Category: Fenton
-
Odd Three Months
I’ve been Stateside for a few weeks now and I’m looking down the barrel of another couple of months before Gaynor and the younger three join me. Due to a variety of circumstances — children’s schooling, house readiness, and a need for income among them — we are doing this move differently. I’m going ahead…
-
Half-Life Day
Gaynor and I celebrated our twentieth wedding anniversary a little while ago and, since we were married fairly young, I started wondering how much of my life I have spent married to her. The outcome of that wondering is that I realised that yesterday, 6th of June, I have spent exactly[1] half my life —…
-
Motorcycling Again
Late last November an odd thing happened. I’d just arrived home on the Silver Numbat and placing her up on her centre stand with the usual creak and groan, I heard a plop from a couple of metres away. Investigating revealed the end of a large bolt with a nut on it. Not only unexpected,…
-
2013 Ahead
Busy times in our family this coming year. Though we usually have a (more than a) few things going on, this year is shaping up to have quite the slew of notable events. So, from the top of the tree … Gaynor is now officially looking for part-time work. A bit more income has been…
-
Labbin' Solo
I recently moved into my own lab. Prototype imaging density interferometer is on the optical table in the foreground.
-
Birthdays Abound
It’s that time of year when our main batch of birthdays are coming to a close. Mara’s 13th (19th of last month), Bryna’s 6th (30th), Joshua’s 16th (9th of this month) and mine (19th of this month) always seem to come thick and fast every year. Bryna’s and Joshua’s have warranted parties this year but…
-
I was walking down the street …
… when suddenly my spectacles’ prescription ran out. So said Steven Wright[1]. I always thought that was funny in an new-way-to-see-it kind of way but as with a number of things that reference US culture — usually The Simpsons — it’s funnier (and in this case, sadder) when you have even more knowledge of the…
-
ITIN, you TIN, no TIN
As mentioned previously, one of the main aspects of moving internationally is becoming a part of, and learning new systems. Inevitably, one will encounter the tax system and figuring this one out can be a major achievement. Australian, Dutch and German tax systems were, for me, relatively straightforward. I have pretty simple financial affairs and…
-
Ari and Fenton’s Theme Park Trip
One thing southern California doesn’t have in short supply is theme parks. Apart the the big and well known ones — Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm among them — there are plenty of smaller ones scattered about the place and all seem pretty popular. Recently, Ariana earned herself a free pass, from a Jump Rope…