Month: December 2020

Tuesday 29th & Wednesday 30th December 2020

Up at 7am to do the ‘Joint and Several’ on the vans. Still on the computer at 9.30am. I haven’t heard anything outside. If Bruce had have got up ant 8.30am and I didn’t, I’d have heard about it by now. 9.30am goes. I visit the inner sanctum and we start at 10.10am before his 11am appointment.

First thing. Number 8 on his back fence mainly for pizza delivery. One on the fence for easterly approach and one on the post for westerly. Then, some ground work done on the mounting of his inverter and circuit breaker, then he is off.

I have ignored a few jobs because they are not sweat and straight forward, but every time I look, they have not gone away. So I prep for the odds and sods jobs. (Hey, it rhymes)

I pad to partly drop the awning to get to this side light. It had been held solidly and worked but stuck out on one end and I didn’t want water to get in. So I bogged it up as neatly as possible with clear silicon and not the grey I bought for it. Reason? There were two other silicon jobs and one had to be clear AND I didn’t want to open two tubes. Besides this is not easily seen. It has to be pointed out. The photo is up close and with a flash. In normal light, you don’t see it.

A bit tougher. The lower shiny bit. The top is just reflection but shows a crack.  This looks about tray (on back of 4WD) height. Anyway, I superglued the radiating cracks and bogged up the hole with silicon. It’s not clear.

Hang on. Here’s one without the flash. Once fairly dry I tried to colour it with red felt tip pen. Then another layer to seal it in. We shall see. Doesn’t help resale. These light units are I think about $500 each.

Next the bottom of the rubber tail gate seal was dangling. so a clean up, more silicon and folded cardboard to hold it in place for seven hours and job done.

Back to the computer to head towards finishing a dual copy of ALL my photos and movies etc to stay in Adelaide when the originals set off around Australia. Getting closer. The synch software will not copy some other software ‘exe’ files.

Our landlords are entertaining guests so we have a night in the van. Very pleasant. a light soup dinner, grape juice, a movie or two and making zed’s.

Cheers.

manuia le po

(Good night in Samoan)

Wednesday 30th December 2020

Today starts early. About 3.50am there is a load ‘bang’ from the main road which has to be a car accident.  Anne is more awake than me. She walks down the side of the building and there is a car upright but pointing the wrong way in the wrong spot. There is one guy by himself swearing and ranting. Anne returns and says  don’t go because she knows I will take the camera and doesn’t want a ‘nutter’ to see me. Suits me because I am fighting to stay awake anyway and I am happy to give up the fight. I give up but end up dreaming about it. So I wake up at 5.10am and go out with camera. No flach necessary because it is an intersection and also lots of public lighting. The car has gone but I take the shot anyway. I should have gone out when it happened. Husband rule number one. Respect your wife and her opinion BUT respect your own opinion as well. Here is all there was of the shot. No car, no wreckage, no nothing. The red roof to the left is a restaurant and apparently the car was in front of that. I should have gone. Bummer.

We are up and off at about 11.15am for a picnic then walk through the Botanical Gardens. We pass the spot where the ‘big bang’ was this morning. There’s the red roof restaurant viewed 90 degrees from this morning. At first sight, nothing.

Then a little closer broken brick edging, broken hand rail and a few bent poles. OK. So we didn’t imagine it.

We are a bit late (all of us) so Botanical Gardens or the park outside for a little picnic. Missing one Niece Noami’s husband Paul is suffering a little from the previous day on the beach.

Then into the gardens proper.

This is the tropical dome.

This is the first sit down after the tropical.

The tropical dome although it’s not really a dome

This is made from 600 pieces of glass. I think it came from the world expo in Brisbane.

They have a garden section as well.

Flowers.

More flower.

The Anne Graham flower in the shade house.

This pool can be viewed through a glass wall.

Well you could see it if it wasn’t so murky.

If you could squint enough, you would see a dragon fly on the rock.

Here it is!

That 600 sheets of glass again.

This ex tree is about 1500 to 2000 years ago and died about 500 years ago.

More flowers.

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do ….

Super Lillies. Don’t touch!

Amazing.

Then there were the two snotty little molls who had to get up on the edge and play including touching and splashing the lillies.

Luckily they are not that prevalent. The  Abnoxius Superfluousis. Too bad they are not endangered species.

Marvellous.

More self adoration.

Weird tree from Queensland I think. Seed pod opening up.

Spikyus Maximus. (I named it. It does have other more tangible names.)

Ibis. Pronounced in Portuguese i-b-i-sh. I still use the Portuguese pronunciation.

Obviously terrified of people.

Fab shade house.

Look for the fault in the plaque.

Nice little weird tree.

 

Windswept and interesting.

Another learning experience.

The meaning of life.

Cute.

They are all through Adelaide City Council. This is North Adelaide.

I have shown this before but we were stationary right next to the sign. Like I might have said before, I wonder how many people tried to get in through the window till they decided to put the sign on.

Home. Bruce and Girlie off to the beach for a walk. The Yiros shop next door is closed early so left overs. Chicken with a smear of basil pesto on a cracker. Left over Frittata. All good.

A movie and a grape juice. The Bucket List. Great film. A life lesson.

Cheers

pw zoo os

(Good Night in Hmong)

N.B. 1 The Hmong/Mong people are a Southeast Asian ethnic group in Southeast Asia and the southern part of China. They are a subgroup of Miao people, and live mainly in southern China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. They have been members of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization since 2007.

N.B. 2 I have only ever heard of them in the Clint Eastwood film Grand Torino. In that film they were portrayed as cold climate mountain people in Asia who were invited to immigrate to USA after the Vietnam war as they fought on the side of the US.

zzzzzzzzzzzz       zzzzzzzzzzz      zzzzzzzzzzz

 

Sunday 27th & Monday 28th December 2020

This morning, here is some news!

Lunch today at The Arab Steed with two fine people, ‘The Webbers’. I have know Ian since 3rd or 4th year high school and Lori (Loretta) shortly there after.

On the way, fuel is low so we pull in for a quick 100 litres of diesel. (Extended tank. Car holds 122litres) This is a lesson in how to spend $107 in four minutes. Closer to destination, we pass the Mini dealership. I never noticed the reflector system in the tail lights until we were stopped at the traffic lights. The reflector forms half of the Union Jack. How about that. You might have to squint a bit.

See? I told ya.

On to the Arab Steed in Hutt Street. By the way, when we finally settle down, this will be out local pub.

Just a word on the pub. The original one was built in 1849 and just a single storey. Later it was completely knocked down to build the current two level structure. Also, there is no horse story explaining it’s name. It was named after a ship which brought people from England. Click the link or copy and paste in a search window for more info:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=711015132617858

We arrive our customary five minutes late. The Webbers may argue the length of time ‘lateness.’ We usually (always) meet here and we are usually (always) late.

Not too many surprises. Ian and I .. Chicken Parmi’s. Lori and Anne … Calamari. Boys, beer and Guinness. Separate glasses. Always a damn delightful day, reminiscing, joking, comparing ailments, reminiscing, silly statements, lateral enquiries, (how’s the family) and of course, reminiscing.

N.B. Reminisce is a dreamy way of saying “remember the past.” If you’re swapping old stories with friends and remembering all the silly things you used to do, then you’re reminiscing. Reminiscing is all about happy recollections and thinking back to stories from the past.

Yep. That’s it! Ian and I played hooky together in High School. Carefully plotting and planning the class (and hence teacher) changes,  picking days when the class teacher does not return after roll call, etc etc etc. I am told by teachers that this could not happen these days. I beg to differ. There is always a way. Still, a bit too late to prove the point I guess.

Just a short hour or two flies by and 12.35pm becomes 5.15pm. How did that happen? The cosmos stuffed up again. When we get together, time flies back 50 years and on the return to present it loses a few hours along the way. Always the way. We bid farewell and commit to another Arab Steed ‘time warp’ down the track, sooner rather than later. This time I remembered a photo. We haven’t changed a bit. (?) Honest.

The collective stories in these four minds could sink a ship. Then again, I guess we just described how many ‘old mates’ get togethers past and present? We didn’t invent it I guess.

Back home for a shower, sit down, movie, a glass (plastic) of Port then …..

góða nótt

(Good night in Navajo.)

 

N.B. Navajo or Navaho is a Southern Athabaskan language of the Na-Dené family, through which it is related to languages spoken across the western areas of North …  (America? it wasn’t finished)

Athabaskan (also spelled Athabascan, Athapaskan or Athapascan, and also known as Dene) is a large family of indigenous languages of North America, located in western North America in three areal language groups: Northern, Pacific Coast and Southern (or Apachean).

There you are. All you wanted to know about Navajo Indian language but was afraid to ask. Crap. You will never need to use this again.

example (things you had to learn in school):

Cheers.

zzzzzz   zzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzz

 

Monday 28th December 2020

Now as I understand it, because Boxing Day was on a Saturday, we get a free/public holiday for it on Monday 28th. But This Monday, 28th is Proclamation Day which is also a Public Holiday so do we get another day off for Proclamation Day sometime because Boxing Day Public Holiday landed on it? How does it work? Or does it work, yes or no? Beats me. Must be organized by the Government.

9.15am I am here at the comp(uter) and my master is making zzzzzzzzz’s. I am plotting and planning a bit. The clock is ticking towards departure date. 10th-ish perhaps.

The day goes on relatively uneventful. I do ‘plot’ a little and there is a degree of ‘plan’ to be had as well. I suggest to Bruce we do a, to use a legal term, ‘Joint and several’ exercise of maintenance and modification to both vans in the morning, perhaps 8.30 ish.. The preference is 9.30am but let’s see what happens. My guess is closer to 9.30am.

N.B. Joint and Several means: Joint and several liability arises where two or more persons under the same contract jointly promise to do the same thing, and also severally make separate promises to do the same thing.

Or in other words, Bruce and I will do ‘things’ together and some separate. (Severed/ sever-al) But that’s tomorrow.

A very nice salad for lunch, (Me? … Salad?) and late in the afternoon, we are off to see, bloody Wonder Woman for goodness sake? Not my choice but OK I guess.

Opposite the theatre. That’s Bruce’s car on the right. The blind person (must be blind?) returns to the scene of the parking crime. An older couple (Yes. Ok. About my age) are returning and when they see us examining the situation, start to walk off. It comes out the car is theirs. Some polite banter during which I suggest he buys a tape measure and they go. We relocate Bruce’s car and peace prevails.

Ye Olde Odeon on Semaphore road. Bruce tells me in slower times it was used as a two storey junk shop but was eventually resurrected to it’s former glory …

… with good quality but ancient bathrooms.

The actor did a good job, but ‘things’ weren’t the same.’ She was a cross between Supergirl and Spiderman. That is, she learnt how to fly or at least glide seriously, and she could glide fast (& furious?) because she used her lasso to grab ahold of things, just like Spiderman to whip up speed to the next hop point.

Taking adverts and other odds and sods out, It was about 2.5 hours long, and that was about .75 hours too long. Go see it, but that’s if there’s nothing better on.

Getting late. Grub. Addison Road takeaway??!! No. They don’t have real Yiros, as in slicing the rotating meat off. Bruce knows a good Fish and Chippery at Osborne. It didn’t have a ‘real Yiros, as in slicing the rotating meat off,’ so it’s grilled fish for Anne and a Hamburger with the lot for me. Big burger rolls but the patty doesn’t come right out to the edge, like it should. Taste is OK but after the ‘Win’ at Addison Road, I am getting picky.

Home, comfy clothes, grape juice, movie, recently converted by yours truly from avi to mp4 so it works on Bruce’s TV. Conspiracy Theory. Good one.

Van, plastic cup of Port then make some zeds.

Wǎn’ān

(Good night in Chinese – simplified.)

 

Oh. By the way, a few other Chinese to English translations.

Xié’è dìguó  means ‘Evil Empire’

Shuōhuǎng de húndàn means ‘lying bastards’

Bù bèi xìnrèn means ‘not to be trusted’

Huá means ‘slippery’

Kùn means ‘sleezy’

AND ABOVE ALL ….

Qīfù means ‘bully or bullying’

Just a few useful words to be built into a conversation regarding the Chinese Government. Ah! Now I feel better.  Cheers.

zzzzzzzz      zzzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday 25th & Saturday 26th December 2020

Christmas Day ! Breakfast at Sister Jan and brother in law David’s place, Dulwich.

The advantage of a car fridge. No ice required.

A bit of self worship.

The ‘Golden Child’ Lovely little Alice. My nieces daughter, or my grand niece, I think? Or is she great niece?

Alice with mum, Naomi.

Naomi, Alice and husband Paul. (under the close supervision of my sister Jan. )It’s present unwrapping time.

The three arrived from Perth Christmas eve. Not so much refugees but adventurers from middle earth going into the wilderness.

Carroll’s & Graham’s being slow/non producers, it is a novelty to have a ‘child’ in our midst. (such a cute one as well.)

N.B. slow/non producers: The Carroll’s had two children. Yours truly and sister Janice. I have not reproduced, my sister has one daughter, Naomi and Naomi had one child Alice. Anne is an only child. Yes. Kids are a novelty for us.

Grandpa David Lindsay, reading the directions. (when all else fails)

The group shot selfy missing only half Jan’s, two third Anne’s head and me except for my left forearm. ‘The Toast.’ I missed a photo of the breakfast ham and cheese toasted croissants.

Two photos to cover the lot.

The ‘Hutchings’, Naomi, Alice and Paul from middle earth.

No idea why I took a photo of this glass of wine.

\

Brother in law David prepared ALL the prawns and not only did a great job of it, but showed a flair for presentation.

Mango, avocado and prawn salads ready to go.

I think Anne took this one. Looks like it might be edible but would pay to make inquiries before attempting to ‘gob’ it.

‘Cutsee’ shot.

Alice is getting items gathered by us when we were in Europe last year and cruising Victoria late last year. This is the sales bag from Alice’s shop in Oxford, England.

A whole shop of Alice in Wonderland. We gave her a little condensed version of the story Book and other souvenirs.

N.B. Charles Dodgson, a mathematician at Christ Church, Oxford, first told his surreal story to the daughters of dean Henry Liddell as they rowed down the Thames. After the boating trip, 10-year-old Alice Liddell badgered Dodgson to write it down and Alice in Wonderland – under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll – was born.

A zoom in on the prawn salad.

Another marginally more successful group selfy.

Stuffed turkey. Not that stuffed.

With fresh peas and baked potatoes.

Yummy cake with ‘things’ in it. I should have paid more attention. Nougat?

Haigh’s chocolates all round.

Instruction and hands on. The source of learning.

And now, the end is near and so I face the final curtain ….

Time to go home.

More successful groupee shot thanks to the timer.

Thanks Jan and David for a great day.

Back to home. Not one little morsel of anything would fit in the drum on the front of me. I managed a trickle of Port then ……

Ba Toba

(Go to sleep, not sure of the spelling but in Dili Tetum)

zzzzzz     zzzzzzzz       zzzzzzzzzz

 

Saturday 26th December 2020

The day after, the landlords and we drive to town for the sales?

Food in the city cross food hall complete with resident pigeons. They own the place. You get in their way and they walk out of your way and give you a dirty look.

Anne finds THE lolly shop of Adelaide and wastes no time.

This mob were in the mall getting us to sign up to win a car. Just phone number. No email address needed. I said, ‘What’s the catch?’ They said there was no catch but sorry. There always is. They have our names and phone numbers.

Walking back to the car. The prison building. Peppers Hotel in the middle of town. Could they have picked a worse location for quarantine?

A painting down a lane

Closer.

What is the use of a closed pub? NO use at all.

Federation Trading. Great old gear for sale. Great old Building.

Corner West Terrace. They have to be brackets for a verandah or signage.

Flames on a building. Why?

The ‘knowing’ wink.

Back home Bruce and I walk over the road for a bottle of white wine to have with his left over prawns. We stay for two beers and find, we no longer need to order a beer. We just download the app and pay for the beer on our phones, stating where we are in the pub and the beers will magically arrive. So WHAT happened to having a chat with the bar person and being on a first name basis when you walk in a pub? They just want to make us bloody robots and controlled by the phone.

Back to the house, Wine, prawns, a real good movie, (Sexy Beast – not at all as it sounds) port, bed.

annyeonghi jumuseyo

(Good night in Korean)

zzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzzz        zzzzzzzzz

 

 

Wednesday 23rd & Thursday 24th December 2020

Just a starting thought.

You may or may not remember my astute cousin Mal (Malcolm)bought two boxes of shelled prawns guaranteed by the seller to be South Australian (or maybe Australian) Let’s call them Australian. When cooking some, he noticed tucked away on the box, ‘Packed in Indonesia.’ He returned to the seller and was told Australia can’t afford the labour to shell them, so they are sent to Indonesia to shell and then return them.

I spent 18 years in Asian (East Timor) heavily influenced and populated by Indonesians. I have had many experiences/ business dealings there and I tell you there are good and bad in all things. I have good Indonesian friends. However, in some businesses, they will do the right thing if you police them. However, some will break all the rules if given the chance.

The good Australian prawns that were sent to Indonesia to be shelled may have been hijacked and on sold as exactly what they are, good Australian prawns with shells. The ones returned without shells may very well have come from somewhere else, e.g. Vietnam.

Now, having said that ….. Here is a news item that appeared this morning….

“Woolworths Christmas prawns are recalled over contamination fears just two days out from December 25

The recall for the Woolworths branded Cooked and Peeled Cocktail Prawns was issued on Wednesday – just two days before December 25. “

Firstly, they are Woolworths Brand so there is a reasonable chance they are from elsewhere rather than Australia. Secondly, even if they were from Australia, they are peeled so may have been sent over seas to peel them therefore increasing the chances that what came back is not what was sent for peeling. Just saying.

Lunch time already?

Then a little cruise around. A little last minute panic buying.

Talking of Woolworths above, have a look at this Broccoli stem. Taken that veg is sold by the kilo, where do you think most of the weight is?

Very topical. Christmas nobby COVID balls.

Back to the fish factory. Need a number, check in and line up to get in.

Young Bruce in disguise is doing the final Christmas prawns shop.

Anne spots this Sashimi Grade Tuna. We buy some because she is going to have a crack at it. So far we have done very well eating it and hope to follow through with the making of.

Then JayCar for some cable for Bruce’s caravan inverter. A wee job for the Christmas, New Year gap week.

However other things take my eye. For example, this electric skate board. It gets up to 20kph, but it got here about 35 years too late for me to try it.

This is more my thing, but I already have one. Bruce should be considering one of these.

Comes in different sizes.

And even comes with a Kath and Kym dialogue promo.

Then, onto Addison Takeaway. I was guided here by Cuz Mal who lived down this way a while ago. It has changed hands since then but is still exceptional. ph: 08 8477 4370. 41 Addison Road, Pennington. Worth the drive.

The size of the burger patties were ….. just like they used to be. Big and reaching to the outside edge of the BIG roll. Plain: lettuce, tomato, sauce. $6.50 With the lot: Lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, egg, bacon, sauce $8.50. Lot Plus: add beetroot and pineapple. $9.50. It goes onto the Addison Special.

 

This Burger REALLY needs two hands. The original jingle for the Hungry Jacks Whopper was, ‘It takes two hands to handle a whopper.’ It no longer applies and the McDonalds?? They have all shrunk and are dead ordinary, except we have been conned into thinking that’s what a burger is. This sign is not at Addison road, BUT it says it all.

Here Here !

A movie. ‘Vacation.’ Grape juice.

Goeie Nag.

(Good night in Afrikaans)

zzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzz

 

Thursday 24th December 2020

A slow start to an important day. Still all calm at 9.25am. The landlords will be cooking up big all afternoon for guests tomorrow. We have lots of small things to do and people to see. They will mount up.

On the road,  Grabbed coffee and a toasted sandwich for lunch.

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs.

A late visit or two.

One of our several visits included a Merry Christmas to mate Des who has his LTD running (and looking) sweet.

And another to Val. She likes Elvis, big or small and this is abut the smallest Elvis I have ever seen.

Late on way home. Dropped in to the Villa to say Merry Christmas. had a drink and some serious nibbles.

Hope the Hutchings  made it from Perth. That is my favourite niece Naomi, her husband Paul and ‘golden girl’ daughter Alice. I guess we will find out tomorrow morning if they made it. Well apparently that isn’t the  problem. Getting back is the thing with the neurotic Premier, Mark McGowan. I guess him being over cautiousness wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that the WA election is only three months off on 13th March 2021, would it?

NSW Premier Gladys made a simple and logical statement when SA had it’s relapse breakout. She said something to the effect of, ‘We can’t close the border every time there is a new case in another state. If my minister for health tells me South Australia have handled the outbreak well  and it appears to be under control, the border will stay open. If he/she says it is unchecked or not being handled well, we will close the border.’ It’s called SENSIBLE.

Iṉiya Iravu

(Good Night in Tamil.)

N.B. Tamil  noun  1. a member of a people inhabiting parts of southern India and Sri Lanka.  2. a Dravidian language spoken by Tamils in southern India, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere. The language is more than 2,000 years old.        adjective    relating to the Tamils or their language.

Monday 21st & Tuesday 22nd December 2020

Cool/cold and wet. So this is Summer !?

A catch up  day and we end up at Arndale. Lunch is a home made sausage roll. In fact it’s a sausage roll to end all sausage rolls. So much so that Anne and I have it cut in half and share it.

The crowd thins out Girlie goes for a neck and shoulder massage and Bruce decides to pamper himself with a pedicure. Luxury!

I pamper my phone to a new protective cover. The last one did pretty good but was showing signs. I had the phone on my lap and forgot it. When I got out the car the door wouldn’t close properly. I tried a couple of times then discovered my PHONE was jamming the closure. Yes. It was showing signs of wear and tear.

Damn miracle it still worked. A young lady below pampering my phone for $25. It could have been pampered for $15 but after the demo I was shown with the stabbing knife on the harder cover, I went that way.

Meandering around till we get back to camp. Our turn for a meal so it’s over to Foodland for the ingredients of a ‘spag bol’ or for any one out there who has led a sheltered life, Spaghetti Bolognese.

It went down beautifully. My lovely spouse has absolutely mastered this sauce and can easily follow through with extras to evolve the Bolognese to a Chili Con Carne. Equally scrumptious.

Red wine of course. Have to with Italian meals of course. That’s a given.

Light entertainment ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.’ Love these Indiana Jones films and Harrison Ford does a wonderful job. There is another one to be released in due course and apparently it will come out as her turns 80. I don’t know what it’s called but perhaps something like Indiana Jones and the Golden Walking Stick. When Sean Connery played Indiana’s  father in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, ( bit of a misnomer, hey?) Sean was only 12 years older than Harrison.

Anyway, bed, sleep.

usiku mwema

(Good Night in Swahili. Ha! Spoke that a few times in the old days. Was my second language there for a while.)

zzzzzz       zzzzzzzzzz      zzzzzzzzzzz

 

Tuesday 22nd December 2020

Cool, wet. Supposed to be 23 today. At 9.45am it’s 16.3 degrees and Willy Weather says it feels like 13.1

Let’s make more bookings today. I have so far booked my annual ‘burn off or cut off the skin cancers’ for 5th January, car lube for 6th.

Must make wheel alignment, van wheel bearings, fix the tail light I was going to fix two weeks ago, the sagging rubber at the bottom of the tail gate and the side light. Join Pay Pal. Check ebay for a few items etc etc.

Didn’t achieve all of that but have booked for car lube, wheel alignment, and service on the van.

Afternoon we re on our way for some Christmas shopping. On the way, stuck at traffic lights, I spot this apartment. The corner lot with balcony is almost right on the fence line and the road is so close, I’m sure they could tell the colour of drivers eyes. Also, the overhead power lines are almost at  eye level of anyone on the balcony. Well this is good on a serious note. This gives people on a tight budget a chance to buy. Anyone with more money is going to buy else where and someone less cashed up has a chance to own their own place. Might be a problem selling it to upgrade later. Then again, I guess the same rule applies for those buyers.

We are at Haigh’s Chocolates on Greenhill Road after a long, slow trip in Christmas traffic. There are parking restrictions and a 15 minute line up to get in. Got to know this chap and his daughter very well. He is a roofer and we discussed Dunlop Volleys at length.

To be sung to ‘Cheek to Cheek.’ (Fred Astaire)

‘Heaven …..I’m in Heaven

And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak.

And I seem to find the happiness I seek,

When we’re out together stuffing chocs in cheeks.

Notice permanent smile. Two small bags. Around $140. (!!??!!)

This is the frog wall. Just FROGS in this section.

The Story.

Start of story.

I didn’t enquire as to why this bronze conquistador was proudly on display at the entrance. Perhaps …..  History of Chocolate – HISTORY www.history.com › topics › ancient-americas 

There are conflicting reports about when chocolate arrived in Europe, although it’s agreed it first arrived in Spain. One story says Christopher Columbus discovered cacao beans after intercepting a trade ship on a journey to America and brought the beans back to Spain with him in 1502

N.B. Other research showed chocolate was created in Mexico maybe 1800BC.

Maximum security very much controlled parking at Haighs.

On to do the liquids at Vintage Cellars, North Adelaide. By the way, my sneeze caused obvious discomfort to some in the store even though I grappled for and successfully used my handkerchief. This store always has great specials. 6 bottles of St Hallett Faith Shiraz single bottle price $24  = $144.                     One bottle St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz single bottle price $55.                                 So $199 worth of wine. Selling for $100. Save $99 or think of it as half price.  Beat that! Yes! I bought, with other ‘things.’

Home. No one else here so independent meals. We split the Port Pirie seafood stores oversized Garlic Prawn pie and add vegetables. Magnificent!

Inside for a movie. Falling asleep at 9pm so vacate to the van. A glass of port then …

dobroy nochi

(Good night in Russian.)

zzzz     zzzzzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzz      zzzzzzzz

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th December 2020

All this talk of Coles or Woolworths having Crayfish for $20/kilo sounded suss/too good to be true, but worth checking out. It was here that I learned even more about my fellow man/woman. I will try to remember the conversation as close as I can to word perfect.

Saturday morning I rose at 7.30am and got straight on the phone. I attempted to call Coles at Arndale but it kept going somehow through to Romeo’s Foodland which did not answer. I successfully ended up talking to a Coles and a Woolworths. They both had the same story. ‘We had very limited stock. They went straight away to the people who happened to be in the store at the time and we don’t know if or when we will get more.’

So it is about 8am by now. I try Romeo’s Foodland again and as per the previous three times, no answer. There is in fact a Romeo’s Foodland just 100 metres away. So off I go.

There is a man entering about 50 metres in front of me. I end up behind him at the deli counter. He has been served and is waiting for ‘something’. We are I think, the only ones in the whole store.

I ask the question, ‘Do you have any Crayfish?’ the answer comes as the young lady walks down to where the seafood section is. ‘…. er … no.’ I stated that there was a notice on the glass enclosure stating that we could order Australian Crayfish, Prawns or local oysters for Christmas. “Er … I will have to ask the supervisor..’ He was right there. I said, ‘you haven’t got any crayfish?’ Reply, ‘No.’ Me again, ‘I was wondering if I could order two for Christmas?’

A little non committal response. While he is ‘humming and harring,’ the ‘something’ that the other chap was waiting for arrives. The young lady, plonks a CRAYFISH on the scales. I state the obvious. ‘I have been told by both of you that you do not have crayfish, but that is a crayfish!’

It gets better. They then say, ‘These are lobsters.’ then the other chap who was in fact waiting to take delivery of his ‘lobster’ says, ‘You have to call them lobsters if they are not from Australia.’

I turn to the comedy couple behind the counter and say, ‘Well can I have two LOBSTERS please?’ While being served, I ask, ‘Where are these ‘lobsters from?’ and I am told they are Australian.

The terms Crayfish and Lobster are to me, interchangeable. I have called similar crustaceans both. I was led to understand Lobsters had the BIG nippers but crayfish have small. I have heard Lobsters are supposed to be salt water crustaceans and Crayfish, fresh water. However, I believe most people would believe the terms interchangeable.

Even ignoring that, why didn’t they say that they didn’t have crayfish, but they had lobsters??? Never mind. $75 a kilo. Two at $50 each. Done.

With the two LOBSTERS in the fridge for tonight, we venture down the road to The Fish Factory to compare.

Busy.

Stacks of Lobster/Crayfish.

All seafood a plenty.

And more …

Now we flash forward to early evening. Doctor Carroll gets out his oversized scalpel …

The autopsy complete, it is deduced the patient die by being boiled. On completion however, the patient is conveniently halved with precision.

Now there is to be a crayfish eating competition.

The competitors.

Ready?… Set? …

Go!…

Looked a dead heat to me. White wine did feature strongly, followed by a red grape juice back up. All competitors clamed victory and are looking forward to a rematch.

Must to bed to rest up for tomorrow. It WILL be a big day.

Buenas noches

(Good night in Spanish, but you already new that. Right?)

zzzzzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz             zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Sunday 20th December 2020

TRC (Torrens Rowing Club) Christmas Reunion. Starts 11am

We must take food, so over the road to the Foodland for a box of frozen party pies and sausage rolls. (box of 30 pieces)

On the way I see evidence of the Christmas build up. There is a sex shop displaying ‘Open 10am to 10pm’ but already open at 9.35am. It is good to see they are catering for the last minute Christmas present rush. Fascinating. Can you imagine someone standing there trying to decide. ‘Would she like the pink one or the brown one?’

The good ship lollipop better known as Popeye chugs past the TRC boat landing.

My blossom out the front.

Me comparing stomachs with other old members.

Boating up for the Walsh Shield. An annual mini competition where names are drawn for scratch crews and the race over a short course of … I don’t know 100 metres – ish.

Yeh Olde Club.

Finalists in the stomach competition.

Some readying activity.

Elevated view spectators.

First race of three.

Some video of the race start.

N.B. This was added a day later than the original posting.

Segways pass by.

Some video of the Segways.

N.B. This was added a day later than the original posting.

 

 

 

 

 

Overdressed coxswain.

Both boat and blades must be washed.

Concept rowing machines. (I have one. Just no where to put it.)

Elevated is better. After the races the food came out. Fabulous spread and I wasn’t the only one to think of party pies. I took thirty and there were at least three others did similar. Then the quiches, cakes curried egg sandwiches etc etc etc. We over ate.

Two stars with another in between.

Seen leaving. Like I said, we over ate but managed to waddle home for a little lie down.

DING!! Round two! Come out fighting!

Annes cousin Scott has invited us for Chrissy drinks at 5pm. ‘Bring a plate.

We arrive at a fashionable 15 minutes late, but the intent wasn’t being fashionable. That was just plain late. Scott has a wine bar in the city, now closed thanks to the Covid and that is where we find ourselves.

Bigger than Ben Hur of family AND friends, we find it is a ‘many plates’ get together followed by a sit down meal and we get gifts! Scotts wife Hui is there to meet and greet with ‘number two and number three.

Scott refers to his three kids as the three ‘c’s. The oldest, Caitlin from a previous life, then Callum and Cassy (Cassidy). All doing well in their individual strengths of, University Student, handsome young man and cute little girl.

Callum and I have a hand shake because that’s what ‘men’ do.

Anne is the ring in with cousin Scott and off spring.

My social co-ordinator.

A night of good conversation with familiar and also a couple of Scotts good mates. Good guys.

A fabulous night in all but all good things must come to an end. Way past our bed time but totally justified.

Home at 10.45PM!!

Shower, a small glass of port and then making those zeds only this night they were bigger.

ZZZZZZZZZZ    ZZZZZZZZZZZ      ZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Cheers.

 

 

 

Thursday 17th & Friday 18th December 2020

Cooler, in fact damn near cold. Pottering around. Main job is rationalize my memory drives. That is to say, I have six drives. Two are supposed to be masters and identical with my fabulous movie collection and every photo I have taken since I got a digital camera in late 2002. 18 years of photos.

I also have my utility drive with all sorts on it that I have had for years. I have all my day to day stuff on it instead of the laptop. That MOST important drive is not on the masters so I am transferring around ten years of plans, projects humour etc etc and other day t day stuff onto the two masters.

The whole idea is to have two complete copies just incase. Also, equally important, I must leave one copy in the container incase something nasty happens like theft from caravan or worse. I am currently carrying ALL drives with me and that presents a potential disaster.

The other problem how do I update from one to the other. That I have fixed with some synchronizing software to synch from one to the other.

The other, other problem is what do I do or how  can I save a safe copy of  additions while on the road so I can update the second Master copy in the container when I return. That is one I m going to have to think about.

Lunch happens and the day continues as is.

Evening, that is 6-ish I provide taxi service for Bruce and Girlie to go to the Riverside restaurant on the Torrens via the Villa to pick up Phillip and Ann. Both Bruce and Phillip are members of the Resting Rowers Consortium and it is their Annual dinner with partners.

The Consortium was originally formed many, many years ago by the Adelaide rowing fraternity. I remember it was already well established when I started rowing in 1973.  It was formed to raise money for the state to compete in  the Kings Cup which is the Annual National Rowing Regatta. It happened all the members forming the consortium were wine lovers so chose to raise money by having a wine bottling. It was successful and became an on going practice. They do reds and ports which have grown in reputation and popularity over the years. They have their own barrels at a winery. It used to be Bleasdale and assume it still is.

N.B. A consortium is a group made up of two or more individuals, companies, or governments that work together to achieving a common objective. Entities that participate in a consortium pool resources but are otherwise only responsible for the obligations that are set out in the consortium’s agreement.

Had it not been for my gallivanting First to Darwin, then to East Timor for collectively 23 years, I would have been a member well and truly by now. As it is, every time we returned to Adelaide over those 23 years, I tried to be here the First Monday of that month in order to attend as a guest for the RRC meeting. Now the gallivanting is extending around Australia. When we finally touch down in Ye Olde Adelaide, perhaps I will become a member then, assuming I will still be young enough to stay awake for the whole meeting

N.B. 1 I think I have created history. I believe that is the first time in 69 years I have ever used the word gallivanting. Does it fit?

N.B. 2 Gallivant  /ˈɡalɪvant,ˌɡalɪˈvant/   verb  INFORMAL  gerund or present participle: gallivanting   go around from one place to another in the pursuit of pleasure or entertainment. “she quit her job to go gallivanting around the globe”   Similar: gad  flit  jaunt  run  roam  wander  travel  range  rove

Yep. It fits, although money could be added to ‘pleasure or entertainment. Then again money brings pleasure. Does it not?

Anyway, returned to the van, shower, grape juice, delicious soup by my lovely spouse, a TV program about The Beatles then bed. The Fab Four were simply incredible. I saw them live at Centennial Hall Adelaide  in 1964. There first stop in Australia. They commented on the program that Australia had the biggest turnout and reception of all the countries they attended. I loved them.

Yawn,         zzzzzzzzzzz    zzzzzzzzzz     zzzzzzzzzz

Friday 18th December 2020

On the list today is coffee and cake with Mick and Lou in the morning before they hit the road in a day or two. Heading west during summer? they have done the Nullarbor several times and know what they are doing. But that is via a few other places.

Now, on that note, continuing my attempt to get Mick to see the light and enjoy at least a little Monty Python, I attach ‘What have the Romans ever done for us?’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7tvauOJMHo

Well, late for Mick and Lou but a pleasant coffee and cake meeting. Chat and laughs. Good stuff. Must have been good. Forgot photos again.

Meet Liz and I end up messing up the ladies lunch by attending myself. Another good meeting. Also forgot photos again.

Back to camp. Bruce still at marathon lunch. A quiet night in the van

Cheers.

zzzz      zzzzzz      zzzzzzzzz      zzzzzzz

 

 

Tuesday 15th & Wednesday 16th December 2020

On the computer again. How about that. Outstanding payments. Medibank Private. Love to spit them out but a quick quote from BUPA and they are about $50 more. Soooo … It is not this or that. It is yes or no. Bugger.

Off for a quote for a shed on the side of Bruce’s office. On the way we spot these two ‘images.’ A trike and a …. Model T or …? and by the way, he was hoofing along.

 

Then onto Semaphore for ice cream etc. Monument.

Gun and Anne heading to but not up the jetty.

Anne closer to the jetty.

It’s always nice to have something to look forward to.

Walk path and Anne …. and snakes?

Another monument.

A big house.

Home. Movies, grape juice, bed.

zzzzzz             zzzzzzzzz       zzzzzzzzz

 

Wednesday 16th December 2020

Out the corner of my eye.

I zoomed in but a dirty window is a handicap.

Happy foursome at a Filipino restaurant at Port Adelaide.

Good grub.

unusual (but nice) dessert.

We have total attention from our friends.

Work it out.

Second hand lens. Got to do some googling.

40 or 80 channel?

On to a tour around the Port Arm.

Don’t you dare torment a dolphin. And you better not make them embarrassed.

Basic beach.

Seen them here before.

Bless coal.

Up the creek.

Nice old building … AND for rent.

This is one we own.

Can’t see the front but I am guessing Morris Minor.

Back in time for ‘Rocknrolla’  I converted from avi to mp4. While watching I put another avi ‘Snatch’ on the converter.

Great pumpkin soup with extras, some more TV, grape juice. I provide the two films converted from AVI to MP4.

To bed.

zzzzzzzzz                zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Sunday 13th & Monday 14th December 2020

Ordinary day, overcast and windy. Supposed to be as per yesterday about 34 degrees but not as bad.

Fixed things. On computer, as per usual. Bruce is off to function lunch time and yes, we can drop him in to the city. His partner Girlie is not well so we will do her shopping for her.

Checked the post box on the way through North Adelaide, Dropped Bruce, quick lunch at North Adelaide Bakery, just 15 minutes, Vintage cellars, and next door for beer, Arndale for supermarket shopping. Two shops. Ours and theirs. Had planned a quick $12 hair cut but taking food to Girlie so I will skip.

Now ….. I have a moderately unusual name ‘Leith’. I have come across an ‘Alderbaron’ etc. but I think now all unusual and ‘inconvenient’ names have been transcended. I will not tell you the supermarket where he is to protect his privacy and there is no way I could take a close photo of his name tag without making him self conscious but this young man of Asian descent’s name is ‘Dung.’ This is not a dig at the guy. Infact I admire him for being brave enough to put his true name on the badge. BUT having said that, why didn’t he come up with a nick name for his badge like ‘Dee’ or ‘Du’ or whatever. Then again maybe this is his nick name as perhaps an abbreviation of ‘Dungsong’ or ‘Fudung’ and he is just a little uninformed when it comes to making up nick names. Anyway, his name is Dung.

Back to unload lots of stuff and Anne makes soup. A beer, a little wine, movies and two episodes of Black books (3 &4)

To bed. No quilt required. Believe me.

Time to make Zeds.

zzzzzzz   zzzzzz   zzzzzz

 

Monday 14th December 2020

8.46am. Tea AND biscuits in bed for one and at the computer for the other. Biscuits! We have been without for days and we bought up yesterday.

I am doing a spreadsheet for caravan weight today. There are weights which must be controlled as per the compliance plate in the van.

The spreadsheet is started but it is hot and I run out of puff. I mention my missed hair cut yesterday and Bruce wants one as well, so it’s off to his favorite cutter. Favorite because I just have a clipper cut number three all over. Now, normally $20 to $25, but down here, $12, so a significant saving. Bruce’s requires scissors so his sky rockets to $15.

Coffees and on the way back, we drop into the big fish market on Grand Junction Road. This is because Phillip and Ann have told us there is Cray reduced to $75 a kilo there.

N.B. The Fish Factory. 248-250 Grand Jct Rd, Athol Park SA 5012

This place is great! Pongs a bit as you are going in but that stabilizes to a strong fish smell once inside.

Now before I preach the glories of the place, there are two items of interest which I choose to draw attention to.

Firstly when we were in East Timor, there were many projects to help the locals. A couple included the growing of a unique fish, the ‘Tilapia.’ This fish could survive on all but no feed and get by living in a dirty puddle, exaggerated for effect but not all that much. The thing is these things could be dropped in rice paddy fields and when the crop was reaped, there was a bonus for the locals of all these fish as well. Good idea but they weren’t exactly Atlantic Salmon or Tuna. And HERE IT IS in Adelaide for sale at just $10.50 a kilo! How about that.

Second thing. We all know about dirty old European Carp that infected our waterways years ago, causing the diminishing and/or extinction of fish native to the land. Described as dirt stirring, bottom dwellers and bad, bad boney eating. Well, HERE THEY ARE as well for $9.50  a kilo. Don’t figure.

Now we are getting serious with Tommy Ruffs at $14.?? a kilo …

Fresh School Whiting at $26.50 a kilo …

And here is the hook that got us here, Crayfish at now, NOT $120 plus per kilo but just $75. Still a bit pricy but not in the over all scheme of things. They were walking out the door, mainly in their two’s This was generously stacked when we arrived. Phillip paid $50 for a .66 kilo Cray which is quite a generous feed. These are the bigger tail enders. the slightly smaller ones coming in at $50 to $60 were preferred as a good balance between size and $$$. The tail enders were for people who hesitated and paid the price for it. They were coming in at about $80 to $90 each. I know because I watched them wrapped and when someone received their bundle, I asked them how much they paid.

I was just looking but when I did, I spotted these. They were jumbo alright. I bought 16 for the 4 of us as an entre for Girlies Salmon meal tonight. That was just 4 for each of us and that was a kilo spot on.

Large cooked King Prawns, $36.50 a kilo but more work and less meat.

Fresh opened oysters either $10.?? or $18.?? a kilo.

This is what a kilo of ‘whopper’s looks like.

The Hungry Jacks Whopper (burger) arrived in Australia 1971, (I googled it), and the slogan went ‘It takes two hands to handle a whopper.’ Same applies for these big guys.

The advantage of the size is, I am a lazy prawn peeler but even for me, it was worth the hassle because there were three or four bites out of each one.

Anyway, on to an equally enjoyable Salmon and salad main dish by Girlie with mash by yours truly. Good mash is easy. just lots of the stuff that kills you. Salt and butter, then take the edge off with a bit of milk.

Wine, more episodes of Black Books, then a classic alternate movie, ‘Shoot’em Up.’

Now more Zeds to be made.

I will use the farewell below. I could have sworn I used it the other day. Lori sent it to me and I was going to repeat it because I didn’t give her accreditation. So here it is anyway. First or second.

Cheers.

Tschuss fur heute

Rough pronunciation – Choos Fer hoiter

(Goodbye for Today – in German)

zzzzzzzz      zzzzzzzzzzz     zzzzzzzzz

Friday,11th & Saturday, 12th December 2020

7.30am morning. It’s going to be 31 degrees today and lunch at an Indian Restaurant in North Adelaide. Small things till 11am. Depart 12.45pm

Three hour park hidden away in a side street, then a brisk 5 minute walk. We should do more of that. Walking that is. Not the first to arrive . PCA (Palate Cleansing Ale)  beers always a must to get the dust out the gullet and palate. Most important.

These beers are ‘Kingfisher’.

N.B. Kingfisher is an Indian beer brewed by United Breweries Group, Bangalore. The brand was launched in 1978. With a market share of over 36% in India, it is also available in 52 other countries. The Heineken Group holds 42.4% equity shares in United Breweries Ltd.

Now we usually put all in the middle and share, but it is generally decided this time that we go our own ways. So the table 13 for six is split into three tables. 13, 23 and 33. It works. 13 wanted to share certain dishes only, 23 wanted Vindaloo ,…

(N.B. This is Bruce’s Vindaloo. Some things never change. Once way back I went to an Indian with Bruce. Snake Charmer I think it was on Unley Road? He asked for spicy. The waiter asked how spicy and Bruce said, ‘I want my eyes to bleed.’)

…. and 33 (us) wanted the mild chicken Korma with yellow Daal and that great spinach dish with the cheese cubes in. Anne’s favourite. That is …

Murg Shahjahani Korma Chicken Korma (mild) Rich, lavish cashew paste and cardamom base (GF)

Tadka Masoor Daal (medium) Slow cooked yellow daal with fresh tomato and coriander (GF) (DF) (V)

Saag Paneer (mild) Paneer tossed in fresh spinach, roasted ground mustard seed, fenugreek (GF)  N.B. Paneer is Indian Cottage Cheese)

Wine: Church Block. Say no more. Great meal. Waiter ‘Robby’ did an excellent job and was the master of service and sales. Funny. He didn’t look like a ‘Robby.’

A stroll over the road for cake or coffee or ice cream or combination thereof. (and another bottle of red wine.)

The clock is ticking and the sun dropping so then home for a movie of which I woke up for the last 10 minutes, then a couple of Black Books episodes then the van for a very late 10.30pm shower and bed.

Now to compliment the day, Roger sent the link for a Rowan Atkinson amusing sketch Rowen did as an Indian waiter. Thanks Roger. I have seen it before but it is always a good laugh.

shubh raatri

(Good night in Hindi. Seemed fitting)

Pronounced sort of ‘Shoo-bra-tree’.

 

Saturday, 12th December 2020

35 degrees today. Looks like summer has finally caught up with us. A bit cloudy and windy.

8am at the computer loading Mick and Lou’s 1 terabyte drive with movies. There is a minor problem which they are aware of. I am almost there with 17.9 gig o[  space left and 49.8 gig to go. They did say just get on what I could. There are a few double ups which I can use to gain space but not 31.9gig.

Let’s see how we go.

I asked MIck if there was anything I could delete and he said he didn’t like any Monty Python. So, (and I did pre-warn him) I have included one of my favourite  scenes just as a last effort to convert him. Here is a part of Monty Python and the Holy Grail’s scene, ‘Swamp Castle.’

N.B. Had a little trouble with this. If it won’t open, copy and paste this link to google enquiry box:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNaXdLWt17A  You may have to endure an advert for about 6 seconds till the ‘skip add’ tag pops up on the right. The original usually loads but takes about 4 minutes.

I cut out the double ups and snipped the stuff even I wouldn’t watch. We made the space.

Hot afternoon and stayed in the van a la Air Cond till about 5pm when I spotted the movie just starting on TV. “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.’

Transferred to the house, Domino’s cooked and delivered. Long film but we stuck it. I remember it as better, but it was 1963 with ALL the comedy actors of its time headed by Spencer Tracey. I was in hogs heaven. Then I thought a sobering thought, all these people are probably dead now, but they were larger than life on the big screen.

Jonathan Winters (died just 2013. Married to the same woman for 61 years)

Mickey Rooney, 2014

Sid Caesar, 2014

Ethel Merman, 1984

Buddy Hackett, 2003

Milton Berle, 2002

Spencer Tracy, 1967 (Only 4 years after the movie)

Phil Silvers, 1985

Dick Shawn, 1987

Terry-Thomas, 1990

Jimmy Durante, 1980

Edie Adams, 2008

Buster Keaton, 1966 (just 3 years after the film)

Peter Falk, 2011

Don Knotts, 2006

Jerry Lewis, 2017

Dorothy Provine, 2010

Jim Backus, 1989

Carl Reiner, Just died 29 June 2020, after all those ‘Oceans’ films.

Jack Benny, 1974

Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson, 1977

Paul Ford, 1976

Edward Everett Horton Jr, 1970

Jesse White, 1977

Andy DeVine, 1977

William Demarest, 1983

ZaSu Pitts, 1963 (the year of the film)

Ben Blue, 1975

Norman Fell, 1998

Joe E Brown, 1973 …

and more.

I used to know most of these actors by name. Oh well, Death and taxes.

Film finishes. Van, shower emails bed.

 

zzzzzzzzzzzzz      zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz