I was very pleased to hear of the withdrawal of most Australia's military force from Afghanistan.
Yesterday, I heard on radio 693 the opening of Neil Mitchell's show.
Was it worth it?, he asked. He answered using what our VC decorated soldier Donaldson said to him when he asked him that question.
Donaldson/Mitchell said, "Was WW1 worth it?Was WW11 worth it? Would more terrorist attacks by plane on buildings have happened in the US had we not gone? Would there have been more bombs in Bali? We simply had to go. We had no choice.
My answers to these questions were-
NO
NO
NO ONE KNOWS
NO ONE KNOWS
I don't believe we had no choice. Of course we did.
Later in the program someone said we had to go to Afghanistan because it was issuing phony passports to terrorists to come and attack the US. A question arose in my mind. Would it have not been more prudent to not recognize Afghanistan passports and refuse entry or at least submit them to to utmost scrutiny at the domestic level? Think of the trillions of dollars that would have been saved and the human life as well. That money could have been used in other ways.
My view was in 2001, as it is now, that military invasion or attack by Australia on another nation is abhorrent to me. Sicko stuff.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Saturday, October 26, 2013
The Magic of Music and Song
It amazes me how music can reach deep into your soul. A few bars of a song not heard physically but played in your mind can change one's mood and inspire to rise above fatigue and despair. Or a song on the radio out of the blue can lift you out of the day's tedium into dreamtime. And also the sheer relaxing pleasure of playing old favourites on the weekend while you do housekeeping chores or do cooking or preparing. Magic is the right word.
In a conversation with Meredith along these lines she told me three short stories. Firstly, when she visited our grandmother regularly in her last days in 1996, 'old nanna' was 99 years old and failing in memory. She didn't know Meredith's name or who she was but she would sing old hymns word perfect quietly to herself in a semi euphoric state that belied her circumstance.
Secondly, Meredith's husband Roger plays piano at St. Marks church in Emerald. He was playing to a group of people one day, one of whom was a man who had suffered a stroke and had lost his ability to speak. At the the conclusion of of a piece Roger was playing, this man rose from his chair and slowly walked to Roger and said, "That was beautiful, thank you," then returned to his seat. Afterwards he could no longer speak again but there was something in the music that triggered his brain at that moment to enable him to say his words.
Thirdly, and this seems impossible and I have no evidence to support it, Meredith's son in law Matt, a music teacher, told Meredith of an incident in a book he read. A lady who had never played the piano was struck by lightning, after which she could play the piano expertly by ear.
There was a fourth, of a severely disabled person who could not speak but could play the piano by ear, but I don't quite remember any more than that, maybe I'll update this later. I'll talk to Matt to when I see him.
Play it again Sam.
Monday, October 14, 2013
If I Could
As I finished tidying up around the front door and carport yesterday, Sunday, I noticed the rear passenger side window on Lib's car was down a couple of inches. I thought I'd better close it, more than once we've had a huntsman spider in Lib's car and they can be hard to catch. One fell from the sun visor once onto Lib's lap nearly causing an accident.
I forgot to do it. Lib rang me today from work soon after she got there, saying she had some bad news. when she got to work she found our blue wren dead on the floor of the car. I can't tell adequately the emotional distress I felt at that instant, and repeatedly numerous time during the day, including now.
A couple of weeks ago a pair of blue fairy wrens turned up in our garden. I was overjoyed at this as blue wrens had not been seen in our garden for many years possibly two decades. We were invaded by bell birds and all the small birds were hunted out by the aggressive and territorial bellbirds. The bellbirds left in the searing heat of the summer of 2009 and the wrens, fantails and thornbills have come back much to our delight. I'd see blue wrens elsewhere around Gembrook but until two weeks ago they had not reappeared at our place.
I was thrilled by their comeback, the male with his brilliant blue colouring is something to behold and this pair were about every day excitedly chirruping their scritchy call. He spent a lot of time tapping on the lounge room window trying to chase of his rival self reflection, and also on the car mirrors and windows.
He must have flown into through Lib's slightly open window in his exertions and not been able to find his way out again. I'd say he flew about in the car hitting the windows trying to get out and died of exhaustion and lack of food and water in the car. His efforts would have taxed him, and flight for a small bird uses a lot of energy.
The female was about today, calling and looking for her mate. How terrible I felt. As if it isn't hard enough for little birds to survive predation by cats, currawongs, minahs, kookaburras without having the hazard of being trapped in a car and dying of exhaustion.
If I could only turn back the clock, I'd make sure there were no car widows slightly open.
I forgot to do it. Lib rang me today from work soon after she got there, saying she had some bad news. when she got to work she found our blue wren dead on the floor of the car. I can't tell adequately the emotional distress I felt at that instant, and repeatedly numerous time during the day, including now.
A couple of weeks ago a pair of blue fairy wrens turned up in our garden. I was overjoyed at this as blue wrens had not been seen in our garden for many years possibly two decades. We were invaded by bell birds and all the small birds were hunted out by the aggressive and territorial bellbirds. The bellbirds left in the searing heat of the summer of 2009 and the wrens, fantails and thornbills have come back much to our delight. I'd see blue wrens elsewhere around Gembrook but until two weeks ago they had not reappeared at our place.
I was thrilled by their comeback, the male with his brilliant blue colouring is something to behold and this pair were about every day excitedly chirruping their scritchy call. He spent a lot of time tapping on the lounge room window trying to chase of his rival self reflection, and also on the car mirrors and windows.
He must have flown into through Lib's slightly open window in his exertions and not been able to find his way out again. I'd say he flew about in the car hitting the windows trying to get out and died of exhaustion and lack of food and water in the car. His efforts would have taxed him, and flight for a small bird uses a lot of energy.
The female was about today, calling and looking for her mate. How terrible I felt. As if it isn't hard enough for little birds to survive predation by cats, currawongs, minahs, kookaburras without having the hazard of being trapped in a car and dying of exhaustion.
If I could only turn back the clock, I'd make sure there were no car widows slightly open.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Lamb and Goat's Cheese Burger
Thursday is our quiet day business wise in that no customers come to pick up so there's no time clock pressure to have things ready by a certain time. I had run out of coconut oil (for cooking) and had planned to go to Narre Warren or Dandenong to get some. I had some chicken drumsticks in the freezer that were due for cooking and Lib suggested I make a curry and gave me a procedure so I was into it after she left for work and also preparing a week's supply of chook food (7 containers of mixed delicacies that we give the chooks each evening as we put them to bed). While this was happening I washed the sheets thinking they might dry before the forecast rain, and remade the bed with other ones from the linen cupboard when the rain came early.
I had planned to go to the farm and pick some dogwood before Gord and I went to 'Grill'd' for lunch in Narre Warren. Gord has been wanting to take me there for ages. It was raining lightly but steadily when we got to the farm. Nothing had been picked and I was disappointed as Shane our main wholesaler had said he'd take 200 bunches of white dogwood on Friday. That's at $7.50 a bunch. My writing class resumes Friday and I do want to go, so I said to Gord, "Coat and all we'll get wet but let's go down the back and pick for an hour before we go off to Narre." To his credit he agreed and did not complain at getting wet, his coat did not have a hood. It's not easy work, especially in the rain, working off a ladder on a steep slope with a pole cutter. I cut while Gord gathered and trimmed, we bunched 25 and tied into bundles of five and left them on the track for Jod to pick up later with the quad bike. So it was a day off with an hours work to help for the next day. We'll never get 200 bunches tomorrow but at least we made a start.
The rain had worked its way through my coat and down my neck, my shirt and singlet was wet. My gumboots had splits in both so my socks were wet. I had dry leather boots in the van and a nice warm cardigan. I did a bit of banking business in Emerald, and paid my fees at the community house for this term's fees for writing class and computer class. Then we headed to Narre. With dry boots and cardigan over wet shirt I was starting to warm up.
The lamb burger was sensational. Gord had one too.We had a big bowl of fries each. Rarely am I so satiated. We moved on to Healthy Life Shop where I bought two big jars of coconut oil. Also to Aldi for a few of our standards.
It was a great day. By the time I got home I'd dried out. Lib had lit the fire. The cool change had come after 30C yesterday. I finished my column for Signpost to submit in the morning after a reread/ edit.I had struggled with this all week, just couldn't pull it together, and would start, then get sleepy like a zombie, no good. Who would think a 300-400 article could be so hard. But after 4 years of it, ideas are a bit thin and perhaps there's burn out.
I had planned to go to the farm and pick some dogwood before Gord and I went to 'Grill'd' for lunch in Narre Warren. Gord has been wanting to take me there for ages. It was raining lightly but steadily when we got to the farm. Nothing had been picked and I was disappointed as Shane our main wholesaler had said he'd take 200 bunches of white dogwood on Friday. That's at $7.50 a bunch. My writing class resumes Friday and I do want to go, so I said to Gord, "Coat and all we'll get wet but let's go down the back and pick for an hour before we go off to Narre." To his credit he agreed and did not complain at getting wet, his coat did not have a hood. It's not easy work, especially in the rain, working off a ladder on a steep slope with a pole cutter. I cut while Gord gathered and trimmed, we bunched 25 and tied into bundles of five and left them on the track for Jod to pick up later with the quad bike. So it was a day off with an hours work to help for the next day. We'll never get 200 bunches tomorrow but at least we made a start.
The rain had worked its way through my coat and down my neck, my shirt and singlet was wet. My gumboots had splits in both so my socks were wet. I had dry leather boots in the van and a nice warm cardigan. I did a bit of banking business in Emerald, and paid my fees at the community house for this term's fees for writing class and computer class. Then we headed to Narre. With dry boots and cardigan over wet shirt I was starting to warm up.
The lamb burger was sensational. Gord had one too.We had a big bowl of fries each. Rarely am I so satiated. We moved on to Healthy Life Shop where I bought two big jars of coconut oil. Also to Aldi for a few of our standards.
It was a great day. By the time I got home I'd dried out. Lib had lit the fire. The cool change had come after 30C yesterday. I finished my column for Signpost to submit in the morning after a reread/ edit.I had struggled with this all week, just couldn't pull it together, and would start, then get sleepy like a zombie, no good. Who would think a 300-400 article could be so hard. But after 4 years of it, ideas are a bit thin and perhaps there's burn out.
Wednesday, October 02, 2013
Grand Final Weekend
We drove down to Lakes last Thursday in a gale. We stopped for a customary picnic lunch (Subway bought in Traralgon) in our park a little west of Rosedale where I love to admire the wonderful old contorted red gum tree. We could hardly get out the car as the wind was fierce and rain poured as we drove in. I hung around till it eased so doggies could have a wee and a stretch while Lib and Rob left first in the I30. Gord and I were in the Kangoo laden with whippy snippers, ladder and tools as well as the dogs and eskies.
The power was off at the house due to the storm when we arrived but was soon restored. We did a little shop and watched the news before a roast dinner to celebrate the 4 of us eating together, not a common thing since Rob moved out. The house swayed on its pylons as the wind blew strong well into the night and the sea roared in the distance.
The dogs locked in the laundry below woke me whining and yipping at 5.45am as dawn showed itself. It's Pip that makes the noise, Snow would wait in patient silence. I fed and released them and read my book for a couple of hours before getting Lib breakfast. The book, 'The Reprieve' by Jean Paul Sartre was one I took home from the Lakes house when I was last there a couple of months ago. I wanted to finish it to so that I could leave it this time. It was a book I found difficult to read and I was so distracted by so many things over those weeks that I couldn't really warm to it. It was set over about 4 days in 1938 in France as the powers of the day met to decide on war or peace over the territorial dispute in Czechoslovakia. It followed the tensions of French citizens in a highly charged expectation of war and mobilization. It did capture something of the mood of the day but would have stronger meaning to someone who lived through that time I'm sure. The title 'The Reprieve' was so because peace won the day, which was short lived of course as we know. I think the book explored the human emotions in the expectation of war, the excitement and hysteria it provokes and the almost self fulfilling momentum that builds with it. I must ask Maria about it. I don't think I quite got it.
As if by magician's wand the wind had stopped and the sea was calm as a lake. The day, Friday, was warm, sunny and still and Gord and I cut all the grass. Saturday the gale returned and blew angrily all day. We had a barbecued whole schnapper for lunch with salad which was the highlight of the day. Regretably Hawthorn won the premiership, as if you didn't know, which capped off what was a miserable year's AFL footy for me.
Sunday the magician was at work again and the weather was still and perfect. I did some painting and tied up a section of side fence that was nearly collapsed by the gale and slashed some ti tree which had grown on the steep bank behind the house with the metal blade on the whipper. I washed the Kangoo, tied the ladder on the roof rack and packed in the tools and Gord and Rob drove home in it Sunday arvo. Lib and I stayed on with the dogs and came home yesterday after cleaning the house, leaving at 11am and reaching Gembrook at 2.30pm with a stop at Tyers, this time tavelling the back way from Myrtlebank to Moe.
A good weekend except for the footy result but who cares anyway. Sadly I had hard luck punting story. Lib, who usually does not participate, asked me to put trifectas on numbers 2,3 and 5. I did, at Caulfield and Coleraine. I'd asked her what number to substitute if there was a scratching, she said 8. I was using Rob's laptop which I was unfamiliar with as there was no mouse making me awkward and slow and a little impatient. In race 2 at Coleraine number 5 was a scratching, so I substituted 8. Not knowing where to put 8, either in numerical sequence or in place of 5, I did both, at fifty cents each, which is what I put on trifectas. At least I thought I did. Number 2 won at 50/1 and the numbers 2,8,3 paid $4800 for $1, so my collect for 50 cents should have been $2400........ BUT......... when I checked I had taken 2,3,8 and 2,5,8. I had mistakenly taken the scratched horse in my haste.* No Collect.
The mad wind thrashed again last night when we got home. The power went out and was off all day. It's calm outside now. The forecast is again for gales tomorrow. Weird weather, even for spring. to change so quickly and often.
* I make a correction (3 OCT). After thinking about this lying in bed it occurred to me that you shouldn't be able to back a scratched horse so I tried to today and you can't. My recollection is that 10 minutes after the race, when I checked my account to see how much I had won, I had two trifectas on that race one of which included the scratched horse as I mentioned above. When I check now I only had one, 2 3 8. Maybe I looked at race 3 immediately under which includes the number 5 which was the scratched horse in R2, or details on my account changed which would be outright fraud and most unlikely. In any case it is still a hard luck story as I intended and thought I had taken the winning combo. Sorry if this bores or confuses but I had to get this down before now forgetting about it.
The power was off at the house due to the storm when we arrived but was soon restored. We did a little shop and watched the news before a roast dinner to celebrate the 4 of us eating together, not a common thing since Rob moved out. The house swayed on its pylons as the wind blew strong well into the night and the sea roared in the distance.
The dogs locked in the laundry below woke me whining and yipping at 5.45am as dawn showed itself. It's Pip that makes the noise, Snow would wait in patient silence. I fed and released them and read my book for a couple of hours before getting Lib breakfast. The book, 'The Reprieve' by Jean Paul Sartre was one I took home from the Lakes house when I was last there a couple of months ago. I wanted to finish it to so that I could leave it this time. It was a book I found difficult to read and I was so distracted by so many things over those weeks that I couldn't really warm to it. It was set over about 4 days in 1938 in France as the powers of the day met to decide on war or peace over the territorial dispute in Czechoslovakia. It followed the tensions of French citizens in a highly charged expectation of war and mobilization. It did capture something of the mood of the day but would have stronger meaning to someone who lived through that time I'm sure. The title 'The Reprieve' was so because peace won the day, which was short lived of course as we know. I think the book explored the human emotions in the expectation of war, the excitement and hysteria it provokes and the almost self fulfilling momentum that builds with it. I must ask Maria about it. I don't think I quite got it.
As if by magician's wand the wind had stopped and the sea was calm as a lake. The day, Friday, was warm, sunny and still and Gord and I cut all the grass. Saturday the gale returned and blew angrily all day. We had a barbecued whole schnapper for lunch with salad which was the highlight of the day. Regretably Hawthorn won the premiership, as if you didn't know, which capped off what was a miserable year's AFL footy for me.
Sunday the magician was at work again and the weather was still and perfect. I did some painting and tied up a section of side fence that was nearly collapsed by the gale and slashed some ti tree which had grown on the steep bank behind the house with the metal blade on the whipper. I washed the Kangoo, tied the ladder on the roof rack and packed in the tools and Gord and Rob drove home in it Sunday arvo. Lib and I stayed on with the dogs and came home yesterday after cleaning the house, leaving at 11am and reaching Gembrook at 2.30pm with a stop at Tyers, this time tavelling the back way from Myrtlebank to Moe.
A good weekend except for the footy result but who cares anyway. Sadly I had hard luck punting story. Lib, who usually does not participate, asked me to put trifectas on numbers 2,3 and 5. I did, at Caulfield and Coleraine. I'd asked her what number to substitute if there was a scratching, she said 8. I was using Rob's laptop which I was unfamiliar with as there was no mouse making me awkward and slow and a little impatient. In race 2 at Coleraine number 5 was a scratching, so I substituted 8. Not knowing where to put 8, either in numerical sequence or in place of 5, I did both, at fifty cents each, which is what I put on trifectas. At least I thought I did. Number 2 won at 50/1 and the numbers 2,8,3 paid $4800 for $1, so my collect for 50 cents should have been $2400........ BUT......... when I checked I had taken 2,3,8 and 2,5,8. I had mistakenly taken the scratched horse in my haste.* No Collect.
The mad wind thrashed again last night when we got home. The power went out and was off all day. It's calm outside now. The forecast is again for gales tomorrow. Weird weather, even for spring. to change so quickly and often.
* I make a correction (3 OCT). After thinking about this lying in bed it occurred to me that you shouldn't be able to back a scratched horse so I tried to today and you can't. My recollection is that 10 minutes after the race, when I checked my account to see how much I had won, I had two trifectas on that race one of which included the scratched horse as I mentioned above. When I check now I only had one, 2 3 8. Maybe I looked at race 3 immediately under which includes the number 5 which was the scratched horse in R2, or details on my account changed which would be outright fraud and most unlikely. In any case it is still a hard luck story as I intended and thought I had taken the winning combo. Sorry if this bores or confuses but I had to get this down before now forgetting about it.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
History Talk Done
So tonight I did my first power point presentation titled 'A History of Emerald' as a guest speaker for the AGM of the Ringwood Historical Society. My colleague and good friend Chris Britton (museum secretary) accompanied me. It went well, I surprised myself with my relative calmness given the nagging anxiety I had endured as I prepared for this over a few weeks, learning the set up at my weekly computer class and gathering photos and notes to tie it together.
Having done it, I understand better the organization of it and would do a better job next time, as I'm sure I lacked rhythm. There's nothing like practical experience. I thought I'd feel great relief when I got home that it was over and I could now put my mental energy to other things. Strangely, there's no such relief, just a slight regret that I didn't do it better, and that I didn't have enough time to tell some anecdotes that I had planned to paint the the picture I wished to about the various eras. A council person was on before me giving a run down on the new Eastland shopping centre soon to be constructed. She was very professional but went on and on using crap words and phrases like "stakeholders" and "iconic" and "state of the art" and "consultancy process" and much of what she said meant nothing to me. But I am a cynic. She went overtime. She invited questions at the end but they cut her off and went straight to me, saying questions to her could come later if she stayed.
So I started late and was conscious of it, the room was warm and stuffy and the audience of about 40 was of senior age, I thought short and sweet was better than to go overtime to get all my talk in. They seemed to enjoy it and applauded warmly at the end. There were some questions. Several people came up to me afterwards telling me they enjoyed my talk and asked more Q's over the supper. It was a happy event for me and I'm glad I accepted the challenge and had a crack.
The good thing is that in my preparation I learned so much, not just about Powerpoint but about the history of the district. I'm sure that's where my relative calmness came from. Knowledge of a broader picture and time frame lets you look beyond daily frustration and strife. As I drove off to pick up Chris, a voice in my head said,
"Go placidly."
Having done it, I understand better the organization of it and would do a better job next time, as I'm sure I lacked rhythm. There's nothing like practical experience. I thought I'd feel great relief when I got home that it was over and I could now put my mental energy to other things. Strangely, there's no such relief, just a slight regret that I didn't do it better, and that I didn't have enough time to tell some anecdotes that I had planned to paint the the picture I wished to about the various eras. A council person was on before me giving a run down on the new Eastland shopping centre soon to be constructed. She was very professional but went on and on using crap words and phrases like "stakeholders" and "iconic" and "state of the art" and "consultancy process" and much of what she said meant nothing to me. But I am a cynic. She went overtime. She invited questions at the end but they cut her off and went straight to me, saying questions to her could come later if she stayed.
So I started late and was conscious of it, the room was warm and stuffy and the audience of about 40 was of senior age, I thought short and sweet was better than to go overtime to get all my talk in. They seemed to enjoy it and applauded warmly at the end. There were some questions. Several people came up to me afterwards telling me they enjoyed my talk and asked more Q's over the supper. It was a happy event for me and I'm glad I accepted the challenge and had a crack.
The good thing is that in my preparation I learned so much, not just about Powerpoint but about the history of the district. I'm sure that's where my relative calmness came from. Knowledge of a broader picture and time frame lets you look beyond daily frustration and strife. As I drove off to pick up Chris, a voice in my head said,
"Go placidly."
 |
| About 1900 |
 |
| Hydraulic Sluicing machine Menzies Creek |
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Crook Eyes
A head cold developed for me on Friday, nasal congestion and and an irritated runny left eye, nothing alarming but one of those things that come and go usually pretty quickly (I hope).
Lib got up yesterday full of energy in the mood to go shopping so her and Gord went to Narre Warren early leaving me to my own company and easy pace. I put a few bets on the neddies at Moonee Valley and Echuca and cleaned out the fireplace while the washing machine did its thing. I couldn't smell the magnificent scent of the flowering sweet pittosporum while I hung it on the line unfortunately because of the head cold.
I cooked up a chilli con carne from the recipe on the back of a tin of hot spicy beans which turned out terrific while I heated a tin of pea and ham soup soup for lunch with the delightful farmhouse sourdough bread, that Gord gets from Aldi, toasted with the soup. All well on a gentle spring day. The concarne is in the fridge to give an easy meal next week.
After lunch I put Lib's electric battery hedge trimmer in the van and went down to Vilma's neighbour's place. We crossed paths walking a few weeks a ago and she told me it was due for a trim. It's only about a forty five minute job but the hedge is almost hard up against the fence between her and Vilma and that side of it needs to be done from Vilma's place and is hard to get at because of the fence so the lady asks me to do it as she knows I'm a friend of Vilma's. I parked in the lady's drive where a large a sweet pittosporum in the centre of the circular drive is in full flower. Again I couldn't smell it but it looked so beautiful giving a rain forest feel as the lower branches have all been removed and the canopy extends out and down. It would be an excellent windbreak and shade provider in hot weather was my thought.
I went home and did some gardening,clearing some thick wire grass and weeds, including sweet pittosporum seedlings which need to be removed every year or two if you have mature ones that drop seed like I do, or they will take over after a period of years and nothing else will be there. By the time I finished both my eyes had swollen up and I was struggling to see at all with the weeping fluid. Lib washed them with a saline solution and I watched the footy last night and slept in the spare room waking with both my eyes glued tight shut with gunk.
I rang the doctor thinking I'd get a scrip for something to put in them but being Sunday there's a message telling me to ring a locum or go to William Angliss hospital casualty in Ferntree Gully. Never mind I'll tough it out today, they are still swollen and weeping and slightly painful. I have dosed up with Vitamin C and will probably be much improved tomorrow in any case. I hope so as I will then have saved whatever the locum would have charged or the doctor tomorrow plus whatever the medication would have costed me.
Lib and Gord were very happy with their shopping buying clothes and a new vaccuum cleaner.
It's a lovely sunny day. I'm going to the museum where Roy Kendall is on roster duty and I've arranged to interview him for a Signpost article in a future edition. I may squeeze in a little more gardening at home afterwards.
Lib got up yesterday full of energy in the mood to go shopping so her and Gord went to Narre Warren early leaving me to my own company and easy pace. I put a few bets on the neddies at Moonee Valley and Echuca and cleaned out the fireplace while the washing machine did its thing. I couldn't smell the magnificent scent of the flowering sweet pittosporum while I hung it on the line unfortunately because of the head cold.
I cooked up a chilli con carne from the recipe on the back of a tin of hot spicy beans which turned out terrific while I heated a tin of pea and ham soup soup for lunch with the delightful farmhouse sourdough bread, that Gord gets from Aldi, toasted with the soup. All well on a gentle spring day. The concarne is in the fridge to give an easy meal next week.
After lunch I put Lib's electric battery hedge trimmer in the van and went down to Vilma's neighbour's place. We crossed paths walking a few weeks a ago and she told me it was due for a trim. It's only about a forty five minute job but the hedge is almost hard up against the fence between her and Vilma and that side of it needs to be done from Vilma's place and is hard to get at because of the fence so the lady asks me to do it as she knows I'm a friend of Vilma's. I parked in the lady's drive where a large a sweet pittosporum in the centre of the circular drive is in full flower. Again I couldn't smell it but it looked so beautiful giving a rain forest feel as the lower branches have all been removed and the canopy extends out and down. It would be an excellent windbreak and shade provider in hot weather was my thought.
I went home and did some gardening,clearing some thick wire grass and weeds, including sweet pittosporum seedlings which need to be removed every year or two if you have mature ones that drop seed like I do, or they will take over after a period of years and nothing else will be there. By the time I finished both my eyes had swollen up and I was struggling to see at all with the weeping fluid. Lib washed them with a saline solution and I watched the footy last night and slept in the spare room waking with both my eyes glued tight shut with gunk.
I rang the doctor thinking I'd get a scrip for something to put in them but being Sunday there's a message telling me to ring a locum or go to William Angliss hospital casualty in Ferntree Gully. Never mind I'll tough it out today, they are still swollen and weeping and slightly painful. I have dosed up with Vitamin C and will probably be much improved tomorrow in any case. I hope so as I will then have saved whatever the locum would have charged or the doctor tomorrow plus whatever the medication would have costed me.
Lib and Gord were very happy with their shopping buying clothes and a new vaccuum cleaner.
It's a lovely sunny day. I'm going to the museum where Roy Kendall is on roster duty and I've arranged to interview him for a Signpost article in a future edition. I may squeeze in a little more gardening at home afterwards.
Wednesday, September 04, 2013
It's Never Dull
I walked my way through the forest in Gembrook Bushland Park on Monday to pick bunches of forget-me-not flowers where they grow prolifically along an edge. It was a warm day, the first in quite a while where I'd put on a short sleeved shirt and no T shirt underneath. The forest was still and the treetops glistened in the sunshine, birds chattered. I thought to myself how lucky I am to have this opportunity, this wondrous place on my doorstep almost. To see a place that has not changed much since white settlement. There's concrete brick and bitumen all over the place and cleared land and changed landscape, but here in Gembrook Park there's 65 acres of remnant bush that's never been cleared.
I picked the bunches and was about to make way back when Pip and Snow started barking at somebody moving along the track. I walked towards him in case the dogs intimidated him but when I got there he was happily patting them. He was a big bloke with a camera with a big lens, around his neck. We exchanged pleasantries about the lovely day and I apologized for the dogs to which he said was no problem, he liked dogs. He said he hadn't been in Gembrook Park for eleven years, but he loved the place, and said something told him to go there today and he was so glad he had, he was feeling so much better after being crook for a long time. I had noticed he walked gingerly, not a limp, but carefully and slowly.
I asked him where he was from, he said "Italy", but then corrected himself and said, "My dad was Italian, but I've lived in Berwick since leaving Gembrook. We went on to explain that his dad bought a property in Maisey Rd in about 1970 if my memory is good. It had an old house on it, and Rudy, he said his name was Rudy, and his wife moved into it around 1980 and raised their kids in what were very happy times with few modern luxuries. They were pretty isolated, but it turned sour after noisy neighbours spoiled it with motorbikes roaring up and down and wild parties going all night. They'd built a new house and turned the old one into a woodwork gallery and his wife ran yoga classes. I'm not sure when in this story, but Rudy's wife became ill with cancer, and died fairly recently. He has two boys at University. He spoke of his own recent illness with some uncertainty and a foreboding tone.
He gave me his card, 'Rudy Azzola Contemporary Artist', and said he also writes poetry. His father had an interesting history he said, coming to Australia when twelve years old after being placed in an orphanage in Italy when his father died, then when his mother remarried and relocated to a sugar cane farm in Nth Qld. she went back and got him and brought him to Australia. Rudy wrote up his dad's story and visited his home village where he received much publicity and appeared on a TV show there telling his father's story.
I think Rudy said the new owners of the property in Maisey Rd neglected it for a decade and it broke his father's heart before he died, as he loved it. It has been sold recently he said to a young couple. The penny dropped. I was stopped in the street by a young bloke recently who asked me how he would find out about the history of a place he and his wife bought in Maisey Rd as it's a fascinating place and he and his family just love it and they are doing it up as it was a bit run down. I told him I'd keep my ear to the ground and come out one weekend and have a look but I'd ring him first. His number has been sitting written on an envelope in front of my computer for a few months, I just haven't got around to following up. Now I think I may have something to tell him, if Rudy's old place is his place it is a nice coincidence. I told Rudy I'd email him to establish e contact in the hope he can tell me more of his father's story, and to suss out information for the young bloke.
Now today, I picked bay foliage at a farm house in Gembrook, a friend's parents' old place. The old timber house is there too, and a third house very small, where I was asked to get rid of a beehive some months ago so they could finish knocking it down, must have been the first residence. With the very old sheds and assorted machinery the history of the place steeped into me.
I then took the dogs to JAC Russell Park so they could have a wander and saw AJ sitting on a bench enjoying a "Gold". He brought my attention to crimson rosellas nesting in the hollow of a messmate tree, quite low down. Mum and Dad came and went and occasionally you'd see a little beak stick out of the hole. AJ said he's watched them rear young there three years in a row.
Tonight I was determined to make some head way on a talk on the history of Emerald I've agreed to do shortly for the Ringwood Historical Society, but the file on the UBS stick wouldn't open so I couldn't access the power point slides I'd done at computer class. A problem to solve at class tomorrow night, but I was hoping to have more of it done tonight. Instead I watched a DVD compiled of old movies made by Bill Ford of life in Cockatoo in the 1950's. It was great and has helped my mood to prepare for the talk. I'm so glad to have watched it as Marg Treloar lent it to me last January and it's high time I returned it.
I picked the bunches and was about to make way back when Pip and Snow started barking at somebody moving along the track. I walked towards him in case the dogs intimidated him but when I got there he was happily patting them. He was a big bloke with a camera with a big lens, around his neck. We exchanged pleasantries about the lovely day and I apologized for the dogs to which he said was no problem, he liked dogs. He said he hadn't been in Gembrook Park for eleven years, but he loved the place, and said something told him to go there today and he was so glad he had, he was feeling so much better after being crook for a long time. I had noticed he walked gingerly, not a limp, but carefully and slowly.
I asked him where he was from, he said "Italy", but then corrected himself and said, "My dad was Italian, but I've lived in Berwick since leaving Gembrook. We went on to explain that his dad bought a property in Maisey Rd in about 1970 if my memory is good. It had an old house on it, and Rudy, he said his name was Rudy, and his wife moved into it around 1980 and raised their kids in what were very happy times with few modern luxuries. They were pretty isolated, but it turned sour after noisy neighbours spoiled it with motorbikes roaring up and down and wild parties going all night. They'd built a new house and turned the old one into a woodwork gallery and his wife ran yoga classes. I'm not sure when in this story, but Rudy's wife became ill with cancer, and died fairly recently. He has two boys at University. He spoke of his own recent illness with some uncertainty and a foreboding tone.
He gave me his card, 'Rudy Azzola Contemporary Artist', and said he also writes poetry. His father had an interesting history he said, coming to Australia when twelve years old after being placed in an orphanage in Italy when his father died, then when his mother remarried and relocated to a sugar cane farm in Nth Qld. she went back and got him and brought him to Australia. Rudy wrote up his dad's story and visited his home village where he received much publicity and appeared on a TV show there telling his father's story.
I think Rudy said the new owners of the property in Maisey Rd neglected it for a decade and it broke his father's heart before he died, as he loved it. It has been sold recently he said to a young couple. The penny dropped. I was stopped in the street by a young bloke recently who asked me how he would find out about the history of a place he and his wife bought in Maisey Rd as it's a fascinating place and he and his family just love it and they are doing it up as it was a bit run down. I told him I'd keep my ear to the ground and come out one weekend and have a look but I'd ring him first. His number has been sitting written on an envelope in front of my computer for a few months, I just haven't got around to following up. Now I think I may have something to tell him, if Rudy's old place is his place it is a nice coincidence. I told Rudy I'd email him to establish e contact in the hope he can tell me more of his father's story, and to suss out information for the young bloke.
Now today, I picked bay foliage at a farm house in Gembrook, a friend's parents' old place. The old timber house is there too, and a third house very small, where I was asked to get rid of a beehive some months ago so they could finish knocking it down, must have been the first residence. With the very old sheds and assorted machinery the history of the place steeped into me.
I then took the dogs to JAC Russell Park so they could have a wander and saw AJ sitting on a bench enjoying a "Gold". He brought my attention to crimson rosellas nesting in the hollow of a messmate tree, quite low down. Mum and Dad came and went and occasionally you'd see a little beak stick out of the hole. AJ said he's watched them rear young there three years in a row.
Tonight I was determined to make some head way on a talk on the history of Emerald I've agreed to do shortly for the Ringwood Historical Society, but the file on the UBS stick wouldn't open so I couldn't access the power point slides I'd done at computer class. A problem to solve at class tomorrow night, but I was hoping to have more of it done tonight. Instead I watched a DVD compiled of old movies made by Bill Ford of life in Cockatoo in the 1950's. It was great and has helped my mood to prepare for the talk. I'm so glad to have watched it as Marg Treloar lent it to me last January and it's high time I returned it.
Monday, September 02, 2013
Karma
After a dinner of roast chook with a bottle of McClarenvale Pirramimma shiraz 2007 which Gord gave me for father's day I fell asleep in the chair with Pip on my lap.
I just checked my sportingbet account to make sure I wasn't dreaming and yes there was a deposit of $194 for my tip 9 multiple ((for $5 bet) in the last round of the footy, and there's $50 in my bonus bets too, and a congratulatory message from Rickyralph in my hotmail.
So I swooped home to win by a nose in a photo, one after being 4 behind going in to the last round. Fairy tale stuff.
Bedtime now. Sweet dreams.
I just checked my sportingbet account to make sure I wasn't dreaming and yes there was a deposit of $194 for my tip 9 multiple ((for $5 bet) in the last round of the footy, and there's $50 in my bonus bets too, and a congratulatory message from Rickyralph in my hotmail.
So I swooped home to win by a nose in a photo, one after being 4 behind going in to the last round. Fairy tale stuff.
Bedtime now. Sweet dreams.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Vale Johnny Boy
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| John and Raylene and Lib at Lakes Entrance 2007 |
Thursday was also Lib's birthday. I arranged to pick her up at work at 2.30pm or shortly after. Gord and I in Gord's car were a bit late at 2.55. Leaving Berwick I decided not to take the freeway, continuing instead south along the Clyde Rd to pick up Thompsons Rd which would take us across to the Dandy Frankston Rd where the service was to be. I'd had a quick look at the Melways in the morning. I took Glasscocks Rd instead thinking it too went right through. On the Melways 2010 there were two sections of the road marked with broken lines, and I wrongly assumed they'd have been built by now. We became lost in all the new estates where the roads all seem to go around in circles with roundabouts and bollards and fancy light poles everywhere. Not good for the blood pressure.
We arrived at 3.45, 15 minutes late. John's children Nicholas and Emily were giving their tribute and we heard John's sister's eulogy in entirety. The poignant slide show of John's life to the music of Joan Baez and Cat Stevens brought welling tears. John loved music, song and good wine and I don't think any evening in his company passed without him pulling out his guitar and leading a sing along.
The service concluded at about 4.15 and after ten minutes or so afterwards talking to Raylene and family we were on the road at 4.30 as the rain started to fall heavily and the heavy cloud darkened what was left of daylight well before it should. We were entrapped in a massive traffic jam. It took 90 minutes to get from Dandy South to Narre Warren where we had planned to buy Lebonese takeaway for Lib's birthday dinner. Robbie was coming up from Melbourne for the birthday. It was close to 7.30 when we arrived home after picking up Lib's car at Upper Beac.
Almost a five hour round trip from the time Gord and I left home.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Books Read Lately
A writing class colleague, Barbara, whose work I enjoy when she reads it out at class, talked about author Cormac McCarthy when we were asked to bring in sentences we liked. I hadn't heard of him at all but Barbara said she'd bring me a book of his to read which she duly did, three in fact. 'All The Pretty Horses', 'The Crossing', and 'Cities of the Plain'.
I read them over a few months. Barb said to read them in order (as listed above) as they are a trilogy. I returned them to Barb on Friday. I loved them. Reading them was like leaving my world behind and being absorbed in the place and time in which they were set, New Mexico and Mexico largely in the 1940's, the main characters being young men in a rural western working environment very much horse orientated and searching for meaning in a changing world. They are great stories and the writer in simple language describes the natural world that is so powerful and brutal and the actions and movements of people and animals that unfold the narrative. There are no quotation marks in the dialogue and little punctuation but there's no difficulty understanding who's saying what. There's philosphy coming at you from almost every page and some of it is rivetting. There's reverence for the horse as a noble beast and respect for the peasant whose kindness and wisdom is heroic. I almost cried in places. That's how I describe it anyway. It has changed the way I see things. The world is not the same tomorrow as it is today.
I have started a new book, 'The Reprieve' by Jean Paul Satre. I'm only up to page 19 and I'm struggling to get into it after the easy pace of Cormac but a sentence stood out to me on page 14-
"It must be rather grim to hope for nothing except that life might continue indefinitely in its present course."
I read them over a few months. Barb said to read them in order (as listed above) as they are a trilogy. I returned them to Barb on Friday. I loved them. Reading them was like leaving my world behind and being absorbed in the place and time in which they were set, New Mexico and Mexico largely in the 1940's, the main characters being young men in a rural western working environment very much horse orientated and searching for meaning in a changing world. They are great stories and the writer in simple language describes the natural world that is so powerful and brutal and the actions and movements of people and animals that unfold the narrative. There are no quotation marks in the dialogue and little punctuation but there's no difficulty understanding who's saying what. There's philosphy coming at you from almost every page and some of it is rivetting. There's reverence for the horse as a noble beast and respect for the peasant whose kindness and wisdom is heroic. I almost cried in places. That's how I describe it anyway. It has changed the way I see things. The world is not the same tomorrow as it is today.
I have started a new book, 'The Reprieve' by Jean Paul Satre. I'm only up to page 19 and I'm struggling to get into it after the easy pace of Cormac but a sentence stood out to me on page 14-
"It must be rather grim to hope for nothing except that life might continue indefinitely in its present course."
Friday, August 16, 2013
Not in My Backyard 2
The post I did last week I presented to my writing class last Friday.
It was not appreciated by my colleagues and according to my teacher Maria it lacked focus. Such is the way of it when you put your views forward. It was suggested that I work on it to improve it in terms of getting my point across, that being that I think there are far more important things to be worried about than a McDonald's store being built in Tecoma.
Things like impending cataclysmic climate change consequences and massive inequality in the world. So I have edited my previous post, not changing it greatly but a little structurally. Read it again if you wish.
I don't say it's good writing, or deeply meaningful, but it did provoke at writing class. It was said a stand has to be made somewhere. Fair enough, but I'll draw my own line; where, how and with whom.
As it happens the media dropped off the issue this last week, I didn't see one report on it. The three big issues dropped down to two - the Essendon drugs thing and the Federal election.
If I may comment on those-
Shame, shame, shame on Essendon and those responsible for going down the path they did, and more shame on them not recognizing their culpability. And a staunch Essendon supporter said that to me today.
As for the election, the ALP is $5.50 for $1 today. That's enough for me stake a bit of hard earned in what is realistically a two horse race, despite the overwhelming media support for the Libs and the almost idiotic performance of Rudd courting of the youth vote. Lets rock and roll!
It was not appreciated by my colleagues and according to my teacher Maria it lacked focus. Such is the way of it when you put your views forward. It was suggested that I work on it to improve it in terms of getting my point across, that being that I think there are far more important things to be worried about than a McDonald's store being built in Tecoma.
Things like impending cataclysmic climate change consequences and massive inequality in the world. So I have edited my previous post, not changing it greatly but a little structurally. Read it again if you wish.
I don't say it's good writing, or deeply meaningful, but it did provoke at writing class. It was said a stand has to be made somewhere. Fair enough, but I'll draw my own line; where, how and with whom.
As it happens the media dropped off the issue this last week, I didn't see one report on it. The three big issues dropped down to two - the Essendon drugs thing and the Federal election.
If I may comment on those-
Shame, shame, shame on Essendon and those responsible for going down the path they did, and more shame on them not recognizing their culpability. And a staunch Essendon supporter said that to me today.
As for the election, the ALP is $5.50 for $1 today. That's enough for me stake a bit of hard earned in what is realistically a two horse race, despite the overwhelming media support for the Libs and the almost idiotic performance of Rudd courting of the youth vote. Lets rock and roll!
Friday, August 09, 2013
Not in My Backyard
The protesters to McDonald's at Tecoma say that VCAT didn't consider public opinion when they overturned the council decision and allowed McDonald's a permit. I don't know the intricacies of VCAT's decision but I don't think VCAT is there to adjudicate by public opinion poll.
I know it costs money to go there. When I objected to Cardinia Council's proposal to issue itself a permit to remove thousands of sweet pittosporum trees from council roadsides I was told council was proceeding despite my objection and that I could appeal to VCAT if I liked. When I looked into that I found that it would cost me hundreds of dollars to lodge an appeal, I would have to make myself available on the day the case was to be heard in order to present my submission, and should my appeal not be successful I would be liable for the costs of the council. Touche. There was no way I could undertake that at the time. They took out the trees. The trees are growing back fortunately.
In the Tecoma / McDonald's case it seems to be a matter of zoning and the site is zoned commercial. To deny Maccas and allow other fast food and hamburger joints is discriminatory. Unfair. That's why there is such a thing as an appeals tribunal.
The horse bolted long ago. When I lived in Melbourne pre 1972 I don't think McDonald's existed there at all. I bought the best hamburgers ever at Angelo's fish and chip shop. When I went to Wangaratta in 1976 I'd regularly indulge two with the lot from Nick, the Greek guy's take away opposite my office. Now there are Maccas all over Melbourne, in country towns of any size throughout Victoria, and strategically located along freeways. There's even one in Kandahar I read somewhere. McDonald's do their homework, they put franchises where traffic flow or population demographics tell them it will be profitable. And they are.
The protesters may as well throw cream puffs at B Doubles on the freeway.
My parents moved out of the city forty years ago to escape the increasing traffic snarl, choosing the quiet country town of Emerald. Tecoma also was a quiet little place, although much closer to suburbia and inside the electrified train network. Emerald now has a peak hour traffic jam through the main street, not as choking as that in Tecoma but getting there.
The gate was opened years ago. We as a nation embrace automobile culture and its connotations such as fast food and soft drinks, shopping malls, satellite suburbs. We lap it up like the cat with the cream. McDonald's in Tecoma is a tiny pimple on a destructive cultural giant that has been rampaging for decades.
Emerald will be next, as night follows day. Then, down the track, could it be? Gembrook? No thanks, not in my backyard. But I'm.....temporary.....and compared to the millions of refugees being displaced or about to be by climate change I have little to complain about. I'm sure they would not mind a McDonald's close by.
It would mean they have somewhere to live.
I have no beef with a McDonald's franchise opening in Tecoma.
I know it costs money to go there. When I objected to Cardinia Council's proposal to issue itself a permit to remove thousands of sweet pittosporum trees from council roadsides I was told council was proceeding despite my objection and that I could appeal to VCAT if I liked. When I looked into that I found that it would cost me hundreds of dollars to lodge an appeal, I would have to make myself available on the day the case was to be heard in order to present my submission, and should my appeal not be successful I would be liable for the costs of the council. Touche. There was no way I could undertake that at the time. They took out the trees. The trees are growing back fortunately.
In the Tecoma / McDonald's case it seems to be a matter of zoning and the site is zoned commercial. To deny Maccas and allow other fast food and hamburger joints is discriminatory. Unfair. That's why there is such a thing as an appeals tribunal.
The horse bolted long ago. When I lived in Melbourne pre 1972 I don't think McDonald's existed there at all. I bought the best hamburgers ever at Angelo's fish and chip shop. When I went to Wangaratta in 1976 I'd regularly indulge two with the lot from Nick, the Greek guy's take away opposite my office. Now there are Maccas all over Melbourne, in country towns of any size throughout Victoria, and strategically located along freeways. There's even one in Kandahar I read somewhere. McDonald's do their homework, they put franchises where traffic flow or population demographics tell them it will be profitable. And they are.
The protesters may as well throw cream puffs at B Doubles on the freeway.
My parents moved out of the city forty years ago to escape the increasing traffic snarl, choosing the quiet country town of Emerald. Tecoma also was a quiet little place, although much closer to suburbia and inside the electrified train network. Emerald now has a peak hour traffic jam through the main street, not as choking as that in Tecoma but getting there.
The gate was opened years ago. We as a nation embrace automobile culture and its connotations such as fast food and soft drinks, shopping malls, satellite suburbs. We lap it up like the cat with the cream. McDonald's in Tecoma is a tiny pimple on a destructive cultural giant that has been rampaging for decades.
Emerald will be next, as night follows day. Then, down the track, could it be? Gembrook? No thanks, not in my backyard. But I'm.....temporary.....and compared to the millions of refugees being displaced or about to be by climate change I have little to complain about. I'm sure they would not mind a McDonald's close by.
It would mean they have somewhere to live.
I have no beef with a McDonald's franchise opening in Tecoma.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Gembrook Park Erosion Work
I've been tonight to the Friend's of Gembrook Park AGM. I have been Treasurer for some years so I needed to report on the year's expenses and income. There's not much to the job as we have only half a dozen on the committee and only a couple of dozen transactions so the paperwork is minimal. It's an incorporated committee of Cardinia Council and we receive a five hundred dollar annual grant for expenses. We only have one or two meetings a year and most of the committee's work in the park is in the form of weekly working bees for a couple of hours on Thursdays, which I don't attend. I do a bit down there now and again in my own time, and I assist secretary Merle here and there conferring with discussion should she contact me. Merle is the driver of the group.
I am happy tonight following the meeting as our council liaison man showed us before, after and in progress slides of the erosion control works in the gully which commenced in April and were recently completed. Gembrook Bushland Park is a 29 hectare remnant of native vegetation that has never been cleared. Bushfires burnt much of it in the 1920's but is has escaped burning since then. It suffered from run off and silt from farmland to it's north, and storm water from the town introducing weeds for many decades prior to 2000 but erosion of the gully cranked up with the development of the farmland between the reserve and the main road, which came after the land was rezoned from agricultural to residential. The increase in storm water was multiplied something like four times, being channeled into the same gully with appalling result. We as a Friend's group expressed concern over about a ten year period, and after much public anger and frustration at meetings where consultant's recommendations were tabled, and dispute and indecision and argument over various options presented, at last when council managed to get a some state government financial assistance, the project commenced.
Works of about $80,000 were done last year on the water retarding basin above the park, and about $120,000 this year on piping the outfall from the basin about 80 metres down the gully and past the erosion head to a point that has been stabilized by rock, concrete, soil and revegetation. The gully back up from the erosion head has been replanted with thousands of plants through 'geo matting' and the job has been done with minimal disruption to tree ferns and other vegetation. Furthermore, a very old and huge mountain ash tree that was likely to soon fall over because of the erosion has most probably been saved (touch wood).
The pipes are designed to take all the water, that is in less than in a one in five year rain storm, underground to the point below the head where the gully levels and spreads out and a small creek begins from a spring. In a one in five year event the water will cascade over the top of the ground as it always has. Everyone is hoping a one in five doesn't happen in the near future so that the vegetation establishes well enough not to be washed out. A few years would be good but the longer the better.
We are all so pleased that the work has been done so well and indications are that it'll work, provided we don't get a huge storm any time soon. The contractor is engaged to come back every month for twelve months to keep the plantings weed free and spray deterrent on the plants to repel wallabies from eating them out. After years of watching the damage happening and lobbying as a group, it does restore some confidence in local government engineers and environmentalists to see such good positive work done. Even if it never probably should have been necessary, had appropriate planning and initial safeguards happened.
I am happy tonight following the meeting as our council liaison man showed us before, after and in progress slides of the erosion control works in the gully which commenced in April and were recently completed. Gembrook Bushland Park is a 29 hectare remnant of native vegetation that has never been cleared. Bushfires burnt much of it in the 1920's but is has escaped burning since then. It suffered from run off and silt from farmland to it's north, and storm water from the town introducing weeds for many decades prior to 2000 but erosion of the gully cranked up with the development of the farmland between the reserve and the main road, which came after the land was rezoned from agricultural to residential. The increase in storm water was multiplied something like four times, being channeled into the same gully with appalling result. We as a Friend's group expressed concern over about a ten year period, and after much public anger and frustration at meetings where consultant's recommendations were tabled, and dispute and indecision and argument over various options presented, at last when council managed to get a some state government financial assistance, the project commenced.
Works of about $80,000 were done last year on the water retarding basin above the park, and about $120,000 this year on piping the outfall from the basin about 80 metres down the gully and past the erosion head to a point that has been stabilized by rock, concrete, soil and revegetation. The gully back up from the erosion head has been replanted with thousands of plants through 'geo matting' and the job has been done with minimal disruption to tree ferns and other vegetation. Furthermore, a very old and huge mountain ash tree that was likely to soon fall over because of the erosion has most probably been saved (touch wood).
The pipes are designed to take all the water, that is in less than in a one in five year rain storm, underground to the point below the head where the gully levels and spreads out and a small creek begins from a spring. In a one in five year event the water will cascade over the top of the ground as it always has. Everyone is hoping a one in five doesn't happen in the near future so that the vegetation establishes well enough not to be washed out. A few years would be good but the longer the better.
We are all so pleased that the work has been done so well and indications are that it'll work, provided we don't get a huge storm any time soon. The contractor is engaged to come back every month for twelve months to keep the plantings weed free and spray deterrent on the plants to repel wallabies from eating them out. After years of watching the damage happening and lobbying as a group, it does restore some confidence in local government engineers and environmentalists to see such good positive work done. Even if it never probably should have been necessary, had appropriate planning and initial safeguards happened.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Every Day is a New Day
The world will not be the same tomorrow as it is today. Everyday is a new day.
Don Smedley rang me the week before last to tell me his brother Len had died. I last saw Len some months ago when Gord and I visited him in a care facility in Pakenham where he had been in ill health for some time. I became friends with Len's dad Lionel in the 1990's and regularly visited him at his Mt. Burnett garden where I picked foliage and blossom. I became good friends with Lionel's sons Don and Bob and their wives who lived either side of Lionel and Len moved in with his dad, and stayed after Lionel died in 2002. Len had allergies if I recall and was on cortisone for a long time. This resulted in osteoporosis and ultimately blindness which was when he left the old family home to go into care. When I saw him he was wheel chair bound and on his way outside for a smoke. He had three cigarettes a day, one of his few pleasures he said, along with listening to the radio. I'll not forget him or his friendship. There's a wake for him at the Gembrook sports ground next Sunday which I'm hoping I can attend.
Meredith told me last week that Ian Lucas died. Despite Ian being 96 it was a surprise as he was always so fit and drove his car still. I picked foliage and flowers in Ian and his wife Frieda's garden for many years where they lived in Benson St Emerald. They were wonderful gardeners with a farming background on the Mornington Peninsula. About 5 years ago or so they sold up as Frieda, who was a couple of years older than Ian, was deteriorating with Alzheimer's. They moved into Emerald Glades care facility when Frieda's care became too much for Ian. Frieda died not long after. I visited Ian now and again but Meredith was a regular visitor and Ian visited her at the farm alternately. He had a problem with circulation in his toes and had one amputated a a couple of years ago. He went into hospital to have another one off about a month ago and had a slight stroke while waiting for his op. He was still in hospital when he died peacefully one night. It could be said that he probably wished it so as he would not have liked losing his mobility if the toe thing continued and he couldn't walk or drive. Ian was a tough old bloke but a complete gentleman. He drove a tank in WW2 and had strong conservative views of his time but he was an old softie when it came to animals. I wrote a Signpost article on him a couple of years ago.
The worlds changes, every day, one way or another.
I had the weekend off with no work. It was cold and miserable. On Saturday I went to a Landcare function in Upper Pakenham where the guest speaker was a Dr. Mary Cole who talked about fungi. It was a brilliant talk. I learned so much and came away uplifted by a feeling of greater connection with this earth that supports us all. on Sunday Lib and I went to Casey Fields to watch the Essendon Bombers VFL team play Casey Scorpions which is Melbourne's VFL affiliate for the benefit of 'foreign' readers. This we did at the invite of old friends Gerard and Megan O'Brien from Wangaratta whose son Zac was playing for Essendon. He did alright too and I noticed he was listed in the best players in the Sun. But there was a freezing gale blowing that made the game unattractive from a spectator viewpoint. Lib and I came home so glad that we went. We feel a Wangaratta connection still after 32 years away and were glad Gerard rang us with the suggestion.
On Monday I made two soups, a bean soup using our beans from the freezer and a pumpkin soup, both in crockpots that chugged away all day. Tomorrow night my computer class resumes, I want to learn how to do power point presentation among other things.
Don Smedley rang me the week before last to tell me his brother Len had died. I last saw Len some months ago when Gord and I visited him in a care facility in Pakenham where he had been in ill health for some time. I became friends with Len's dad Lionel in the 1990's and regularly visited him at his Mt. Burnett garden where I picked foliage and blossom. I became good friends with Lionel's sons Don and Bob and their wives who lived either side of Lionel and Len moved in with his dad, and stayed after Lionel died in 2002. Len had allergies if I recall and was on cortisone for a long time. This resulted in osteoporosis and ultimately blindness which was when he left the old family home to go into care. When I saw him he was wheel chair bound and on his way outside for a smoke. He had three cigarettes a day, one of his few pleasures he said, along with listening to the radio. I'll not forget him or his friendship. There's a wake for him at the Gembrook sports ground next Sunday which I'm hoping I can attend.
Meredith told me last week that Ian Lucas died. Despite Ian being 96 it was a surprise as he was always so fit and drove his car still. I picked foliage and flowers in Ian and his wife Frieda's garden for many years where they lived in Benson St Emerald. They were wonderful gardeners with a farming background on the Mornington Peninsula. About 5 years ago or so they sold up as Frieda, who was a couple of years older than Ian, was deteriorating with Alzheimer's. They moved into Emerald Glades care facility when Frieda's care became too much for Ian. Frieda died not long after. I visited Ian now and again but Meredith was a regular visitor and Ian visited her at the farm alternately. He had a problem with circulation in his toes and had one amputated a a couple of years ago. He went into hospital to have another one off about a month ago and had a slight stroke while waiting for his op. He was still in hospital when he died peacefully one night. It could be said that he probably wished it so as he would not have liked losing his mobility if the toe thing continued and he couldn't walk or drive. Ian was a tough old bloke but a complete gentleman. He drove a tank in WW2 and had strong conservative views of his time but he was an old softie when it came to animals. I wrote a Signpost article on him a couple of years ago.
The worlds changes, every day, one way or another.
I had the weekend off with no work. It was cold and miserable. On Saturday I went to a Landcare function in Upper Pakenham where the guest speaker was a Dr. Mary Cole who talked about fungi. It was a brilliant talk. I learned so much and came away uplifted by a feeling of greater connection with this earth that supports us all. on Sunday Lib and I went to Casey Fields to watch the Essendon Bombers VFL team play Casey Scorpions which is Melbourne's VFL affiliate for the benefit of 'foreign' readers. This we did at the invite of old friends Gerard and Megan O'Brien from Wangaratta whose son Zac was playing for Essendon. He did alright too and I noticed he was listed in the best players in the Sun. But there was a freezing gale blowing that made the game unattractive from a spectator viewpoint. Lib and I came home so glad that we went. We feel a Wangaratta connection still after 32 years away and were glad Gerard rang us with the suggestion.
On Monday I made two soups, a bean soup using our beans from the freezer and a pumpkin soup, both in crockpots that chugged away all day. Tomorrow night my computer class resumes, I want to learn how to do power point presentation among other things.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Can You Believe It?
There's a blowfly buzzing around me. I can't stand them in the house. A goodly number came down the chimney today. It was so warm for July.
I watched a bit of cricket and fell asleep. It's now 2.14am. Past bedtime. Poms are 4/234. First day Lords second test. In the first test last week I found myself barracking for Australia. Fist time in about 15 years. More. Because of Ashley Agar. That was ......fantastic.
Gotta go to bed. Just had to post. All's well sort of.
I watched a bit of cricket and fell asleep. It's now 2.14am. Past bedtime. Poms are 4/234. First day Lords second test. In the first test last week I found myself barracking for Australia. Fist time in about 15 years. More. Because of Ashley Agar. That was ......fantastic.
Gotta go to bed. Just had to post. All's well sort of.
Friday, July 05, 2013
Winter Wind
It blew strong most of today and the warning this evening was for gales during the night. Strangely it's deathly quiet outside now, not hardly a movement on the trees when I went out to wee and let Pip do same before we retire. Pip sleeps inside while Snow prefers out.
This is my first post for 3 weeks. I have thought of many things to write about in that time but at night after I have taken care of other things I can't remember what they were. I am after all getting on a bit and I think the brain is shrinking quicker than I'd like.
I have been busy at every turn. My friend Ian and his son Jethro arrived from Canada on June 19 and stayed till the 26th when they left towards Queensland in Lib's old Subaru which Ian bought in 2011 when he was last here but left with us when he went home. We have registered and insured it in the meantime and used it which was handy when Robbie was going up and down to Uni. Since then Gord gives it a run to Pakenham now and again or to the big malls so his car doesn't get dented and scratched in the car park battlefield. ( As it did when he went to the movies costing him $900 a while ago) Ian will be back some time in August before returning to Canada and I don't know if he will keep the Subie, or if we'll bother keeping it reged and insured if he does.
Earlier in June I had Museum and Park meetings to attend and report on and a project at the farm has been a priority. The first half of June was wet wet wet. I told Ian to bring some sunshine which he did, the second half of June was dry and sunny. The pattern now is for change with strong wind all day today, lulling this evening and just picking up again now as I can hear.
Lib has had a serious cold and bad cough for a couple of weeks. I have come down with the nasal extravaganza this last few days which is just now getting into my chest with serious irritation and hacking.
Our museum and park has its Biennial General Meeting next week. I have a President's report to prepare. I have said I'll stand for Pres again as no one else has indicated to putting their hand up. I have put in too much time there to walk away and leave my colleagues in the lurch They are a good crew and we have seen off the wolves. The new councillors are supporting and I have recently learned our special request for $30,000 for a paid part time museum curator for one year in this year's council budget has been granted and our app for a CWG for solar panel energy system also successful. The new mayor and councillors are a breath of fresh air into the district and I will stand by my "yours in commitment to achievement" sign off by accepting nomination for the next term, as much as I'd like to reduce my load. I have Signpost interviews and articles to do by next week also. There always seems to be deadlines for me to meet.
Winter has its downside but I love it. Even the wind is cleansing and fresh.
This is my first post for 3 weeks. I have thought of many things to write about in that time but at night after I have taken care of other things I can't remember what they were. I am after all getting on a bit and I think the brain is shrinking quicker than I'd like.
I have been busy at every turn. My friend Ian and his son Jethro arrived from Canada on June 19 and stayed till the 26th when they left towards Queensland in Lib's old Subaru which Ian bought in 2011 when he was last here but left with us when he went home. We have registered and insured it in the meantime and used it which was handy when Robbie was going up and down to Uni. Since then Gord gives it a run to Pakenham now and again or to the big malls so his car doesn't get dented and scratched in the car park battlefield. ( As it did when he went to the movies costing him $900 a while ago) Ian will be back some time in August before returning to Canada and I don't know if he will keep the Subie, or if we'll bother keeping it reged and insured if he does.
Earlier in June I had Museum and Park meetings to attend and report on and a project at the farm has been a priority. The first half of June was wet wet wet. I told Ian to bring some sunshine which he did, the second half of June was dry and sunny. The pattern now is for change with strong wind all day today, lulling this evening and just picking up again now as I can hear.
Lib has had a serious cold and bad cough for a couple of weeks. I have come down with the nasal extravaganza this last few days which is just now getting into my chest with serious irritation and hacking.
Our museum and park has its Biennial General Meeting next week. I have a President's report to prepare. I have said I'll stand for Pres again as no one else has indicated to putting their hand up. I have put in too much time there to walk away and leave my colleagues in the lurch They are a good crew and we have seen off the wolves. The new councillors are supporting and I have recently learned our special request for $30,000 for a paid part time museum curator for one year in this year's council budget has been granted and our app for a CWG for solar panel energy system also successful. The new mayor and councillors are a breath of fresh air into the district and I will stand by my "yours in commitment to achievement" sign off by accepting nomination for the next term, as much as I'd like to reduce my load. I have Signpost interviews and articles to do by next week also. There always seems to be deadlines for me to meet.
Winter has its downside but I love it. Even the wind is cleansing and fresh.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
The Sweetest Victory
Noticing his Kangaroo cap, I said, "Hello Ken, I didn't know
you were a North Melbourne man."
"Yes I am, but I’m Noel." I’d mistaken
him for another of similar age and appearance. I'd been nodding to both these
men for some time thinking they were one and the same.
I said he must be pulling his hair out at yet
another narrow loss. North had gone down to Gold Coast after jumping them early
and leading by five goals at quarter time. Noel agreed it was demoralizing, a
mystery to him.
I asked how long he'd been a North
supporter and he said he joined North in 1958 when he was about 16 years old.
North made a public statement that if they won the premiership that year they'd
buy all their members a box of chocolates. That won Noel's support. They didn’t
win a flag till 1975.
I sympathized with him for the season's
disappointments explaining that I was a Melbourne Demons supporter, say no more, but I had a
soft spot for North since the 1970's when Ron Barassi signed to coach, and
because recent 200 gamer Michael Firrito is from Gembrook, and our dog 'Snow'
came from the Firrito's around when Michael was drafted.
Next day a young boy was bouncing a footy
on his way to school. He said his team was the 'Hawks'. Footy crosses barriers of, class, religion, race and gender. Some women I know are fanatical.
I see the local braves training on
miserable, cold, dark evenings, working to improve their fitness, skills and teamwork.
All credit to them. Every week one team wins and the other loses. It is
uplifting and humbling. Lessons and good habits can be carried into broader society.
I don't believe winning is everything. I'd
rather be a loser who gave his all than an ungracious winner who had all the
luck or advantage. But to win against the odds, when the chips are down, that’s
the sweetest victory.
Saturday, June 01, 2013
The Automobile Age
Amazing as it seems my lifespan has seen more than half the 110 or so years that we have been driving around in motor vehicles. This has dominated the economies of 'the west' and probably still is the dominant factor in the much talked about global economy.
This thinking came to me during an email exchange during the week with son Rob who lives in Melbourne sharing a flat with a friend. I intend to elaborate more of my thoughts in a future post but for now I copy the exchange here, hoping Rob won't mind me putting his correspondence into the public forum.
ROB
Hello
Just been the usual - yeah I got Mum's email but forgot about replying - nothing to report here really so that's why you haven't heard from me.
Hope everything went well at Lakes, did you all end up going together on the weekend? New deck? The football is beyond complete rubbish. I was watching it on the iPad Foxtel (thanks to your account details), but stopped mid way through to watch the Da Vinci Code, which is saying something.
Took Hao's Barina to get 120,000km service today ($700) and was also quoted $900 for replacement of a water pump for the timing compartment thing that is drip-leaking coolant. Think the mechanic profession is the way to go for $130 an hour don't you!
Have been thinking about adopting a kitten what do you think? Don't know if it'd destroy carpet and things. But it would be cool.
good night
CAREY
This thinking came to me during an email exchange during the week with son Rob who lives in Melbourne sharing a flat with a friend. I intend to elaborate more of my thoughts in a future post but for now I copy the exchange here, hoping Rob won't mind me putting his correspondence into the public forum.
ROB
Hello
Just been the usual - yeah I got Mum's email but forgot about replying - nothing to report here really so that's why you haven't heard from me.
Hope everything went well at Lakes, did you all end up going together on the weekend? New deck? The football is beyond complete rubbish. I was watching it on the iPad Foxtel (thanks to your account details), but stopped mid way through to watch the Da Vinci Code, which is saying something.
Took Hao's Barina to get 120,000km service today ($700) and was also quoted $900 for replacement of a water pump for the timing compartment thing that is drip-leaking coolant. Think the mechanic profession is the way to go for $130 an hour don't you!
Have been thinking about adopting a kitten what do you think? Don't know if it'd destroy carpet and things. But it would be cool.
good night
CAREY
A few months before I parted with my Suzuki I left it at Clapperton’s for a
routine service at 180,000km and when I picked it up they said they put a new
water pump in cause it was leaking, and without asking me (they couldn’t) they
changed the timing belt at the same time which was due at 200,000 as it needs
doing every 100,000 and the major component in changing the timing belt is
labour taking off water pump to get in there. Whole job cost me about $600. Good
I thought for a water pump timing belt in effect a major service. Clappo charges
$77 per hour inc GST. Car maintenance is a financial minefield, and we are at
the mercy of the economy, how it works, and the integrity of human beings, which
is hard to assess before the event. It’s hard to be sure what they actually did
for Hao’s $700 service. The whole car industry is set up for profiteering from
start to finish including salesmen, finance, tyres, crash repairs/insurance,
fuel, road maintenance and safety and regulation enforcement. It is a major
factor in capitalism and frankly it is the basis on which economies and the
world runs and if I could, I would not own a car and if I was GOD I’d ban them.
See how you wound me up. As for football, I have no interest nor comment.
Only that if I could be GOD I’d trash the AFL.
Dad
ROB
For the Barina they say the timing belt change is 60,000km or 4 years. It was
changed in 2010 so has at least a year to go... But I might suggest that he get
the whole thing done in one go, the he can forget about timing belts for 4
years. And shop around at different mechanic places.
I was getting wound up about it too, as you say society necessitates that we rip each other off in order to survive. I'm particularly bitter being fresh out of the "degree factory." This video is worth thinking about when you have the time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEpDUeHjTtQ&feature=youtu.be&t=17s
I was getting wound up about it too, as you say society necessitates that we rip each other off in order to survive. I'm particularly bitter being fresh out of the "degree factory." This video is worth thinking about when you have the time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEpDUeHjTtQ&feature=youtu.be&t=17s
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Winter Nigh
Since my last post I have purchased a new work van, a Renault Kangoo which goes well so far, touch wood. I would have gone for another Suzuki but the APV from 2005 have not been built to take a tow bar so I went for the next cheapest small van. It was a pleasant trip second half of last week to Lakes Entrance to meet up with our old mate Willy to build a new deck on the side of the house. The Kangoo is full of electronic wizardry like cruise control and CD player, aircon, digitized display showing fuel consumption, range, fuel used, average speed and so on, all at fingertip, so long as you know where the button or lever is.
We've started lighting the open fire in the evenings, and I've had a few good feeds of wild mushrooms. The autumn leaves have all but gone to ground and the days are short, we are only a few weeks to the shortest day. I picked pittosporum garneti and calendulas and climbed a tree to pick Mexican hawthorn berries today and went to my computer class. It was a bright moon coming home, I turned off my headlights and drove easily without, so good the illumination, just for fun, but quickly turned on again if a car came the other way.
Winter is nearly here. Winter is lovely. In its own way. Bees rest, weeds slow down. It's good to snuggle into a bed heavy with blankets. For a while. I'm dreaming a lot. Earthquake dream the other night, real and scary. A football playing dream another, back at Greta. A funeral dream, in the country, a lady I knew well died. Lib was with me, we argued, I stormed off before the service, took the car, Lib can walk 20k's back, then softened and left the car for Lib and walked, thinking nothing is better than walking anyway.
It's late. I watched Q+A about religion. Interesting. Bill Gates tomorrow. Martina Wainright next week, musn't miss that, will have to leave comp class early. After Q+A I watched Footy Classified, then caught up on email. Must go now to seek dreams, to fly in the unconscious, if lucky, at worst some hours of solitude, and drifting in out of with pleasant thoughts in the conscious. I think of many things and many people in the wee hours. The mind needs the dark and quiet. I love quiet.
So ends this day. Good night.
We've started lighting the open fire in the evenings, and I've had a few good feeds of wild mushrooms. The autumn leaves have all but gone to ground and the days are short, we are only a few weeks to the shortest day. I picked pittosporum garneti and calendulas and climbed a tree to pick Mexican hawthorn berries today and went to my computer class. It was a bright moon coming home, I turned off my headlights and drove easily without, so good the illumination, just for fun, but quickly turned on again if a car came the other way.
Winter is nearly here. Winter is lovely. In its own way. Bees rest, weeds slow down. It's good to snuggle into a bed heavy with blankets. For a while. I'm dreaming a lot. Earthquake dream the other night, real and scary. A football playing dream another, back at Greta. A funeral dream, in the country, a lady I knew well died. Lib was with me, we argued, I stormed off before the service, took the car, Lib can walk 20k's back, then softened and left the car for Lib and walked, thinking nothing is better than walking anyway.
It's late. I watched Q+A about religion. Interesting. Bill Gates tomorrow. Martina Wainright next week, musn't miss that, will have to leave comp class early. After Q+A I watched Footy Classified, then caught up on email. Must go now to seek dreams, to fly in the unconscious, if lucky, at worst some hours of solitude, and drifting in out of with pleasant thoughts in the conscious. I think of many things and many people in the wee hours. The mind needs the dark and quiet. I love quiet.
So ends this day. Good night.
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