Not quite winter

My weekend walk reminded me that it is still autumn, and not quite winter yet. There are still leaves on the trees, and the sun was shining. 

I did the usual 15 km, and my legs were very tired by the end of it. It took me three hours 10 minutes which - according to Facebook - is the same time as my sister did a 21 km walk on the weekend, which is astonishing. That would be half as fast again as I currently do, and I'm not entirely sure how she does it. I think my legs would fall off, and it's not like I'm stopping for a kebab on the way (although, to be clear, if there were any kebab shops on my route I would seriously consider it). 

Canberra was looking lovely from a distance but the lake is a bit manky up close. I don't know why we are having an algae bloom at this time of year but this is as bad as I've ever seen it. 

I did enjoy the walk though. Saturday I did lots of shopping and errands, mostly to get out of the house because the neighbours are doing major renovations that seem to go six days a week. The house sold to new people and according to the internet photos it needed a lot of work, so I am not unsympathetic, but power tools at 7 am on the weekend is not cool. They are going to arrive at their lovely new house and wonder why everyone on the street hates them.  Here is the entirety of the old backyard - admittedly I would get the backhoe onto that quite quickly. 

Saturday night we went out to drinks for friends who are going off on posting to Wellington, NZ. Very jealous, I would love a good retirement posting somewhere civilised, and Wellington is of course awesome. Sadly both my husband and I are in the wrong parts of the public service for overseas postings. And how would the children cope? At least we don't have any pets to worry about ... we are all still seeing Mishka out of the corner of our eyes, and hearing her little snorts. Her ashes arrived back home this morning in a little wooden box with a plaque on the lid. My husband has put it on the sideboard a respectful distance from the cat's urn (in life, so as in death HAH) but I am not happy with a pet crematorium on the furniture and it might be time to scatter the both of them.