Deck the halls with boughs of Holly (and Allan)

Christmas 2007 has effectively been and gone and although we are still recovering it was great to catch up with friends and family. Our whirlwind tour started in Sydney with a few days at Mum's to recover from the drive down. A few days looking at the view out Mum's window will do anyone the world of good. We then spent Christmas Eve with the Starrs (our friends as opposed to those big balls of gas in the night sky) - then headed down to Chez DeRooy.

Christmas Day was at Chez DeRooy with a brief interlude Dad and Neroli's for presents, champagne and a wonderful onion tartlet. Christmas lunch with the whole DeRooy clan was a well choreographed event after which Oma and her elves distributed gifts among the family. Leaving the DeRooy's we headed to Picton to catch up with the Johnson's for a prawn feeding frenzy. After enjoying much animated conversation with the Johnson clan we retired at Chateaux Jessup (Mandy and David's) for the night. The next morning, Mandy spoiled us with a breakfast worthy of a B&B or hotel before we took Amah to see Fuddah's headstone which had been put in place just in time for Christmas.

After more ham and more turkey at Sue's we started on the road to Canberra to visit with Squeezy and Papa, Mo-pants, Chr-Ast (Chris and Astrid)! More on family fun in Canberra, Three-Pig-Day and Christmas photos to come.

Cheesy Christmas Letter

Greetings from Brisbane,

Some of you may have received letter this in hard-copy or via email but just incase you didn't, here it is again. The Holnal Cheesy Christmas Letter!

When we last left you in 2006 we were still living in Gove and probably not sure what 2007 held for us. Since then much has happened so here is a little round up of 2007.
In January/February we finished up work in Gove and made the decision to move to Brisbane at the end of our contracts. During our last trip to Gurrmurru we said goodbye to our Yolngu family and were honoured to have the most senior elder in our family Wali Wunungmurra farewell us with a moving speech.

Wali, we later realised, is the last living signatory to the famed bark petition that is displayed in Parliament House. Wali thanked us for our commitment to the Yolngu people and in particular to our family. It was an emotional day all round as when we left we didn’t know if and when we would see them again.

In mid-February we packed our bags and jumped on a Tiger Airways flight to Singapore, thus beginning our second South-East Asian holiday. This time we visited Singapore, Thailand and Cambodia. More detail on our holiday below.

On our return to Australia we officially relocated to Brisbane where Alcan put us up in a beautiful apartment on the Brisbane River for 3 weeks while we found a new home. Holly left the house hunting to Allan while she started her new job at Alcan Pacific’s Headquarters. Al found a place in Milton; approx 2km from Brisbane’s CBD and down the road from the XXXX factory and Suncorp Stadium. In hindsight maybe Holly should have been more involved in the house search! After finding the house Al started his search for that illusive flying job and continued studying for his Airline Transport Pilot’s License.

In April/May we finally found a church to call home. Since we arrived in Brisbane we had been visiting different churches around Brisbane trying to find one that suited us. We tried so many churches and in the end we decided to give Brisbane City Church a go and see if that’s where God was leading us. We are still there nearly 8 months later and are enjoying ourselves immensely. We have made many new friends and joined a great life group (read bible study) where we have had a chance to get to know some really great people.

June, July and August was winter in Brisbane and seeing as we hadn’t experienced temperatures colder than 24 degrees in over 18 months we found it FREEZING! In June Holly sat for her last Uni exams ever and we had a little celebration for that occasion even though she still had one more semester of study to go. In July we donned our blue gear and braved the maroon onslaught at Suncorp Stadium for the 3rd game in the State of Origin series.
This year definitely went out in style as some major moments occurred in November and December. In November, Holly finished her Bachelor of Arts (English) after 6 years of part-time correspondence study. A big thank you to all those who helped he along the way, especially Ruth for proof reading her assignments in the early days and Allan for putting up with ‘Stress-Ball Holly’ during exam time.

And in December Holly, lost her job and regained it in the space of about 2 weeks! To explain that a bit further, Rio Tinto decided that her current role in Brisbane was no longer required, but she was later offered a 12 month contract in her old role in Gove (fly-in fly-out) while her colleague is on leave.

Phew! And there you have it, that was 2007 in a nutshell (“What kind of nut has a shell this big?” – Austin Powers). Could 2008 be any more exciting? Yes we think it can!

2007 Major Moments

2007 also saw both milestones and mourning for our family. In August we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary and in October we celebrated Oma’s 90th birthday. However, in July Holly’s grandfather (Ken’s father) passed away and in November Allan’s grandmother (Michelle’s mother) also passed away. Despite the sombre circumstances these occasions allowed us to spend time with our family that we otherwise might not have spent.

Almost 6 months to the day that we moved to Brisbane, Allan found that illusive flying job that he was looking for. His new employer, Great Western Aviation, gave him a foot in the door and a chance to fly twin-engine planes (Navaho’s and Chieftain’s for those that are interested). It was a long time coming with much door-knocking and resume-giving on Allan’s behalf but it was worth the perseverance.

Also in November, Astrid & Chris got hitched. Yes, Holly’s little sister got married. It was a wonderful day, so much fun for all especially the bride and groom who, after the wedding, headed off for their honeymoon at Hyams Beach on the NSW South Coast.

Crazy times in Cambodia

Picture this.....a truck carrying huge blocks of ice, a van with 25 people inside and 10 on the roof, a brand new Ford F150, 15 motorbikes with at least 4 people on each, and 5 bicycles all trying to cross two lanes of traffic with no traffic lights or give way signs. No police and no road rules except use your horn at all times. Complete mayhem right? Well now imagine both of us on a motorbike (read: ‘posty’) in the midst of this madness and you've got our trip to Cambodia.

In March 2007 we visited Cambodia and we decided to do less touristy things and spend more time with our friend Donna and the Cambodian kids at Joshua and Deborah House. Every morning at 10am we taught English at Joshua house to about 6 boys ranging in age from 12-18. Then we would go to Deborah house where Allan taught the older girls and Holly taught the absolute basics of English to the younger girls. It was such a rewarding experience to spend time with these young people and listen to their stories and their dreams for the future.

Whilst in Cambodia it is impossible to ignore the horrific history from which the country and its people are still recovering. We visited both Tuol Sleng - the Genocide Museum which is a former prison and torture chamber from the Khmer Rouge days - and the killing fields which lay just outside Phnom Pehn. What was even more interesting than visiting these sites was hearing the stories from the people we were working with who were in their early 40's and experienced this horror first hand in their early teens, not even 30 years ago.

The primary reason for our visit to Cambodia was to support our long time friend Donna Byham who is working their as a missionary supporting the young people of Cambodia and building them up into leaders of the future.

More information about Donna’s work can be found at www.futurefocusproperty.com/Sure_Destiny

Working in a sweaty wonderland

Alarm bells ring, are you listening,

In the sun, sweat is glistening

An industrial site,

Humid days and hot nights

Working in a sweaty wonderland

Gone away is the work suit,

Here to stay is steel cap boot

And with a hard hat,

Monogoggles and that,

Working in a sweaty wonderland.

From the bauxite I can build a fortune,

Then pretend that it is all my own

They'll say: Will you move

I'll say: No man,

But I will do the job

When I'm in town.

Later on, when the sun's gone,

We sit and dream in the air-con

In the sea we will wade

This paradise that God made

Working in a sweaty wonderland

(Sung to the tune of 'Winter Wonderland' if you hadn't already guessed)

This is my Christmas tribute to Gove after my recent trip and the decision to take up a fly-in fly-out Gove role for 12 months. I'll be seeing a lot more of this sweaty wonderland in the months to come.

You've been synergised

Don't you hate those corporate buzz words? Downsizing, rightsizing, tele-working, sustainability, blah, blah, blah. Well here's a new one for you. I've been synergised. Yes, that's right, once I have finished my colleague's maternity leave cover (sometime around Oct next year) I am no longer required. At some point during the joys of integration between Rio & Alcan, they (the proverbial 'they') decided that I was a cost-saving.

So what does that mean for me? Well it means that I'll keep doing what I'm doing as long as they keep paying me.....and then who knows! My boss has been synergised too so at the moment I don't even know who I work for.

On a better note Al should soon be number 2 pilot (no that doesn't mean he gets all the 'shit' jobs, hehehehe :) as another guys is most likely leaving for a job at Qantas in the new year. Basically what that means is Al will get more flying, which means more hours, and the faster he can apply for a job with an airline. And the faster he gets a job with an airline the faster I'll get CHEAP air travel! Woo hoo!

The life of a pilot's wife does have some perks......eventually.

I now pronounce you stinky & bird

And that which God has joined let no man put asunder.....asunder? who uses that word anymore? In any case what it means is that Astrid (aka Stinky...don't ask!) and Chris (aka Big Bird) are now married! Yay! And probably at this time somewhere walking along the shore of white sandy Hyams Beach.

The wedding was a beautiful day....well not weather wise....and a joyous day for both Bride and Groom. It started early, and not running on adreniline like at my own wedding, copious amounts of caffiene was required to kick-start the day. After an hour or so of beautifying at the hairdresser we returned home for further beautification and breakfast.

Considering it was election day it was a nightmare in Karimbla road with the polling booth right next door. We caused a bit of traffic chaos when the limo turned up and double parked but once people saw a bride emerging from the house it was all okay.

Anyway, I'm not going to go on about the rest of the day....most of you where there. But I will say there are photos on Facebook which you can access via this link enjoy!

Dum dum de dum, dum dum da dum

Did that sound like the wedding march? Well it should cause my little sister gets married on Saturday....YAY! I'm so excited, anyone would think I was the one getting married.

Watch this space (well actually the photo albums) for more photos of Astrid & Chris's special day....awh

As chief bridesmaid/matron of honour/whatever, I'm supposed to give a speech with a 5 minute time limit.....good luck. No-one ever stricks to time limits. We said the same thing at our wedding and I think Dad ended up talking for about 15 minutes including mentioning the win that the Hockeyroos had had against the Dutch the night before at the Olympics. I think he was just trying to 'stick it' to my new Dutch in-laws.

The most interesting part of the whole wedding will be the mechanical bull, yes you read right! Chris has ordered a mechanical bull for the reception. Apparently my sister was not overjoyed by this decision so we'll see if the mechcanicl bull actually eventuates. If it does, it will certainly be a wedding to remember! Photo: here's me with the bride & groom....and here's me riding the mechanical bull in my bridesmaid dress! Noice!

Ah the joy of weddings.

Oh Danny Boy

Those of you who are fans of So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) will know what I am talking about when I say that I was disappointed that Danny 'the most wonderful male dancer in the world' Tidwell did not win last night.

I must admit that Sabre (who did win) is also a beautiful dancer but there is something magical about Danny when he performs. He is unbelievable to watch, you can't take your eyes off him. Some major ballet or contemporary company better snatch him up or they don't know what they've missed! I've told Al that I'm adding him to 'my list'.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to playing 'armchair judge' when the Australian version of SYTYCD comes out in 2008.

PS - What the hell was the host Cat Deely wearing last night? She looked like a cross between an ostrich and a toilet brush!

The sound of one hand typing

This is it....slow and annoying. I am right-handless today as my de quervains has flared up again (like carpel tunnel but in my thumb and wrist). It means I can't do much with my right arm. Last night at ballet was particularly funny trying to attempt port de bras with only one arm.

I am jealous of those ambidextrous people out there who are not inclined to favour one side over the other and can write with both hands. Meanwhile I had trouble signing for a purchase on my credit card this morning.

In news from the world of Al....Al was called out to fly last night at 9:30pm. A last minute part delivery to Townsville which couldn't wait, apparently. 7 1/2 hours of flying later Al arrived home just in time to see me off to work on the bus. I was exceptionally pleased to hear that he got 7 1/2 hours of night flying logged AND to top it all off he actually got paid for this one! Wait for it folks, it won't be long before the sugar mama can retire!

This is one-handed Hol signing off.....

Our life in pictures

If you want to view some of the pics from our life follow the yellow brick road (or the links below) to view the photo albums I have on Facebook.

My Family
Life in BrisVegas
Astrid & Chris's Wedding etc
Arnhem Land Adventures

Enjoy!

All I want is a room somewhere

Actually I really want more than that. I want a sizeable house, with a great view of something spectacular in a nice area close to everything but out of the 'rat race'.

Sounds impossible doesn't it? You would think so in this economic climate and all the debate being thrown around about housing/rental affordability.

When it comes to the crunch, however, it is not about what I want, but what I need. At the moment I am stuck in a debate with Al about whether we need to move to a house or whether our apartment is sufficient for our present needs. I want to move to a house (NB: we are talking renting here not buying), but Al believes that we can make do with our little art-deco flat for a bit longer. There is definately a question of want -v- need here. I want to move to a bigger place but I agree that we do not need to.

My thoughts then beg the question 'since when have we (we meaning 'society') been so caught up in what we want that we forget what we need?' When did our focus shift so dramatically from having those essential things for life (ie food, shelter etc) to having everything, even if we know we don't really need it! An article today on news.com.au suggests that Gen Y have no focus on saving, merely on spending. A little shocking when you consider that according to the results of the survey, 83% of women plan to live of their partner after they are 50 yet most Gen Y's would rather spend money now than invest it into their Super. So much materialism, so little time.

So back to my original dilemma...of course I may want a big house in a nice suburb, with 2.4 kids, a dog and a luxury car, but I don't need it to be happy. I may have to remind myself of this every now and then when I get carried away with life, but its true. I think the world would be a much better place if we were all content to have what we needed rather than everything we wanted.

Brush with fame

For those of you that haven't visited the new(ish) home of holnal in the Brisvegas I will draw a little picture for you. We live in a suburb amongst the BMW driving, latte drinking, bocconcini eating, boat-shoe wearing types of Brisbane. I quite often look out of place wandering down the shops on a saturday morning in my trackie dacks and a t-shirt.

This morning was no different except for the fact that I ran into (almost literally Bernard Fanning from Powderfinger. After almost breaking my neck in a 'double-take' type action I quickly whipped out my mobile phone to text Allan about my encounter. The reply I got went a bit like this:

"Did you ask him out?" (remembering this is my husband on the other end)
"No, he's not on my list"
"He could be an alternate"

Now those of you giggling have obviously seen Friends on more than one occasion but to cut a long story short I did not ask our Bernard Fanning....and to be quiet honest the thought didn't cross my mind. I was too busy thinking about the skinny flat white in my hand and the criossant that awaited me at home. Oh my god...maybe I fit in better in the suburb than I thought!

Company Schizophrenia

Last week I was working for Alcan, this week I am working for Rio Tinto Alcan and now apparently next week (slight overexaggeration) I could be working for BHP Billiton Rio Tinto Alcan. Try answering the phone with that!

Today BHP announced that it had attempted to launch discussions with Rio regarding a full global takeover which would be one of the biggest in history. Rio has said "hell no!" (not those exact words I'm sure) and rejected the offer at this stage. BHP being the tenacious bugger that it is, however, won't give up that easily so stay tuned for more on that front.

Meanwhile I'm trying to engage employees with the company they work for, however no one really knows who they work for at this stage. Its all very confusing and I suspect that everyone is counting down the days till Christmas and wishing it would come a little early this year.

Stay tuned for more in the exciting adventures of my work life.

PS its a little sad when there's more exciting things happening at work than in my personal life :-(

Welcome to the world of pure imagination

Hello family and friends,

Welcome to my world of pure imagination. This is not to say that I live my life in a fantasy land....although that would be fun...but that there is a world of possibilities out there for everyone. And I don't know about you but I intend to try as many as possible in my life time.

In order to facilitate my world of pure imagination I have decided to jump off the MySpace bandwagon and take myself back to the pure art of blogging with this site. I will periodically publish some of these blogs on Facebook for the benefit of those addicted to this new craze but I intend to write more on this blog than anything else.

Via this blog you will see my quirky thoughts and musings on life, whether you like it or not ;) I will be keeping my myspace account active until the end of the year so you can catch up on anything you might have missed so far.

So let the bloggin begin..........