Saturday, Apr 21, 2012

Terrigal

We have just been away to Terrigal for a few days.

Andrew and Nick are on school holidays and I (David) took a week off work.  Sue still had to go in to work (a slow-burning dispute made this politically wise to do), so it wasn’t really a complete family holiday, although Sue came up every night – Terrigal is on the coast north of Sydney, and in driving-time terms is only about as far away from where Sue works as is our home in Mt Riverview!

The weather was poor – it rained for much of the time, so we played quite a lot of board games.  In particular “Agricola” a game sent to us by (Uncle) Mark last Christmas, at which excels.  Actually is pretty good at most boardgames.  He quietly calculates what the best strategy is and gets on with it.

Agricola is a good game in that there is little conflict (at least that is true for the way that we play it) as everyone builds up their farm, propagating corn, husbanding sheep, cattle and wild boar (!), and building the family farmhouse.  I cannot imagine anyone less like a farmer than, but he wins every time!

Nick and I drove to Terrigal via Wiseman’s Ferry, through the valleys of the Hawkesbury river and it tributaries.  A beautiful drive.

We now have a third driver in the family.  Nick is learning to drive.  In Australia you can have your L-plates from your sixteenth birthday, but cannot take the driving test until you have had your “Ls” for a year, and done 120 hours of driving (including 20 hours of night-time).  After the test you are still on “P-plates” for another two years.  I think that it is a good system.  Nick has done >50 hours already, and is driving well.

Thursday, Apr 05, 2012

This is what life should be like …

and Nick sailing on Sydney harbour last weekend….. and just in case you didn’t recognise the harbour:

Complete with Opera House, a Manly ferry, etc.

They had been doing a sailing course at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron over the past eight months or so, and this was the final day.

I think that they have had a good time, although getting out of bed every Sunday at 6-30 am has been a bit of a challenge.

I would love to have done this, as a boy.