Happy days.....!!

 

I'm one of those disgustingly healthy people who don't often get sick, but even I was susceptible to the particularly nasty flu bug that must have been germinating quietly in one of my unsuspecting lunch guests on Monday last week, within a few days everyone except my daughter had succumbed to the dreaded 'lurgy'. It hit me on Friday evening and when I say 'hit'....like a sledgehammer..!! the change of season period is always a bit dodgy, with temperatures 26C one day and 13C the next so at times you don't know whether you're Aurthur or Martha....! Apologies for lack of posting, back to normal today (thanks for the photo Pat), I always say  'the best thing about being sick, is how good you feel when you're better'. Hope you all had a much more enjoyable weekend than I did.....!!

Real or illusion.....!

                              
On the corner of Howard St.and The Esplanade  there are two buildings that couldn't be more different in style if they tried!!  On one corner is the BGC Centre building which is all glass and mirror and disappearing up into the heavens, and on the other is Bank of New Zealand House which is a much more traditional sturdy style building, but what caught my eye was the reflection of the BofNZ House looking more solid in reflection on the BCG building than the actual building itself, giving the glass building a look of tenuous reality.....!! btw after all my complaining about lack of winter yesterday, it's been bucketing down all night with storms and hail predicted for the rest of today...go figure..I LOVE it.....!!

Spring has sprung....!!

It's officially the first day of Spring here in Australia and although it's my favourite season of the year, new beginnings, newborn lambs, chicks and other baby birds and animals..I can't help feeling a wee bit cheated out of a proper Winter, sure there were a few cold nights and chilly days but on the whole it was a bit of a fizzle...!! Not to worry, move on Grace, Spring has sprung and I can't wait to get up to Kings Park and check out The Spring Festival when it starts, it's a fabulous event with flowers and exotic plants (like the cactus above from South Africa) from all over the world, so expect a fair few 'flowery' posts over the next month.. I'm thinking it might be the start of Autumn on the other side of the world...so happy 'new season' to you.....!! Oh yes,this is my contribution to the 'perspective' theme day, it's not what I was going to post, but hey it's SPRING.....!!

To see other entries in the 'Perspective' theme day; Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.:

Highs and lows.....!

This is the 'Streets of San Francisco' view of the walk along Burns Beach, taken yesterday.  I really enjoyed doing this walk in the run up to the City to Surf  so we have decided to make it a regular happening, it definitely is a challenge, but then all the most worthwhile things usually are.....Oh and Malyss (benchesonmyway) and VP (abunchofbenches) if you draw the picture in close, there's a bench right on the top of the hill that for 'some reason' made me think of you.....!! I bet that bench gets used a lot.....

'Laugh Kookaburra Laugh'.....!!

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Merry, merry king of the bush is he
Laugh, Kookaburra! Laugh, Kookaburra!
Gay your life must be...........Written by Marion Sinclair in 1932.

This cute little fella was sitting high in the trees as we passed through Perry Lakes on the home stretch of the City to Surf walk on Sunday (Laughing Kookaburra), I couldn't quite see if he had something in his beak or if it was just a little 'squiffy'.. I was hoping he would make the 'laughing' noise that they are so well known for so that I could include a video, but I think he was a bit 'taken aback' by the 40,000 people passing under his trees....!! The above is the first verse from a popular Australian nursery rhyme (words and music) which I think  is pretty well known all over the world..Hope everyone on the East Coast USA is recovering from Irene.....!

Twenty five thousand steps.....!!

The City to Surf run/walk/marathon is organized by Activ one of Perth's leading community benefit organizations, they have provided services and support to people with disabilities since 1951. This event is a fun way for the people of Perth to show their support, raise money and have a great time while doing it, and believe me they do... some of the costumes are fantastic and some fantastically bizarre, but all with the best of intentions..! It costs each of the many, many thousands of people who enter $45, and on top of that a lot of groups get sponsored, so a huge amount of money is raised...I've picked out a few photo's just to give an idea of the spirit of the event.....!  One of the many long hills..
                                             

                                                                   A group of 'angels'..

                                                                  A couple of aliens....

                                                                    Batman of course.....

                                                                     Grandad pushing pram.....

                                           and my personal favorite, these lovely lads.....

I just heard that there were over 40,000 people walking/running yesterday, what a fantastic effort people of Perth, good on you....!!    p.s. most of the photo's were taken while moving so maybe not as clear as could be, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.....!!                                            

Oi !! ....hold that bus.....!!

Only joking...now, at the beginning I'm only joking, but later maybe not so much!!  Today's the day of the big walk/run (CitytoSurf)...and really it's no big deal, it's only twelve kilometers, but long stretches of it are uphill, still no big deal BUT here's the thing...I usually do this walk with my 'friend and sometimes mentor' Bill (Bills Diving) and to say there's a 'competitive edge' some would say is a huge understatement!! It's quite hilarious, we're both at an age where we should be walking at a decent pace.. but not like the devil himself was after us...each determined to get to the finish before the other, as a result, he'll deny it emphatically, we are both totally knackered as we stagger over the finish line!! This year Bill is having 'issues' like..... HE'S GETTING OLD hahahaha! and can't make the walk.. again only joking, the 'frenetic' pace will resume again next year, but because normally I wouldn't even think about slowing down to take photo's, quel horreur he might get too far ahead of me, there's not much to record the event.  This time however, the camera will be out and I will be clicking the many amusing sights that normally 'flash by at the speed of light'. Apart from all that I've wanted to post a picture of one of the Cat buses that are part of a free service run by Trans Perth (Cat buses), this link is pretty cool as it gives you where the buses are running in 'live time'....Still thinking of everyone who might be affected by Hurricane Irene and hope you are all safe.....!