Wagga Wagga

Well I write this blog with my daughter Ruby sitting on my lap who has taken to blowing raspberries... so please forgive my typos. So we leave Taree on a new adventure heading down to Wagga Wagga for my new secondment. We head down to Sydney with the car packed to the hilt and Ruby tucked in there somewhere....

Ruby manages a good sleep on the way down, rain bucketing down all the way until we arrive in Sydney. Its good to be there and we manage a catch up with family and the next day friends. The next day we are up early (we have a child, there is no more sleep ins for us), and head off to Goulburn, a nice little town that reminds me of Tauranga (my home town) back 30 years earlier. Anyway we stay at a motel and ask "will our things will be safe?" to which the hotelier replies, all the other rooms are full of police here for training...needless to say the car was not touched. The most noticeable thing about Goulburn was the 'Ram' as seen here..

So we head off toward our exciting new home town Wagga Wagga (meaning the 'Land of many Crows') and I must say have not seen one in Wagga (as the locals call it) since we arrived, much to my pleasure.  Anyway the drive down showed some beautiful green grass that reminded me of NZ. Take a gander ...

The highways look new too. On the way down to Wagga.

We also notice how it is cooler and slightly wetter at this time of year but somehow we are enjoying getting dressed up warm and not to bothered about the cold. Within the first week of being here there is a huge protest march to get a new hospital. Leilani and Ruby are in amongst it....

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So that's it for the first week in Wagga so far, lots to look at and off to work again.

My Girl and Billabong wildlife park!

Okay so I get home and am introduced to a new thing on the net..its awesome so check some of these photos of Ruby out....

All these done with Ruby photos, I just love the new concept!!

So we decided to have a day out and headed off to Billabong wildlife park. So we pack up Ruby and headed off. Ruby seemed somewhat interested in the Koala but not sure what it was.

Of course Leilani led by example and it got easier all the time... hehe

Then it was off to see the Wallabies and Red Kangaroo... I spotted Leilani having time out with some friends.. well she made one new friends anyway....

But one little chap wanted to come and say hi to me as I think he thought I was being left out..

So having said hello to numerous animals we carried on until we happened upon a curious not so little chap who popped up to say...GIDDAY MATE! while his Wallaby friends held a meeting about him behind his back hehehhee

Anyway after having a quick wee chat we headed off to the Reptile house to see what was happening there...but someone was already keeping an eye on ussssssssssssss.....

 

After a quick essssssssssssssscape we headed on through the park where I patted a dingo (and no a dingo did not get my baby!!) hahahaha then some cockatoos and a wombat..jeez what a big unit! and finally to say goodbye to us was a curious little chap..actually all he said was hello!! but anyway there ended the trip to the park!!

Home and back

Well my time had come and it was time to head back to New Zealand for a holiday and Ruby's Christening and my birthday....I had not seen my wife and daughter in 5 weeks, its too long... yes she is growing fast!!

Finally I get home and see my family...For my birthday I get a tattoo, Samoan design by Steve Ma Chang, well known for his expertise in this area. I tell him that I want Ruby and Leilani incorparated into the design and so the work begins...

And finally after 5 1/2hours his work is done and my arm is mine again....

 

Anyway then it was back to Tauranga for family friends and Ruby's Christening...  A well deserved break and great to see all.

Leilani did a fine job of cutting up her wedding dress and sewing Ruby's Christening dress... don't you think? Right: Scott and Andrea (the Godparents) and the Driessen Clan at Ruby's Christening. So back to the house for a sheep on the spit, beer, wine and more food...

As well as all this I get a helicopter ride for my birthday....yes very spoilt! So dad & I set off for a flight around Mount Mauganui and Te Puna, Omokoroa & Whakamarama where mum and dad live..

Left: Mum & Dads place, Below: Omokoroa point.

And Mount Mauganui.

After that I enjoyed time with family and friends and just chilling out...so thats about it for now, but just one

more photo of Ruby before I go...

Bigriggin and Rathdowney, Queensland Australia

So I go camping with some friends up in Bigriggin, a very little place near Rathdowney in Queensland Australia. I fly to brissie and spend the day taking photos of people and just general people watching. This guy apparently busks on the streets of the CBd and has done for years...

Whilst looking around I saw an Aboriginal man and took this shot.... he looks slightly annoyed but does not question me.... then as I walk towards the south bank I

 see a young fella riding his bike towards me, so I quickly gather my camera and shoot, this one I

feel is my best. Brissie is a busy city and full of all sorts of weird and wonderful things to photograph.

And as much as I would like to show you all my work, I have to pick photos that i hope my readers will enjoy as much as me. Anyway its onwards to another bloke I see checking his map, and as I raise my camera in the distance he looks straight at me so I snap this one... and then its us off driving to Bigriggin..

We arrive at Biggriggin & we are camping, enjoyin the peace and quiet of the woods and river flowing...only the possums come out at night, and of course being a kiwi bloke they are pests and we despise these creatures, but alas they are protected here in Australia, so I am resorted to just scaring these tame and dumb creatures away, much to my disgust! Anyway we pitch tent and settle back with a beer... its cold at night, yes even in Queensland it gets cold so we lit the fire early..

we enjoyed the few nights that we stayed there though paul got a bout of food poisoning (no, not from my cooking), and ended up heading back home early... The next day we chilled out and went for a look around and stopped at the Rathdowney pub, the township was small but a neat place to stop for a beer. There in the pub were a few "cowboys" and locals comin and going. I managed to capture a few shots and here is one of the fellas enjoying a cold brew..There were some great shots to be taken and after we headed back to camp for dinner. The Kookaburrus are an inquisative bird and the one we had just sat there while we took photos, like a model posing for the camera..

 The next mornin we set off, but not before Jacqui stopped to get a few shots of an old horse....

I get on the plane at Brissie airport and head on home, to another day and back to work it is for me... Thanks my friends for a great time!

Its been a while..

Well its been too long, however i'm here now and our little Ruby is growing by the day. I'm doing my Cert IV in training and assessment so thats taking up some time. My work in all their wisdom have decided to put me on a month of nights (partly because of my course) but having a baby in the house it doesn't get much more hectic. My beautiful wife, Leilani is coping well though and we are slowly getting sorted. Below is Ruby (growing at a heck of a pace..) wearing a little outfit my cool nephews bought (or at least picked out and Mum bought) and I thought was just great! Ruby at about four weeks old.

I have also found myself doing other projects in my spare time. (not much of that though) and below you can see my first painting done (in 20 odd years anyway!)

It is aptly named New Zealand Christmas. Ok let me explain for you non kiwis.. Kiwis love going on holiday somewhere near the beach usually and camping or caravaning is ideal... plus you can tell its Christmas time because the plant in the backgroud is a Pohutakawa (or New Zealand Chritmas tree) because it flowers red little fowers that make the tree appear like Christmas bulbs and it only flowers around the Christmas time (nov - feb).

I have also painted this one of a kiwi bloke on a tractor on the beach after he has just put his boat in the water. In the bottom right corner is a koru (A koru is the Maori name for a unfurling fern frond) and symbolises new life, strength and peace. In the distance of course are sheep. This one was named by Leilani and is called "Massy" after the massy ferguson tractors. I have done a few others of which I will post at some time..

I have managed to travel around the area a bit to look around just before Ruby was born and captured A giant fig tree, or at least the roots from it...What do you think of this one??In this area where the fig trees grow are flying foxes. These small bat like creatures are everywhere!! (about 40 000 of them). I will also post a pic of these at some point. Anyway I have fitted this blog posting in on my night shift so should get back to work... I will endeavour to update again soon.. oh and I have also managed to 'publish' a book, entitled "A taste of Australia" however can only be ordered through momento. And now working on a book about New Zealand, Catch ya soon!!

And along comes Ruby

Last week on the 4th february 2010 my wife and I after a long labor and an emergency C section finally had our little girl whom we named Ruby Roberta (after her late Nana on Leilani's side).

She was 8lb 1 1/2oz (3670gm) and 52cm tall and born at 1833hrs. We are delighted...of course! My wife and Ruby are now settled in at home and both doing well.
Left: Birthing room.
Below: Ruby with a little smile on her face....apparently this occurs when she is farting or pooing.

Here she is sleeping on me (her papa) and has that cute little open mouth thing that I do. And below she styles a punk rocker mohawk...

Little Ruby was just with Mama and first time having a feed when she popped her little hand out, I grabbed my camera and snapped this shot... then had a look and her foot was curled up whilst feeding so snapped another...

Above: Leilani and I giving Ruby a bath... It is truelly mind blowing to have a child and something so small and precious. Also it is true what other parents say..you just don't understand until you have your own..sometimes it feels so surreal but it is a truelly magical experience and even though she is only several days old she is changing and growing all the time. If you have children please take the time to take photos and enjoy them for the special littele characters that they are. So to you Ruby I dedicate this piece of blog...I LOVE you!