Spirit of Christmas

Was on the way to bus stop with one bus pulling away, then another close behind so I started running but was not going to make it. Didn't bother signalling as thought I'd missed that one too, but the driver carried on past the stop and pulled over right next to me :)

What a nice guy, and that my friends is the real spirit of Christmas!!!

Back in the water with another Uni Dive Club

After searching for a dive club here in Perth for the last few years I managed to track one down! Not rocket science with my expert Google skills you'd think, but seems putting scuba and diving didn't do it and I kind of stumbled upon them....Anyway! 

Joined the club last week with a 'meet and greet' dive at Robb Jetty which is now none existent from the surface but forms a good set of pylons that have a lot of life around them, so some good macro life!

Then out on Satruday to dive just off the boat between Carnac and Garden Island, which was a good spot with some excellent weather. Dead calm and we could see the bottom (although only the usual 10m depth) but a good dive, just need a camera to take some photos.....Interesting to find out that all the beaches had been closed on and off over the weekend as there 4 or 5 big sharks around too...... so they wouldn't be interested in us divers out to sea, honest!

Christmas, where did that come from

So struggling to entertain the fact that Christmas is nearby, we got ourselves in gear this weekend and got the tree (not a real one this year....) up and a spanky (yes spanky) looking light rope out the back, that has 8 different colour settings - rock on!

We're not hosting the feed on Christmas day this year, but having the crew around this weekend which should be good.

Had to construct the tree (adding branches too!)

Looking all sparkly! With tree skirt, of course...

Spanky Light show

They're green and square

Janice likes to cook, but will admit she's not usually a baker (or butcher/Candlestick maker!).

So when she does create something sweet its always with some excitement and trepidation, for both of us.

This time it was an interesting recipe for mint chocolate squares, which I have to admit tasted as good as they looked. With a little help from my excellent "magazine" style photography :)

"Delicious" eat your heart out...

Feels like we're in Cairns

Another storm forecast for today and had some rain and bit of thunder earlier.... then about 30 mins ago the lightning started. So like any sad, photographic lunatic I'm grabbing my camera and tripod (sorely under used lately) to head outside and try and capture some lightning shots.

It was mostly sheet lightning in the clouds, so really just lit up the area making the 9.30 dark look like early evening nearly (with the help of some long exposure times)

Then the rain started to come over so I headed inside....and not a moment too soon as it erupted like a classic  "Cairns tropical storm" - you were wondering where the title was from....go on admit it!

Massive winds and LOTS of rain, very cool, because I'm indoors in the dry of course. Tried to get a shot of the rain coming off the covered roof (with the help of the green garden light). But as you can see, should have used the tripod again, but it's the affect we're after.

If you really want get a sense of it you can check out my "video" on my youtube channel. Which is in reality only audio as it was too dark, but is some classic phil rambling to amuse you....

Jacaranda trees

They are J's favourite trees (until the WA Christmas trees come out - another post). Is just about the end of the season for them but this one is still blooming, with some crazy Galah's hanging around above it.

Visitors from Adelaide

Had a visit from Sharon and Stuart this weekend as they are over visiting from Adelaide as sharon now works for a Perth based consultancy (and loving that....not!). They were over for the works christmas party so not bad to get paid to come over. Good to see them both :)

It was our works Christmas party last night too which was really well done and a very nice venue of the Blue Water Grill, on the south side of the river overlooking the city.