well what a eventful start to the year we have had.  Lots of ups and downs but mainly ups.  January saw Airi turning 6, while just this week Grace is 5 and settled well into Prep!  With the new house (which seems all to familiar) came new beginnings.  Lucas joining the Navy and me joining a Gym! LOL!   There is one that has bought much excitement to our family and that is the arrival of our 'not yet named' pure bread Lilac Border Collie!  So any suggestions for names will be much appreciated.  It has been over a week and I think that he is starting to think that his name is 'Doggy'!  Working on a movie file of our recent Dalmeny camping trip so if anyone has any photos that they can send me from Dalmeny that would be great.  Hoping to have it posted on here in about week or so.  

C'mon all you "contributors" start blogging :-)

Everything in life is writeable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it & the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.
-Sylvia Plath

We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection.

-Anais Nin

Look Who's Growing Up

When Kawehi turned 8, I told her that she was allowed to have her ears pierced. She has thought about it over the last couple of years but couldn't ever build up enough courage. On Saturday (3 days short of her 10th b-day) she informed me that she was ready to go through with it.

On our way to the market, I remembered that there was a silver jewellery shop next door that also pierced ears (and other bits and pieces I found out later). We arrived and there was a nice girl at the desk who explained that "the piercer" had just ducked out but would be back in a few minutes. While we waited, Kawehi chose her earrings and I filled out the necessary forms. As we finished up the formalities, in walks "the piercer" and I immediately thought to myself WHAT HAVE I DONE???? His face was covered with silver studs (yes his face) and his earlobes hung to his shoulders (think African tribesman). I looked over at Kawehi and Ollie and they looked scared. . .

I wasn't sure what to do, but before I could think, he introduced himself and actually seemed quite nice. He turned out to be very professional, measuring and re-measuring Kawehi's earlobes making sure everything was symmetrical, I was impressed. He was quick and precise with the ear piercing "gun" and before we knew it the painful part was over and a mirror was placed in front of her face so that she could admire her new blue/green earrings.

Extreme Makeover

Before

Last week our helpful little Spencer stood perfectly still as Ollie tried out his haircutting skills. Several blonde chunks later, we were left with no choice but to take Spencer for a very short haircut. It turned out pretty cute I think.

After

Pictures of the Ziegelbauer baby exclusive to Wolff 'n' Stuff

Reef Aaron Matthew Ziegelbauer was born at 3:51pm local time in Cairns, north Queensland. He weighed in at 3.3kg (7lb 4oz) and measured 49cm long. He spent the first few hours of his life safe in his mothers arms and was eventually relocated, with his mother, to the maternity ward of the Cairns Base Hospital where he spent most of the next couple of days sound asleep. He took his time to start feeding but eventually worked it out and is now an eating machine! Ali and Reef came home from the hospital yesterday and spent their first night at home. Ali was glad to finally have a bit of help through the night, and I'm getting a clearer picture on exactly how hard Ali's had to work while I haven't been there. The plan, so far, is to remain in Cairns for a couple more days so that Ali and Reef can get a little more settled and then we'll fly down to Melbourne. We hope everyone gets a chance to come by and meet the newest edition to the family.

Hello From Dad

Hello Everyone,

This is my first attempt to post a blog ever. I fully support the Wolf'N' Stuff blog site it's a great way to keep in touch and know what everyone is doing. It's really a modern version of the Rancie family newsletter and has the advantage that the work of collecting and publishing is not left to one person alone. That can be also a disadvantage because there is no one person to push it along. Perhaps Tim since you have started it you might be able to send out a monthly reminder to all of us.

As you all know Mum and I have relocated from the Gold Coast to Seaford. Lizzie is with us and we are all enjoying Kananook Ave. together. Melbourne is very different to the Gold Coast, being larger, hotter (at the present) and very, very dry. There are no beautiful green lawns, tropical trees, green hills or running creeks and rivers. You may be relieved to know that Lucas and Elsi will be renting our Helensvale house; so visits to the Gold Coast might still be an option.

On Australia Day weekend Lizzie and I drove up to Gordon on sunday afternoon. We started a campfire and waited for Steven and his girls to join us. When they did we cooked dinner - baked beans and tinned casserole for me. T-bone steak and salad for Steven for the girls. Perhaps success has made him a little more fussy about food.

On Monday Lizzie and I dug and watered around the fruit trees and drove home to Seaford at lunchtime feeling quite satisfied with a job well done. Just as well because in the following week temperatures rose up to the mid 40's. I hope you will all take the opportunity, when you can, to come and have a campfire with us at Gordon; it's usually peaceful and a pleasant rural scene. We intend to put a house on it as soon as we can.

I have started a new job in Melbourne. This week I flew to South Australia to visit some wind farms. They are impressive. The towers are 80m tall and the blades reach up to 124m.

I hope to see some blogs from as many as possible.

Dad