Uriarra East

Seven of us (my two plus three other kids) plus their dad Jason, spent a lovely Sunday afternoon at Uriarra East just outside of Canberra.

It’s always a beautiful spot down by the river, but Sunday was calm and sunny and we rock-hopped down the river and then played in the shallows.

There are some great ‘fire-pit’ barbecues and so we had a barbecue and cooked sausages and ate popcorn (cooked in the billy) afterwards. The kids (as always) love toasting marshmallows in the flames.

The kids were really grotty, exhausted but happy when we reached home later that evening.

Mother's Day Classic 2015

The Mother’s Day Classic (MDC) is a fundraising walk which takes place every year in Australia on Mother’s Day*. It’s organised by a group called Women in Super, and funds from the walk go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (one of many many cancer charities in Australia).

The MDC event is made up of different parts – you can run it (5k or 10k) or walk 5k – we always opt for the latter choice, but perhaps as the kids get older we can consider one of the others(?)

In Canberra the MDC takes place around beautiful Lake Burley Griffin. The lake has many lovely faces throughout the year, but I don’t think any are more striking than the autumnal mornings in May. The amber leaf strewn banks and trees still bearing golden hues is a great place to be at this time of year.

We’ve completed the walk as a family for the last four years. In 2014 Amy was invited to be an ambassador for the event and took on the role with vigour and enthusiasm. She also raised a lot of money for the cause and even though she had terrible neuropathy in her feet which made walking really difficult, her strength and determination (as well as an ice cream half way round) somehow got Amy round the course with the three of us.

I honestly wasn’t sure what to do this year. I’d contemplated ignoring the event altogether. Tricky.

Anyway a few weeks prior to the MDC I was contacted by one of Amy’s friends (Emily) who encouraged me to join the team she was setting up and away we went.
We set up a fundraising page and I was staggered by the depth of people’s kindness. As a team we had a target of $3k which was quickly surpassed, we reached $4k then $5k, then $7k and finally $10k.

I sat with some of the others in the wonderful Bentspoke Brewery on the eve of the MDC and we realised we had raised $9,850. A couple of calls later and the dial clicked past $10k.
A career working with charities has left me a bit sceptical about how charities use fundraising income but nevertheless it was fabulous to see the cash roll in. I’m glad I didn’t ignore the fundraising side of the walk.

The day arrived and we gathered on the shores of Lake Burley G at 9am.

We’d competed in a variety of weathers in previous years; from freezing cold to calm and sunny. This year’s weather was gusty – in fact in truth it was verging on gales – the competitors ‘village’ that is set up at the start/finish had people holding onto tents and generally trying to ensure that tents, guide ropes, clothing (and stray children) weren’t picked up and gusted into the lake.

The overall disorganisation of our team also meant that we didn’t get to meet up and walk as an entire team (we had 27 in the team). We’d arranged to meet at the ABC tent – a familiar landmark with previous walks, but government cuts meant that the personnel involved in operating the tent had been made redundant and the function moved to Sydney(!) Nevertheless a good group of us did set out together.

The walk is fun because throughout the course the organisers have bands, drummers and people holding motivational signs to keep you going. Our sloth-like pace (combined with walking into a strong headwind) meant that we finished towards the back of the (very large) pack. I think we were probably fourth last, but it was still great that we all got round.

The kids variously dawdled and then sprinted, such is the way of things when you’re under eight. We collected our prizes of a medal and a banana and then found that in addition we had won a trophy because of the size of our team. That was a real added bonus.

People were so kind to me and the kids on the day and everyone was keen to give us all cuddles. Mother’s Day without a mother must have been strange for Audrey and Elijah especially as their school (rightly) places such a focus on it in the week leading up to Mother’s Day. It was nice to honour Amy by doing the walk, but I think (actually more importantly) what made it really worthwhile was the fact that we raised over twelve thousand dollars in our endeavours.

I told the kids before we set out to the MDC why we were doing the walk and what the money we had raised would be spent on (hopefully cancer research and not chief executive salaries) and both of them said that they wished we had raised more before their Mum had died. Eli said we could have done the walk every weekend.

I sadly had to tell them that there was unfortunately little relationship between the amount the walk raises and improved levels of mortality for people (especially those diagnosed with advanced breast cancer). There is actually scant evidence that treatment for advanced breast cancer has improved things at all in the last twenty years (of course pain relief and anti-nausea medications have got better, but actual life extending treatments, I’m really not sure?).

 I’m positive though if there had been a link between money raised and people living with (not dying from) advanced breast cancer there would have been absolutely no limit to the amount of money the three of us could have raised.

Above all else the large sum sets us a challenge for next year and one which I know we’ll try and beat.

*Mothers Day (obviously created by Hallmark blah blah blah  - takes place in Australia on the second Sunday of May. There’s almost as many alternative dates as there are days in the year – see the chart (from Wikipedia) here). I prefer to call Australian Mother’s Day ‘Mother’s Day’ as distinct to the UK’s ‘Mothering Sunday’ which at least has some historical/religious foundation to it.

Eli's 6th Birthday Party

Audrey and Eli ran from the piñata with hands full of sweets, carefully counting them to make sure that they both had an even share. Meanwhile other kids bounced energetically on the jumpy castle and in the opposite corner of the hall on the large Scalextric Digital track cars buzzed round the figure eight frequently smashing into each other and disappearing over crash barriers and smacking the hard floor beneath.

 Eli turned six a couple of weeks ago and as part of his ongoing celebrations I had arranged a joint party with his little mate Aidan. The school had kindly lent us use of the school hall free of charge and numerous kids ran madly around variously excitedly running to zombie themed party games or eating party food. There was also face painting and dancing!

I made not one, but two cakes and Eli came home with masses of presents. It was lovely seeing my little boy turn six. Our first birthday party without Amy, but despite that sadness everything went well, just amazing that our little baby boy is so grown up now!

Eli's Scalextric Cake

Born to ride

Get your pedals runnin'
Head out on the bike path
Lookin' for adventure
And whatever comes your way!

Audrey loves riding her bike - it's quite an obsession with her - she graduated from her training wheels (stabilisers) quite a while ago and loved pedalling her Barbie bike (secured for $10 from the tip) around, particularly at the cycling facility at Stromlo Forest Park.

The Barbie Bike has grown ever-smaller though as Audrey has got older, and inspired by a couple of her mates (who have now got 'gear' bikes) Audrey would occasionally bring up the subject of wanting a 'gear' bike of her own. I was going to hold onto her birthday, but recently I've felt like it's more of an imperative(!)

I'd been scouring the internet for one and then on Sunday we took a drive to the north of the city and bought a second number. The bike is light blue and white (with a dash of purple) which has taken over from pink in most little girl's palettes - clearly influenced by Frozen - but frankly not before time.

The bike came with seven gears, and though it took a few minutes for Audrey to get used to the larger wheel size she quickly mastered the gears and kept challenging me to guess the gear she was riding in.

We've since had two trips back and forth to school on our bikes. She builds up quite a speed - she looks very much at home on two wheels! 

Our Trip to the Gold Coast and Brisbane

As the kids grew older and became more adventurous Amy and I sometimes chatted about taking Audrey and Eli for a holiday to the Gold Coast.

I'd been to Surfers Paradise a few years ago on holiday, and (between you and me) I have a quiet admiration for Brisbane (even though many Australians often look down their noses at the city's many charms). Sadly Amy and I never got our holiday together with the kids. Another thing we all missed out on.

A few weeks ago a good friend Sam wrote to tell me that she was going to the Gold Coast with her teenage kids. I had worked with Sam in the UK during a fabulous time in our late 20s when work (and life in general) was more fun and carefree and I hadn't seen her since our trip to the UK nearly three years ago. Sam's got two kids who are teenagers (they were babies when we worked together - I remember meeting her daughter as a tiny white haired toddler in the Fanum club)

Another good friend, Wendy (also an old work friend from the UK), offered to lend me her apartment in Surfers Paradise - which eventually became a loan of a car in addition to the apartment as well as a food parcel, generosity and good company as well.

The three of us set off on a short (but fun) adventure.

I've just read a lovely (yet poignant) article about psychological stretch marks. I'll try and paraphrase it (badly) but essentially it talks about accommodating changes in our lives when we're not quite ready. Things like watching Audrey and Eli grow and develop whether I like it or not. Adapting and accepting change that will inevitably happen in my life however much I try and resist.

I find it hard that despite the passing of time it is still makes me a bit sad to see Eli reading or wearing his long trousers to school, Audrey becoming a confident chatty young girl and all of it happening without their Mum being around to see it. Amy would have loved to have seen the kids growing up and of course there are many many more highs and lows to come. Not having Amy around, but having to accept that the kids carry on growing (and I carry on growing older!) are psychological stretch marks that I guess I have no choice but to live with.

Anyway, let's talk about the holiday....

Three theme parks in three days - Sea World (jumping dolphins), Movie World (great rollercoasters - and a very nice looking catwoman which left a number of Dads drooling) and finally Wet 'n' Wild - which incorporated water in many different forms - from huge spiraling slides to hot spas and wave machines.

We stayed not far from the action in Wendy's apartment....the theme parks were incredible but equally I suspect the kids would have happily spent their days in the apartment pool which was lovely and had a spa pool. Our days were relentless - an early start - travel to the theme park - lunches of junk food and then cramming of mind blowing entertainment until the park closed at 5pm. More junk food for dinner. 

I don't think a vegetable (apart from potato chips) passed our lips for two days!

It was lovely to see Sam. Eli adored her thirteen year old daughter and asked when we could see them again. It was sad to say our goodbyes - I hope we can catch up again soon. 10,000 miles is a long way sometimes.

On Friday afternoon we traveled up to Brisbane to see Wendy and her husband Kieren. Her three kids got on wonderfully with my two. They were so kind to us all and made us feel so welcome. On Saturday we were treated to a ride in their (lovely) boat - Audrey was less keen on me driving - I bumped so many waves that she clung on to the side with far more panic than she had during any of the theme park rides we enjoyed. We spent the afternoon swimming at a resort pool. Real luxury.

The weather during our break was glorious. We flew back to be greeted by rain and clouds. Thanks Canberra.

And so I guess another milestone completed - our first 'family' holiday. 

It was so much fun though and it was great to catch up with old friends a welcome relief from Canberra's oncoming winter. It's 5 o'clock and dark outside - I'll have to just think of catwoman to cheer me up.

about to go over the log flume!

Jess and Sam

Audrey and the joker

Stunt driver show

Audrey loved this pink car!

Eli on the boat

Here comes trouble!

Nitro Circus

I won a Canberra Times competition to attend Nitro Circus at Canberra Stadium.

For the uninitiated (as I was about two weeks ago!) Nitro Circus calls itself an “action sport collective” which basically means a lot of top daredevil bike riders combining with BMX riders and a few skateboarders, skaters, and a guy in a wheelchair thrown in. I think in all there were 45 in our particular “action sport collective” when we watched them perform on Saturday.

I hadn’t really appreciated just how good the prize was which I’d won – (I only wrote a daft four line poem). I knew we’d won VIP passes, but when we arrived at Canberra Stadium they were selling VIP passes to the general public, so I assumed we had good seats, but in actual fact our seats were in FRONT of the VIP – pretty much in the arena – we were in effect the VIP’s of the VIP’s!

I went along with Audrey and Eli and secured my brother (Graham) and his wife (Kerry) seats in the grandstand behind us. We were led down to the pit lane – on the rails of the fence dividing us and the riders.

We had been invited to the practice session – a chance to view the riders doing their thing before the crowds and the ‘ring-master’ arrived. We got to meet a lot of the riders beforehand – most notable of whom is a guy called Travis Pastrana who, if you’re a Nitro Circus aficionado is basically THE man. He was a really nice bloke and spent time with me and the kids.

I had worried beforehand about the kids attention span – we got there at 2.30 for a show that didn’t start until 4.30 and would go on until after 7pm. In the end I needn’t have worried – Audrey and Eli (Audrey in particular) loved every minute. The deafening growl of the engines upset both Audrey and Eli at first (I had taken earplugs for them) but after about half an hour they both threw them away and embraced it all.

The Nitro Circus gang backflipped, jumped and twisted through a whole series of stunts – some of them absolutely breathtaking. Interspersed with this was loud rock music which echoed around the cavernous Canberra Stadium and fireworks which shot dazzling sparks into the sky. It would have been hard not to have been excited!

Ultimately it was so mesmerising you got blase about watching people do a double back flip on a motorbike.

The shows finale was for all 45 riders, skaters, bikers etc to all set off at once on the two huge ramps - sending flocks(!) of dirt-bikes in the air combining with crazy BMX riders. Just stunning.

As we headed home Eli told me how he was going to try something similar next time he was on his bike. His training wheels (stabilisers) are going to prevent some of the action methinks.

Life in the pits

Me and Travis Pastrana

Travis on an inflatable elephant

Audrey and Travis

James Turrell a retrospective

As part of the 101 human brochure programme I’d been lucky enough to attend ‘Skyspace’ at the National Gallery of Australia and now thanks to a friend (and fellow human) of mine I went along to James Turrell a retrospective currently showing at the National Gallery.

The exhibition forms part of a larger exposition of Turrell’s work. At the end of the Skyspace experience I’d been a bit unsure about how I felt about the artist and his works, but this exhibition put things much more in context – tracing the artists early ideas through to ‘installations’ and ‘projections’. The other three ladies I was with were all enthused about Turrell and the more we saw of his work it became impossible not to be impressed with his thinking and talent. It certainly isn’t an exhibition for everyone but many of the works were really fascinating and going as a group of four of us allowed us to remark on different aspects of what we were looking at, rather than making judgements from a solitary perspective.

There are two rooms with projections in them – I started doing shadow puppets on one of the walls and was rebuked by a guide who told me “This is a masterpiece, not a puppet show!” thereby putting me in my place like a naughty schoolboy.

The final room is bathed in multiple colours which alternate and change during the six or so minutes you’re in there. It was almost hallucinogenic in quality – without the drugs obviously. When we first stepped into the room it felt like walking into an Apple advert!

Coming out I realised that I’d changed my view on Turrell. I had my doubts at first – ‘painting with light’ could be perceived as a load of old hogwash, but actually experiencing a number of works first hand gave you a different take on things. I liked it.


Here's my visit to Skyspace