Swimming in the Serpentine

I went into London for the women's 10km open water swim in the Serpentine at Hyde Park. I walked from Paddington and began to soak up the atmosphere as the sun was shining, people were smiling, and union floags were everwhere in evidence. It was busy but energizing.

As I arrived at Hyde Park I saw the swim was in progress and there were people lining the barriers and listening to the commentary on the loud speakers (which, incidentally, cut out for the final, dramatic sprint after almost two hours).

I joined them among the flags and banners - rubbing shoulders; taking photos; and chatting to folk between laps. The old gent beside me was offering children a look through his binoculars (not a euphemism). He was also keen on bird-watching and was enjoying the herons, ducks and great-crested grebes keeping company with the swimmers.

'Our girl' (Keri-Anne Payne) came fourth, Eva Risztov (Hungary) won, Hayley Anderson (USA) was second, and Martina Grimaldi (Italy) came third. There were four seconds separating the four of them. It was all wonderfully exciting.

The Canada Geese are going the wrong way!

Highlights from Home

Mother has hung the flags out, ready for Olympic supporters from around the world.

The garden looks full of life - both plant and bird.





Whenever I get to Marlow, one of the first things I do is walk down by the river, where I have spent many a happy hour.



According to my brother-in-law, my father has the worst collection of tools ever. He has a strange assortment of odds and ends, not wanting to ever throw anything away. But should I ever need an old plug or door handle, I know where to look.



Another great thing to do in Marlow is the Rebellion Brewery Tour on the first Tuesday of the month. Highly recommended by Dad and me, as you can see.



Mark Gloyens gives a talk to the punters

Wagga Wagga

Went to Wagga Wagga for a weekend - the biggest inland town in NSW. The Botanic Gardens were cute, and the peacock became quite a friend.

Who's a pretty boy, then?

No visit to the area would be complete without a trip to the Licorice and Chocolate Factory at Junee where an old flour mill houses some sweet and salty treats (plus an excellent restaurant and gift shop). The tour of the mill makes you feel like a guest of Willy Wonka's, and the samples are received most enthusiastically.



Ale and Pie

Here's Him Outdoors brewing beer. It is a good thing, and although he takes over the kitchen and uses every piece of kitchen equipment in the house (and garden - look at that watering can), it keeps him happy. I also assist in the enjoyment of the end product.

It keeps him happy

This is sparging, apparently

And this chicken and kumara pie (now known as Le Tour pie, obviously) is my contribution to the happy domesticity.

Le Tour pie

Australian War Memorial

We paid a visit to the Australian War Memorial. It is supremely moving as a memorial to those who gave their lives so we might enjoy our freedom.

This is Simpson's donkey. John Simpson was a British stretcher-bearer serving in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. At Gallipoli he acquired a donkey and carried wounded soldiers down to the beach for the three and a half weeks that he was there before he was fatally wounded.

Of course, the Gallipoli campaign was an umitigated disaster and is well known in Australian and New Zealand war history. Australian casualties numbered 8,700; New Zealand 2,700; India 1,400; France 10,000; Great Britain 21,000 and the Ottoman Empire an horrific 87,000. More than double that number were wounded. Any lives saved were miraculous.

Simpson and his donkey by Peter Corlett

The statue to commemorate the sailors

and the soldiers



The roll of honour





One of the gargoyles in the Australian War Memorial

The museum attached to the memorial is fantastic. There are artworks and dioramas depicting individual battles, and a massive hall full of planes, tanks and armoury illuminated in thoroughly impressive sound and light shows.

A diorama of the trenches in WWI



Bomber Command Memorial by Neil Dawson



The Animals in War Memorial

Busy Doing Nothing

It's all go round our place, as you can see.

Chester finds life exhausting

While we do puzzles - one of my favourite wastes of time!