rain

Artis

Posted on August 27, 2012August 27, 2012 by ghotiindustries

Natura Artis Magistra – the Artis Royal Zoo, located in Amsterdam. That was where we decided to spend the last Sunday in August. In the intermittent rain.

I had wanted to go to Artis almost since we first arrived in Amsterdam. Having lived nearby and at one point taking the cats to the Vet opposite, it had been tormenting me ever since.

When we woke up on Sunday and there was yet more rain forecast, I looked at Himself and declared that I’d be willing to dress for the weather just to get there finally! Thank goodness that he is as open to adventure as I am! Off we went with umbrella and raincoat stowed safely in the backpack.

It didn’t take long for the first of several downpours. This one happened as we were nearby the Reptile House, and in we went.

We were reminded that we will need to look up the laws on snake ownership in the Nederlands for our next pet adoption.

Another happened as we were encountering the Lemurs in Lemur Land. You can actually get close and interact with them! Although, at one point all anyone wanted was to be under the umbrella, out of the rain! We all crammed in there together.

Zebras are not wet weather animals. They told me.

With another downpour we were at the Aquarium which is housed within the same park. How cool is that?!? This wee froggy stole my heart! He was about the size of the nail on my little finger.

I guess it makes complete sense that if you have a big cat enclosure, then you’d have a resident taxidermist as well. I wouldn’t want to say good bye either.

I swear these sea urchins wanted to try out to be soot sprites from Studio Ghibli.

The Koi pond will always hold a special attraction for me.

I saw my first ever racoon! And Oh My Goodness! Can you stand the cuteness?!?

My first ever sloth! I like sloths. Always have. Don’t know why.

There seemed to be baby animals all over the zoo. Baby gorillas, baby sharks, a baby giraffe, this baby elephant …

But of course, the best was saved ‘til last. As we were being kicked out of the premises as they had closed a half hour before …

the baby lion.

You can bet you britches that we’ll be going back to see all of the park we missed (and we were there for five hours), very shortly!

Hope you had a good weekend one and all!

The end of Summer

Posted on March 12, 2012March 12, 2012 by ghotiindustries

So, Sydney and New South Wales in general has been flooding. This was what I walked through on the way to work last Thursday. And by the time I’d gotten to the awning to take this photo it wasn’t as bad as what I’d walked through.

I was completely drenched from the belly button down, and only need to walk a block from the bus! Not long after my bus went through, that bus route was closed due to flooding. YAY for starting work early … or something …

Surprisingly the weather cleared up remarkably well for the weekend!

We had a busy weekend. There was some celebrating at our favourite pub, with some wonderful friends who it had been entirely too long since we’d seen. There was much chatting and catching up, and it felt like old times again. It had its poignant moments.

I have to keep reminding myself that it really is Autumn now, not Spring. We had such a non-event of a Summer, that when I walked down the street and saw this beautiful tree busting with buds and new blooms just waiting to explode, it really felt like Spring …

On Sunday we woke up bright and early and decided that exercise was the order of the day. So we went for a walk down the road to the local pool. We did some laps (and boy did I feel out of shape!), and then I lay in the sun warming up a bit while being amused at Himself jumping off the diving tower with all the kids. We both got a touch of pink to our complexions!

Being that there were kids, and it’s a local pool, I didn’t take any photos. Not worth it. But it is a lovely pool! And I’m looking forward to frequenting it in the next couple of weeks while/if the weather remains warm enough to enjoy it.

With exercise done, I came home and achieved lots of knitting! I’m up to row 16 of chart 3, and only need to reach row 71 before I can begin the edging! Each row is taking approximately an hour. It doesn’t look all that different from the last time I showed you a picture.

That’s about it for this week. More photos in the next exciting episode!

Birthdays!

Posted on March 7, 2012 by ghotiindustries

Birthdays are so much fun! Especially when Grandma pulls out all the stops and bakes you a “fantasy castle”!

Himself bravely ventured a piece of a step, and I just valiantly cheered him on from the sidelines. The kids made great in-roads though!

The weather which had been amazing turned to this on the drive home …

You can see how 75% of NSW was underwater. The equivalent of the size of France!

Arriving home to my new yarn did me no end of good though!

I feel like I have been waiting forever for this to come to a local shop near me! I guess it’s only been a few years though … I can’t wait to play!!! Now, which socks shall I make with them?

Day Trip

Posted on February 20, 2012February 18, 2012 by ghotiindustries

I keep seeing signs that it really is Summer. Even if it often hasn’t felt like it.

Last Monday (part of the reason I missed a post) I went on a day trip up the Blue Mountains to see a dear friend of mine and have a good ol’ natter and a catch-up! The train trip is not short, as some of you will remember.