Category Archives: Family Life

Some low level flying to Marree …

July 8, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

Unusual for us, we were all packed the night before so it was just a case of getting out of bed, shower, breakfast and in the car ready to go. Given all this we managed to get away from home 8 minutes later than I wanted at 9:38 am which is unheard of for our family.

With all the roadwork’s going on north of Adelaide, it took a while to finally get through to around Roseworthy. After that it was just a matter of stopping occasionally for fuel and food and keep going til we got to Marree.

We only stopped a couple of times for Geocaches as the plan was to grab them on the way home.

We managed to get to Marree around 5:00 pm with 3 options to stay. We looked at the Marree Hotel for a cabin but none available until September, same story at the Marree Drovers Rest Tourist Park and Oasis Town Centre Motel & Caravan Park. So we ended up choosing the Oasis to pitch the tents.

A walk down to the Hotel for tea and then back to the Caravan Park to the Fire Pit to meet fellow travellers and chat until late. Once in bed, the locals in the streets made sure that we wouldnt get to sleep too early but eventually they relented as well.

Caches for the day:

GC2AEXV – Pioneers 2

GC1ZPEW – Chocolate & Jam

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Family Life, Geocaching

Game On Jamestown …

June 13, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

After another cold night, it was up early for the usual Event Breakfast of bacon and eggs – well for me at least as the girls were too late getting out of bed and were still in their PJ’s for the Group Photo.

After the group photo, the keen teams were off. We were a little later away as I had to wait for the girls to get ready. Once on the road it was a great day with great team work of me navigating and driving and the girls jumping out and grabbing the caches. For the caches further away, it was perfect walking weather and the countryside was just right for walking.

We didn’t do too bad with getting all but 2 caches in the time limit, a bonus medal, bonus magnetic TB and retrieving our temporary cache as well. There were only 3 permanent caches left to find in the area today and got a find on them as well.

Tonight was the Funny Hat and Red Faces Presentation Night. There was a lot of effort by many to be part of it and some very good acts for Red Faces. Rachael and Emma got up and did an act but the standout was Kath & Kim followed by the Kettles. Overall we came equal 7th with Shonky Post – not bad for a late start.

Permanent caches for the day:

GC9A2 – Bundaleer Fun

GC29HXA – Bundaleer Gardens

GCH1VV – Watch That Rock

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12 of 12, Family Life, Geocaching

Jolly Jamestown Jaunt June Long Weekend 12 of 12 …..

June 12, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

For the past 8 years, cachers of South Australia have travelled to a country town for a 3 day Geocaching fun event. This year it was time for the Jolly Jamestown Jaunt on June LWE 2010. This is our second June event having had fun in the mud last year for the Heart of Yorke Maitland event.

Saturday of the event was also the 12th of the month so time for the “12 of 12”. Today was spent going around the town precinct finding 26 locations for the quiz as well as going further afield to hide an event cache.

Each team hides one temporary cache for the weekend with Sunday spent finding all the temporary caches. The further the walk from a roadway, the greater the points for the find.

We also spent the day doing the local permanent caches grabbing 2 FTF’s on some newly published caches. Our temporary cache will become a permanent following the event – GC2A864 – Official GPS Mail Only II. Our cache overlooks the Hallett Wind Farm.

On returning back to the Showgrounds base, we were provided with a spectacular double rainbow to the east. Time for a shower and get ready for the event Dinner – GC29403 – Jolly Jamestown Junket Geocaching Dinner – even though no junket was consumed during the dinner. Another great event within the event with 120 sitting down at the local Commercial Hotel for the meal. The placemat was made up of avatars from the many cachers present including ours.

Back to the showgrounds for some more merriment before some sleep in preparation for the Sunday Find Day.

Cache find for the day:

GC2A2RA – Could it be a Maze? – FTF

GC2A1FK – Jolly aMAZEing Jamestown – FTF

GC29J5B – Wheres the Station?

GC21538 – Reginald’s Story

GC29J4H – Stop, Wait, Go

GC21533 – Reginald’s School

GC298RJ – The New Forest

GC1ZHC8 – Bundaleer: Sounds of the Forest

$Where\'s the Station Cache$

$Reginald\'s Story Cache$

$Reginald\'s School Cache$

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Family Life, Geocaching

Let’s go to Jamestown ….

June 11, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

Today was travel day to the Jolly Jamestown Jaunt on June LWE 2010. I was taking Rachael and her friend Emma up for the weekend. Bradley and Jenny were off to the block at Sedan with the Bleden Venturers for a motorbike weekend.

We left a couple of hours later than expected but what can you expect when waiting for a couple of 13 year old girls.

Eventually we headed north doing some caches on the way. At Auburn, we met up with some friends from Dimboola who were also heading to the Geocaching Event. We cached our way up to Jamestown with rain for the last 50km.

Setting up in the rain and of course once we had finished, the rain stopped.

Tonight was spent catching up with all the early teams that had set up at the Jamestown Showgrounds with us. There were a lot of old familiar faces and quite a lot of new faces and families.

Caches found on the way:

GC1GEB4 – Auburn River Walk

GC62D2 – Riesling

GC1DZYJ – The Clare Valley Travel Bug Transit Lounge

GC28VXG – A Day at the Races

GC26MR6 – ROYGreenBIV

GC28Y38 – Euromina School

GC28Y3B – Old & New

GC28Y32 – Little Toot Toot

GC113J8 – All A-Ford

GC28WCV – Let’s Foot It ….

$GC28WCV - Let\'s Foot It ....$

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Family Life

50th Wedding Anniversary

May 16, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

Doesn’t time fly – Mum and Dad have been married for 50 years – that cant be, but it can as I am approaching 47 years old.

Today we celebrated 50 years of marriage with all the family present – Diana, Danny, Emily and Madison timed their 5 week European Trip so that they would arrive back this morning.

Half of the original wedding party was present – the bridesmaids – Rhonda (Mum’s sister) and Margaret. One of the groomsmen has died and the other was away on a holiday.

Lunch was roast pork, beef and lamb with all the trimmings and a little wine. 🙂

It didn’t take long before the European travellers started to drop off – jet lag here we come.

A nice afternoon and a rare chance to have all the family together.

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Family Life

Northern Lights …

March 21, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

As part of the Adelaide Festival, the city’s historic architectural icons on North Terrace are painted with light and coloured with life. The light installation – the largest of its type ever displayed in Australia – incorporates the State Library of South Australia, the South Australian Museum, the Art Gallery of South Australia, Elder Hall, the Mitchell Building and Bonython Hall, plus the rear wall of Parliament House, facing the iconic Adelaide Festival Centre.

This is called the Northern Lights and we picked a warm night to head down into the city and have a look with about 10000 other people. It is spectactular and well worth checking out next time it is on.

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Family Life, Scouts

Roonka Family Camp

March 6, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

The March Long Weekend is the normal weekend for the Blackwood Scout Family Camp at the Roonka Water Activity Centre north of Blanchetown. We missed last year because of some other group booking the site before we could but not this year.

This year brought a record number of families with 140 people camping the weekend. Most made it in on Friday although we nearly didnt.

We borrowed my brothers SeaDoo and the last time it was used was when we borrowed it for the Family Camp two years ago so some maintenance was required with a new battery and oil. This took longer than expected so we didnt get on the road until 6:30 pm.

This year the weather was a lot cooler than a couple of years ago with mid to high 20’s instead of the low to mid 40’s.

The first day (Saturday) was perfect river weather – not too hot or cold and only a light wind. The kids spent most of their time in canoes and on blow up matresses and I spent 5 hours taking kids for rides on the SeaDoo.

The weather soon changed once we had finished for the day with strong winds, heavy rain, lightning and thunder. All the better to sit back and enjoy the company of good friends and new acquaintances.

Family Life, Geocaching

Geogaine 2010

February 27, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

We took part in a world first event? The South Australian Rogaining Association put together the idea of a Rogaine with the use of a GPS, with the result of a new event type, the GEOGAINE! In the pleasant surrounds of Victor Harbor the task was be to find as many temporary geocaches in 3 hours on foot.

Our story started in the afternoon when we picked up our Japanese homestay student from the High School around 2:30 pm. Out of the 20 students thee was one that had been sick from the airport to the school and yes it was ours.

We got him home and settled briefly, then it was time to load everyone in the car to go to Victor. It wasnt long and our Japanese friend was ill again. Turn around and drop him and Jenny at home and we were on our way again. The team had now dropped from 5 to 3 and it was now 4:30 pm. We were going to be late.

The drive was going well until about 5km out of Victor when someone decided it was fun to drive at 60kph in a 100 km zone all the way to Victor with the biggest train of cars behind him and no opportunities to pass.

We arrived at the scout hall just in time to hear 5-4-3-2-1 and this crowd of Geogainers heading out the gate. Headed in and grabbed the maps and stuff and headed out still not knowing the rules of engagement.

We decided to grab the very easy ones close then the kids wanted to go to Granite Island so it was then off to do the hard ones. On the southern side of the island, the wind was so strong it was difficult to keep your feet. After picking up all the hard ones we headed south along the coast to make a start on the next series.

Of course in all this the 13 year old daughter was properly kitted up with thongs even though she was told to wear sneakers. But you cant tell a teenager.

It was getting close to 8:00 pm so it was time to grab what we could and head back to the scout hall. It was getting dark and the GPS was telling us that it would take 18 minutes to get back and we had 15 minutes left so time to pick up the pace.

With a little gallop at the end, we made it with 10 seconds to spare to the 8:30 deadline.

With all the dramas of the day we still managed a 5th overall so we are happy. The event details are GC23AWE – Geogaine 2010

$Don\'t get blown away ...$

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Family Life

“No Name” has a name …

February 17, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

It has taken a few days but Dale and Trish have finally named my new nephew.

He will be known from now on as “Angus Connor Simpkin Thompson”

Family Life

New Thompson in the Clan …

February 14, 2010 Scott Leave a comment

My brother Dale and his wife Trish added another Thompson to the clan yesterday and we went to visit today.

Dale’s daughter Tayla now has a new brother called “watch this space”. They haven’t come up with a name as yet but everyone in the family has been putting their 2 cents worth in on name suggestions. I guess we will find out latr in the week the name of the new Thompson.

Bubs and mum are doing well at the Ashford Hospital and will be transferred to the Hilton Hotel shortly to recuperate.

It didn’t take long for the kids to lose interest and watch the TV. They must be growing up as we left both kids said they were hungry and we only had tea 2 hours previous. So a quick stop at Cafe de Villes for some desert. 🙂