Favourite movies watched (2022)

• Elvis  (2022)
• Top Gun Maverick  (2022)
• King Richard  (2022)
• The Menu (2022)
• Ennio (2021)
• Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
• The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
• CODA (2021)
• The Last Seduction (1994)
• Mean Girls (2004)
• Thoroughbreds (2017)
• Tangled (2010)
• The Descent (2005)
• Palm Springs (2020)
• Fall (2010)
• The Platform (2019)
• Fresh (2022)
• Mr Nobody (2009)
• Easy A (2010)
• Exam (2009)
• Booksmart (2019)
• The Perfection (2018)
• X (2020)
• Pearl (2022)
• Triangle of Sadness (2022)
• Punch Drunk Love (2002)
• Ozark (2017 - 2022)
• Better Call Saul (2015 - 2022)
• House of the Dragon (2022 - )

Jo's birthday video

• Jo:  Thanks for making my mascara run!!!  What a beautiful video. I love it. Tears and all. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 💗💗💗💗
• Anthony watched it. Cried too.
• Mum:  I am crying too after watching your amazing video. I don’t know whether jo has seen it yet but she will also be blown away. I wrote something in her card and she will think I copied some of your words! So many similar feelings about your sister and my daughter. I know she will treasure it for ever. Everyone thought Mikaela’s  card was special but your video is mind blowing. It is incredibly special.  If you can do that for jo the cruise video should be a breeze! Xxx
• Mum:  Of course she loved. It’s a priceless treasure. Xxx
• Xenia:  I'm in awe of the video and the words.
• Aimee: Oh G!  That video for Jo is beautiful! It touched my heart so deeply. Thank you for sharing. What an amazing human being, sister, daughter, friend, mum, wife... wow.

 

From Gavin

 

Photos from Liza

 Liza sent me these wonderful photos of dear Mack.

Visiting Tina in Carcoar

Shushann and I visited Tina in Carcoar and had an idyllic few days there.

Highlights included:

• Lots of lovely, healthy food including amazing fruit salad for breakfast.
• A wonderful picnic on the grass of salad, smoked salmon and goats cheese.
• Lots of beautiful, deep conversation and plenty of laughs.
• Drawing Shushann's soul cards with probing questions.
• An invigorating swim in the dam and in Ruth's new plunge pool.
• Some really fun table tennis.
• Orgasmic short-bread chocolates.
• Getting up early to photograph Carcoar.
• Exploring the old hospital adjacent to Tina's house.
• Getting to drive Shushann's wonderful newish car.

The lovely town of Carcoar

Carcoar dam

The old hospital

Tina's home

A swim in Ruth's new plunge pool

Non fiction books read (2022)

Advaita Vedanta 

• Advaita - Tools for Spiritual Unity (Merlyn Swan)

Idealism

• Brief Peeks Beyond: Critical Essays on Metaphysics, Neuroscience, Free Will, Skepticism and Culture (Bernardo Kastrup)
• The Idea of the World: A Multi-Disciplinary Argument for the Mental Nature of Reality  Bernardo Kastrup
  
  

Challenges (2022)

Finances

• Inflation high: eating into my savings 
• Didn't invest to earn dividends 
• When invest?
• Hesitate to ask Martin to pay more rent
• Extra $2500 tax
• Obsessive index viewing & then avoiding
• Mum outgoings for Sam & Matt
• Jo verse me
• Bank: Money didn't come through for two days
• $ 25 000 for Arctic trip

Mack & Liza

• Blood test: $250
• Arctic pet sitters
• Antarctica put off telling Liza
• Liza not having him overnight
• Putting him in for a heart scan

Car

• Radiator:  Gavin saw me stressed and running.  Cost $500.
• Fine for seat belt & no registration.  $1000 plus

Home

• Getting new housemate (after Christina)
• Garden wall shifts
• Martin's room: mould, shower
• Christina's bed
• Floor stains, especially my room, Martin room
• Shower potential leaks

World events

• Ukraine war
• Novak visa debacle: Made me embarrassed to be Australian

Health

• Lump on hand and foot
• Blood in stools
• Excessive meds in blood?
• Stool sample shame
• Blood pressure high with dr
• Graeme ill with cancer
• Booster shot:  Feel crook for a day
• Sick in South Africa

Macbook Pro

• Not get 4 gig: Spend $1000 on ssd drive
• Battery: Worried only lasted few hours. Delay testing it properly.

Weight

• Weight on stomach

Cosgrove

• Having double for 3 months, get known?

Xenia mum

• Angry, making her have tube in stomach. 
• Xenia upset she in hospital, still not sure if she wants her to recover.

Antarctica  (false start)

• Mack and Liza. Say yes to Gavin?  Lose his respect?
• Renew passport: get back in time?
• My photography good enough
• Cosgrove: Need meds early, will be able to get appointment before meds run out.

Antarctica  (2023)

• Unhappy I must pay $2000 for Richard and my cabin. Eventually have it out with Gavin.

Before Arctic

• Dark night of soul: camera.  Next day hiking with old camera.
• Anxious not up for it.
• Spent 20,000 and more.
• Gavin says do research.
• Body corporate: shower and concrete leak. 
• Martin’s room ceiling and shower.
• Richard not like Canon 90d (photography business so in the know)

In Arctic

• Richard not bring camera
• Risk of running out of meds. Stress of Longyearbyen: will be able to get ?  Terrible day of 5 - extreme fatigue and stress.
• With lessons on zodiac, unable to photograph
• Customs in Oslo leaving - not realize passport.
• Strike delay effect on Liza. 
• Norway customs especially coming home. 

Flight to Cape Town

• 1 hour in Cape Town, worried not enough. Actually brilliant.

Wisdom Trove

• Google algorithm cause 75% reduction in traffic.
• Wordpress & Plugins need upgrading but hesitating

Feedback from my Arctic video

Mack - priceless memories and moments

To live in this world you must be able to do three things: to love what is mortal; to hold it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it; and, when the time comes to let it go, to let it go.  Mary Oliver

Walks 

• Trotting when walk, tail up 
• Pee on bushes 
• Run up to dog, then ignore it. 
• Ages on lead, pulls back assertively 
• pull back on lead, ages to walk 
• Refuse to go, stop 
• Girl. Quick to scream.  
• smell at length with all being 
• Zen, in the moment 
• Walking him Balls Head, Waverton, Brenner Park 
• Social at park. 

Games

• Demon doggie - growl, pull, shake head 
• Love of ball.  Running for ball 
• Panting steam train. 
• Party - kids throw ball. 
• Wrestle. Bite but not hurt .
• Chase after dogs, racing.  

Stories

• Jump onto bed - mum 
• Run after blondes at park. 
• Liza and doggie flap. 
• Sudden leap onto lap.  
• Perched on pillow after book from Craig. 
• Liza finds Mack after runs away. 
• Meditation bell 
• Plastic in poo 
• Jumped up to smell bottom.  
• Ears. Keyring. 
• Girl in bikini. 

Loving

• Licking my neck 
• Lie behind knees 
• Murmurings of pleasure 
• Yip. Yip. Yip. When dream.  
• Ally and me - between 
• Snore 
• Leaps onto lap unexpectedly 
• Meditation, lie on chest, paw me to come up 
• Head onto body or paw.  
• Ears up.  
• Pure pleasure when stroke tummy, eyes closed, fang out. Would pur.  
• Sudden lick face 
• Want to come on lap. 

Mannerisms

• Ears up, look into distance 
• Lick his lips and nose 
• Break in with computer 
• Tail - mood shower 
• Hackles up, chest out. Stance.  
• Broad chest  
• Grouchy snap with puppies.  
• Nose up on covers. To get under.  
• Frantic scratching of ears 
• Scratch himself using bed 
• Wrestle.  
• High pitched bark, doorbell. 
• Greeting when been away. 
• Onto my lap. 
• Pore at me when want come up. 
• Leap into car. 
• Shake after pet 

Loves

• Playing 
• Connects to people in neighbourhood. Lots of interactions.  
• Swimming. 
• Massages, cuddles.Love of sleeping. 
• Different moods.  
• Beg to play. 
• Love of sun, lie in sunbeam, go onto balcony 
• Love of heater 
• Real chicken 

Not so happy

• Grass seed in neck. 
• Vet - unhappy. 
• Kennel - photos. 
• Fussy eating. 
• Cower when pick up 
• Vacuum. 
• Nightmares, wimping 
• Hang dog if tone. Sensitive.  
• Screech. Others lifted.  

Rituals

• Run up to room when Liza drops off. 
• Re-united after hols. 

Experiences 

• Forrester 
• Blue Mountains 
• Lake with Doug 
• Manly 
• Farmers market. 
• Bark at park 
• Chiefy's birthday park 
• Beach with Lizzie

People

• Run up to women after Ally. 
• How loved Ally. 
• Loved people special to me, Jo, Mum, Chrisel, Dani, Ally. 
• Pick ups from Liza, swop stories 
• Lizzy and Gem.  Connection with Liza. 
• Use in profile pics. 
• James 
• Knows cars  

2022 Highlights

Carcoar twice, The Arctic, Cape Town

Priceless moments

• A weekend away in Alpine with beautiful people.
• Table tennis with Chris.
• Camping at Dunns Swamp with Elna and others.
• Canyoning with Srini and John and conquering my fears when we navigated a knife-edged cliff.
• Conquering my fear of heights again by leaping from a high cliff at Mermaid Falls.
• The Grand Canyon and Centennial Glen after the rain.
• Some great hikes with the boys including Bungonia National Park Red Track, Gardens of Stone, Wolgan Valley, Bonnum Pic trail and Corang Arch in the Buddawang.
• Practicing my new Canon R5 camera at Taronga Zoo and be amazed by its extraordinary eye detection. 
• The experience of a lifetime in the The Arctic (Svalbard). Eye dropping scenery from zodiacs and shore landings.  Close encounters with great white bears and amazing birds.  
• My photos of The Arctic featured in the New York Post.
• Being inspired to get back into bird photography at Barton Park.
• My gratitude expressed to Michael for his generous gift that allowed me to get the Canon R5.
• Lunch with Michael and Sue's friends.
• Jo graduates as a Zoe Project birth companion.
• Hiking to Ystervark Grot at Silvermine with Russell and Brandon and squeezing ourselves through narrow cave passages to reach larger caverns.
• Squeezing through the Wolfberg Cracks in The Cedarberg with Russell to ascend the mountains to spend the night at the spectacular Wolfberg Arch.
• Birding photography at Rondevlei where, to my absolute delight, I got photos of mating malachite kingfisher.
• Thousands of flamingoes at Strandfontein Sewerage Works.
• Getting photos of sunbirds and sugarbirds at Kirstenbosch during two vists.
• Photos of a Paradise flychatcher on its nest in the Greenbelt.
• A stunning hike with Russell and Jo in the mountains in Hout Bay.
• Listening to the Ndlovu Choir and being moved to tears.
• Doing a video tribute for Jo's 50th birthday and for Elna's 50th birthday.
• Planning our Antarctica trip for March 2023 with Aurora.
• Sitting & Being at the park with Mack.
• Visiting Tina in in Carcoar in January and  also spending Xmas with the family.
• A really fun New Year's party at my place, and going off to watch fireworks from a good spot, thanks to me pitching a tent there earlier in the day.

Not so great

• Mike has a heart attack. He recovered but it really took it out of him.
• My Wisdom Trove visitors keep going up, but then plummet in October after Google changes its algorithm.

Culinary delights

• Portuguese Charcoal chicken with Srini after hike
• Messina icecream
• Jo's coffee and rum & raisin icecream
• Thick chocolate milkshake in Cape Town
• Eat Greek prawn wrap after Coastal Track walk
• Cape Town meat & fish: Cattlebaron steak, Ocean Basket, Ribs at market
• Xmas feasts: Ruth: Duck, pork belly, chicken, amazing potato bake Xmas day at Shalow: Lemon curd trifle, turkey

Purchases

• Canon R5 with 100 - 500 lens.
• Air Fryer
• iPhone 14
• Air tags

Favourite movies

• Top Gun Maverick  (2022) (*)
• King Richard  (2022)  (*)
• The Menu (2022)  (*)
• Ennio, The Maestro (2022)   (*)
• The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
• CODA (2021)
• Thoroughbreds (2017)
• The Descent (2005)
• Palm Springs (2020)
• Fall (2010)
• The Platform (2019)
• Mr Nobody (2009)
• Easy A (2010)
• Booksmart (2019)
• The Perfection (2018)
• The Banshees Of Inisherin (2022)
• Triangle of Sadness (2022)
• Ozark
• Better Call Saul

---

2022 Index of Links

Cape Town   (Oct)     All posts 

Arrival

• Flight to South Africa
• Reunion with the family

Hikes & Walks

• Hout Bay hike   (Jo and Russell)
• Silvermine hiking to Muizenberg peak   (Jo)
• Llandudno rock hopping   (Russell)
• Hike in the mist at Silvermine   (Jo)
• Hike to Ystervark Grot at Silvermine  (Russell)
• Wolfberg Cracks and Arch in The Cedarberg  (Russell)
• Greenbelt walk   (Jo and Sam)
• Walk at Groot Constantia  (Jo)
• Constantia Nek to Kirstenbosch  (Jo)
• Walk in The Hel  (Russell)
• Walk Muzenberg to St James  (Jo)
• Eagle's Nest (Russell)
• St James to Muizenberg to Kalk Bay  (Jo)

Birding

• Constantia Nek to Kirstenbosch  (Jo)
• Rondevlei
• Kirstenbosch revisted
• Mating malachite kingfishers at Rondevlei
• Flychatcher in The Greenbelt
• Intaka Island
• Strandfontein Sewerage Works

Outings

• Camps Bay 
• Ndlovu Choir

Get togethers

• Llandudno sundowners (Russell)
• Get together with hardcore hiking club
• Pub Quiz
• Learning to paint rocks
• Constantia market with Russell and Heather

Meals

• Fishhoek and Simons Town for lunch  (Jo, Mum, Mike)
• Dinner at Woodside
• Cattle Baron with family
• Ocean Basket
• Lunch in the garden with the family

Arctic trip   (Jul)    Overview     All posts       Video

Getting ready

• Researching content for our Arctic lessons
• Getting my photography juices flowing for the Arctic
• Arctic farewell picnic

Getting there

• Building team spirit in Singapore on the way to the Arctic
• Singapore to Oslo
• Arriving in Longyearbyen, gateway to the Arctic

In the Arctic

• Introducing the star of our Arctic expedition: The Greg Mortimer
• Exploring the Arctic by zodiac
• Exploring the Arctic through landings on shore
• Arctic scenery that took our breath away
• A wonder world of sea ice just 1100 km from the north pole
• Close encounters with great white bears
• Other animals we saw in the Arctic
• Birds we saw in the Arctic
• Creating video lessons on location in The Arctic

Getting home

• A long and very winding road

Home

• Our Arctic trip in the news
• Planning our Antarctica trip for March 2023 with Aurora

Journals

• Journal of our Arctic adventure (written by Tanya)
• Journal of our Arctic adventure (written by Aurora Expeditions)

 

Weekend away

• Visit Tina in Carcoar for a family Xmas (Dec)
• Weekend away in Alpine  (Mar)
• Camping at Dunns Swamp (Jan)
• Visit Tina in Carcoar (Jan)

 

Hiking     (23 hikes)

• Silvermine hiking to Muizenberg peak   (Oct)
• Llandudno rock hopping   (Oct)
• Hike in the mist at Silvermine   (Oct)
• Hike to Ystervark Grot at Silvermine  (Oct)
• Wolfberg Cracks and Arch in The Cedarberg  (Oct)
• Hout Bay hike   (Jo and Russell)
• Another Colo River hike with Srini and Rajesh (Sep)
• Colo River hike with Srini and Rajesh (Sep)
• 2 hikes in The Arctic
• Nattai outlook hike  (Jun)
• Gardens of Stone, Wolgan Valley (May)
• Nattai river hike (May)
• Corang Arch, Buddawang (May)
• Pierce's Pass  (May)
• Bonnum Pic trail (Apr)
• Berowra to Hornsby (Mar)
• Royal National Park Garie Beach to Eagle Rock (Mar)
• The Grand Canyon and Centennial Glen after the rain (Mar)
• Uloola Track  (Feb)
• Bungonia National Park Red Track (Feb)
• Mermaid Falls leaping  (Feb)
• Canyoning with Srini and John (Jan)

Walking

• Stroll at Coogee with Shushann & Lydia  (Dec)
• Walk to Balmoral with Sharon, Elwin, Stewart, Lydia, Shushann  (Dec)
• Berry Island and Balls Head with Shushann  (Nov)
• Greenbelt walk   (Oct)
• Walk at Groot Constantia  (Oct)
• Constantia Nek to Kirstenbosch  (Oct)
• Walk in The Hel  (Oct)
• Walk Muzenberg to St James  (Oct)
• Eagle's Nest (Oct)
• St James to Muizenberg to Kalk Bay  (Oct)
• Fishhoek and Simons Town for lunch  (Oct)
• Newport to Whale Beach with Sharon, Shushann and Lydia (Apr)
• Walk with Srini along the coast near Cronulla (Apr)
• Le Perouse walk with Elna and the boys (Apr)
• Malabar Headland with Shushann (Jan)

Photography outings

• Sculptures by the Sea (Nov)
• Taronga zoo practicing for Arctic with new camera  (Jun)
• Vivid  (Jun)
• Redfern   (Feb)

Birding outings

• Strandfontein Sewerage Works (Oct)
• Kirstenbosch (Oct)
• Rondevlei  (Oct)
• Flychatcher in The Greenbelt (Oct)
• Kirstenbosch revisted (Oct)
• Mating malachite kingfishers at Rondevlei (Oct)
• Intaka Island (Oct)
• Barton Park (Sep)
• The Arctic (Jul)

Spiritual

• Sit & Be at the park with Mackie (Nov, Dec)
• Yoga day with Elwin and Sharon (Apr)

Shows and concerts

• Ndlovu Choir (Oct)
• Music festival at Marickville with Elna  (Nov)

Cinema

• Top Gun Maverick  (May)

Visits to Jilly

• Visit Jilly in Bowral (Nov)
• Bowral to visit Jilly (May)
• Bowral to visit Jilly (Apr)

Birthdays

• Mack turns 18  (Nov)
• Chris birthday at The Botanica (Sep)
• My 52nd birthday (Sep)
• Elna's 50th birthday Indian dinner (Aug)
• Birthday tribute video for Elna (Aug)
• Jo's 50th birthday including my tribute video (May)
• Anusha's birthday party (May)
• Mum's 75th birthday (Feb)
• Krissula's birthday lunch  (Jan)

Parties

• A really fun New Year's party at my place  (Dec)
• Annual Xmas party at Gavin & Tanya (Dec)

Eating out

• Elna's 50th birthday Indian dinner (Aug)
• Lunch with Michael and Sue's friends  (Nov)
• The Flying Bear with Chris (Sep)
• Lunch with Chris at Thelma & Louise (Mar)
• Dinner at Gavin and Tanya (Mar)
• Krissula's birthday lunch  (Jan)

Being active

• A swim at Bronte with Gavin & Tanya (Dec)
• Being a kid again at the park (Dec)
• Yoga day with Elwin and Sharon (Apr)
• Table tennis with Chris (Feb)

Catch ups with friends

• Ball's Head with Xenia  (Dec)
• Manly with Elna (Aug)
• Catch up with Roger (Mar)

Family

• Dinner at Woodside (Oct)
• Cattle Baron with family (Oct)
• Lunch in the garden with the family  (Oct)
• Mack turns 18  (Nov)
• My 52nd birthday (Sep)
• Jo's 50th birthday including my tribute video (May)
• Jo graduates as a Zoe Project birth companion (May)
• Jo delivering babies (Mar)
• Mum's 75th birthday (Feb)
• Matt gets 5 A's for matric (Jan)
• Jo and the family in 2022

Related

• My spiritual journey (2022)