AlternateRoute

Fixing a house struck by lightning

AJ — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:38:12 +0000

Last night on the way home I was listening to the news on the radio and they were reporting on the storms that hit Sydney on Friday afternoon. “One apartment block at Hillsdale had to be evacuated after it was struck by lightning.” “Hey”, I thought “That’s the place I’ve just been fixing.” and the [...]

Playing with the big boys toys

AJ — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 07:25:19 +0000

Today our SES unit had a training day with the Police rescue Squad and the Surf Lifesaving Association rescue helicopter.

We were training on the sandstone cliffs just near the helicopter base at La Perouse, just inside the Botany Bay National Park. When the Police arrived, they discovered that their key to the gate didn’t work [...]

Aussie plants make great art.

AJ — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:48:21 +0000

Today I visited a great art exhibition called “Under the Sun” at the Mount Tomah Botanical Gardens. The art was by Joseph Saad and Scott Cardamatis and was made primarily by sticking seed pods to a piece of wood. As simple as this seems, the results are stunning. Check out the photos I took of [...]

Bathroom almost finished

AJ — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 05:23:15 +0000

Gyprocks walls, check.

Tile walls, check,

Install cupboards, mirror, lights, basin and shelf, check.

Fill space under bath. Dum de dum dum

Public Service Gold

AJ — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 03:12:02 +0000

There are times when you wonder why you work for the public service and then there are times when you say “Yes, this is what it is all about, this is democracy in action.” Such a time happened the other day when this email arrived on my desk. It had gone from the Premier to the [...]

The simple pleasures are often the best

AJ — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:03:34 +0000

It has been a long time coming but we finally have both a flushing toilet and a shower (with hot water) in the shed at Lowther. No more having to empty and maintain the chemical toilet and no more boiling water in the kettle to have a bird bath.

The bathroom is still not lined, so [...]

The end of Movember

AJ — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:08:40 +0000

Well, Movember is almost finished for another year and to date I have raised $635 for the mens health charities Beyond Blue and The Australian Prostate Foundation.

Thanks to all those who donated, it is very much appreicated.

For those who haven’t, you can still donate at http://au.movember.com/mospace/138571/

First Xmas Beetle of the year.

AJ — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:31:49 +0000

The first I’ve seen anyway…….

One dish down, two to go.

AJ — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:21:18 +0000

I had an SES callout last night to secure a 3m satellite dish that had fallen on the roof of a shed. The supporting pole come up through the roof of the shed and had rusted through right at roof level. We could only walk on half o the roof of the shed, as the [...]

My friends will be seeing less of me now

AJ — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:39:42 +0000

My friends will definitely be seeing less of me now than they did 11 weeks ago. I started on a fitness regime and in that time I have lost 10.1kg.

My waist has dropped from 99cm to 87cm (2 pant sizes) and my body fat has dropped from 34.1% to 25.7%

I’m feeling fitter stronger and don’t [...]