Even grander designs

It seems that the average price of a house in Wilston is now greater than the GDP of many small countries...and the trend continues. This weekend we re-visited some very grand construction sites that we first toured a couple of years ago. Many are still providing employment and support to the construction industry - but time blow-outs are common in Grand Designs, aren't they? And the budgets for these projects are terrifying to contemplate. A very interesting route indeed.

Back home at the hares' we enjoyed a selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, and inspected the renovated kombi. Many thanks to our hares!

Here are a few pictures taken by Culture:

The three walkers who have completed or almost completed their 96 km fund-raising month:

The runners celebrated the Queensland Reds' win over a team that must not be named:

And finally, please take note - as usual, we will be moving to a 4 pm start from the beginning of April!

Next run/walk details

When: Sunday 30th March, 5 pm

Where: Behind the Farmers' Hall, Samford Village

Hares: Culture and Haughty

On, on!

To be sure, to be sure

Green hats, green balloons, green ice-cream, spuds, Irish stew...and not a snake in sight - what could be more Irish? Our hares Budgie, Miss Behavin' and Nipper went out of their way to lay on a meet worthy of what James Joyce called the "isle of dreadful thirst". And we did our best to slake that thirst after a scenic outing through the burbs, along the river, and around the lough. All we needed were a few bombs and balaclavas to take us right back to the Old Country.

Here are a few shots from the occasion, courtesy of Cash Converta and Culture:

Emerald lough:

Fighting Irish hares:

Four stooges:

Slaking that dreadful thirst:

Next run/walk details

When: Sunday 23rd March, 5 pm

Where: Upstanding and Idle Vice's Wilston croft

Hares: Idle Vice and Upstanding

Please bring chairs!

On, on!

Cyclonic cliches

Cliches, Henry Root advises*, should be "avoided like the plague". But these are unusual times (dare we say "unprecedented times"?) and it's hard to resist the comforting familiarity of remarking that "it never rains but it pours" or that "the best-laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley".

They certainly did gang agley this last weekend. After "staring down the barrel" of Cyclone Alfred for most of the week, we thought we had "dodged a bullet" and even though our planned venue was out of the question, some expected to meet up on Sunday for a dampish stroll or jog and some drinks at the pub. But "alas, 'twas not to be". There's "many a slip 'twixt cup and lip", and when it "came down to the wire" some of us were flooded in, and most of us had no power, no internet, and no phone reception. We're not even sure if anyone "stepped up to the plate" and turned up in the pouring rain on Sunday to find Samford blacked out and the pub shut.

However we are now on the "road to recovery" and "every cloud has a silver lining". We look forward to seeing everyone this coming Sunday.

*Henry Root's World of Knowledge (1982)

Next run/walk details

When: Sunday 16th March, 5 pm

Where: Budgie and Miss Behavin's Murrumba Downs mansion

Hares: Miss Behavin' and Budgie and Co.

Please bring chairs.

On, on!

It's been a while...

since we were at Undambi, and when we got there we found a 5th birthday party in full swing. It was nice to see that we are not the only ones to use the facilities, and by the time we'd got back from the walk and run they were all clear. Led by M. Promptu, the walkers set off along the shady banks of the South Pine, while the runners completed a pleasant circuit by way of the Days Road track.

Back at the park, Potluck once again provided a very tasty, nutritious and varied feast. How lucky we are to have so many brilliant cooks in our midst! Thanks to all for their contributions!

It sounds as though B & W has had yet another lucky escape after ending up underneath a overturned machine - with no bones broken. He's a risk-taking boy, and really should have bought a Lotto ticket after this incident....

Here are some of Snappy's pictures from the occasion.

The gathering:

 

 

The walk:

 Back at the park:

Next run/walk details
When: Sunday 9th March, 5 pm
Where: Idle Vice and Upstanding's Wilston homestead
Hares: Upstanding and Idle Vice

Please bring chairs! And if you need directions to this run, please email us.

On, on!