The Shortest Month

So I have chosen the shortest month to complete some more of my 101 things to do in 1001 days list.

32. Post an entry every day for a month. Sorry - but I think it might be a good experiment to see where my head is really at.
58. Meditate for at least 30 mins once a week for a month
84. Write a Restaurant review and post it on a website
52. Go to the Opera
16. Tell a Stranger they are beautiful. That is if I come across anyone that inspires such a comment.
14. Make my own affirmation tape
30. Send my Aunty Syl a letter with photos
31. Send a postcard to postsecret

I am also doing a secret Sober February with GB. The reason it is secret is that last night it was my Brother-in-Law's birthday and we had dinner at Hellenic Republic - and I had a couple. And this Thursday we are booked in for the Australian Extranvaganza Whiskey Night at Baranows. So 2 nights out of the month are already fried. I am adding 2 days of March to the end to make up for it. But trying to explain that to anyone is annoying.

Echuca Ahoy

In the almost-decade that I have spent in Melbourne Victoria, I have crossed the Murray River a fair few times in driving commutes from one state to another, but I have never been to somewhere specifically to see the Murray. It is far from it's former glory I presume by the flood signs and levels of years gone past but it still has an appeal.

Myself, my twin, her hubby and my mum made the 3 hour journey for a day trip to the good ole town of Echuca. The general consensus was that it was a bloody long way for a boat ride but I had a ball! The historic little street they have set up is very sweet and the boats vary from grand to laughable.

We hopped on a paddlesteamer and headed off for an hour trip. Turns out that that really isn't very far in distance because they travel at a very slow pace. Fun though :)

So did the paddle steamer live up to my expectations?.....I was imagining the big floating casino's of yesteryear, the men in ten gallon hats, the women with bustles and being thrown over board for cheating at poker.Of course none of that happened on my trip with the family. And I was only slightly disappointed. I did at some stage want to divide the people up on the boat evenly so each side was carrying a similar amount of weight but other than that my anxiety of boats stayed pretty much under control.

TOGA TOGA 2009

Last years TOGA TOGA New Years Eve party was such a success we decided that we will make it a tradition that for New Years Eve we will invite people to come to our house to eat and drink in sheets :)

From what I remember of this year: New friends in attendance, dancing in the rain, fights over who was singing in Rockband, several I-love-you-guys moments and GB managed to see the end of one of his parties for the first time!

Here is a photo of GB and I doing our best impressions of Bluto:

#56 See a live band at least once every 3 months for a year

04/02/09 - Briefcase Full of Blues (Blues Brothers Tribute Band)
09/02/09 - Jose Gonzales
15/05/09 - Psuedo Echo and Wa Wa Nee
31/05/09 & 18/06/09 - P!nk
04/08/09 - The White Album Concert
28/08/09 - Alice Cooper
21/11/09 - Monsters of Rock

And it looks like 2010 will also be a great year - upcoming concert: Newton Faulkner

#53 Host a family Christmas

GB and I hosted our first Christmas Eve family dinner and Christmas Day lunch. My family were pikey pikers and did their own thing in NSW and missed out! :)

Christmas Eve was just the three of us: GB, myself and Mrs K. This is the night we open presents and gorge ourselves on seaford.

Before

After

Christmas Day was another statement on indulgence and traditionalism. In attendance: Mrs K, GB, myself and the Sultana's GB's Grandmother and Great Aunt. It was a lovely and relaxed day (for me anyway - Mrs K did all the cooking and cleaning for me)

Christmas 2009

GB and I hosted our first Christmas Eve family dinner and our first Christmas lunch. My family were pikey pikers and did their own thing in NSW and missed out! :)

Chritmas Eve was just the three of us: GB, myself and Mrs K. This is the night we open presents and gorge ourselves on seaford.

Before:


Yes the platter you see on this table is for 3 people!


After:


Christmas Day was another statement on indulgence and traditionalism. In attendance: Mrs K, GB, myself and the Sultanas GB's Grandmother and Great Aunt. It was a lovely and relaxed day (for me anyway - Mrs K did all the cooking and cleaning)


I wish I had taken the time to get a better photo of the tree at night. It really does look magical and a perfect way to end the day with just me awake, the tree sparkling and a sense that it was a fantastic finish to what was a crap year and that 2010 is going to be so much better.



Merry Christmas to all!

Tis the season

GB and I made the trip down to Moorooduc to the Christmas tree farm to get our tree the Saturday just gone. This year we had to squash the tree into my Sonata! It was strange just being the two of us this year and we ended up getting a pre-cut tree. No hours spent in the field debating over which tree is the most excessive etc
I love it! I like how during the day it is all gold and red balls and bows and then of a night time the lights deep in the tree turn it into magic!

The Boulevard

So, as has been our tradition for the last 4 years, we go Christmas light looking the week before Christmas. This year due to our change in location, we were close to The Boulevard at Ivanhoe. This is reknowned for the majority of the street going to effort with their decorations. I have never experienced anything like it. The street was made into a one way so cars could do a lap and pedestrians could utilise the other side of the road. There were masses of people and kids and prams and dogs. The houses varied from the nicely lighted to the over the top. GB and I had a good time but I don't think we will go again next year. Excuse the crappy iPhone photos :)

New Location for Adventures and Mishaps

After a long and tedious couple of months of house hunting, GB and I found a cute little Californian Bungalow on the border of Kew and Hawthorn. It is smaller and lots older than our previous abode, but it has felt like home since the day we moved in. Both GB and I are loving the location. Both our commutes have been shortened and are less expensive.

We walk to the shops or to breakfast on the weekends, which is lots of fun. Also in walking distance there is a whiskey and cigar bar that plays Jazz on Thursdays, 3 pubs and a gazillion restuarants. Woohooo! We don't live in the suburbs anymore!

#63 Send Christmas cards to everyone I know.

I changed this one to everyone I like. Just because it was easier and my lack of self confidence wouldn't allow me to send it to people I barely know or know through other people. etc etc.

Anyhoo it took some time, but less than I imagined and it cost a fair bit, more than I imagined :)