curse was holding. So we went for a long drive.
We ended up at a country airstrip where the wind was kinder and the pilot and his girlfriend prepared the balloon, with help from the passengers.
We lifted off well after dawn, climbed quickly to about 1000- 1500 feet, then descended again to travel most of the way over dry open woodland and saltbush scrub sheep paddocks. Being only at a few hundred feet made Kristie and I feel travel-sick, a feeling we didn't have last time we went ballooning at around 2000 feet.
We chased sheep, kangaroos and foxes. Kristie and I spat over the edge (requested by Joe, back from Canberra soon) while Cath chatted up the scruffy young pilot.
Landing was fun - we had to land twice because in the first paddock the gate was locked. The second time we landed unevenly on a saltbush and the wind dragged us over - so we got out sideways and tried to avoid the bindi-eye.
Still, it left Kristie and I feeling more than a little jaded - the thrill just wasn't there for us this second time. Maybe we should try hangliding.

Our trip to Victoria in October was reasonably uneventful. We took Cath with us this time for a look at our old stomping grounds and stayed in Heathcote with Kristie's Mum (Jan) and Bill.
The highlight was, I think, at Warrawong Sanctuary.
But we actually didn't see that many people - which we intend to remedy next time we visit (around April/May). And we are hoping to spend next Christmas with family and friends in Victoria. It's been a while since we shared a Yuletide cup of kindness with kin.

Well guess who had a horrible week recently? It began one Thursday when Julie, my supervisor at Telstra, said that my services were no longer needed. This in fact is the conclusion made by the National Manager of the area of Telstra where I once worked. This coming from a woman who has never done any real work in her life, who can't make any decisions with out referring to the infallible statistics, which she must pull out from some dark orifice because they are always wrong. May she pay for bad business judgments in the most inconvenient way.
The first Friday in December was my last day. On arriving home, I found nearly $600 worth of bills that needed to be paid before Christmas. I was brave. 'Next week I will have some guilt free time out,' I thought.
Monday I got another lot of bills, up to nearly $900 now. Still, I decided that I was going to enjoy my week and the world could go to hell. But no, we didn't give up did we? Then on that Wednesday, some stupid woman touched my car with hers. The drivers side door is unlockable, barely closes and I cried that night at the injustice of it all.
Before the "Taste of Doom" week, my Mummy and Bill came to visit. We had a lovely time. Went to the zoo, I love the zoo. Unfortunately the lion, Samson failed yet again to wee on anyone,

I think I need to speak to someone about his lack of performance.
The highlight was, I think, at Warrawong Sanctuary.
This lovely place is in the Adelaide Hills and is home and refuge to many native animals. Owned and operated by Dr John "Dead Cat On my Head As A Hat" Wolmsley. Even though I find him a truly offensive freak of a man, I thought that his little sanctuary bloody marvelous.
We ate dinner there, that is Mum, Bill, Jason, Cath & myself. The food was so yummy, a bit posh but very filling. Kangaroo, emu both on the menu and then usual pasta etc. If you're ever here then I recommend you go there for dinner and go on the night walk as we did, ok so we waddled.
The tour guide, a rather weedy red haired lad, took us around and spoke about how we are destroying the environment blah, blah, blah.
I had to turn off after a while, I watched the animals instead. Hundreds of little furry things running, eating, fighting and just doing their thing. I almost came to fisticuffs with the guide. He made me so angry. Dr Wolmsley is a rather controversial figure over here in the conservation circles. Apparently his employees are indoctrinated as well. No really we had a wonderful time. I ate way too much that night.
I'm sure that we did other stuff with Mum & Bill. I got a Fantasia Lamp for Christmas. I love Fantasia Lamps, you turn out the lights and watch it all night. Or you can put an optical fibre up the cat's nose and watch his eyes change colour!