The House(s) of Fran_mart

 These are a few random snaps from the apartment or nearby. We are seeing this person para sailing quite often in recent months.  They usually stooge around over St Kilda Beach (on one occasion doing very advanced aerobatics) but on the evening of the 17th flew right along to Port Melbourne, I think they landed at Sandridge Beach, a flight of at least 5km. Sunset on 17th. On our walk on the 18th we had good close views of a Long-billed Corella on the far side of Fawkner Park.  It was finding some grass to destroy. The Cockie posed nicely ... .. and then dived into the hollow.  It was kicking out chips - as it has done a lot in the past, from the heap outside the hollow,

This morning the balloons took off from Fawkner Park rather than landing here.  The photos are not that great as the light was bad and taken through a window, but it is nice to have a record. For the first photo having a light on in the room was also a hindrance. This was the only photo I got with a balloon fully lit up. There was a 5th balloon but that had already done an exit.  The BoM sites around the area seem to be agreeing on winds from around SW, so I presume they are sort of heading along the Yarra, landing near Bullen or a golf course en route .  (Liberty Balloons has confirmed they landed at Bulleen.)

We have booked to go and see "Xerxes" an opera by Handel at the Malthouse theatre on the evening of Saturday 5 October.  This meant we  headed West on Saturday, rather than Sunday morning.  As we drove through Mallacoota there were lots of roos beside the road.  Fortunately we didn't collect one. There was quite a lot of traffic heading into Mallacoota as well - much more than on Sundays.  Perhaps the fish are running?  That changed from Genoa to Cann River, where we didn't see a car!  After swapping drivers at Newmerella the traffic was back and many of those heading in our direction had obviously got their licence off a Weetbix packet: slow as old moles! A State election is due in November.  I noticed a couple of signs for the new Nationals candidate, following the retirement of Tim Bull.  Frances saw a big <1 Notion sign on a rather low budget motel at Traralgon. Then as we approached Pakenham (having already lost about 15 minutes on ou...