End of an era

Well it was the end of an era for an old beaut bridge, which had stretch over the Swan River in Middleswan for a fair few years. Here is a photo of the Whitemans Bridge, with the little nevilles having a last walk over.











For old times sake we took some photos of the old bridge, before it was 'Goodnight the Fox' and was made into some woodchip. Fairdinkum it was a real beaut piece of Past history, but unfortunately that just doesn't cut it anymore.






This was the day when in came the bulldozers and down went some of the majestic old bridge, Jacko is having a gander as they destroyed some of the bridge supports.








It took over a month but now most of the bridge was gone, now all remained was sets of wooden piers which will be made into some sort of sculptors, surrounded by newly landscaped park land which will let you walk under the new boring cement bridge.






A month later and most of the bridge is gone except for whats left in the water, and some parts on the other side bank. It's sad to see this grand historic piece of wood be taken away piece by piece....










Then we popped in about a month later and the grand old lady of the swan river was mostly gone, heres Jacko, Oscar and Harrison having a squizz before she was all gone. It's a real pity that they decided she had to go, as you could sit on her and throw a line in and do some fishing of it. But council knows better hay and so she's just about gone as the kiddies have a last look at her.












Then she was gone..... just like most things that have seen better days (except my Dad), she disappeared into the Past and will only be remembered in the pages of Middleswan history.... Goodbye Old Girl!

Swan Valley Bushwalk

Normally our bushwalks don't get onto this blog but since we have been trying to save some moolah, we haven't been getting about as much. So a nice little bushwalk along an old bush track, is just what the doctor ordered. So we headed to a place called Bells Rapids which is about a nine minute drive away, after parking the commodore in the picnic area we grabbed a small picnic and some bottle water and off we went along the track next to the river. This place is located in Brigadoon and is unofficially known as the entrance to the Avon Valley, through which the Avon River (which becomes the Swan River) flows. Heres two of the kiddies climbing up some boulders, luckily for them the misses isn't here or they would be in more trouble then a box of worms on a fishing trip!











Bells Rapids sits on the edge of the Darling Scarp, and is a prime viewing area to see competitors in the annual Avon Descent White Water Race. Heres the little princess with the Bells rapids bridge in the background, as you can see the river is down quiet a bit and needs a lot more water for a beaut race this year. And here is the mob on the bridge as they cross to the other side, so we can start down the bush track for our bushwalk.

But before we hit the track we came across an old rope swing which the kiddies couldn't help but give it a go, heres Sarah swinging about having a ripper time.

Crikey Oscar! talk about giving us a smile!

Heres Sarah again as she walks along the Avon River bush trail, ooohhh isn't it beautiful.... i'm talking about the countryside of cause!

walking along the track.

Rest stop as the kiddies needed a long drink and a feed, as we had came a massive four kilometers so a rest was needed. Then we turned

around and started back along the trial again, next time we will try to make it to the National Park which is only about another couple of kilometers away (i think).

And finally were back at the old bridge again, and now it is only a short walk to the picnic area. So another ripper bushwalk under our belts, we might have to find a harder one next time.... poor sods.

Chases 1st Birthday

'You can dress him up but you can't take him anywhere' He might be a ripper feeder but crikey, it would be nice if he could get some in his mouth every now and again.






So after an industrial wash down he scrubbed up pretty okay and as you can see he loves a good feed..... but it's all puppy fat!







Then it was party time 'Party, Party, Party'.... These things are okay but I can't eat them hay, so where you put the cake!







'Now where talking but what's with the one candle mum, didn't we have any money left in the budget hay! Oh I get it i'm one year old so you gave me one candle... silly me, wait a minute if thats right then why didn't we have 42 candles for dad's birthday cake. That's right mum said it might start a house fire, and dad said something that wasn't very nice by the look on mum's face'



'Are you going to eat me Nana Ann'









'Now for next year's birthday I would like another snake and another cake, but then again what about a snake cake... i'm a thinking baby hay'











But thats the end of the little fellas first birthday, and i'm sure theres a fair few more where that one came from. He loved all the toys and stuff he got, but had just as much fun with the boxes that the toys came in.

Jessica Watson

The young sheilah from Queensland has done it... 'You Little Beauty', Jessica Watson has become the youngest neville at 16 to sail around the world, non-stop and unassisted. So after crossing the finishing line in Sydney, she had passed 210 days in the ocean strewth and had covered a friggin' 23,000 nautical miles (or in aussie terms 38,000 kilometers mate!)






10m yacht 'Elle's Pink Lady'



At her welcome home Party she told the world, 'I don't consider myself a hero, I'm just an ordinary girl who believed in a dream'. She said that to the mob of thousands who 'chucked a sickie', and turned up at the Sydney Opera House to watch her end her epic journey. Talking about dreams I'm an ordinary bloke and I believe in a dream, so all I have to do now is win lotto!


Crikey









Jessica doing some fishing during her sail around the world, but fairdinkum it's only really a friggin' fishfinger!











Watson's journey will not be registered as a record because — in a bid to discourage some ambitious parents pushing their four-year-old off from a wharf with a "good luck" and a prayer — they no longer list world records for people under 18.... bugger but they still have a beaut point hay.




A photo Jessica took while she was up the mast doing some work, now that looks like fun hay.







So after months (well almost a year) of me and the kiddies following her blog, and keeping a track of her trip we have come to an end. It's a pity that it's all over, but at least she didn't end up as a shark biscuit! Now were keeping and eye on that American sheilah Abby Sutherland, who's doing the same thing but it's not a non-stop run. So if you keep an eye on our little map, you'll see her trip on the aussie yacht Wild eyes.... you go girl.