Southern Vales Tales

Tales to end

2010-07-16T22:22:00.002+09:30

For a great number of reasons, mainly from my doing, or perhaps better said, because of my own short comings the Southern Vales part of my life has come to an end I am now living again with my son Hugh, this time in the eastern suburbs.

I hope to start a new blog soon...

Dinosaur Petting Zoo

2010-03-06T21:25:00.003+10:30

We all enjoyed the fun of the Adelaide Fringe with a visit to the Dinosaur Petting Zoo in Light Square this afternoon.

WomAdelaide

2010-03-06T09:34:00.003+10:30

With the gift from Barbara of a 4 day pass to Womadelaide for my birthday, I enjoyed the first night with Dave last night.

A fun new title:

Dave and I enjoyed this group Mahoud Ahmed and the band Ethiopiques:

Seen at Anns home

2010-03-01T20:58:00.001+10:30

Dropped into Ann's on the way home from work and saw this Kookaburra:

Perth Zoo visit

2010-02-27T17:58:00.005+10:30

After this mornings workshop at the Perth Campus, I took a walk then a ferry ride across to the Perth Zoo. With 36 degree heat it was a quiet amble around the Zoo looking for shade. The highlight for me meeting this delightful Numbat also known as Myrmecobius fasciatus) or by indigenous people (Walpurti).
It was running free in one of the aviary enclosures near the penguins.

I sat down and it then laid down near me!

After this, it was back on the ferry across the Swan River, a free bus ride then a train ride to Fremantle.
.

My 60th birthday party

2010-02-21T18:17:00.006+10:30

I had a celebration today for my 60th birthday (on February 18th) at my sister Ann’s unit at Unley. We had an afternoon tea ‘Open House’. Barbara, my partner in life spent a lot of time (and money) along with her family and of course along with Ann to make my special day the success it was. Thank everyone who came and also those who gave me best wishes and nice presents, but were unable to attend.
I got lots of nice red wine to drink!!

Sunday afternoon at Meadows party for Chloe

2010-02-07T21:01:00.001+10:30

A pleasant afternoon at Meadows with various extended family members (aunts, uncles cousins, grandparents attending the celebration of Chloe's 4th birthday yesterday.

Wildlife of Gondwana

2010-02-07T08:18:00.000+10:30

Also went to an exhibition at the SA Museum about Gondwana

This creature is sometimes known as Elvisaurus, scientifically Cryolophosaurus

I bought from the Museum shop some dinosaur poo from 150 million years (or "Coprolite" a scientific name for the fossilized excrement, feces or droppings of ancient animals. )

Chloes birthday treat

2010-02-07T07:27:00.000+10:30

We took Chloe, brother Max and cousin Arielle to see the Pandas at the Adelaide Zoo today

Tour Down Under

2010-01-26T07:55:00.000+10:30

I only managed to attend one day of the TDU, on the Sunday for the Cancer Council Criterion, but I did enjoy the great spectacle and even saw the World Champion, Cadel Evans at close quarters;

Large crowds lined the streets of the old Market area and Parklands for this event

Sunflower at Meadows

2010-01-13T21:59:00.000+10:30

Quite spectacular and loving the recent heat is this sunflower in the front garden

Kirsten Forkerts 21st

2010-01-10T22:08:00.000+10:30

A great evening at Macclesfield to celebrate Kirsten Forkerts 21st birthday

Laratinga Wetlands

2010-01-03T13:03:00.000+10:30

Karen and John invited us to join them on a photo shoot and walk at the Laratinga Wetlands at Mount Barker. It was a good experience for a couple of hours and we all enjoyed it, especially Chloe!

Seen at Iron Bank

2009-11-29T20:52:00.000+10:30

We saw this this Koala,as we left Barbara's sisters house at Iron Bank

Credit Union Christmas Pageant Adelaide 2009

2009-11-15T08:14:00.000+10:30

"Originally known as the John Martins Christmas Pageant - it is now the Credit Unions Christmas Pageant, which winds it way through the streets of Adelaide, South Australia, on the second Saturday in November. Originally conceived in 1933 the pageant is the largest of it's kind in the southern hemisphere."
I went with Chloe and e Bec and her daughter Arielle and Bec's mother Joanne

Max's birthday week

2009-10-25T20:25:00.000+10:30

Barbara's Max had his 10th birthday this week and had a small celebration on the day with his paternal grandparents and then on Saturday a Sponge Bob Theme Party at the Cross Road Ten Pin Bowling Centre.

Karen and John's Wedding

2009-09-27T08:31:00.000+09:30

Barbara and I attended the wedding today of Karen McDowall to John Donkin at Beaumont House. Both of us had worked with Karen and it was with pleasure that we attended the ceremony and then the reception at their house.

Fine Spring day

2009-09-19T21:32:00.000+09:30

Last evening Barbara and I prepared a new garden bed by removing some lawn.
This morning we planted a variety of flowers with the help of young Chloe.

This afternoon we took Valda to Port Noarlunga
and the children enjoyed a great playground.

Visit to the Royal Adelaide Show with Miss Chloe

2009-09-16T20:06:00.000+09:30

I took Chloe to the Royal Adelaide Show and we enjoyed the sights and sounds.
Chloe got to milk a cow soon after we arrived"

How is this for cake decorating skills?

My sister Ann was on one of the SA Government stands:

Great evening at Aldgate

2009-09-14T13:14:00.000+09:30

After the Royal Adelaide Show visit, we caught up with Max and Barbara at Sue's house and we enjoyed her company and that of her sons Callum and Fergus.

Gathering of the clan for Valda Coat's birthday

2009-09-09T19:57:00.000+09:30

Barbara and her extended family gathered tonight to celebrate Valda's birthday

"The birthday girl"

My library opened

2009-08-31T20:23:00.000+09:30

I opened my library for the first time today to students and staff. Anthony and Nick from Library Studies at Adelaide TAFE on Work Experience, provided the extra pairs of hands needed to get things up and running. Thanks guys and also my old TAFESA colleagues for assisting me at an important time..

The Editor in Chief of the New England Journal of Medicine

2009-08-28T21:27:00.000+09:30

I received an invitation to hear a talk by NEJM editor-in-chief Jeffrey M. Drazen
.
This was in the Bonnin Room at the Royal Adelaide Hospital/IMVS Library
He is to be a keynote speaker at the International Conference of Medical Librarians in Brisbane next week.

An evening with Steve Parish

2009-08-28T21:11:00.000+09:30

Karen and John let me know that Steve Parish was giving a talk at the Norwood Town Hall about his life behind the lens. He was a great funny speaker to a packed audience

His photos are well known and he clearly loves his work See it at his website

My new college

2009-08-21T16:12:00.000+09:30

We are about to get new signs, but this is what the building looks like this week.

Morning and night in Meadows

2009-08-09T10:10:00.000+09:30

Chloe on her way to childcare

and later a lovely sunset

My new library

2009-08-01T19:30:00.000+09:30

On Monday I will begin commissioning the new library for the Endeavour College of Natural Health.
Some people have been waiting rather too long for the library to have a staff member!!

There has been a lot of advertising including on the sides of buses and also at bus stops

Time in Melbourne

2009-08-01T17:41:00.000+09:30

I was flown to Melbourne for three days by my new employer Endeavour College of Natural Health

I had some good induction by Philip (and Lucy) into my role managing the new Adelaide library for their newly acquired Adelaide campus.
Endeavour College of Natural Health is a rebadged Australian College of Natural Medicine with campuses in Perth, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Sydney and now Adelaide which until November 2008 was the well established South Australian Health Education Centre.

Proud Dan Moriarty with his trophy cup and grandchildren

2009-07-27T09:49:00.000+09:30

Dan Moriarty and Margaret came over today to help celebrate Barbaras birthday and he proudly showed his 2009 Schweppes Club Championships C Grade Flaxted Park Golf Trophy Cup that he had won.

Cold!!!

2009-07-15T14:13:00.000+09:30

A little bit cold on Monday morning hail hitting Meadows

Chloe at her weekly swimming class.

2009-07-05T20:00:00.000+09:30

Chloe loves her weekly swimming class

Arielle and Chloe had fun with the chooks at Valda's house

2009-07-04T20:46:00.000+09:30

Moody Meadows

2009-07-02T20:53:00.000+09:30

During my first week back in Adelaide since packing up in Darwin there was some great storm activity. I took this moody shot just prior to a storm front hitting, I modified it to black and white

Last post from Meadows for a while

2009-06-13T21:06:00.000+09:30

Heading back to Darwin tonight on the flight that gets me there at 2am. I am packing my belongings up and heading......?
For my further adventures and blogging go to Top End Tales at http://topend.blogspot.com/

Library Achiever Award Ceremony

2009-06-11T08:58:00.000+09:30

I was encouraged to attend the ALIA SA Library Achiever Award Ceremony sponsored by Ex Libris at the State Library of South Australia (it looks great these days)

The three finalists for the 2009 Library
Achiever of the Year award were:
Helen Culshaw, Law Librarian, Flinders University;Lindy Hillman,Manager, Burnside Library Service; and Elena Pereira, Business Development Coordinator, from the Adelaide City Council Library
It was a good evening where I caught up with library colleagues from my various affiliations in libraries over the years and saw the award won by a librarian from Burnside Library, Lindy Hillman
Here is Jenny Paradiso from Ex Libris(and her lovely baby) and Ian Hildebrand from Mt Barker Community Library

Here are some law library staff networking (Margaret Chamberlain, Helen Culshaw and Rebecca Thomas)

Lots of networking

The big announcement from Jo-Anne Rivers from the sponsor, Ex Libris

The catering, donated by SA Library Supplies was very good as well..

Sincere thanks to Philip Keane for getting me back to Meadows after the ceremony and to Barbara Coat for encouraging me to go....I owe you a lot!!!

Pleasant Sunday in the Vales..

2009-06-10T15:46:00.000+09:30

Sue Milne and her boys Fergus and Callum joined Barb and her family and I for an excursion on Sunday afternoon
We headed off to the Sea and Wines Festival at McClaren Vale, but this turned in a rather crowded mud bath with queues of people for food and wine glasses and then wine. I was quite cold although this woman ignored it..

The kids enjoyed themselves

We actually only sampled one wine and drove past most venues we had any interest in as they all had signs "Venue Full" anyway.
We ended up having a nice pub lunch at the the 153 year old Alma Hotel at Willunga
On the way home we sampled some wine at the delighful K1 Winery at Kuipto Forest
What a view from the deck there!

Chauffeur run to Mawson Lakes

2009-06-01T17:51:00.000+09:30

I acted as driver and child care worker so that Barbara could escort an interstate work colleague out to Mawson Lakes campus of UNISA. I took Chloe to a local playground

This was shot by Chloe!

Bradley Forkerts 18th Birthday

2009-05-31T10:18:00.000+09:30

A trip to Macclesfield tonight to help celebrate Bradley's 18th, with a gathering of the family. We attended as part of the mature age cohort,his generation came later for a shed party.

Breakfast meeting at the Adelaide Zoo for ALIA Specials SA

2009-05-29T07:05:00.000+09:30

At the invitation of Philip Keane, I joined the ALIA Special SA Group for a breakfast meeting at the new library at the Zoo,

It was good to chat to librarians and new and old Zoo Directors ( Chris West with Ed McCallister)

Lots of excitement building at the Zoo as they prepare for the Pandas to arrive

I then took the oppotunity to take a walk around the Zoo with a volunteer guide after the meeting

Trip to Second Valley

2009-05-18T10:12:00.000+09:30

Barbara, Chloe and I visited our now retired colleague from Charles Darwin University, Peta Kruse and her husband Pierre at their home at Second Valley and then took a walk down to the beach. Its a spectacular part of the South Australian coastline

A visit to Iron Bank for Mothers Day

2009-05-11T10:06:00.000+09:30

With her family I visited Barbara's mother on Mother's Day at Iron Bank