Eli with the Royals

Elijah enjoyed a successful season of playing rugby union with the Royals (he's back row on the left hand side)

His team was unbeaten throughout the season (Canberra is split into North and South) and the final was played against the winners of the Northern Division (Gunghalin) a game they narrowly lost out by a try scored in the last minute.

I find rugby union a baffling game. I've watched a bazillion games over many years and I still wonder sometimes if even the referees have a full understanding of the sport. Certainly a lot of the players, whether aged 9 or 59 seem to be in the dark about exactly what's going on. Someone told me it's apparently because there's always a LOT going on. The main attribute as a player seems to be to remain polite at all times.

I was chuffed for Eli's success. Certainly his team was well drilled and they all (kind of) knew where they should stand at any juncture and what their particular roles were. It was apparent when they played less disciplined sides that it wasn't just a case of winning the occasional skirmish - although often the biggest and brawniest kid usually DID emerge as the victor. 

Eli could describe to me what he was doing, and I get the whole idea of backs and forwards and that play is continual but like the professional game whenever there was a foul everyone on the touchline was always at a bit of a loss to describe what had happened. So much subjectivity.

Perhaps I'm a simpleton - in football if someone is tripped then a foul is awarded, if the ball goes out it's a throw-in. In rugby there's a myriad of weird rules that help the rugby fan pretend that it's a sport for the intellectual. That's why if you ask someone to describe what's going on, following a critical match deciding penalty everyone looks at their shoes or umms and ahhs - they're clearly far too clever to be able to describe it.

Audrey's award winning jam (part 2)

One of the judges of the competition wrote a wonderful account of the competition here

Here are the two radio segments

The judging competition on the radio

Audrey collecting her prize

Audrey's award winning jam!

Australia has recently fallen foul of a food scare (someone with a strange grudge had put needles in batches of strawberries). Fortunately nobody was hurt, but it did have the effect of sales of the fruit across the nation.

Lish Fejer who presents on our local ABC channel responded by organising a strawberry jam competition within Canberra, both to encourage the eating of the delicious fruit and turn a negative issue into a positive story.

Due to her excellent lessons given her by Amy's old boss (Kathy jam) Audrey makes a pretty decent strawberry jam. It seemed a competition that she needed to enter.

We bought good strawberries from a greengrocer. They seemed firmer and 'fruitier' than some of the supermarket ones. We've also used frozen strawberries in the past which while adequate take some effort to get to gel because of their high water content.

Audrey made a couple of jars and we put one in for the competition. It was a blind taste-test so everyone was on an even playing-field.

The judging was live on the radio and as we sat eating our dinner, it quickly became apparent that one particular jam (no.10) stood out among all the others. All the judges, and listeners taking part all remarked that no.10 was the best.

When it finally came to reveal the winner we expected that it would be an esteemed Canberra jam maker with decades of experience. Lish the presenter removed the sticker and announced the winner....

"Audrey Hickman!"

We were so excited, Audrey had seen off tough competition to win. Her prize (apart from the recognition) was to choose a cake for Lish to make. Audrey of course chose a horse-theme and Lish of course responded a couple of weeks later with a fabulous hay bale (a delicious chocolate cake covered in desiccated coconut).

It was all great fun of course, but a fantastic experience for Audrey. She took her appearance on the radio in her stride. I was so proud of her. 

On the radio collecting her prize

Audrey and her prize!

The jams being judged

Audrey with Pumpkin

Audrey's school holidays were spent at her riding school where she enjoyed a week with Pumpkin - one of her favourite horses. She's really becoming a pretty good rider now. I just wish we knew someone with horses who could give her a bit more time in the saddle as she really enjoys it.

A nice evening walk up Mount Taylor

Mount Taylor is a hill just south of where we live. It affords lovely views both back over Woden and also across Tuggeranong. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the top and is a popular walking spot.

Sunset - time to head down!

Eli makes some cookies...

Open Day at Government House

Every year Government House opens to the public. It's the residence of the Governor General (the Queen's representative in Australia). In theory the GG is a purely ceremonial role and not a delegate of the Queen, but they do have the power to sack the government (something which they have done in the past). In more recent times the role has gone to an ex-military commander. There has only been one female Governor General.

It's interesting to look round the house and the lawns are always spectacular especially when compared to the majority of Canberra lawns which are usually fairly weedy or threadbare as a result of our climate which varies between extreme heat and cold (large diurnal temperature range).

I've been lucky enough to have had a few morning teas at the GGs. It's a nice old place and about as historic as Canberra gets (the residence was built in 1859 but only really developed after 1901 as a regal residence).