We had noticed a property for sale close to the house: a car repair business on Spring Street. When it failed to sell after the date for expressions of interest, we had a discussion with the agent and eventually bought the property in early April. The plan was to hold it as an investment as the business pays rent, and to investigate the feasibility of building a house there for us to move to at some time in the future. It has about twice the land area of our current place at 183 square metres.



We spent some time talking about what sort of a place we would build there if we were able to, and both drew some speculative floor plans. We also spent some time talking with friends about their experiences of building and dealing with architects, looking for recommendations.



In preparation for going on holiday in June, I started working with my trainer to reduce bodyfat. A Summer holiday in North America in the middle of our Winter meant the same sort of program for diet and exercise as we used last year before the European trip.



Autumn is the time for the Comedy Festival in Melbourne. This year we went to shows by Rhys Nicholson, Mel Bracewell and Hannah Gadsby. We also had time to see the NGV Triennial and the ACMI exhibit Beings by Universal Everything and the musical Chicago. In May we went to the Dreamtime game at the MCG, expecting it to be an easy win for Essendon. Richmond surprised by being quite competitive and indeed leading for some of the game.



Our friends Charles had the opportunity to travel to Australia at short notice and so came to stay with us for a few days. We went to the beach house at Sorrento even though it was not weather for swimming. It was 11 years since he had last stayed with us, though it didn’t feel that long. He was an easy houseguest.



For the month of June we spent four weeks in North America. We started in Dallas to wish Derek a happy 30th birthday. We saw some highlights: Metroflex gym, Terry Black’s barbecue. the Book Depository and Farmers’ Market. From Dallas we flew to Vancouver to board the Rocky Mountaineer. My cousin Elizabeth and her family live there, so we had dinner with them the night before boarding the train.



The Rocky Mountaineer was a two day journey from Vancouver to Jasper. We stayed overnight in Kamloops. The train itself was comfortable if dated. The scenery was spectacular, but the drive the next day through the National Park from Jasper to Calgary was even more beautiful.

In Calgary we stayed with James and Melieck who kindly returned the favour after they stayed with us last year. We also saw Jay’s sister Denise and went to “Beaches: The Musical” with her.



From Calgary we flew to Thunder Bay where we stayed for a week with Jay’s parents in town and with his sister Richelle and her family at Amethyst by Lake Superior. We arrived just in time for Father’s Day and celebrated by replacing Jay’s father’s laptop. The time in Thunder Bay was very relaxing, and we were lucky to be there for the arrival and naming of Scott’s new boat.



We had two days in Toronto before flying to New York. I had not been to Toronto before and this was not the place I was expecting to spend time on the beach, but Hanlan’s Point beach on Toronto Island was easily the best beach we saw on the trip. We also watched the final of the Stanley Cup at a bar in Toronto for an authentic Canadian experience.



New York was our final stop on the trip and we had a week there. Derek joined us for some of the time. We spent the first few days doing tourist things: art galleries and a Broadway show, before spending the final weekend celebrating NYC Pride. It was 21 years since we had last been to Pride in New York and we had a great time, mostly because of the people we met: Alex, Eric, Andreau, Pawan and Jonathan, Andrew and Steve, as well as those we already knew such as James and Melieck and Aaron and Chris who were visiting at the same time. The only disappointment was that Daniel was not able to come, having just started his internship. When the time came to fly home I was surprised that after four weeks away I was not missing home yet. I made an online album with more photos from the trip.



The weekend after we returned our friends Troy and Will got married in Warburton. We stayed there for the weekend in a Bed & Breakfast and took the opportunity to go walking in the State Forest on Sunday after the post-wedding brunch. There was snow on the hills and the days felt very short and cold after coming back from Summer in the US. At least we are past the shortest day and can look forward to the Spring coming here in Melbourne while we plan the next holiday.

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