No posts since Australia Day

I am so embarrassed... I cannot believe it has been almost a whole month since my last post... So much has happened, through the crazy month that starts with an F. The challenge for me is to stop and find the time in our crazy lives... Challenge accepted!!

Jack's back - A novel review of Four Legendary Kingdoms

I have done it... I've broken the Librarian's... No the fiction lover's golden rule... Never, never, never ever... EVER!!!! read book four without reading the three books before it...

I've done it and I think I may have gotten away with it... My gorgeous girl got me for Christmas a copy of fast paced action writer Matthew Reilly latest, Four Legendary Kingdoms... Oh no I thought, that is definitely not book one...

I have read a couple of books by this author, Contest... Ice Station... Great Zoo of China... I am yet to sink my teeth into any of the Jack West Junior novels... That was until now... After considering borrowing books 1, 2 and 3 from work and then one Sunday looking for something to read I decided to give it a go...

First scene first page and POW!!! The action starts from the get go and does not let up... This book has you back in the thick of things and the craziness is well explained... I really want to go back to book one now and see just where this series began...

Thanks to my darling girl for a wonderful gift, a great story that throws the reader straight into the action...

Happy Australia Day everyone

To all the 26ers Happy Birthday on this special day for all aussies... Happy 'Stralia Day, the only country that has a slang name for the island they all call home.

I am ashamed to say that there was not a barbie in sight for me and lamb did not feature a single ounce on the menu. I did spend the day with Dazza and Kazza though and Muzza and Benny, Lawsy (my gorgeous wife), Lawsy (Master 10), Lawsy (Miss 9) and Lawsy (Miss 6) as well as Wizza, Chazza, Madzza and of course little Tillza... Apologies to a great mate Dazza who had invited us around to his joint for a lamb chop or two but the day has just left us buggered and so it is the other aussie tea tradition (takeaway) that will need to satisfy the troops tonight.

And what did this fine bunch of awesome aussies get up to today? So glad you asked mates. We hit the track in a (kinda) convoy up to Springfield. And what is up at Springfield you are wondering... Definitely not the Simpsons... We ducked up North to the big city, Springfield Adelaide where there is an awesome old house, Carrick Hill (http://www.carrickhill.sa.gov.au/) and although we did not step foot into this fine old establishment there was pleanty around the grounds to keep us entertained.

We met Bilbo at Bagend, Charlotte and her babies in the spider's new web, a howling wolf, Aslan the lion and all sorts of other amazing things (lions and tigers and zebras... oh my!) Carrick Hill has the Storybook Trail, fun for the whole family... As some of my friends suggested, with my library background and my interest in children's story time and the classic kids tales this trail and everything it encompassed was completely, utterly and entirely up my alley.

What a great way to spend Australia Day... Perfect blue skies, an amazing house in the foreground and lavish gardens as far as the eye could see. The best thing of all, not once did we hear "I'm bored!!" Utter bliss!!!

The amazing Plan B

Who was planning to go to the Adelaide Zoo today to see all the dinosaurs? We were... When the heavens opened up this morning though and there looked to be no end in sight of the grey sky and drizzle the plan to go checkout the dinosaurs at the Adelaide went right out the window.

Instead we got as far as Mount Barker and the cool kids play center just down from the hospital. Loads of fun for the kids (all seven of them) and a great catch up for us once again with the Crook and Smith families. After we had killed a few hours this way it was time for lunch in the park scaring the local ibises (good times... I think I know their mating dance!!)

Finally (for Mount Barker) the girls hit K-Mart and the boys checked out the new gaming centre... Awesome!! Classic games, VR, I took on a mate SEGA rally style and came off second best 4 out of 5 times (my laps on that one win though were epic!!!)

After a drop of vino with a great mate it was then tea from our local Pizza Hut which was delicious and so well priced thanks to a great voucher I had emailed to me... Such a great Friday off... Great friends, family adventures, no dinosaurs but still a fantastic day...

A Challenging Year Ahead and I Cannot wait

I have been nominated to be a part of this year's team from Murray Bridge Council to participate in the Australasian Management Challenge. I was part of the team in 2008 and we did ok for a first effort but the Rural City of Murray Bridge team in the Rural Challenge got top spot so the expectations of this team in this challenge are really high.

I am also hopeful of being registered to take part in the Emerging Leaders Program for 2017 which will hopefully help me to grow as a leader and inspiration for the team I work with.

It looks as though 2017 will be full of new challenges, an exciting year and a great opportunity for me to learn and grow as a leader and as a human-doing, not just a human-being...

Wish me luck!!

New Starwars might be the best ever

This Friday I had a great day at work, productive in getting all the last minute items ready for a busy week of holiday activities. The day was made better still because in the back of my mind I knew I was head to Mount Barker with the boys to finally catch the lastest Starwars film 'Rogue One'.

The film was amazing!! It had everything a Starwars fan could hope for. Being a film outside of the numbered series this one sits just before the fourth film (the first ever Starwars film to be released to the public, the one that began the well deserved hype). All the expected references to films before and what is to come were there with some suprising humour and lots of action packed fun.

All four of us who saw the film together left in awe, agreeing that in our opinions it was the best Starwars film ever. One of us even went ahead to claim it might just be the very best film of 2017... A very bold claim seeing as it is only January and there looks to be a multitude of amazing films yet to come.

I worry that Disney have created in Rogue One a film so great they will not be able to top it. It will be interesting to see the next efforts (2018 will see Episode VIII featuring Carrie Fisher in the iconic role of Princess Leia as the scenes for this film have already been shot and 20019 is the scheduled release of a Han Solo film which I am not too sure about). We shall see as the years go on if Disney can continue this Starwars awesomeness... May the Force be with them...

Happy Birthday to a Wonderful Friend

It was so great last night to catch up with our wonderful friend Larissa to help celebrate her birthday (today) and just have some 'adult' time away from the kids. Thanks to Jen for doing such a great job sitting and great choice of venue chosen by the birthday girl, The Robin Hood Hotel.

My brother-in-law Ben and I love this place as almost everywhere you look you see Medieval weaponry and suits of armour. The meals are well priced too and the drinks were (for the most part) delightfully cold. Yesterday was seriously hot!!!

It was great to chat with Larissa and others, find out about planned relaxing escapes and even some overseas jaunts. Good luck Larissa as you head back to your birthplace. May the trip be full of fantastic memories and may you, Anna and your mum create fresh new moments while there.

I am hopeful that 2017 will be a chance for us also to undertake a family adventure somewhere far, far away. My fingers, toes and everything else are tightly crossed... Only time will tell if such wishes come true...