The map

Bridie and Sean's new house is surprisingly near no parks or playgrounds or shops in walking distance.
So with Dylan being a ball of energy not needing a daytime  sleep we decided to head off to a playground on a map
So we spotted one (Dylan studying Google Maps with me) called Cheong Park that said it was a 20 minute walk.
Well they are not talking pre school walkers who like to stop and admire everything and did not take into account the 3 hills we had to manage.

 At last I spotted the bright colours of the playground and we  settled in. It had been raining and the slide was wet, so he wouldn't go down it but was fascinated with all these bugs that were on it.

Hanging over a post nearby was a towel! So when I dried it off he was happy, darting from one thing to the other.
It took some persuading to get him to leave but as we headed back, I checked a message on my phone and he asked what I was doing So I said I had the map how to get home.

He demanded to see it and I explained what the blue line was and the pulsing dot.
And we headed up the hill, with a gentle shove in his back as he studied the phone. At one point I had gone ahead and stopped to wait for him. he saw me stopped, stopped looked at the map and said " I see the map. Keep going Mich!"

He also had with him two toy characters from the Octonauts, (little plastic figures) Initially he had them in his pocket but when I took the phone back, he carried them. Life would not be worth living if he lost one, so I kept an eye on them.
As we crossed the road, he took my hand and I said 'Have you got your Octonauts (I never remember their names!)?" He showed me his hand with them both clutched in it, and said "Check!!"

The creative room!

I was just looking back at what I was doing a year ago and in this last week in 2013 the entries were

a Paul Simon concert, in Japan with Nick and Celia and painting and floor scraping etc of the bungalow.

So seems appropriate to show the room since I have been busy scrapbooking my trip to Santa Fe.

The Table and storage

I found a great table at the local 2nd hand place. It looked good and stable, when I got it delivered we found it was solid wood! Found lots of storage boxes in various places around the house and they all fit well together.

room for the chairs and cushions

A new light fitting  that broke as I put it up, so it's glued together!

The stencil on the wall On right in 1st Pic.

Billboard

I've seen this billboard as I turn at Flemington Road over the last month or more.
I only got close enough to see what it was this week .

An advertisement for the on line education App developed at Royal Children's.
Interestingly it is untagged or defaced!!

At Home

I was on a museum visiting walk today
Started at the Immigration Museum and then to NGV at Fed Square.
In the Foyer of NGV Fed Square was an exhibition
But to wasn't until I saw THIS

 That I realised what THIS was.

The Hotham Street Ladies are a group of five women who make street art, installations, public art, recipe books and cakes. I had seen some and some articles about them before.
The rug is entirely icing: individual squeezed drops. and the living room, cushions. pizza pieces, rug afghan etc are all cake and icing! There was a dining room table covered in what looks like the ends of Xmas dinner for 8.

Kate's Birthday

I went down to ANdrew and Lynne's for Kate's 15th Birthday Tea.

Kate wa shaving a real Kate day still in her PJ's

Lynne's folks are in NZ so it was just us with roast lamb and a cake that Kate and Lynne made.
There was a lot of laughter and talk about how big the cake was; How Heavy and how long it took to make
When we had finished the meal Nick and Andrew headed out to the outside fridge (to get the crane to lift it?) and came back in with the cake.

I went to lift it and assess its weight based on my skill of a baby's weight. I would have said 5kg.
So a tall cake with Smarties (M&M's I think) on top and Kit Kat on the sides.

So Nick emptied the dishwasher to find big plates for the cake serves, as Lynne prepared a knife and candles for the CAKE

Much deriding by Nick of Kate's skills as she lit the candles But she did get them all out in one puff!

Then she cut the cake, and my surprise at the inside was worth it they said!

A rainbow Cake.

Beautiful to look at, but rather heavy and sweet. We all only had one slice, if that and Kate was taking it to school next day 

So a fun thing, more than Bake off Competition!!

Then finished the evening off in the Spa on a  balmy evening!

White Night

Celia and I experienced Nuit D'Etoile when we were in Paris (on my birthday even!) and I missed White Night here last year so decided to go in this year.
The main feature is the illumination on buildings and music everywhere and CROWDS.

The sign on Princes' Bridge

The Footbridge arch lit up.

 There was an announcement as I got off the train saying the 'crowded concourse' so take care.  So I exited at the west end and walked over the footbridge over the river.
Later  in the night  trains were only departing  the city from Flinders Street only. All City Loop stations were closed.
It was still light but the crowds were building already .
Pity anyone who had not heard of it, getting caught up on their planned theatre visit or similar

The stream was thick both directions.

The roads were closed to traffic on Swanston, Elizabeth and Flinders st (as well as the Lanes)

The Station was glorious and the intersection PACKED

The buildings along Flinders St from Fed square

 The crowd at the busy areas was solid.  It took me 10 minutes to cross the road from Fed Sq to the Station!
A Family were moving in opposite direction beside me and the Dad said "Maybe I'll catch you up" And mum said "I'll never see you again!"
A rescue boat driver left the Club saying he had to meet his friends at Fed Sq at 630;  I hope he found them!!!

http://media.theage.com.au/news/national-news/white-night-preview-5182825.html
Last year the crowd was estimated at 300.000 with out as much adverting as this year, so perhaps 500.000.
I think the fact that it is spread over a bigger area this year would make the crowds better.
It was the crowds that decided my return home even though I hadn't seen half the things . I certainly didn't see the best but what I saw made for a magical evening! 

Melbourne Star

I have been considering a photo (while driving over Bolte bridge ) of The Melbourne Star, the  Re-constructed Observation Wheel, but decided much too dangerous so I desisted .
Then tonight at North Melbourne Station a perfect view!!
Had just finished my pics, when a guy came up and asked if I would take his photo with the wheel on his camera . So we both enjoye dteh sight.

from the platform

A colour change

Then view from top of walkway