8/31/2012

Today's timeline:
5:30 "ouch I'm not getting out of bed"
Goes back to sleep
7:30 "ouch I'm not getting out of bed"
Gets up and gets coffee then goes back to sleep
8:30 "ouch I'm not getting out of bed."
Picks up iPhone and starts reading
9:00 "ouch I'm not getting out of bed" posts on Facebook that 10 is too early to study, then keeps reading.
9:45 "I'm really not going to move today" gets dressed
10:00 bikes 4.4km to uni to study
11-1 studies at uni
1:00 swims 1km
2:00 bikes home by way of the zoo to get some new elephants
3:00-8:00 "studies" with minor distractions
8:00 "it's Friday night on vacation we shouldn't be studying" watches hunger games.
Today's elephant: fighting extinction!

8/30/2012

I know what you're thinking. Maddie, you're on holiday where are the ridiculously long bike rides and nature pictures!? Well...just for you, I took a bike ride to peninsula springs today.

They have half price Thursdays, a student discount, and charge half-price from 7:30-10am. That means that I got to go to the resort for $10. Penninsula hot springs is located on the mornington peninsula 91km(55miles) away from Melbourne. So....I left at 3:30am to try and make it there for 7:30.

The early morning wind off the bay was much stronger than I expected so I didn't actually get there until 8:30 which was still plenty of time. The hot springs were amazing.

There are 34 pools located on the mountain with varying temperatures from 10-42degrees Celsius.

There was even a reflexology walk where the hot springs flowed over different types of stones to press on the reflex points of your feet.

It is on a mountain (more like really big hill) on a peninsula off of the southern ocean so there is a cool refreshing breeze that blows year round.

My plan was to bike down, relax and take the train back. I unfortunately didn't pay attention to my wise friends and found the nearest train station was 45km(27miles) back up the peninsula. That might seem like nothing to a bike rider, but I'm not a bike rider. I'm a runner with a bike. I took the trip back more slowly stopping every 10km to look around and rest.

I'm not a wimp but I was so excited to see train station. After a shower and a nap I'm recovered and ready to eat dinner and go to bed:)

8/29/2012

Let's start off with the highlights: I have Internet!!!!!...!!
I started the day with a 4k swim then I rode my bike to my friend Angela's and we had a dumpling making and eating party. She's from Hong kong so they were amazing. We watched a bit of game of thrones at her place and I came home to study for a few before Kat threw a dinner party. She made some fantastic chicken and bread pudding. It was fun. Now I'm off to bed because I have a very long bike ride in just a few hours.
Today's elephant:

8/28/2012

Sorry the pictures still aren't at the right place. We don't have Internet yet and I can't arrange photos from my phone.
I had an exciting and active day. I ran to the ride to uni breakfast and did my sprint workout on the way there. On the way back I got the elephant at the children's hospital.

When I got home Kat and I set off to steal an almost brand new sofa that she had seen put out as trash. She thought that it was a kilometer away but it might have been a tad closer to 3. We had made it about 3 blocks and were struggling. It was only about 55 degrees but as we struggled to carry the couch we took off our jackets and preceded in T-shirts. Suddenly a moving truck turned up and made fun of us then begged let him help us take it home. Ummm sweet! So we got a free sofa with free delivery.

Next came stair training. We took a trip down to Ferntree gully to do the 1,000 steps op mt. Dandanong.
 
There are actually just over 800 steps so we ran them twice.

Unfortunately, the rest of the day was less exciting. I came home and studied for 5 hours. Too bad there are so many things to do while I'm on holiday.

8/27/2012

We had our washer and fridge delivered this morning at 7:30. After that I assembled more furniture while an electrician fixed our broken light switches. I bought food and a bottom for my bed so I'm really starting to settle in. That was all the productivity I could handle today so I went on a 15mile run.
Here's the new place:

Maddie's Room

Kat's Room

Kat's on-suit bathroom

Kitchen

Study

Maddie's desk in the study

Dinning room? We still need a table

Living Room

Laundry Room

Bathroom

Back Patio 

8/26/2012

I'm officially all moved. I started my day by waiting for Ikea to deliver my furniture. I was getting bored waiting so I decided to paint my nails. Word of advice: water marbling and moving don't mix. By the time I was ready for the top coat they had already chipped. At 11:20 I went out to get the vacuum from the garage and found that the gate was stuck and we were locked in. At 11:25 my furniture came. Kat did some quick thinking and took the lock off. After my stuff arrived I headed to Katie's to get my last load. Stan, Nova, and Chen Chen drove me over to my new place and helped assemble my bed and fix the broken lock. We found that my bed is not actually functional. There is no bottom so my mattress falls through. Back to the store! Kat and I went shopping a bit more this afternoon. The list of things I need keeps getting longer and longer. I got a bath mat but the whites don't match. I may have to take it back or bleach it a bit. On the way home we stole a chair from our neighbor's rubbish pile. With a quick wash it'll be nice. There were 2 cushions but only 1 chair so I'm hoping for a sofa to match. When we were both exhausted from assembling furniture and organizing we went out for dinner. We wanted to try the pub at the end of the street but the kitchen was closed. Urban spoon pointed us to cheep pizza, pasta, and beer. Surprisingly they had good cheap pizza, pasta, and beer. When I got home I did a tiny bit more organizing to finish the still need from Ikea list. Then I collapsed into bed. The only part of the house that I would call finished(or close) is my closet. It's up early tomorrow for refrigerator delivery. Yay!
Today's elephant my look remarkably like a previous elephant but don't be confused. This elephant is for tiger airlines and the tiger elephant is for the Richmond football team. Duh!

8/25/2012

Last night was the first night sleeping at the new place. On the floor because my bed doesn't get delivered until tomorrow. Today was also the last day of footie for me, aside from the upcoming social events. The reserves won but the seniors lost. It was a good game but there was quite a cold chill in the air. The game was in a park so I got to see some wild life. Any idea what this bird is?

After the games finished I went to Ike's for yet a 3rd time. This trip was good. I actually got the things that I had been trying to purchase. The failed trips were actually helpful because I have a better idea of what I need now. Tomorrow my bed, mattress, bedside table, storage unit, and desk get delivered.
I did a large amount of biking again today. Not quite 50km but several. In the middle of commute me jeans gave out and ripped. Luckily I had on another pair of pants underneath.

This evening is organizing, cleaning, and resting.
Today's elephant is just beside yesterday's. Sorry dad I don't know what this one is symbolizing. Tomorrow I'm going to find some more!

8/24/2012

So I'm finally spending the night at my new place! And.... I'm on a week's vacation. Yay! We had a practical and a patient this morning followed by 45 pizzas. Yum-o! After class I took my school supplies to the new place and organized for about an hour. I had to bike back to Caulfield south for a package, some paperwork, and dinner. Katie was very sweet and gave me a knife and cake pans as a going away present. After dinner I headed back to the new place for a total of 51km biked today. That's two days in a row! I'm not doing too badly with unpacking but the list of things that I need keeps getting longer and longer.
The package: my new back pack

Enjoy today's elephant. I'm gonna have to find some more soon.

8/23/2012

I was not in the mood to bike today but when I stepped outside it was so beautiful that I changed my mind. I actually ended up biking 50km today. In to class, over to the new place. After class I went to the hospital for a respiratory study, which was 14k there and then 18k back to Katie's. The study was pretty cool. I spent 2 hours trying to match my breathing to patterns for a control in a sleep apnea study. It was pretty cool and I found that I have quite a large lung capacity. I am so close to being completely moved. I get to start living there officially tomorrow!!!
Today's elephant

8/22/2012

I learned 2 things today. 1. That Living with Kat is going to be fantastic. 2. That I am extremely proud of blogging home every night. I must have told at least 3 strangers today that I love sending messages home.
I started the day by taking 2 bags to my new apartment. Then I went to uni for 4 hours. After that I ran 6 flights of 255 stairs. Followed by an 8 mile run back to Katie's where I picked up a 45kg bag that I took 1 tram, 2 trains, and, 350m to my new town house. When I got to the house Kat and u went shopping and got $500 worth of supplies for the new place. At that point I was happy to eat a bit of chocolate, shower and go to bed but Kat invited me over to her boyfriend's for dinner and I had to go back to get my bike for tomorrow. So at 12am I'm finally calling it a night. Exhausted and full of sweet potatoes... And sorely needing a shower.
When I got back to katie's I had the terrific surprise of finding that Nova had made me red orchard chicken. I was so excited I ate way more than I should have so close to bed. It was fantastic and I was thrilled that she made one of my favorite foods without prompting. What a great day!
Elephant of the day:

8/21/2012

I have keys! The new place is officially mine!!
I did a bit of running around today but I got the keys move some stuff and even got another elephant. This is a 3 in 1 elephant with 2 different sides.


After class I got the keys and moved 3/7 bags. Then Kat and I had a beer and filled out the condition report. Unfortunately, I can't get my bed delivered until Friday so I went back to katie's for the night but Layton is enjoying his new room.

I know you are dying to see the new place but it is still a work in progress.  In the mean time this is Kat's boyfriend's version of our place.  

8/20/2012

Good thing I saved some elephants.  I didn't get to take any pictures today.  It is get drunk and act like an idiot week on campus but I was in a hurry so I didn't have time to get a photo.  Pictures tomorrow I promise.  I know you're wondering and yes I did participate right after I went to class from 9-5, then went out to dinner for Steph's birthday, came home fixed my bike and finished packing, did my homework and went to bed....so in my dreams

I normally do all my facebooking through my phone but I was on from my computer tonight. My news feed told me that Grammie just got married on July 26.  Haha nice job picking that out facebook!

Here is today's elephant.  Not only is it a tiger it's the Richmond tiger which is the professional team that my club is associated with.