Scenic riding

Declan riding towards Mrs Macquarie's Point

In more scenic riding this weekend we had an early morning ride this morning around to Mrs Macquarie's Point. The boys are getting better at riding on the road, so we tried braving Macquarie St (still surprisingly busy even at 8 am on a Sunday) and it wasn't too scary for the parents.

A scenic drink stop at Mrs Macquarie's Point

Happy Birthday Granny

We went to Martin and Kevin's today for Granny's birthday. Callum took the opportunity for some tech support on Granny's ipad mini.

Tech support for Granny

Mountain visitors

Aidan and Tom were right at home

This week on the worst bushfire day we had some mountain visitors - Angela, Tom, Jodie, Aidan and Emma.

Rob and Chris stayed back at the Lees' place to watch for embers (which fortunately didn't eventuate), while we plied Tom with electronic equipment so he could keep up with everyone else after losing his own when the Langdon Linigen house was lost in the fires the previous week.

Riding Cycle Sydney

Waiting at the Station for the train home

Last Sunday we did Cycle Sydney, a 56km ride from North Sydney (800m from our house) to Sydney Olympic Park. In a combination of better fitness and better preparation (provisions from the new patisserie in Crows Nest) we found it much easier than last year.

Declan and Callum even had a bit of a race to the finish line.

Callum had his gopro camera attached to the bike, and had some nice pictures of the Harbour Bridge, until the 3d printed attachment broke, and it spent the rest of the ride in my saddlebag.

The magnificent seven

I was chatting to Declan as he went to bed last night, and he mentioned that his group of friends were the seven musketeers. I forgot the name this morning, and called them the magnificent seven - he was very taken with the name, which I suspect he will call them from now on. For the record, it is Nic P, Lachlan, Angus, Philip, Nikita, Declan and Gabriel.

Various results

Declan has had two sets of results in as many days. He got his ICAS results for maths, which were sadly the worst of his set of three. Science - almost a high distinction - english - solid distinction - maths  - solid credit. But he redeemed himself with his naplan results where the dots were at the top possible spot in all categories.

Meanwhile, Callum came home with the news that he had won an award (he couldn't remember what) in the Australian Maths competition. He will come home with the certificate in due course.

Pranking

I posted previously about planking. Now we have pranking. Callum got very upset yesterday because (as he thought) Declan had pranked him by putting a sword (of Domocles?) above his door ready to fall on his head when he went into the room.

He got his own revenge by putting pillows above the door to Declan's room and escaping out the window (having had the forethought of taking a key to the front door with him).

He was very nonplussed to discover that Evan had been responsible for the sword, so took revenge by attacking him with pillows this morning. This could last a while...