The world is spinning way too fast!

Well here I am awake earlier than expected and sitting at the computer as I am too worried to go back to sleep incase I sleep through my alarm making me late for work. Seems to be a habit I am forming lately! I am going to be shattered again this afternoon.

In the quietness of the rest of the house sleeping I have been sitting here thinking about how fast January has disappeared already and besides working there are only a few days where something special has happened. Does this mean that the rest of the year is going to fly by this quickly? I hope not!

My dieting is eratic and in my heart realise that I need to go back to Weight Watchers just for the extra encouragement. It is a battle trying to stay on track by myself at home! Stayed the same weight wise this week so I will see what the scales say by Thursday. Need to pull my finger out and exercise. Vicky and I have agreed to start walking again as soon as the kids are settled back at school and the routines are in place!! Oh the dream of having a life without a routine!!

Speaking of Vicki - a big shout out to her for officially becoming an Aussie on Thursday - well done chickadee!!

As mentioned I am off to work shortly (half day today thankfully) - Noel is taking the kids and his parents bush to do a little bush bashing - or as the kids put it "to scare Nana and Grandad in the 4wd!!" needless to say the stories at lunch time should be interesting.

Chat soon - ~*JO*~

It's nearly holiday time....wooooohooooooo!!

Well the trailer is almost packed only a few small things to go in like clothes for us adults plus the food and drinks!! Cross fingers that we will be on our way by 5am like we have planned. May need to get up at about 3 am but it will all be worth it when we get to the camp site, set up and then sit and relax that is after we collect the firewood, get the fire going and work out what is for tea!! But in all seriousness Noel and I are so looking forward to this break. We haven't had a good break since April and that seems like it was so long ago. And I know that the kids are anxious to get there also.

Lots to do in the State Forest besides staring into the fire!! Hopefully I will get to do some walking but there is also four wheel drive tracks to explore, animals to spot, I know that down the road from the campsite there is the Snob's Creek Waterfalls so that will be worth a look. With a bit of luck we will find somewhere to throw in the yabbie nets to get a good feed! Not taking the fishing rods this time but I might just have to use my powers of pleading and venture to the trout farm to catch my favourite fish!! Yummo!! But before we know it it will be time to pack up and come home.

So the next time you will hear from me will be at least next Wednesday evening when we return to civilian life and pry ourselves away from the bush. I will return from my relaxing bush retreat knackered with two feral children that are black from bushlife and who have a large case of television withdrawal symptoms and everything smelling of smoke!! Sounds great and I can't wait!!

Oh before I go - big CONGRATULATIONS to Ms Vicki - great loss this week girl. Keep up the great work. I will definately miss our walks and our chats this week. (I am going to try and be as good as I can while I am away - LOL!!)

Bye for now and I hope everyone backs a winner on the Melbourne Cup!!

Finally - the right camp site

Geez after 3 weeks of driving around various state forests, national parks and basically anywhere that resembled bush and had a river/creek close by we have finally found a camp site. We have been planning to go camping for the Melbourne Cup Weekend for the last 6 months or so but until today unsure about where we were going to pitch the tent.... but today we found the right spot.

Sounds silly I know but there were severeal requisites for the "Right" spot.
1. Near water
2. Fairly isolated - didn't want to be surrounded by people especially yahoo's
3. Grassy not sandy/dirty

Call us fussy if you wish but we like to be comfortable and once we pitch tent we are there for 5 days so why shouldn't we get the right spot? All the truck drivers at my work are picking on us for being "too fussy" and saying "you should just go and camp - campings all about taking the rough with the good" but everyone has there standards. I have been laughed at by blokes that just throw out a swag once they have found their destination to a bloke that although he agreed with the others actually goes to his onsite van that is fitted with a tv and dvd player... right like that is roughing it.

But we are off to Snob's Creek next Friday and will camp there until the following Wednesday. There is the creek running right past the campsite which will provide the water for showers and dishes etc. Not sure if it is drinkable but will take water in with us. The site is not accessable by normal car only 4wd and is set quite a way from the main road. Cross fingers that we will be the only ones heading for the site this weekend. It is big enough to fit maybe two camps on there but it would be nice to be by ourselves.

Well it is now past 10 o'clock and I have been up since 5am as I had to work this morning - so the bed is definately the next thing on the agenda!!

Nearly 600kms!!!!

Instead of spending the day yelling at the kids for arguing over silly things "he's got my toy" or "give that back" not to mention "I'm telling on you!" Noel and I decided to pack the family into the 4wd and head off in search of our campsite for the upcoming Cup Weekend. We have put in our annual leave and are looking forward to the 5 day break BUT at the moment have no idea where we are going to set up camp.

To cut a really long story very short - nearly 600kms and we still don't know where we are camping!! LOL!!

However we did find some great off road tracks up near Walhalla and Licola. We had a picnic lunch at Aberfeldy Bridge which was so peaceful right next to the river. Wildlife was abundent on this trip, to the kids enjoyment, as we came across a Lace Monitor, Echidna, Kangaroos, Fox, Rabbits not to mention a few road kill victims!!

One track, Boguane Gap Track, on the map seemed to lead to ideallic riverside camping and caught our interest. Meeting up with other bush bashers upon starting the track it was described to us as a "narly" track. Noel and I looked at each other and thought we are here now might as well have a look! Geeez narly, in my opinion, wasn't the correct word. I think I would have bought "outright scary" in my description. The kids were scared while we were climbing up at one stage and I must admit I burst into a fit of uncontrolable laughter once we reached the top - I think it was out of relief!!

As it was sooooo late dinner wasn't the lasagne we had planned on but instead we stopped and had a chinese meal in Traralgon which was yummy. The kids both ate really well and as we were leaving a nice lady from a table near us commented on how well behaved our kids were. Blushing I thanked her and explained they had been sat in the car all day and I had quite expected them to misbehave but was very proud of them!! And we still had to drive back to Frankston. We left the restaurant at 9pm!

Anyway we have literally walked in the door, the kids are now tucked up in bed after sleeping the last 2 hours in the car, the car has been unpacked and everything put away. Sorry about not walking Vicki but I will chat with you tomorrow....

Needless to say I am off to bed now. I am absolutely shattered!!!!!!