2020-December. End of an unusual year.

 

New Year's Eve was quiet, mind you we never had big ones anymore. We just went next door and had cocktails, even danced, and had a good time. Felt like crap the following day and a half. I'm going back to beer I think.

As per usual the photos are in reverse order and I'm way too lazy to sort them all out.

In preparation, I did a couple of cocktails up to test them out, and then made some for the kids - this one is milk plus Milo, very popular.

We looked after the chickens while Tony and Evonne were away. I was wondering how to get them back in the pen, but they were all huddled together at the back wall inside, so just needed to close the door.

Christmas day was massively quieter than normal. John came in the morning but had arranged to go off fishing. Later we had Steve, Ang, Gabby, Anna, Alexandra is there hidden, Marie and Ollie.

Christmas day - I asked if they could wait til John came to open the stuff, sorry John, no chance of that.

Christmas lunch with the work people just before the holidays.

We chipped away the old paint, opened up the top windows, put in some flyscreens and voila, now it is has been perfect up there, thanks to some lovely mild weather.

Brett, Sev, Marie, Tony, Evonne, me for a Christmas dinner before Corona blew back up again.

They say they can't do this kind of thing in Australia and wherever, but fact is that it is as popular as anywhere else road closures are done.

2020-November

 

Luke and Hannah from next door bought their own place nearby, so we had some celebratory drinks. Maybe it's the quarantine, not sure, but the drinks were on the fence, very socially responsible of us to keep the distance, and reduce the spread of Corona, well done these guys.

Lou was out with Akemi, a book shop stop.

We built a garden wall. As we speak, the garden has really sprung up thanks to it raining non stop, and some pumpkin that self seeded.

At the local pub, Lou working the filters, good times.

Esteban, Akemi and Lou on the bus on the way to the library.

Trump lost the election, and thank goodness for that. Life can continue to make progress on climate, people's rights, clean air, you name it.

This reminds me of the scene from The Wizard of Oz where the wicked witch writes something menacing in the sky, except the idea of Trump winning 2020 is way more scary.

Sad that so many voted for him. Are they all nuts?

Celebratory dinner after selling the family home with Ava, Tess, Will, Belle and Mille, D'Arcy is in the front row.

Explosion of colour for summer and Sumi cat.

Marie and Claudia.

Working on the wall.

We had a bunch of work done on the roof, to replace the hidden gutters, seal up any tiles etc, and just before they left, the new guy working on site let his snippers slip off the top...

New leaf guard, as part of the work.

Evonne and Tony's newish dog Penny, and Jaime and Claudia's rescue dog Stitch.

2020 - October

We went down to down to Wollongong during the long weekend in the school holidays, for a ride from Thirroul to Kiama. It was awesome.

Lots of interesting things to see, including the steelworks that is still producing steel. Nice to see.

Near the steelworks.

We were going to stay at the pub at Coniston, parked up, had the booking, but it was for the following night. The choices were to go back to Sydney and get home very late, probably can the rest of the trip, or find something else when there was nowhere else due to the long weekend. 

Lucky Yves said we could stay at their place in Kiama, and the train station was just across the street.

Getting a late dinner in Kiama after the screw up with the accommodation in Coniston.

Staying at Yve and Meri's. We had a lazy day. Anna came down to visit, then stayed the night at the Coniston pub. We walked down to the beach during the day, and got out of there pretty late.

Halloween for us was pretty low key. We gave out a few chocolates in wrappers, in a bowl, due to covid, and only to people we knew already.

Laurens sent us a photo of what they did: Arush, Rohan, Kevin, Michael and David handed out lollies instead of trick or treating for Halloween.

Laurens put on a good costume!

Our neighbour and good buddy Jaime, his dad died recently. It was sad that he could not be there as they're here, and their family is in Peru. They organised a wake via zoom.

Their daughter Andrea started at a new school. Tough but she blends well and has quickly made friends.

Lou visited their new place near his school. 

We're getting a lot of showers now, and the place is looking very green! Here is Petersham oval, just beautiful, so nice to live close to this treasure.

This is a shot of the cat and the beautiful flowers, plus our two crazy boys. Still building junk in the yard.

Two cats on the bed makes it hard to sleep as there's no room for my legs. Sumi does a great job of making it totally uncomfortable by herself. This arrangement was impossible, Had to shove them over a bit.

The boys and Jaime's kids at Maroubra beach; nice time for all.

More photos of the professional's efforts; sagging water lines, joists not touching, too much rubble under the house, not super liking this.

2020 - September

 

Don't give the kids your phone! Not sure how they made Mumma cat look so terrrifying.

The Inner West is best! Down with Capitalism, boo!

Vince helped us make a shed. And when I say helped, I mean he designed, carried the stuff in, jackhammered out the new useless ramp and retaining wall, did the roof, the door and the windows, with a bit of help from Marie.

Managed to get the family to go for a bushwalk! Here is beautiful La Perouse, only a few k's a walking and a few cafes nearby to choose for lunch. What a great spot.

La Perouse.

John also came over one day to lend his chainsaw that I think we burned out and had to get another one.

Lots of laughs as Marie gets on the jackhammer.

The local Portuguese butcher. A myriad of weird stuff including sausages made in the style of many south American countries, blood sausage, slabs of pork etc.

A better shot from Holly.

Sleep over with Charlie and Lola.

Ollie has started to play basketball. He is pretty good, some good dribbling under pressure and good passing. Go no. 68!

Crazy hair day; if you got it, use it, and Ollie has a lot of it.

The software support team Dennis, Myriam, Chris, me, Lee and Danesh.

Had to throw this old shot in; the young version of Marie.

and the current versions of her sisters and brothers.