Forty and still holding on

Unfortunately I have to admit my age.  Sunday was the big day – my fortieth birthday.

I booked a picnic shelter at Whiteman Park on Friday, even though the weather seemed to be like something out of a disaster movie.  (During last week I saw wheelie bins take off and fly down the street.)

On Saturday we watched the Trinations rugby match between the Springboks and the All Blacks at a friend’s house.  It was still raining cats and dogs, and I was beginning to wonder about this great outdoors event that I planned.

By the way, wasn’t that a great game?  It’s always nice to see the all Blacks getting beaten in their own back yard – let’s hope the Wallabies can do the same.

Sunday morning turned out perfectly however, and by the time we got to Whiteman Park we forgot all about rain and severe weather warnings.

I love this park.  Even the name of the park makes me feel at home, just because in Namibia this would have been considered to be politically incorrect.

This is a beautifully maintained park, with no baboons or beggars pestering you or looting your stuff. 

(After living in Perth for nearly a year, I still stand in awe of such simple things.  I will never be ungrateful for this wonderful free lifestyle we have here)

A tram line runs through the park, and one of the tram stops was right next to our shelter.  Anica and her grandmother signed up for a nice ride on the tram: At one stage there was a whole convoy of tractors driving through the park.  I never knew that there was such a thing as a “tractor enthusiast”, but believe me there are many of them around these parts.  Almost all of the services in the park are provided by volunteers – what a great attitude these folks have.  They even maintain and operate the tramline.

Unfortunately I neglected to take photos of the tractors, because I was running after Anica in an attempt to deny her the freedom to run right into middle of the road where the tractor convoy was passing.  She was not amused, and neither was I.  Let’s just say we had a difference of opinion…

Waiting at the tram station: 

My oldest daughter also took some photos of her own:

The barbie

Here are some of Yolandi’s great shots:

Natasha is one of Celesti’s friends, they do “Mainly Music” together:

This is one of my colleagues.  A really nice Aussie bloke:

Wayne and his family - one of the many families from South Africa who now live in Perth:

Well, that’s it.  I’m 40 now. 

I’m looking forward to the next forty years.  At least I don’t have to spend half of it going to school and going trough puberty.