The last goodbye

Yesterday, twelve months after the announcement, Lilydale Campus closed. I went out to the last party, determined to finally draw a line and move on.

The first thing I saw when I turned into the drive was three Ridgeway vans, emblazoned with the words, 'Business Removals'. That was the first emotional moment and there were many more over the next four hours which was every bit the struggle I had feared it would be. Empty offices everywhere, the library doors closed forever, Susan's 60th birthday hijacked by the generally sad vibe.

My desk

My shelves



Emma

Colleen



Peter & Nelson

Craig, Michelle & Steve

Julie W & Andrew

My beloved building

 Goodbye Lilydale. Here's a brief retro of 16 years of happy occasions ...

 

And just to prove I'm moving on, here's a photo of 3 British Lions in town for the Rugby. Melbourne is awash with them - dressed as bobbies, union jacks, lions and in the team strip.

A pride of Lions

There were just a few Aussies supporting the Wallabys. "Who are the ones in the green and yellow?" asked Big Jimmy innocently. Durrr.

Farewell to the best PM the world has ever known

The perfidious, vain, delusional Rudd is temporarily our PM. What a tragedy that a person of Julia Gillard's integrity, intelligence, generosity and class is now lost to Australian politics.
I've voted Labor always, even if it has been for no other reason than tribal loyalty but cannot do it this election. Ironically my local member is in the Gillard faction. He is collateral damage.

But who do I vote for instead? The wussy ole Greens I suppose. Maybe informal - just fill my ballot paper with vitriol and not number anyone.

The Libs will win anyway. Oh horrors - my grandchildren growing up in Abbot's Australia.



Goodbye Julia. Victim of sexism, misogyny, bullying, jealously and betrayal. Never given a chance.

Caspie and Foxy

Caspie's favourite thing at playgroup is a very soft cuddly fox with a luxuriant tail. The cars, the puzzles, the paints and the other kids are OK but can't compete with a snuggle up to Foxy. Perhaps the only thing that does is the occasional birthday cake.

My favourite!

Our Hilza on telly

Hil was interviewed on ABC TV by Virginia Rioli, Michael Rowland and Paul Kennedy this morning. She is so beautiful and photogenic that Michael Rowland had his eyes out on stalks. And who could blame him?

 

She did brilliantly  - poised and entertaining. How lucky is Cadel Evans to have his bio written by Hil?!

 

Caspie is not a fan of TV and kept telling us to turn it off - until he saw Mummy. Then he walked right up to the screen in fascination.

Accolades for Hil have been pouring in from all corners.

Caspie hams it up

"I must do my exercises"

I'm loving the latest "Charlie and Lola"...

...but ought to go over to the park for some sun and exercise

I may need some help to get started

HOW many reps did you say?!!

Gotta lose those tuckshop arms

Not sure what these knee-bends are meant to do

Betcha can't do this!



Hmm. That personal trainer's soooo annoying

Enough! I'm off home!

Exhausted! Exercise can kill

Today I visited, for the first time, the grave of my grandmother, Brigid who died, aged 25, when my mother was born in 1917. I went with Tricia and Bon who had done the research and knew how to find the right grave. It had been vandalised and is in bad repair.  In the Catholic section of Coburg Cemetery surrounded by headstones bearing Irish and Italian names poor Brigid and Mum's stillborn twin lie unidentified.

 

 

I love a cemetery tour but this time it was a personal and very sad connection. It was nice to go back  to Bonnie's and her two fine dogs, Molly and Clancy for afternoon tea

 

Molly

Clancy

 

It's a pity Clancy and Molly didn't make it to the Million Paws Walk earlier. But here's two fine Hawthorn-supporting canines who did