A Spot To Put Stuff

The Site Has Moved

2007-11-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

My blog has been relocated to Wordpress... Blogger glitches just got too frustrating in the end...

check it out at the following link

Vigil

2007-11-02T17:46:00.000-06:00

Scored some freebie tix to go and see "Vigil", at Theatre Calgary last night. It was a superb evening of black comedy (is there any other ??) and rum and cokes... life doesnt usually peak much beyond that !! The lead actor, Dean Paul Gibson, was a genius in the role of Kemp, a distorted anti-hero of substance... I am starting to get hooked on this play caper.

Inspiration...

2007-10-31T22:37:00.000-06:00

Comes when You least expect it... Becky aka Bex aka Khaki, has launched a new blog site dedicated to her passion for sustainable design and I am 105 % behind her cause ! GO BEX - give the suburbs a voice !

Check it at the following link

Keep Your Eye Out for This One...

2007-10-31T22:17:00.000-06:00

My sis-in-law Nikki is graduating (in a few weeks) from the very chic and contemporary Jewellery + Object Design course at at the Design Centre, in Enmore, Sydney. If this very cool piece (which is showcased on the JOD website) is anything to go by, then we will be name-dropping with pride very soon !!

Office Mini Golf

2007-10-29T20:33:00.000-06:00

Why are you interrupting my strokeplay ?

Go on bugger off and let me nail this putt already...

It was that time of the year again... the annual KCBL United Way charity mini golf extraordinaire... after a good buildup this year my game fell apart on the 3rd hole where I had to take the maximum and unfort things didnt pick up... not good since i was one of the few sober people in the room... theres always next time (to borrow a saying off the all bleks).

Quiet Weekend

2007-10-28T23:33:00.000-06:00

nothing makes a day better than a slurpee...

a bit of fire tendering from yours truly

Mads punches out a wicked Pav for desert !!

A bit of substitute-uncle action for Sam and Paula's little girl, Anabelle.

Quiet weekend for Mads and I as we conquer weekend One of the new medical treatment. Highlight was a visit from Sam and Paula and Annabelle on Satdy night. I test drove the new fireplace with some success and Mads knocked up a wickedly delicious Pav which was demolished in nano-seconds of landing on the table.

First Snow Tonight !!

2007-10-24T23:07:00.000-06:00

The Ruby-Sue gets her 1st coat for the new winter

front yard with an inch of snow...

I was just turning the lights off to go to bed and had a peek through the blinds and was blown away to see snow everywhere... So bloody exciting !! It's gunna be a powder-liscious Winter!!!

Rookie Mistake

2007-10-22T21:10:00.001-06:00

Thought we'd get in early this year and get the Halloween treats in advance... ROOKIE!!! 60 chocolate wrappers later and I have learnt a Halloween fact... fun-size is another term for mini-temptations...

And the seasons change again...

2007-10-21T17:25:00.000-06:00

season pass + big smile!!!

Yesterday we got our first dose of sleet as the temperatures dropped down into the low single digits... winter is descending and I couldnt be happier ! To prep for the upcoming snowboard season, Mads and I invested in season passes for Nakiska resort... come on snow!!!

Down Under Honour Roll

2007-10-21T17:22:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Mum and Shauno !!!
The ocean always feels bigger come birthdays... I hope you guys had fantastic celebrations (despite having to go into surgery!)
Lotsa love xo

Oxford

2007-10-14T18:29:00.000-06:00

We stayed two nights at the Malmaison... a 12th century castle that has been renovated into a swisho hotel

Our room was an old jail cell (well 3 cells in fact) that had been given a bit of love and attention... I'm sure if the inmates 800 yrs ago knew how comfortable we were they would have have had a heart attack!

a view inside the old jail... I guess my old high school teacher was right after all...

very Oxford... plenty of students looking like students

everyone was on bikes too, which was very cool

another student roughing it

coolest big door of the tour... the detail in this door is amazing

Highlights:

kicking the footy in the local park, first game of fors and backs on a "real" footy oval in 18mnths
the Malmaison, the coolest hotel we have ever stayed in!
wandering the cobbled streets soaking in the tradition of the place
freshers week antics
scoring a free box of Inncoent Juice... a kickback of freshers week!

London

2007-10-14T17:36:00.001-06:00

Tate Modern was def a fave for Mads and I

Southbank street art

We saw Swimming with Sharks starring the one and only Christian Slater...

Brett misses his band meeting...

we take 5 after spending big... the shopping in London is insane!

Leadenhall Markets were pretty cool

Look kids its Big Ben...

A view from Gloucester Street in Victoria... Denbiegh food and wine for scale

good ol' Tube... a little daunting at first but once the Oyster Card was up and running it was pretty smooth sailing

Maddie in classic London pose

Mads out the front of BP

old mate Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson on the set of Last Chance Harvey, a new romantic drama. Loved these two in Stranger than Fiction so I have high hopes of this new Indie production...

love a good point photo

i'd get roasted for standing around at work... its a tough life for some

Lloyds is the coolest... all of the power, pipes and lifts are on the outside giving it an ultra-modern appearance... very Minority report...

Just another suit in the underground

The Gherkin was my 2nd fave building after Lloyds

Maddie at the Camden Markets... I'd be broke if they had something like this in Calgs

Camden High Street

Highlights:

Tate Modern
Camden markets
Swimming with Sharks theatre production in Covent Garden @ the Vaudeville Theatre
the best Ben Sherman shop ever in Carnaby Street
quality Turkish feed at Gallipoli in Islington
great food everywhere we went
the tube

Cardiff

2007-10-13T19:42:00.001-06:00

Bedlam 4hrs before the World Cup qtr final between NZ and France

Surely this is the year... surely this is the year.... SURELY!

The all bleks take to the field

Haka on the big screen

1st half action

wrong world Cup boys....

Kiwis pinned in their own half late in the game...

30,000 Kiwis look for the 1st exit out of cardiff after yet another World cup failure... chants of 4 more years...

Highlight:

Rugby qtr final match
that was it - happy to be out of Cardiff actually...

Paris

2007-10-13T18:38:00.001-06:00

lost in translation

a nice moment next to the Seine

Maddie fantasizing in the shop window

Maddie looking gorgeous in a cafe overlooking Notre Dame

Cool Metro station

Maddie at the steps of Sacre Coeur

an Amelie moment

Richo supporting the French before the big quarter final

The mob gazing upon La Jaconde (Mona Lisa to you heathens out there)

Richo discusses the finer points of this particular piece... "I reckon that guy in the corner is looking down her top"

ho hum... more priceless art in the Louvre

ceiling of one of the Louvre galleries

at the base of the Eiffel Tower

The World Cup edition of the Eiffel

the crepe master near Moulin Rouge

Highlights:

Gazing across Paris from the top of the Arc de triomphe

pistachio macaroons from PAUL

the Eiffel at night

the Louvre wasnt too shabby

Lafayette baguettes - mmmmm....

the Crepe Master - you know who you are

Richo flirting with the hotel concierge Cecille

amazing food!!

Waterloo

2007-10-13T18:32:00.001-06:00

Highlights:

Cool train-ride from Mntreal to Waterloo
Several good nights at local pubs with new mate Dave
Maddie checked out the Canadian Gallery of glass and clay art
antiques galore

Montreal

2007-10-13T17:59:00.000-06:00

Interesting wall art near the old port

Vieux-Montréal street

Old church in Vieux-Montréal

Cool theatre advertising in Rue St Denis

Embracing my inner wanker...

The street art in Montreal was v cool!

Strolling along Rue St denis... Mads for scale

Who is that gorgeous woman ??

Right before we got yelled out for taking photos in the modern art gallery.

cool old restaurant... bafoon for scale

Maddie looking stunning on an early morning walk.

an interesting take on the old street lamp

View from the Hilton

Chilling poolside on the Hilton rooftop... why didnt I pack shorts again...

Love the big doors...

Trendy building indeed...

Commemorative statue of Bruce Lee's training pole

Greenpeace were in town

as were the anarchists

Highlights:

museum of modern art
The port infused crepes at Rue St Denis
Aszu: contemporary french restaurant with cool jazz and amazing food and wine!
Hilton Bonaventure

Back Home

2007-10-10T21:16:00.000-06:00

Tour Guide & Trip MVP Richo leading me astray in Oxford...

Mads & I arrived back from our trip today. I am blown away by how much we were able to fit in... there are so many highlights I'm gunna need a week to post about it, one city at a time. Big thanks must be directed to Rich who organized and coordinated many of the cool events during the London/Paris/Wales leg of the tour... nice work mate !! Mads and I loved catching up with you and it was brilliant to see your perspective of a part of the world that was indeed foreign to us. Your MVP award is in the mail...

Out of Office Reply

2007-09-19T22:42:00.000-06:00

Mads and I will be away on hols for the next three weeks (till 10th Oct), so there wont be any new posts till we get back. Our itenarary includes bits of eastern Canada (Montreal, Waterloo) and bits of western Europe (Paris, London and Wales). Peace out.

Fall

2007-09-16T22:06:00.000-06:00

Eddie is Back

2007-09-15T17:15:00.001-06:00

Not that he went anywhere... Eddie Vedder has a new solo album coming out on September 18th. A sample track is available online at Spinner. The album is featured in Sean Penn's new flick "Into The Wild" an epic jurney of a man who leaves all behind to embrace the world and himself... looking forward to the album and the movie !

Latest Paint Job

2007-09-09T23:15:00.001-06:00

Bedroom with a splash of brown...

Chill oout room downstairs with a splash of green...

Loungeroom downstairs with a splash of brown also...

Art & That

2007-09-09T22:55:00.000-06:00

Cool Jeremyville deck... Love it !

We also invested in a limited edition concert screen print of Maddie's fave band, The Shins.

Maddie crusing through the studio hallways at Art Central

One of the many studios.

This was my fave studio though... a tormented soul to be sure...

Mads and I headed down to Art Central to scope out some new art for our freshly painted, yet glaringly bare walls at home. This place was uber cool and we spent hrs umming and ahhing over what to invest our cash in. We settled on a really cool limited-edition, pop culture, animation-style, skateboard deck. Love IT!! The artist, Jeremyville, is a cool cat from Enzed, but we wont hold that against him. Funny that we travel halfway around the world to buy art from back home...

The place was chock-a-block full of little studios where you can watch these caged artists sweat for their livelihhoods.

It was interesting that one of Maddie's design mates from Australia, Adrian, had one of his Rinzen books for sale at Art Central. The art world is just too small !

Not All Reunions Are Painful

2007-09-09T22:49:00.000-06:00

Maddie dragged me along to one of her client's development launches on Saturday. This VIP shindig was pretty cool. The estate was called Reunion and it was situated north of Calgs in Airdrie. It was great to look around the place, watch some VIP's cut ribbon, score quality free eats in the VIP tent (with yummy deserts!!), and get to walk through each of the 16 show homes and scam ideas for our rennos. i was pretty impressed with the place and wouldn't mind living in Airdrie...

Cancel or Allow ?

2007-09-06T22:31:00.001-06:00

This wall came good after 5 coats...

Mads has no respect for the arvo kip... I feel violated !

Not unlike Windows Vista users, I have come to a sad realization... and I am allowing it. I spent all 3 days of my long weekend painting, taking afternoon naps, and having cups of tea with lunch and I enjoyed it all. I have now officially reached middle age...

Harvest

2007-09-01T19:50:00.001-06:00

Bretto knocked down a few old trees at his place... love the free wood !!

Our first harvest off the ol' apple tree...

Apple Muncher...

The first load of apples... i think a pie is in order.

Been a pretty quiet week at work and at home. Mads and I both lulled around the place like stunned sloths exhausted after a few months of go, go, go. The only highlights to speak of are the great firewood heist of 2007 and our apple tree finally coughing up a few goodies.

Global Fest

2007-08-26T23:14:00.000-06:00

Only time I'll ever be a VIP...

Maddie scored a pair of VIP passes from her cool-as bosses for Global Fest, which believe it or not, is an international fireworks competition. After Driving through all the povo losers who had to walk to the event we got to park in the special VIP area, and were escorted to the exclusive VIP village for free eats... as you can imagine I was in heaven with all of this first-class treatment. After 45 mins of boring speaches they cranked the fireworks. It was pretty cool. A man could get used to this sort of a lifestyle.

And then my legs burst

2007-08-26T23:07:00.003-06:00

Clankers waiting for me to catch my breath...

The Chinook arch like a big grey curtain...

To embrace my insanity I went on a monster 50km ride around Calgary early Saturday morning. It was a beautiful ride with close-up views of the Inglewood zoo, the Bow River, and COP. On the down-side the last 6 or 8 km seemed to be all up-hill... my poor quads have been burning ever since. Clankers is freakin hard-core for finding this ride and continually punishing himself each weekend along it !

Nose Hill Kites

2007-08-22T23:35:00.001-06:00

Co-pilot Maddie... I was in safe hands !

The look of joy is undeniable.

Hows the serenity...

Snuck up to Nose Hill Park this evening for a bit of the ol' kite flying action. I was a bit hesitant at first, but then after some sledging from Mads I was fired up and even getting into the whole scene... well maybe not, but it was fun for about 20 minutes. Can't ask for more than that !!

Javonne Whirlwind Tour

2007-08-19T22:39:00.000-06:00

Jack and "Yves" manning the fire rig...

Jack ponders...

the glaciers were huge at L.L. this year!

Team Javonne (aka the pairies aka mum & dad) stormed into Calgs on a 1 week mission to soak up Alberta and catch up with Mads and I. It was great to catch up and we saw a whole bunch of cool sites and took in a shite-load of history tours and museums. It was brilliant to have them come and stay and the week culminated in a wild house-warming party... watching mum chug a Jager bomb was a BIG highlight for me! Thanks for coming out guys! We loved having you and cant wait to catch up again soon!

Fort Calgary Tour

2007-08-19T22:27:00.000-06:00

Mum behind bars... it was only a matter of time

Colonel James Farquharson Macleod... he ran this fort during the days of the whiskey traders.

Dad sums up the fort...

a view across the yard.

mum and dad (aka Javonne - evil canasta fiends) strolling through the fort grounds.

During the Ezzy Canadian Chapter Reunion we organized a trip to Fort calgary, which was a 3 iron from Mads's workplace in Inglewood. It was pretty cool to learn about the history of this town we call home. The early interactions of the first nations, the mounted police and the whiskey traders was an eye-opener, and I recommend that if you pass through Calgary you pop in and check this site out. Although the interpretation centre was steeply priced, it was cool to talk to the old mounted police veteran and hear his opinions on what went down in the 19th century on the harsh prairie lands east of the rockies.

Banff.

2007-08-19T22:22:00.001-06:00

A view downstream from the Bow Falls. It was unbelievable how much water was cranking down this beast.

Old mate on a horse.

Not too shabby at this time of year.

With the main street of Banff being ripped and renovated we decided to check out the Banff Springs hotel. It was absolutely beautiful with all of the flowers and running water down Bow Falls.

Drumheller Rocks!

2007-08-19T22:08:00.000-06:00

Mads and Mum pushing through the kids to see the fossil cleaning process

The pairies checking out some of the local fossils.

Drumheller is a geologists wet dream... very cool!

Mads busts out some style.

Mads and Jack posing in front of hoodoos.

Our first adventure as a reinstated Ezzy tribe was to check out Drumheller, a small town northeast of Calgary, renowned for fossils and geological formations. We had a fantastic time of it and the highlights were the world-class Royal Tyrrel museum (an absolute must!) and the hoodoos. Jack and Yvonne loved the place and I was pretty happy myself.

Hiatus

2007-08-07T23:35:00.000-06:00

Rob and new Brizzy ladyfriend Melina

Hasnt lost his ability to make an arse on camera - missed you big guy!

Rob props me up as the night wears on... I was absolutely toasted at this point... Mads had a real task getting me home in one piece!

The first load of furniture dumped at the new place...

Old mate busts out a sweat while I sip on my coke... now thats moving! Almost makes up for the 217 moves during my uni days...

Two crazy cats motoring down Bow River on an inflatable tube...

Mads outshining the river cafe...

Classic Cowtown playground.

View from our table at the river cafe.

Clankers in fine form at lunch... hard not to have a great time at this amazing resty!

Kimmy and Zelda like very satisfied after lunch!

Its been a while... a few weeks in fact. In retrospect it all seems a bit blurry... I needed to dust off the digi camera and glance over a few photos to jog my memory as to what the heck has been going on.

As is the usual custom with me, I managed to coincide our house move with the deliverable of a 12 month engineering project... you can imagine the carnage... In between the coffee and late nights, there has been some highlights though:

we moved into our new house !! And it is sweet as !
We caught up with a good mate of ours, Rob Ully, who I worked with in Brisbane. Seems we have done a bit of a life swap...
Had an amazing lunch at the river cafe... by far the best food i have tasted in Calgs!

My folks rock into town in 4 days so I will be heading out of town on another hiatus... Cant wait to see them after 13 months abroad.

A Hidden Gem

2007-07-23T23:26:00.000-06:00

The ever beautiful Mads cools down next to this immaculately maintained stream and riparian zone.

An example of the well laid out parklands with lots of nooks and crannies to hide and get away...

Mads and I stumbled across a hidden gem in our soon-to-be-ex-hood. Confederation Park is an amazing piece of landscaping with established creeks, picnic areas, and above all lots of greenspace divied up by thickets of trees and shrubs. This is def gunna be one of our weekend brunch destinations in coming months.

Telephone Loop Trail

2007-07-22T17:12:00.000-06:00

Stephen and Laurel mananged to survive the ice flows which are deadly at this time of year...

Some of the amazing forest landscape...

These beautiful little ferns were everywhere.

Temptation to wander off was high...

One of the many undulating sections of the loop.

Stephen negotiates the creek crossing with style... not a drop of water on him or his bike.

Mads and I got up at the crack of dawn and headed out to Kananaskis Country to meet up with a mate from work and hit one of the many mountain bike trails in this magnificent area. The Telephone Loop Trail was the first serious trail I have ridden in Alberta and it was a mixed bag of difficult terrain, beautiful scenery and unfortunately, hundreds of fallen trees across the path. The fallen trees did hamper our momentum at times, but certainly didn't detract from the 4 and a bit hours of riding pleasure. My quads felt like squashed mangos by the end of the trail, but it was def worth it !!

Couldn't Wait

2007-07-19T22:43:00.000-06:00

Maddie standing proudly in front of our soon to be new house... the neighbours probably thought we were casing the joint...

The greenspace behind our house that winds up to Nose Hill Park.

The view of the city from our greenspace... pretty cool to be perched above the glacial valley and see for miles in all directions.

We have been champing at the bit to move into our new house, and tonight after work we decided to ride over there and check it out. Better than sitting on the couch on a Thursday night. Calgary has an amazing network of bike paths that snake their way throughout the entire city from length to length. It was a superb summer evening to be out winding through the leafy northwest suburbs, around Nose Hill Park and through numerous green spaces and playgrounds. Only 8 more days and we will be living with one of the worlds largest urban natural parks mere metres from our doorstep!!

Stooges Go 6-1

2007-07-18T00:09:00.000-06:00

sitting back on defence sucking in the big ones...

I'd like to say that because I am so fast everything is blurry... but then, would you really believe me...

That 85 has been trouble all game...

The Stooges rocketed to the top of the table tonight with a hard fought 8-6 victory to take us to 6-1 for the season. I am finally starting to read the opposition plays before they happen and I got 3 picks (interceptions) playing at linebacker. Unfortunately the QB decided not to unleash me on offence and I spent the night running decoys. Wax on, wax off... one of these days... It was brilliant getting to play at McMahon Stadium one more time. Loving this game!!

Buckleys

2007-07-15T21:13:00.000-06:00

I've had a bout of flu this week and was introduced to an interesting concoction that is close to the most gut wrenching, vile venom I've ever ingested. Buckleys. It did make my sore throat go away, although I had several halucinations and an out-of-body experience... I forced my wife to taste it (despite the fact she wasnt sick) and she described it as similar to a fishermans friend, which only confirms that she is without tastebuds.

ps this is not an infomercial and I received no kickbacks to plug this little brew.

Summer Storms Brewing

2007-07-15T21:06:00.000-06:00

Almost feels like Brisbane in December. The stinking hot temperatures, fans cranking on full bore just to overcome the stuffy blanket of heat and still air that envelopes every room of your house, and of course massive afternoon thunderstorms...

Seasons in Alberta

2007-07-15T20:44:00.000-06:00

my driveway is shut off... a blind reverse across these concrete barriers in the morn is a highlight of my day...

About 4 months ago I read one of those forwarded emails at work that everyone seems to get. You know the ones I'm talking about. Anyways, this one was a cheeky stab at "You know you live in Alberta if...". Some of the things I had a good belly-laugh about and some I just chuckled unknowingly to including:

"You know you live in Alberta... If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction".

Well now I think it is bloody funny coz I am living through my second summer and I need to know 15 different detours just to get to work in the morning. In fact, I need a detour to get out of my driveway as the water services have shut down our street... I feel more and more like an Albertan native every day... The whole skit btw can be found at the following weblink

Stampede Action at the Roadhouse

2007-07-08T17:27:00.001-06:00

The line-up outside Roadhouse was full-on...

Monksey pitches up via Vancouver via Peru via Brizzy... havent seen this cat in 18 months.

These bevy baths were everywhere... it was literally a 10m walk to the nearest bath at any one point inside the Roadhouse. No chance of sobering up in this joint.

A bit of Cowgirl style. The fashions were fantastic & created an atmosphere to party.

Monksey chowing down on a burger... he's looking a bit guilty here like he's up to no good...

Monksey's British mate Max getting a wedgy and a half...

Monksey and Mads refilling at the baths.

A bit of barn dancing Calgary-style.

Monksey positioning himself for a Roadhouse shooter... always up for shenanigans this boy!

Not a drop spilt...

More encouragement to slaughter ourselves with shooters... The sherrif of shooters herself laying down the law to Max.

This anon. dude was a one-man party machine!

Latest Arty Project

2007-07-03T23:32:00.000-06:00

Mad's latest project was to design a cool artpiece for our new living room. After a few weeks of umming and ahhing she settled on a dual canvas poppy explosion using perspective and cool colour blends. I cant wait to see these in place !!

Canada Day = 1 Year

2007-07-03T23:20:00.000-06:00

Mads and I celebrated our 1 year in Canada milestone on Sunday been. We arrived on Canada Day 2006 and one year later it all seems a bit blurry. Some of my fave moments over the last 365 days are shown here and include:

the wonderful contrasts of the seasons
the cool little critters e.g. squirrels, moose, gophers
the snow (of course!)
the snowboarding adventures (once i got off my ass - ahhh the pain)
Richo coming out for Chrissy
Spending quality time with my new wife
my first REAL Christmas tree
and of course glorious Ice Hockey... Bring the Cup Home Boys!!

Worlds Sexiest Vegetarians

2007-06-26T23:38:00.000-06:00

Another cracking article from Courier Mail today on World's Sexiest Vegetarians. I was bummed to find they couldn't accommodate an intellectual entry amongst their "Top 16" lookers, ie yours truly. I'm not sure who came up with this concept, but it is pretty random. What's next?? Top 16 sexiest animal activists? What about top 16 sexiest journalists who can't find something better to write about? Then again, I'm not one to object to a bit of eye candy so I will shut up now...

Gopher !

2007-06-24T02:06:00.000-06:00

Saw my first gopher today and I was pumped!!

Saturday

2007-06-24T01:46:00.000-06:00

This big guy is a fave down at Inglewood... dunno about the pocket blliards stance though...

Mads making an ordinary wooden chair look special.

Whats a festy without a marketing ploy from an edgy corporation? Dude in box reading a book doesnt really connect with me though.

Bit of Calgary street punk action...

This is the 3rd street festy in Calgary I have seen where they have had beach volleyball... it never tires.

Loot for the day... I can plan my next sea voyage with this bad boy...

To take my mind off having to work most of the weekend, Mads dragged my sorry ass outside for a while to experience life outside of numerical simulations. We took in a bit of the Inglewood Sunfest, another of Calgary's many summer street festivals. Was a chillaxed atmosphere and a good way to spend a morning. With Andi tagging along, the chick vote was 2 to the poor old bloke vote of 1. So we "decided" on the way home to drop in on some antique stores, second hand furniture shops and my old favourite the garage sales. I shouldnt grumble though, as I scored a sweet mounted globe at a curbside garage sale for $3... Bargain!! Sometimes getting out-voted can pay off.

Birthday Celebrations

2007-06-21T23:27:00.000-06:00

It was Maddie's birthday today. Her birthday coincided with the shortest day of the year when we lived in Australia and now it is the longest day of the year in Canada. She is happy that she gets to celebrate her special day even longer up here.

To celebrate, we headed down to Mission this evening for a sensational feed at Mercatos. The pesto pasta there always gives me foodgasms and this occasion was no exception.

I really like how the kitchen is open to the restaurant, and everyone can cast an eye over the chefs as they dance around amongst the flames. Plus the aroma of all the herbs and produce sizzling away enhances the atmosphere. It was a wonderful evening. Happy Birthday Mads !!

Joy of Moving

2007-06-20T22:16:00.000-06:00

The reality of the move is upon us. We are surrounded by boxes, paper, rubbish and packing tape. To add to the confusion, Mads has cashed in on the opportunity to sort through all of my cool 90's gear and selectively label the "No-Goers". Every time I move she eyes off my Mambo and Quicksilver hoodies in particular. I fear their days are numbered...

Green With Envy

2007-06-19T21:07:00.000-06:00

Envy is my middle name today. Kitty sent me photos of her recent adventures at Byron and Yamba (northern NSW) and I am suffering from a bad case of beach-itis. Cant believe she was chiiling out with Jack Johnson either !

Attack of the Balsam Poplars

2007-06-19T20:52:00.000-06:00

I had to do a double take today. It was 20 degrees and shining yet there was snow falling everywhere. On closer inspection it was swarms of cotton from the fertile Balsam Poplar trees which are maturing at this time of year. A sure sign of summer apparently. It was very cool to watch it all just swirl around and fill the air.

Reclusive Rainy Weekend

2007-06-17T23:17:00.000-06:00

Mads and I huddled indoors on the weekend, sheltered from the rain and intent on kicking back from a hectic week. One of my mates in Oz commented how green the grass looks in my recent photos. I guess, compared to Brizzy, we are getting heaps more rain. It hasnt stopped for the last three weeks in fact. Thats ironic, eh... We are living in a genuine semi-arid climate over here, nestled on the landward side of a massive mountain range, and we are getting more rain than a sub-tropical coastal town. Bizzarro!!

Other than dining and catching a flick we managed to pack a heap of boxes over the weekend as well, in readiness for our big move in 5 weeks time. We have bought a house up the road and we are very excited about moving into our 1st house together as a married couple... that sounds really soppy and un-bloke-like i spose.

At my blonde best

2007-06-15T23:30:00.000-06:00

So its Fathers Day in Canada this Sunday... naturally, I sent my old man a present and then this morning realized that its not fathers day in Australia till later in the year... if you can quote the exact day for Fathers Day (which obviously I cant) you wouldnt have fallen for this blatant trap... unfortunately, my old man is gunna think I'm smoking the good stuff when he gets his present 3 months (give or take a month??) early...

Even Dumber still, the other day I found a new button in my Subaru while I was bored in traffic... so I was flicking around with it and about 5 minutes later I realised I had a seat warmer in the car... SPEWING!!! I endured 6 months of bitterly cold winter mornings to later learn I have seat warmers... and now its the start of summer and I have to wait 4 months till I can use them.

Floods in Calgary

2007-06-06T21:51:00.000-06:00

Got home from the golf tourney at 10.30pm last night as Calgs was on her knees with most of the major roads flooded. The Calgary Herald has captured the scenes in this photo gallery. How unlucky would you feel if your house burnt down during a freak flood ?!?! Lightning strikes seem to be a serious danger in this town!

KCBL golf tourney

2007-06-06T21:26:00.000-06:00

The KCBL 15th annual golf tourney was held yesterday at Lakeside Golf Club in Chestermere. Made me realise how long I've been in Canada as this was my 2nd year at the event. A beautiful, sunny day was the perfect backdrop to get a tan, and sink a few rum & cokes, oh yeah and hit a golf ball or two. Above Wazza shows his prowess at the range with a lofty drive.

Kimmy shows muchos style also.

Scenery on the brutal 3rd hole... I was too busy talking on my cell & spanked my brand new Nike ball into the middle of the lake...

On the 14th hole the rain started pissing down.

Luckily we had rum and golf carts to keep us amused...

Hail stones on the 14th green after the carnage subsided for a little while.

Winners can do whatever they like... Derek illustrates this point with a graceful bird pose. He carted a 6 under 65 to cement his position as local golf shark...

1st Game @ McMahon Stadium

2007-06-03T16:58:00.000-06:00

During the week my football team had their 1st game at McMahon Stadium, home of the Calgary Stampeders. It was an amazing opportunity to run around on a synthetic turf Canadian Football League Stadium and experience the conditions (minus crowd and cheerleaders) that the pros enjoy.

Not as many seats as Lang Park, but nonetheless a real nice ground.

Close up of the synthetic surface... I had a couple of nasty scrapes on my knee and shin afterwards which brought back memories.

Warming up before the game... technique needs a little work, but I am now running about 80% of the routes successfully. So much to learn in this game

I played most of the game as rusher. Its a defensive position where you chase after the opositon QB and try and "sack" them. I trapped him in his own in-goal one time, which apparently earns us two points... nice!!

Lilac Festival

2007-05-27T22:52:00.001-06:00

Mads & I posing by the Elbow River

I assumed that this guy was reaching for a hoop to join in the fun & games

These boys had the right idea for piercing through the hordes of festival-goers

These two just plain cracked me up. Robot dancing moves accompanying free-loving guitar riffs is as unique a combo as I can imagine

Looking north up 4th Street at the army of people who were out to celebrate summer in calgary!

Random street shot of the locals inter-mingling at the Lilac Festy... a great afternoon spent out in the sun!!

Poker Night

2007-05-27T22:44:00.001-06:00

High tension as you would expect from high stakes poker ($10!!). Jay uses slight of hand to fool us his hand is worthy of folding

The Big Stack celebrating after taking half my chips...

Sunnyside

2007-05-27T22:30:00.001-06:00

A quiet Saturday morning at a great little cafe in Sunnyside... giant-sized tasty latte is the only way to start the weekend We came across this mint Mustang while strolling around the leafy sunnyside streets

The Ezzy Times

2007-05-24T22:44:00.000-06:00

Heres a few photos of my crew back home... the star of the show is my little niece Olivia... I like the moxie she is starting to dipslay in photos...

Things sure have gotten classy since I left town - hmmm... maybe I was the scruffy influence?

The old man at one of his army re-union events... by the size of that grin I figure he's on the 5th or 6th beer!Shauno and Olivia running a decoy play behind the big bopper Charlie.

Worlds Apart

2007-05-24T21:13:00.001-06:00

Its spring in Calgary with a hint of (cough) summer around the corner. I awoke this morning to 1 degree C and three inches of snow on my front porch... ok fair enough... then i log onto The Bureau of Meteorology in Queensland! Not bloody fair! You buggers over there are supposed to be heading into (cough) winter, however, BOM are predicting higher than normal temps this winter... and the big punch in the face is that this translates into a continuing trend of sweet waves via seasonal southeast winds and swells... the Friday morning dip in the ocean before work will be progressing well into June... I'm sure my old mate Jared will be stoked and cashing in some accumulated "sick days" very soon... go son!

2 weeks in 10 seconds...

2007-05-20T00:56:00.000-06:00

Holy sheep! Two weeks has blown by before I could even blink... In summary:
Mads and I finally sold our place in Brisbane... what a relief! That crazy little shack was destined to put grey in our hairs and wrinkles on our brow... such a relief that we wont have to deal with the Norman Bates neighbours from hell any longer... exhale.
In international news, Richo completed the London marathon the other day in a tad over 4 hrs... if only the Kiwi cricket team had as much balls as Rich, they may have made a better show of the recent World cup.
Mothers Day came and went and had a good yarn to mum on the phone - its really exciting that they are making the pilgrimage over to Calgary in August... will be awesome to catch up and chew the fat again in person.
I have been cranking up for the outdoor football season of late. The team I play for "The Stooges" have taken me under their wing as their "Aussie Project"... and I have been given the kicking role with my background in "fors and backs" and rugby. I'm looking forward to our first game in a few weeks at McMahon Stadium.
Watched the Super 14 rugby final tonight on the big screen at Chris & Zelda's place. Was pretty cool to watch the all-Sth African final surrounded by a room full of Sth Africans! With the Australians struggling in the rugby before the World Cup I am getting behind the Saffas to knock over the All Bleks - anyone but the Kiwis!!

These white-flowered trees have popped up everywhere in our hood of late - pretty cool.

Dark skies descended for the May long Weekend...

Party at Andi's the other night... drinking games ensured the hands on heads

I got all cuddly with the locals after a few too many beers...

Cranking firepit in the backyard - a Canadian past-time!

A couple of cool cats rockin out next to the fire pit...

Mads keeping it real...

More rockin out inside...

Chris nervously watching the Bulls "snatch" the Super 14 rugby title in the dying seconds of the match... lots of fingernail biting and yelling at the television... I was in heaven!

Mads pops out of the bushes

Honing the skills with the wierd-shaped NFL ball... goes like a rocket when you find the sweet spot... which I rarely do!

2007-05-06T22:04:00.000-06:00

A man who works to live. He's got a campervan, 2 boats, a trailor for gear, a canopy for the 4WD, and a beater for bush bashing.

This little guy on the other hand is way too serious... its 24 degrees C in calgs today and he's out chopping down wood to catch his tucker. First time I have seen a woodpecker!

Another example of May keeness! Theres enough wood here for the next 12 winters

Although this fella has enough wood for the next 12,000 winters and a greenhouse!

When its 24 degrees my tools are down & I'm into the slurpees - check out the coke consistency on this bad boy! After 2 hrs of touch football earlier in the day I was absolutely fanging for a cold drink.

May certainly is a beautiful time of year - I have never given a rats ass about flowers before... I am fascinated by them after six months of snow and coldness... I must be getting soft

Powder Shakes...

2007-04-29T22:54:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBvEHh5_AbU

4 weeks after hanging the board up for the season I am having massive withdrawals. Thank god for YouTube... Check out this dude carving up Nakiska... I want to get the hand on the powder next season!!

Bring on November!!!

Ups and Downs of Saturday

2007-04-28T22:44:00.000-06:00

Big Up: Australia winning their 3rd Cricket World Cup in a row! Nice one Punter & the boys!

Big Down: Spending 9 hrs at work digging my way out of a deadline hole and missing the game. I'm sure the folks back home are drinking the pubs dry!

Friday Arvo

2007-04-28T22:24:00.000-06:00

After getting out of work at 6.30 I was amazed at how bright the sky still was. I cruized home and found my wife kicking back in the yard catching some rays. I am starting to appreciate the stark changes of season. I think I took sun for granted in Australia... not now though. I promptly threw my bag on the lawn and adjourned for a bit of sun-bathing as well. It was really peacefull and above all it was nice to have some time to appreciate the garden that is starting to develop. All in all, a great way to end an otherwise stressful day.

The NHL can be confusing to a newbie

2007-04-26T22:28:00.000-06:00

I'm still trying to figure out how the National Hockey League ticks. After the Red Wings destroyed the Flames in the last round, making Calgary look silly at times, they rolled over tonight in game 1 against San Hose and looked like puffed wheat. On the plus side, Ottawa put up 5 points to out-gun the dangerous NJ Devils... fingers crossed they can keep on rolling through the east. Talking about the east, my faves the Rangers (due to their love of the biffo and beer league appearance) were unlucky against the Sabres last night... read, unlucky not to have 10 scored against them... C'mon boys rally together, get your fists up and lay down some smack on these Buffalo wannabes.

2007-04-25T23:42:00.000-06:00

A scary article from back home in todays news paper. Leyburn residents some 2 hrs west of Brisbane may be evacuated due to a water supply crisis, if government discussions progress further. This is a shocking revelation to me and really hits home how bad things have got out there. I have spent some time on a mates property at Nobby (a stones throw away) and can't believe that it has completely dried up. The local communities must be aching. I was fortunate enough to play a bit of country cricket for Nobby and know a lot of the guys out that way and it really hurts me to know that they are looking over their shoulders at what may destroy generations of hard work and toil. Keep fighting boys!

I like big Shane Webcke's stance on this... we can supply water to Brisbane (Kenmore) but we're happy to move the farmers off their land. I am halfway through reading Shane's autobiography "Warhorse" (thanks Dad!) at the moment and from what Ive taken in so far, I reckon the government will have a real fight on their hands against the big fella! Surely if we can move water to the mines, then we can move water for the farmers.

desperate for a ride??

2007-04-25T22:10:00.000-06:00

bummed out about the warmer temps and lack of rides? Check out these innovative little buggers who have made the last m3 of snow last that little bit extra. Love it!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWQJx28QhjU

FAT RABBITS

2007-04-25T20:16:00.000-06:00

The white, winter rabbits have all been eaten by these new FAT brown rabbits that have taken over the park next to my work. Serioulsy though, its freaky how their coats change colour so quickly once the snow retreats... up close these bad boys are FAT AS!! I think that I maybe got a bit close to this one as the look in its eyes was a tad scary. My mate Jay is paranoid about rabbits and now I can understand why.

ACAD Spring Show and Sale

2007-04-23T21:20:00.000-06:00

Mads dragged me down to Alberta College of Art & Design - aka ACAD - to have a look at the Spring show and sale event. It is a brilliant concept from the college to give these artists some exposure, some confidence and above all some cash to get their careers rolling into gear. I would have liked to see some more of the artists presenting their work, as I am not that way inclined and could have done with an interpretation or two to understand. It was pretty cool how much diversity there was across the collection. Not that it all appealed to me, but thats art - it's not spoon-fed and it's not for the masses...

Mission

2007-04-21T17:01:00.000-06:00

Tuesday was sunny and bright - antics in the park
Then Thursday it was flurries again - cool snow balls at the local school

Then Friday it cleared - Nose Hill Park at the back of our house

Mission intersection on Saturday morning

Unfortunately the Flames got smashed in Game 5 this morning... their mission is to win the next two straight at Pengrowth tomorrow and at Detroit on Tuesday night....to calm our wounded pride, we headed down to Mission on the southside for some cafe hopping.

Two Apeice

2007-04-21T10:17:00.000-06:00

I have become addicted to NHL. I religiously watch as many playoff games as I can manage, and ask a million and one questons of my tiring colleagues at work the next day about players, teams, offensive and defensive plays & of course the worshiping of the goalies. These masterful little goalies with their amazing reflexes and steel gonads are beyond praise... except when they let in the losing goal.
After getting smashed by the Red Wings in Detroit twice, the Flames have bounced back emphatically on home ice to square the series at 2 apiece. Hopefully Iggy, Kippa and the boys can rally away from home and produce something extra to overcome these bloody red Wings!

Chock-A-Block Weekend

2007-04-15T19:49:00.000-06:00

With Mads not feeling too good, I had an extended kitchen pass on Saturday to catch up on overloaded "To Do's". I managed to go to the gym, get my ass kicked 6-1, 6-1 by Wazza in tennis, throw the footy round in the arvo and catch up with my bro on the phone. It was great to talk to Shauno and get all the goss from back home including updates on my niece Olivia and the latest on the water crisis in SEQ.

Sunday was a little less testosterone-charged... Mads & I caught up with Andi for a bit of brekky down on 17th Ave. With the sun shining, most of the diners were packed with locals in t-shirts and shorts despite temps of 13 degrees. After a wickedly delicious vego feed we headed into Inglewood to scope out some second hand books. The book store is absolutely massive... like the freakin' Tardis inside. Every corner yields a whole new room, each filled with a gazzillion cool, old books. I managed to dig out a little pearler of a guidebook of the Canadian Rockies... sweet!!!

This evening Mads & I cruized around the neighbourhood to take in a bit of sun and scope out what's new. It was brilliant to see patches of green grass here and there and trees with new growth from the recent rain. I guess from the number of dirty trucks and quads we saw, that we arent the only people who are stoked about the rain!

A week in Bermuda

2007-04-14T00:25:00.000-06:00

Not the holiday destination, the triangle. Ever have one of those weeks that zoom by without registering on your radar. While sitting at my cube filling in my timesheet today, I tried to reflect on what the hell I'd done this week. I honestly cant remember... Maybe I was in hibernation, as not only couldnt remember what I'd worked on, I couldnt even remember what I'd done outside of work... Hopefully a quiet weekend with Mads will ground me back in the realms of reality.

A Beautiful Day

2007-04-08T00:43:00.000-06:00

Calgary melted some of its recent snow and put on a beautiful sunny day. After an amazing brunch at the Coup, I spent a few hours roaming around the streets of Highwood. The trees were thankful for the warmth today and the red berries were cranking in all of their glory. There were plenty of squirrel tracks in the snow over the last few weeks, but it wasnt until today that I saw the little funsters charging here and there. The icicles that were decorating our roof this morning were all gone when I got back this afternoon... its a crazy time of year!

Props to Wazza

2007-04-07T14:31:00.000-06:00

Props to my man Wazza for taking down "North Axe" yesterday in only his 2nd season of boarding. This insanely steep piste is "Crap your dacks" central, and the big fella has sucked up his fear and charged down this monster... the mark is now set for my second season in Winter '08. I am sorry that I missed this memorable event... thats what you get for geeking out and running groundwater models instead of geting out on the slopes and hurtling your body down the mountain...

Good One mate!

Rent - A - Goalie Lives ON

2007-04-07T14:14:00.000-06:00

I came across a ShowCase announcement on the net today that my fave Canadian show has invested in another 10 episodes for what will be their second season. The show revolves around a recovering-from-everything dude named cake who works as a barista in "Little Italy" Toronto while running his own rent a goalie company on the side. It is wickedly funny and bloody interesting to boot...

Night Scenes

2007-04-05T22:50:00.000-06:00

I love Calgary at night when it is snowing.

It is so quiet and peaceful and above all, it is breathtaking. I took some photos tonight of our front yard which is lightly coated in a few inches of fresh snow. Its a mild -5 C tonight, making it a must to get out and enjoy the surrounds.

Technical Glitch

2007-04-05T18:29:00.000-06:00

I had a run-in with the blue screen of death a few weeks ago. My old Toshiba Laptop (with floppy drive) finally carked it. I went out a few nights ago and purchased a new lappy with all the latest bells and whistles, including the new Vista OS... As I was transferring my photo library from its temporary storage on my work lappy to the new home lappy, somehow I managed to delete the entire collection of photos from early March to now... spewing!! On the up side it is incentive to get out next winter and take a heap more snowboarding and Rockies pics to replace the lost collection.

More Snow

2007-04-03T22:40:00.000-06:00

As I headed out this morn to get a back-cracking at the chiro before work, I was greeted at the front door with about five inches of fresh, soft snow. While I was waiting for the chiro to open, I sat in Starby's and sucked down a hot chocolate, watching the thick flakes fall to the ground... It was a beautiful way to the start the day. I spent most of my spare time today trecking around to hunt out icicle specimens that seem to grow on every surface. The roof-tree combo shown is the coolest I found.

Smacked

2007-04-02T21:30:00.000-06:00

"The Stooges", my indoor touch footy team, played in the final yesterday. It was cool that we made the final, but at the same time it was rough the way we got smacked 42-12. I managed to drop the only ball thrown to me yesterday to take my completion rate for the season 0-3 or 0%. I think that I am destined to play defence in the summer season...

Kicking the Footy

2007-03-30T19:20:00.000-06:00

With spring in the air, a few of the engineers at work were keen to kick the footy around after lunch. It was great to crack out a few "torpies" after 10 months of rugby drought. The spring fever in the park was highlighted by the insurgence of a big old Canada Goose. This was my first up-close experience with one of these magnificent creatures. I thought it was gunna charge Jay down for a minute there.

Seeds of Change

2007-03-28T22:29:00.000-06:00

Mads and I were fortunate enough to view the film "Seeds of Change" tonight at the Plaza Theatre in Kensington. The film presents a farmer's perspective on the controversy surrounding the use of genetically modified (GM) crops across the Canadian prairies. In particular, the focus is on GM canola & wheat. I would recommend that if you are interested in these matters that you visit the website and download the film and take the time out of your life to soak in what these people have to say. It doesnt just pertain to farming...
When I was back in Australia I heard David Suzuki lecture on several occasions, and he always mentioned the issues of GM crops and the negative impacts of Monsanto and the like. It never really sank in until seeing this film. I am now very curious about gene patents and the control that companies can obtain through these patents. The case of Monsanto versus farmer Percy Schmeiser is a scary precedent.

"...if you want to find out if GM crops are dangerous or not, just watch the Canadians. We're doing the experiment for everybody else. We have been involved in a massive experiment for over five years now. GMOs are in the food stream and we've never given our consent."
-Geneticist David Suzuki, quoted in the film

Last Hurrah At COP

2007-03-28T00:07:00.000-06:00

Timing is everything. With COP closing down its hill for the winter, I took advantage of some overnight snow to have a mid-week, afterwork board session with my groundwater posse. It staggers me that 20 mins drive from my house is a ski hill in the middle of town! It was my 1st attempt at a night board and I have to admit I sucked at it... I took a lot of tumbles as I struggled with the light variation and the sketchy ice-like conditions. That aside, it was still an entertaining mission and a great way to watch the sun come down on a Tuesday in Calgary.

I promised my chiropractor that last weekend was my last sesh for the winter, but now I'm not so sure and maybe one or two visits to Sunshine over the Spring may be warranted...hmmm

My gorgeous little niece

2007-03-26T18:50:00.000-06:00

Received some photos of my gorgeous niece Olivia today. It is a little painful to be away from home some days... she is growing so fast it is scary! Its good to see the old Blinky Bill is still getting a run around the traps. Lots of love to you Olivia...

Panorama Weekend

2007-03-26T18:23:00.000-06:00

Went away for the weekend to Panorama Resort in BC. It was unbelievable to wake up on Saturday morning, stroll out of the chalet and walk the arduous 100m to the quad lift. Thick, fluffy snow was pouring down on us on the 1st run and we knew it was going to be a special day! Mads and I stretched out on some of the green runs then cranked up the volume with some more challenging blue runs later in the morning. Apart from a mistaken entry into a black diamond run at the top of the mountain, it was a challenging and kick-ass day of boarding. My fave run was definitely "Old Timer"... a real gem! Following 6 hrs of boarding and 2 hrs in the hot pool and sauna, the good times continued with an 80's revival party that started in the lodgings and oozed out into the local pub... Unfortunately, while we were partying hard on Satdy night, the rain came and morphed the hill into a concrete cricket pitch. After an hour of gutsy boarding on Sunday morning, I pulled up stumps and retired to the lodge for a much earned vegie-burger and a coke... and nursed my poor tail-bone which was a little worse for wear after a few spills onto the hard pitch... can't wait to come back to this fabulous resort again next year!!

Snow = Slow

2007-03-21T20:50:00.000-06:00

Unfortunately I learnt a new Canadian phenomena today - an unexpected snow dump overnight translates into horror traffic delays. While I was sitting in the bumper to bumper chaos, I caught up on some long overdue car singing and snapped off some photos... hope you enjoy them

Grom Handicap

2007-03-20T20:51:00.000-06:00

During a wild goosechase to hunt down a board-bag this evening, I ended up at COP. In the car park, I noticed a pretty spectacular trail blazer. It was a beat up Festiva with a wild grafitti paint job. Inside this little beast were two groms toking down on the wacky tabaccy, prepping for a session on the hill. Being a novice to boarding, I am astounded that you could even contemplate ripping down a hill while stoned... must be nice to be so good that you can play off a handicap!

Warm Winters and Budget Announcements

2007-03-20T18:09:00.000-06:00

The Canadian Federal Budget for 2007 has a distinct "environmental" component, which is framed by Environment Canada announcing the second warmest winter on record (since 1948). The records can be further interogated to reveal that the six warmest winters have occurred in the last decade. Within the budget, the government have made room for the following environmentally-beneficial features (among others):

A performance-based rebate program will offer up to $2,000 for the purchase of a new fuel-efficient or efficient alternative-fuel vehicle, with a new green levy on "gas guzzlers," to be paid by the manufacturer on vehicles delivered after March 19.
About $1.5 billion will be allocated over seven years to replace excise tax exemptions for ethanol and biodiesel and encourage production of renewable fuels.
Under a national water policy, the government will spend $35 million for various remediation projects and groundwater flow investigations.
Encourage investments by the oilsands and other sectors in clean and renewable energy while the current accelerated capital cost allowance for oilsands development is phased out over the next eight years.

I will be interetsed in seeing how these features unravel over the next few years...

Ode to the Chiropractors of the World

2007-03-20T17:53:00.000-06:00

Imagine working in an industry where every client is cranky, mentally at worst-case scenario, and sceptical that you want them to come in for further treatment as a way of conjuring up more dollars. And that when you do succeed and get someone beyond a stage of noticeable pain, they bugger off and dump you by the wayside until worst case scenario is back in town...

After 4 months of stacking my way down piste after piste, I have managed to anger almost every cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae in my already fragile back. With three visits toDr Jodi Jackson, and one deep tissue massage from Brandy at the Brentwood Chiropractic & Massage Clinic, I feel good as new. If you live in the NW part of Calgary and are having back issues, I highly recommend her!

A Winter Wonderland

2007-03-17T20:01:00.000-06:00

After a boozy Friday night sampling all of Canada's best beers, we awoke to a gorgeous winter wonderland at Baker Creek Chalet. Outside our window, snow poured down and complimented a crackling fire place... I was in heaven!

We headed into the township of Lake Louise and then went to the famous frozen lake. It was unbelievable how much snow there was... needless to say, you give a bunch of hooligans from the southern hemisphere an opportunity to throw a bit of snow around and lookout!

Too many choices...

the track gets a little bit deep!

The simple things in life...

Boardfest Wk 1

2007-03-17T19:10:00.000-06:00

After 3 days of chiropractor appointments and a last minute sports massage the body came good and Week 1 of Boardfest was all systems go! An early morning start saw us pitching up at Lake Louise at 10am. What a great day to be out! The snow was falling all day and Louise was powdery and soft with not too many icy patches. We had a wickedly fun day ripping through the frontside of the mountain. Many thanks to Wazza, Kimmy, Andrea, Stupac and Kate for turning up to make my birthday board one to remember. I was particularly stoked that my bro rang up from Brizzy at the end of the day!

Wazza pulling out one of his patented snow sprays on my unsuspecting wife

WAZZA!!!

A well earnt beer at the end of the day!

The Broncs are Back

2007-03-13T23:08:00.000-06:00

The Brisbane Broncos take the park for Game 1 of the 2007 season this Friday night (Down Under Time). I would like nothing more for my Bday than the Broncs to roll the Cowboys and extract revenge for the Game 1 loss to their NQ foes last year. My wife is ecstatic that we are not going to watch football every weekend for the next 30 weeks ! Her love for Canada just grew 10%
I am pretty sure that Brisbane were one of the only teams in Australia last year to dimiss players for poor conduct... It is becoming ridiculous the almost-weekly headlines in football for drugs, fighting, rape, alcohol abuse, gambling and much more. Many fans (myself included) were pleasantly surprised to see the Broncs take a stand. It definitely drew me back to attending their games (instead of watching on the box), and it must have had some effect on the Brisbane players as they turned around the season and won the premiership. Makes me proud to be a long-serving supporter!

Just When I Thought it Was Safe to Wear a T-Shirt

2007-03-13T21:18:00.000-06:00

My dad always taught me that when you wash your car it rains - I thought I would be safe from that rule on the other side of the world. So when I went to bed last night I couldnt imagine waking up to a motor car covered in snow - and it wasnt just on the car... it was everywhere - thick, white heaps on the streets, the lawn, trees, roofs. Although my t-shirts have been put in the back of the cupboard again, the BIG upside is that all is faring well for Boardfest on Friday... bring on the Slopes!!!

Daylight Savings

2007-03-11T18:37:00.000-06:00

What a great day for the commencement of daylight savings. Calgary dished up 19 degrees C and plenty of sun. I took the opportunity to quickly give the car a wipe down and cruise around outside in a t-shirt and shorts for the 1st time in ages. If it wasnt for a nasty hangover it would have been the perfect Sundy arvo!

Nice Maze, Cheese Please

2007-03-10T14:07:00.000-07:00

My wife encouraged me to read an article this morning over a coffee and breakfast. The Calgary magazine Orange Life had a design issue for the month of March and Chloe Crowson had a piece within titled "Authentic Design". It was a piece so well written that it lifted off the page and swirled around inside my head. It talked of the 'design experience' and how more & more corporations and businesses sell an experience that enriches our lives. Nothing new there. It did, however, talk about how rich and true experiences are being replaced by replica experiences designed to rise the same feelings without truly being the same feelings. The quote from Swiss author Max Frisch rang loudly in my head "we live in an age of reproduction. most of what makes up our own personal picture of the world we have never seen with our own eyes." Thankyou Chloe.

World Cup Update

2007-03-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

Australia are off to a good start in the pre-World Cup in West Indies. After a fairly cruisy warm-up against Zimbabwe, the boys exerted a little more energy against the old enemy today. Hopefully Symonds will be back shortly and the team will be at full strength for the finals (if we get that far)... Also good to see Gilly and Watson firing at the top of the order.

Please yourself

2007-03-09T09:26:00.000-07:00

If only pleasing yourself were as easy as this...

Happy Bday Dad

2007-03-08T21:05:00.000-07:00

Big bday wishes to my dad back in Australia today. He is 66 years young and I've no doubt he'll be pushing back a few celebratory beers tonight with my bro... I am sucking down a Johnny Gold in your honour right now and wishing you another super year.

Bloody Legend

2007-03-07T21:28:00.000-07:00

Check it ! My old mate Richo has hardcored his way to the top of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Kilimanjaro is apparently the tallest free-standing mountain rise in the world, and is the highest peak in Africa at 5,895 metres (19,340ft). For geo buffs like myself the Big K is a giant stratovolcano...

Good onya Richo - not bad for a Kiwi!!