Ozformers Melbourne Fans - BBQ Meet at Jay's Place.

Went for the Ozformers Melbourne fans BBQ meet at Jay's place a couple of weeks ago. Ozformers is an online Transformers Fan Community in Australia set up by board administrator Griffin in 1996. It's basically a forum where fans get together and discuss none other than Transformers and sometimes other stuff like Lego, game consoles, comics, movies etc.

I think I joined this forum around Aug/Sep 2007 and never had much chances to attend meets until I moved down Melbourne last year. The board has members from all over Australia and even some international ones. It's a great experience and I got to make a few good friends over the past one and a half year or so.

Anyway, the Melbourne meet was a BBQ at one of the member's place - Jay.

Thanks to the "cooks", we had nice BBQ sausages, chicken thighs, bacon, yummy wedges, and I especially love the banana walnut cake Albie's mum made. We ate, we had post-Christmas Kringle (where you exchange presents), we had presents "snatched", Transforming contests, played with the newest TFs not released in OZ yet etc. And nooo, the cute baby wasn't included in the gift exchange. :p

Thanks to the patient other-half's' who came along and sat around watching us grown-up boys and "girl" while we toyed around and talk all about Transformers. One of them even brought their little bundle of joy "little death cobra" that's her nick name, her dad doesn't want her real name to be mentioned. She is so adorable.

Group photo time! Not all that attended are here as some of them left earlier. From top-left, next to me: Jacksplatt11, Hungta, STL, Sifun, darling, Iceburn, Paulbot, Stompy, bottom-left: Demonac, his wife, cute baby, Iceburn's fiance and JayDisc. Note this are all their forum nicks, so don't look all funny when you're reading it. :D

Christmas 2008 Celebration, a Walk on The Boulevard at Ivanhoe and Cuckoos Restaurant at Dandenong

Firstly a very Happy New Year people! Us lazy bums (meaning darling and I) were home during New Years Eve doing what? Playing the new xbox 360 which we just bought.

Anyway this year we had our first Christmas celebration in city itself. In the past, I was usually back in Malaysia or we celebrated it in Gippsland. And I've gotta say the mood was felt much more in the city that Gippy. I was happy that mum was here this year to help me put up the christmas tree and decorations. Darling also helped in the decos like hanging the wreath and the "Season's Greetings" banner.

It was good to be able to catch up with friends and having mum around this year. The company is almost different every year, not much but we had extra friends which made it all the more fun. Anyway the tree was packed with presents all over, we ate (alot), sang carols, and played a number picking game for the random gift exchange and of course everyone had their fair share of designated presents as well. Full album on facebook. :)

On christmas night, Darling and I took mum on the trip to The Boulevard on Ivanhoe to view the christmas lights and decorations. (Sorry I know the spelling on the image is wrong, but I'm too lazy to change, haha... :p) We brought Jasper along who was happy just to take a walk.

The Christmas lights and decorations is an annual thing which was started by George Whitelaw in the 1950s. Every year many residents in the street cover their homes and front gardens with lights and other colourful Christmas decorations, attracting many people from all over over Melbourne to the extraveganza. We've been there a couple of times but this year there just weren't as many houses that decorated as in the previous years. The bad economy maybe?

Before Mum flew back, we also brought her to the Cuckoo's Restaurant for her sort of "farewell" luncheaon. She had a great time there, enjoying the food and the performances. Prices were steep at $40 per head for a buffet lunch though and $60 a dinner. But it was well worth for the experiece. (though it's the second time for me there.) :p

They had nice christmas decorations up as well and mum and I also just had to take a photo with the pretty waitress dressed in belvarian costume (I think). After lunch we also took a walk along the street to try and burn all the food that we ate. Mum also bought a cute keychain clock shaped as a mobile phone from one of the gift shops there.

I'll be missing mum till the next time I see her again. Darling and I were so lost in the first week as we we so spoilt by her cooking for us everyday. And now it's back to junk food and take aways for us again. :(