Warren Report

20.12.06

Hi guys,

its that time of year AGAIN! The last 6months have flown. I hope you're well and you have a relaxing and enjoyable Christmas. Hope 2007 brings everything your heart desires. :)

All great with us. Evie is a GREAT baby so far which makes my life easy. Milli seems all grouwn up at the ripe ol' age of 3. Off to kinda in the new year... she cant wait. Warren's really well. He's back hang gliding this season so he's v. happy. So no complaints from the McDonalds. I'll enjoy the summer and back to part time work in Feb, which I'm looking forward to.

Snap shot of us attached, taken in Sept for Evie's Christening.

xxx to you all.

Here's to a safe and happy one

mara

Gidday Everybody,
Here are a couple of photos of my beautiful new baby girl. Evie was born
on Thusrday 8pm weighing 4.2kg. Mara is doing well and they came home from
hospital today. Milli is as happy as can be to have a baby sister.
I've finally finished building our house so hopefully I'll be a little better
at staying in touch.

Warren

30.5.06

10. Mai 06

Hi guys

just a quick update... we're in the house (see attached photo) and unpacked most of the boxes.

I'm due in a week. Getting excited now. I'm much better prepared for this one than i was for Milli. I'm also a lot more anxious as I know what awaits me.... Lots of people guessing it'll be a boy and they've got a 50% chance of being right:) We'll let in know in a week or so.

Milli knows there's a baby coming but doesn't realise that it means she'll have to share mum and dad! We're expecting an adjustment period.

All else good. I've only recently finished work so I'm looking forward to a few days of R&R before the new arrival.

Hope you're all well.

Big hug and kisses to you all

Mara

17. 6. 05

Hi guys

sorry about the group email.... this is Australia, not France where i had all the time in the world :)

How are you? I've been thinking about you. What's new?

Here's our news...

Milli is TRYING to speak and has conversations with me all day long, she mixes Croatian and English... so mostly i don't know what she's saying but there's intonations, tones that indicate if its a questions or a statement. She's been great.

We're S T I L L doing MAJOR renovations!... but finally they're moving along. The roof should be on next week, lock-up is in sight (that's to the extension and Warrens MASSIVE shed). We're trying to beat the winter... so far its been really mild and dry (poor farmers). Warren's fortunate bc he can take loads of time off work and works on the house which means he's getting a good work out most days, luckily its not hang gliding season. His Qantas work had been going well. His boss has been seconded (about 3 months now) which means he's the boss of the trim shop, metal shop and paint shop. He says he runs around doing paper work most of the time and would sometimes rather just get on with doing the work.

I'm doing good. Working on projects, the next one starts next week, we've got 20 Chinese Diplomats coming out on a 12 week study tour, finance based, so that'll be fun and probably a little stressful (usually their English isnt grea and most of them have never travelled b4). With any luck i can manage it by doing 2 or 3 days a week. Mum looks after Milli, that's when Milli's Croatian gets better and she speaks more Cro than English. I try to speak to her in Cro but sometime forget.... But her and Grandma go to the shops (mostly owned by Cro's) go for coffee to various aunty's, potter in the garden, both of them love it.

And the rest is grand but no holidays planned yet. Never a good time with the house moving along, hopefully by Christmas we should be in and then can duck up to Queensland AT least. We need to use these cheap flights Warren gets!

No other news for now, hope you're all well.

Big hugs and kisses from the McDonalds

xxxxx

mara mcdonald

228 Autumn St

Geelong West, Vic 3218

+61 3 52 22 2746

27. Feb. 05

Hi guys,

how are you? What's new in your neck of the woods?

Down in little ol' Geelong things are going well. Milli is just about 16months old. She's heaps of fun now and a really good kid. As you can tell by one of the photos, has a mind of her own and is not happy if i disagree with here!

Warren's work is still great. He's now second in charge but would rather not have the stress as we're still working on the house. Yes the never ending house... Its going well but S L O W L Y. We've finally had our plans approved now we can start the back part of the house. We're trying to get things done before winter... So we're still at mum and dads. And that's ok but i would rather be in my own place. Warren still loves it here; heaps of food, no housekeeping and a live in babysitter.

I'm enjoying work as it's still only 2 days/week. I love going to work and by the end of the day I'm busting to see Milli. I'm still doing Project Management work which so far has been fairly busy but cruisy... dont take any work home. I've started French classes again... it's only once a week and the teacher is GREAT. Really French.

Milli and i go to the beach at least once a week. The summer hasnt been really hot but we go even when its in the mid 20's. Milli loves it. Chasing seagulls, playing in the shallow water, building sand castles just to squash them.. by the end of the day I'm exhausted and she is too.

Must go get some sleep, 3 beach days in a row coming up!

Miss you

Love Mara

7. Dez. 04

Hi guys,

sorry about the group email but I've had a few requests for photos so i thought i'd send them all at once.

Milli turned one on the 7th of Nov and started walking about two weeks before that. Now she runs everywhere so my cafe days are over. She's heaps of fun and really loving, very determined and inquisitive, loves being outdoors, will go with anyone who is going anywhere.... (that's the only bit of me).

Warren and i are doing great. Our renovation plans are taking A LOT longer than we thought they would so we're going to move into our rental property till our house is finished. We've been at mum and dad's for over a year now so its time to have our own space. Mum and dad are spewing, i think they'll miss Milli, she brings them heaps of joy, has made them 10 yrs younger.

Warren's really happy at work. Qantas is very relaxed, even more than Jet Aviation (if that's possible). He's concentrating on the house and Milli. The summer has just started so he wants to make time for hang gliding. We've both got 3 weeks off in Jan. One of those weeks is a hang gliding holiday. Our friend Marc is coming over from France then too, so it'll be fun.

I'm working 2 days per week. I'm doing project management work for a college here in Geelong. Compared to motherhood it's EASY. Actually i love going to work, i get adult conversation, a whole hour for lunch, AND paid!!!

At this stage i don't think we will be going back to Basel :( From what we hear there seems to be enough work but the circumstances have changed, including the tax laws, so it wouldn't be as good for us as it was. But we do hope to come and visit. We get cheap flights with Qantas so once the house is finished we plan to visit. In the mean time you know you're welcome here anytime :)

That's all for now, got heaps on, probably like you, haven't even stared Christmas shopping....

Big hug and kiss to you

Love Mara

14. Sept. 04

Hi guys,

its Mara here. Just wanted to say hello and see how you are?

All going well here. Spring is in the air so all is well. Cant wait for the
summer. Warren is still working for Qantas and loving it. Spending his days
off renovating our house. I'm back at work part time (2days a week) and thats
easier than motherhood :) BUT not as much fun. Milli is growing quickly.
She's crawling everywhere and starting to stand on her own. She's a great
baby. Loved by EVERYONE. She brings so much joy to my parents, sisters and
friends.Then there's all of Warrens family who come down here for holidays
just to see her. I've attached a photo for you. I havent sent it to hotmail
accounts because the file is too big.

What's new in your part of the world? Hope you're well.

Must go. Big kiss and hug to you. Miss you.

xxxx
mara

9. August 04

Grüsse von Mara, Milli und Warren

29. März 04

Gidday Everybody,

I finally have the internet at home so if I have been not returning emails
hopefully I will improve in the future. I'm working for Qantas at the moment
which is pretty good. Cheap flights and lots of time off. I miss Basel and
so does Mara. I hope we all get to see each other again.

12. Feb 04

Hi guys,

just a quick update....

There's no work at Jet till end of March, we've put in a application to Montreal (Canada) AND Warren's been offered a job here in Geelong at the airport. They're looking for upholsterers and Warren got the job even b4 they meet him. So looks like he'll take that for now and see how it goes. He's off today to buy us a car.

I'd really like to go to Canada so cant get my head around staying here....

Milli is GREAT, smiling and babbling away.

must go will write soon.

love and miss you

mara

8. Jan. 04

Gidday Everyone,

Sorry for not writing more often or replying to emails sent to me but I
have no internet access at home and am very lazy as well. Everything is
going well and Milli and Mara are doing great. Milli has grown 9cm and 1.5kg
since she was born. I went hang-gliding for three days and when I returned
the difference in size and motor skills was noticable. Being home with her
is fantastic. She has so much love from so many different people it's incredible.
Even I have to queue up to get a hold sometimes. She brings alot of joy
to everyone.
I know most people getting this email wont have a clue about cricket but
it has been great to watch this year. After many years of Australian domination
India are making it hard for us. One game goes for 5 days and it's a very
cultural thing to hear the cricket on the radio everywhere you go. It,s
a great backdrop to the hot Aussie summer. I'm going to the MCG tomorrow
to watch Australia versus India in a one day match which I am really looking
forward to.
On Saturday 8 of us leave for a town on the NSW coast called Merimbula for
a weeks holiday. It's our first trip away with Milli and we'll spend most
of that time at the beach. We haven't taken her there yet but she will get
indoctorinated into Aussie beach culture early.
After that we are going into the mountains for a hang-gliding competition
for a week and Milli will come too. All my old hg friends will be there
and it looks like quite a party. We'll be camping so it will be a bit of
a test for Milli but I think we'll be ok.
After that I need to think about work. I hope I can return to Basel and
work at Jet again but if not I have a few other things up my sleeve. I hope
to see you all again soon and show off Milli to you.
Lots of love

I've finally made it back to geelong. I have even managed to get here before
Mara had the baby! She's really big now with only a couple of weeks to go.

I've had a great holiday seeing friends and family right down the east coast
of Australia. I met a hang gliding friend south of Sydney and spent a 3
days sailing with him and his wife. We sailed through the heads of Sydney
Harbour and he dropped me off right at the Sydney Opera House. What a great
sight!

I spent a few days in Sydney and then went to one of Australia's most famous
hang gliding sights, Mt Buffalo. The flying was ok but it was a great opportunity
to catch up with so many of my old HG friends and meet all the new pilots
that have come along since I've been gone. I need to stick a bit closer
to home for the next few weeks but I've entered a few competitions after
Christmas.

Keep me in touch with all the news

I've been back in Australia for nearly a month now and there's no sign of
boredom yet. I'm in the north east now in the sub tropics and it's about
27 degrees everyday. Mara is too big to fly and doesn't fancy 24 hours in
the car so I'm on my own. She's getting bigger every day. The doctor said
there is a good chance the baby will come early because the head is engaged
and ready to go.
I entered a hang gliding competition and came sixth out of 24 pilots. It
was an aerotow comp which is very convenient. It costs 23sfr for each tow
but you only need one per day. The tug pilot drops you off in the middle
of a thermal at over 600mt so its easy to get away. Its open flatland flying
so there is never a problem finding a landing place. We did an 85 km out
and return, A 95 km triangle and another 65 km triangle int stong wind.
The first two days I landed 5 km short of goal. The last day I did 37km
to the first turn point which was down wind and then 15km into a 23km\hr
headwind which got me third position for the day. People are always scared
of the spiders, snakes and sharks in Australia but since I've been back
I've only had trouble with birds. I was repeatedly attacked by a wedge tail
eagle in my glider in Dalby which was no fun. The next flight a magpie kept
attacking me in the air and after I landed another attacked me on the ground.
We had to pack our gliders up wearing our helmets and googles.I hope to
fly ay Stanwell Park and Mount Buffalo on the way home.

I'm not home until the 6th of November and hope to fly a little and see
some friends before I return to Geelong. Keep me in touch with all the basel
gossip