Balmain to Birchgrove

Greetings!

The past few weeks have been interesting..... The last time I posted was just before I was going to start working for the Saffer company. Hrm...... I started on the Monday as a "Production Manager" for the company. One of my first tasks was to go grocery shopping for the CEO. Then I had to do an office stationery order. And arrange a task list for the weekly office cleaning service & check that everything was clean after they left. Then I overheard a conversation in which I found out that the guy who hired me had done a dirty on an exhibition company & owed them $200k. And then there was another shopping expedition..... And a call from the ATO (Australian Tax Office) regarding unpaid taxes. The cherry on the top came during lunch on my 2nd day - the guys all gathered around one PC to watch a porn movie (I was the only female in the office). Needless to say, I didn't return to work on the Wednesday morning. After all I'd learned about this guy in 2 days, I started to wonder just how he managed to snag the FIFA deal.......

Now I'm quite happy to laugh off this little incident and chalk it up to experience, but I need to have a little rant first..... This Saffer a$$hole is out there wheeling, dealing and ripping off Australians - reneging on agreements, dodging tax, etc. It's idiots like this who give all ex-South Africans a bad name!!!! Ggggrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!

So I'm unemployed! I went straight to SEEK to look for another job. Scott's company offered me another position but I declined for several reasons which I won't go into. I'd been to a couple of interviews when I came down with a nasty lurgy which had me sniffing and snorting for a week and a half. You have no idea how difficult it is to think straight in an interview when you feel like you're talking to someone from the other end of a long echoing pipe!

But I'm much better now - I know you were all extremely concerned! :-) I've been to a few interviews - with recruitment agents as well as prospective employers. I've been to two 2nd interviews and have been offered both positions. I'm also waiting to hear about a third position in the next day or so. I have my preferences and am just waiting to get the third finalised so that I can make my decision. So keep your fingers crossed & I'll keep you posted. I should be working again within the next week or so.

Scott's doing fine - although I think I may have passed on my lurgy. His job is going great - extremely busy and a fair amount more stress. But I won't go into too much detail 'cos I'm going to try and persuade him to write a post of his own one of these fine days.

My folks arrived back with us last Saturday night after almost 6 weeks up on the Gold Coast with Doug & Mons. From the sounds of things, they had an absolute ball up there. As I write this, they're out for the day at Taronga Zoo.

So onto some catch up stuff. The following photos are from a walk we did from Balmain Ferry Wharf to Elkington Park in Birchgrove and back to Balmain Ferry Wharf. The walk was around 8 or 9kms. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday in Sydney....

Sunday, 4th May 2008

Starting the morning with coffee on the balcony


Ready, set, go! All set with our Walk in Sydney book....


Our route


Checking the directions


Zig Zag Reserve


Scott being a kid in Origlass Park


Scott heading down the lane to Duke Street


A shipwright's cottage built in 1844


Mort Bay


Mort Bay with the old Colgate Palmolive factory building in the background - the building has now been converted into swish apartments.


Scott at Mort Bay - behind him are the most stunning houses!


Like this one - love the little row boat in the front garden - probably used to get to the yacht moored out in the bay.


Scott being a boy!


Scott worked up quite an appetite - even the hibiscus looked appetising!


Another one of the shipwright's cottages.


What a great street name!!!


Heading down to Mort Bay Park


Nice antique being chucked out!


Labourer's cottages near the old ship building yard at Mort Bay Park.


Mort Bay Park - it used to be a shipyard owned by the Mort's Dock & Engineering Company - in the early 40's they built 12 "Bathurst Class" Navy Corvettes here.


Scott stopping for a snack at Mort Bay Park


Me at Mort Bay Park - as you can see, I'm not very happy to be on that side of the camera!


Me again!


Snails Bay - gotta love the falling down old boat shed amongst the million dollar waterfront properties.


A kiddies footie (NRL) game at Birchgrove Park

Just to confuse matters......
NRL = National Rugby League - commonly known as "footie" or "league"
AFL = Australian Football League - commonly known as "Aussie Rules" or "footie"
NRU = National Rugby Union - rugby as we Saffers know it - commonly known as "rugby"

The falling down boat shed again.


Who names their yacht "Titanic"?????


Pretty flowers!


Gotta love this view!


Looking over at Cockatoo Island


A kookaburra on the steps leading down to the Balmain Sailing Club


The Balmain Sailing Club - all the little boats stacked up ready to take rich owners to their fancy yachts.


Some boats/yachts moored outside some very fancy waterside apartments


Dawn Fraser Municipal Pool


Families enjoying a Sunday out at Elkington Park


Alot of the parks have these little pavilions - normally you'll find a birthday party or lunch party happening. I haven't figured out if it's first come, first served or if you can actually book the pavilion with the local council.


What a tree!!!


Looking down onto the park from the top of the hill.

Well, that's it for now! Until next time!

Cheers!