Christmas 2008

A few days before Christmas we went into Sydney by Rivercat to sort out some last minute presents. We caught the usual good service from John Street at Rydalmere and in under an hour we are at Circular Quay in the city. From memory we didn't get half of what we went looking for but, hey, that's Christmas.







These pics are just to remind a certain member of our family, and his partner, what they are missing.

Now to continue from the last blog entry.
The Christmas cakes have now progressed to the stage of adding the marzipan.






and finally to the finished version with icing and decoration. Despite the close attention of Alex, it has not been cut as of mid afternoon on Boxing Day. I think this state of affairs will change about tea time today. Whoopee!!



On Christmas Eve, Alex helped me to put out the candles on the footpath. Actually we nearly didn't do it as it had been drizzling most of the day.




Di doing another last minute batch of mince pies. I can guarantee they, and the rum butter, wont last very long.


Christmas morning and all ready to go, just have to wait for Becky and the boys to arrive.


Once they arrived and the present opening started, we ended up with the usual paper chaos.



The boys!! Alex wins the prize for most hair! Sorry Graham.



Wow, I wonder what this big present is?



I'm still not sure but I expect Grumpy can sort it out.



The meat has been cooked outside in the Webber. Nice pork and turkey.



Just trying to get all the string off the pork. Had a lovely traditional type Christmas lunch with all the necessary bits and pieces, lots of stuffing, crackling, pies, dessert etc.

Late afternoon we all went up to Bonnie and Jumbos to meet up with them and their family and start eating again.


Some people slept through most of the noisy festivities.



The youngest people at the party. Alex with Harry, Libby and baby Ben.



I never did get the final photo. These are the usual high jinks taking place while trying to muster everyone into place. I hope Becky managed to take the final assembly.

One thing you must never do when rushing out on Christmas day, is to shut a magpie and native minor in the shed. Fortunately the only damage from the big bird was three broken goblets with crystalline glaze.


This pic is mainly for Jim to show the skid plate I have fitted below the gearbox cross member. It should help to stop getting caught up on speed bumps!

Its that time again!

I know I have said it before but where does the time go. Its not as though anything extra special has happened that is news worthy. The newest addition to the family, Ben, is still doing well but we don't seem to have as many pictures of him as we did with Alex. I suppose its because Becky has her hands full and when we see him he is asleep or I don't have my camera. He is putting on weight and is at the stage of starting to smile and talk.



Pictures from the archives of the first of this years roses.



Jacaranda time again but one good gust of wind and the fallen blossoms make a blue lawn.

We have been having Alex to stay quite a lot as it gives Becky and Graham a break and we love having him. The only problem is that he has also been going to pre-school for one day a week but always comes home with a cold which is soon passed around the whole family. The biggest problem is that if Di gets a cold it generally brings on her asthma.



This is one very clever little man. He is very quick, has a fantastic memory and is interested in any thing mechanical. He is also very familiar with a computer keyboard and loves nothing better than helping me send out emails.

He found this old camera while exploring one of our cupboards and is quite the expert photographer.



He is still trying to understand that not all cameras are of the digital variety.


But he is happy to cock the shutter and take pictures all day.



Its that time of year again. The Christmas cake baking time. This year Di has made three, with my help of course. This is ours, the biggest ready to go in the oven.



All covered up and in the oven. I shouldn't have put this picture up as it shows trade secrets.




Another bit of our Christmas tradition. Any mix left over is put in the fry pan and turned into small delicious flat cakes which are eaten warm and don't last too long in this household.


Just out of the oven. Now it gets wrapped in grease proof paper and tinfoil but is opened every few days to be dosed with Christmas cheer, Brandy, Rum, Whisky etc. Must remember to take some pictures when I put the marzipan and icing on.

Catch up time.

I cant believe its exactly a month since my last input, must have been busy with other things. Have been having computer problems, mainly getting it to start up, once its running everything is great. Jim built this computer before he went to Sweden so its four years old and in computer terms that's quite old. Its still very quick but obviously I will have to get the family experts to have a look at it for me but they have been busy with other things, namely the latest addition. I haven't taken any photos of him as his and my camera dates haven't been matching well so here are a few of his Moms pics.




He is doing well, putting on weight and doing all those usual baby things like giving his parents sleepless nights. When I see him he is either being fed or going to sleep, except for one evening when I had a lovely long cuddle.

As mentioned above, this computer has been playing up so I have joined the yuppie, latte, Chardonnay set and got a laptop. Becky actually got me a very good deal so even if I cant get the PC up and running I have back up and also somewhere to store my photos.

Now that there is an extra body in the Roberts-Anderson household, space will be at a premium and the computers will have to go somewhere else to leave bedrooms free. Its not easy to relocate a room full of wall to wall computers. Above the garage there is an existing room with a very low headroom which the original owners built as a children's playroom. The construction was rough to say the least so I offered my services and this is where I have been hiding for the last few weeks, off and on. The first thing to do was to strengthen the floor. ( all pictures are courtesy of Bec)


The floor joists needed reinforcing and blocking between them added.


Upstairs the walls were studded out, insulated and panelled.


With extra power points and Internet connections for the computers.


A new recessed doorway was formed so that the steps up into the room didn't encroach on the landing outside.


The wall on the landing and the floor above the garage was cut away......


and new steps built.

Not a bad job if I do say so myself.

Since these pics where taken all the trim pieces, architraves etc have been fitted and the next job is to replace this old timber wall paneling in the entrance with something more up to date.

He's home

He's home! Baby Ben came home from hospital just over a week ago.

These are my first photographs of him taken last weekend.






Ben’s weigh in yesterday indicated he has gained over 100 grams since Saturday which is such a relief as he didn't seem to be putting any on. Apparently the night before he wanted a feed every hour. It’s obvious that he will take as much as he can get. Becky had a visit from the health visitor who reckons Ben is just fine. We are all pleased. Alex is still doing everything he can to help look after his little brother.

Here are some extra photos of him from his Mothers more professional camera.







And all the boys together.

The new addition

Whoopee!! Our new grandson was born on the 3rd September 2008. Mother and child are both doing well.

We had a phone call from Graham who was at the hospital to tell us that Becky was going to have a cesarean and please could we come and get Alex who was there with him. We had a clear run at that time of night and got to the hospital at Baulkam Hills just after 10.00pm. By the time we had taken Alex home to get his clothes etc. and got back to the hospital, the baby had just been born. We had a very quick visit to see the baby but then had to take a very tired Alex home. By the time we got him into bed it was well after 1.00am.


He is a delight to have around even if he does get first dips of the cake mix.


The new baby is going to be called Benjamin, obviously shortened to Ben. He weighed 4lbs 1oz at birth which is a massive weight when compared to Alex and he wasn't covered in tubes. Becky was a bit upset that she couldn't carry him to full term but 5 weeks early is a pretty good compared to Alex. Becky left the hospital yesterday but little BJ has to stay there until he reaches his due birth date so Mom has to make regular trips back to feed him.

Here's what you have been waiting for, Ben in all his glory.







Isn't he cute!! I think there is a bit of his Grandfathers good looks there!!
A nice Fathers Day present.