BATHROOM RENOVATIONS

We decided earlier this year that we would upgrade our main bathroom as it was showing it age. Phil had spent time working with a friend in Darwin and felt confident that he could do the work. Last Sunday he started removing the bath, all the old tiles and the shower screen and the floor tiles. What a mess it took ages to vacuum up. On Monday he renewed the cement sheet on the walls of the shower and painted them with sealer. Over the next few weeks he will tile the walls and then put in the new shower and put the bath back, then do the floor.

STILL HERE

Haven't been blogging for awhile but need to get back into the habit. Since my last entry I have had a birthday which was very enjoyable. Went out for dinner and as it was St Patricks day enjoyed some great entertainment.

Have managed to have a short trip away in our caravan to Warrnambool and look forward to getting away later in the year. I suppose the biggest event was our trip to Canada and Alaska which was just fantastic. Although we were flying for about 28 hours i.e. Melbourne - Auckland 5 hours with a 3 hour layover. From there to LA 12 hours, then another layover for 4 hours, then a 3 hour trip to Vancouver it was worth it. We had a spare day in Vancouver so headed off to Whistler to have a look at where the winter olympics where held. A very pretty place and our first chance to see snow capped mountains which were to become quite a familiar sight for the next 8 days.

Our cruise up the inside passage was wonderful, the scenery so breathtaking and the thing we noticed the most was how clean everywhere we went was. The weather was perfect about 14deg c and clear blue skies, the only rain we had lasted about 1 hour in the morning. We saw glaciers, spectular mountains covered in snow, went whale watching, toured a disused mine, went on a fantastic train trip at Skagway into Canada (the original route to the Yukon) and on our final day did a half day cruise at Seward before busing it back to Anchorage. We fly back to LA late that night and had two days there before heading home. We enjoyed the cruise and met some lovely people as usual. We even won the final of the trivia contest with a couple we met and spent time with. All in all a very good trip.

CRUISING ALASKA

ALASKA HERE WE COME

We have just booked ourselves on this cruise for May this year. We were not planning on going overseas this year but the cost of this cruise was so good we decided we would go hang the expense. It will be a long trip just to get to Vancouver but will have a stopover there before we board the cruise and the same on the way home we have a day's stopover in L.A. The cruise ends at Seward and we will be catching the train to Anchorage to catch our flight back to L.A. Although we would have liked to spend time in Vancouver unfortunately the time frame doesn't allow us enough time to spend more than a day there.

BALLOONING

OUR BALLOON FLIGHT

For my 60th the Clark's gave me a balloon flight. Early in December I booked the flight and one for Phil (his Christmas present). We had to be up at 3.30am to check in that the flight was happening and then be at the Hilton on the Park by 5.30am. Once we had checked in and everyone had arrived we were taken to Burnley Park were we launched from. The morning was calm not a breath of wind as we rose into the predawn sky. Must say it was one of the most exciting things we have done and to watch the sunrise over the city was beautiful.

We landed back at Essendon airport and after we had helped to pack up the balloon we headed back into the city to the Hilton for breakfast which was something else. What ever you thought you fancied for breakfast was available. Needless to say we over ate but it was worth it.

Thank you Trish for the great present.

ROCK CLIMBING

JORDJA ROCK CLIMBING

I went with Byron when he took Jordja to the indoor climbing centre to have a go at rock climbing. Must admit it was an interesting morning. I have never been to one of these centres and was quite fascinated at how many walls were available to climb from very easy to extremely difficult. Jordja was fitted out with her harness and then Byron was geared up to have control over the ropes so that he could lower her down or if she came away from the wall stop her from falling. At first she was a bit hesitant but once she realised that she could'nt fall she was off climbing almost to the top of the wall by the end of the morning. For such alittle thing she managed to scale great heights.

CARAVAN PHOTOS

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year to everyone. Have been very slack the last few months but now that I am retired will have to make an effort to keep up to date with happenings in the Hercus household.

The biggest news besides my retirement is that we have bought ourselves a caravan and hopefully will be off in early February on our first adventure. Will post photos of the van as soon as I download them.

We all had a very quiet Christmas spent with family. Santa was good to all and everyone was pleased with their pressies. Ben & Mel got a Wii and must say we had fun playing games on it especially the tenpin bowling. But as I said to Phil no point us getting one we wouldn't use if enough.

Have managed to read several books since Christmas, Val McDermids latest, followed by Sue Graftons new book and then Peter Temple"s new one and am now reading Michael Connelly's Nine Dragons and then will have to raid Trish's pile of new books so see what she has that I haven'nt already read.

Dearne & Bill were over from Tassie for the festive season and we manage to catch up with them both for lunch and the Dearne & I had a girly day to ourselves before they went home.