Sunrise at Coogee

Greetings to you all !

Aren't our rugby team, The Waratahs playing well ? That should liven a few of you up..........................

Well it was time for the Sydney Children's Hospital Course in Paediatrics ( 26th ) again this week so off I went for three days of intense peppering. I looked back at my email from last year and was reminded how impressed I had been then - I was not disappointed this time either but although I probably have no right to feel this way, I was saddened by the increased number of South African Paediatricians at the Conference and by the reports that 6 more had been interviewed over the past couple of months.

Coogee is a suburb in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs and its beautiful beach shows how much more there is to Sydney than The Opera House and The Harbour Bridge. I decided to stay there this year and had a 20 minute walk to the SCH up the road in Randwick. This picture was taken on Friday morning when I found I had a bit of time unlike on Saturday morning when I was scrambling after a late night following the Course Dinner, a few drinks at the Clovelly Hotel and a 2 am visit to the notorious Coogee Bay Hotel from where we escaped unscathed.............in some respects.

During the week Bron put up her hand to coach the Under 13 Taree Tigers Boys team and they promptly won their Saturday morning game 6 - nil. Matt also played in the Under 16 game where they were soundly beaten. He had got up in the early hours to watch South Africa win the 20/20 against Australia and had his quietest Saturday afternoon on record. Jen could not repeat her heroics of the previous week and her game ended in a nil all draw.

All is well in Taree and Autumn is slowly announcing its presence.

All the best and have a great week.

With love

Dylan, Bronwyn, Matthew and Jennifer

Emergency Department

G'day

Well, it's just before midnight on Sunday and this week's picture indicates where I've spent a lot of my weekend. Sick children have not prevented us from having a good family weekend with Matt cooking our steaks on the Barbie for lunch, Jen the hat trick hero of her hockey team's 4-2 win yesterday, Matt's team going down in the Under 12 Grand Final and another fantastic 40th ( Matt and Steve )on the banks of the Manning River last night. Bron took it easy and I could have made a lot of money as a taxi driver.

Later.

The Wesleys

The Leaning Barn of Taree

G'day

I'm not sure how long this structure has been there for or for how much longer it will be able to house the water truck, hay bales and presumably other objects of importance. We discovered it on our first trip to the Taree Showgrounds this morning. The occassion was a Pet Day with Dog Shows, Horse Jumping and displays and numerous stands with things for sale - miniature pigs, rabbits, kittens, birds......................and the bits and pieces they need - Taree's version of The World of Cats and Dogs.

We have had a fair bit of news from South Africa recently - thank you. It is always exciting to hear how the current affairs of wherever you are affect you ( or not ). I must confess, with the passage of time my daily trips to South African News websites have become far less frequent but I do still maintain some current knowlege of what the media tells me ( no, not just the cricket ! ).

Summer maintains its hold over the Manning Valley and I think a trip to the beach or 9 holes of golf is called for this afternoon. We know that the seasons must be changing because Matt plays his cricket final next week and hockey is starting. In fact, with his team having reached the finals, he will miss the season opener. I thought I had timed my arrival at my first hockey practice on Wednesday perfectly but then realised that I was half an hour earlier than planned - " No worries " the serious guys said. " Join us for some fitness training. " I survived but did think that I might be seeing the inside of a NSW Ambulance at one stage.

After a busy week where
Bron managed to take care of her responsibilities and find a bit of time to relax
Jen smashed some tests and bonded even more with her beautiful pup Holly
Matt nursed his injured knee ( trampoline games last week ) to be fit in time to guide his team through a tight semifinal yesterday
I aged a few years in 15 minutes in the early hours of Thursday morning thanks to a baby who didn't adapt to life in the big wide world at all - she made it and looks pretty good neurologically so far,
we now greet you farewell. Have a fantastic week !

Dyl, Bron, Matt and Jen

Partytime

G'day
- well not so good for Bron as I'll explain....................

This week's picture shows how nicely Bron and I clean up - isn't she gorgeous ?

The occassion was our special mate Di's 40th Birthday Party. We got home at 03h30 this morning and let's just say that Bron is feeling pretty ordinary after a long night where she and her glass of bubbly were seldom apart. What a party it was and one which we will all remember for a long time!

As a follow up to last week's news, Matt returned from Sydney with one victory, one narrow defeat and two thumpings. The experience was a good one but he has always made it clear that he doesn't think that practising for hours everyday on a sport is the way to spend his life. It seems as though this is what he would have to do to be competitive. This is obviously not unique to Australia.....................

Despite feeling rather fragile this morning we fronted up to a prearranged lunch at our house with The Byrams and Knoxes. We are glad we did and had a fantastic lazy afternoon around the table. The boys played cricket, cops and robbers ( cops with tazers and robbers unarmed - not quite but not far from the truth )and generally had a ball while Jen played with Yan who is a 4th Year Medical Student doing her Paediatrics block at Manning Hospital. She earned herself some money looking after Matt and Jen while we punished ourselves last night. It was easier for her to stay over and she then gladly accepted our invitation to spend the day with us. The University of Newcastle sends Medical Students up to Taree and I really think we offer them an excellent perspective of Medicine by formal and good old fashioned bedside teaching. Bron and I think that a few meals at their friendly Paediatric Consultant's home should keep them adequately nourished through the year.

I suppose I can't avoid the cricket. All I can say is..........aren't the Aussies playing well ? The Proteas look well prepared but The Aussies just seem to be outplaying us and winning the battles that matter at the moment - like getting first innings runs and not letting us do the same. We continue to support our team and hope that the momentum can somehow shift our way again.

As the shadows lengthen and twilight approaches after what has been a very social weekend for us, best wishes for a fulfilling week.

With love

Dylan, Bronwyn ( now fully recovered ), Matt and Jen

Aquatic Centre

Greetings to you all !

I suppose you want the answers to last week's questions - very well.

Question 1.
It was me. I faced and overcame my fears, still have all my fingers and am now saving up for my very own chainsaw. How do you like the pitch, by the way?

Question 2.
Steven Bradbury is someone who despite achieving success in an unusual, flukey or accidental way has a lot of respect in Australia. He is an
ex-speedskater who won Australia's first Winter Olympic Gold Medal at Salt Lake City in 2002. His victory came about after three unlikely events. Firstly, he only progressed to the semifinals after a disqualification to a higher placed skater. Secondly, in the semi finals he was coming last but 3 skaters crashed ahead of him leaving him to claim second place which qualified him for the finals where this happened - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfQMJtilOGg . While you can't help but have a good laugh, he claimed that his Gold Medal was just reward for years of hard graft ( not to mention two serious accidents ). He knew his limitations and the unpredictability of his sport. To " do a Bradbury " has entered into the Australian vernacular and while it generally implies unlikely success it is also reserved for those who have shown passion and persistence. Not surprisingly, Steven Bradbury is now a Motivational Speaker.
As far as Nathan Hauritz is concerned, the other players are Beau Casson, Bryce McGain, Cameron White and Jason Krezja but let's not talk about cricket this week.
For the Aussie readers, Kgalema Motlanthe is South Africa's President.

Our Aquatic Centre ( pictured ) has a big indoor area which has a fun area and an 8 laned training pool ( spot the warning signs - this is Australia after all ) as well as an outdoor area with an Olympic sized pool. It also houses a well equipped gym - not that I've dared to go inside it. Jen had her Birthday Party there yesterday. Her birthday is actually today and the two of us have done movies, Maccas and DVD's. Bron and Matt left for Sydney this morning. Matt is due to play in the Combined Independent Schools Tennis Tournament / Trials at Pymble Ladies' College tomorrow. He will be representing the Hunter Region and we have absolutely no expectations as we don't know what he will be up against. Whilst the students of Pymble Ladies' College shouldn't prove to be too much of a distraction tomorrow, things will soon be different.

I often look at Bron and wonder why she always seems to be so busy. Hanging washing, doing washing, folding washing, feeding dogs etc today has reminded me why - and that's just a fraction of what she generally does. Doing all of this ourselves ( not sure that I am entitled to include myself here ) has not been a big problem and as Bron says " you just have to get on with it ".

The washing machine is beeping at me and the dogs are looking hungry so.............goodbye from Australia where people seem to be rewarded as much for what they put in as what they achieve and specifically from Murrumbong-Gillitts where our baby is now nine years old.

Dylan and Jennifer and Bronwyn and Matthew in their absence.