passing time
books for sale
  • Merlin's voyage
    Merlin's voyage
    by Emmanuelle A Buecher-Hall

    in English

  • Le voyage de Merlin (French Edition)
    Le voyage de Merlin (French Edition)
    by Emmanuelle A Buecher-Hall

    en français

contact us
Wednesday
Apr112018

Visite artistique 

L’an dernier a l’ecole, Clea a participe a un grand un projet artistique “One million stars to end violence”. Ce projet  a implique de nombreuses ecoles du Queensland mais aussi des individuels et groupes varies de par le monde. Ce projet a pour but de connecter les gens. Il suffisait de plier des etoiles avec des gros rubans de couleurs qui ont ensuite ete elles-memes connectees.

Le projet a enfin ete expose a Brisbane et c’est avec grande curoisite que nous sommes alles decouvrir ces milliers d’etoiles.

Sunday
Apr082018

Another visit to Stradbroke Island

On Sunday, we did a quick visit to Stradbroke Island. Felix was busy with some friends, Victor was camping with other friends (on Stradbroke in fact! but I promise, we didn’t go to spy on him!).

So we were only 3 to go, easy.

Dans le ferry, partageant un delicieux smoothie a la myrtille

We decided to do very simple. So we only packed our swimming stuff, left the car on the main land, took a water taxi and then the bus to the main beach. We swam in blue blue water, walked along the coast line and spotted few really bog turtles, had a delicious lunch in a friendly café and tasted the amazing Italian ice cream.

We came back with the 4pm water taxi, refreshed, iodised, happy and sandy.

Simple is easy and we promised ourselves that we will do it again – hopefully very soon.

Tuesday
Apr032018

Joyeuses Paques!

Long week-end + meteo relativement clemente + pas de concert/competition d'escalade = Sortie voile dans la baie

Ouf, il etait temps! Il etait temps de faire glisser un peu d'eau sous les coques de Merlin. Il etait temps de tous souffler, de souffler tous ensemble. Il etait temps de dormir au mouillage, de sauter dans l'eau de la plage arriere, de frotter les coques, de voir que tout marche bien a bord et eventuellement de se goinfrer de chocolat.

Il etait temps de ressortir plein de jeux de societes, de prendre l'apero et de regarder le soleil se coucher doucement.

Nous avons bien sur grimper lentement nos dunes preferees pour les redescendre a vive allure.

Du sommet, nous avons admire les nuances de bleus et de verts dont on ne se lasse jamais.

Nous avons aussi ressorti le cerf-volant et l'avons teste sous grand vent.

Nous sommes alles explorer la mangrove pour compter les raies, les requins guitare et les tortues.

Clea a nettoye la plage fierement (parc national)

Nous avons ri ensemble et joue ensemble (rien ne pouvait empecher cette partie de Monopolie de se poursuivre pendant plus de 5h). Nous avons lu et reve aussi.

Et puis deja il a fallu lever l'ancre et reprendre le chemin du ponton.

C'est "iodes" que nous entamons cette semaine!

Tuesday
Apr032018

Back online!

Yes, dear readers, we are still here and the blog is still alive!

Life got a little too busy and our ordinary-running-around-like-crazy-day-to-day-life didn't seem worth a post. We are trying our best to escape what could look like a suburban routine. However, we are sometimes just doing what a lot of families do: driving the kids around (to concerts, scouts, climbing), working too long hours, going to the movie, seeing some friends (not often enough though). We don't mow the lawn - but we clean the deck!

Did I mention hours of lesson preparation and marking for me? I was recently submerged by more than 250 copies, so focused reading stole few hours of my day.

Marking could be seen as an adventure but not exhilarating enough! So yes, we are all missing some adventure, maybe excitement, even small,  but we know it will cross our path again.

In the meantime, the river and its lights help us find some extraordinary little moments in our daily lifes where we all stop, watch, enjoy the surroundings and reflect: Life is going fast and is too busy, but, hey, life is good.

Victor came back a little taller but mostly very happy from his trip overseas. He was satisfied with his French (even learnt some new words), amazed by the snow and was very grateful to have spent quality time with his extended family. He found the weather is Paris very wet but loved the "Vieux campeur" (shop specialised in outdoor equipment).

He went skiing and loved it, even if the shoes feel really odd.

He spent few days in Swizerland and was in awe with the white, vast, alpine landscape.

Once back and before he started his new university course in Industrial Design, he went hiking for few days with some friends around Mt Barney. Nature is his element. If you want to see a huge smile, give him a hammock and a backpack.

Saturday
Mar242018

Merlin is awaiting new owners

Victor is growing fast and is touching the celling. Clea would like a cat. Felix's clarinet practice could be a liitle loud for all. Emmanuelle would like a big desk. Gregory would prefer a boat that is not mostly docked but that sails fast and often.

So it seems time (logical?)  to find some news owners for Merlin. Follow the link and have a look at our new selling website (thanks Felix!).