Eureka! Bird’s Eye Of Melbourne

The tallest building in Melbourne, and indeed in Australia*, is the Eureka Tower, and a visit to the Skydeck on Level 88 gives you a view of Melbourne afforded to the birds in flight, and helicopters…and not many others!

Sitting along the cluster of buildings in Southbank, this Skydeck is sitting on the top layers of the distinctive yellow section of the building's design - this is actually 24 carat gold plating! - is the highest viewing platform in the Southern Hemisphere.

Andrea, Dean and I took Cooper and Charli up to check out the view of Melbourne, and experience Skydeck and the Edge. Riding up the elevator was fast, effortless and without any more than an ear-popping effect. Less than 40 seconds!

Then we were on the Skydeck, and started the circuit around to take in the incredible views.

There are 30 viewfinder spots all around the Skydeck, each pointing at a landmark in Melbourne. It is clearly marked, so you know what you are looking at, and there are also viewfinders at the same points at little people height so they can see what you are seeing. Such a great idea!

The viewfinders also have mirrors inside, giving you a kaleidoscope impression of the sights below.

From these we got to see the buzz going on down at Federation Square and Flinders Street Station. A viewfinder pointed out Southern Cross Station for us, Flemington Racecourse, and the Shrine Of Remembrance. We could see trams cross Princes Bridge across the Yarra River.

We could also clearly see the Arts Centre spire directly below us, and the mighty Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Tennis Centre, and the cluster of buildings that make Melbourne city unique.

The Skydeck also has The Terrace, which lets you outside on a corner of the building, to feel the air and wind from right up there.

From here, you could see all the way to the Dandenong Ranges, and also out into Port Phillip Bay. Down along St Kilda and the marina, plus out to Geelong and all the port activity in between.

We could pick out Government House in the middle of the Botanical Gardens.

On the other side of the building we could see the sun glint off the Rialto Building.

The views really are spectacular!

Once we had completed our lap of Level 88 and taken in the views, we lodged our tickets for The Edge. Unfortunately it was a 60 minute wait by this time – we so should have lodged this and received the pager for our turn when we first got to the level – that’s my tip for all visitors, especially with little people. Our little people got over the wait pretty quickly, having completed the lap of windows and seen what there was to see. The Edge gave out yellow wrist bands that stated “I survived The Edge” – there were a couple of moments there where we were not sure we were going to survive the wait for The Edge, let alone the plunge out of the side of the building.

For the adults, there was coffee at the Kiosk. Caffeine with an incredible view!

Finally our pager went off, and we were each given shoe covers and directed into the glass cube. Once all ready, the cube rolled outwards from the building, and then the glass turned from frosted to clear, showing that we were hanging out over nothing!

I had wondered if the kids would be scared about this part, but they took in the view some 300 metres above the roads we had crossed to get to the Eureka Tower all in their stride, and could see the people on the footpaths below. Photos were taken by the Edge operator, before the cube slide back into the building.

The views from the top of the Eureka give you a view of the city like no other, the full 360 degrees of our amazing Melbourne and all it's goings on.

I was provided with a Family Pass to attend the Skydeck and The Edge as a blogger, and we purchased an extra ticket so I could take my favourite family along. Words, photos (except The Edge one, which was purchased in electronic format), and tip about beating the wait, are all mine!

*Notwithstanding the spike of Q1 on the Gold Coast. Q1 is 323m, and 78 storeys, and Eureka is 297.3m and 92 storeys high.

Giving The Magic Of Harry Potter

This week just gone Cooper and Charli turned six. So hard to believe  when we think back to those baby photos! 6!

They also started school a couple of weeks ago, into Prep. School uniforms, and school lunches, and the big wide world at their feet.

For Xmas I bought them the first two volumes of Harry Potter, with the idea of introducing them to the world of magic, sticking up for your friends, and trying to do the right things. I love these books for those lessons, and so much more.

I had left them the next 2 installments for this birthday, although surely they won't need them for a bit longer yet. Dean was assigned reader, so I will see how they are going when I get back!

Happy Birthday, C and C! I hope school is wonderful!

Xmas '11

Wow, Xmas has sped past us again, in a whoosh of frenetic activity, catching up with people, and a rush to get work done before a handful of days off. Still largely in denial that it was really upon us, I have managed to get through the other side of the silly season.

One of my first catch ups was a trip out to visit Andrea, and see Cooper and Charli. Amazingly, gifts for these soon to be 5 year old twins was the first purchase I made in the lead up to Xmas, actually back in October! Unheard of! I popped out to see them, and hang out for the afternoon on my day off. We exchanged gifts, Andrea and I had coffees and caught up, and we even made fake snow with the kids. Was so great to spend this time with them.

Having boycotted the work Xmas party this year in protest of it's less than original idea, and the lack of accommodation for us Regionally based Consultants, I was keen to ensure I enjoyed the lunch planned for Xmas Eve Eve. Having done all that I could for the week, after having some truly harrowing things happen to my clients in the build up to this tough time for people with a mental illness, our Ballarat office headed out to Pipers By The Lake for our lunch.

Here we also exchanged our Shit Kringle gifts....inspired by something I had read, and replacing that silly idea that you can get anything good for someone as a gift for $10. This was very funny, with random exchanges including Xmas toilet paper, a sex shop goodie bag, a tacky Aussie touristy souvenir, and Post Adelaide Football Club Xmas baubles.

After lunch and many white wines, Michelle and I then requested to be dropped off at the Lake View for a continuation of the Xmas white wine in the sun theme. Eventually some of her mates joined us after their Xmas break up, and we went into town for dinner. Michelle and I ended up sitting in the intimate window table for 2 for amazing pizza and more wine, at The Main Bar. One of my favourite places in Ballarat at the moment!

Next we walked back down into Sturt Street as the sun was fading, and introduced Michelle to the amazing Portico on Sturt, where we sampled more wine, chilled band, and awesome atmosphere. Janelle joined us here before we walked across the road to end the night dancing at Irish Murphy's.

Xmas Eve landing on a Saturday called for an afternoon session, so I had booked a table for lunch for Melanie, Renee, Michelle and little Nisha and I, at Lake View, to get started. After lunch, Mel and Renee and I moved to the front room, and settled in for the mini-Ballarat reunion that is Xmas eve out.

Dinner was a Xmas catch up with Dad with the girls and Heath, across the road at the Boatshed. Back across the road for more drinks and catching up with people, Michelle eventually dropped by and drove me home via Katie's and Dave's Xmas lights display.

After all that, Xmas Day was a more subdued affair...as usual, with plans to drive down to Melbourne for the cricket. I joined the girls and Heath at Mum's for a (delayed for me) breakfast and gift exchange. We then enjoyed the traditional Xmas lunch spread, before popping out to our Aunt and Uncle's to catch up with the extended family. Back home in the afternoon, a seafood dinner outside in the fading light of the day in the backyard was a perfect way to finish the silly season!

Hope you had a good one!

Christmas Town and Country

Battling the Melbourne city shops on the Saturday before Xmas was what I did, with Jenny and her mother this year. We tracked through store to store, trying to find particular items on wishlists. Many, many hours later, and an unsuccessful attempt at avoiding actually venturing into Myer, Jenny I and were fairly homicidal by the end of the day.

Sunday I hitched a ride home to Ballarat with Jo, both of us mortified by the sight of utes and 4WDs decked out with tinsle in the Ballarat main streets. Katie and I hit the Bridge Mall soon after - and the contrast of the day before what amazing. A lonely Santa sat on his own, forlornly looking left and right for any potential interested child. The slower pace was much easier to manage!

I worked from the Ballarat office for the three days leading to Xmas, and being in a quiet, happy and relaxed office was just what I needed. I even got a lot of work done!

I caught up with Jo for lunch on Monday at Europa, and then Melanie and Kiayn at Oscar's on Tuesday. I also had lunch with Renee and Graham at Gee Cee's on Wednesday, after a very late night the night before at the office, as I slide into the work shutdown period.

Mum, Melissa and I headed over to Uncle Donald's and Auntie Carole's for our annual Christmas Eve catch up, before we joined the car queue in Alfredton to see the row of home Christmas lights display.

Christmas at home this year was just the four of us, with Jessie and Noodles chasing their white Christmas in the Highlands of Scotland. French Toast for breakfast before gift exchanges, and a call from Scotland. Lunch preparations soon followed.

After eating ourself silly, we headed out to catch the extended family, and marvel at how much all the kids out there have grown. We got to swap Carribean cricket travel stories this year, as we took in every Wiggles noise maker there is!

The two little santas, Cooper and Charli popped in, with Andrea and Dean, on their way to their Christmas dinner. Such little people now, with Charli giving kisses and waves, and Cooper asserting his personality. Such cuties.

Kim joined us for dinner, which is now a seafood tradition, before Melissa and I packed the car and headed back to Melbourne, another Christmas over.

Katie's Birthday in the 'Rat and Walking Kiddies

Melissa and I headed back to Ballarat yesterday afternoon, a trip home neither of us has done for a couple of months. It was Katrina's birthday on Tuesday, and so we were making the trip to go out to mark the occasion.

Being the designated driver, given my forced sobriety, I got to drive Mum's brand new car to dinner, at Tandoori Oven in the Bridge Mall. We arrived and joined the group, as they settled in to their BYO bottles of wine. Unfortunately, the service was overwhelmed by our table of more than 20, and despite taking names for each order to help with delivery - the delivery was the crucial steps that seemed to be missing for over an hour! Our table grew very noisy and restless, and hungry!

The menu, albeit a few anomolies with the page numbers, and the food was quite good. With my meds for DVT, I actually have an assorted list of foods to avoid overloading on, and fenugreek is one of the things listed as high in Vitamin K, and thus blood coagulating properties - and the menu had this herb listed in just about every dish! I bearly knew what it was, and certainly didn't expect to have it as a choice

At the end of our meal, and the end of the tables drinks, we were asked to move on as it was closing time, and so we moved on to Haida Bar. Fairly empty, but of the few places I have heard Heart It Races played, Melissa and I carried on for a bit with Katie's posse, before calling it a night.

Today, after a roast for lunch, Andrea and Dean called around to catch up, and I got to see little Charli and Cooper...who have grown so much! Walking around on sure feet, the two little treasures are interacting with their world and each other. Very compliant and easily directed, the kids played around our feet as we caught up. A blown kiss from each of them when it was time to go, so cute!

First Birthday and the Number 8

I went back to Ballarat for the weekend, and hung out with Katie and Mum on Saturday. Sunday afternoon, though, I headed across to the Eureka Stockade playground park area for the gathering to mark Cooper and Charli's first birthday.

Andrea, who confesses to planning this sort of thing for years and years, had a full spread of people, food and play equipment. I was handed little Cooper upon arrival - so cute! - and eventually sat in the sea of kids and toys with him and some books.

Cake time revealed a Lady Bug and Bumble Bee twin cake, homemade by Andrea (who is not meant to have this much time on her hands - how does she do it!!!?). She says the cake and party theme was because Charli is a lady, and Cooper is such a busy Bee!

Following the big party, I headed home to get Mum before her and I bonded at the pub, watching the footy! A NAB cup match between Hawthorn and Sydney, which the Hawks were lucky enough to win! A rush the to train station for me after the final siren to get the train back to Melbourne.

I made it back to the big city, just in time for the first short film showing for this year's Tropfest at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Joining Katie, Jessie and Noodles on their picnic rug, we settled in for the 16 finalists - all this year needing to feature the number 8 in some way.

The eventual winner of the night was Marry Me, a show of a school aged romance - but for the audience, or at least gievn the female dominated laughter during the screening, it was about the lengths in which a girl will go to be noticed by the object of her affection. So cute!

Xmas

Xmas really only arrived for me once Jane was home, and she set up our tree. A real Xmas tree, from the Oxfam drive, it has made our house smell lovely, and feel suddenly like Xmas. All without hearing Last Christmas by Wham!

Post work Xmas party hangover, I caught a lift home to Ballarat with Jessie and Noodles. Katie had drinking games awaiting us, and we were soon in for a large night, with the customary night out in Ballarat around this time of year being like a school reunion everytime!

We went to JDs Sportsbar (as classy as it sounds!), for continuation of the drinking spirit. Loads of familiar faces out and about to say hi to, and catch up with. We finished up at the always disappointing Regent, before chips and gravy and a taxi got us all home.

On Xmas eve, I went to give presents to the babies, and hang out with Andrea and Dean for a bit. Cooper and Charli were not all that excited about the whole present unwrapping exercise, although they can be forgiven, considering that their new activity – crawling – can lead to so much more fun and trouble! I can’t believe how much these two are growing.

Xmas day had the usual exchange of gifts at home, and a yummy breakfast. Lunch was with Mum, Katie and Jessie, before we eventually popped in to the Murphy’s for a family catch up. Dinner, although noone had any room for it, was at home, with Melissa and Clinton joining us for our new tradition of seafood, drinks, and games.

Christening

On Sunday morning, for the second time in a week, I went to a church service, this time for the christening of Cooper Gregory and Charli Belle. The service was held at St Johns Parish in Ballarat, and I joined the back of the family group as the Father made his way to the front of the church.

Nothing like a good telling off in church, and that’s certainly what it felt like as the Father told us about the importance of baptism, and that it shouldn’t be entered into for any other reason than for the children to be raised under God, and then he proceeded to tell the christening guests the process of the Mass, and the parts that were to do with the baptism. Felt just like all those dreaded school masses we were forced to sit through!

The babies were such treasures through it all, and complying with the wetting of the head, and then being passed around for a kiss from each and every member of the congregation. A very old and small gathering, it makes you wonder what will happen to the little church groups like these in years to come.

Following the formalities at the church, the group headed back to Andrea and Dean’s for coffee, cakes, and beers (in that order!), and a chance to catch up and also marvel at how much these two little bubs have grown!

Babies

Needing to take a day in Ballarat to arrange the packing up of my things and the pick of these things by removalists, I took the opportunity to visit Andrea and the babies, and saw how much they have grown!

Katie and I went around in a "break" from me "working" from home, which soon ate up the rest of the afternoon. Catch up with the goings on of Andrea, her return to work, her ongoing interrupted sleep patterns, her attendance at mother's group.... And we also got to feed the babies!

Little Cooper and Charli are 6 months old now, and have quite distinct personalities, and are just so cute! Still spewing and noise machines, but very adorable ones!

Babies!

>I mean, babies! I can't look after a chea pet!

Andrea came over on Friday with the twins. This was her first outing with just her and the two of them. They pulled up in the new family wagon, all strapped in and cute!

Over for lunch, Katie and I got to swap twins and gazed at the little wonders. Almost a month old, they are becoming distinct little faces, individual, and bigger! Still tiny, but gaining.

Charli seems to be the leader of the pack so far, according to Andrea, with little Cooper cuddling up to her during sleep, and often holding on to her arm. Cute! She's a little bigger of the two, also.

Andrea tells of sleepless nights, with two hourly feeds, and the joy of twins being that once one has finished a feed, and then the other, it's time for the whole process again. The babies seem to sleep fine during the day, however!

A feed for both babies, before heading off to the health nurse for a regular check up. It was great to see the three of them.

Welcome to the World Baby Boy and Baby Girl!

So little, and so cute, Andrea's twins arrived on Monday, the 19th!

A boy, Cooper Gregory, and a girl, Charli Belle. A set!

I went up to visit today, and catch up with proud and very happy Mum Andrea and dad Dean. Arriving around feed time, I even got to feed little Charli!

Little fingers and toes, and such tiny little heads and bodies. So lovely!