Time for Presents

We gave two presents to our good freind Kenneth who also doubles as our cleaner. A new pair of bathers (swimmers, togs, bathing costume, speedos . . . etc). They're Aussiebum Indestructibles, perfect for training. I also printed him a T-shirt; it says ‘I love my cleaner’. & we do.



Unwrapping the bathers.



Checking out the t-shirt.

Triathlon - December 16

The triathlon I took part in at West Lakes on December 16 consisted of a 600m swim, a 19.5km bike ride and a 4km run. I completed it in 1:10:11, which was 35 seconds faster than last time over the same distance. I came 21st out of 26 for my age group, 203rd out of the 254 competitors who did the Challenge, I was 148th in the swim, 201st in the run and 208th in the ride. If I only did as well in the run and ride as in the swim, I’d move up a few places. I’m working on it , but then again, so is everyone else!



All the stuff I need to do a triathlon. I set it out the night before just to make sure I had everything.



First triathlon in my new Tri-suit. No more hassles getting a tank top over a wet body to set out on the ride. The suit was a bargain too - it was 50% off - they were getting rid of the last of the range to bring in a new brand.



Exiting the swim.



Starting the ride.



Graham on the run. More likely to be a grimace than a smile.



Terry finishing.



The ‘competition’.

Ken Turns 50

Ken celebrated his 50th birthday at the Murray Bridge Golf Club on December 16. Hayley, over from Melbourne and Leigh, Ken’s kids both gave speeches and a cake was cut.



Leigh, Hayley, Ken



The Schiller family minus one brother; Harvey, David, Ken, Mum



Ken, Mum, Leigh and Hayley



An incendiary moment; sparklers instead of candles



David & Hayley



The ‘other’ Schillers. Aunty Gladys and her family.

In the Kitchen

David has been as busy as ever in the kitchen. Rarely is there a night when a gourmet treat does not emanate from within its slow cooker, ovens, cook tops and microwaves.


Here he is attacking the onions.


Whiting, pan seared with white gazpacho, pickled watermelon rind and watermelon foam


Smoked fish, kipfler potato and mustard seed timbale served with Tat Soi, virgin olive oil and accompanied by a rustic tomato red onion and cucumber salad.

Me and the Buoys

After the tirathlon I decided to take a self portrait with the big red buoys that were on the shoreline. I propped the camera on my hat on the ledge near the beach, set the self timer, ran to where I thought would be a good spot and waited. I did this twice and one of the pictures worked out pretty well.

& here it is.



On Flickr, the photosharing website and online community I appear to be addicted to, I belong to a group that uses Photoshop to transform other people's pictures. It's called Pimp My Pixels. I had done a few pictures myself using Photoshop to tranform a few people's pictures. So I decided to put a picture of me up to be re-mixed. I used the above photo.

The photo was transformed by five Photoshoppers in total. The best one being the one done by US resident Terry, Here it is below.

Triathlon November 25

I competed in the first triathlon of the season on Sunday, November 25. I competed (well . . . I was there) in the Challenge race which consisted of a 600m swim, a 19.5km ride and a 4km run. The swim was good as they've bought new buoys, they're big, tringular, red and easy to see - so that really helped. I did the triathlon in 1 hour and 10 minutes and 46 seconds. I came 191 out of the 231 competitiors who took part in the challenge race and I was 19th out of the 22 40-44 year old age category. Not a spectacular result as the conditions were absolutely perfect and I had done the same distance in 1 hour 7 previoulsy. But I suppose it was an okay outcome for the first one of the season,

Also taking part were some members of the swimming squad who I train with Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at Norwood. They included Graham, Terry, Kay and Penny. Another of the swimming squad, Andrew, did his first triathon ever and completed it in 1 hour 3 minutes! Hmmm . . .

David took the photos below.

(There are more triathlon photos on my Flickr page. Clicking on any of these pictures will take you there. You can see photos in larger sizes there as well.)


Number 953. Set to go.


Setting off in the swim. I don't have a wetsuit so I have to 'brave' the West Lake's sometimes cool waters. Most people seem to think that a wetsuit gives you a minute or two advantage in the water.


Swim over, off to find the bike.


On the bike. I'd like to say I rode really fast . . .


On the run . . . well jog . . .


Crossing the finishing line.


Terry, Penny, Kay, Graham, Harvey

Whipped into Shape

As the triathlon season was just around the corner I decided stern measures were needed to ensure that I didn't sink in the swim, crash on the bike ride or crumple on the run. To this end I divided myself up to better make use of the time. This is what was happening at the chateau a month or so ago.

The stick comes to the rescue

The stick has turned out to be a lifesaver for David.

Last weekend, October 5,6 &7, we stayed at the Ridgetop Retreats B&B at Deep Creek Conservation Park new Cape Jervis on the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula.

We planned to do a number of the walks around the park and we had both bought new boots for walking.

We set off on Friday from home, both having taken a day off. We drove to Willunga first to have lunch at a favourite restaurant, Fino. It’s a fabulous place with great food.

We arrived at the B&Bs in the late afternoon and that night David cooked – fish in an almond bread sauce.

The next morning David cooked bacon and eggs and we set off in the car to the place where we’d start our first walk. The walk was to take us from a car park a few kilometres from the coast down a big, big hill to the spot where deep Creek meets the sea. It was quite a steep walk and was rated as difficult and for some of the time it drizzled. We had wet weather gear.

On the second walk we left from the same car park and headed toward a waterfall. During this walk for some reason David’s knee decided to cause him shooting pains. To avoid this he developed a stiff legged walk, a la Captain Peg Leg, to avoid the pains. This is where the stick, much maligned in a previous entry, came to the rescue. It helped him to get to the waterfall and finish the walk. Later that afternoon we sat out on the forecourt of the B&B and watched the birdlife.

David cooked steak with mushroom ragout and sauteed potatoes for dinner.

After packing up on Sunday, we went for a walk around a flat loop near the rangers station.

After that we decided to do the walk down to Blowhole Beach near the outskirts of the park. Again it was very steep and David had to use his Peg Leg walk to negotiate the steep terrain. Dozens of lazing kangaroos could be seen near the car park at the start of the walk. After getting down to the beach we had a feast of potato chips and fruit all the time watched by eager red beaked and footed gulls.

On the way back we met a sleepy lizard and saw the kangaroos again, who hadn’t moved in all that time.

After this walk we drove off to Cape Jervis and saw the Kangaroo Island Ferry dock and then we went to have a look at the Starfish Hill wind farm. A drink at a local pub and then we drove home.



The life-saving stick. Here it is enjoying a quiet break near a waterfall.



The Ridgetop Retreats where we stayed.


A sparkling red after a hard day's walk.



Deep Creek's rugged coastline.



The waterfall, lunch stop on one of the walks.



David in one of his birthday-present T-shirts.



There were native orchids everywhere.



Kangas at the start of the blowhole Beach walk.



The echidna I annoyed by taking lots of photos of him.



Dead tree near the start of the Blowhole Beach walk.



The Mini in Deep Creek.

David's Birthday

Yesterday was David's birthday - October 9. He received four T-shirts I designed as a present. He received one of them each day on the run up to the big day which we celebrated with a dinner at Chianti Classico, a very nice Italian restaurant on Hutt Street in the city.

I did all the designs for the T-shirts and had them made up at the T-shirt shop in Hindley Street. I also made up some product tags to go with the T-shirts - for that professional look.



David with one of the new T-shirts on and the three others on the couch.



The Railway Crossing T-shirt. He wore this outfit to the restaurant.



The Product Tags. Created by ChateauGlenunga Designs.



Unwrapping.

True Love

Mini Polish, originally uploaded by chateauglenunga.

Here is David earlier in the day practicing his other passion - tending to the Mini. Here David is placing masking tape over the black plastic parts of the car prior to applying polish to the duco. The car received; a wash; a first polish; a sealant polish, a vacuum and dust; a leather treatment; a plastic treatment and a rubber condition. The car, I assure you, is gleaming and beautiful.

Wok & Woll

Wok & Woll, originally uploaded by chateauglenunga.

David cooking up a storm on Saturday night. Onions and spices are being stir fried to be added to a chopped pork loin fillet, which is then cooked in a Chinese clay pot on the stove top. The renovated kitchen is being well used.

David's Early BP

David's birthday present was very easy to arrange this year - it was the spotlights for the Mini you see below. He decided what he wanted, did the research, ordered them over the internet and arranged to have them installed. All I did was say, like Optus, "Yes".

"Yes, you can have them but it's your birthday present," I said.

So what do you think?

Interesting, different, unusual?



At night with the spots 'On'.



Looking serious but he is actually happy with the lights.



A view of the back of the spotlights in the daytime.



In close up.

Shantaram

I just finished one of the best novels I've ever read, 'Shantaram' by Gregory David Roberts. A huge, sprawling novel set in Bombay, it grabs from the first chapter until the last line on page 933. Beautifully written and with scenes that are cinematic in their intensity. Its' so good I'd consider reading it again - I've only ever re-read one book before, 'Lord of the Rings', both times prior to the film. Speaking of film you may want to read it before the film comes out in 2008 and ruins the whole thing. Although Johnny Depp is involved so it might be okay . . .



Plot Summary from Wikipedia:
Shantaram is an uncompromising story of a fugitive - based on Roberts' experience - on the run in Bombay, India; a man who sets up a free clinic in a slum, works for the biggest Don in the Bombay Mafia, works as a money launderer and street soldier, heads straight into Russian guns in the mountains of Afghanistan, and earns the name insightfully given him by his best friend's mother - "Shantaram", meaning "man of peace".