Happy Christmas & New Year

Hello Where does the year go - must mean old age, surely? For us here in deepest darkest Sydney it has been one heck of a year. But perhaps a defining year.

Most important was the birth of Archie, nowhere to be seen a year ago, and now a full on squarking and noise/poop/vomit generating machine. He is a legend mind you, and a calm chill child really, well compared to Noah - and we were lucky with Noah as well. Noah is an amazing kid, bright, confident, charming, sweet, and into b***dy everything! Dare we ever have a late night, the next morn (early) he's up talking in his own unusual language. His view of the world - the innocence and sheer blind logic makes you laugh and makes it all worthwilde... well sort of.. I wish the laws were different to be able to spend more time with him - men should have the right to longer term paternity without question.



However, I feel a bit guilty as most of the time the most common dialog between us is 'No, Noooo, Noooooooo, Noah, No, Wait, Wait, Waaaaaaait, Stop, Stoooop, Hold on, Pick it up, Drop that, Let it go, Ecky, Ecky Ecky Ecky' and the occasional 'Good Boy Well Done.' I'm really not trying to train a puppy, but sometimes it feels like it.

Jac is at home and for three days a week (actually its 5 inc weekends) and has to look after the two of them together - she really does well given the task at hand. Yes it is hard and stressfull sometimes - I realise, but probably can never really understand, how difficult it is to just look after two small children. The day for me is kid-up, work, kid-bed, eat, tv (1hr oooh), bed. The day for jac is kid-up, kids, tiny break, kid bed, tv (1htr oooh), bed. We should put read book in there - but it just takes so long to finish a book at one page a night.

Footy in the garden is also fun, but how can a 21 month old child be better than me at the game? Talking of football - what a let down the World Cup was - why do we put ourselves though it? And then there is The Cricket. Cricket consumes the summer months here and every male is knowledgable - I do not like it when we get bashed at cricket. I've got tickets for the Sydney Test and hope it's better than 4-0 down at that point.

Moving on, literally, we've had some other distractions this year, namely moving house 3 weeks ago. We were looking for 6 months (every Saturday - phew), and a week after Archie was born we bought. And we are really happy. There is nothing like a move to inspire you into all those ideas - homes are where you live, so it's only natural you have plans and ideas. Especially after being in rented accommodation for 4.5 years which was at least one year too long. We were ready to move, and now are in a great home, that was worth the wait, if not the mortgage payments. 5 mins from the sea! Woo Hoo. And we have many plans, that I sincerely hope I can pull off sooner rather than later - the house is already emminantly livable, but has scope for water tanks, solar water heating, grey water systems, veggies, and other things... watch this space. Nothing like a project to get stuck into.



The other main achievement for me was passing the ITIL masters certificate - the 4 months from March-June (and 250+ hours of study) paid off as this has opened up many avenues at work and allowed me to step out of the rut I was in. Even though I was already knowledgeable in that space (IT Operations), it has bought my opinions much credibility, both internally and with clients, at a time when the company recognises it has to align itself with the world standard.

The other work positives, that mean a lot more to me, are in the more social responsibility space. A year and a bit ago, the company I work for was very poor on the environmental front (like most of Australia to be honest), and now, largely in part to my passion and determination in that area, has engagement from many parts of the company. This has resulted in a complete turnaround in some areas such as recycling - a 50% reduction in waste / 50% increase in recycling in Sydney, the annual company event (700 people & flights to a resort) - carbon neutral, senior executive members absolutely engaged in the process (and looking to me for guidance!), water, energy efficiency, more carbon neutral programmes, and also examination of how new technology can assist in reducing energy consumption and a reduction in harmful chemicals.

It's a really exciting time and I hope something everyone I know can play some part in. 2007 is the year to make the change - trust me - it does not change your life, but will change our lives. I sound like a preacher (praise be de lau') but I'm not, honest - just a realisation that we all have to do something to stop the acceleration, let alone reduce, the amount of CO2 being generated, and water we use. We really have to.

2006 was also the year we became, nearly, totally organic food wise, only to have to back out on arrival of the mortgage. It was delicious whilst it lasted.

For family visits - the Watsons also came over in March, and Mum and Dad Taylor came over in June, and they loved being with the grandkids. We had a nice time in Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Mums are legends with kids, full stop. Unfortunately this years Xmas has taken a slight curve-ball with the discover that my Dad is ill and the treatment meant that the family Xmas gettogether (the first one together in ages), and their flight over had to be cancelled. Richard, my youngest brother, is over and here for a while so we will make the most of it at the 'Myall Lakes Eco Resort', but it won't be the same. We sincerely hope that all is well and they will be over soon.

We hope that everyone is well with our friends and family, and hope you forgive us for not being the best at keeping in contact right now and after all the well wishes for Archie - there are many people I would love to have a chat over a pint in a pub (somewhere in the English countryside). If not that, then at least on Skype or the phone, but sleep deprevation, time zones and life make it a little bit hard at the mo.

2007 will also be the year I beat the surf, not the surf beating me. Well, ok, maybe 2008/9/10.

Take care, have a great Christmas and fab 2007.

James, Jac, Noah and Archie x



PS - And buy Green Electricity if you haven't already. ;-)