Well, just to update you, the weather in Perth is cold and wet!!!!

We went away with Pat and Roy to Coffs Harbour once before and it rained so much it flooded. The locals were kyaking on the footy oval!! We thought we couldn’t go wrong coming to Perth with them but its raining cats and Freemantle dogs here.

Well they go home Friday and we stay on for another 4 days. The weather is expected to be sunny and warm from Friday onwards. Watch out everyone, they return to Melbourne on Friday and you can expect heavy rain for sure. They should hire themselves out as rainmakersI think.

We ARE having fun though. Colin has ants in his pants but that’s nothing new is it?

Here is the timeshare resort we are staying at for the next 12 days with our friends Roy and Pat.

We will be overlooking the Indian Ocean at Mandurah in Western Australia. Silver Sands Resort has indoor and outdoor pools with whirlpool spas, sauna, recreation room, full and half tennis courts, squash and gym.

Col will do the tennis, squash etc. The pool looks good to me, I have reserved the banana lounge in the bottom right side of the photo. My book is ready and waiting.

Hmmmmm! Relaxing. We will be thinking of you all working away.

Can you spot the spoon in these pics?

Last night we went to the ‘usual’ for Colin’s birthday: Phoolwari Indian restaurant in Ringwood. I don’t know what it is about my family, but we seem to spend our time talking nonsense and laughing at the ridiculous. Shannon’s girlfriend Hanna just goes along for the ride and laughs at us all (which makes us much worse).

We ate our usual banquet and finished it up with stale birthday cake with the supermarket wrap still on it (see the pic). None of us like cake so it didn’t really matter. Glad I didn’t go to the trouble of baking!

Col has had a potentially serious health problem for the past few weeks. Today he got the all clear from the specialist, although he has 6 weeks worth of antibiotics to take. They are making him sleepy. I am so sad about that (not!!!). I just LIVE for a goodnight sleep. If the drugs work, take them I say!!

Anyhow, as you can see, it has been a happy birthday for him with all his silly family around him. I love it that we can enjoy each others company as adults now.

To quote my little sister (on HER blog),  one of my favourite movies is Parenthood. There is a pearl of wisdom from a very unlikely source in that movie where the granny makes an analogy about life, she says she prefers the rollercoaster to a merry go round.

Life is feeling very much like a rollercoaster at the moment and I never know which way I am going or what’s going to happen next.

Actually I do know which way I am going………… to work………….. to study…………… to the movie shoots.

BUT…….. on Friday we are off to Perth for 11 days. Yay!

Today Sophie sang 2 songs on the stage at Bridie O’Reilley’s Irish pub in Brunswick.

She sang ‘Sway’ and ‘Kiss me’ and was so awesome!

Unfortunately, she refused to let me bring the video camera. In fact, she checked my bag before I left!! I tricked her though and managed to take some recordings on my still digital camera he he he!

Colin, Rohan and his Mum Rhonda came to watch as well so she had a little cheer squad (as well as the rest of the pub crowd).

Yesterday she sang on Blake’s band ‘Optic Martyr’s’ CD they are producing so she has plenty of glamour and fame for one weekend. Now back to reality…..work, room cleaning and trying to pay for petrol.

You go girl!!

This little guy (the kookaburra!) was sitting on the balcony at Donchi’s this morning, where we did our Elindil’s secret movie shoot. He was waiting to see if the movie was a comedy so he could have a good laugh. He was disappointed to know it was an action movie but he didn’t have to wait long for a good cackle anyhow!

As soon as he saw Andy looking very cute in his apron, he didn’t know whether to laugh at that or the fire on the BBQ!

On the way to Bega last weekend to shoot the movie Elindil’s Secret, I made the whole convoy stop at Newmerella (3 k this side of Orbost) . It was kind of sad but also brought back some good memories of life in the middle of nowhere all those years ago. I left home to work in Melbourne, when I was 17,  so it is a long time since I lived there. Our house has been pulled down and so has the general store where I learned some terrific work ethics from my boss (Dad) and ate lots of lollies and icecreams.

In the pic (left), I am standing in the same place as in the pic above (with my friends) but facing the other way. Anyone know why my nicname was ‘Big bird’, ‘Long lolly liquorice legs’, ‘Stretch’ and ‘Jenny giraffe’?

Memories…….. back when I was a giant.

Don’t answer that! According to Grant (crew member) they needed a wide angle lens to take these pics!

Last weekend the Elindil’s secret crew drove to Bega for a special shoot at a waterfall/rock pool. Some of the cast very bravely jumped from an 8 metre high rock into freezing cold water.

I did my own stunt and slipped and landed on my bum right at the top of a natural water slide. Everytime I tried to get up I slid dangerously close to going down the slide and into a deep pool of water. Most people were very helpful and offered to take my photo!!

Jennie, the makeup person, and I were branded ‘Thelma and Louise’ for the weekend and since Louise ALSO slid down a rock bank, we played our part well!!

We looked for Brad Pitt all weekend but we still haven’t found him.

After driving with ‘Louise’ for a 7 hour trip in our ‘party car’ on Saturday and back again yesterday for an 8 hour trip, we certainly got to know each other a lot better. Our convoy of 4 silver cars got up to lots of antics, especially with the 2 way radios. Thelma and Louise gave a wonderful rendition of ‘We will rock you’ over the radio for the rest of the crew to enjoy.

Whew, it was tiring  (esp since I had to start my new job today) but a fantastic weekend……………….. wet backside and all!