Since we don’t live by politix alone (I sincerely hope), what did people get up to this weekend? Join in, share some tales, regulars and lurkers all!
I had a really pleasant weekend - Friday drinks, then dinner at Thai Wi-Rat in the Vall, and sweets at Gerbinos. Saturday I caught up with friends for brunch at Moray Cafe, popped into town for a bit of science fiction bookshopping at Pulp Fiction, and then went to Brian’s place for a joint birthday dinner (mine was actually ages ago but I was sick at the time, and his was much more recent) where we sorted out the problems of Australia and the world (sorta), looked at some old photos from Brian’s days on the farm as a teenager, and exchanged presents - Brian got a history of Prussia and I got a bottle of Cragganmore single malt! I can also recommend anchovy sauce. Today - internetting, sleeping!
Here’s some photos left over from last week’s peregrinations around the ‘hood.
If you’d like to see a larger image of the photos, click on them then click on “full view” once you’re inside the gallery.
The obligatory CityCat photo by *phenomenologist on deviantART
Coronet Flats II by *phenomenologist on deviantART
Coronet Flats by *phenomenologist on deviantART
Cool and green by *phenomenologist on deviantART
Leafy suburb IV by *phenomenologist on deviantART
Art Deco apts II by *phenomenologist on deviantART
Happy Birthday, Mark and Brian. May your lives be full of reading and drinking.
Thanks Paul!
Happy birthday Mark.
so… if you were 17 in 1985 (SEQEB reference point), did you turn the big four zero this year?
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Moved a small camellia, snipped up some lavender trimmings that were lying around for weeks during the Vic heat wave (yep, nowhere near as bad as Adelaide’s); mowed a slow-growing lawn, enjoyed the cool breezes. Put away the candles from Earth Hour but we resolved to have more candle-lit evenings. Starry nights too. Soil now damp after 45mm in five days. But last March we had 60mm, so still a bit on the dry side.
Gippsland can be great in autumn.
cheers
Sure did, Ambigulous! Back on 13th of Feb.
Coronet looks amazing
It’s a really beautiful building. Nice spot too - just down the river end of Brunswick Street opposite New Farm Park. I’d love to see inside.
Watched Sydney 22.14 (146) defeat Port Adelaide 11.12 (78) on a beautiful clear Sydney summmer day. (Sorry Pavlov’s Cat, but Sydney just outclassed ‘em).
Happy birthday Mark and Brian.
I bought a pillow. People can make of what they will, but actually there’s nothing to make (unless anyone wants to start a discussion on $65 pillows.
Mine was not a $65 pillow, btw.
I am saddened, but not surprised. At least the Crows beat the Eagles yesterday in the Battle of the Western Birds, but since I’m a Port supporter it’s fairly cold comfort.
Like Lefty E over on the wrong thread, I have spent most of the weekend working. Sigh.
And me, for a deadline I’m probably not going to meet. What small part of the weekend was not spent writing crap about Jane Austen (whom I’m really beginning to loathe) was frittered away on domestic disharmony.
[frittered away on domestic disharmony.]
Well at least some of your weekend was interesting Laura.
Many Happy Returns, Mark and Brian.
I was here:
[link]
and here
[link]
and the weekend before, here
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It was fun.
Dear Liam why on earth would you watch AFL at any time let alone a fine sunny Sunday in Sydney,I could think of about 1000 things to do rather than watch rubbish on TV.
On another matter watched Insiders this morning and after 15 min turned it off, why is the fat slimey toad Ackerman still on,he spent the bit I watched bagging Rudd,when is the ABC going to get some one to put Bolt and that waste of space in there place
Mark and Brian:
Happy Birthday x 2!
Would be interested in hearing opinion of “Iron Kingdom” when finished reading it.
Everyone:
Been ill …. however, did watch a few episodes of an excellent old BBC maritime drama series, “The Onedin Line” [that’s pronounced “o-nee-din” not “one-din”
]; more fun than Jane Austin.
Watched my son’s junior cricket match this morning, tried not to become
an ugly parent as I found myself drawn into the tension of the game. Thought to myself that cricket is the greatest game in the world. Enjoyed the threat of rain from the storm clouds sweeping in from Roebuck Bay and the rain itself when it finally arrived.
Had a yarn and a couple of beers with neighbours - living in a small country town isn’t so bad.
Thanks, everyone!
Graham, on Iron Kingdom - it’s a very good book - I read it myself early last year but unfortunately that’s long enough ago that I’m unable to go into too much detail.
Thanks, everyone from me too!
Mark’s right, we had a go at sorting the world out. Mark told me about Polanyi’s ideas on capitalism and gave me some homework to read. I’ve started, Mark, I’ve started. I’ll finish it tomorrow.
I’ve worked out what criteria you use to decide how to live (or rather where you look for criteria) but I’m not telling anyone. Not now, anyway.
I drove Mark home and then came back, as is my practice, straight down Brunswick Street through The Valley. Well at 2.30am The Valley was chockers with people. I thought they must be gathering for the Second Coming or something. The footpaths and cafes were full to overflowing. There were people lined up way down the street to get into some joint or other.
I’ll definitely give the place a swerve next time. Don’t these people have beds?
I’m doing the homework as well, Brian. Sorry, but I’ve started underlining bits in the hand-out which I’ll probably use for my essay:
No copying.
That’s why there’s a special 40 km an hour speed limit in the Valley from Thurs-Sat night. In case they run into a car on the way home to their beds!
Mark, the traffic was so thick you couldn’t get anywhere near 40kph. My main worry was that one of them would come flying onto the road in front of me.
That happened, coincidentally, last night right in front of me. Two of “them” lurched in front of a taxi whose driver stopped short with great reflex. “They” lurched onwards - oblivious that they’d escaped hideous injury. Fate is quirky.
Graham Bell, get well quickly!
Brian: “I’ve worked out what criteria you use to decide how to live… but I’m not telling anyone.”
What’s this, then? You’ve discovered the Secret of Life, but you’re not telling the rest of us?! Not very sporting of you, is it. Hey, waaaaiiit… is ‘not being very sporting’ part of the Secret?
Not as simple as that, I’m afraid, j_p_z. I’ve just decided which way I’d head to hack my way out of the jungle, or more likely, how I would judge someone else’s effort in hacking.
Saturday morning, computer doing strange things. In a fit of paranoia about the wonders of modern technology called on David Rubie for urgent expert assistance, which he provided that afternoon. Switched to Firefox, the minor intricacies of which I’m still mastering. Soon thanks to DR everything will be going brilliantly computer wise.Blogged, put even more books on Facebook, answered e-mails on Facebook. Read some more of The Revolution Remembered. Watched ABC TV.
Sunday, watched Insiders etc. Totally agree with views expressed about Piers and Bolt. Amazing demonstration of lack of intellectual capacity on the Right.(Andrew Robb pretty well made an idiot of himself on the Sunday Programme. Sometimes, only sometimesw, I love Laurie Oakes. This was one of those times.) Dipped into a few other books on my bookshelf I’d already read., a bit bored.Read more of Recollections, blogged, e-mailed, Facebooked. Sunday night, more of the delectable Robin Hood, loved East of Nowhere, more than lived up to my expectations. But do have one question - whate Deb Cox & other ABC writers got against real estate people? Or is it just developers? That I can understand.
Autumn festival time in Armidale, so eldest child got to march with her school. I took the middle one to swimming lessons and thankfully avoided the crowds. When we got home, the plan of swapping bedrooms with the middle child was half way started much to my dismay. Thankfully, my involvement other than moving the heavy stuff was playing with the baby (turned 1 this week). It’s no chore, she’s funny: plays jokes (such as they are) and insists on feeding you once she’s finished eating whatever glop is on the menu. ’tis funny in itself when you realise you’re stuffing your baby full of stuff you’d never eat yourself (apple cereal anybody?).
Finished watching “they shoot horses don’t they” - not sure whether it’s a good film or not. Some bits are great (spoiler) Red Buttons carking it while being dragged around by Jane Fonda who is “tired of losing” during one bit was genuinely affecting. The rest of it was by turns hammy, overwrought, underdone, scary (Susannah York washing herself in the shower, fully dressed, wide eyed, screaming). The ending sucks and probably worked much better in the book. Still, it’s nice to know Fonda could act when she wasn’t being lazy. Her and her brothers careers would have to be the most wasted in the last 40 years I reckon. Oh, and Bruce Dern is cool whatever he’s in - it’s funny to see him in that film and see him again in “Big Love” on SBS playing pretty much the same character.
J-P-Z [22];
Thanks mate. Slowly improving - would have rapid recovery if medication was 21-years-old and aged-in-oak.
Mark [16];
Shan’t have time to read any 800-page book this year but ill put in a library request for “Iron Kingdom” next year.
Is Prussia undergoing a surge of interest similar to that in Ireland? What’s next? The Swedish Empire? The Russian drive into Siberia? Australia?
Jay-sus I used to live at the Coronet flats too. And that photo on the river was taken from Kangaroo Point near another one of my ex-abodes.
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What’s going on? Are you people working for my ex-landlords? Look I told you before. The dynamite wasn’t mine.