March - the month of travels

I can't really recall what I've done for the past month, other than travel round the state for work.  And getting my babies back which also involved 15 hours of travel.  It is only the photos on my phone that remind me of what I've achieved in work and study.  So let's have the piccies tell the story.

Some time since my last post I've spent a week working in Bendigo and Cape Otway, a week at Mallacoota, and finally a week at home.  

View from Mallacoota accommodation

Don't think I'd trust that bridge to hold a tanker - might have to find alternative access

Now I know why this landowner doesn't bother getting dressed and meets DSE staff in his white y-fronts....you wouldn't expect anyone to come to your property out here.  Chris and I were lucky - he was fully clothed for us.

A quick stop between properties for a phone and email catch-up...reception is rare in the areas surround 'coota

Playing with the DSE guys and big machinery getting a good setback to burn off the highway

While the babies were staying at Puppy Hilton (mum's place) for 6 weeks I replaced one of their beloved beanbags with a new one.  As predicted, it was a hit.  I'm so proud of my babies that they can have something as potentially disastrous as a beanbag and not chew or destroy it.  

Buzz and Beep enjoying their new beanbag

I caught up with Lauren who owns one of Beep's babies.  Puddy is so much like Beep, and she is given endless amounts of love from her owners and staffy-buddy Fonz.  Lauren and Dean ended up having to buy a king-sized bed so that everyone fitted in and all could have good nights sleep....now that's dedication and love.  So glad that Beep's sweet little white girl went to such a good home, and is being treated just as her mum and pseudo-dad are treated.

Puddy - Beep's white baby girl now 2 years old

 I am babysitting Dizzy this weekend.  Dizzy is such a sweetie - so gentle and peaceful.  And although my two aren't happy about sharing my time with another stafford, they are tolerating Dizzy's presence.

Babysitting Dizzy - Erica's 8 month old red girl...Dizzy found her head fits through the cat door

 I finally got on the bike after a week of nothing, though it was on the windtrainer.  I wasn't weather-restricted, just time-restricted.  I managed to read 2 journal articles during the hour session, and the dogs slept peacefully during my ride.

Fitting some exercise in around study - yes, that's a scientific report on the effectiveness of planned burning on my bars that I was reading while riding

My Amazing Life of Work and Study

Riding has been put on hold as a priority while I work through yet another subject of my post-graduate studies.  I still managed a couple of great rides around Creswick after lectures and on the weekends, but they were casual and fun 'brain down time' rather than anything that would be considered training.  Any serious riding will have to wait until June when I have finished my final subject.

Casual ride at Creswick with my awesome 80mm Scalpel

The new year of study brought a whole new group of students starting the Masters program, with most of them international students - Indonesia, China, Equador, and the usual suspects (from last year) from Botswana, Ghana, Indonesia, and the a few of the Aussies.  Charles form Ghana pulled an absolute ripper of a laugh, intentionally taking the mickey out of the very pale blondes being myself, Shauna, Luba. While we were plastering on the 30+ sunscreen for our field day ahead, Charles reached out to grab some (which caused a good laugh in us all), and then proceeded to put it on the palest part of him - the palms of his hands !!!!!  Thanks Charles, just rubbing it in that African's have it all over us when it comes to melanin !!  Charles, you're gorgeous, and we all take our hats off to yourself and fellow international students who leave their young families for 2 years to undertake studies in Australia that will help progress forestry, fire and climate change initiatives in your own countries, as well as you being able to provide a good education for your children.  

And then there was the lecturers....  What a cocktail of personalities they were - Dr Chris Weston and Dr Luba Volkova.  Between the small group of mature, working students and these 2 lecturers, the 2 weeks flew by with laughter that got everybody through field trips, lectures and forest net primary productivity calculations.  

The Russian peasants - Luba, Richard & Gus (who'd have thought Luba's KGB background would bring her to this?)

Some usual suspects (Mark, Dave & myself) and the great fun students from Indonesia & China

Then back to Bendigo for another week of work.  And a few easy but great rides, including an early morning roll with old friend Roz.  Our legs did a bit of (easy) work, but our mouths went non-stop!!!  

The weekend brought sleep, washing, house duties ready for another week in Bendigo and the Otways, before the return of my babies on the weekend.  I miss them so much - my house isn't the same without them.  But they have been very well behaved for mum and Tegan, and provided them with great laughs and company for Pippa.