When Number One Housemates Give you Notice...

... you can't do much, but shrug your shoulders and get on with it.

Sarah, my latest housemate has given me notice. Too bad. Tant pis, c'est dommage, but what can ya do?!

There's no point in chucking a tanty (Translation: Throwing a tantrum)...So, I'll mission up to Melbourne next week on my day off, give notice to my property manager and move out. Everything will go into storage until I'm back in the city in March...and then I'll start all over again, this time, without the quirky housemate.

It's not the end of the world, but it IS a big pain in the ass.

Another Fine Day at the Backpackers

It was a warm, with blue skies for Australia Day. We started the party in the late afternoon out on the deck at the backpackers listening to the Triple J Hottest 100 Countdown on the radio -- an Aussie day tradition.

Alex represented his country with the green and gold and the blue, red and white. He was too lazy to slap on some sunscreen, so he opened an umbrella to keep the sun off.

The party did get raucous at one point, and sadly, the kitchen witch ended up as the casualty. This is a few hours prior to  "the incident".

It was a good time: there was beer, wine and bbq, good music and dancing! When a rain shower hit later in the evening, people retreated to the dance floor if they weren't on it already! We tried our best to get a noise complaint from the neighbours, but they were just as loud.

Steph and Komung

Simon and Lauren

Me & My Pav

I volunteered to make the dessert for our Australia Day party. This is me and my Pavlova.

Happy Australia Day!

Note to Self #23

Take time to appreciate sunsets.

Full

The busiest weekend in Lorne has drawn to a close. Lorne hosts the largest ocean swim in the world: The Pier to Pub. This year, there were over 4400 swimmers who participated. The town was packed out!

The weather here has been beautiful for the whole week, and every day the  beach slowly filled up with sunbakers, holidaying families and swimmers training for Saturday's race. Here's the view of the bay at 10:00 on Wednesday morning.

Not yet at full capacity....

Jimmy's Car

I went surfing with Jimmy at Kennett River last week. Half the fun was getting there in his lowered Volvo.

Part surf mobile, part caravan.

Note the fishing rods. When he's finished a surf session, Jimmy can drop a line off the Lorne Pier or find a rock somewhere and cast off.

Number One Housemate

Meet Sarah. She's my housemate in Melbourne. Best housemate ever! She came down to Lorne for the day with some family, and we caught up at lunch.

Here's Sarah, her cousin Lou, Lou's partner, Sez,  Emma and I after lunch.

Things to Do on My Day Off

1. Yoga
2. Read on the Beach
3. Go for a drive looking for a wave with friends
4. Find a Wave
5. Go for lunch in an Olive Grove
6. Bake Bonnie Stern's Double Chocolate Brownies

Happy 2010!

I rang in 2010 with friends in Lorne. We drank champagne and wandered down to the foreshore to watch the fireworks go off at the Pier, staying a safe distance back from the 6000 feral, inebriated (mostly teenaged) revelers on the beach.

It was good times with good friends. I'm looking forward to a great 2010. I hope everyone else is too!

Recipe for a New Year!

Slice 6 bananas (with peel on) lengthwise. Stuff liberally with milk chocolate pieces. Wrap up in aluminum foil. Grill on the BBQ for 5 - 10 minutes. SUPER YUM!
All good years start with chocolate.