We Loved Canada...We Love Melbourne!

Collingwood Children's Farm

2012-01-14T14:33:00.003-08:00

We all had a wonderful day recently at the children's farm with Auntie Ruth and the gang. We spent a wonderful morning feeding horses, chasing guinea pigs and searching for monsters in the garden. Just perfect, despite the ridiculous Melbourne weather which saw us all scrambling for the beanies and jumpers in the middle of January!

Happy New Year!!

2011-12-31T20:35:00.003-08:00

Melbourne is experiencing another of its seasonal heat waves to usher in the new year - four consecutive days in the mid 30s with 40 degrees predicted for tomorrow. Perfect weather for digging the blow up pool out of the shed now that water restrictions have been eased sufficiently to enable us to deposit more than a thimble full of water in the thing! As you can see, the good times are rolling!

Christmas in Carlton

2011-12-31T20:28:00.002-08:00

We are enjoying our own "staycation" this year...home has never been so wonderful to be honest although we all miss our family and friends in QLD. Still, hard to refuse christmas cheer with an endlessly mirthful three year old!

At the Zoo...

2011-12-17T16:48:00.002-08:00

Amory and I have really rediscovered the zoo of late. With Andrea busy these last couple of weeks with work and uni, Amory and I have had some time for some good old fashioned boys own adventures. Very fun as you can see!

For our Lovelies the Twins!!

2011-12-11T21:44:00.003-08:00

Another lovely day at the zoo witht he twins Sadie and Scout and then back to their place for ice-cream in the sunshine. Perfect day really, topped off by the late fashion parade which as you can see Amory enthusiastically embraced!

Clancy's Birthday

2011-12-11T21:38:00.003-08:00

Clancy enjoyed his 3rd birthday in glorious Melbourne summer sunshine on Saturday - Mum and Dad arranged for the Reptile Zoo to come along with snakes and even a bloody crocodile to scare the bejesus out of everyone but of course the kids loved it! Amory wasn't so sure about the snake but he did hold it for a minute the second time it came around! After that he got his confidence up and even asked if he could hold the crocodile later - not on my watch fella!!

Weekend Wrap Up

2011-12-01T03:50:00.002-08:00

So in the hope of warmer days ahead (Melbourne day one of summer...18 degrees and windy booooo!!!) I have loaded a couple of weekend photos from similarly unseasonal days past. We are certainly due some summer warmth down here!

The Next Dr Duff...

2011-12-01T03:49:00.002-08:00

You know it makes sense...happy days!

Yep he knows it...

2011-11-07T03:05:00.002-08:00

Must be tough being three some days...real tough!

Around Town...

2011-10-15T14:55:00.004-07:00

I thought it might also be nice to add some photos taken from recent springtime adventures in town. The sun is shining as they say!

Better Late Than Never!!!

2011-10-15T14:49:00.003-07:00

Very late indeed of course, but Melbourne in the spring time does present a fair measure of distractions each liable to separate a man and his laptop. Here then finally, are some pictures from Amory's very happy day!

Happy Birthday Handsome!!

2011-09-14T17:20:00.001-07:00

Everyone knows three is the magic number...here's more proof (as if any were needed!).

Off to the Beach

2011-09-08T22:09:00.001-07:00

We went to Byron Bay yesterday for a swim...Amory of course was keener than anyone! He had his bucket and spade in the car and had strapped himself into his car seat almost before we had finished asking him if he wanted to go to the beach for a swim!

With the Twins at the Zoo

2011-08-22T03:03:00.002-07:00

We were lucky enough to spend some time with the lovely Sadie and Scout (and their equally lovely mother Emma of course!) at the zoo today amid some early Spring sunshine. After we left the zoo, Amory spent the rest of the afternoon asking when we might next be seeing "my twins"...soon enough sir!

Riding the Rails

2011-08-08T01:35:00.003-07:00

Daniel's birthday party at the Moorabin Miniature Steam Train Society produced all the expected thrills and spills Sunday afternoon. Let's just say that copious sugary treats added to endless train rides equals instant fun (although dragging the kids away from the track at closing time presented its own unique challenges!). Oh yeah, and it was my birthday too (thanks to my lovely wife for the birthday treats!)

Family Fun

2011-07-20T22:24:00.001-07:00

It really was a fantastic month away!

In Rome...

2011-07-20T22:17:00.002-07:00

Still, Rome was awesome!

Amory, Andrea and Cameron in the Mountains...

2011-07-20T22:11:00.001-07:00

Our stay with Roberta, Michela and Alice in the Italian Alps was without question the highlight of the trip - Rome and Venice be damned!

Back from Europe...some Pix of Amory at Play

2011-07-20T22:06:00.004-07:00

SO finally our most bothersome jetlag has passed such that I might at last post some pictures of our recent month in Europe. I thought I'd start with some pix of the boy at play!

Off to London...

2011-06-12T05:28:00.002-07:00

We are all on an Emirates flight to London tomorrow night so with some luck I will soon have some more summery pix to post, particularly once we reach Italy. In the meantime I have included here a bunch of fun shots from the last couple of weeks.

Birthday parties...

2011-05-23T20:49:00.002-07:00

Happily, has been the season for toddler parties...which means we mostly have been trying to avoid overdosing on sugary treats!

Happy Easter!!

2011-04-24T16:41:00.004-07:00

We have all been enjoying a couple of wonderfully quiet Easter holidays over the weekend - no work, no email and I am even trying to ignore my upcoming conference paper for Copenhagen that remains half written. Taking Amory down the park to chase pigeons and to kick through all the falling leaves has been quite enough for me! The sudden burst of mid-Autumn sunshine after a week of rain has helped too - happy Easter!

Two and a half going on twenty-four!

2011-04-17T04:56:00.002-07:00

Man I think I might have been this cool for like four and a half days back in the late nineties and now this gifted soul comes along with his Keith Richards swagger at 30 months! Well at least I can claim the credit for his skinny jeans and denim jacket thanks to a recent shopping spree in Seattle!

It's Really Great to be Home!

2011-04-12T05:04:00.003-07:00

Photo says it all really! I took this photo of Amory and his best mate Hugo at the train station last Friday as we were all waiting for the train to take us back into town. The boys just love the train as you can probably guess!

Vancouver Sun

2011-04-02T22:49:00.002-07:00

coming home now...very tired, long days in conference in Seattle, now waiting for a plane for a long flight...some lovely moments on the bus on the way back to Vancouver. A lovely Northern spring day.

Everyone Loves BBQ!

2011-03-12T19:49:00.003-08:00

Our good mates Brooke and Jeremy are about to depart Melbourne for work opportunities in Perth. We celebrated their departure in the customary way with beer and a BBQ in their backyard recently. As you can see, Amory and Clancy took to this with keen interest! You'll also be happy to know that we refrained from imposing our choice of vege-sausages on the boys and let them sup from the real sausages plate!

Happy Summer Days

2011-02-17T14:13:00.002-08:00

We've been enjoying the tail end of a strangely uncertain summer here in Melbourne - a good deal of glorious summer days mixed in with near autumnal rain and wind. Still on the good days, we've been out and about with some of Amory's pals. Harper of course and Hugo his new mate from playschool.

Happy Days

2011-01-26T20:54:00.003-08:00

Has been blissfully quiet these last couple of weeks in Melbourne...work has been progressing smoothly with half the office still away and Melbourne is turning on one of the most glorious late summers in my time in this fair city. This photo sums it all up perfectly...off for a walk with my handsome son down the park. Roll on summer days I say!

Bubble Trouble

2010-12-30T05:05:00.002-08:00

As I am sure I have mentioned before on this blog, a $2 bottle of instant bubbles is really all you need to send a toddler into near hysterics; sure made us all happy watching the little fella run around dispatching untold bubbles between his smacking hands. As Justin noted, it is also a great way to increase Amory's eye-hand coordination, and with Allister and Kate's gift of his first cricket set for christmas, my great dream of a son born to play first drop for Australia might be within sight. It also appears that a vacancy might be coming up in our once vaunted national team in that very spot...

Caloundra Storms

2010-12-27T00:48:00.002-08:00

We all spent a delightful week at Caloundra with Ray and Tina, mostly avoiding rain as it turned out although most mornings were fine and dandy before the storms arrived. We passed our time each afternoon watching the storms roll in, the rain and finally the rainbows!

Fun at the GoMA

2010-12-27T00:44:00.004-08:00

We visited Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art today with Damian and Louise to see the new "Art in the 21st Century" show...it was top notch throughout with lots of interesting, thought-provoking, amazing and just plain fun works on show. We'll take Amory back int he next couple of days to explore the kids' galleries!

Facepainting, toddlers and BBQs!

2010-11-21T21:08:00.003-08:00

Nothing like blue skies, light breezes, a cold beer and the smell of BBQ to make a fella feel like summer might be just about here! Throw in three rambunctious toddlers, facepainting and a whole lot of parental attention and you have just about the perfect Saturday afternoon! With Nick away, Ruth brought over her little rascals Layla and Jet, although you have to say this last bit real fast like Amory does to make the two names sound like the one word! Still not sure if Amory realises that they both actually have separate names, even though to him they appear to be inseparable! Happy days either way!

Monster Magnet

2010-10-22T22:35:00.002-07:00

Consistent, it seems, with every other 2 year old boy on the planet, Amory is obsessed with monsters and dinosaurs. How else to explain the sudden urge to place a shopping bag on one's head, grab the dinosaur tail so lovingly crafted by one's mother, demand that one's monster shoes be produced this instant and then throw it all together with a couple of ear splitting dinosaur shrieks? About the only smart thing to do is grab the trike and hit the road! Life with a toddler is filled with these moments of inspired, imaginative genius...

Off to the Zoo...

2010-10-21T02:19:00.003-07:00

OK so these photos are a couple of weeks old now but still worth the wait. Amory's room looks especially lovely in the late afternoon sun this time of year and apparently we have more of this sun ahead this weekend. Perhaps we'll make it as far as the Collingwood Children's farm this weekend. Happy days!

Finally Spring is Here...

2010-10-05T21:47:00.004-07:00

After a dispiritingly long, cold and wet winter Melbourne is finally enjoying some sunshine and even a little spring warmth...time to get back into the garden. Amory is so keen to get his hands on his watering can and get into business that not even the promise of ice-cream and trips to the zoo can coax him from his pee-jays! No time for such follies papa! Time for watering the plants, now get out here and help before I have to get serious with you mister!

The Happy Birthday Tee-Pee

2010-09-19T16:10:00.004-07:00

This was quite the hit over the weekend - amazing how a game of hide and seek always ends in the same place when you have one of these set up in the lounge-room!

Amory Loves Damian

2010-09-19T16:06:00.003-07:00

It was wonderful having Mum and Damian down this past weekend to help celebrate Amory's second birthday. Amory has obviously missed his uncle and the two have become one again as think as thieves over the weekend. Some photographic evidence follows...

Graham and Lauren's Wedding

2010-09-12T02:03:00.002-07:00

Our great mates Graham and Lauren were married last weekend down at Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula. It was a magic afternoon, capped off with rainbows and sun-showers and much fun chasing the little prince around the garden. All in all a glorious wedding and a wonderful night.

More from a European Summer

2010-08-15T16:59:00.004-07:00

Ok so this has taken for ever - my apologies - as usual everything happens at once and before you know it a month has passed. To cheer we poor freezing Melburnians up I decided to post some happy days cool summer breeze pix from Europa...ahh please let it be Spring soon!

A Grand Tour of Europe's Best Rides

2010-07-24T00:58:00.003-07:00

I'll slowly post more pix from our recent trip over the next couple of days, but I thought I should start with these gems. Surely the best part of this trip was chasing the golden one around various parks as he searched for the next fun playgound to run amok in. These are the best days of all to be sure. More to come...

What's better than pizza and beer in the summertime?

2010-06-24T09:08:00.004-07:00

Answer: nothing! This was the little fella's introduction to the joys of pizza - get ready for the love of a lifetime little man. Thanks to Pats for these great pix. Thanks also to Elvira for these wonderful new trousers - although with this heat in London Amory has been getting around in singlets and shorts (and sometimes just the singlet!) much of the time. Still they will be perfect for home and the July cold in Melbourne.

Cure for Jetlag!

2010-06-22T07:48:00.003-07:00

Summer is naturally awesome wherever and whenever one is fortunate enough to experience it but summertime in London really is something else. For a city preternaturally cold and grey most of the time, the sun and the blue skies and the green fields of its bounteous parks really stir the spirits. Oh yes, and chasing a little boy and a football around a park in the midst of a city in the grip of world cup fever really is the best cure for jet-lag of all time! Amory has been blessedly well behaved these last couple of days considering the inhuman torture we put him through - 30 hours travelling time between beds is cruel on anyone but little people especially dislike it. Fortunately, Amory slept on his mum for most of the flight from Malaysia to London and then slept soundly the first night here in London so we really can't complain. Andrea and I are mixing work with shopping and long walks. Really is lovely over here right now with a heat wave and the world cup to keep us happy - too good!

Autumn Fun

2010-05-18T14:14:00.002-07:00

so I've worked out that little boys come hard-wired with an exquisitely fine-tuned playdar! An innate capacity to sniff out any and every opportunity for park action when out in the stroller. Amory is now so attuned to the local park layout that if we turn the wrong way from the front gate on our way out he points in the appropriate direction of the nearest park and starts chatting away 'more, more'. Hooray I say! Off to the park!

So Proud!

2010-05-05T03:10:00.004-07:00

Andrea and Dell's show at Craft Victoria last Thursday was, predictably enough, a grand triumph. The paintings and garments worked together in a compelling symmetry while Andrea received much complimentary feedback. Amory and Harper behaved themselves as only toddlers are won't to do. Let's just say that 20 something ladies tolerate far more bad behaviour from the sons than the fathers...oh well lesson learned! I was having so much fun that I neglected to take any pix on the night. Hopefully more are floating around so I shall post more as they appear.

For My Sweetheart...Wish Him a Speedy Recovery!

2010-04-13T04:11:00.002-07:00

The poor angel has been a wee bit unwell of late - really not much more than a cold but still Amory just can't seem to shake it. I thought I would post some fun recent pix of him so y'all can wish him well on his way back to vibrant, boisterous, tummy slapping, hall footy playing, ear pulling, Mum and Dad lovin' full health!

More Table Fun!

2010-03-28T18:50:00.003-07:00

The little one is looking more and more grown up every day - seems he is becoming a little boy just a little too quickly for my liking. Still, one can't help but love his playfulness! Or perhaps that is fearlessness as the women at childcare put it.

Amory at his new table and chairs

2010-03-02T02:57:00.004-08:00

Thanks to his most benevolent great-grandmother, Amory now has a beautiful new table and chairs for his room. Just perfect as you can see for relaxing in the sunshine and devouring a box of sultanas. I love the joy the little fellow experiences towards the end of this clip, thinking the bounty is over only to realise that a veritable treasure trove of sultanas lies all about his feet. Definitely worth another little happy dance!

Our Little Explorer

2010-02-24T02:03:00.002-08:00

So we finally took in the children's garden at the tan on Saturday, only to discover that it is more of a water park than a play ground. Oh well! We shall all have to pack out bathers next time! Meanwhile, our little safari man lost himself in the bamboo...happy days as always!

Just Hanging Around...

2010-01-30T18:00:00.004-08:00

Has been a blessedly slow start to the new year down here - work is still fairly quiet and weekends leave much time for the park and the zoo and loads of stories of course. Oh and Amory has also discovered the strange joys of trapping himself in the shower! He usually works out how to escape pretty quick smart, otherwise it's a few quick yelps for Mum or Dad to come and rescue him. Great fun!

You Have to Try and Stay Cool...

2010-01-19T02:35:00.001-08:00

SOmething this little one seems to have no problem with - obviously takes after his mother!

When it's this hot...

2010-01-12T15:43:00.002-08:00

Yes Melbourne has witnessed the coming of the apocalypse this past few days - searingly hot in fact! About the only thing a fella can do is grab a chunk of ice and wait for dad to fix it...

BBQ's and Parks

2009-12-06T22:11:00.002-08:00

Another delightful weekend rounded off with a back yard BBQ, the cricket on the radio and little kids running around with mischievous intent! Just about perfect really - if only we could get the two boys to tune the radio properly...

Am the little drummer boy...

2009-11-23T01:36:00.002-08:00

gotta love the way he so meticulously turns the tin over and over to check for the most pleasing surface to drum on; just as he later checks to see if the blue spoon doesn't sound better! It was a long rainy day here on Sunday; perfect for drumming practice. Let's just say that I have now 'hidden' the tin someplace special...

He even eats with it Mum!

2009-11-23T01:33:00.003-08:00

Hi Mum and Dad - if you need any further xmas gift ideas for the little fella then I suggest you keep an eye out for more wooden cars/trucks/bulldozers etc. Amory has been pushing his yellow bulldozer all over the house for weeks - he's reluctant to part with it even for dinner as you can see. Yet with a smile that this, it's hard to refuse the little man!

National Museum

2009-11-13T14:45:00.002-08:00

I was up in Canberra for meetings on Thursday that mercifully finished early so I spent part of the afternoon roaming the National Museum. Let's just say that the building is a whole lot more impressive than the collections housed inside.

on the farm

2009-11-01T03:46:00.003-08:00

We went to a picnic on the farm on Saturday. Good photo Birdie. Thanks for a fun time Annie Kade and Don! On the way home we drove through a rainbow.... I think that sums up the type of day it was.

I Love My Boy This Much...

2009-10-26T01:34:00.002-07:00

lovely, perfect, wonderful, golden, ideal, one, many, smiles

Some PIX from Europe Sumer 2009

2009-10-25T18:22:00.005-07:00

OK so I have been meaning to post these pix from my recent trip to Germany and the UK for ages - they may be of limited interest so long after the fact but still, it's been fun to post them. It really was an awesome trip!

Some Spring PIX

2009-10-25T18:15:00.003-07:00

Finally, Melbourne has experienced some lovely Spring days - with more to come this week - hooray! Here are some quick spring pix - more to come soon!

More Amory Birthday Love!

2009-09-27T02:27:00.004-07:00

Here are some pix of the great day from Damian...

Amory's First Birthday!!

2009-09-23T03:33:00.004-07:00

Loath as I am to post new pictures and thus displace what is unquestionably the most beautiful photo yet taken of my lovely wife and son, no doubt the posting of party pix is the right thing to do. Amory's first birthday was an absolute blast, like only a house full of jazzed up toddlers can be. Kind of reminds me of Saturday afternoon parties Brisbane circa 1996 but that, of course, is another story entirely.

Andrea and Amory

2009-09-04T17:24:00.001-07:00

Lovely Damian took this photo during his recent visit. We can't wait for him to come and stay again soon!

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

2009-08-28T19:05:00.004-07:00

Happy birthday dad! We are all very sorry to be missing your happy day, as you can see, we have our hands pretty full keeping up with speedy Am! We all hope that you have a fabulous day - we will call you later in the day. All our love and best wishes. Here is some great video footage that Andrea took of Amory the other day...we thought that you are probably missing him on your special day so I hope this puts a smile on your face!

The Best Birthday Ever!

2009-08-06T03:18:00.001-07:00

Wouldn't this make your day too!?

Finally Some Pix of My Vancouver Trip...

2009-07-28T18:10:00.005-07:00

As the weather here in Melbourne takes another cold, wet turn, it cheers me up no end to post, belatedly, these pix from my June trip to Vancouver. I had a fantastic time mixing work and fun times. It was great to catch up with some old friends and kick out the jams one more time on third beach with some slow dancing...what a great city Vancouver is in the summer sun! Here we have pix of the beach; views from the ferry to Victoria; some deck-lounging with the ladies; the birds at Queen Elizabeth park, among some other random images and wanderings.

Amory and Dad

2009-07-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

Sure is great to be home - love this little boy!!

Amory and Friends

2009-07-09T02:05:00.004-07:00

Amory's getting the band back together...all his mates are lining up for the gig!

Amory Stands, He Squirms, He Wriggles, He Adores My Guitar...

2009-07-08T21:27:00.002-07:00

Here are some long overdue pix of our handsome little devil. Now that he has mastered standing and balancing with the aid of whatever stable (and not so stable) object might be at hand, Andrea and I have had our work cut out keeping up with Master Amory. Sure is fun though! And clearly he is as drawn to vintage 1970s Fender guitars as I am. Now if only I could afford an original specimen in butterscotch please! Still this very fine American reissue is sound enough methinks!

Amory misses his papa

2009-06-17T00:48:00.001-07:00

come home soon papa....

Happy Cousins...

2009-05-24T20:24:00.003-07:00

Charly and Troy and Harper popped around for a visit yesterday afternoon...after some initial shyness Amory took to his little cousin with great warmth and squeals of delight. This may have had something to do with the oh so tempting ring pull on Harper's jacket but I know there is more to it than that. Fast friends these two!

Andrea's New Show

2009-05-14T00:02:00.006-07:00

And a wonderful night was had by all - apparently a visitor to the gallery has described these works as very calming. Certainly the five works together generate a remarkable ambiance. These gorgeous, unreliable shapes shifting and dissolving into one another. It was a wonderful night and awesome to see the works all together in a brilliant new light. You can see that everyone loves them (and Amory!). The Duff boys sure are proud of this talented lady...

come along....

2009-04-24T02:46:00.001-07:00

Am's New Friends

2009-04-22T01:43:00.007-07:00

Thanks to Grandma Duff for the wonderful gift of new furry friends for our handsome son. I shall soon have to post some pix of Amory in his new outfits that arrived the other day courtesy of Grandma Eckersley. Nothing better than packages in the mail - though Amory still seems to prefer the wrapping to the gifts, at least at first! Once we are able to wrest the packing from his little hands he soon realises that it is what's inside the package that's the really fun bit. Now you will also see that young Am takes after his Mum - a natural born charmer - we have these hilarious pix of the young man posing with his lovely "teaster". Another gift thanks to the "mad skills" of P. Durston (thanks as always Penny!) - this one is a stuffed easter egg made from vintage tea towels (hence teaster) though methinks Amory might have another occupation in mind...maybe we will soon see this little one on the next Coles ad...or baby bonds perhaps! Though I think he needs to work on his "photo-face". He is very serious after all...

happy egg day!

2009-04-11T01:10:00.000-07:00

Hooray for High-Chair Hijinks

2009-03-28T01:10:00.003-07:00

And hooray too for alliteration of course! Today we have crossed a new threshold friends and family with Amory graduating from dinner on Mum or Dad's knees to his very on seat at the table - complete with harness (hey we all need a little help now and again with the maintenance of our verticality) and with dinner tray. Well the tray seems more like a surface for layering with pumpkin at the moment but it's all good. Most importantly Am loves it! As you will see from these pix he seems most proud of himself sitting up like a true gentleman. Happy days indeed! We also have a shot here of his first moment in a swing. He wasn't entirely sure of the virtues of said apparatus but I am sure he will get it soon enough. Melbourne has been turning on some magical Autumn days lately so I bet we will get another day in the park before too long.

Some New PIX

2009-03-19T04:08:00.006-07:00

This baby business sure does get in the way of regular blogging - stills seems like raising the little prince is more important than blogging about him so I'n sure you'll excuse the delay in updating this site. Here are some pix from the recent Sydney Road festival with Graham and Lauren in attendance and some snaps from around the house. With some luck I can also upload some video footage but that will no doubt test me. All else is well.

Amory Updates

2009-03-03T14:48:00.004-08:00

Apologies as always for the unforgivable delay in posting updates - then again moving cities and starting a new job have kept me rather busy of late. I will eventually get around to posting a summary of our fantastic summer road trip down the east coast from Brisbane to Melbourne though for now a new batch of pix attesting to young Amory's irresistible cuteness shall have to suffice! All is well nonetheless as you will see...

More Parties and Pretty Ladies

2009-01-12T21:03:00.006-08:00

What a long lazy summer we are enjoying up here - it's all beaches, parties, naps and snacks! Here are some more pictures - this time from New Year's Eve and sundry other outings and festivities! Happy birthday Pete!

Summer, Beaches, Babies and Pretty Ladies!

2008-12-12T18:15:00.004-08:00

Apologies for the delay in posting some new pix - naturally the distractions of a Queensland summer are many and wondrous. In a bewildering manipulation of the space/time continuum, very nearly one full month has elapsed since we arrived back home. Home to humidity, t-shirts, beer, sunny days, hot nights, family, BBQs, beaches, friends, family and of course babies! Everyone's doin' it y'know! Remarkably we have slipped back into the sunny Queensland groove as if not a day had passed in Canada. As much as I miss everyone in Vancouver (and our fab apartment), I think I'll take high 20s with a warm sea-breeze over the wind and the fog and the rain back over the 49th parallel! Here then is further evidence of the highs of summer!

we hate canada so much we are leaving

2008-11-11T17:24:00.003-08:00

sadly

after 3 and a half wonderful years in this beautiful city and the birth of our gorgeous son, we have decided its time to go home.
family and friends are drawing us back.
here are some phtotos bettina and ray took on their recent trip of our little boy and around town.

we shall have to come back one day to show Amory more of his beautiful home town...

The Greatest Show on Earth

2008-11-04T10:55:00.007-08:00

As Andrea said to me last night, this election season is for a PhD in political science what Paris Fashion Week is to fashionistas the world over. This really is the greatest show on Earth! Andrea and I have been following this thing for 18 months at least, at first arguing for our respective candidates (me for Obama, Andrea for Hillary) and then more latterly hanging on every twist and turn of Obama's candidacy. I'm sorry comrades but this is better than the boxing day test and grand final day rolled into one! Andrea and I have the champagne waiting at home and I'm leaving work early to watch the race unfold on MSNBC and CNN. With most of the polls in the eastern states closing at 4pm pacific time, I expect that Anj and I will be able to get that champagne pouring early - maybe even 5-6pm local time. As I said last time, Obama will crack Virginia at around 7-8pm eastern (4-5 local) and it will be all over! I'm even starting to think that North Carolina might be in the bag for the first time since LBJ's barn-storming run through the South and South West in 1964. I remember at University thinking that all the truly great political struggles seemed like matters for history, and that all the truly remarkable races happened long ago (notwithstanding the 2000 race) - so to have such a close experience of history in the making is truly something to take in wonderment. As all the pundits are saying this is better than JFK versus Nixon - hell it might even be better than Abraham Lincoln vs Stephen A Douglas! As Sufjan Stevens once noted "Stephen A Douglas was the great debater, but Abraham Lincoln was the great emancipator". I wonder what they will say about Obama...one for the ages Amory Cormac Duff!

Amory and Friends

2008-11-03T08:40:00.003-08:00

When I have more time I will share with you some of the on-going sleepy-time adventures of Huggy the green tree frog and Romero the gay Cuban hand puppet (gay in the Audrey Hepburn sense!), but for now be happy that Amory is so happy!

Seems to be the night for updates...and predictions!

2008-11-02T22:20:00.006-08:00

Another busy Sunday here as Anj and I rush to complete sundry last minute preparations before the big move back home next week. Monash's very generous relocation allowance has taken the real sting out of these preparations (we now no longer need to be anywhere near as brutal in deciding what stays and what goes) still, it's hard to really commit to cleaning out the hall-way cupboard when your boy is in the next room smashing all known developmental records - what with his expert penmanship and flawless recitations of Shakespeare's lesser known sonnets...seriously Anj and I were chuffed to see Master Amory lift his head clear off the table for the first time today - many weeks ahead of schedule! He needed a long lie down afterwards but then again so did Dean Jones after his double hundred in Madras in the 1988 tied test! I expect big things out of this boy - mark my words!

On another note I expect to have Obama home for 338 electoral college votes come Tuesday night. Here are my predictions - Obama seals the deal in Virginia with its 13 ECVs by around 8pm EST. Having held on in Pennsylvania and Ohio but dropped Indiana and North Carolina, Obama will bring it all back home in Virginia and then add Florida for the true icing on the cake, before sweeping the Rockies and the South West through Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico (Montana's my absolute smokey for the night but I won't call it yet!). I think the Dems will drop one or two short of the 60 seat filibuster in the Senate but pick up between 25 and 30 seats in the House. Finally I think Obama will come mighty close to breaking through 50% in the national presidential vote but I'm tipping 49.2%. He is absolutely guaranteed to receive the largest number of votes cast for any candidate running for President in US history. This is one to tell Amory Cormac about for sure! We weren't quite there Master Amory but Mum and Dad were very close!

More Sunday Specials

2008-10-26T18:47:00.003-07:00

the more pix of te handsome lad - Anj even managed to capture this dear soul smiling! We are now inside three weeks before the long flight home. See you all soon!

More Pix of Amory Cormac Duff and Family

2008-10-19T17:49:00.005-07:00

Here belatedly in celebration of Ray and Bettina's recent trip are some more holiday snaps.

Finally Some New Pix...

2008-10-19T17:40:00.003-07:00

Apologies for the long delay in posting new pix but hey, if I can't use chronic sleep deprivation and baby brain as an excuse now then what is the use of it all. Andrea and I have slowly emerged from the fog of those bliss full though also a little frightening early weeks and now feel more or less on top of all of these new demands. Still all it takes is for this little joyous boy to smile at you and the whole world stops in admiration. Just perfect. Here are some pix of our recent adventures around our delightful neighbourhood as fall deepens into early winter. In a spectacular piece of good timing, Kate and Joel and Rakaia very generously mailed over a full autumnal suit for Amory including a fantastic knitted cardigan - which as you can see fits perfectly - and this delightful woolen brain warmer/speed racer crash helmet! Absolutely ideal for these last afternoon strolls through the falling leaves!

A Bloom Weekend...

2008-09-29T19:21:00.002-07:00

We've managed over this past weekend to get out and about for a couple of limited outings: on Saturday our midwives celebrated their first year together with a picnic in the park and on Sunday we made it all the way to Third Beach for some early fall sunshine. With the fall leaves changing all over the city it was an absolutely glorious weekend. Amory slept through all of it sadly but there's always another day...

Introducing the Newest Member of Sleep Club...

2008-09-24T23:38:00.003-07:00

This is a special post for Dell and Adam; international patrons of the one and only sleep club. At the risk of breaking the first rule of sleep club (nuff, nuff, nuff), and this might be an early call, but young Amory Cormac will take some beating at this game! Notwithstanding his utter indifference to sleeping between the hours of 11pm and 5 in the morning, still this little man averages a very healthy 15 - 18 hours of sleepy time a day. Very imprssive! Obviously he needs all that sleepy time in order to grow these enormous feet! More soon.

Happy Days Comrades!

2008-09-23T15:51:00.003-07:00

I swear this little boy has MAGICAL POWERS! Five minutes with him and one forgets all one's worldly worries and woes...an unalloyed joy to be sure!

Updates As Promised!

2008-09-20T17:12:00.003-07:00

Ray and Bettina have arrived so much joy and excitement with their lovey little grandson. Here are some recent pix.

Introducing Amory Cormac Duff

2008-09-19T19:00:00.003-07:00

This little treasure, this piece of a world so fine that I walk and breath with more love inside of me than ever I thought possible, is right now sleeping peacefully next to his equally exhausted mother; a woman for whom I now have no words for praising enough. To see such tenacity and courage and fearless strength manifested with such grace in this magic experience of birth and life makes me feel a little more in awe of her every time I look at her. Andrea and Amory, my loves and family. I know it is awfully pretentious but I was out walking this afternoon running errands thinking about these two treasures and missing them already when this snippet of Romeo and Juliet came into my mind. It seems the perfect way to welcome Amory into the world:

"Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun".

Makes me melt just thinking about him - with all the world in love with night to see this little star.

And no one can deny a new father that!

walking and waiting for the lil nudie

2008-09-12T18:28:00.002-07:00

lost lagoon adventures

2008-09-12T18:04:00.005-07:00

Some Very Early Happy Days

2008-09-06T12:22:00.004-07:00

Obviously with family on my mind these days with both happy and less serene effects, it seemed fitting to post these wonderful photos of New Zealand in the 1970s - I guess the skivvies and the low-rider trikes give the vintage away! Ye Olde Duff days as Anj calls them...happy memories for sure. This is also a shout out to Allister who is enjoying the last of his buck's night no doubt (or at least the start of a well earned hangover) - I'm so sorry to have missed this Alli but let these photos be a reminder of how much I love you. All the best of course to your beautiful bride-to-be!

My New Tattoo...

2008-08-11T20:29:00.003-07:00

It's only taken me two years or more of deliberation to decide that I really do love this design for a tattoo and now that I have it I can't really fathom the delay! The horse might seem an obvious choice yet I have a real attachment to this creature for reasons I'll get around to sharing one of these days...

Summer Returns!

2008-08-11T20:23:00.002-07:00

Sadly, the weather began to clear almost the moment Charly and Troy left the city (don't take it personally guys!!)...perfectly timed really for the BC day public holiday which Anj and I enjoyed in a manner befitting locals at Third Beach with snacks and drinks and a whole lotta lying around. A nice pic also of our little bub's expanding dimesions in utero...

Deep Cove

2008-08-11T20:19:00.001-07:00

Charly and Troy hired a car for their trip up the west coast from San Francisco and so happily Anj and I were able to see a few spots here around Vancouver that we'd not visited before. Locals all rave about the quaint beauty of Deep Cove and we were not disappointed - again, despite the light drizzle and passing mist and cloud.

Belated Pix from Charly and Troy's Recent Visit

2008-08-11T20:14:00.002-07:00

Despite the fact the it rained all week (and that week alone thus far this summer I swear!) we all had a fantastic time day-tripping around the lower mainland. The obligatory trek up Grouse Mountain to see the grizzly bears was a real highlight - notwithstanding the gut busting climb and associated cramps and strains. Even in the mist and the drizzle it was an awesome experience and the bears were suitably well behaved.

Andrea's Birthday Bump

2008-07-19T09:36:00.003-07:00

It's lovely to be able to celebrate winter birthdays in the summer time in this part of the world. It also provides one with further opportunities to embarrass one's wife by making her pose for photos in front of the garden outside the apartment - but hey I don't care when the product of said embarrassment is so great!

Flying to Victoria

2008-07-19T09:25:00.002-07:00

I had a meeting at the University of Victoria on Wednesday - happily this entailed flying there and back in perfect weather via the helijet - hooray! I then got to relax at home with my post-helicopter buzz.