Good news for me! My little car has been approved for repairs so will be back on the road soon.
Thank you to Hayley for catching the train and letting me pay the rego & insurance for the Barina for another year.
My electronic timecapsule...my journal space full of thoughts, photos & crafty things
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Me vs Skippy...
Dusk and dawn are the times when kangaroos move around the most.
I know this.
And yet I was burtling along a country road at dusk, a trip I had made hundreds of times before,not thinking about this fact.
But last Friday I was on the road at the exact time a kangaroo was hopping along and I hit it.
I was travelling at 100kms/hour, my cruise control set as the road is also known for highway patrol in marked/unmarked cars and speed cameras.
I didn't see him until it was too late, it just appeared in front of me. Too late to brake. Too late to avoid. Too late to do anything but swear and bang straight into it.
I was shocked but I pulled over. The darkness had set in and I couldn't see the roo. All I could see was the crumpled front of my little car.
With shaky hands I tried to call Chris. No phone reception in this spot. He couldn't have done much at that point as he was still at work, but I wanted someone to know I HAD HIT A ROO!
So what to do. I thought I'm stuck here & unless I flag down a car I'm on my own. I wasn't hurt, the engine was still running, no fluids escaping, one bulb still lit. So I straightened the light so it was pointing forward and drove on to get phone reception. Not really road worthy. Not at all really, but I just wanted to get out of there and get home. I was on my way to get Erin from Liams so I drove all the way thinking at any time I might conk out. I made it to Liam's and his father had a look and his Mum offered condolences.
It may not look like much and it is all panel damage but the quote is still $3,300! The only bit damaged under the bonnet is the battery.
I was curious about the kangaroo so we went back in the daylight to see if we could find it. Chris wondered if we would be able to tell if I had been the one to knock it down. We found it alright and there was no doubt as there were bits of my car surrounding it. Its own momentum and my hit pushed it about 20 metres off the road and pointing in the opposite direction to that which it was heading on that night.
No doubt that it died straight away, no suffering past the impact.
It could have been worse, I could've been hurt or trapped or my car completely undrivable.
Just waiting for the insurer to decide whether I can have my car on the road again. I really want to have it fixed, its been a great car and runs so well.
The irony of driving towards Hoppers Crossing is not lost on me either,
I know this.
And yet I was burtling along a country road at dusk, a trip I had made hundreds of times before,not thinking about this fact.
But last Friday I was on the road at the exact time a kangaroo was hopping along and I hit it.
I was travelling at 100kms/hour, my cruise control set as the road is also known for highway patrol in marked/unmarked cars and speed cameras.
I didn't see him until it was too late, it just appeared in front of me. Too late to brake. Too late to avoid. Too late to do anything but swear and bang straight into it.
I was shocked but I pulled over. The darkness had set in and I couldn't see the roo. All I could see was the crumpled front of my little car.
With shaky hands I tried to call Chris. No phone reception in this spot. He couldn't have done much at that point as he was still at work, but I wanted someone to know I HAD HIT A ROO!
So what to do. I thought I'm stuck here & unless I flag down a car I'm on my own. I wasn't hurt, the engine was still running, no fluids escaping, one bulb still lit. So I straightened the light so it was pointing forward and drove on to get phone reception. Not really road worthy. Not at all really, but I just wanted to get out of there and get home. I was on my way to get Erin from Liams so I drove all the way thinking at any time I might conk out. I made it to Liam's and his father had a look and his Mum offered condolences.
 |
| see the kangaroo imprint on the bonnet |
I was curious about the kangaroo so we went back in the daylight to see if we could find it. Chris wondered if we would be able to tell if I had been the one to knock it down. We found it alright and there was no doubt as there were bits of my car surrounding it. Its own momentum and my hit pushed it about 20 metres off the road and pointing in the opposite direction to that which it was heading on that night.
 |
| this whopper owes me big time |
It could have been worse, I could've been hurt or trapped or my car completely undrivable.
Just waiting for the insurer to decide whether I can have my car on the road again. I really want to have it fixed, its been a great car and runs so well.
The irony of driving towards Hoppers Crossing is not lost on me either,
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Erin's birthday...
In June the youngest of our 3 offspring celebrated a milestone.
Erin turned 18!!
She had a small party to celebrate with her friends, again outside beside the gas heater with much laughter and some consumption of alcohol.
No one got out of hand so it was a success from my point of view, she may not agree.
I also wanted to recreate one of my favourite photos. Seemed a simple request but was a challenge to achieve.
Welcome to adulthood darling girl, finishing school and getting your drivers licence still a way off yet.
Erin turned 18!!
She had a small party to celebrate with her friends, again outside beside the gas heater with much laughter and some consumption of alcohol.
I also wanted to recreate one of my favourite photos. Seemed a simple request but was a challenge to achieve.
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| Erin just a few days old |
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| 18 years later & Chris still wearing that jumper. |
Welcome to adulthood darling girl, finishing school and getting your drivers licence still a way off yet.
Saturday, August 15, 2015
The beaut weekend...
Both my darling girls have had birthdays since my last post but I really want to share my spectacularly fantastic weekend.
Our little running group headed up to Sydney to do our very first City 2 Surf run. We have been planning for months, training in fits and starts and talking ourselves up until finally the time arrived.
We flew up to Sydney on Saturday and had a lovely day exploring the Rocks, Circular Quay and a ferry ride to Manly. I really wanted to go on the 'Betty Cuthbert' but that one wasn't going where we wanted to go. We had to settle for the 'Queenscliff' instead. We ate and drank our way around in preparation for the big event on Sunday morning.
I stayed right on Hyde Park at the YWCA hotel. The rooms were basic but clean, and I felt safe. For $95 I shared a bathroom and breakfast was included. Many other runners were staying there as well as loads of other vistors to Sydney. I had many an interesting conversation and didn't feel lonely while away from the others who were staying at a nearby hotel 10 mins away.
Running, and getting into a rhythm was difficult. Many entrants had no intention of running and lots were walking. We spent most of our time weaving and dodging. The streets were lined with cheering spectators which spurred us on as well as bands, DJ's, the Army and Police Bands, hari chrishnas, belly dancers, drag queens, Wally's and lots of people who had set up in their front yards to enjoy the spectacle and made for a fantastic atmosphere. They had positioned the music perfectly, it was always right there when you needed a boost. We were able to stick together in our matching tops until Heartbreak Hill. I had been unwell with a cold the week prior and just couldn't run all the way up the 1.5km heartbreaker. The girls were able to keep going while I walked and I met them at the finish line. I was pleased with my race. I made it in 1:41:39.
After the race, it took about half an hour to find the fellas and then we started on the queue for the buses. It seemed to take an awful long time to get to the front of the queue but really they moved a lot of people fairly quickly. It was in this waiting time I actually got a bit sunburnt on my shoulders.
I was hungry and thirsty by then and got a bit impatient and kept hinting that we should walk to Bondi Junction to catch the train. The others were happy to keep inching along and in the end it was the right decision. We were back in the city centre quite quickly and then filled up on some burgers and beers.
Our little running group headed up to Sydney to do our very first City 2 Surf run. We have been planning for months, training in fits and starts and talking ourselves up until finally the time arrived.
We flew up to Sydney on Saturday and had a lovely day exploring the Rocks, Circular Quay and a ferry ride to Manly. I really wanted to go on the 'Betty Cuthbert' but that one wasn't going where we wanted to go. We had to settle for the 'Queenscliff' instead. We ate and drank our way around in preparation for the big event on Sunday morning.
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| I felt very touristy |
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| Fuelling & hydrating going well |
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| the Rocks Market |
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| A trip on the Ferry |
After a good nights sleep, I stowed my bag and met the girls at Hyde Park, in perfect conditions. We said goodbye to the husbands who were to meet us at the finish line with our bags, and down the yellow starting chute we shuffled. We were excited about what this run would bring, none of us expecting to set any PB's.
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| Ready to start with 80,000 others |
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| Bondi - 14 hilly kms later |
After the race, it took about half an hour to find the fellas and then we started on the queue for the buses. It seemed to take an awful long time to get to the front of the queue but really they moved a lot of people fairly quickly. It was in this waiting time I actually got a bit sunburnt on my shoulders.
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| this is looking back at the bus queue, we are halfway to the top at this point. |
A wander around Darling Harbour and then back to the hotel for a shower and some more refreshments before I caught the train back to the Airport to come home.
It was a fantastic experience, one I would recommend to any runners, a real Bucket List item. Not just the run but the day before were perfect with great food, company and weather.
Seems we are going to run another half marathon in October, I don't remember agreeing to this idea but have been told I did. The Gold Coast Marathon next July was also suggested, adrenaline and endorphins have a lot to answer for.
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| I like many others wore my medal all day |
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| 925th of the older girls |
Seems we are going to run another half marathon in October, I don't remember agreeing to this idea but have been told I did. The Gold Coast Marathon next July was also suggested, adrenaline and endorphins have a lot to answer for.
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