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!
*sorry for the delay – Mark’s off doing some living again!
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Things certainly weren’t going to script today. A deep frost [that's not unwelcome] but I’d left the treadley out and had to wash the seat with water to rid it of ice.
The dogs love the white icy paddock though..must be their Scottish background. Then that awful Insiders proving most of the commenters and Mr Denmore are on the money re ABC lock-step with the Murdochracy. Off to earn my little bit of daily bread but cancelled due to the nice day following the frost and a seasonal slump conspiring against me. But to top it all off Hawthorn and the Crows brought my excellent tipping results back to the ruck after last nights Demon’s one point win and Freo’s first success in Sydney. I’m starting to believe that tipping comp’s are adding stress to my TV footy viewing.
Things certainly weren’t going to script today. A deep frost [that's not unwelcome] but I’d left the treadley out and had to wash the seat with water to rid it of ice.
The dogs love the white icy paddock though..must be their Scottish background. Then that awful Insiders proving most of the commenters and Mr Denmore are on the money re ABC lock-step with the Murdochracy. Off to earn my little bit of daily bread but cancelled due to the nice day following the frost and a seasonal slump conspiring against me. But to top it all off Hawthorn and the Crows brought my excellent tipping results back to the ruck after last nights Demon’s one point win and Freo’s first success in Sydney. I’m starting to believe that tipping comp’s are adding stress to my TV footy viewing.
Went to the Ron Mueck exhibition at GOMA this morning with the kids – nine year old daughter thought it “gross”, while the seven year old boy was entirely captivated “I can even see the goose bumps…”. We harvested the mandarines up on the mountain yesterday so spent this afternoon juicing. I am now settling down to the “Inland Empire” dvd and some good cheese with the home made lime pickle.
Went to the Ron Mueck exhibition at GOMA this morning with the kids – nine year old daughter thought it “gross”, while the seven year old boy was entirely captivated “I can even see the goose bumps…”. We harvested the mandarines up on the mountain yesterday so spent this afternoon juicing. I am now settling down to the “Inland Empire” dvd and some good cheese with the home made lime pickle.
I’ve finally made some of your lime pickle, Eric (started about a couple of months ago), and it smell awesome – not quite ready to eat, though.
I’ve finally made some of your lime pickle, Eric (started about a couple of months ago), and it smell awesome – not quite ready to eat, though.
Eric, I’m kicking myself that I procrastinated too much and didn’t take my 2 to Ron Mueck.
Major day of housecleaning, punctuated only by a walk in the park in the sunshine with the dogs. Oh, and got a lovely new bottle holder for my bike, which will make it go heaps faster.
Eric, I’m kicking myself that I procrastinated too much and didn’t take my 2 to Ron Mueck.
Major day of housecleaning, punctuated only by a walk in the park in the sunshine with the dogs. Oh, and got a lovely new bottle holder for my bike, which will make it go heaps faster.
Just ignore this, trying to sort out my cookie permissions.
Just ignore this, trying to sort out my cookie permissions.
I did a fair bit of pouting and sooking. It was very enjoyable.
I did a fair bit of pouting and sooking. It was very enjoyable.
Was heartened that I could still buy a jug of spirits (in this case bourbon) at a bowls club and it was under $20.
Was heartened that I could still buy a jug of spirits (in this case bourbon) at a bowls club and it was under $20.
Zorronsky, I hear on the footy tipping pain. I’ve been doing really well (top 20 in a comp of about 250 people) and I think I only got four this week. I expect I’ll be sliding down the ladder. But at least the mighty Saints won.
Zorronsky, I hear on the footy tipping pain. I’ve been doing really well (top 20 in a comp of about 250 people) and I think I only got four this week. I expect I’ll be sliding down the ladder. But at least the mighty Saints won.
I went for a 15.5km run in preparation of half marathon in mid June, got a bit dehydrated (yuck), and then cooked my arse off tonight:
1) Bulgur pilaf
2) Old fashioned Mexican chili
3) Soft, gooey polenta with a) wilted greens and garlic & b) Toasted walnuts, rosemary and creme fraiche
4) Spicy eggplant sauce with rigatoni.
Cooking for the week done! Now time for sleep.
I went for a 15.5km run in preparation of half marathon in mid June, got a bit dehydrated (yuck), and then cooked my arse off tonight:
1) Bulgur pilaf
2) Old fashioned Mexican chili
3) Soft, gooey polenta with a) wilted greens and garlic & b) Toasted walnuts, rosemary and creme fraiche
4) Spicy eggplant sauce with rigatoni.
Cooking for the week done! Now time for sleep.
Spent most the weekend taking notes from Naval Documents of the Revolution. Thought the BBC (and by extension the ABC) was very cheeky tonight in their doco on the Dr. Who Vampires of Venice to insinuate at the end that vampires actuallyt existed. Loved it.
Spent most the weekend taking notes from Naval Documents of the Revolution. Thought the BBC (and by extension the ABC) was very cheeky tonight in their doco on the Dr. Who Vampires of Venice to insinuate at the end that vampires actuallyt existed. Loved it.
Returned to gloomy Uji today at the end of an hilarious rainy day in Kyoto. This trip is an early (by a month) 80th birthday present for my mum, who seems to have found herself adopted by five Japanese families so far and nearly picked up a couple of sepuagenarian boyfriends. Today she found herself the owner of a retired Kyoto Geisha’s family album, including the pictures from an Okinawa fishing holiday and a wedding in Singapore.
We won’t get a chance to see any cormorant fishing, but nevertheless we dined on cormorant-caught Ayu tonight.
It is raining in gloomy Uji, and the river is flowing fast beneath the local, Goddess-laden bridge.
Returned to gloomy Uji today at the end of an hilarious rainy day in Kyoto. This trip is an early (by a month) 80th birthday present for my mum, who seems to have found herself adopted by five Japanese families so far and nearly picked up a couple of sepuagenarian boyfriends. Today she found herself the owner of a retired Kyoto Geisha’s family album, including the pictures from an Okinawa fishing holiday and a wedding in Singapore.
We won’t get a chance to see any cormorant fishing, but nevertheless we dined on cormorant-caught Ayu tonight.
It is raining in gloomy Uji, and the river is flowing fast beneath the local, Goddess-laden bridge.
Oh, that is a copy of the prints, which the retired Geisha gave, unsolicited, to my mum in a coffee shop just south of Pontacho.
Oh, that is a copy of the prints, which the retired Geisha gave, unsolicited, to my mum in a coffee shop just south of Pontacho.
I went to my Mum’s and pondered the irony of IKEA naming their wardrobe of infinite possibilities and configurations the “PAX”. Pfft. What wags they are, I’m sure they anticipated the weekends lost to, “on second thoughts, I might go with the pull out baskets, they seem so handy….what do you think…?
This will be the third [or is it fourth?] trip to return something after similar ‘second’ thoughts. Damn them and their overly generous returns policy. Each time we go there my Mum is convinced of exactly what she wants, indeed she has a handy IKEA checklist, which promptly gets made redundant when the overly helpful and insanely pleasant staff offer to give her an animated tour of her new wardrobe configuration, and she realises she could fit so much more in the giant rectangular box that took me a whole day to put togather and maneuver into place. I tell you it is neverending. PAX? There’ll be a two state solution in israel/palestine before that wardrobe is finally finished, I tell ya
I went to my Mum’s and pondered the irony of IKEA naming their wardrobe of infinite possibilities and configurations the “PAX”. Pfft. What wags they are, I’m sure they anticipated the weekends lost to, “on second thoughts, I might go with the pull out baskets, they seem so handy….what do you think…?
This will be the third [or is it fourth?] trip to return something after similar ‘second’ thoughts. Damn them and their overly generous returns policy. Each time we go there my Mum is convinced of exactly what she wants, indeed she has a handy IKEA checklist, which promptly gets made redundant when the overly helpful and insanely pleasant staff offer to give her an animated tour of her new wardrobe configuration, and she realises she could fit so much more in the giant rectangular box that took me a whole day to put togather and maneuver into place. I tell you it is neverending. PAX? There’ll be a two state solution in israel/palestine before that wardrobe is finally finished, I tell ya
The tip of my nose
Tells me that winter is here
I slept snug
way past Insiders
as Adelaide soaked
up the cold rain.
The pup snuck back
under the patchwork.
Lazy Sunday.
The tip of my nose
Tells me that winter is here
I slept snug
way past Insiders
as Adelaide soaked
up the cold rain.
The pup snuck back
under the patchwork.
Lazy Sunday.
All around the world… wherever you are…
Dance in the supermart.
Dig it in the fast lane.
Listen to the countdown!
They’re playing our song again.
Q.: Do you read me?
A.: Loud and clear.
All around the world… wherever you are…
Dance in the supermart.
Dig it in the fast lane.
Listen to the countdown!
They’re playing our song again.
Q.: Do you read me?
A.: Loud and clear.
Watched the last episode of Foyle’s War. Probably the best…and last.
Helen @ 4…it is well worth the effort, there were a lot of kids there having fun, they also allow photographs, which is great cause m’boy loved standing next to the giant dead chook!! One can also see the New Zealand show as well for free, which is also good, the kids liked most of that as well, it has excellent kid friendly panels and a good kids section of animation.
GOMA is our salvation in Brisbane I reckon, what with the APT and the regular, good contemporary work. The cafe is useless and far to expensive, but the art does the job.
Helen @ 4…it is well worth the effort, there were a lot of kids there having fun, they also allow photographs, which is great cause m’boy loved standing next to the giant dead chook!! One can also see the New Zealand show as well for free, which is also good, the kids liked most of that as well, it has excellent kid friendly panels and a good kids section of animation.
GOMA is our salvation in Brisbane I reckon, what with the APT and the regular, good contemporary work. The cafe is useless and far to expensive, but the art does the job.
EtR @ 16,
Unless they set a series in America. Though this last one was made by piblic demand. Maybe that will happen again. (And Sam married happily ever after. How Cinderella.
EtR @ 16,
Unless they set a series in America. Though this last one was made by piblic demand. Maybe that will happen again. (And Sam married happily ever after. How Cinderella.
“(And Sam married happily ever after. How Cinderella.”
Paul@18, who would have thought that “Sam” in real life looks like this, with a name like that, and was married to a hypnotherapist in a Buddhist marriage?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeysuckle_Weeks
In the series I think she would have been better named “Bunty”. She’s a good man, anyhows!
Spiffing.
“(And Sam married happily ever after. How Cinderella.”
Paul@18, who would have thought that “Sam” in real life looks like this, with a name like that, and was married to a hypnotherapist in a Buddhist marriage?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeysuckle_Weeks
In the series I think she would have been better named “Bunty”. She’s a good man, anyhows!
Spiffing.
Come on fellers! Foyle is only going to America for a short visit. An excellent first episode of the next series would be for him to arrive back in Hastings just in time for the murder of Sam’s beloved. Gimme a few minutes to think up plot central points for another Two episodes.
Come on fellers! Foyle is only going to America for a short visit. An excellent first episode of the next series would be for him to arrive back in Hastings just in time for the murder of Sam’s beloved. Gimme a few minutes to think up plot central points for another Two episodes.
It were my birthday yesterday.
Little sis had me up for breakfast (she owns the apartment above mine). Knowing I’m not a breakfast person, it was pickled octopus, sopressa, marinated mushrooms, cheese and bread, with a layered hazelnut chocolate cake with brandy cream and whole toasted hazelnuts. Awesome. Word to the wise though – when you’re theatrically blowing out candles for your Skyped-in US relatives, be sure the cake is not decorated with finely shaved dark chocolate (or if it is, that you blow away from the computer).
Then had a rehearsal with my ‘other’ band, planning for hitting the studio in a month or so. We were in fine form, and wrote another song kinda by accident. Which threw a spanner in the ointment somewhat, as we were trying to cull material more than anything else.
Then I went to the Rose in Fitzroy to catch up with my Eagles-supporter friends and eat a cheap steak while the Saints clawed out the WCE’s eyes but somehow managed to make it boring. I felt sorry for the crowd most of all – I can’t muster the usual WA schadefreude when my boys are doing so well.
It were my birthday yesterday.
Little sis had me up for breakfast (she owns the apartment above mine). Knowing I’m not a breakfast person, it was pickled octopus, sopressa, marinated mushrooms, cheese and bread, with a layered hazelnut chocolate cake with brandy cream and whole toasted hazelnuts. Awesome. Word to the wise though – when you’re theatrically blowing out candles for your Skyped-in US relatives, be sure the cake is not decorated with finely shaved dark chocolate (or if it is, that you blow away from the computer).
Then had a rehearsal with my ‘other’ band, planning for hitting the studio in a month or so. We were in fine form, and wrote another song kinda by accident. Which threw a spanner in the ointment somewhat, as we were trying to cull material more than anything else.
Then I went to the Rose in Fitzroy to catch up with my Eagles-supporter friends and eat a cheap steak while the Saints clawed out the WCE’s eyes but somehow managed to make it boring. I felt sorry for the crowd most of all – I can’t muster the usual WA schadefreude when my boys are doing so well.
Happy Birthday for yesterday FDB.
Happy Birthday for yesterday FDB.
Happy Birthday FDB.
Happy Birthday FDB.
Happy Birthday for Yesterday, FDB. [loved the breakfast.]
Happy Birthday for Yesterday, FDB. [loved the breakfast.]
Happy Birthday FDB, & look out for those little ants in the computer now, as they will surely find all the choc shavings you thought you’d cleaned out, I speak from experience
Happy Birthday FDB, & look out for those little ants in the computer now, as they will surely find all the choc shavings you thought you’d cleaned out, I speak from experience
joe2 @ 19,
And thanks for that link to Honeysuckle Weeks. Have always been going to check her out but somehow never got round to it. (If I remember rightly she played a mean villain in Poirot quite some time ago.)
joe2 @ 19,
And thanks for that link to Honeysuckle Weeks. Have always been going to check her out but somehow never got round to it. (If I remember rightly she played a mean villain in Poirot quite some time ago.)
Went for a nice bushwalk, only a bit spoiled by the dirtbikes.
ban two-stroke engines now!
Went for a nice bushwalk, only a bit spoiled by the dirtbikes.
ban two-stroke engines now!
Happy belated birthday, FDB! or rather, belated happy birthday!
Happy belated birthday, FDB! or rather, belated happy birthday!
Happy Birthday to FDB!
Shopping, afternoon at friend’s place for kids to play, visit from old friend (did you know that you can finish school in Portugal without ever writing an essay??), church, lunch with other friends who live in Peter Garrett’s electorate. Husband told us that he wouldn’t ever vote for PG but thinks he was very unfairly treated over the insulation issue. Interesting…
Happy Birthday to FDB!
Shopping, afternoon at friend’s place for kids to play, visit from old friend (did you know that you can finish school in Portugal without ever writing an essay??), church, lunch with other friends who live in Peter Garrett’s electorate. Husband told us that he wouldn’t ever vote for PG but thinks he was very unfairly treated over the insulation issue. Interesting…
Apparently the economy as a whole is travelling well, according to car sales figures:
New motor vehicle sales surge by 8.4%
NEW motor vehicle sales surged 8.4 per cent in April, the biggest monthly increase in nearly a decade.
Buoyed by the strongest recorded sales of four-wheel drives, new motor vehicle sales rose 28.7% in the year to April, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said today.
The resources rich state of Western Australia led the charge, recording a 26.7 per cent jump in new vehicle sales in April to post a whopping 47 per cent annual increase in sales.
CommSec economist Savanth Sebastian said the 8.4% overall rise was the biggest monthly increase since December 2000, when it rose 15.3 per cent.
“There are certainly signs that the car industry will remain quite strongly supported over the next few months,” Mr Sebastian said.
He says the Federal Government’s vehicle tax breaks for businesses are still flowing through the economy after being wound up in December. [...]
So really, people should be pretty happy with the ALP over there. The stimulus worked well. Clearly, few believe that any cost on carbon will be imposed.
Apparently the economy as a whole is travelling well, according to car sales figures:
New motor vehicle sales surge by 8.4%
NEW motor vehicle sales surged 8.4 per cent in April, the biggest monthly increase in nearly a decade.
Buoyed by the strongest recorded sales of four-wheel drives, new motor vehicle sales rose 28.7% in the year to April, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said today.
The resources rich state of Western Australia led the charge, recording a 26.7 per cent jump in new vehicle sales in April to post a whopping 47 per cent annual increase in sales.
CommSec economist Savanth Sebastian said the 8.4% overall rise was the biggest monthly increase since December 2000, when it rose 15.3 per cent.
“There are certainly signs that the car industry will remain quite strongly supported over the next few months,” Mr Sebastian said.
He says the Federal Government’s vehicle tax breaks for businesses are still flowing through the economy after being wound up in December. [...]
So really, people should be pretty happy with the ALP over there. The stimulus worked well. Clearly, few believe that any cost on carbon will be imposed.
FDB
May your year (and breakfasts) be glorious.
FDB
May your year (and breakfasts) be glorious.
I drank lots of red wine.
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
I drank lots of red wine.
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Its very cold and probably wet in Armidale.(Too dark to see. Will be running back into the bedroom to get under the bedcovers soon.)
Its very cold and probably wet in Armidale.(Too dark to see. Will be running back into the bedroom to get under the bedcovers soon.)
Jane Prentice is running to replace Michael Johnson in Ryan. Now there is real choice in Ryan- who to put last! And people in ‘safe’ seats say the have no real options. If Jane Prentice runs I may for the first time in my voting life not be putting Michael Johnson dead last.
Jane Prentice is running to replace Michael Johnson in Ryan. Now there is real choice in Ryan- who to put last! And people in ‘safe’ seats say the have no real options. If Jane Prentice runs I may for the first time in my voting life not be putting Michael Johnson dead last.
Dreadfully late but no less earnest in wishing FDB a retroactively happy birthday.
Dreadfully late but no less earnest in wishing FDB a retroactively happy birthday.
Well thanks for all the best witches (I’m going to go ahead and assume Casey’s with me in spirit, as it were).
Hey, here’s a tale, which ends happily not-quite-just-in-time for my birthday…
I went on a canoeing trip down the Goulburn River a few weekends back. A birthday party for a good mate, with 19 of us 20- and 30-somethings, two to a canoe. It was fucking awesome, and highly recommended. Not too strenuous, gorgeous scenery.
Anyway, after two days’ rowing and an overnight bush camp (including the successful capture of many yabbies and a redfin, and the incineration of one of my shoes while I slept by the fire) we had as final destination the Tahbilk winery and its Wetlands Cafe for luncheon. The canoe blokes were to pick us up and take us back to Seymour and our cars.
So we arrive, with our booking made a month prior, and then begins the worst customer service I’ve experienced in a long while.
>They’d basically run out of food, to kick things off. There were 4 dishes on the menu to start with, and minus the roast chicken and beef pie options, that left some crappy veg pizzas on a pre-made frozen base and a seafood risotto to choose between.
>The french fries with aoli looked a good starter, but they were out of fries. FRIES!!! Frozen frickin’ potatoes. Wouldn’t you notice them running out? Wouldn’t you stock them for a week or more in advance? [they had 'chips', incidentally, but my suggestion that they put some of them in a bowl with aoli on the side and just pretend they were 'fries' was met with a "nah". My later suggestion, once my blood was properly boiling, that they lend me a knife and some potatoes and I'll make myself some goddam fries was similarly stonewalled]. They wouldn’t allow members of our party to have a single sausage roll, because they “only come in twos”. People had to collude and split an order, and frankly I’m amazed this was permitted.
There was lots more – e.g. the ‘risotto’ we almost all ordered was clearly made in one huge fuck-off pot, and from normal long-grain rice (jasmine I think), and was predictably shithouse – but the upshot is, I filled out a customer feedback form, which doubled as an entry form for a competition. I ticked ‘unsatisfactory’ for everything but the wine, for which I added a new column: “awesome to the max”. Truly, the ’05 Marsanne is supoib. My ‘other comments’ were “please call me for further information on our dreadful dining experience.”
The manager did, only two days later. He offered no lame excuses, except to agree with me that on a long weekend with unexpectedly good weather, late in Autumn, they probably had a lot more visitors than expected. Anyway, he was horrified, apologetic, and so on, and was clearly going to kick some arse. This was after all a group of young professionals (plus me), two of whom work in the wine trade. His main concern at the end was “how am I going to make sure you don’t avoid the place like the plague in future?”. I said that his call had done a lot, and I’d pass on his apologies to the rest of the group.
Fast forward to Monday just gone, and what should turn up on my doorstep but half a dozen bottles of choice vino [no Marsanne - curses!], and a free wine club membership.
Now I wouldn’t want to suggest anything untoward occurred in the prize draw, at least not so publicly as this. But… y’know… nice work Tahbilk. I might not make a special effort to eat there again, but I won’t kick up a stink if I’m invited.
Well thanks for all the best witches (I’m going to go ahead and assume Casey’s with me in spirit, as it were).
Hey, here’s a tale, which ends happily not-quite-just-in-time for my birthday…
I went on a canoeing trip down the Goulburn River a few weekends back. A birthday party for a good mate, with 19 of us 20- and 30-somethings, two to a canoe. It was fucking awesome, and highly recommended. Not too strenuous, gorgeous scenery.
Anyway, after two days’ rowing and an overnight bush camp (including the successful capture of many yabbies and a redfin, and the incineration of one of my shoes while I slept by the fire) we had as final destination the Tahbilk winery and its Wetlands Cafe for luncheon. The canoe blokes were to pick us up and take us back to Seymour and our cars.
So we arrive, with our booking made a month prior, and then begins the worst customer service I’ve experienced in a long while.
>They’d basically run out of food, to kick things off. There were 4 dishes on the menu to start with, and minus the roast chicken and beef pie options, that left some crappy veg pizzas on a pre-made frozen base and a seafood risotto to choose between.
>The french fries with aoli looked a good starter, but they were out of fries. FRIES!!! Frozen frickin’ potatoes. Wouldn’t you notice them running out? Wouldn’t you stock them for a week or more in advance? [they had 'chips', incidentally, but my suggestion that they put some of them in a bowl with aoli on the side and just pretend they were 'fries' was met with a "nah". My later suggestion, once my blood was properly boiling, that they lend me a knife and some potatoes and I'll make myself some goddam fries was similarly stonewalled]. They wouldn’t allow members of our party to have a single sausage roll, because they “only come in twos”. People had to collude and split an order, and frankly I’m amazed this was permitted.
There was lots more – e.g. the ‘risotto’ we almost all ordered was clearly made in one huge fuck-off pot, and from normal long-grain rice (jasmine I think), and was predictably shithouse – but the upshot is, I filled out a customer feedback form, which doubled as an entry form for a competition. I ticked ‘unsatisfactory’ for everything but the wine, for which I added a new column: “awesome to the max”. Truly, the ’05 Marsanne is supoib. My ‘other comments’ were “please call me for further information on our dreadful dining experience.”
The manager did, only two days later. He offered no lame excuses, except to agree with me that on a long weekend with unexpectedly good weather, late in Autumn, they probably had a lot more visitors than expected. Anyway, he was horrified, apologetic, and so on, and was clearly going to kick some arse. This was after all a group of young professionals (plus me), two of whom work in the wine trade. His main concern at the end was “how am I going to make sure you don’t avoid the place like the plague in future?”. I said that his call had done a lot, and I’d pass on his apologies to the rest of the group.
Fast forward to Monday just gone, and what should turn up on my doorstep but half a dozen bottles of choice vino [no Marsanne - curses!], and a free wine club membership.
Now I wouldn’t want to suggest anything untoward occurred in the prize draw, at least not so publicly as this. But… y’know… nice work Tahbilk. I might not make a special effort to eat there again, but I won’t kick up a stink if I’m invited.
It’s late, FDB, but Happy Birthday.
It’s late, FDB, but Happy Birthday.