The dance must go on, and on, and on..

The girl’s dance shows are still dictating what we all do most weekends. Their preparation for the Christmas show has already started and it’s strange to hear the festive songs when we collect them from the studio. All 3 have parts to play this year and even I was asked to contribute.....yep, twinkle Toes Dorsett was asked to provide a prominent part around which others would also perform and here it is......

Its designed to be pulled by Immi’s dance group, but I think I may have applied the “coke bottle” safety margin – it’s a 2 man lift, the caster wheels will take a total of 250kg and the V8 engine puts out 190BHP........joking, it’s a straight 4. I am a little bit worried about the kids charging onto stage with this thing following and then stopping, to only be flattened 2 seconds later by an unstoppable sleigh!...note to self: take video camera to the show.

Today, Katie again performed with her dance troupe at the Raiders (Canberra’s Rugby League Team) match. It was a big game for the club with plenty of television coverage, so it was great to see that the troop made it onto prime foxtel (Sky) viewing. I have attached a link to my video of the dance troupe – Katie is the one who is positioned mainly on the centreline / front of the troupe and does the run/3 leaps across the front towards the end of the routine.....hope you can spot her.

Click Here for YouTube of Jays Dance Group

We have been meaning to Blog but....

The silence is over – sorry for our complete lack of blog updates since May. The problem all started with a casual drive in the local countryside on the Saturday after the week in which we had finally finished the landscaping around the pool. Our trip out just happened to coincide with an open house on a nice looking property some 20minutes from Canberra city centre. We decided to take a look and it all went downhill from there.....we purchased the house with a long (90day) settlement and then set about selling ours.....there is nothing better than the threat of owning 2 houses to concentrate the mind...... all is good now, our property is “under offer” and we should exchange this coming week, with completion about 4 days before we would have owned 2 house and had the fun of a bridging loan.......should also be enough time for my grey hairs to turn brown again.....or is this a one way thing?

Here are a few pictures from the web, please note the camera does lie especially when fitted with wide angle lenses.

Despite being only 4 years only, the place is a bit of a renovation project and with a large garden I can already hear Sal’s words ....”oh, he’d only complain if he wasn’t busy”and before you ask, very near to the top of my list is paint over the Winnie the Poo yellow exterior.

We hope to be in by the end of September by our count, thats house number 16 since we got married, but by far the most challenging sale, so we won't be rushing into this again for a long time.....you may even wish to consider using pen in your address books for the first time!  

Cowra Eisteddfod Weekend 22/23 May

The weekend has been our first Dance Eisteddfod and it was in the town of Cowra, about 2.5hrs north of Canberra. A small place which is very rural and isn’t close to anywhere significant.

That said, the town does have some interesting history as it had a POW camp during WWII and was the site of a one sided battle between a couple of hundred escaping Japanese POWs and the Aussie Guards. The Internet has various accounts of what happened, but the town is somewhat focused on “reconciliation” and boasts some beautiful Japanese gardens and Australia’s Peace Bell (only one of these per Country and usually reserved for Capitals)

 

Site of the POW Camp

The Japanese Gardens

Chasing the Galars....parrots which are as common as pigeons buy not as clever.

Apart from these attractions, which were 1 and 2 on the Tourist Information list of “Must Sees” I can report that the Fun Museum replicates a scrap yard (fortunately closed) and the Aboriginal Paintings on the town bridges concrete pylons(!?) are probably not worth the drive.......elsewhere they call this vandalism, in Cowra it’s a tourist attraction.....anything that gets the punters in. I think this same idea applies to the Eisteddfod, sign up to host a 2 week event of any kind and Bingo!....B&Bs all full, KFC maxed out and the town thrives on visitors that can’t actually buy anything anywhere else unless they drive for 2+ hours............they even have a Cherry Blossom festival here in September........remind me to be busy that month.

Immi - going now without training wheels.

For us, our involvement in the Eisteddfod centred on Katie and Holly’s Dance group, with dance spread throughout Sunday. I think the first Dance was around 9AM and the last finsihed well after 8PM.

Now, I’m all new to this competition malarkey, but whilst I understand that there are a few different disciplines in dancing and different age groups to compete, the section names introduced me to words and combinations that I’d never heard of – “Demi-Character, Jazz Dance, Dance (any kind), Expressive, Modern Expressive, Dance Entertainment, National Folk, Song/Dance and Dance Like your Dad....maybe not!   

The dancing in the main was good, but there are always a few individuals that stand out to me – in particular the one who’s pushy Mum has told them to smile, smile, smile but still looks as happy as I do when I’m having root canal work.

The judging was also very strict, with one adjudicator located in the middle of the audience in a roped off area with signs saying “do not approach”. After each section, this lady would pass a few brief comments on all of the sections competitors and then state which group (by number not name) had won highly commended, 2nd and then 1st and the corresponding score which was out of 100.

The first round was very tight, of 4 groups the lowest achieved 76 and the highest was 79! Wow, I thought this is close stuff,  there is nothing between these kids.......by the end of the day, a pattern had emerged....the lowest score that I heard all day was 73 an the highest was 81......the marking was actually out of 8, but the judge just happened to add 73 to every score.

To mark the start of every new dance and request silence from the audience a bell was rung, with what felt like hours of dancing watched, I was looking for other things to amuse myself with and came so close to shouting “last orders please” - Simon Cowell, you deserve every penny that you earn.

Full "War Paint" and me just out of shot holding a Tazar Gun for any boys.

Seriously, Katie and Holly were fantastic. They both light up the stage and Katie’s solo point work during the start of her group's best dance made me gasp......very proud and lucky Dad Xx.....x Immi

Wilson's First Beach

With Katie and Holly at a dance camp weekend on the coast, it was Immi’s turn to be an “only child” and go camping for a night with Mum and Dad - my theory that if she’d been the first, we would only have ever had one still stands.... just. Despite touting themselves as dog lovers, dog friendly campsite are a rarity, but a place in Kiola ticked the boxes and was just 25mins from the big girls location.

Searching for a spot to sit.

Wilson loved the open and had to say hello to anyone that went past.

Happy Wilson and very happy Sal.

Training, he's learning fast but still loves an early start and the odd midnight "sing"

Chew, chew, sleep, chew...

Its never too early to start surfing, come on mate lean into the carve....just wait until he gets his float coat.

  

Great weather for mid Autumn (UK November) – 24c and the water is still warm.

Beautiful waves on Sunday, in supremely clear water. For years and years I windsurfed/surfed around the UK coast in silt filled water which had zero visibility, I would have given anything to be in seas like this, but when it happens and you are in 20ft of water and you can see every little sandy ripple on the sea bed you get a feeling of vulnerability, every rock gets a second look just to check it isn’t moving with or towards me.,,,I think I'm getting weak in my old age.

Sunday AM and its breakfast with the parrots, almost artificial colours on these little chaps and just so friendly. As I took shots of Sal feeding them, they were landing on me and the hand that held the camera.

"A hoy me harties"

I’m no twitcher, but I think that’s mum in the background. ;-)

One of those weekend DIY projects

Ok, its spot the difference time. Just a handful to find....below is the April ’09 Photo and at the bottom is April ’10 photo.

Answers on a post card to:

The chap who is sick of DIY,

The house with a pool that is now too cold to use,

Jerrabomberra,

Down Under.

1 Year ago!...just how long did Rome take?

Solid rock!......oh, that will be extra sir.  

Pavers - I cheated and paid for a chap to lay them.....too much potential to go wrong.

Here is the shot from the same position, take your time....there are a few changes....I'll start you of, Katie is no longer on the trampoline  

Lessons learnt:

There is indeed smoke without fire, when you have an old Bosh drill.

You’re never alone when working in the dark with floodlights....bugs, bugs & more bugs.

It’s time to admit that I should always employ someone to do rendering....ever tried icing a vertical cake.

Use materials wisely, wood doesn’t grow on trees.
 
 

Wilson just before getting his first swimming badge "1 Width", not sure if he jumped or Immi pushed him in, but I can confirm that he floats. 

 

Never again!.......well, not until we move ;-)

Its a Boy!!! and he's called Wilson.

Our new family member arrived by air on Wednesday this week from Melbourne. His name is Wilson and he currently enjoys singing solos at around 4am, but hey, at last another boy in the house.

I can see this chap featuring in most of our blogs from now on.

Easter Weekend at Jervis Bay, with Sian

Taking advantage of the last of the Autumn warmth, we spent a long weekend at a site in Huskisson, overlooking Jervis Bay. The campsite was lovely and it was great to wake and look over the ocean.

(The site is behind the row of trees)

Sian (Sal’s sister) stayed in a cabin just yards away and joined in with all of the usual Dorsett family activities.....including swimming in the sea, 3 days in a row!.....that has to be a first and Sal didn’t even try and bite anyones arm! (Butlins, 1977, Barry Island....Tidy).

Camping breakfast...doing it rough!

Spot the smelly rabbit....if this was a scratch and sniff blog, I'd have to add a warning.

Backcombing.....fashion! 

In the evenings a number of very friendly Possums came down from the trees. 

 

How delicious cute.

Usual rock pool fun which results in a pile of “special” things which are obviously the most precious of possessions ...........so precious indeed, that Dad never forgets to leave them behind at the campsite (found one in the van 3 days later......smelt like Hunstanton mud flats at low tide)

We visited the School where Sian did a 12month Teacher exchange in 1995. Many things had naturally changed, including Sian’s memory! Now was it this road that I lived on?!

Most days were perfect clear blue skies and no wind, bar one day which produced a good force 5, side shore, awesome blasting conditions.........oh why can’t the weather be “bad” more often.

Hyams Beach, reportedly the Whitest Sand in the World. Yep, its white, but I have to say it doesn’t make great sandcastles, the slightest sniff of a wave and the dam stuff self levels! Not impressed.....don’t put that in the brochure do they......didn’t stay long.

A Sparrow, I think.

Yep, I don't look a day over 42.......Glenn, nothing to see here...scroll down.

A one hour tour offering views of the Conwy Estuary, Puffin Island and Snowdonia...Jervis Bay is home to 70+ Dolphins and it was nice to get a bettter view by paddling out a bit. 

 

Just great! Me 42years and counting, Katie less than 4 minutes.......get back to your iPod/Playstation thingy

With the little ones safe in the warm water, Paul does a bit of Great White spotting.