A Life More Ordinary

New Year's Eve

2012-01-04T10:53:00.000+11:00

We are not traditionally New Year's Eve revelers; rather we tend to stay up, and when midnight strikes say Happy New year and thankfully go off to bed.
This year with Wendy and Celia (and planned Sue) I decided we would have some structure to get us through the evening. So I planned a meal and activity where each person had to teach us something.

I drew up a rough timetable so Wendy and Celia knew what was happening, this last minute step was quickly jotted down on a piece of newspaper handy!

Pre dinner snacks

As I was cooking, my lesson was 'How to make gyoza' so we had that as well as other snacks (made from my Christmas present from Lynne et al 'Tapas dishes") We had this with Champagne out on the decking with 'idle chatter'

Then the program called for Celia who had chosen to teach us about Art journaling which is a big activity of hers.

Art journaling combines the written language and the visual language to give a greater breadth of expression and understanding. In essence art journaling is the combination of art making and journaling with the intention to create greater insight and understanding of the self and others. Art journaling is about expression, both written and visual, of emotions and thoughts; it is a space for questions that may not have answers, a place for thoughts that may otherwise not have a home, a safe container for emotions so that they do not have to be loose in the world. Although the journal can become an extension of the self, it can also be a place to play and experiment with art materials.

Wendy considering her next step

After several stages

The work space

While we felt we did not have Celia's creativity we were pleased with our effort.
Following this we had dinner. A Mediterranean Chicken with cous cous with pistachios. Again from the Christmas present "Quick fillets"
We then had a video to watch Gettin' Square a great Australian Comedy with the Logie winning role of David Wenham.. the court scene a ripper!
This was followed by dessert of apple & rhubarb crumble. I made lots of crumble topping but went a bit over board! Plenty for the next day!
Wendy then taught us to play Cluedo that she had had for years (probably a collectors edition!) but never played. She brought it down to leave for our holiday guests and we also had never played it though it was well known to us all.
After the first game we developed the strategy needed to eliminate the person the weapon and the room and in the final game, interrupted by midnight and a toast, I decided correctly that it was Mrs White in the Lounge with the iron bar!
Happy New Year

A long Aireys Stay

2012-01-04T10:03:00.000+11:00

We headed off to Aireys Inlet on Boxing day and had a qiuck run now that a new section of the M8 is open We were cruising along the Freeway when we saw an exit to Colac and next thing we were on a stretch of road we didn't recognise and started looking around to see where were; no build up to the exit, no lights X 3 and no negotiating cars missing the Anglesea turn off. The trip now take 75 mins Max.
Others who came down were not so lucky as Anglesea roundabout was a hazard.
We spent time clearing our cupboards as we had taken down some new crockery and the wine rack from Footscray. That led to another cupboard etc. and a decision to get some plastic containers at the Salvos in Anglesea. We also found the phone line was down and that took some phoning and dealing but all OK after 48hrs.
Celia's friend Annemarie came down with her daughter Teaghan and husband Pete who is a keen surfer. They had come down from Newcastle for Christmas and he had no luck finding anywhere to stay from Melbourne to Lorne to fit in a few days surfing. He was over the moon when we suggested he could come down when we were there.

So they went off to the beach and Annemarie stayed for a long catch up with Celia. Fran also came down for the day so we had lunch on the back deck where I had installed the outdoor table from the shed. Fran brought her whipper snipper so she and I did the back garden as I had had no responses to my message to the local guy. Decided we will get one for the house for early trims as it gets high.

Wendy came down later in the day, but unfortunately Sue was not able to come as she has hurt her back. Wendy did her sterling job of window cleaning! Inspiring me to do the kitchen ones. The upper level ones are beyond us. Need a 20ft extension pole!

A great place to nap or read

I also re hung the ropes for the Hammocks It was hard to find two trees in a good alignment! Considering there are so many trees there!

Celia in her jammies preferred the chair in the shade after a sun burn on 1st day.

The deck is working out well. Becoming a centre of activity

We spent the days reading, walking Spencer on the beach where he is allowed, speed and traditional scrabble, the Age crosswords (been saving them up) and eating and more chat and reading.
A Great week

Christmas Eve

2012-01-03T12:01:00.000+11:00

This year Celia being home for Christmas we offered to have dinner at our place and decided on Xmas Eve rather than Christmas Day.

So we planned a menu, Celia did the table setting and though we didn’t have a Tree we had gifts piled up by the fire in the living room.

THE PRESENTS STACKED UP!

Celia did the table setting while I did the cooking

Andrew Lynne Nick & Kate arrived first, with Bridie and Sean with Dylan arriving a few minutes later.

We started off with drinks and nibbles on the back deck with a timely reminder from Celia of the Pita crisps I had made (but left on the kitchen bench) It was warm enough to sit out there comfortably but we adjourned inside to open presents before dinner.

Sean & Dylan (food all gone!) Bridie & Kate

This was a lengthy process but most enjoyable.

Dylan got the idea of tearing the paper but not too bothered by what was inside. I gave him a dump truck and Santa bought him a circus tent as he loves to go in and out of small spaces.

Celia watching Dylan checking out his Gift. Nick looking on

We used Mum's dinner service and it looked very festive with Celia’s red and gold table setup.

Kate Lynne & Andrew

Christmas Day

2012-01-01T22:21:00.002+11:00

Christmas day dawned not too early and Celia and I had our traditional Santa’s stockings full of essentials of everyday life from Emery boards to great stationery items and soaps etc.

Celia gave me two beautiful bangles from St Croix in the Virgin Islands, traditional designs one with a gold shackle (screw fitting on a boat) and the other infinity symbol. They fit me beautifully as they open (my hands are too wide for normal bangles.)

The speaker at work!

She also gave me a ‘Speaker genius” a small battery operated gadget that you plug into the ipod and then the small speaker about size of 20 cent piece works when sitting on any hollow item Tissue box, jar, couch arm etc Magic!!!

I gave her a book called ONE a sort of philosophical and journal book She loves it!

We had an indulgent breakfast of French Toast and raspberries and a glass of champagne in our new kitchen.

Andrew’s swimming pool is at last finished and we went down for a swim and Spa after tea. The pool is amazing and gets lots of comments from passers by along Patterson River to which it backs. Andrew swims daily and the magnesium in the water has almost cured Nick's excema!

Looks like a resort!

The resort owners and dog! (With toy bunny)

Celia with Nick & Kate

Maddy's Ducks in festive mood

Nick and Kate entertained us with a Saxophone performance; Nick especially is doing very well on his music. Also topped his Japanese he reminded me, as I promised to take him to Japan in early Year 10. Have it on the agenda for 2013

However Christmas day afternoon was marred by an ENORMOUS HAIL STORM, It started just as we headed out from Footscray and we managed to take shelter under a bridge and waited out the hail. It was about ‘cool mint ‘ size but small compared to some around the State that was as big as oranges!!

We headed off as the hail eased but the rain was so heavy that along Footscray Road we couldn’t see the side of the road so again took shelter in a factory, The only shelter being under a reception awning!! But no one around to bother us!

Settling In

2011-12-17T09:11:00.000+11:00

I am settling in to my new space in the new Building. The RCH Revue on Thursday night was a well attended event. Needless to say there was a lot of bashing over the trials an tribulations of the move planning. An ongoing comedy skit of Captain Spotless (the security and cleaning management Company) ensuring no one made a mess of the new place, included a kid coming to the front door with an icecream and the getting wrapped in plastic by orange clad Captain Spotless. A whole roll of glad wrap! Lots of amusement from passers by! But no-one batted an eye lid. It is a kids hospital after all!

However have you seen the cartoon of a child's swing set being designed by a committee, well obviously the RCH design team was not told of the Function or practice of something!
I was in outpatients last week to weigh a baby who was attending clinic, and I went to weight her, Luckily she is a tiny dot!

Where do you put the baby to undress?? The gadget at R is for length

However so not to be negative here is a view of the decoration in the lifts and a view out West from the 3rd floor

I particularly love the cow!

Dylan climbing

2011-12-11T10:58:00.000+11:00

Seeing Dylan last week it is no surprise to see he is now climbing! Have to move things up higher!
He had a box with a new push toy that Sean had not unpacked but he tipped it over, then decided to try climbing.

Toddlers always look so precarious but have a good sense of their centre of gravity.

All done!

And for a finale he showed his head stand!!

Aren't his curls lovely!

He also learned the trick, that when he doesn't want to be picked up he just makes his shoulders all limp, so your hands just slip up his arms!!

The new RCH

2011-12-08T23:27:00.000+11:00

It has been a long 5 years in the building of the new Hospital but it has also sped by and hard to believe that we moved in last week!
It was a time of packing up and discarding years of papers books toys etc. A lot was taken home as there was no space or new systems that meant we could not have what we had before. We had a crate each and our computer.

I am now settled at a new work station. (I was going to show a comparison of my office space but after loading photos from my iPhone, my iPhoto library has disappeared!) along side many of the paediatricians with whom I work daily.

The clinical offices is a huge area, stretching along the whole front of the building I am on the third floor at the end where the red shades (Emergency) change to pale green.

The huge open space of 'Main Street" creates a wonderful light filled area, and a great view as I walk from the wards to the offices (the wards are at the west end back so still a fair hike if I don't co-ordinate my travels!)

The main enquiry desk with one of the walkways with timber surfaces

View from level 2 The main Street goes up the 5 floors

The Creature in the foyer. Off to the left of it is the Outpatients area and the Meerkats

Nurses' desks

The wards are in a star shape design with 3 Pods of single rooms radiating out from central work office and reception desk, so each room has an outside window.
In the centre of each pod is a Nurses' station; One catch is that there is no real landmark to help visualize where you had been except the room number.
In old place it was 3rd section bed on the right.etc. But I guess we will work out a new way of remembering.

A quiet space at the end of one of the pods.

The Play room

A single room with the mother's bed area.

The room above the mother had set up a playmat for the baby on the floor. His cot is to the right of the picture. On the left the wall is the corner of the en suite.

The wards are all named for the level they are on. Lower ground is underwater, so Dolphin Short stay ward. Ground floor Main street so services like food outlets chemist, gift shop Immunisation centre etc (we still have McDonalds but it is no bigger than the adjacent Sushi place)

1st floor Country. Banksia and Kelpie;

2nd Floor Forest. Sugar gliders (my main ward) and Kookaburra

3rd floor Treetops. Koala and Rosella, and the Possum Surgical Day stay Unit

4th floor Mountain tops Cockatoo and Platypus (yes!!) Kids already pointing out they have never seen a platypus in a tree!! but I guess they are in mountain streams.

5th floor Sky Butterfly Neonatal Unit.

The art work is all in keeping with the level.

The Sugar Glider

The pillars by the ward lifts have pictures and information re the level

And then there are the open spaces, play areas and view from all angles all looking at gardens or parkland.

The Back door. Into the garden and park from Main Street.

The children's playground from the floors above

A inner courtyard from the Outpatient waiting area

View from an east facing child's room

The Meerkat enclosure(one in middle of pic.)

The Aquarium is a huge tube rising through three levels from emergency

View from an Outpatient area to an inner courtyard

Angels & Demons

2011-10-26T20:56:00.001+11:00

The Angels Demons statues were outside the Art Centre as well as the town hall for the Melbourne Festival
Displaying bat wings, reptilian tales and innocent charming faces reticent of Botticelli cherubs, the works evoke mixed feelings of warmth, affection and disgust. It’s up to the viewer I think to decide on whether these works classify as cute or something a bit more sinister.

Angels-Demons. Parade is the handiwork of subversive Russian art collective AES+F, an outfit known for their irreverent hybrid works incorporating a broad spectrum of imagery.
They are sexless and innocent or not depending on your view. The shiny black, works as a reflective surface so you see yourself in them. That may affect your perception!

From AES+F website

First Rider (2007)
Angels-Demons. Parade* (2009)
AES+F
3D Modeling – Roman Ivanyuchenko
Alain de Lille was a mystic and a commentator on the Apocalypse. Here is our version of Apocalypse.
We present an apocalyptic parade, which does not constitute the end of the old world. It's the beginning of a new one. The Angels-Demons are infants.
They are all new born and, like embryos, all have tails – long or short, sometimes just pushing through their nappies. All have wings, also of varying sizes. The clear difference between angels and demons, which is common to all cultures, does not exist here. Evil may look like good and vice versa.
They resemble twins – every angel has an identical brother. Or sister. We can't tell which gender as they're at the age when human infants have a strong outward resemblance to each other and are impossible to tell apart. They have the faces of peoples who never settled in Europe but towards whom Europe strived.
Both works (The First Rider and Angels-Demons) are parts of one idea. The First Rider is our vision of Virgin on the Beast. The premiere of The First Rider took place in the State Russian Museum, St-Petersburg in 2007, and then it was shown in MACRO, Rome, Ruzicska Gallery, Salzburg (2008), and Lille, France (2009). The premiere of Angels-Demons was in Lille, France during festival «lille3000» in 2009.

Royal Visit

2011-10-26T20:41:00.000+11:00

It was a weird feeling day at work today with the Queen arriving to open the New Hospital (not actually open until Nov 30th) with staff all dressed up and absent!
http://media.theage.com.au/news/national-news/the-queen-opens-the-royal-childrens-again-2730873.html

our view over the front entrance

The medical staff in Mike's Dept who were not invited had a sweep as to what colour she would be wearing! Michale Marks won with his choice of hot pink.
The female RMOs all wore small tiaras and looked suitable impressive to all the patients!

Her black car arriving ! My view of the Queen!

I went up at 1120 after I had seen a patient, to the Care by Parent unit that overlooks the front entrance and we had front row seats, with one of my patients and his mother who are in the Unit.
But all I saw was the car arrive and her in pink dimly seen!! and then went to a meeting with the aforesaid RMO's.

Her pink dress. The white haired woman is Dame Elizabeth Murdoch (101 and in a wheelchair now)

The crowds at Fed Square

School kids out in force! Many dressed as Princesses!

Today Mike also showed me where I will have my workstation (goodbye office, hello company!) in a group of 4 with Lionel Lubitz, Tom Connell and Nigel Crawford, all of whom I work with regularly. It will be interesting to see how we work in the 'public' eye.

Lights, Action

2011-10-21T20:11:00.000+11:00

I was going to contact the local business Loveluvo to get a handyman to do the last minute carpentry of the kitchen, when Michelle mentioned that her brother Liam ( a final year carpenter's apprentice) had not been paid for the last 4weeks as his boss had got into a legal wrangle with a building he was doing and the owners were not paying.
So I emailed Fran to ask if perhaps he would like some work. The boss has signed off on his apprenticeship so that is good and he has a job interview next week. He has been relying on money from the riding education he does. He leaped at the chance and came down last night to work today.
I am also getting him to renail the back deck as the boards are all loose. He said the wood is fine it just needs new decking screws (they have a twist in them ...pays to watch / read Better Homes & Gardens!) He will also fix the latch on the gate.
He has a show jumping tomorrow so will be back next week to do these extras.
But I asked him to take out the exhaust fan, replace the ceiling boards where the fan was, and do the window architrave.
He looked at the variety of architraves around the house (5 different sorts!) but I said I just wanted it simple like the doors of the hall and our rooms.
And could he put in two down lights using the power from the fan. His mate Tad is an electrician, but Liam had done it before but if he came across a problem he would be able to check with Tad.
He returned the boards I had bought (I got 3 pieces 1.2 mt instead of 2.1 mts in my illness daze!) and I gave him cash for the lights etc
I left for my private practice about 930 but didn't get home till 6pm, and was blown away! It is GREAT!

The Fan gone, boards replaced and a new downlight

Note the upper board!! and well lit sink

And light when we eat!!!

Commuting

2011-10-20T15:00:00.000+11:00

I have started using public transport for any trips into the city in the evening of late, and find I can be in or home in 15-20 minutes often far quicker than peak hour traffic.
I know there are lots of complaints for peak hour commuters, but I drive to North Melbourne, (more train lines change there, so more frequent choices) and can park at the door.
The longest I have had to wait is 8 minutes Av. 1-4mins, and on return max was 9 minutes av 4-5. Trip city to North Melbourne is 10 minutes
Last night I was part of the VicFEAT at the Royal Australasian College of Paediatricians in st Kilda Rd.
The topic was feeding problems and they had 72 sites logged in to the teleconference from around the country. It went over very well and was really great.
It is just past Toorak Rd so I caught the tram.

Flinders St Station ; about to have an upgrade

On the trip back I had to wait for 6 minutes for a tram (well under the 9 minute maximum!) and I sat in the tram shelter to read my Kobo. I'm reading "The Address Book" by Jane Clifton and was having a laugh as she described how she stayed awake a lot at the house in Cardiff as she had read a Conan Doyle story of a woman being killed by the villain letting a spider into the room via an air vent and it pierced her eyeball, the venom making her go mad and hang herself and the villain inherited her money! (Jane did question how one lies there asleep with one's eyes open. Jane was 11 at the time!)
Anyway the tram arrived and I walked out on to the tram stop and got on a mod filled tram. Sat down opposite a man, who was staring into space, opposite were 3 girls all texting and behind me 4 women talking about work.
Here is how to initiate interaction with tram passengers!
I settled to read the KOBO again and felt something on my hand, looked down and there was a mod size huntsman!
I may have squawked but I flicked my hand and flicked the spider onto the man opposite, who seemed to sense something and looked down to where it had landed on his shirt's short sleeve.
I said "Sorry, a huntsman!' ALL the women heard! He flicked it off and it landed on the empty seat beside him, and he looked a bit helpless with nothing in his hand.
I said "Do you want a shoe?" so I took off my shoe (summer weather, so slip ons) and ignoring all thoughts of Karma hit it 3-4 times and flicked it to the floor.
The women were all up and saying "Did you get it, is it gone?"
The guys said "Yes , She saved my life!"
Applause all round and we settled back!

The slave

2011-10-16T13:41:00.000+11:00

I am sure someone must have said that he who starts a garden is a slave for life!

The garden looks good but looks can be deceptive.

The intruder of past years was the wandering jew (Tradescantia albiflora Why the Tradescants gave their name to this pest!) that I have managed to eradicate over the years. Then a few years ago this new weed that I call @#X*@.

I think it is something called Chenopodiaceae and is a herb called Fat Hen!

The Fat Hen

It is spread by seed and unfortunately while I have been laid up it has been raining and everything is thriving including this little Fat Hen. Combined with Spencer traveling underneath he spreads the seeds on his coat.

It grows along the side path as well coming under fence from next door. I heard him say yesterday that he'd sprayed that so why was it still there? Maybe because I throw the ones I pull up over the fence sometimes!! Bodes ill for my spray plans!!

The lush look of the garden is deceptive as most of it is this blasted weed. So feeling a bit more active I attacked the garden.

Had a short break when it rained but stopped when the green bin was full of weed!

Amazing what appeared with the removal of the wall of weed

View to fence and Borage struggling in the forest.

Dainty Bess was there with some blooms

The same bit of fence and Dainty Bess

Dainty Bess (bought for memory of Maddy's Aunty Bess)

The choked rose and Sage

Room to breathe and the path visible

The mass of plant over the path was mint, and more Pineapple sage became apparent Bottom L of above pic.)

Also planted the Fuschia (a pink one not a Fuschia one Celia! ) next to the nectarine

The pole apples are in bloom as well and look great

Extra views

2011-10-16T11:53:00.000+11:00

Celia and I had a rather interrupted Skype call last night.

My lap top keeps going off line, so I now know the log on by heart!

But she pointed out a few views of the kitchen she has not seen so here they are.

The sink and cabinets. Off centre to fit the dishwasher. But they are lined up with centre of cupboards!

The sink with new mixer tap and tiles at back, not rotting board!

View to the table (Spencer's mat back in situ in corner)

The dishes drawer. I tried out the mat to stop them all sliding to the back

All the cutlery in one place, and a place of its own!


The new clock.(Balwyn Op Shop)I don't need two anymore as I can quickly calculate NY time. New roses.

A good decision

2011-10-15T17:46:00.000+11:00

I have been feeling a little better the last few days. Not so tired after exertion, so was keen to try to go sailing again today. The weather looked mild so I was optimistic.
I went to the Post office to send off an order of my booklets (40!) and joined a big queue at the Seddon Post office (open Saturday!) then went down to Port Melbourne.
Ursula, next door neighbour asked me if I was going to the shops, so after some painful interpretation I realized she wanted a new fitting for her front tap and hose. It was very stiff getting it on and off the tap.
So I stopped at Bunnings in Port and got that for her, and arrived at the club feeling a bit tired, So sat and had a coffee and chatted to those coming and going.
Then I went down to help Cliff finish off rigging the boat and the wind was coming up, and after half an hour with the boat I went back in to get lunch. By then I had the shakes and feeling decidedly less than fit!
So as it was getting stronger wind rather than a gentle sail around I decided not to go sailing , and after the briefing I went home. But not before the breeze evened out a bit!! I toyed with going out but stuck to my decision.
I am not sure if they made it to the start line as the boats usually leave the beach at 130 and the race starts at 2pm and finishes about 430.
This is the graph of the wind during the day.

It certainly was the calm before the storm!!

The Magic Flute: Melbourne Festival

2011-10-15T17:27:00.000+11:00

The description of thirty South African performers performing an explosion of choral song, marimbas, drums and township-style percussion celebrating the spirit of contemporary Africa sounded too good to miss though I have never seen The Magic Flute (though it is in the coming season An interesting comparison!)
But I read up on the plot (or is there a term for an opera story, maybe libretto?) so I knew what was happening. They kept to the original work but singing in English with some free interpretation,

The flute with the trumpet in the background

When Papageno was telling Tamino how he rescued him from the serpent. "First I was afraid, I was petrified" he says
The Magic flute sound was a jazzy trumpet that was really stirring !
The three spirits were in short skirt lilac suits with handbags on their arm and white wings.
Infusing this joyous opera with the distinctive sound and beat of South African instrumentation, the world-famous Isango Ensemble have breathed new life into Mozart’s timeless opera.
It was really enjoyable with superb voices in the lead roles as well as great chorus voices and dancing

The priest

The stage was canted forward with the musician on the sides,and using percussion,marimba (wooden xylophone) all at the edge of the stage played at times with great enthusiasm.
All the woman were, as Precious Ramotswe would say, of traditional build!

Pamino

Planting

2011-10-14T17:44:00.000+11:00

The wonderful thing about seeing other gardens is how it inspires you to get down and dirty.
It was when Celia and I visited somewhere in the bush that we saw a big herb garden and we realised how great they can look. Which led to digging up part of the back garden and relaying a herb garden.

Similarly when Maddy and I went to see the Australian Native Garden down at Cranbourne I saw the effect of mass planting. Not just a plant that was nice but lots of the same one!

Native Garden's Banksia

Japanese gardens also follow this principle esp with Cherry blossom!!

My garden is not so massed but 'running wild' is a good principle I think, with places to relax and admire the views

But what inspired this day's blog was the bottle brush out in bloom along the foot path to South Kensington station, I could see it coming out over the last few weeks but today it was MAGNIFICENT.
It is the length of the whole road!

View toward station

Other direction

The gorgeous blossoms

All done but painting

2011-10-14T17:12:00.000+11:00

Celia reminded me I had not put in a photo of our new appliance!
New also in the sense that I have never had one before!!!
Always been a hands on activity for me and shared around among the siblings as we grew up, with clear division of labour!
I do believe they still lead to arguments about whose area of responsibility.


The dishwasher A Fischer & Paykel 2 drawer model New tiles all grouted look great eh?

The Tiling

2011-10-12T15:28:00.000+11:00

An early call with the door bell going at 745 (yes it now works!) and it was Chris from Direct Kitchens to finish the kick board of the dishwasher. He also noted that the stove was set below the level of the bench (the closed lid was level) but it would mean that heat/flame would be on edge of the bench, so he fixed that, also fixed a drawer that was slightly sticking and gave me the accurate measurements for the window architrave.

the little tgs go when the grouting goes in!

Quinton then got the tiling going and did a good job to balance the tiles, as the detail tile is smaller than the other. But I am very happy with the result. As glass tiles absorb moisture more slowly he will leave the grouting till they have adhered and will be back Friday for a last hour's work.
All the stuff is now back in the kitchen and we no longer look like a garage sale.
Last thing the painting!!

Foley- Melbourne festival

2011-10-11T15:03:00.006+11:00

Last night I went to see FOLEY at the Fairfax. Basically a history lesson on Black activism in Australia.

For more than forty years, Gary Foley has been involved in the continuing struggle against foreign invasion. As activist, academic and actor, he's been one of the key figures in ensuring that the Aboriginal experience is not written out of this land's history.

Having spent decades spinning the yarns of black Australia, both past and present, he now uses his well-honed skills as troublemaker, teacher and teller of tales to bring his experiences to the stage/.

It was a very entertaining 2 hours with video clips esp of the Aboriginal embassy rise and fall, politicians promises that were watered down,voices and faces in the activism area, as well as just funny stories.

Especially clips of ABC episodes of the stage show Basically Black from the 70's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8GJO1oyLC0&feature=related

His final message was that

Native Title is NOT land rights

and Reconciliation is NOT Justice.

Melbourne Festival: The Manganiyar Seduction

2011-10-09T10:15:00.000+11:00

I bought tickets for the Melbourne Festival that will run over October
The first one was Saturday night and I was unsure whether I would go but after resting for a few hours I headed out, driving to North Melbourne station at 7pm got a train in 3 minutes and arrived with 5 mins to spare Very relaxing trip!
The picture of this was what made me decide to try it.

The bottom left flute was AMAZING

Some of the drummers

A darkened stage comes slowly to life; a conductor gestures and lights flare, as curtain-lined boxes stacked upon the stage are illuminated, revealing white robed musicians who begin a hypnotic Eastern melody. The languid refrain slowly builds, as more boxes blaze to life, and more musicians - dozens more, 42 in all, singing and playing lutes, percussion and reed instruments - join an increasingly frenzied symphony.
It started slowly with the lute wailing for at least 5-10minutes, but then it started to build and was absolutely stirring and fantastic!!

The conductor played castanet type things and was dancing around

At the end everyone was on their feet roaring and clapping, that went on and on!
The leader Roysten Abel spoke briefly reading a letter from a patron the previous night (very witty and funny) from Geoffrey Rush!
The Manganiyars in bygone days performed for the Rhajasthani kings of India. A centuries old musical tradition runs in the veins of these Muslim minstrels and Roysten then talked about getting Visas for the 41 musicians nearly all of whom have the surname Khan! (not sure how that occurs as they are not all family)

Yacht Club Open Day

2011-10-09T09:52:00.000+11:00

Sailing actually started 4 weeks ago but they have had no racing due to the strong winds. I am sailing with Cliff this season, having sold my boat, but crew Steve was away one week, Cliff another, me sick another so we hoped to get together Saturday for official Open Day.

Boats on the beach and corner of new change rooms

Hobies were out in force

The forecast was for light wind so seemed a good day for me to start, but Steve was only flying back today. However by the time 1pm came around I was already tired, so Cliff said he would sail with Bernard in what was a very slow day. It was not cold but very grey.

The sign on board with magnetic scanner cards

Arriving in for the Race briefing. Michale Broise Past Commodore

A bit light on for staff in the Race Tower

The crowd for briefing with Commodore John(r) in red and blue

Due to the lack of sailing over the last month there was a good roll up for the first day, but I stayed around for the sail past and had long catch up chats with people before briefing then went back to rest.

Seddon shop

2011-10-07T09:20:00.001+11:00

I am saving the last photos of the Kitchen until the tiling is done on Wednesday. If I waited till the painting was done it may be years!! But I do have a plan to use the services of a local business called LoveLuvo. http://www.wcig.org.au/social-firms/luvo.aspx

Shop sign

Luvo is both a retail store and manufacturing business committed to providing employment opportunities to people with a mental disability.

They stock products from small businesses as well as employ staff to do packaging, creating bags etc They sell bulk laundry and kitchen products and refill shampoo etc
Good products that I have been using in the last 12 months. Been the source of most gifts lately!
On Friday they had a VIP night with a glass of wine nibbles and sale of 20% off shop stock and 50% off stock in the back.
Don't how VIP we were as there seemed to be half of Seddon population there! A pleasant hour.
All the chat was the new supermarket / grocer opening next door next month

Installation

2011-10-05T14:50:00.000+11:00

Had a bit of a lie in as the two guys today didn't arrive till after 8. We stood around looking at the hole in the floor. The boards run towards the window they have just been cut off at the edge of the bearer! But they are going to use some chip board from the old cupboards to cover it.
I got Spencer outside with a bone as they arrived, so he has just been sulking at the back door as I sit in my red chair. Barking as anyone new arrives.
One of the guys is about 6.2 and has hit his head on the kitchen door jamb three times. They guys think it's a great joke that he hasn't learnt to duck after the 2nd time! I know it is lower than normal but not had anyone affected before. Maybe Andrew always ducks!

The stove is sticking out till the power is done

the lower shelf is for the microwave

Pot drawers and wine rack

At 230 the installation guys have just left and they are checking if the plumber and electrician can get back today. They are currently in Avondale Heights and need to install the dishwasher and attache the power for the stove and microwave.
If they can't it will have to be Friday as I am off at 645am tomorrow and not back till 8pm +.
But you can see the way it will be. Just realised I haven't got the sink there but will add a pic when I have the dishwasher as well
Will not start replacing things till Friday. Still quite tired after little effort!
The tiler will be here next week and of course then there is painting!

A new one

2011-10-05T13:47:00.000+11:00

Just got back my latest booklet from the Printer.

The Clingy Baby joins my other two small but successful publications

The Demolition

2011-10-04T15:34:00.000+11:00

Amazing how fast workmen can get something done! He arrived at 7:15 am and was starting as I left for work. I managed to cope at work till about 2pm but have come home to rest up.
The demolished kitchen is all out the front as they have more staff to cart away after the installation so they take it all at once.

The old stuff. Rescued a sushi plate I had missed in the cupboard!

They have delivered the bits to be installed so that is cuttering up the place.

There are always a few surprises when one pulls stuff out. (When we had the stumps done they found all of the old lathe and plaster from the lounge under the house!)
This time there are no floor boards under the sink! No wonder we had mice getting in!

The floor under the sink

Also the cork tiles before the new Lino we had were not original, as under the cabinets is some old lino.

the old lino

New plaster wall, hole in floor and taps in wall

Only glitch that I rang them about, is that the taps are still in the old spot, and it is to be a mixer tap coming from the sink not the wall. Maybe the plumber has not been here yet and that is just the carpenter's work.
A lovely surprise is that they replaced the window sill (was told probably not possible as it is the window frame)

They haven't removed the ceiling fan yet, but I notice they have kept some boards to replace on the ceiling when it goes.
All the new power points are in and I didn't get a call about needing a new power board. But I will be around tomorrow so can get the (good) news then.

A new kitchen Stage 1.

2011-10-03T22:46:00.000+11:00

First day back at work I was wiped out by 130, but had to hang around till 4pm for a DHS client in Outpatients. So arrived home a little jaded to have to finish the kitchen. Luckily I had been doing a lot over the last few weeks

While Celia was home we decided to get a new kitchen put in as our old one, with our pridefully built bench, was past its time.

So over the last 8 weeks I have been buying and selecting things we need. We are getting a dishwasher, my first ever! We decided on the two drawer Fisher & Paykel, and shopping around and with Clive Peters merging with Harvey Norman I got a good deal.

I also found you can buy taps for $500 but I went for the $129 version. Similarly you can pay over $1000 for a sink!! Needless to say I chose a 1.5 sink at a more modest price.

The tiles I bought in the middle of my two weeks of illness just before I went downhill again, so I hope they are fine.

I remember a friend of Celia's, Robyn saying she had gone to buy a tin of paint for doing a mirror surround, She had a migraine and when she got home she realized she had paid $95 for a tiny can!

I have spent the last week sorting and moving stuff from the kitchen ( and lots of stuff in the garbage as well as the Op Shop)

It now is on every available surface .

The pine wall will go, and there will be tiles along this wall and under the window.

The bench Celia and I built

There will be a Canopy above the stove, and a section of tiling under that to the stove.

The cupboards are bare and it feels a little sad to be destroying the work I/we have done on the kitchen over the years.I can't get the table out because of the angle of the fridge and the door so will get them to try tomorrow when they move things.

Well 7am they will be here to start removal, and the installation on Wednesday. I have Book Club Tues night so can dine out then.

Then moving it all back, But with new drawers etc that should be fun

A birthday weekend

2011-10-02T17:23:00.001+11:00

It is amazing how fast birthdays come around and how the number creeps up! But as I read somewhere the good thing about birthdays is the more you have the longer you live!
I had some phone call/ text birthday wishes from Celia (Virgin Islands) Tony (Perth) Jo Edgar (Konya Turkey) Andrew Lynne et al en route to see Tutankhamen Exhibition.

The Bath house entrance

On Saturday I decided rather than spend the day affected by the Grand Final (a thrilling game till the last quarter when Collingwood died, and Geelong swept away) I would do something indulgent and relaxing. So I went to the Japanese bathhouse and when I got there also booked a Shiatsu massage. The bath was very relaxing and the massage just what I needed after 2 weeks of no energy
The Bath house is great with very attentive staff and good facilities. 2 hours at the Bath is $28. A good spend Relaxing in the tatami room afterward, a woman near me stretched sighing 'This is the life"

Tatami Room

Sunday I slept and awoke 'early' having not realized it was the start of daylight saving.
My early waking (Spencer barking at the side gate banging in the wind)was not so early as it was after 8 not after 7. Good thing I realised earlier or I would have been VERY late for lunch.
I met Sue and Wendy at Fed Square along with a large proportion of Victoria's Seniors as it is the start of Seniors' month. An appropriate day I guess with we maturing women.
We had lunch at Chocolate Buddha a Japanese restaurant that Wendy & Sue had not been to before and we had a good meal of Bento and Prawn Tempura.

Not our meal but a dish of Theirs

After that we went to have a browse through the Australian Collection and Man Style exhibition at The Ian Potter Gallery of the NGV

Fred Williams. A retrospective is at NG IN Canberra

Came home to do some more clearing of the kitchen for preparation for the new kitchen going in on Wednesday.
Then I rested ! Again!

Dylan is One!

2011-09-28T20:43:00.000+10:00

Sculpture in the garden

I rested up Sunday Morning so I had the energy to go to Dylan's 1st birthday party. It was from 11-1pm in a Park in Balwyn and when I arrived at 11am there was a crowd already.

Mainly adults including Cresten, Bridie's mum who I had not seen for a while, and Sean's family and Dylan's cousins etc.

It was a glorious day sunny 21 degrees and very relaxing sitting or standing round under the trees.

Bridie, Sean and Dylan

Happy Chappy!

His cake made by a friend of Bridie's

Bridie said Dylan had had an early sleep so was in a fine form,and much admired by all, a credit to his parent!

We saw his recent skill of walking 5 steps, a feat on the uneven ground.

Nick & Dylan trying the walk!

The gifts!

His haul of presents looked impressive with lots of new stuff to try out.

Andrew & Lynne with Nick & Kate

All in all a lovely few hours. I got home and slept for 4 hours, so need a bit more time before working all day again!

Laid so low

2011-09-23T16:41:00.000+10:00

I take inordinate (read, smug) pride in not getting winter colds.
I think my years of exposure as a student nurse at the Royal Children's Hospital built my immunity.
In those days I had a cold every 2nd week! Now I get one every 3-4 years.
But WOW!! I have been ill (but feeling poorly Tues Wed last week) since last Thursday. On the mend Sunday morning, At deaths door on Monday (NEVER felt so bad in all my life) slowly improving and all ready to do things yesterday. Any outings have lasted 2 hours at the most then back to bed with aches, and now an asthma cough that is strangely exhausting.
I still have a few days to recover before work on Monday and hopefully energetic for Dylan's 1st Birthday on Sunday

I think a photo of him is better than a one of me in my paltry state

Aireys Festival of Words

2011-08-21T21:32:00.000+10:00

The wattle at our gate. Just some of the masses in bloom

The program for this year's Festival of Words did not grab me as much as last time, but as Celia was down there working on her reports it seemed a good idea to spend some days in Aireys Inlet.

So I drove down Friday afternoon with Spencer and she arrived about 30 minutes later. It was cold when we got there but the fire soon warmed the place up and we had a quiet evening watching The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's nest.

The next morning I woke with a really stiff back that did not settle as usual, but I went up to the morning session that was an interview with Kate Herd on her book Kitchen Gardens in Australia. Garden designer and author Kate traveled around the country documenting eighteen diverse kitchen gardens. A really great discussion and I bought the book as inspiration for my garden plans.

I also bought a book for Celia by June Loves, the Shelly Beach Writers Group, a really funny book we had both enjoyed my library copy. Gina, a barely 50-something corporate high-flier, is counting her losses when a chance meeting throws a sea change her way. A job as a house/dog-sitter – albeit in a minus one-star leaky cottage in windswept Shelly Beach – seems the perfect opportunity to relax and regroup. But Gina hasn't counted on the locals, and soon finds herself reluctantly convening the writers' group, babysitting, baking, seal-watching, bicycling . . . and perhaps even falling in love.

After I got back home I was feeling achy all over and even took to my bed for a rest. Unheard of to anyone who knows me. But we were going up to Melbourne to see MTC Hamlet with Ewan Leslie and to catch up wih Fran and Bridie.

The play was fantastic; a modern interpretation with sms messages and spy microphones. A great treat was the new to MTC talent Eryn Jean Norvill who as Ophelia was very impressive.

I still felt weak and pathetic and as soon as we got back to Aireys I crashed into bed and I think didn't move all night. Woke at 8am and felt fine and not a twinge of backache!!

So today we went to Literary Lunch at A La Greque http://www.alagrecque.com.au/aboutus.html and had a great meal on the verandah in the sunshine! The Literary talk was from Pam Talimanidis about the sense of Community spirit at their village in Greece, where they go for 3 months in Winter every year with one or other of their boys.

Kostas in the black t shirt

Pam talking as we loll in the sunshine

Kosta had Kostas Taverna from 1976, in the main street of Lorne and he gained the reputation as the host who made everyone feel welcome and special, while Pam developed a menu based loosely around Greek family recipes, After 27 years at ‘Kostas’ it was time for a break to reassess their lives. A year off was long enough to know that they were too young and energetic to retire, so when a property came for sale just up the road in Airey’s Inlet they opened A La Greque with their sons .
How lucky were we!! It was renovated last year and now has a wider verandah, and some shelter glass panels in the front.

A new flower out in the garden

Development

2011-08-21T20:42:00.000+10:00

It is wonderful to see how the drive for development goes on in babies.

With his Collingwood Bear! Go Pies!

Bridie's baby Dylan is now 11 months and cruising around the furniture. He pulls up to stand all the time and is now getting confident with just one hand on the surface, or in a more casual style leaning back on the coffee table!

He is such a happy baby (when he is not cutting all those teeth), and smiles almost when you speak to him!

Walking next!

Purnululu

2011-08-04T12:42:00.000+10:00

'From an aircraft, the Bungle Bungle Range is an imposing sight. The orange and black stripes across the beehive-like mounds, encased in a skin of silica and algae, are clearly visible'
Hard to believe that when I worked in Halls Creek , that we (the general public and locals) had never heard of the Bungle Bungles. Although the Bungle Bungle Range was extensively used by Aboriginal people during the wet season, when plant and animal life was abundant, few Europeans knew of its existence until the mid-1980s.
Certainly the owners and stockmen on Mable Downs knew about the area but it was only after a documentary on WA from the air that the public started clamouring for access.

Approaching the Mounds

Aerial View of the river bend

The access road from the Northern Highway, (a sealed road now) is 52 Km to the Purnululu Visitors' Centre, all unsealed creek crossings, rough road and rugged creek embankments, takes 2.5 hrs Av speed 23km / hour!!

Celia and I had great debate about whether one gets airsick in helicopters. No one we asked, met both criteria, had been in a copter and suffers airsickness.

Well we can report that one may get alarmed as it moves in the air gusts but does not trigger nausea!

The views were worth it!

Our chopper

The gorge that is a 5 day walk in

Great views

Lake Argyle

2011-08-01T17:27:00.000+10:00

When I was working in Halls Creek in the 70's I knew the Dam was being built and then opened but it did not have any impact on my work, (except fishermen who came down would bring us fresh barramundi!) and being young I took little notice of it.

However it was a HUGE project and the scale of it is immense. So much water, and as mentioned a lot going into the sea but it was an idea of one of the Duracks to harness the Ord for irrigation in the Kimberley are esp Kununurra.

Lake Argyle is a man made waterway, several times larger than Sydney Harbour. It is Australia's second largest (Lake Gordon/Lake Pedder, Tasmania is the largest) artificial lake by area.

Spillway Creek in full flow!

One of the unusual features of this dam is the fact that its overflow, called Spillway, is not situated at the dam itself, but at the northern end of Pannikin Bay. From there the water makes its way along Spillway Creek back into the Ord River.

With the lake at 170% capacity, there are more "islands", as the water cut off lower ground

The tips of the mountains of the surrounding Carr Boyd Ranges tumble into the lake making it look like some kind of strange desert fjord.
We went on a cruise of the lake and it seemed immense, but when we looked at a map we had covered only a tiny corner. Those of us from Victoria were especially awed and frustrated that so much water went to waste, and the lack of ability to channel it to areas in need.I gather the costs and maintenance of pumping stations in such isolated country makes it economically nonviable.

Beautiful colours in the light of sun set

The water level mark. There are still hills not visible yet from the flooding.

The clay core wall. A small wall holding huge volume for its size. The outer wall looks bigger!!

Celia & Tammy enjoying the camera opportunities!

Argyle Downs Homestead

2011-08-01T16:58:00.000+10:00

The homestead was originally built in 1895 by the Durack family on Argyle Downs Station (now submerged by Lake Argyle)

In the late 1880s, at the beginning of the great Kimberley beef industry, Patsy Durack and his two brothers built the Argyle Downs Homestead after a two year trek from Queensland bringing with them wagons, carts and 2000 head of cattle. The famous pioneering Durack family home became known far and wide as one of the social gathering places of the East Kimberley.

The Duracks experience is described in the book Kings in Grass Castles about their pioneering opening of the Kimberley area to cattle raising.

During the early 1970’s a decision was made to remove the homestead before Lake Argyle, a man made lake damming the Ord River, began to fill in order to preserve the building. The homestead was dismantled stone by stone with every stone coded in such a way so as to be able to be rebuilt with every stone back in its original position.

The lovely shaded veranda

Warm colour stone, and old camp beds on the veranda

The house is lovely with cool stone, wide verandas and doors on opposite side so cool breezes can blow through from any direction.

Photos in the Museum show many buildings and equipment submerging. It seems the Lake, enclosing the Ord River, began filling faster than expected after some heavy rain, and they got caught out before they would get all the equipment out.

There were a series of graves of some of the family as well as memorial stones.

In the garden we also had the thrill of seeing a flock of Double Barred finches at a feeder, and over in the hedge a nest and a Bower Bird !

In that area the Great Bower birds collect silver and white, not blue as they do here. (Satin Bowerbird) In the nest were lots of tea light candles .

The staff at the building said that they had a function with the tea lights set outside, and in the morning half the lights were in the nest!

Flowers

2011-07-31T19:26:00.000+10:00

Silky Leaf Grevillea

Calotropis; Kings Crown

Calytrix extsipulata; Turkey Bush

Solanum Cunninghamii

Starflower Shrub

White grevillea

Hibiscus Leptocladus

A few more of the endless range of flowers

THE WET

2011-07-31T19:04:00.000+10:00

Evidenced in all our travels in the Kimberley was the effect of the Wet of 2010 / 2011. This had been one of the biggest in years,

The recent Wet season in the Kimberley region of Western Australia has caused Australia's largest (in area) freshwater lake, Lake Argyle, to overflow.

The dam has reached more than its capacity of 10,763 gigalitres (it was 170% capacity at its peak ) and water was flowing 37cm over the spillway and at a rate of 58 cubic metres per second.

That's enough to fill an Olympic swimming pool every 43 seconds, or Sydney Harbour every 12 hours And it hasn't stopped! Unfortunately the water runs into the sea and there is no plan to send it anywhere else, due to costs.

We stopped to look at the Ord River flowing over the Ivanhoe Crossing.

The road is the Old Wyndham road and now not a main highway, but a route to popular fishing. Well not this Year! This flow has continued all year since the rain stopped and it will not be opened this year!

Stating the obvious for the not too bright!

The river in full force, been running since February!

Ivanhoe Crossing, built in 1954 on a rocky outcrop to cross the Ord river, was featured in the film Australia when Lady Sarah Ashley is brought to Faraway Downs station.

The crossing is close to where the Duracks constructed the Ivanhoe Station homestead.

The Ord river is enclosed by the Argyle Dam and so it is the outlet from the dam.

As a result there are flowers in abundance everywhere!

Mulla Mulla

Kimberley Heath

The Kimberley

2011-07-24T21:00:00.000+10:00

Cockburn Range Near El Questro

I have always planned to return to Halls Creek in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, where I worked for two years 1970-1972. And this year it happened.
Celia and I went on a trip to the Kimberley from Broome. We flew directly to Broome from Melbourne (only two direct flights a week) on 6th July and stayed there 2 days before joining a tour with Kimberley Wild. http://www.kimberleywild.com.au/kimberley_explorer.htm

Celia on the East Beach at Cape Leveque

Manning Falls

We planned a 3 day trip North West from Broome to Cape Leveque, and then a 9 days loop up the Gibb River Road to Kununurra, then down to Purnululu (the Bungle Bungles) and on to Halls Creek, Fitzroy Crossing and back to Broome.

The legendary Gibb River Road, a 660 km dirt track right through the wild heart of the Kimberley, that leaves the main Northern Highway past the turnoff to Derby was created for cattle stations to transport their cattle and was never intended as a tourist road. It's reputation as a tough route has attraction for the adventurer today. The trip is still touted as one of the last serious adventures in Australia, a drive through a very remote area where all sorts of dangers loom, an undertaking that requires guts and four wheel driving experience... well maybe not really, but lots of 4 WD take up the challenge.

Conditions depend on the time for year, and the completion of maintenance grading work. Travel is only recommended once the roads has been graded after the wet season (around May) until end of October. Most of the winding sections of road passing over the ranges are bitumenised, and nearly all the creek and river crossings have concrete bottoms, but it is a rough road of corrugations.

Ivanhoe Crossing,Unlikely to be opened at all this year!

This year the Wet season was one of the heaviest and the longest with water still pouring down the creeks and crossings. All along the road are side trips to waterfalls and gorges. To which we made several side trips

Jazz in Melbourne

2011-06-09T16:13:00.000+10:00

The Melbourne Jazz Festival Program was in a coffee shop a few weeks ago so I decided to check out a few performances.
One I chose was with Yvette Johanson as the support act at the Recital Centre so went with that.
The main act was Chris Botti who outside jazz circles, was largely unknown when he played St Kilda's National Theatre last winter, but after that gig, word spread like wildfire and the word was you have to hear him play the trumpet. I admit I was not expecting anything too exciting, I mean how varied can a trumpet be but WOW!! He is great to look at as well.

Chris Botti

The whole concert was fantastic. He is America's biggest-selling jazz instrumentalist, and has worked with the best Sting, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell. In 1991, he performed with Paul Simon in New York’s Central Park as part of the The Rhythm of the Saints tour. The performance was commercially released as the Concert in the Park CD. While on tour with Simon, he met saxophonist Michael Brecker, which led to Botti producing the Brecker Brothers’ Out of the Loop. The album won a 1995 Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Performance. His own touring band is awesome and on the road for almost 300 days a year. Don't know how they do that! http://www.chrisbotti.com/home.html

Another event was at the Forum Theatre still a great looking place but the sky and stars have gone!

3 Cohens

The second act was the 3 Cohens (siblings), tenor saxophonist and clarinetist Anat Cohen, trumpeter Avishai Cohen and the soprano saxophonist Yuval Cohen — originally from Israel and now all part of the the New York jazz world.

They were appearing with the Aaron Goldberg Trio "Boundless imagination, burning intensity, exquisite sensitivity and abundant soul -- Aaron Goldberg truly has it all. One of the most exciting, inventive, and lyrical pianists you will ever hear." Couldn't have put it better myself. The Cohens were amazing, especially Anet on the Saxaphone. All performers commented on how cold the venue was Aaron said it was hard to lay fast with cold fingers! Old venues have their drawbacks all the audience was rugged up gloves and scarves.

The other events I was interested in are on this long weekend and I am away so will miss them.

However there is a Winter Song Festival on at Aireys that I am going to with Nick & Kate; maybe they will see inspiration for their Sax playing.

Are you warm enough?

2011-05-29T17:18:00.000+10:00

Maybe the hair cut has chilled him?

NGV Day 2

2011-05-29T17:11:00.000+10:00

It was very enticing to go back and see what else was on.

View from gallery to the River activity

This time I focused on the Ian Potter Gallery and got a closer look at some of the "Live" pictures.

PUKARA by Maringka Baler

Corn I think, but seeing it is not indigenous to Australia maybe it's called something else

Again there were a lot of children's art activity going on, as well as music, including this indigenous group outside the new Art exhibit.
I walked out along the river for a space them over the Bridge marveling at what natural vandals young children are!
The security was kept busy asking mothers to prevent their children from rearranging the art works.
This design of stone of Fred Williams painting was a great attraction but look fairly original still.

Fred Williams. Pilbara Hillside

Out along the bridge I got a better look at the Living Art

This guy was very popular!


The picture standing next to him

This painting was one of the favorite 10 selected as well.
When I walked back he was in another pose seated!

Kids were trying to get him to look at them!

A Sargeant of the Light Horse

I didn't walk down to look at this one but it looked familiar.

NGV 150 Years

2011-05-29T11:44:00.000+10:00

This weekend celebrates the 150th birthday of the national gallery Of Victoria. They had planned a huge weekend of celebrations,a nd when I arrived about 330pm there were kids adults and activity everywhere The themed Orange balloons were visible everywhere as the trail of activity led from Fed Square to the International gallery

http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/whats-on/ngv-150-party

It was 24 May, in 1861 that the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) was founded. But it was also the first public art gallery in Australia. There was a painting of Alfred Felton of Felton bequest fame established in 1904 who made his money supplying to those travelling to the gold fields. He had purchased art himself and when he died left #338,000 (pounds not dollars) (invested) to the gallery. With that the gallery has bought $20million worth of more than 15,000 pieces! Just paintings includes some Rembrandt, Tiepolo, Monet, Cezanne, van Gogh, Turner and William Blake. as well as other types of art.

To celebrate the NGV’s 150th birthday, the gallery unveiled 173 important indigenous works of art gifted to the gallery by the Felton Bequest. Since the NGV opened in St Kilda Road in 1968, the total collection has doubled in size to more than 60,000 works of art.

The story of trying to build on the site is a story in itself and an engineering breakthrough that led the world.

They ran a competition to name your top ten favourite pieces and the piece that was voted most popular in the competition.. John Bracks... Collins St 5pm

As well NGV Kids Space opened at NGV International; a dedicated gallery designed for children of up to 8 years old and their families. It is located just on the right of the main foyer .

Easy to find with all the pushers!

Featuring works from NGV collections and exhibitions, children and families can have fun together as they discover art, explore multimedia and hands-on activities while sharing new ideas. II came across some parents from the yacht Club who said they had been sitting for 45 minutes while the children explored; very restful they said!! t was an interesting space with lots of hands on stuff. The theme for the opening exhibit was Kaleidoscope of colour.

The figure is hidden by the Light Pole!

Along the walk from Fed Square to the International gallery there were balloons and cut out figures These were paintings from the Gallery with the Victorian College of the Arts' students in a life pose. At times the public were taken into the picture and draped in clothes to join in.

This was a picture of musicians

The Gallery was open till midnight with talks about some main pieces, musicians in some of the formal galleries. After 5 there was free champagne for the members, where I got chatting to a woman there who had taken advantage of the 2 for one membership offer.

In the great hall there had been kids doing art work on creating mosaics, and that was being cleared for the indigenous music concert planned at 5pm

Kids and parents at work Photo at 340pm

photo at 515pm Cleaned up quickly!!

The ceiling

My friend the Chocolate Cake

However I didn't stay round after 545 as I had come in early especially to get a ticket to the sold out My friend the Chocolate Cake concert, and as I had learnt from my thespian sister there are always tickets for guests etc. kept.

They were on in teh Fairfax studio. They have released a new album and the crowd was a group of devotees as well as new new fans I expect. There were a lot of children in the audience as well; maybe students of violin or cello. The show was great as expected and good fun. David the pianist and singer was entertaining (love his voice) and accompanied for 2 songs by his daughter (about 14 yrs I think)

A really great fun day and evening

pavement art

2011-05-28T10:38:00.008+10:00

Spencer was back to resembling a sheep, so I had booked him in for a trim on a cancellation and luckily I got the call! So he now looks shiny and smooth and trim.
Down at Doggy Dooz (the alternative meaning of 'Dooz' makes for a not so nice Business name) I notice that they had had some artist at work. Seddon has quite a bit of an Art scene at times.
This morning the Indian cafe had not had anything done and they were engaged in doing a chalk design themselves.

Paws lead to Doggy Dooz

There is also a shop selling soap and cleaners, that now has a range of shampoo etc as well as household items and hand made bags, door stops etc; Some really nice things.
I have had the shampoo for a few weeks now so picked up a matching conditioner .
I bought a new door stop for my room as the door does not stay open, and Celia's duck really belongs at her door.

Party supply shop

The Post Office. Open on Sat morning!

It all adds to the 'village' atmosphere of the place.
When I went in to the city later I parked at North Melbourne Station just in front of this!

Day 40: Tatami and Shoji Screens

2011-05-20T14:59:00.000+10:00

There is nothing like the smell of fresh tatami. It is correct to say Tatami, not tatami mat as Tatami IS a mat (That's like saying a Koala bear)

Rooms can be opened up fr more space and the 'walls' disappear

A tatami is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Traditionally made of rice straw to form the core (though nowadays sometimes the core is composed of compressed wood chip boards boards or ploystyrene foam), with a covering of woven soft rush, tatami are made in uniform sizes. Usually, on the long sides, they have edging (heri) of brocade or plain cloth.

A tea House in Tokyo

Rooms always come ina combination of 4.5, 5 or 8 mats, Rules govern the layout and an inauspicious layout is said to bring bad fortune. In homes, the mats must not be laid in a grid pattern, and in any layout there is never a point where the corners of four mats touch.

I love the look of light filtering through the screen

In traditional Japanese architecture, a shōji is a door, window or room divider consisting of translucent paper over a frame of wood which holds together a lattice of wood or bamboo While washi is the traditional paper, shōji may be made of paper made by modern manufacturing processes; plastic is also in use.

Beautiful detail on a screen in an old hotel

Shōji doors are designed to slide open, and thus conserve space that would be required by a swinging door. They are used in traditional houses as well as Western-style housing, especially in the Japanese-style room. In modern construction, the shōji does not form the exterior surface of the building; it sits inside a sliding glass door or window.

Futon (means whole bedding) with the quilt and protector

Lots of private homes I visited were western design but with a 'Japanese Style' room where futon were laid out for sleep for extra guests

Spontaneity 1995-2011

2011-05-19T15:58:00.000+10:00

Walking on the lead. Could not be trusted off!

A tribute to Wendy's devoted Sponty who was gently put to sleep after his great age and illness made life difficult.
A sad day for Wendy and all her friends who know how much he meant to her.

His beautiful coat and tail

The drive to develop

2011-05-19T15:50:00.000+10:00

Visited Dylan today and enjoyed his "all of a sudden" developmental progress.

Sitting opens a new world! The bib is an essential as he is Dribbling+++

After his Croup last week he stalled but suddenly is now sitting unsupported, moving from lying to sitting and now crawling. Nothing is safe!

Enjoying my Christmas present


Finished the cereal now for the rusk!

He's also moving along with solids and with his 3rd tooth through he enjoys any food offered and rusks!

Yacht Club Prsesentation Night

2011-05-15T09:18:00.002+10:00

We had our annual Friday night get-togetehr to arrange the art creations developed under Di Leighfield's direction. We spent Friday night threading the toys, and hanging them from the netting, a traditional set up.

Getting the net up was a joint effort

The theme this year was beach party and people were to wear a beach hat (I didn't).

The Centre Piece

Decorations were cheap and cheerful beach toys in bold colours – a little kitsch but bright and happy. So bright that some of the tables enjoyed small bonfires when candles went a bit feral.

The Table Centre pieces were a great design by Di and in a beach theme the trophies were beach towels They were labeled with fabric printed from the computer. I gather you can buy sheets of 'paper' that peel off when printed. A bad year not to win a prize!

The labeled towels

Ewan's winning design

Cliff's creation

The winning beach hat was all from the $2 shop but Cliff's (not my future sailing Cliff) won an honorable mention!

The candles in the drive looked great as we walked in!

Dinosaurs

2011-05-14T08:44:00.001+10:00

I had booked months ago to see the Walking with Dinosaurs Spectacular and to take Nick and Kate. They are probably at the edge of the upper age limit but they were happy to come with me!
It was well worth it and from their point of view the actual animatronics alone was worth it. The younger kids must have been a bit nervous as they were so lifelike!!

This bird (covered in fur) name I forgot was a highlight

The bird was flying along suspened on wires, and the screen at it's back showed it soaring over the land, cliffs the sea then during a storm and back to land again The view on the screen was what those directly in front would have seen.

Creepy Raptors

I was really informative about the development of the earth and the forces driving it and how that influenced the dinosaurs themselves.

The highlight was the appearance of Tyrannosaurus Rex Scared the screams out of the kids sitting in front rows!

Day 39 Dishes

2011-05-10T21:01:00.000+10:00

Many Japanese restaurants serve one type of food in a few variations. Tonkatsu, Soba, Sushi, Donburi etc They have developed a system of varied dishes that suit the courses on offer and these are usually stacked in colourful shelves behind the counter.

Dishes for sauce, rice, sake, soup etc

The pestle is birch wood and grooves make crushing easier

Some restaurants have a signature style. This bowl is for us to crush the seeds to add to the rice rather than serving it on the rice.

Walk to work

2011-05-07T16:36:00.000+10:00

There is a new industrial estate in Kensington running from the park off Kensington Rd and Lloyd St.
I have seen cars coming out from the estate under the railway bridge, and wondered where they were coming from. Rosemary had mentioned that she had seen all the cyclists going through but I wasn't sure where they got in.
I was talking with a nurse at the Breastfeeding seminar about driving parking and walking and she mentioned she came through the estate. So I decided to try it.
The other incentive was that building works in Derby Street where I turn to get to my parking spot, have meant they have closed the street for the last few weeks each morning, as the building there blocks the street for trucks etc. There is no other access except from Macaulay Road.
My only alternative was to join the line crawling down Macaulay Rd.

always activity and barking when I go by!

So I turn up Kensington Road ( getting out of Dynon Rd traffic after only 500mts) and then turn at the railway bridge and travel parallel to the line and past Kensington Station as it also runs along the Park. At the end it comes to the gates of the Estate which open at 7am I am assured.
Following the road through you come to the lights at Lloyd St and the 3rd Rail bridge. Lights change pretty quickly and I am the just near the turn to Arden St so I go up and park in Arden Street usually the first spot is free!
So I have started walking along the back streets past the Lort Smith Dogs home ( I am sure no factories will be turned to housing there the noise is pretty intense!)

Mural on the Centre's wall

Also realized that is where the Doutta Galla Community Centre is based.

The estate means I miss the traffic along Dynon rd, and the often crawl along Lloyd St that may be backed up to Dynon Rd. The trip from Kensington rd to Arden take 5 minutes, so I'll keep to this until Derby St is open again.

preparing for the Move

2011-05-07T16:11:00.000+10:00

Talk at work now is not about the new hospital, but the Move to the new space. All patients are to move on November 30th, and we will move just prior to that but with big plans for training about new set ups, new equipment ( logistical nightmare I can imagine) as well as general navigation!
I am already underway with clearing out excess from my office. I will have a desk, computer, 2 shelves and a small under-desk filing cabinet. So goodbye 5 shelves, 5 shelf cupboard, as well as toy cupboard!

The toys will perhaps go to the treatment rooms in allied health which I will use as a consulting room, and maybe the kids furniture I can take to my rooms in Balwyn.
The big fence has come down from the front and you can see the access driveways being laid.
The 'leaves ' of the building are really clear now. They are a feature to represent the colour of leaves in the gums in the park and also as part shades on the windows.
The red section on the right is Emergency and the middle green is where I will be based (as far as I can assess.)

There is a general mood of anxiety about how it will work esp the real concerns of single rooms in ICU and Neonates from the nurse observation and care point of view.
I think we have to give it a chance and see how we can change how we work to adapt to the design.
If it's too awful I can always resign!

Gardening

2011-05-07T14:55:00.000+10:00

One of my 11 goals was to plant some vegetables and this I started after we had the wattle tree cut down as it started to break branches.

The 'soil' was 15cms of leaves that were mulched down, but I was sure of actual soil value, so dug in some enriched soil then planted some lettuce and Broccoli.

Accompanied by Sage in pot behind that is Thyme

As a bonus to my efforts the compost has grown a pumpkin- butternut!

This is the second one that has appeared. There is also an Avocado growing up at 3 f t now!

Getting the craft goals underway

2011-05-07T14:45:00.000+10:00

In the time at Aireys I had the chance to sit and knit! While watching Spooks!
I decided to do a scarf seeing I am wearing lots in the walks to work as well as an extra warm item with a long sleeve T-shirt.
Rather than a long item I decided on a collar type based on one I had bought at a market recently.

easy garter stitch

Knitting was easy, and I followed instructions for the flower as well (Craft item 2)
I hd t wait till I got home to see where I joined the edges. I am please with teh sresult.
It is warm, comfortable and lacks the bulk of a long scarf.

I am also half way through a jumper for Dylan

Individual Aireys

2011-04-29T20:29:00.000+10:00

Some inspired beach art!

I met with the local Aireys Inlet Development association at a stall at the General Store. They are still working on preventing the establishment of a Supermarket down at the lower shops. This is entirely unnecessary from the local perspective.

We have a good General store and Anglesea is only 12 minutes away As well the site of the Supermarket it is to be as big as the one at Anglesea, and has in its plans about 12 parking spots.

Not in keeping with the whole mood of Aireys which is quieter, less developed and lower key

Could be Haydens Rd in the 50's

The roads are very reminiscent of growing up in Beaumaris, unsealed dirt (or sand ) surface with a view of the sea!

The houses are of a variety; from our perfect place blending into the trees! to more basic designs There are a few like this. A shed type entrance and the living area all built on the platform above.

the basic style .All on treed blocks!

Some look like they were built in the 50’s and been the family holiday house for a few generations. I know there are some ‘illegal’ sheds but didn’t see one on the walk.

the Early fibro model

There are a lot more architect inspired places around.

Some really in keeping with the setting some a bit more ‘modern’ and even out of place

this would be more at home in Footscray

But a man’s home is his castle and we can’t all like the same thjng!

Our piece of heaven

Day 38. Platform design

2011-04-27T17:08:00.000+10:00

One of the months along the walls

Station designs in Melbourne are not too inspiring. I remember my visit to Moscow and being stunned by the art of the subway station walls.

Well Japan has a similar bent.

Birds of all variety

Not necessarily art works but designs that are works of art and attractive in themselves.

This platform wall is all pressed metal design

Some are done on a theme of the actual station area or others obviously commissioned as a design in itself.

This is my favourite set.

After tides

2011-04-27T12:19:00.000+10:00

The sand was smooth as far as I could see

The weather this Easter has been fantastic; only one off day and today dawned glorious again. Real Autumn weather with the comfort of a fire in the evening.

The great view of the lighthouse

Today's walk along the cliffs and beach was initially over pristine wet sand that the tide showed had been huge again. The lighthouse and cliffs were their usual stunning colour and contrast.

Great views from the walkway

Walking along the rocks was enjoyable but slippery at times Spencer had no trouble!

Day 37 Restaurants

2011-04-26T17:17:00.000+10:00

While I love the food in Japan the elements of the cafe or Restaurant hold great appeal.

This Gyoza place had a machine that listed the dishes. You bought a ticket and gave it in at the counter

From the loud greetings of "Irrashaimase" as you enter, to the picture menus, the efficient and polite and understanding staff to the food itself, it is all a great experience.

There are many 'chain' restaurants that serve only one type of food. Tonkatsu, ebi tendon, gyoza, etc Service is quick and efficient as all food is prepared the same (freshly) and in set bowls and plates. A speedy way to serve millions of people!
Tonkatsu restaurants are one of my favourite Fried crumbed Pork served with rice, salad, pickle and tea (usually all for $10) Sushi places abound even can find the 'sushi train'

the Chef at work in the tiny bar type shop

Okonomikayi

A fabulous Okonomiyaki (omelet sort of thing)
Some places look like they would be very expensive so one enters with some trepidation.
This one in Kyoto that Celia and tried ended up costing us $22 each, but what an atmosphere and a meal!

In a small street we spotted this one

Little Japanese or English passed between us but the universal message of 'What do you recommend " was a winner.

Tempura

Anzac day Holiday

2011-04-26T16:26:00.000+10:00

Made the most of the new flat screen TV to watch the Anzac Day programs and the Big Game.
Collingwood's win over Essendon by 30 points sounds less than thrilling but the win was only on the last quarter so very exciting! The round score of 100 was with a goal kicked after the siren. Just to rub it in!

I went for a walk when the sun came out and found the hakea tree at then end of the road is in bloom.
It is a fascinating blossom, even the seeds look good!

I usually walk along this beach, and around the point

There have been king tides this Easter and the beach inaccessible at high tide, but the views were great.
The weather has left a lot of interesting dried trees to admire

I love the contrast of the moss and the bleached wood.

Surf's up!

2011-04-25T12:41:00.000+10:00

The high Easter tides made it hard to find a beach to go for a walk!
Gerry was staying out at Deans Marsh and rang to say she was taking the dogs for a run on the beach at Lorne and to meet her there. I stopped at one near the Deans Marsh roundabout as the ones closer to Lorne were all covered with water.

Not much walking space!

The sea was rough with high waves (a record time for the Bells Beach Surf Classic) and mist and spray all filling the air along the Great Ocean Road.

Spencer and Zac in the grass

I prudently brought my clogs to change out of my lovely red leather boots and rolled up my jeans. A good plan, as we were walking along wet sand with the waves 50 meters out when suddenly we were ankle deep in water. Needless to say Spencer had a lovely time!

I then followed Gerry back to the cottage they were staying at out of Deans Marsh.

A lovely drive back through the hills of trees. The cottage (house) was at Blake’s’ Winery and I had met the owners when they were at the Aireys Market that morning!

The vines

I picked some lemons and limes while there and we had a lovely meal and chat as we listened to Richmond in a very tight win to North Melbourne. I gather Wendy missed it!!!

On the drive home I stopped at an accident where a car had gone off the edge of the road down into the trees. No one hurt and there were two other vehicles there, but they needed a tow rope which I didn’t have so I went on.

It was reminiscent of the same happening with Celia, Maddy and me years ago with Ern and Coral. Ern was driving too close to the edge in similar forest area and the car went over the soft edge and down into the gully We had a 4 wheeldrive come by a few minutes later and they were thrilled to be able to use their winch!! As the wife said no need to thank them they were having the time of their life getting to use the winch and 4WD!

2011-04-18T11:41:00.000+10:00

Ingenuity required to hang the banner (found in my cupboard)

I was involved in a very successful breastfeeding study day at Royal Children's Hospital. The Lactation Consultants on Cardiac unit were the instigators and we had to move the venue as the booking numbers increased from and expected 25 to 85.

Question time was a joint affair

We used the Ella Latham Lecture Theatre and foyer We had no funding (of course!) but Medela who make the Breast pumps we will have at the new hospital, gave enough for morning and afternoon tea.

We used a lot of the Neil cartoons (it's a Baby; St Pips ect) who had given me some and his consent when we did the irritable Infant study

We had lots of meeting as we planned it but it all went over well with really good feedback. We ended up with some gifts of sweets, bottled water and a donation for the conference bags so staff felt appreciated. I also gave the Gaia cream sachets that I had in my office. We also donated the last of the Breastfeeding Guidelines books that I still had; printed in 1991 they are not new but the basic details is still the same.

My photo display resurrected

Also moved the last of the Translations of “What to do when your baby is not feeding as usual” which I have had for years. All part of the S5 clean up before the move, I now have a ¾ empty cupboard Meredith will be impressed when she sees it.

I spoke about breastfeeding and Failure to thrive, I didn't feel it was my best presentation, but feedback for it and all sessions was glowing so we were all very satisfied!

Weather changes

2011-04-10T18:21:00.000+10:00

The room set up with beckoning sunshine

Glorious weather on Friday at my Seminar by the beach, contrasted with a strong northerly on Saturday causing a very fast and 'few boats finishing' sailing.

I walked along to the craft market at the Gallery forecourt and up to the stairs to the back of the building where I have rarely been.

A different view of the skirt of the spire looking down to the white cubes of the new MTC building and on to the Gallery of Modern art.
As I looked back the clouds building were a lovely contract to the spire itself.

Managed to miss the showers all day

Man Style

2011-04-10T18:11:00.000+10:00

I made the most of my NGV (National Gallery Victoria) membership by going to a Members update on a new exhibit Man Style. Charting a course between absolute restraint and ostentatious display ManStyle looks at the extremes of masculine style and some of the most influential ideas that have influenced menswear over the past three centuries.

Hunt Coat from Henry Poole & Co. Commonly called Pinks, the colour of faded Hunting jackets

Frock Coat and waistcoat 1810

A bit of a shock to realize that the 3 piece Suit dates from 17th century, albeit more ostentatious than today's business man. The waistcoat was introduced in 1666 to be a change to the ostentatious dress of the day However it was ripe for exploitation and developed into a thing of beauty! And is still around today.
The exhibition was over two sites. The one at Fed Square was about the Dandy while the one at International was the Peacock!
He was embroidered like a meadow bright
And full of freshest flower red and white. The Squire from the Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, one of my favourite pieces of literature, and compare
"If John Bull looked around at you, your are not well dressed, but either too stiff, too tight, or too fashionable Beau Brummel

Who else but Percy Grainger!

Fashion has changed !
What a lovely exhibition it was! With paintings of men in suits through the ages to illustrate the point.

WORLD of Auckland The Sanderson suit

the fabric choice making a statement

You might be mistaken for thinking Andrew had offered his wedding reception jacket!

Bespoke tailoring of Saville Row Brummel would feel proud!

Tea - Ocha

2011-03-28T21:11:00.000+11:00

Day 37
I love Japanese tea
The green ceremonial tea is not really my thing, thick and powdery, but the endless variety of green tea hot or cold, is a great pleasure of Japan.
We may have a few shelves in the supermarket for tea but Japan has shops of it! As well as tea you can get food, often green tea soba, or green tea biscuits.

Tea in its many forms

In the heat of summer cold tea is a great alternative to plain water; Speaks the woman who has trouble downing a glass of water! I like green tea jelly as well!
Tea , tea pot, small handle less cups in a covered tray is also available in most hotel rooms but especially in any Japanese inn.
Often with a rice cracker (sembe) or a sweet thin biscuit. Tea is often free as an accompaniment in many cafes


The beautiful floors of a shop in Kyoto

Over the last few decades green tea has been subjected to many scientific and medical studies to determine the extent of its long-purported health benefits, with some evidence suggesting that regular green tea drinkers have lower chances of heart disease and some types of cancer.
good for you as well as delicious
My favourite is roasted green tea called Hojicha. A wonderful nutty taste and aroma.

Day 36

2011-03-26T09:31:00.000+11:00

I have been preparing a slide show for a presentation at U3A , University of the 3rd Age, for Wendy who is program co-ordinator or secretary or something equally energetic. It is titled The Appeal of Japan and as I was browsing my blog and photos from 2008, I realised (again) that I had never finished my 60 Days of Celebration.

This was a daily blog of an item, place, event, icon that appealed to me about Japan. The 60 was to celebrate my 60th birthday. But as I came home suddenly in October I stopped at day 35.

So I thought I might do the last 25 over the next month or so.

WOOD

Japan has huge plantations of cedar ( cryptomeria or sugi ) but with a decline in use of wood as a building material, demand fell so did prices so many workers in the forestry area moved away. Nearly all of the wood used in Japan is imported despite huge areas of forest covering 67% of Japan.

detail of carving on a Shoji screen in hotel room

fine detail on Inn gate

Huge gate posts at Meiji Shrine

An increasing demand by craft men to maintain past traditions of woodwork has meant an upsurge in interest in the wood and forests are being used again even for large pieces of furniture.

Maybe not as big as these doors though!!

At a studio workshop near Takayama called Oak Village Tadashi Inamoto works and developed some wonderful furniture all from two HUGE Zelkova tree that needed to be removed from the site of an old Sake brewery. Their work was inspired by a 'Living national Treasure Tatsuaki Kuroda, a reclusive worker but whose style influenced many.

Kuroda's bench seat

There is nothing like the feel of your feet moving over smooth cool wooden floors !

The egg

2011-03-23T09:25:00.000+11:00

This must go down in my 11 Things in 2011 under Cooking!

Today I achieved a beautiful (not perfect) poached egg.

I usually only eat hard boiled eggs, as I hate the runny yolk sticking to your teeth and mouth (like peanut butter) and god forbid if there is uncooked white!! So hard boiled eggs are safest.

But I have been coming round to the poached egg firmly cooked. I don't have an egg poacher (probably easier) but it has been a long search to get it right.

Lynne and Andrew showed me how they do it.

Boil the water and when it is boiling, swirl it around and then lower (from a dish) the egg. The swirling water wraps the white around the yolk and you get a compact egg.

Sounds easy? Well as is my wont I adapted this.

My cooking style is 'variation on a theme".

That is, I read a recipe and get the general idea, then adapt it to what I have in the kitchen. This technique arose when I was learning to cook in Halls Creek .We had very little variety of igredients so it was beef and beef in a variety of forms. So we would scour the Women's Weekly Cook Book and adapt the recipe using beef and probably omit some of the spices mentioned as well .

This style continues to this day, but I do use spices!.

Back to the egg. The first thing I did was ignore the advice to put the egg on a saucer and slide it in. The result of breaking it in meant the egg splashed into the water and bits of white splashed about.

It was edible but messy.

The next time when the water was swirling it didn't seem to be gathering in the white so I decided to swirl it a bit more. Result? Disaster, and I had to throw it all out. White / grey water with little bit of egg diffused all through it.

Other times I had the water too hot (if it was low it took too long!! 3 minutes .I mean how long can you watch a pot!) and subsequently as I put the egg in the boiling slowed down (the cold egg hitting the water) and when I turned away it started boiling again, and what results is white foaming on top (or over the top: I have done this several times) of the water and the yolk somewhere in the midst.

But today I kept it on simmer, slid the egg in, waited patiently(actually I cooked a piece of toast and put the dishes away) and the result was perfect in my eyes.

My breakfast egg.

A tidy white, a soft but not runny yolk and with a little ground pepper and a slice of bakers Delight Cape Seed loaf, a perfect breakfast for my day off.

New venue

2011-03-21T18:33:00.000+11:00

Judy dropped round some stuff last night and we were talking about a new(ish) development in kensington. Namely the iconic 19th Century Younghusband Factory, in Elizabeth St, at the end of Arden Street at the flour mill.

The Young Husband Limited Stock building has become an important part of Melbourne's history. Built in the 1800's, the building is now home to a wide variety of well established and predominantly arts related businesses.
In 2005, William May and Malcolm Cooke saw the potential for a themed function centre within the old factory and the space was home to 'Number 12' Elizabeth Street, for five years.
In 2009 Revolt Productions took possession of the space, with the vision of creating an arts hub, the first of its kind in Australia. After lengthy renovations Revolt Productions is a venue focused on melding the ambience of this historical site with the joy of creative growth.

Coming up is a performance of a cappella that looks appealing so might go to that. Melbourne's female a cappella quartet, Ginger & Tonic will be sharing the stage with the 5 men from the Gold Coast's Vocaleez !!

The old factory facade

I walked past it on the way home tonight and there are several different things there

Deep in the Wood

One was the Deep in the Wood hand made Furniture place. It used to be down McCauley Rd somewhere but has obviously moved.
There is also a costume place that Judy said was FANTASTIC!

Felting

2011-03-20T18:51:00.000+11:00

It was really hot today and I spent the morning trying to get rid of some of the ivy in the front garden A thankless and never ending task. Then I rested with a book (the Happiest Refugee Anh Do) Went and did some grocery shopping.
It is Michelle's (& Pauline's) birthday today, so i gave her a present when she got home. She had been out late last night and stayed at a friend's and then had to get to work by 11am . The present was a book about shoe designers A-Z. Went over very well!!
This afternoon was Di's Salon and today's project was felting. There were 8 of us there and Rosemary and Phillipa (both skilled craft workers) took us through basic felting. Di hadn't done it before so she was the student today We pass the time with chat, nibbles, and a glass of wine. Di's Studio is in her back yard, purpose built and the windows look out on her herb and veg garden a very tranquil setting.

The Studio as we got started

My design with wool and threads

Rubbing the soap slurry on through wire mesh


This is the felting bit. Rolling it all together to mesh the wool

Rinsed, you had to grab it and fling it down 50 times !

The finished (shrunk ) product. May add some embroidery

Racing in perfect weather

2011-03-20T18:34:00.000+11:00

I worked in the Tower today as there was a real shortage of staff. Just Ray and me. Fortunately there were only 10 lasers sailing the rest had gone down to McRae for a regatta .
Lasers have 6 numbers on their sails and if they are bunched up it can be a challenge to get them all recorded and the time as they finish so close together.
Thankfully it was light wind so they ended up spread out.

Running down to the last mark

A close race all the way

It was also start of the Jollyboat Championships. Light weather makes it less of a thrill for them as they are designed for 20knots! I was barracking for Bernard and he had a 1st and a 2nd, so they were very happy.

Some of the Green Fleet (Juniors)

The Junior Fleet had a good coaching session as well in the 4.7 small laser rig.

Spencer

2011-03-18T20:12:00.000+11:00

Hard to get a picture when he is so black!

Spencer has been very lively lately.
Now that my god daughter Michelle is living here while she attends RMIT Fashion Design, he has been pleased with the extra company.
When she first started coming and going he would bark and race around the side of the house.
A week ago she arrived home about 2am and I heard her open the side gate (went straight back to sleep) and he had not barked at all!!
Hence his laid back pose!!

Ethnic Dinner

2011-03-18T20:06:00.000+11:00

It is amazing to realize how long we have been doing this group dinner but we developed the idea of eating at a different restaurant and became known as ethnic dinner. It is even written in the dairy as Ethnic Betty (or whomsoever turn it is) It has been at least since 1982, but maybe longer.

I am not sure how it started but a group of 6 friends meet every 6 weeks (more or less depending on our ability to find a mutually convenient night, fitting in football, Bowls, theatre and music bookings we all have ) We take it in turns to book and arrange the next dinner at the end of each evening. The person responsible gives us an address a few days before the date.

We have a mnemonic to remember whose turn is next.

"C me get a BSc." Celia, Mich Elaine Betty, Sue, Carolynn. This had to change when Celia went to USA and Wendy comes now so she is Celia's C.

Originally it was easy to find a different ethnic meal to explore. Melbourne is renowned for it restaurants and we have gone through every conceivable cuisine We had a fresh surge as each new migrant group arrives. We have covered A-Z including African Argentinian all possible Asian and also their types of cuisine as well, Australian ( a pub meal) , Burmese, Cajun, Chinese (A standout was Li Li's Food of the Chinese Imperial Court FANTASTIC!) Ethiopian, French Greek Hungarian, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolain, Nepalese, Portuguese, Russian (memorable in the annals because of the magician!) Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, maybe not Yum Cha.And many others of teh alphabet.

When in a struggle for a choice we choose a variety of a cuisine type.

Beautiful Chairs at Quan Jude

Over the years I had not realised how bossy I am. I can't stand everyone musing over this and that, diverted by a question leading to a lengthy conversation, the waiter returning 2-3 times, etc. So I would break in and say why don't we have or order... Well in the last 2-3 years everyone just says "what are we having Mich" When waiter arrives with the menu they just make sure I have one and leave theirs on the table.

Now I do seek input, and I leave the wine order to Sue & Wendy but one evening I said I was not going to do it. Three or four times I had to bite my tongue as my question/suggestion was dying to get out, So since then I have given up and order for us all.

On Queen St

The most recent one was Quan Jude a Chinese restaurant that specializes in Peking Duck.

A very successful evening.

Gone are the days when dinner cost us $20!!

Speigel Tent

2011-03-17T19:34:00.000+11:00

one of the highlights of Summer in Melbourne is the Speigel tent erected in front of the Art Centre. Lots of varied events music comedy cabaret, dance and circus. It it's always hard to know what will be good, but one can always book a lemon (from one's personal taste point of view.)

Entrance to Speigel tent

I chose one called Wildbirds & Peace Drums. Sweden’s mesmerizing Wildbirds & Peace drums make their debut trip to Melbourne. Mariam Wallentin and her husband Andreas Werliin With an almost unclassifiable sound, the duo draw on blues, jazz, folk and soul music traditions to create powerful raw pop, crafted largely from drums and vocals.

Inside the Tent

I should have read it more closely as the phrase "largely from drums" meant that there was a LOT of drum solos. My pet hate along with guitar riffs. So I hope my next choice is better.

Dick and Christa Hughes present 21st Century Blues Jazz, Blues, Cabaret, Boogie Woogie and Vaudeville. Join legendary jazz pianist Dick Hughes and his infamous singing daughter Christa (MGF, Circus Oz, La Clique) as they present songs from their 2010 ARIA nominated album, 21st Century Blues.

But outside the tent was the tram (see blog Jan 25th) all set up as a bar Looking very festive and a tourist attraction Not sure if it will stay.

I was intrigued with a discussion Celia and I had had about how the development on the Maribyrnong River was coping with the floods. So I drove up to the area behind the Aldi store built on the old munitions site in Gordon Street. The views there showed the reclaimed area was not flooded so maybe the ponds, sorry lakes as part of the development is designed to cope with the floods.

Anglesea: Labour Day weekend

2011-03-13T16:11:00.013+11:00

Andrew and family were down at Aireys for the weekend as he & Nick were sailing in the Hobie State Titles at Anglesea.

Sunday Sailing is the boat in middle with green jib and top of sail

I decided to go down for the day on Sunday and see what was happening. They had had only one race on Saturday as the wind was so light.
When I arrived they were just floating around in 4-5 knots, but as they started the breeze picked up and they started moving along At one point I got a photo as they were in 5th place.

I could walk out to end of the point

Spotted some seals who seemed to be fishing

Even when you are interested, sailing is not really a spectator sport esp when you need binoculars to see the activity.

Digging for ??

It was a beautiful day 28 degrees and sunny, and lots of people were taking advantage of the end of the summer weather. So I took some photos of the activity.

What a good sister!

Troops heading back

Lots of sun protection tents


Boat trailers. All in a bush setting.

So after a while i left and went on to Aireys Inlet to Lynne & Kate.I had lunch with Lynne and Kate, and Kate made me a coffee on the new coffee machine which uses pods of coffee. Easy to use and a good coffee.

Kate and Lynne were also a great source of knowledge in the intricacies of my new Iphone!

Andrew and Nick arrived back about 230 as the racing had been canceled as the wind had picked up to 25 knots. Nick recounted how he had capsized the boat.

Nick in His Hobie Assoc Shirt

When a catamaran tacks the crew needs to dash over to the opposite side at the point of the trampoline to avoid the wind getting under the Tramp. If you are slow the boat tips up backwards. Nick went sliding down the trampoline into the water! His first capsize and in 25knots Really initiated now!

Seminar Day at PMYC

2011-03-12T14:42:00.000+11:00

View from Window of the Yacht Club

Well the day arrived after months of planning. Understanding Infant feeding refusal. It was a new experience setting up systems that would make the organization easier; many lessons learned on the way!
Lessons learned.
1. Don't expect everyone to have your sense of timeline.
2. People forget!
3. Some people think I would know they wanted to come despite not having emailed me at all!
4. Technology needs LOTS of practice (all was OK on the day)
5. Beware the development of 2 lists of anything; The wrong one will always open first
6. Councils take a long time to pay
7. Use gmail for being able to find an email easily (great search system)
8 There are still computer illiterate people out there.
9 Everyone appreciates a great venue!
10.There is always one who is never happy!

The crowd and self (Note my banner on the small stand)

Bearing all that in mind it went well. I ended up with 39 people, one sick on the day and the arrival of the aforementioned person I had never heard of! The catering, and Adam who worked the day there was great and went smoothly. Never organised a conference or day when there was help, usually nurses do stuff themselves when it's small scale.

Breaks held on the deck

At lunch time many people commented on the georgeous day, and felt they were on holiday!

The videos worked well and I didn't have too much info or needed to pad any time slot, and general discussion & participation was good. Two constant 'yes but'ters in the front row, but manageable.

Feedback was good 32 replies, and only 3 negative "too basic" the rest very positive about everything.

The set up and view

One comment that didn't appear as I expected it would, was the table setting; I will do it differently for the next time. It was 'cabaret' style tables of 6 on 3 sides of the table. The people at the end of the tables (except the middle ones) had to turn to see me, though I did keep walking across so they were looking directly at me at times. Will need to set it out in straight rows next time.

Also my slide background is pale with black letters and seemed a bit washed out on the transfer to a screen, so might trial a darker background so the letter contrast is stronger

But all in all good. The next one in April is to be a workshop, so will need to develop some ideas on how to do this. Feedback for the next one was a question, and many want to talk about the severe feeding aversion failure to thrive and NG weaning!! So will adjust my plans for that.

Lane graffiti, sorry ART

2011-03-08T16:24:00.001+11:00

I was heading in to the city to the Apple store to get a gizmo, a dongle I think it's called, to connect the data projector SCSI to my Mac, but I had mis-read when it was open and had to wait for 30 minutes. As I crossed the road I saw people looking at the wall of laneway opposite so went to explore. The lane is Hosier Lane and is covered in Artists' self expression; unfortunately vandals have also had a say over some of the works.

Though I should not call it graffiti, it hasn't been called that for several decades I gather. Street art now is a postmodern confluence of art forms; ornate spray-painted pieces, stencil-graffiti and pasting, or paste-ups. Stencilling, spray-painting over a cut-out outline, or Pasting, glueing painted paper images to a wall.

The vandalism is the ugly, illegal practice of "tagging", the scrawling of nicknames on walls and billboards, is widespread. I must admit I can't see the sense of that when I can seldom work out what the word is supposed to be. But maybe that's an age thing!!

Stencil art, and the vivid canvas that somewhere like Hosier Lane represents, is why Melbourne is regarded as the street-art capital of the world. This has been recognised by the City of Melbourne and the City of Yarra, which sanction stencilling in some of their lanes, despite recent bad press about removing Bansky's mouse while cleaning up the graffiti, and tagging around it.

But the art is skillful funny, beautiful and imaginative. Even political as well.

I especially liked this one

Bulldog In Footscray, leaping over the Westgate Bridge.
It covers the whole wall.

This lovely fierce bulldog is on the end of a row of shops near the Mall, and is obviously appreciated as Art as it has been there for 12mths that I have seen, and have no tagging or other vandalism on it.

2011-02-27T20:21:00.000+11:00

Yesterday was a brilliant sunny day and I went sailing with Hugh and Cliff and we had a great day I have a very sore bum today The position for the main sheet hand to sit, is on top of the sheet cleats. Hard to get comfortable!
Today we had a working bee planned at the Yacht Club and I woke to the sound of heavy rain Again! The summer that really wasn't, ended today with another rainy day. More than 300 millimetres of rain has fallen on Victoria this summer, breaking the previous seasonal record of 1910-11 when 237 millimetres was recorded.

The old fence in need of repair.

However the rain didn't put us off the tasks planned. The two main jobs were replacing the decking fence and repairing broken boards on the floor of the dinghy shed.


Bernard Simon & Jim getting into floor board replacement .

The juniors working together

There was a good turnout with enough people to have 3-4 doing any one job. The Green Fleet (juniors) were also there under Sean's supervision painting and setting up racks for the Junior boats and equipment. Lots of paint around!!

All ready to go!

The fence had been pre-measured and cut and even pre painted by Bernard so when it went up it looked fabulous!
The turn out was good and a big crowd at lunch, with lots of talk and friendly banter!

Believe it or not they are not discussing sailing, but the value of Twitter in keeping track of your children!!

Half the crowd.

Celia's gone!

2011-02-25T20:21:00.005+11:00

It was sad to say goodbye to Celia as we had had a lovely 10 days. Just catching up with her friends, Kate's birthday, Tony, games of scrabble, lunches, dinner and plans
We have decided to do a 12 day tour of the Kimberley area in July. From Broome going up the Gibb River Road, through El Questro Wilderness park to Kunnunurra. Then down to Bungle Bungles (unknown when I worked there. National Park declared in 1987) and on to Halls Creek where I worked 1970-1972 . We will not be in Halls Creek long but hope to have a comparative look around! the n on to Fitzroy Crossing and back to Broome.
I am doing the bookings and decision making and Celia will pay up!
On Friday, the last night, we went for some music at the Czech Club in North Melbourne.

Me, Celia, Sue and Julia.

We met first for dinner at Sosta and Italian restaurant in Errol street. Sue Morris, and Julia Roberts (no movie career) came as well, as Sue was taking back a coffee machine for Bernadette from Julia so she was delivering it!

On the lane next to the restaurant off Errol St.

I stopped to take a photo of this Mural and just as we moved off again the waiter came out with Celia's credit card!

My Sauce Good

I've seen a few shows at the Czech Club and this group were a one off show from Sydney called My Sauce Good (no idea why) but a review says “As their name suggests, My Sauce Good cook up a tempting array of slow cooked soulful folk, Jazz and Swing from nostalgic bygone eras…. what better way to intrigue the mind and warm the cockles of your heart, mind and belly with a generous serving of My Sauce Good”

Sue and Celia in the Club.

They were good, but we were all tired and the break went on a bit long so we went home early.

Celia and Sue left at 1000 next morning, after the usual angst of cramming stuff in suitcases, (no luggage limits for these girls in their Top class United FF program.) But they were off to bargain for an upgrade to 1st class. I don't know, they have comfy Business class lie down seats and now it's not good enough!! They have long forgotten about cattle class!!

Melbourne views

2011-02-25T17:25:00.001+11:00

I had no private patients booked (but had calls to three of them) so I used the day to finalize paperwork for the upcoming Seminar at Port Melbourne Yacht Club. Being a member I felt I should share the great venue with others less fortunate! I have planned two Seminars / workshops about feeding refusal,and the first one is on March 11th.
I took Spencer to the new dog groomer (same shop but they have two venues now). He had been a matted mess last week when we attacked him with scissor, and it seemed to malk a difference as they didn't have to shear him to whippet status. He looks very nice now!! They said he was very good just lay stretched out when they clipped him.

probably much like this!!

I got all the work done even loaded some difficult movie clips. I still can't see why IMovie will load some and others it does not recognise. and one I saved ended up saved as an ITunes file not IMovie!!
I also successfully found a file of Ed Tronick's Still Face experiment. Will use that to talk about how anxiety affects feeding. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apzXGEbZht0
So had no photos for today so have added some views of Melbourne lately.

Outside Melbourne Museum

Sunset over West Gate Bridge

Our own Flatiron Building

beautiful brickwork not seen in modern buildings now

The outdoor Dunny! Still around but probably plumbed now

Flemington street trees

A week of events

2011-02-23T22:30:00.000+11:00

Just had a really busy week
Celia is home for 2 weeks as she does some training (2days only!) for the School Reviewer job she has here in August.
Because she was here, Tony, a retired man of leisure now, decided to come over from Perth.

Tony with some Western Bulldogs (Footscray) items for his grandson. A huge fan

He stayed at the local hotel and we met up each of the 5 days he was here. He did some touring around including visiting the site of our old house in Beaumaris, pulled down but still no building after 18mth. We three went out to Paris Cat Jazz Club and a meal in Hardware lane I think the first time we have ever gone out together!
He also organised a lunch with some of our old childhood next door neighbours. Sandy and her sister Cheryl came as well as Alan Grant from over the road.
None of us live in Beaumaris now; we were the last to leave. In our heyday there were about 23 kids out on the streets or bushland.
A great deal of the meal was discussing the exploits of the bad boys of the area and the freedom we enjoyed roaming the neighbourhood in the 50's- 60'.

Celia, Alan Tony & Sandy

Just starting to sit

Tony, Celia and I also went to visit Bridie and Sean and Dylan who is growing into a chubby charmer!! 5 months now...time flies as they say!

Sue and Wendy after the show

On Sunday I went with Celia, Sue and Wendy to the Williamstown Little Theatre to see Two weeks with the Queen a lovely funny and poignant story by Morris Gleitzman. The lead Tim Walker and Dylan Boyd playing two young boys were great esp Tim. A really enjoyable show!

Kate and her cake (before we added 3 more candles!)

I finished the week with a lovely Roast Lamb dinner with Chocolate Ripple cake for Kate's 12th birthday today.

Nick picking the melted wax off his dessert

She enjoyed all her presents including about 8 books!
She also liked the Monkey hat Celia added at the last minute!

Clowning around

I spent part of today getting soil and mulch for the new garden bed. A lovely sunny day to spend in the garden

Canberra and costumes

2011-02-09T18:26:00.000+11:00

My plan to visit Canberra for the day to see the exhibition of the Costumes of the Ballet Russes went ahead without a hitch (except for a 20minute delay leaving Melbourne). I had thought that the costumes were traveling from overseas, but they actually belong to the National Gallery, having been bought at Sothebys years ago.

Many were just as they had been put in hampers after use, and most needed cleaning and restoration. Through 140 costumes from 34 productions from 1909 to 1939, the vivid and innovative dance design of the early 20th century was on show for the 100th anniversary of the Ballets Russes.

Léon Bakst Tunic from costume for the Blue God c 1912 from Le Dieu Bleu worn by Nijinsky

The Ballets Russes made its first appearance in Paris in the 1909, a sensational season of dance organised by Diaghilev, a Russian-born impresario. The ballet integrated traditional dance narratives with modern design, folk art, contemporary music and new approaches to choreography. The costumes were so different to the traditional tutu and longer dress .

Some looked incredibly heavy and others with soft falling fabric must have looked stunning moving across the stage. Especially with Nijinsky in them!! There were 3 huge rooms, and with each set of costumes were details of the Ballet story, choreographer, designer and the music. It was one of these ballets that introduced Stravinsky to the Western world.

Goncharova’s squid costume

Some ballet sets and costumes were designed by Matisse, and Picasso. The best preserved lot were a gorgeous collection from the ballet the Sleeping Princess that did not do well, so the costumes were kept to wait payment of the debt for the production by Diaghilev, they had never been used again.

I took it all in, in several doses and saw some of the other exhibits before I left.

1/3 of the curved room

Did you know there is a room like Monet's Waterlilies that show the whole collection of Sydney Nolan's Ned Kelly Series?

Also saw Lin Onus' Dingoes.

In the Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander section, there was a piece ART Each letter covered with ashtrays all depicting aboriginal children or adult people. I even recognized one that I am sure we had. Not thought of it as a child as being racist, or tasteless or whatever, especially ash trays!!

Had lunch in a sunny spot outside with a view to some of the Art in the garden.

Two pieces on the front lawn

The outdoor cafe.

I had a good flight back quick pick up of the car and home by 5pm.

Had a laugh at this cartoon in the Age on the same page where I was reading about Dame Elizabeth Murdoch's 102nd Birthday!