Grateful (2024)

Iceland

• Found passport.  Martin: "Between books?"  Did not tell Gavin.
• Getting to go, Gav pulling out all the stops.
• No need for Dr health check.
• Flights for $2450 (Flight Centre), not $3300. Insurance < $200.
• I did not fly with others. Their bags didn't make it. Mine did. 
• Tania got sick, no blog. Took all pressure off me. 
• 2nd day rain. Chance to regroup, edit photos.  Saw puffins later. 
• 2nd night of potential psyche on fire.  I slept.
• Good photos for competition on 1st day (group silhouette and cliff texture).
• Grimsey. Close views of puffins and amazing photos. In flight. Beaks touching.
• Matt gave good photoshop advice. Cut as layer. Beware of sides so I cut in middle. Aware fill.
• Ended up using bills further apart. Much better actually plus less stress of being found out. 
• Topaz sharpening and enlarging: True game changer. 
• First in competition and gasp at puffin in flight. 
• CEO and Justin there. Extra buy in for future trips. 
• Hotel extra night $190, not $270. 
• Airport:  Taxi came at 4 am. Needed time. Found booking reference no.
• Wrong boarding gate at Keflavik. Nearly went to Copenhagen, not Oslo. Scanned so knew. Not late. 
• Taxi driver in Singapore. Where bag?  Managed to get. Taxi waited.

Return to Sydney

• Flight delayed but all easy to get eve flight. Nice hotel for sleep.
• Managed to open balcony door
• Car started
• No mould in Fran's room, Martin only in bathroom.
• Back wall crack looks fine

Jilly

• Got to express love on day she passed away. Mandy was there.
• Visited and expressed love several times during year
• Phoned Jilly. It was her birthday.

Cosgrove

• Iceland:  Got Dr Cosgrove 1 day before going on leave. He ok'd two months.
• Realised mistake with booking thanks to "30 min appointment?":  Dex issue ok and able to make 1 month closer appointment.

Financial

• Did Jan audit and not nearly as bad as expected
• Invested for 1st time before a rally: > $ 600 profit
• Garage leak  $ 20,000 was reduced to $8,400  ($11,600 saving)
• iPhone charging issue fixed by Apple genius
• Antony got a project in Jan
• Dom lift home, save $45
• Lost and found airpod on street.
• Body corporate not increase this year
• Not spend much this year, went up $10K. Reassured me greatly.
• Found my glasses & ok (washing machine)
• Mum pay back Cape Town flight ticket
• Mark and 400 mm lens. Not a scam !  Made $950.
• Mum paid R2800 for my Afrikaburn ticket

Sam's site

• Beautiful connection & collaboration
• Good, cheap local hosting
• Jo's photos
• Google Ads: 20 clients in 1st week and a bit

Car

• Not put water into oil
• I drove car far enough to find there was a problem. Coolant leaking at rapid rate.

Dex in order

• Power of 4 + 2 (+1)

Health

• My shoulder ok after chasing dog and slipping
• Did not hurt back or head on St James wall
• Did not leap into Die Hel rock pool  → terrible injuries.
• Skin check: All clear including one on my face
• Shoulder blemishes, lumps (arm & above chest) not cancer
• Mole on my back removed, benign
• Pulse resting rate is 75 (normal)
• Got watch reconnected to iphone

Tennis

• Slice serve
• Joy of playing (Free)
• Tennis elbow feeling better

Life Trove

• Edit post bookmark stopped and restarted working
• Managed to get pencil back

Photography

• My external hard drive corrupted but I had backed all photos up elsewhere just before.

Home

• Trees not chopped down, traffic lights still covered
• Warned about leaving water on in courtyard, not left all night

Wisdom Trove

• Error discovered soon
• Rujuta sorted it out

Travel

• Afrikaburn tickets despite challenges

Dex

• Matthew in 3x in a row

Watch

• Get it synced

Martin

• Did not bring up teasing