Souvenirs of our time away, a car, elections

Margaux and Marie -the "before" shot.

I took this photo thinking of Jean Louis and Sylvie, our old neighbours in France. We often popped over for an apero. I sent this photo to tell him that we're waiting for you! And that the shelves were now well stocked for visitors. He sent a photo back with Sylvie holding the olives, saying they'd provide the snacks.





By the way, this is our current nanny, Margaux from France. It must be hard playing games and chatting with the kids every day, but she is a champion, does it well, and the kids really like her.

The new beast with a 2.4m wardrobe in it. Gullllppp!!

The new car is a hybrid that seats 7 people. Marie is relieved to finally have one. I don't really care much one way or the other and would have been happy enough to stay on the car share scheme. It is very handy for spur of the moment trips, and odd evening trips. Marie used to get lifts home from her sister and others, so it's nice to be able to return the favour.
(it arrived 25th May)

A cheating trip - probably downhill and short. 

We've put about 3000 clicks on it already, but 2 thousand were getting to Melbourne. Our usual consumption is 4 or 5 litres per 100kms, which is really good for the moment. By the time you read this, electric cars, public transport and bikes (please pretty please!!) will be common, and it's probably not impressive to burn this amount of petroleum. Apologies future kids; I did run as a candidate in the Australian Cyclists Party, which would have had cycle networks in our capitals, which would cut a percentage of oil consumption. Anyway...

A Dr. Ruff volunteer smiles. My bike provides our advertising.

So Saturday 2nd July, our PM Malcolm Turnbull, sick of the "feral" senate blocking his dastardly bills, called a double dissolution. I was candidate for the senate in Queensland. We got 10 thousand votes in Qld and NSW, very good, but not enough for a seat anywhere. you need more like 200K or something.

Meredith and Pat at the poll booths for the ACP

Amazing there are so many who see the need for a network of cycleways.  It could transport a decent percentage of people, reduce the load on the health budget, cut air pollution, get kids healthy and active again. Health is one of the biggest spends and rising. Obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardio vascular disease, all number one causes of death and loading the health budget. All easily resolvable to a large extent with a minimum amount of physical activity.

Action at the polling station, my bike on the right.

The number plate fished out of the River Var.

The final photo here at the bottom is a French number plate that I spotted on the way to work in France. It was on an entire font bumper bar that had either floated down the river, or been thrown in. The bumper looked newish, so I can't explain it. Anyway, about a week or so later, I pulled over on the bike, jumped onto the river bed of stones, and it popped off very easily as the bumper was plastic. And now it's a very unique souvenir of our stay over there.