Up at 7am this morning. Heavy frost on the ground. Looks like it has been snowing. It was 2 degrees outside when I got up. The fire managed to keep some coals from the night before so was easy to light. I also put on the AC in the rooms.

Cool start to the morning. Lovely crisp day. Had a bit of an issue with the toilet in the shed. It kept running so decided to try to take off the cistern lid. To no avail! What a stupid toilet! After 30 minutes and three phone calls got the bugger open. Only to find a small set of eyes peering at us. The toilet frog back.

Once Charlotte finished squealing the dam toilet kept running. With a little poking and prodding I quickly realized that there was ANOTHER huge frog blocking the cistern arm from working. He was extracted and then bel and I released them both down at the creek crossing.

Well after what was supposed to be a early arrival we didn’t make it up here until 5:30pm, Bel got stuck at work. We were racing the light. From the top of the Mt at 13 degrees it quickly dropped to 7 degrees when we arrived.

The girls got in their huge wooly pink jackets, both a bit crook, and we unpacked the car. Bought a pod for the roof of the car. Saved a heap of space, just a bugger to unload.

There was also a dead and ripped apart wallaby at the foot of the hill in front of the house. Didn’t get a good look but will have a squiz in the morning.

Girls in bed and fire on. It is dam cold!

Quite day. Kids playing on the kids Gator. Dad and James pulled a few trees out of the creek. John used the Gator to collect fire wood and stack. Michelle and Hugo went to Cessnock whilst Rob made Ditmars onion soup.

Dad and James were late for lunch. After onion soup we decided we needed more sustenance so bangers on the barbie. After four bottles of wine and a plethora of sausages we are doing cross words around the table.

After the visit to the Yurt we came home for lunh of hamburgers. Everyone peeled off to do their own thing. Sophie, Michelle and Hugo went for a walk to fairy land and the dam. Dad, guy and James got out the chainsaws and gator and built a very large bongo fire between the rocks. I slept in the hammock.

Bel and I went for a quick ride up to the end of the valley.

Rob and I started preparing dinner of Roast Chicken whilst James et al lit the fire. Bloody huge.

Kids had pizza for dinner down by the fire then back to bed. Dinner was good, chooks cooked perfectly. Then to bed and watched “Red”.

Good movie about washed up CIA operatives in their last ditch effort to trams down the person behind kill orders on them all. Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malcovitch and Hellen Mirum. B rate action flick but funny.

Slow start to the day. Needless to say didn’t go for a ride. James made (heated up) hot cross buns and tea.

Then we all went for a walk to the Yurt. Looks amazing.

Dinner was red curry prawns. Very nice. Somehow some chillies and chilli paste made it in there. Don’t know how that happened.

Copious amounts of wine later and there was a dance party happening. Rob was concerned we would go thru the floor. Kids then went to bed and the Yango Jenga championships took place. Don’t recall the winner or going to bed!

Girls were up about 7 am again. I went for a ride. Did the “Mad Epic” in reverse. Wasn’t a good idea. The first 10km were all up hill. Dam near killed me and nearly puked!

Didn’t see much wild life, guess due to my cursing and bellowing puffs. Saw a huge black cockatoo, small snake on the road, heaps of wallabies and black boys everywhere!

Made it to the top of the Trig station. At least it was all down hill from here.

Gorgeous view, but to be honest I spent more time chasing away death due to coronary.

Great run down the hill. Got up some good speed.

Finished Cycle: 21/04/2011 10:37:04 AM
Route: Boree Track Reverse
Shortened Google Maps URL: http://j.mp/e7CPaX
Ride Time: 2:15:59
Distance: 33.35 km
Average: 14.71 km/h
Fastest Speed: 52.28 km/h
Ascent: 643 meters
Calories: 1271

Well at least I worked off the previous nights calories.

Girls were coloring in when I got back.

Dad arrived at about midday, we made some lunch then he and Charlotte went into Cessnock for seed and to rebuy all the ingredients for bels ANZAC bikkies.

Sophie and I went for ANOTHER walk to fairy land and took he camera to take photos for news next term.

Bel went for a ride to be end of the valley. Best time so far.

The gaggle are due to arrive any minute. It’s now 3:36pm on Thursday.

And I’m in the hammock!

James and mum arrived in unison with Dad and Charlotte from cessnock at 3:53.

Overcast morning from a chilly night. Girls got up about 7am as we put a clock in their room and said not to get up before 7.

Been drizzling all morning. Enough to keep you in doors. Heaps of wallabies on each flat. Reading The Hobbit on the iPad as bel reads her TM’s.

Just had lunch of toasted Turkish bread with ham and cheese. Not very exciting but the girls knocked it off.

Raining again! Now what to do?

We all went for a walk to fairy land and saw some council workers lopping the branches off trees up behind the old sheds. They didn’t seem to concerned about damaging the steel/cuff fence. All ok but could have cleared it better.

Made chicken schnitzel with sour dough bread crumbs and mash potatoes. Was good. Love his stove. Had a bottle of the trusty Pikes Riesling 2010. Cracker.

Girls went to bed and watched a movie as did we. Saw ” the town”. Cops and bank robbers movie based in Boston. Ben Afleck was in it and was quite good.

Went to sleep about 11 with sounds behind the house of large animals. Think it was wallabies.

Huge full moon, flog rolling in and 12 degrees out side. The fires on!

John, Bel, Charlotte and Sophie arrived up today at 3:15. Wallabies galore on both flats and the boys were up by the old sheds. After unpacking the car and fretting that the prawns had defrosted we loaded the fridge. Quickly realizing that I didn’t have a key to the shed.

After forcing the padlock with a key that looked like it fit we were in.

Had afternoon tea and then head to the veggie patch. Looks like there has been 45mm of rain in the past 8 days and the veggie patch looked a little worse for wear. Fruit flies and a few pumpkins looking like they were rotting.

Back at the house, swept the rooms, cleaned the bathroom, made the beds and now playing games before dinner of hamburgers.