My WTF for the day!

Running home from work tonight I was bemused by a crowd of people just staring at the entrance to what is obviously some new shop.  The crowd just stood there whilst the shop workers stood in a big crowd at the front door without doing anything whilst the flames kept pouring into the sky and ridiculous "computer game style" tune was playing over loud speakers.  Certainly a weird enough shop opening.  But ... maybe I was just hallucinating again like last run with Kev!

Good Times

It has been a really cruisy few weeks with a nice daily routine for Cami and I. Joel has been busy and working hard but we have found time to enjoy life's little moments too. We were lucky to win the ballot for a weekend at Laerdal's cabin on a little island in the fjords called Randøy. We went down there with Ryan, Louise and Charles. It was a lot of fun with some kayaking (Joel bought a new sea kayak, apparently he doesn't have enough expensive hobbies!), fishing, walking and of course good food, wine and company. Here are some of out recent photos. We just also bought a new 'point and shoot' camera a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 with a Leica lens. We are really pleased with the results. Enjoy!

A good start to the weekend, J won 2 bottles in the work wine raffle

A beautiful rainbow and our view from the cabin

Joel enjoying his new kayak

Cooba minding the boat!

Cooba and Ryan on the tinny pulled up alongside the grocery shop

Such a beautiful spot

Our little treasure took to the cabin lifestyle! Sleeping soundly

Cuddles and playtime with Ryan

Giggles with Louise

Back home again, practicing sitting up, not quite there yet...!

Fashion parade, I picked up a ton of clothes at the twice yearly 2nd hand sale

Our two little darlings!

Cami sharing fruit with a sleepy Joel 3 weeks ago

My new job

In July this year, I changed employer and started work for Ocean Installer. It is a new exciting company with a lot of colleagues from a previous place of work and I am fortunate enough to be also working with some very good friends as well which is a bonus.

We just secured our first vessel which means there is no turning back and it is full steam ahead. Off we go then, to the deep!

Here is a picture of our new vessel we get to play with!

Cami the tower smasher!

Interesting run to work this morning!

Kev offered to run with me to work this morning ... which i found a little odd as Kev simply hates running. So my suspicions were already pricked, but I though why not, a run along a beautiful fjord with a mate in the morning can't be all that bad. Little did I know that it would be more dangerous than cycling every day.

The first obstacle was the deceptively stationary barriers at the entrance to the cycle path. This barrier jumped out of nowhere to smash into my left thigh and consequently catapult me into a double pike saulto with twist. After dusting (more like wiping as it was also drizzling) myself up off the ground, we continued along ... me with a dead-leg style running gait ... and all seemed ok. I have a suspicion that there might have been a little nudge just before the barrier from Kev but it all happened far too quickly and was quite comical really ... apart from the deep haematoma to my left thigh!

Then a couple of km's further along the track, Kev "apparently" had to move over to the side to let a cyclist through and this is where the intent appeared more obvious. It might have been the pain from the dead leg causing some mild hallucinations, but I clearly remember Kev pushing me directly into the path of another deceptively stationary object ... this time a fist sized rock. Anyway, after rolling my left ankle, and barely letting out a manly groan, I hobbled along for a while and managed to pick up the pace again later.

Once at work however my ankle started to severely seize up and here I am now lying on Cami's foam play mat, drugged up to the eyeballs on anti-inflammatories, pain killers, icing and elevating and cursing Kev for the offer of a friendly run this morning.

When I can walk again, I plan to offer Kev a bike ride to work ... I have a few tricks up my sleeve.

Disclaimer: Any allegations in this blog are purely allegations. No criminality can be proven until revenge is enacted.

Cami cuteness

This is a cute pic of Cami that couldn't help but post for all to see.
We love her lots and lots!!!!

How to pack for a business trip

It's been a while since I did one, but packing for a business trip is a skill I have honed over many trips over many years. Here are my top tips! I wrote this for my sister in law, Sam Cousins in case she might be able to use some of it for her new website, www.chevali.com.au, she is selling new and vintage clothes. Check it out!

Packing for a business trip is a skill which can be learnt with a bit of practise and some imagination. When travelling for work there are some key questions that should guide your preparation of what clothes to pack:

Where am I travelling to?

Think about the climate, terrain, city/country

What activities will I be involved in? Meetings, fancy dinners, conference, leisure time

When I pack for a short business trip (eg. 2-5 days) I always take a carry-on suitcase only. If you're travelling with colleagues and you're the only one with checked luggage you will hold up the whole group waiting at the luggage carousel! But most importantly losing your luggage when going on holidays is a hassle, on a business trip it can be disastrous. You often hit the ground running and go straight into work mode and doing this in your jeans that you were flying in is just not a good look. If you are going on a long trip and need a bigger suitcase always take an emergency outfit and underwear in your carry on, or travel in clothes you can get away with for your first day.

With only a carry on case to fill, you have to be smart. My number one tip is to choose a base colour palette and stick to it. For me its always black, but you might choose brown instead. For me black becomes my base colour and I only wear items that will coordinate with it. This allows you maximum flexibility to mix and match pieces to create new outfits. I will always pack a pair of black pants and a black skirt, black boots and/or heels, a black cardigan or jacket and a belt. You might have a great day-to-night black dress which travels well (more on that in a moment) which would be a great addition.

Shoes take up a lot of space and are heavy so try to take as few pairs as you can get away with. This is one of the greatest advantages for me in sticking with one colour (eg. black) you don't need multiple pairs of shoes to coordinate with different coloured outfits. I often wear my biggest/heaviest shoes on the plane (eg. Boots).

My work attire is almost always 'smart' but not 'suit', so obviously that guides my selections. Once you have
your basic black items you would add pieces to fill out your selection. I would choose tops in black, grey, navy, beige/camel. This might sound boring but you can add brighter colours with a scarf or jewellery which take up less space in your case. Darker tops are easier for me when travelling, especially when flying, there's
something about plane food – I always manage to spill it on myself! Dark colours are more forgiving. Black leggings or opaque tights can be very handy if it's a little cool, it allows you to layer your outfit but still be warm. If I'm travelling in winter I will always carry with me a smart warm jacket (eg. A trench or woollen jacket). Always pack an umbrella just in case. 

Regarding clothes that travel well, I never pack items that crumple or need ironing. You never know if you will have an iron in your hotel room so I just avoid the issue altogether. I love to travel with items in wool, wool mix, jersey, and other comfortable, high quality synthetic fabrics that will look fresh straight from the suitcase. Natural fabrics like wool are more forgiving if you need to wear something twice and will dry quickly if you need to hand wash it.

Another good idea is to leave a little space in your suitcase (or buy an expandable case) in case you have time to fit in some shopping. Checking in your luggage on the way home is much easier as consequences of loosing your luggage are not so drastic once you are home.

So to summarise my top tips are:

• Take carry on luggage only (ideally expandable)
• Choose a base colour (eg. Black) and only select items that coordinate to mix and match
• Take as few pairs of shoes as you can get away with, wear your biggest/heaviest pair on the plane
• Add colour and flair with scarves and jewellery
• Choose fabrics that travel well and won't crumple