Post Wedding - Pre Reef Trip

Wind farm in Western Victoria not too far from where I grew up.

Between Tim's wedding and the reef trip I had a month to kill which involved work, bumming around, christmas, birthday and NYE. In no particular detail here is a quick run down of events:

My sister-in-law gave birth on November 31 to a baby girl and my baby-sitting of my 2 year old niece consisted of going to sleep with her already asleep and waking up to my brother being home from the hospital to look after her. Strenuious I know but that is what family is for.

2 weeks in Sydney for work in early December. Stayed in a posh (and cheap) serviced apartment in the middle of town and primarily did training for our partners with a few customer visits. Also got to catch up with UK April for a bit which was nice as well as Ben. In fact, went to the Homebake festival with the two of them and proceeded to stand in long queues for drinks and then, somewhat sadistically, even longer lines for the toilets. Music was also a bit poo but the company was good. Also caught up with Marcelle for a few drinks which turned into a typical late night drinking session.

Then back to Melbourne and Ballarat for pre-Christmas period. Highlight of this time was A) helping to build a fence at my brothers, B) falling off his dirt bike and C) going to a cracking dinner with Tim, Michelle and Georgia. All great fun (fence building and motorbike falling less so).

Christmas eve with family was next at lake Wendouree (I use the term lake loosly as it has infact completely dried up in the several drought years Victoria has had and is infact a grassy paddock in the middle of a major Australian city). Bought pizza, recieved gifts interacted with family.

The next day had Christmas at my brothers which was fun as my 2 1/2 year old niece is now old enough to get into the spirt of tearing presents open them playing with the cardboard box.

Laura niece.

Then down to Melbourne on the 26th for my birthday celebration. Was a fairly low key event but the main protagenosts where there and a fun time was had by all (well, me anyway). Went for drinks afterwards and ended up getting home very late being very drunk. 20's : check.

Number 2 Karaoke crew: MP, NM, Dean, MC, TC, KTP

Back to brothers on the 27th for actual birthday where a lovely boob cake and sign had been prepared for me. Very appropriote and very sweet respectivly.

Nipple cake. Mmmmm

Finally for NYE it was out to Mat's for some equally low key NYE drinks. We all managed to remain consious until 2009 kicked in so I guess it was mission accomplished. Mat and I also had a pre-trip head shave in order to look rediculious. I achived this aim with remarkable merrit however much other protest otherwise.