Hello Mr Drive-In

Several months ago as I was driving Sam home from her 21st present, she told me what I would need to do for her present to me. Which was basically just keep a night free, well with uni over for the year, I thought last night was a perfect night to take her up on the offer. I was then told that we had to be there are 6:30pm and it would take about 1hr to get there, so I sat and thought “I wonder what she has planned?”. On Monday when we were chatting Sam told me that I could wear whatever I wanted as there was no dress code. This got me thinking more and then the rest of the family popped in with suggestions as to what we could be doing. They ranged from going to the beach for Fish and Chips, actually only going 5mins down the road because Sam told me 1hr to confuse me, not actually going anywhere but just cruising the streets in Sam’s little Festiva or going to the Yatala Twin Drive-In.

My last guess was what we ended up doing. Many many months ago Sam and I were chatting and it came up that I have never gone to a Drive-In and she filed that little piece of information away for a later date :). Before we made the drive down we stocked up on a variety of different sugar sources to ensure that we would have a night of sugar induced hysterics, which we did of course end up having.

We were unsure of what the traffic would be like on the way down so we left a bit early and ended up having a long snack stop at Yatala Pies waiting for 6:30 to come around which is when the gates opened. We were both unsure how many people would be there since it was a Tuesday night and were quite surprised at how quickly the place filled up. The first movie we watched was Borat which was a total crack up and then A Good Year which was a decent yarn. Then it was home time and we cruised back up the M1 home with plans of future road trips we should do. Thanks Sam for a fantastic 21st present πŸ™‚

good to graduate

Well final marks came out the other day and all my fears of failing a subject in my last semester were quashed as I passed all my subjects remarkably well. This all means that my graduation status now says approved so in 2.5 weeks I will get a piece of paper that says I can now enter the real world πŸ™‚

It also means that I need to get kicking on my graduation dress as otherwise I will have nothing to wear underneath my robes πŸ™‚

Sunset 21 is coming

In just nine days I will be hosting the biggest event of my life to date. Yep the 21st birthday party, much more classier than the 18th party because in those three years we have all matured a lot. In those nine days I have a lot left to do. Finalise the menu, start cooking, prepare the decorations and music and other little things. Though I don’t want to go into much detail before the event so those of you are coming are still suprised, it is shaping up to be a great night. Sunset 21 is the name I have given the party as we will be having dinner during sunset and it is for my 21st πŸ™‚

In between all of this I have been applying for jobs all over the country, working on my graduation dress with Mum, picking up extra shifts at work, working on a quilt and bludging as needed.

Oh and of course watching/listening to the cricket. It is day 2 of the first Ashes test and it’s looking for Australia at the moment. I am not a big sports fan but as I wander past the living room I will sit down on the couch and watch a couple of balls. It is also great seeing what The Fanatics and the Barmy Army are getting up to in showing their support for Australia and England respectively.

Varekai

We had the most fantastic night last night! Eyes darting all over the scene in front of us, our ears enchanted by the music, laughing at the antics of the clowns, smiling as the artists performed in the aisle in front of us, whispering and pointing as we spot artists appearing in different locations, playing with the masks in the shop and just absorbing the Cirque atmosphere.

We went Cirque du Soleil last night to see our fourth tour – Varekai (well forth for Mum and Matthew, the third for me) and oh what a magical show it was. Mum had got us the best seats, we were twelve rows back and smack bang in the middle, everything was laid out in front of us! Those seats were fantastic! Apart from Mum, Matthew and I, Grandad and one of my best friends Sam also came along.

One of the great things about this show is that there is a local boy(man) in the show, Steven Bishop and his assistant had the us holding our sides as their clowning antics sent us into fits of laughter.

Once again we were mesmerised by the costumes and make-up and would love to be able to see all the costumes close up and feel the beauty in them.

Now I really want to find a way to go to Las Vegas for the night so I can see the LOVE show as how could you top the music of the Beatles with the artistry of Cirque du Soleil?

Pumicestone Passage Kayaking

Mum and I had the most enjoyable weekend away. Though in saying that on Sunday arvo we were well and truly buggered. We were lucky to have the tide running with us on our way up to Mission Point on Saturday morning but returning on Sunday was a different story. It was just a matter of keeping paddling and setting a point ahead of you to reach. I don’t know about Mum but I know I spent a fair bit of the way home after lunch on Sunday just counting my paddle strokes up to 100 and then starting again. On Sunday arvo I think I was more than happy to never set foot in a kayak again as I just ached all over but when I woke up on Monday still slightly sore I was just about ready to jump back in the kayak and do it all again. Though I still reckon a little outboard on the back would be handy at times or perhaps just a sail.

One bad/good thing that came out of the weekend was the realisation that I really need to see someone about my feet as they constantly ached from using and resting them on the rudder peddles and now two days later they are still burning and I can only get some respite by wearing my Teva thongs which I have done 24/7 since getting home. Although I am all for getting a double feet transplant though I don’t think they do them yet. mmmm.

The weather was just magical, sunshiney days and a mild evening with not too many mozzies about. Spotting sting-rays, turtles, fish, sea cucumbers and various birds of prey in the water, the sky overhead and on the bank was great fun. As well as just chatting with the rest of the group or absorbing what people were saying.

All up we paddled about 50km which was a large step up from our previous paddling trips and was good training for a proposed trip next year of paddling across Moreton Bay across to either North Straddie or Moreton Island and then back.

And now all you are really after, which is of course the photos :).
Paddle!resting
Looking North
Shell and Sand
The Glasshouses
Hello Mr Web
Camp
Mangrove Helen Nest
Morning tea break
The Blue Dagger Pelicanus conspicillatus Mum exploring
Mum and I

Kayaking away

Well I did my last exam today πŸ™‚ Now I just have to wait to get all my results back and graduate πŸ™‚

Mum and I are going away for the weekend with NPAQ, to spend some time sea-kayaking the Pumistone Passage from the Bongaree boat ramp at one end of Bribie Island up to Mission Point for lunch and setting up camp before further exploring the passage in the afternoon.

It is shaping up to be a fantastic weekend away, well apart from the 99.9% certainty of been eaten alive by sandflies and mozzies no matter how much DEET you have on.

This shows the general Bribie area.

Anyway time for bed as we have early start in the morning and I can’t wait πŸ™‚