time goes by so slowly....(could this be the start of a song?).....
Last minute stuff all over the house. Getting the fridge stuff finished off makes for strange meal combos. Curried leftover lamb over rice tonight. I think tomorrow night may be hot dogs.....why am I rambling on like this.....am I hyper ?????? YES YES YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!