KIRBY KIDS

2006-01-07T20:16:00.000+11:00

Playing in the pool with Corey

2006-01-07T20:15:00.000+11:00

Eating seafood with this view! ahhhhhh.

2006-01-07T20:13:00.000+11:00

Fun at Christmas time :-)

Re-entering Blogland.....

2006-01-07T19:45:00.000+11:00

Ooops. Apparently it has been a while since I've posted!! (November in fact!!) And it has been at least 2 weeks since I have been on a computer (bliss!)..... I remember when I was a kid how much of a privledge it was to have a computer, and if you did, how super-exciting it was to be allowed to use it - with supervision of course - and now I can't wait to get away from the things!

Christmas was lovely. Lots of food and pressies and fun. Thankfully we escaped a scorcher of a day, which looked likely after the lead-up temps.

Have just returned from a week in Brisbane which was just an extension of Christmas really, with a bit of beach-going thrown in. We stayed with friends of Russ' for the week. played golf, caught the River cat a few times, ate loads of fabulous seafood, drank way too much, went to the beach and shopped. A nice relaxing week away.

Now for 2006!! With plans to travel mid year overseas for 12 months, I can't wait until June! Hmmm resolutions.....

2005-10-30T16:44:00.000+11:00

vases I painted for Grandma...with lovely flowers

2005-10-30T16:07:00.000+11:00

THE HOUSE!! So different to just a few months ago.

2005-10-30T16:03:00.000+11:00

The vegie patch..... when it was started a month and a bit ago. It now has lettuce, beetroot and tomatoes growing!

My Needs

2005-10-20T11:33:00.000+10:00

I just got this off P.Giraffe's site. Go to Google and type in your first name followed by "needs" and write down the sentences that are listed. Here follows a few that made some sense, though if you ask me, all I think I need right now is a nice cup of coffee!!
Shannon Needs Your help
Shannon needs to deal with her own issues in her own time
Shannon needs me again
Shannon needs to make a decision on T-shirt logos within a week
Shannon needs to keep steadily up at the top (followed by some sentence about what the man deserves - haha!!)
Shannon needs to think how to develop its business if the stop over no longer existed
Shannon needs to take it more seriously
Shannon who really needs a car
Shannon needs to be extended to deal with quantum detectors

I'll tag Alice and ShellyC and my mother, if she ever gets around to it!!!

Still Alive and Kickin'

2005-10-20T11:01:00.000+10:00

I will have to start calling these posts 'monthly updates' or something, as that is about as regularly I can seem to 'get around' to posting. So, quick run down, and I will have to post some photos at some point
* The garden got a make-over; not quite a Jamie-Durie-Overhaul, but near enough!!
* We have a vegie patch!! And compost!! Hopefully at least the tomatoes grow - that was the whole reason to have a vegie garden. I'm sick of eating wet rubber (my precise description of what supermarket tomatoes taste like)
* I start a new job on Monday ( I wasn't even looking, and in the end I only ended up with two weeks' holiday instead of the hoped-for 4 week unemployment opportunity!) It will be in a totally unrelated field to my previous job, but I look forward to starting somewhere new
* I have one assignment and an exam until I finish uni (for the second time) this year - hurrah!!
* I'm visiting Mum and Dad - it has done nothing but rain, and the place looks fantastic. Not such great weather for horse riding etc, but shopping, coffee, lunch etc etc with Mum has been good.
* Grandma has been shifted to the nursing home, and appears pretty happy. She loves a good gossip about the other residents! I had a nice visit with her a few days ago. She is hopeful of returning to her farm soon.
* My Dad is the most un-cat person in the world. He doesn't like them. But a little kitten turned up on the door step a few days ago and adopted my Dad. He named it "Mrs Smith" and he is resigned to the fact that it now lives on the back doorstep - He even feeds her!!
*Looking forward to returning to Canberra and seeing Russ (awwww, such a softy) and to making sure he fed my cat!!
* Photos of some of the above sooner or later.........

2005-09-28T20:11:00.000+10:00

Managed the greens OK

2005-09-28T20:10:00.000+10:00

Ahhhh........ the view

A Weekend at the snow

2005-09-28T19:59:00.000+10:00

It was a bit slushy, but it was good fun! And what do novice skiiers like us know about good snow anyway? Although, I have to say, it is the second time I have been skiing in my entire life, and all I have to compare it to is a week in Andorra in the Pyrenees Mountains!
We stayed at a gorgeous little B&B outside Jindabyne - tin roof, log fire and all. Very spoilt.
Back at work for a few days before I am not working (I won't use 'unemployed' just yet - I'm just on a break for a while), and am looking forward to going home to see Mum and Dad and check the progress of the house.
I am still having problems walking down the stairs after skiing - very sore calves. Russ tells me now I know how he feels after everytime he plays hockey. ha!

The best I have felt in a long time......

2005-09-23T09:40:00.000+10:00

Using a title like that makes it sound as though I have been sick or something. But I haven't. On Tuesday I resigned from my job. I could literally feel the weight lift off my shoulders as I was talking to my boss about WHY I was resigning. For some, the fact I resigned came out of the blue, while others, who knew what I had to really put up with, it was only a matter of time.
So, now I have a few days off. We are going to the 'snow' - if there is any left, otherwise we will just be in the 'mountains.
Now of course, the other very exciting thing that has happened this week is Russ won the Brophy Medal, which is for the best and fairest hockey player in men's first grade. I have known for a couple of months that this was the case (right about the time I was trying to keep his 30th a surprise was when he cemented a place in the top two) So I found myself having to keep two big secrets at the same time. And I couldn't even share the Brophy secret with anyone!!
It is a sensational day today. Much too nice to sit inside..... how I WISH Russ was decide to build a deck, so I could sit out in the sun with the laptop catching up on emails and uni work. Ah well.
I might just have to get through that quickly and go out into the garden and try and 'do' something!
The first warm day we have had - and already there is a blowfly in the house - where DO they come from so quickly?? - Meikah the cat is now quietly prowling around after it. I hope she catches it!

THE Party!

2005-08-17T21:29:00.000+10:00

quite a gathering really!

2005-08-17T21:27:00.000+10:00

Hmmm... can't guess why such large 'shades' were needed the next day!! (two of my four baby brothers - also 'Kirbykids')

All partied out

2005-08-17T21:25:00.001+10:00

Russ' niece #1

2005-08-17T21:25:00.000+10:00

All the boys - taken somewhere at the end of the night.

And the Party! how could I forget!!

2005-08-17T21:07:00.000+10:00

Last year, My dad turned 50. As did two of my uncles. My mum and her sisters organised their respective husbands a joint surprise 50th. Everyone had a fabulous time. I was so far removed from the organisation of the party, and I still found it difficult to keep it a secret....well, I nearly burst when I decided to try and organise a surprise 30th for The Boy.
I can't remember how many times I nearly let it slip, just by innocently saying "I spoke to so and so today" when there was absolutely no reason why I should have spoken to said person.
Then there was the issue of everyone who was invited to the party not letting it slip - and the fact that his sister had flown all the way from North QLD to be at the party.... Well we all managed to keep it pretty much under wraps!!
So many hockey friends, family, 'old school' pals and others! From as far afield as Melbourne, Tamworth, and QLD. So, I think the pictures speak for themselves.
It was definitely fun to organise - but the best part was seeing Russ having such a fantastic time, and catch up with so many people - and especially the look on his face when he realsied what we had walked into was all for him!!
Now at least I have a few years before I plan the next party!!
Thanks to Alice for all her help, and the gorgeous cake, and to ShellyC and the kids for such fabulous decorations!!

Shredded tissues? Cotton?

2005-08-17T21:05:00.000+10:00

2005-08-17T21:04:00.000+10:00

almost a decent covering!

SNOW!

2005-08-17T20:52:00.000+10:00

A little late, as this was taken over a week ago, but it snowed!! yay! Not enough to make a snowman, unfortunately, but enough to cover the car, and settle in the garden overnight.
These were taken in the front gaden at some crazy early hour. The last time I can remember it snowing in Canberra was about 5 years ago - in May.
I was in a little English pub on Wednesday next to an open fire drinking a glass of red wine with a close friend when it started snowing outside. Magical!

2005-08-01T21:59:00.000+10:00

the "aquarium"!

oh dear, I think I've forgotten how to blog!

2005-08-01T21:42:00.000+10:00

It has been that long! But I thought I'd better check in!
Work has been pretty busy lately, so I guess that is a bit of an excuse!
Well, it is only 5 days or so until I officially finish housesitting, and I am sad about that because it's been great having a place all to my self for a change! Especially as this place has been so WARM!! (Huge deal on a cold Canberra morning!)
Plus, Russ also bought himself a digital Camera today ( I am shocked! He only just figured out his mobile phone, so he's coming along in leaps and bounds in the world of technology, because gasp! he also got himself an email address!!)
So I thought I would post a picture of one of the most recent acquisions - The "aquarium" - Home to 14 fresh water tropical fish which I bought Russ for his recent birthday. Lots of new "toys" to play with.
So here is the aquarium! Plus I find out there is a new way of uploading images - just after I got the hang of the 'old way'!

Feeling Inspired

2005-06-29T18:51:00.000+10:00

I have just returned from a two day intensive live-in leadership program with 21 fantstic women. I am tired as anything, but left feeling very happy and so inspired by what other women my age, and some 'mentors' have achieved in what is a predominantly male-oriented career.
*Sigh* Too tired to actually say any more than that. Going through information overload!!!

2005-06-18T15:13:00.000+10:00

The weekend Mum visited - she has a digi camera - I don't!

2005-06-15T22:18:00.000+10:00

Meikah the cat. Such a duchess!

A Long Weekend Away

2005-06-15T07:37:00.000+10:00

And a loooong weekend it was. And lovely too.
All started on Thursday last week after I had planned for an absolute age for Russ and I to drive up to Port Mac to see Ailie and little Lilly. Of course, on Wednesday before we are due to leave, Russ comes through with the "ohhh, erm, not sure I can get mmmmblefflle"
Beg your pardon?
"Well, I checked with work today and I may not be able to get the two days off"
*SIGH!*
But, as it happens, I think his boss was feeling sorry for him seeing as I had organised to go up soooo long ago, and I probably wasn't going to be terribly impressed if he couldn't come with me. It was going to be easier all round if Russ just came with me "to squiz at the baby" (as he put it). And wouldn't you know it - Nobody has seen any rain for an absolute age, and it starts while we were at the coast! Not that anyone is complaining - it was great, and very much needed!

So, the weekend revolved around the little 3kg bundle of gorgeous baby, and Ailie and I spent a fair bit of time catching up. I am lucky to have several friends that I have known forever that I can go months without talking to, but then fall into conversation right where we left off last time we spoke. Everyone just finds themselves so busy with their own thing, but the friendships aren't high maintenance which is refreshing!

Russ and I took in the sights of Port, including a local winery - Cassegrain. We indulged in a little tasting session - Fantastic red wine - and walked out the door with a case of the stuff. Yay! A few drives up and down the coast line, a stop at the light house, where we sat on the hill and watched a pod of wales for a while. It was fantastic!

The big test was Saturday night, when Lilly went on her first "dinner" outing. She was an angel. Ailie's theory was that we would go somewhere a bit noisy, so that if she cried, it wouldn't interrupt everyone. But Lilly just sat in her pram and watched everyone with big blue eyes and soaked up the atmosphere!

The boys had a round of golf and then what do you know, it's Monday and we have to start heading back in order that I can do a bit of study for my exam. Well, that was the idea, however, we managed to convince ourselves that that we ought to visit the shops seeing as we were going through Sydney, so an ETA home went from 2pm to... I think we got in about 5ish.

The exam was yesterday. It was three hours long. I got cramps in my wrist. I woke up this morning the whole of my right hand side aching from wrist to neck. I think this is all due to the fact that I don't actually write stuff anymore. It's all done on the computer. Unused muscles. If I feel this sore after sitting on my bum for three hours, I don't want to think about the possibility of going back to the gym after nearly 4 months. OUCH!

Last night Russ and I enjoyed dinner out on the town, and our own private screening of "a lot like love" at woden cinema (Nah, not really - we were just the only ones in the cinema) for my birthday. AND I got a lovely pair of pink ugh boots. What more could a girl want in a Canberra winter?!

And back to work today.......

Hmmm..... Wednesday

2005-05-25T16:49:00.000+10:00

Where did the year go??
I can hardly believe that it is almost June already.
Why is it when you are a kid, time between Birthdays and Christmas’s (the only REAL way to measure time) seemed to drag on forever, yet now, the time between birthdays and having to pay car rego (the way that time is now measured) goes so quickly, you barely have time to recover from either the last birthday, or save up from the last lot of car rego! (can you tell I just had to register my car?)

I bought a bike on Saturday. Very exciting, as I haven’t owned a bike since I was 8. I got an orange BMX with streamers on the handle bars for my 8th Birthday. Bit rude seeing as my favourite colour was pink, but I am sure it was bought with the view to ‘hand it down’ as I grew out of it (at the time there were 3 brothers following behind – now there are 4). I did grow out of that BMX eventually, but I think it was maybe replaced by horses.

So the new bike isn’t orange, it is navy, and there are no streamers, and it has GEARS, which as far as I can figure, means I don’t have to stand up on the pedals to ride up a hill. I’ve ridden it to work and back twice since Saturday, which is a nice leisurely 15 minute to work, 20 minute home (more uphill on the way home) ride. And I haven’t frozen my extremities off given that the mornings aren’t quiet freezing yet (maybe that’s why I can hardly believe its almost June). [I question myself about the whole car rego thing....] Now all I need to do is get that Boy on his bike and race him around the Lake (purely to demonstrate my OBVIOUS cycling ability - haha)

My youngest brother broke his arm playing Rugby on Friday. Poor kid just managed to fully recover from a broken leg (I am pretty sure that happened last winter) and he was all eager to start up with his sport again – even to the point that he ALMOST got a new hockey stick for this season. Unfortunately for him, he broke his arm before mum took him in to town to buy it – so I think he was more disappointed about that than the broken arm!

Another one from Mum!

2005-05-17T10:16:00.000+10:00

Well I finally got onto the site and had a read - and a look at the house. It now has 3 walls on and a roof! Will try and remember to take a photo this afternoon.
I haven't had time to go the last couple of days what with boys riding etc. The weather has not been very kind - we got 6ml of rain last Thursday - not enough to put a drop of moisture into the ground or tanks but enough to stop the roofer completing his job last week.
As a result of the rain the temperature dropped and the wind blew up and it has not been pleasant since!
We are feeding our steers on sorghum stubble and pellets and whatever lucerne there is in the paddock. Calves have been weaned and the cows turned back out but I think they would be feeling the drop in temperature.
Duncan tells me he has had 3 fine days since Easter! He does not think he will live on the coast forever. Cameron was dehorning weaners at Mt Isa and nearly deboned his arm - he received 9 stitches and a plea from his mother NOT TO KEEP WORKING but to wait at least, until the stitches were removed. I wonder if he headed the plea?
Now to Jamie Oliver - I didn't see his series. But I would believe that kids do not know about proper food especially after watching families (in the UK) not knowing how to cook. Imagine not even having a saucepan in the cupboard and then having to look up how to boil water in the newly bought saucepan for the TV show they are producing on learning how to live as a family. Mum, Dad and kids eat out (Macas or similar) or heat'n eat TV dinners! So no wonder the kids don't know about carrots, apples or asparagus. I think people are just plain lazy as well as consuming too many advertisements!Mum

TGIAF

2005-05-05T17:05:00.000+10:00

Thanks Goodness It's Almost Friday!!
Although, having said that and I realise then that tomorrow is Friday (yay) but then there is only 7 days until the following Friday (not-so-yay-when-I-have-an-assignment-due). Still, that's a WHOLE week away, so lets not worry about that yet.
I've been watching Jamie Oliver's School Dinners on TV, and I am just astounded by the attitude that many of the schools' and the parents of so many of these kids have toward food. Unbelievable. I was literally gob smacked when kids (at the age of 6 or 7) would tell Jamie that they had never seen, letter alone eaten salad before, or that a bunch of asparagus or celery, were infact 'onions'! The season wrapped up last night, with Jamie Oliver lobbying the government for fresher ingredients, and to ban the food that they had been feeding them for the past decade (pies, chips, nuggets, sausages, 'turkey twizzlers' and anything else that would clog a normal person up after two consecutive days of consuming aforementioned 'produce'). Makes me wonder what on EARTH the governement was thinking... that feeding them this goop wasn't going to have affect on obesity/illness levels?? I'm sure if they sat down and thought about it, they would soon realise that it is more beneficial to spend the money on encouraging a healthy lifestyle and eating habits now, than pick up the health bill in 30 years time (I'd say 30 years - some of these kids wouldn't last longer than that the way they are going now). Feed them the crap, it keeps them happy.... Sounds similar to the days of Rome when the city stopped functioning due to the 'games'. Didn't they try and prevent uprisings from unhappy citizens by giving them 'bread and circuses'? Look where that all ended. Scary stuff, but just my 15 cents worth. I feel sorry for the kids.
The temperature near the window has just dropped about 5 degrees in about as many minutes... maybe winter is on its way? Though you wouldn't know it judging by the days we have been getting.
Soon the weekend will arrive, and Sunday is Mother's day. Hope you are having a nice day mum, and that the boys are looking after you, and the weather is nice enough that you can go riding.

2005-04-28T11:05:00.000+10:00

Mum and Dads new house!

ANZAC Weekend

2005-04-28T08:23:00.000+10:00

She came, she saw, she left! It was short and sweet, but we had fun! And, as I had hope, the weather stayed sunshiny for the weekend (it can rain anytime now!) and even the dawn service on ANZAC day was "warm" (in comparsion to the last few I have been to where icicles pretty much hang off your eyelashes).
And Mum and I 'sorta' filled her suitcase - a few nickknacks for the new house (apparently slightly less skelton like now than the pic) and some jumpers and things for winter. We ate out all three nights she was here - I highly recomend the Green Herring to anyone!! And we had a superb cheauffer :-)
And after all that, the "reason" for her visiting was to get me a house warming gift...... I didn't end up choosing anything, but at least my mum came down for a visit! Hurrah!!

Mum's here!

2005-04-22T18:12:00.000+10:00

Mum has arrived safely in Canberra! We look forward to filling up the near-empty suitcase she brought with her (no joke - a change of shirt and a spare pair of shoes!) with lots of lovely new clothes, and a trinket or two for the new house!
I've figured it's been close to two years since she has visted me here, so we are going to have to fit a lot of stuff into three days! The weather has been beuatiful and sunny - I hope it holds out over the weekend, and then it can rain for as long as it likes after that.

2005-04-20T12:33:00.000+10:00

Ailie's Lilly is now nearly 4 weeks old! That would make her a full term baby - she was only due 4 days ago!

From Mum

2005-04-19T14:22:00.000+10:00

What a good idea to try and keep up with everyone - the phone is always busy or we are late in or someone is not at home so this way you are able to check what's happening at your leisure. Yep the house is on its way up. The floor was laid last week, the frames went up yesterday and today they are putting the roof trusses on - I will go early this evening and take some photos and will post on the web for you all to see. Went to Steph's 21st on Saturday night and met up with all and sundry we had not seen for at least 2 years. Everyone's little kids have grown up rapidly; Kristie has 2 sons; Andrew has 1 daughter and one son; Ben has a girlfriend; Melissa has one son and one daughter; Sonia has one daughter about 8 or 9; Annette and Bruno are retired and sailing up and down the east coast of Australia and are currrently moored in Coffs as they have engine trouble; Granny and Grampy Wolf are doing well and they are travelling to Melbourne shortly to catch up with people they have not seen for 30 years including a 93 yr old lady they thought was not any longer living. Rach was quite sick about 3 weeks ago and after more extensive tests it was found she may have lupus not rheumatism. They started treating her for lupus and she has improved out of sight. She sends her love to you and would like to catch up with you at some time. Otherwise at the 21st I talked to the other 2 old ladies and we reminicsed abt babies etc and were very glad that we did not have to look after little ones that night. Dad and Steve and Sam talked horses and dogs all night so they were in their element too. Uncle Roy and Nanny are very well but Doug had to leave early because he was not so well - I didn't get a chance to talk to him. Helen and Steve are well and Brad is just as nice as ever, Lisa flew up from Sydney for the Big Event and is was excellent catching up with her. She has a house in Ashfield (Sydney) and is thinking of demolishing it and rebuilding it - big project and lots of money especially as she is still single. Mudgee Mob came through on Sunday and will hopefully be coming through today. She is going to Perth ODEing - if you include them on the website she will tellyou all about it. Very exciting! Jack is here with Kelly today and until Thursday so they are busy doing boy things I think! I went jumping on Sunday with Jeddah and we jumped about 40cms before we both came unstuck (with balance etc - not falling off) So I was very proud of her. We will go back next month for more.

Kirby Kids

2005-04-19T11:06:00.000+10:00

Couldn't think of a better name to identify my family - even though we are stretched far and wide (I'm the furthest south in Canberra, with the one up North currently residing outside Mt. Isa? I think!).
Kirby Kids is what my grandparents called my family - all 7 of us. It comes from the name of the property Dad worked on, and us kids grew up on, for over 20 years in the Northern Tablelands, before warmer climes came a'callin' and Mum, Dad and the two boys that hadn't yet flown the nest, took up with fencing and moved 'down the hill' (The Moonbi) to establish a nice little place of their own (completition date.....pending!)
These days are spent working some crazy hours , spending some time with friends, spending lots of a time with one particular 'special friend with future prospects' (I mean that in the nicest way - I totally adore my boy!) playing a bit of sport, fitting in a bit of studying part time and cuddling my beautiful tabby cat. (And the things that NEED doing, like washing my clothes, and paying bills!)
I've just 'blogged on' after having seen the creations of A Growing Delight and Shells and Beans and thought I'd give it a go, and sent the log in to Mum incase she wanted to add something from her end of the world.