Video update

Figured out that I can link my YouTube video channel to the blog, which hopefully gives you all an easier way to find and view them.

So take a look at the side bar showing some vids you might have seen and some not...

Including this new one with Logan in his "bumbo" chair, practising sitting up.

Logan Looking Cool

Now we're getting some more warm and definitely sunnier days we have to start looking after "the boy" from a sun protection point of view and if he's like his Dad, then he won't like being blinded by the sun. So "momma" got him some practical and cool looking sunnies!

with neoprene strap to keep them on

Who is the coolest?

Training my vine has paid off

I've spent all year training this vine to grow along the wooden post that goes across the back gate. Partially to hide the old scabby looking post and because I can, as it has really taken off and grown very well this year.

Then as we officially hit spring last weekend, it must have known and decided to flower, looking very impressive. So I gave a special photo assignment to my in-house daytime photographer to catch it in the daylight, as the sun is still setting by the time I'm getting home at the moment and I think you'll agree she did a good job!

Overall view

Plenty of flowers

The obligatory close-up shot

I hate rats

Especially when they die and decompose in our loft!

Especially when they usually end up right above our bedroom and stink - real bad!

Especially when getting into the loft space above our bedroom, consists of crawling through a 20ft long space about 12 inches high - to bag the little buggers!

Especially when most of the fibre glass up there is already stinking and covered in rat #%$#$^&*

Thankfully this time it wasn't the height of summer which is about 50 degrees up there.

And we haven't actually heard any rats for months, so hopefully this will be the last time ?!?!

Did I mention I hate rats....

Perth City to Surf 2012

Last weekend was the city to surf race which I decided to take part in this year, as work was sponsoring it and there would be a few people taking part and all for charity of course.

I thought I would go for the 12km run to give myself a bit of a challenge and force me to get back into running again as had been a few years since I had run more than 4 or 5km.

Then work also said they would sponsor partners get involved so Janice said she would do the 4km walk with Logan in the pram, which is a popular option too! And not really a challenge as she probably does that several times a week as her exercise.

My training was a few days a week increasing the distance slowly which helped as from work to home is approx 6km, so could start there and add on a detour around the park or one of the local lakes to increase it without making an extra effort to go out again once I got home.

I was looking at under 65 mins for the distance by the time the race day came, although had heard that there were a few tough hills so wasn't sure how I would go on the day. So very pleased with my final result of 59.04..... especially as I secretly wanted to beat an hour!

My race result

So a BIG THANKS for all of you who sponsored me and I have raised $265, all going to Princess Margeret Hospital which is the main kids hospital here in Perth. And if anyone hasn't sponsored me a still wants to I think you can do so for up to a month or so after the race: http://fundraisingcitytosurf.com.au/phil_duffy

Janice said the toughest part of her walk was dodging the parents and small kids, but it was a fun experience and not something you get to be involved with very often :)

And she tells me that as it was "so easy for you and your chicken legs", then next year I can do the half marathon.... we shall see?!

Fastest visa application ever

My Australian residency renewal is due in approx a month, as it has to be renewed every 5 years and I got it again while we were still in Canada last time. Can't go for citizenship yet as current rules state 4 years in the country with less than a year in between!

I found out you could do it online and wasn't sure if it would take a week or so to process, so started it around 11am Sunday. Then at about 4pm I get a confirmation that all is complete and here is the new visa number!!  And as its all electronic nowadays I don't need to wait for the paper thingy to stick in my passport, too easy :)

Shows what an automated system and a few hundred dollars can do when done properly....

Thanks Australia for putting up with me for a bit longer :)

Stroll around South Perth

A very mixed cloudy, rainy, sunny day today so we decided to take a stroll along the river in south Perth to get out and about, but not get too soaked if a big shower came along.

Easy to get to, just down the freeway and over the bridge so not a big drive which we didn't fancy as had a slow morning getting going. But had good fortune with the weather most of the walk.

Nice cloud formation growing out of your head

Then as it was turning a bit more unpleasant managed to duck into a cafe for some late lunch (for us and Logan), so everyone happy.

And of course, being his first outing since the brace has come off yesterday Janice was excited to dress him up like a little man again, now he will fit in clothes other than sleepers :)

Look at me in my "real" clothes

3 months without drinking

Is it a lifestyle choice? No.
Is it to prepare for the City to Surf run? No.
Or is it because of my feet? Yes.....Erm, what!

Well due a nasty foot fungus over the last 18 months that refuses to go away especially in the nails, I've had to resort to the tablets which are the last course of action typically. Having gone through this lovely process about 15 years ago, I thought it would be a few weeks of tablets and then all good and aware there can be some side effects (hence the last approach).

But the doctor assured me these new ones are safer although best to do a longer course of 3 months and the only side effect may be a slight increase in the affects of UV sunlight (good job it's not summer at the moment). So I'm standing at the chemist (pharmacy) getting the prescription and the following conversation happens:

Pharmacist: "That will be $3 million for each prescription, Mr Duffy" (OK, bit of an exaggeration, but it is Perth...)
Me: "Oh, you must have given me a discount :)"
Pharmacist: "Here is your 1 month course of tablets"
Pharmacist: "You do know you can't drink any alcohol while on this medication?"
Me: "Umm, Well I do now!! - Do you mean NO alcohol at all?"
Pharmacist: "Yup, it can make you really drowsy and reduce the effectiveness of the medication"
Pharmacist: "Oh and I see you have 2 repeat prescriptions for the next 2 months (laughs to himself)"
Me: "Yes, well sucks to be me, but might save some money..."

And of course Janice just laughed, as she had not been drinking while preggo with frog-boy.

Saturday morning with dad

Sharing the porridge experience whilst sleeping...after distracting me to make it boil over and stinking the house out! We had to put a pot of coffee on quickly to avoid "the wrath" of the momma :)

Although that would entail her getting out of bed to catch us, and L and I are quick when we want to be!

3 mile reef

You gotta love the Ozzy way of saying it like it is. So we headed out to a couple of dive sites along the line of reef, out from the harbour at Hillarys.

It was an interesting start to the diving day due to the fact that I just heard about the latest white pointer attack as I was driving towards the harbour, so was naturally a little bit more nervous than usual. The sharks are always there of course, but 5 fatal attacks in 10 months does make you think and pay a bit more attention on a safety stop, hanging mid-water!

Besides that though, the dives were pretty good with a classic dive plan of "drop in off the boat and cruise around a bit" in a group. And I do forget sometimes that I've done a few dives, but when you see the new divers not knowing which way around to setup their gear and struggle to clear their ears in the water as they drop like a stone, you have to chuckle to yourself...while helping them of course.

So we set off in a group although with two of us doing a camera dive we were quickly left behind by some of the buddy pairs as they tore off through the water in search of everything :)

The first site was similar topography to most Perth based dives with the most interesting thing being a HUGE Cowrie shell. Huge being relative of course and it's hard to tell but it was about 20cm across, about 4 times the usual size.

Trust me, this was a big fellah

Then I had a quick in-between bounce dive as the anchor got stuck in some reef so I jumped back in to free it and float it out the way with a lift bag, was like the old days of working back on the boats in Cairns (without the bourbon).

Discovered an interesting piece of jetsam on the last dive, which was like the base of large traffic cone. So I freed that and towed it around with me on the dive, playing with it to create some fun photo ops with my fellow divers.

A gloved finger sneaking in the shot....

As ever, more photos on picasa.