Lovely morning. Cool but warmed up quickly. Had scrambled eggs, bacon and Salmon for brekkie. Then Bel and I with the girls went for a walk up the creek.

Nice big holes in the creek and a lot of erosion. Surprised that the creek crossing held up. Is fine and dandy.

Before lunch we replanted the veggie patch with mum and dad. Sophie and Charlotte a great (not really) help. Pulled some lettuce out. There is also some rhubarb to pull out. That will be bels job.

Lunch was Turkish bread sandwiches. Nothing too flash. Then Dad, Charlotte and myself headed off in the gator to cut up a couple of trees up the top. Charlotte was a good help in dishing out instructions and letting us know how far she could throw a stick! Very productive.

We then set a fire in the fire pit near the yards before dinner. Bel made a roast dinner with chocolate and peanut butter fondant. Can already feel the calories! Was tops.

Mum and Dad brought Sophie up on the Friday. Torrential rain on the Friday and Saturday. Charlotte, Bel and I arrived yesterday at 6:45. Was a very misty and slow ride up.

We had a Japanese beef soup dish for dinner. Very nice, should have taken a picture. Recipe below. Early night to bed, quite a cool evening.

Woke up at 5am, dawn just breaking for a ride. Planned to do the same route I did on Tuesday. Down to fonzies, around boree then into Wollombi and back.

Knees felt good so managed to do the boree track in 1:40. A bit quicker than Tuesday. Then the whole route was done in 2:40 compared to 2:50 on Tuesday. Happy with that.

Came home, had brekkie and mowed the front lawn. Then made the terrible decision to relocate the dead wallaby from the creek.

Char and I then towed it on the gator to be right a bit. Very smelly.

Made pizza for lunch now packing up in the 35degree heat to head home.

Well had a top sleep in…. If you can count two little ladies flapping in your ears. The power was due to go out at 8:30am for “scheduled works”. Got out of bed at 8am, saw the trucks in the ridge….. Then it was a race against time.

Breakfast, toilet, shower and washing up done in 30 minutes then on the DOT of 8:30 the power was gone. Hung around playing cards and reading the we headed off to the Wollombi taven for some lunch.

Bel and I had hamburgers and the girls had pies. Headed home the back way to show the girls some baby swans I had seen on my ride. Very cute.

Came home to the power on. Girls made cubby houses and I ha d a sleep. Made red chicken curry for dinner and put the fire pit on so they could cook marshmallows.

Dinner done, all three girls in bed by 8pm and I’m writing this!!! Tea and a movie then bed. Might go for a ride in the morning. Little easier as the day breaks at 5am.

Did Absolutly nothing! Woke up late and made the clan scrambled eggs and bacon for brekkie. Played “mermaid beach” and “quirkle” with the girls.

No sign of the dog today. Went for a walk up the valley with my girls and came home to make dinner. I mean REALLY did nothing. Bel made a roast leg of lamb for dinner hen off to bed. Oh yeh did have a nice bottle of bubbles though.

Woke up at 5am ready for a ride. Sun was up early. As I was getting ready to go saw the hound again crossing from the flat beside the round yard across the creek. Took off after him to no avail.

Char was super keen to get her presents at 6am but told her she could get them after my ride. Went off towards fonzies crossing then up boree track. Stacks of snake trails in the sand. Was a good time. Did the loop from crossing to front gate in 1:45. A good 15 min quicker than last time.

Decided I needed some more KM under the belt so headed into Wollombi. Both left and right knees were playing up but went on. Got home to the girls playing cards in their PJ’s. took just under 3 hours for the 60km.

View from Finchley Trig station

We had scrambled eggs for brekkie and Charlotte opened her presents. She got heelies shoes, crystal growing kit, new sports watch and something else i have already forgotten.

Made hamburgers for lunch, charlottes request, then took a snap. Woke up to char yellin that the dog was back. Went out for 45 min till dark but didn’t see him. Came back and made baked salmon with spuds and brocollini. Char had her cake then off to bed.

Kate and I made “first breakfast” of pancakes whilst the kids played.

Dave had then made second breakfast of eggs!!!

Moderately early start to the day. Mist in the valley, horses by the side fence. Staggered start to breakfast, Kate and Cal went for a run up the valley. Girls were watching ipads.

I went for a ride on the new bike around finchly track. Started from Fonzs crossing. Was dam cold and I forgot how long that first climb is. Deadset killer. Only saw two cars halfway round and no real animals to report.

Last time did it in 2hrs 15, his time 1hr 53. So a good 22minutes faster. Guessing I dordled on the first one or spent time working out the correct way. Hard yards but made it.

The others had walked up the eagles nest. When I got back put the ovens on for pizza and beer!!!

Bel, Kate and Cal went for a ride up the valley whilst the girls, Dave and myself set up the camp fire on the flat. Spent a little time down there then came up for Kate’s roast chicken. Very nice, had it with an old brookland valley reserve 2003 Chardonnay. Bit old but did the trick.

Then early bed.

Friday!! Bel went into Wollombi to get some ingredients for the rhubarb crumble. The girls and I used the gator to collect wood.

Watson’s arrived around lunch time and settled in. We had hamburgers for lunch and a few beers.

Dave, Kate, and Bel went for a walk up to dead horse gully past the yurt. The neighbours were up with friends and motorbikes. Tad noisy.

The kids and I went to fairly land then the parents joined us.

Dad had his bongo fire set up, so we felt obliged to light it. Went up like the proverbial house on fire. Had the slow cooker on in the morning, shanks. Kids had carbonara.

Few drinks then off to bed.

Arrived up on Thursday afternoon. Creek was up and weather was great. The Watson’s are to join us on the Friday. Everyone looking forward to it.

Made chicken and flat bread for dinner. Early night. Set up dads new fire pit.

Horses ok and everything fine.