This past couple of years, I have managed to reel a few old friends in.
Today I sent off [the usual & overly?] an exuberant
HELLO HOW ARE YOU? AND HERE IS WHAT I AM UP TO...
to my old school friend Macca. Yet to get a response. At this time. We went thru primary and secondary schools together in a small seaside town out of the Big Smoke. When I went orf to try geology in a country CAE, he was left behind to get into a spot in an art course up in the Big Smoke instead- and only caught up three or four time in the interim. [funnily enough, same place where my ex-gf Sue went too, and my eldest #1son goes now! wow.]
That's thirteen years growing up together man! Macca and I used to make up Scalextrix tracks and buy and race cars with Tug and Trev, compared to when these days you can't get the kids off the web or Wii or ... He had one of those racer bikes that had the three speed hub. I had to wait a few more years for a flouro green 10 speeder. Macca [thru his big sister and brother] got me into Supertramp's Crime Of The Century and Bloody Well Right on nightovers in his bungalow, as loud as possible too, back in the 70's of course, and Lou Reed's Satellite of Love and the rest of that album Transformer too. And
Another friend, SmokoKid had never heard of Transformer, in 1990! Well, maybe he was pulling my leg, cos he does own a lot of music. I imagine he has filled a few iPods too.
I did catch up with a girl Brigitta G that went thru the same school years, but that was it, a 'FBk friend' and that's that. Heloooo?! Get back to me!
And more as well, Melissa [Lisa] WJ, Michael H & Grainne M, Robyn, Richard W, Kevin H, Luie B., Fiona Hunters' sister, Michael M, Trevor D, list goes on.
Out of the blue last year, one of my bestest ever mates in the CAE years caught up with me! From the other side of the country too, and did we ever get sloshed and catch up via the web!
And by accident I got hold of other fellow house mates too, of the Houston Street mansion-not, thru the web. The years before that, I got in contact with two others from there too. One has just the other month completed the Barcelona marathon, at my age, and in a really good time too. What else is amazing was that Mandy had made friends at work in the North Sea with another Geo I had worked with, Stew, two decades ago offshore, WOz. The mansion had a loo that leant to the right a bit and full of weeds, being an outside dunny, so if you were not in the right mind at wee time in the wee dark dark hours...
Face Book, Friends Reunited, Wikipedia and the web is an interesting experiment, indeed.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
What a Family!
Yesterday-
Saturday.
My uncle dropped in mid arvo for a cuppa. He was on the way back home from a week long fly-fishing trip in the Snowy Mountains with his brothers.
Progeny #3a earlier had taken an advance warning call from my dad about a night-over with us and he followed his brother inside shortly afterwards.
There had been some fishing done, but no trout for My fridge this trip. The "Boys" ate well in the mountains cos my other uncle, an Ozz champion fly caster- does not return without a catch to the cabin!
And then after that, in time for that cuppa break, #1 son had managed to drag his scrawny ass down from the Big Smoke o the train for a family visit and friend-catchup, and a good dinner [?].
Three relatives, dropping in at the same time. Amasink!
Bern tally-ho-ed home, two hours away, not stopping for the beef roast dinner with us this time.
Maybe I should have started cooking it up earlier?
But then we would have had even less, cos it was overly cooked, in the end- bugger- but I was complimented.
The gravy was spiced up too, nice.
After dinner, the boys and my dad and I chatted, #2 about possible careers and #1 about uni. The gels sat and watched tv. Over ciggies and some home-made wine there was mention of renovations I could probably get done by winter. The weather-boards are eroding and a window frame may need replacement...
And Today-
And this morning I was up early because dad's sister and hubby was going through on the way to the South coast NSW for a week long vacation.
Their plan was to arrive at 8am, ARGH! So I was up at 7pm, to tidy up a little. They got in after about 9am, which was okay, and so the girls got to meet and greet some great relatives. The ulterior motive was to drop off a bike that Jon could not handle that was given to him by his son-in-law. He thought that a such a fab pushbike for the road may be better utilised by us. Drop down handle bars are not so cool for grandads... Well, ok then! An Italian job, nice one Clause.
Dad continued on his merry way to another old mate's place, in a beach town, and my aunt and hubby continued on their merry way, in the opposite direction.
After lunch, we noticed that my aunt had left her handbag behind...
Three calls. One to Jon- "leave a message!" Drat.
Second to Bern- "can I get my cousins' numbers please- because your sister..?"
Third to my cousin, paraphrased-"Hi, it's me."
"who?"
"me"
"Oh. Right..."
Okay then. Odd.
"Your mum's left her handbag, can you catch her at all?"
A short chat- we decided nothing important was left behind, otherwise I would have got a frantic call, or a another visit...
I did think to travel half way... And later- maybe take a few days off and have a wave-sailing session there.
Nah. Some one will say, "nah mate, no bloody way". Life can be a drag.
This evening, mum and I had a little OMG time over it all, but thought it would be all okay in the end.
So a relatively busy weekend!
Uncles, aunts, cousins, sons, dads, mums. And we do it again at Easter at The Ghurk!
Just missed having a skype sesh with the LA rels. Sorry darls.
Saturday.
My uncle dropped in mid arvo for a cuppa. He was on the way back home from a week long fly-fishing trip in the Snowy Mountains with his brothers.
Progeny #3a earlier had taken an advance warning call from my dad about a night-over with us and he followed his brother inside shortly afterwards.
There had been some fishing done, but no trout for My fridge this trip. The "Boys" ate well in the mountains cos my other uncle, an Ozz champion fly caster- does not return without a catch to the cabin!
And then after that, in time for that cuppa break, #1 son had managed to drag his scrawny ass down from the Big Smoke o the train for a family visit and friend-catchup, and a good dinner [?].
Three relatives, dropping in at the same time. Amasink!
Bern tally-ho-ed home, two hours away, not stopping for the beef roast dinner with us this time.
Maybe I should have started cooking it up earlier?
But then we would have had even less, cos it was overly cooked, in the end- bugger- but I was complimented.
The gravy was spiced up too, nice.
After dinner, the boys and my dad and I chatted, #2 about possible careers and #1 about uni. The gels sat and watched tv. Over ciggies and some home-made wine there was mention of renovations I could probably get done by winter. The weather-boards are eroding and a window frame may need replacement...
And Today-
And this morning I was up early because dad's sister and hubby was going through on the way to the South coast NSW for a week long vacation.
Their plan was to arrive at 8am, ARGH! So I was up at 7pm, to tidy up a little. They got in after about 9am, which was okay, and so the girls got to meet and greet some great relatives. The ulterior motive was to drop off a bike that Jon could not handle that was given to him by his son-in-law. He thought that a such a fab pushbike for the road may be better utilised by us. Drop down handle bars are not so cool for grandads... Well, ok then! An Italian job, nice one Clause.
Dad continued on his merry way to another old mate's place, in a beach town, and my aunt and hubby continued on their merry way, in the opposite direction.
After lunch, we noticed that my aunt had left her handbag behind...
Three calls. One to Jon- "leave a message!" Drat.
Second to Bern- "can I get my cousins' numbers please- because your sister..?"
Third to my cousin, paraphrased-"Hi, it's me."
"who?"
"me"
"Oh. Right..."
Okay then. Odd.
"Your mum's left her handbag, can you catch her at all?"
A short chat- we decided nothing important was left behind, otherwise I would have got a frantic call, or a another visit...
I did think to travel half way... And later- maybe take a few days off and have a wave-sailing session there.
Nah. Some one will say, "nah mate, no bloody way". Life can be a drag.
This evening, mum and I had a little OMG time over it all, but thought it would be all okay in the end.
So a relatively busy weekend!
Uncles, aunts, cousins, sons, dads, mums. And we do it again at Easter at The Ghurk!
Just missed having a skype sesh with the LA rels. Sorry darls.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Red Wine Pressings
arg- watery, okay, not as great as I expected.
Not being continuous with the order of where the blogs go!
And as I am a little slack, not going to move it here, so to the story click here
Not being continuous with the order of where the blogs go!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Raining again, but but so much in my backyard this week
Rainfall in the backyard is more than the previous years up to this time of the year. [BTW, added a new Page for weather graphs to keep updated monthly.
In comparison to the nearest local Bureau of Meteorology office [Metstat], we are about the same. Unless the showers are local only! I measured much more than the Metstat did one day.
Those in the know
on the radio
let me know...
The SOI and the La Nina of the Pacific Ocean effects maybe the reason, as well as a pool in the Indian Ocean. These oceans are much warmer at the same time, causing a bit of a problem in the Land of Droughts and Flooding Rains.
There have been floods through out the country, from here in Victoria, NSW, QLD, NT and Western Oz that have people saying, "never been like that before"
Well that is being a bit silly! If the original owners had a good record, I am sure it would show that high rainfall events would occur on a regular basis... Like more than once every two hundred years or so anyway.
If you look at the above graph, it looks like a peak occurring now (data massaging- Moving Average, black line- click to enlarge) and the next dry period, in my backyard, should be starting any moment... Not like there's going to be an announcement- but there is my little bit of advice, it may be the end of the rainy season. Before winter! But, being your average (Ex)Geologist, I like to speculate, but give no definitive answers... until the facts are In.
But when the satellite image was flashed up this morning, I was very surprised at the cloud racing SE across Bass Strait, it did not appear to be "normal". That rainfall pattern the last few days spread enormous falls along the SE coast, up to 300mm in a day! We got 18 and 8.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Wow, eleven years ago...
Wow, eleven years ago...
Tarn was not feeling too well after 8 months or so carrying twins.
The first scan doctor had said- Hey Wow! Twins!
Tears erupted in front of me. What- how- why?
I was just wery wery qwiet...
It was probably my fault. My brother has twins, and Dad's bother's girl has had just had twin boys too.
I was so pleased and hoped that for Tarn that at the very least, one may be a girl.
A down side to me was - wasted 8 grand on a motorbike, what we would need was a people mover after all. Another bad move too.
The amnio test revealed- girls! Yay!
We were not to tell anybody!
But I had let it slip before that [Commandment?] to some people close to me... Frantic calls behind doors to them!
Tarn did tell my grandfather Poppy Coo on his death bed at least.
And so it was, eleven years ago today [20th March].
The ObGyno doc said- To Hospital Young Lady, tonight!
You are ready to POP!
Alrighty then, bloody hell, and whooah!
Pre-eclampsia is not good for you.
Ahh, he says that's why she was a lil bit cranky...
Frantic calls to Sydney to recall Bev for some nanny duty, and to my folks too.
And so the Derrible Do-oh were finally here.
So this weekend we had parties for their eleventh year in my life, referred to in the last Post.
Tallish, elegant, LOUD, so affectionate, adorable cherubs, soon to be high schoolers as well.
Argh.
Tarn was not feeling too well after 8 months or so carrying twins.
The first scan doctor had said- Hey Wow! Twins!
Tears erupted in front of me. What- how- why?
I was just wery wery qwiet...
It was probably my fault. My brother has twins, and Dad's bother's girl has had just had twin boys too.
I was so pleased and hoped that for Tarn that at the very least, one may be a girl.
A down side to me was - wasted 8 grand on a motorbike, what we would need was a people mover after all. Another bad move too.
The amnio test revealed- girls! Yay!
We were not to tell anybody!
But I had let it slip before that [Commandment?] to some people close to me... Frantic calls behind doors to them!
Tarn did tell my grandfather Poppy Coo on his death bed at least.
And so it was, eleven years ago today [20th March].
The ObGyno doc said- To Hospital Young Lady, tonight!
You are ready to POP!
Alrighty then, bloody hell, and whooah!
Pre-eclampsia is not good for you.
Ahh, he says that's why she was a lil bit cranky...
Frantic calls to Sydney to recall Bev for some nanny duty, and to my folks too.
And so the Derrible Do-oh were finally here.So this weekend we had parties for their eleventh year in my life, referred to in the last Post.
Tallish, elegant, LOUD, so affectionate, adorable cherubs, soon to be high schoolers as well.
Argh.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Red Wine Vintage 2011
There was not much to pick this year- I do not know why. About 50% of the bunches were no good, and it was almost individual berry selection! Some had dried up or were mouldy or rotten, painful.
The Pinot Noir was so promising too, so it went in with the Shiraz, and I ended up with about eight liters- should make nearly 6 bottles!
Plan to make port this year, use some of the distilled ex-wine from last year, just have to watch that density carefully, and leave some sweetness!
If the crop was going to be excellent, did plan to get in some pickers, and have a barbie. Ah well.
PreBirthday Party Parties
 |
| The first party getting into the party food and cake. |
Son #2 managed to escape the carnage of a girls- nite-over for #3a's party by staying at a friends place...
 |
| The pre lunch "What Did I get?" |
Actually, it was not too bad, the girls swapping DVD time and the usual screaming/water-bombing, and eating junk regularly thru the nite.
Most of the guest were out the door before lunch, and a couple stayed over for #3b's party, which was nearly the same- but chips instead of a pizza slab...
The sing-along with the wii went over well I thought...
I would say thankyou to the parents that let them attend, it was a fun time for them all. I have a headache.
Red Wine Vintage 2011
There was not much to pick this year- I do not know why. About 50% of the bunches were no good, and it was almost individual berry selection! Some had dried up or were mouldy or rotten, painful.
The Pinot Noir was so promising too, so it went in with the Shiraz, and I ended up with about eight liters- should make nearly 6 bottles!
Plan to make port this year, use some of the distilled ex-wine from last year, just have to watch that density carefully, and leave some sweetness!
If the crop was going to be excellent, did plan to get in some pickers, and have a barbie. Ah well.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
One of the things the boys Did Not Want To Do in Sixth Grade
Tonight was a bit strange, some thoughts were; what Tarn would have loved to have seen. The gels would have made her hold her head even higher than usual with pride. This will be our last garden party, the fourteenth for me... 1998 to 2011, 14 right? I just have not got '98 or '99 pics... The '98 ones may have had to be missed as that's the week we moved into Her Hoose.
When the gels were born, March 2000, there was a Garden Party at the local Primary School where the boys went the same week. See above...
Gels #3a and #3b were not at the garden party in 2000, they were busy recovering from a what I call a cut and gut...
The proudest Ever Mum- And Nannies too
Every March, they hold a Garden Party, like a Fete, and hold the traditional Maypole dance.
The boys were never that interested in the Maypole, but when they were in the City Band here, I managed to get them to play the accompanying traditional song, which has only a few bars... Repeated 199 times... See the video below.
Tonight was the 118th Maypole Dance, and my Gels were in it, #3a and #3b. On the middle Pole and the last Pole, [out of three poles I cannot say which was Number 3 or 1].
Small criticism of the Director, to make my life easier, could not both gels be on the same pole? Anyway, they are in the photos and the videos, just try to catch them, I could not all the time, they all look the same...
Their Hair was To Be Braided. Miffed! I was not asked... #3a has a gel friend, [a BFF!?], and she has a sister, and so she was dragooned into being the stylist for #3a and the BFF.
#3b's hair was done at the school by another mum- nothing to do with me... :-(
They both looked good!
Prior to the dance there was the usual rides and food and goodies- show bags full of lollies (candy) and stuff- suitable for the gender/age... "can I have some [more] money dad?". I helped at the barbie.
My niece will have a chance to so it next year I think, the D's will love it!
So here we go, enjoy-
 |
| #2 |
 |
| #1 |
Gels #3a and #3b were not at the garden party in 2000, they were busy recovering from a what I call a cut and gut...
The proudest Ever Mum- And Nannies too
Every March, they hold a Garden Party, like a Fete, and hold the traditional Maypole dance.
The boys were never that interested in the Maypole, but when they were in the City Band here, I managed to get them to play the accompanying traditional song, which has only a few bars... Repeated 199 times... See the video below.
Tonight was the 118th Maypole Dance, and my Gels were in it, #3a and #3b. On the middle Pole and the last Pole, [out of three poles I cannot say which was Number 3 or 1].
Small criticism of the Director, to make my life easier, could not both gels be on the same pole? Anyway, they are in the photos and the videos, just try to catch them, I could not all the time, they all look the same...
Their Hair was To Be Braided. Miffed! I was not asked... #3a has a gel friend, [a BFF!?], and she has a sister, and so she was dragooned into being the stylist for #3a and the BFF.
#3b's hair was done at the school by another mum- nothing to do with me... :-(They both looked good!
Prior to the dance there was the usual rides and food and goodies- show bags full of lollies (candy) and stuff- suitable for the gender/age... "can I have some [more] money dad?". I helped at the barbie.
My niece will have a chance to so it next year I think, the D's will love it!
So here we go, enjoy-
Saturday, March 12, 2011
The Portable Vineyard 2010/2011 season part 2 Bench Test
Continuing the wrap up of the 2010 Vintage.
The Portable Vineyard Shiraz vines produced about five litres of wine.
On the last treatment, a bit of sulphur, it tasted a little wooly? I put some egg related finings through it, rested it for a week.
Today, there was a Bench Test, Portable Vineyard Shiraz against 2010 Longford Shiraz....
Well, the PVS lost out big time, so it was definitely Save The PV Shiraz moment!
The bench test meant blending the not so great PVS into the LS by a fraction, or distillation would be the end game.
After half an an hour, utilising the Shot Measurer to make sure I did it correctly, I managed to make a decision.
One part PVS to five parts LS. Or 3 bottles plus 15 or so. So out with a few bottles of LS and the corks, and all into the bin again for a rebottling session. Just had enough corks too.
And then the labelling.
Hoping done the right thing, I am thinking that any red wines made from now on will be either fermented together If Ripe at the same time, or blended soon after fermentation, so that the small amounts are less likely to be off for any other reason than not being aged in a bulk situation.
In any case, there was a vast difference betwwen the two, and blended, the wine has a little more complexity on the nose and palate.
For The Ghurk, will be a noice simple wine to share
 |
| bench testing |
The Portable Vineyard Shiraz vines produced about five litres of wine.
On the last treatment, a bit of sulphur, it tasted a little wooly? I put some egg related finings through it, rested it for a week.
Today, there was a Bench Test, Portable Vineyard Shiraz against 2010 Longford Shiraz....
Well, the PVS lost out big time, so it was definitely Save The PV Shiraz moment!
The bench test meant blending the not so great PVS into the LS by a fraction, or distillation would be the end game.
After half an an hour, utilising the Shot Measurer to make sure I did it correctly, I managed to make a decision.One part PVS to five parts LS. Or 3 bottles plus 15 or so. So out with a few bottles of LS and the corks, and all into the bin again for a rebottling session. Just had enough corks too.
And then the labelling.
Hoping done the right thing, I am thinking that any red wines made from now on will be either fermented together If Ripe at the same time, or blended soon after fermentation, so that the small amounts are less likely to be off for any other reason than not being aged in a bulk situation.
In any case, there was a vast difference betwwen the two, and blended, the wine has a little more complexity on the nose and palate.
For The Ghurk, will be a noice simple wine to share
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
What do they want...
So,
three out-of-state-trips
for the kids
without me.
And more soon!
Where's that cash gunna appear from? Thin air?
Nah.
Dad the money cow. [Apologies to an old Delhi Pet geo mate, Adelaide 1986]
He don't need no noo sailin' gear!
I feel left out, as usual. That's getting so common these days an oi don know why I mention it. Boring old fart that drinks too much? Travel? Pfft.
Well, I have been where they went, and where they are going to next as well.
So it's not like not being there with them that I am going on aboot Dixie. Or Geoff Peterson. [balls!]
But I think I am. Pity. Pfft. Cant spend it.
I am glad I managed to get them there, frankly.
Last year the younger ones got to go to Cannberia [#s 3a & 3b], and Taswegia[#2], as did #1 for a----Music festival in Taswegia that he paid for!
And for #2 this year it's to the Norte Wildes end e Beeg Rorck; and the younger ones are to be revisiting a fake gold-field town. A place, back six years or more(?), where I managed to actually pan out a few colours from a secret spot in the "wild" creek... and caused a minor Gold Rush, from either end of the watercourse... That Was Funny. Being a geo helps sometimes- now I sort feel what it must have been like to start the Poseidon Rush forty or more years ago. The little vial with the booty was found empty last year- so much for that Show Piece! I reckon My Dear would have loved seeing the kids back then in that place, as she would have been to go with them this year. Annoys me to think of that now.
Hells bells, I just wanna sail fast at sandy! Take a few days off down there rather than rush down and rush back tired hurt exhilarated just for 2 hrs on the water. If I have to take the gels along, hmm. How boring- I would be worried as hell leaving them alone on a beach while I reach down the inlet and back as fast as I can to make sure they are okay. If #2 comes along too- well, you cannot ride a bmx in the sand dunes now can you? How long can you fly a kite, build sandcastles or moats or slide down dunes for, or swim/paddle? By your selves? Oi! Maybe they can now... Nah. There will be the little devils riding my conscious, not to mention others! Next year maybe.
And if I like it there and enjoy myself- it would have been just Windy And Bloody Cold for them.
ahhh.
And #1 is fine BTW. From his diary-like blog I see that something is right in the world. If you ever read Diary of Adrian Mole 13-1/2, the reading from the start is just as good IMHO.
So they are being edumacated, cum ell an hi water, and well. The schools are brilliant around here.
And. So. What ever anyone says- I am not that lazy a bastd. That has been mentioned in my hearing and I hope those gits stub a toe, badly. More than once. And never bring it up again. Or bother me. Ever. Again. Some times you can't pick who will do it, and then WHAM. Threatened once. I was left shaken. Depressed. Ashamed. And the criticism of some, well! But why? Like, have they lived my life? Can't I be myself, and just help me out with or give me a proper response so I am not left wondering at the motive of the actions taken? So now, as a recent correspondent says, Fuck Em. Rude and ignorant and arrogant douche bags. Piss Off, I have more on my mind than climbing that ladder the small minds want me to. My mother-in-law said to me once, "Ah Tone, never apologise or explain! Live!" Sends shivers down my spine, what a way to go, but, sometimes, you do need to open up to soothe or be soothed
At least the wine is plenty thanks to Last Years Great Vintage because now I have to go without something else. For the kidleiwinklies. Something my critics probably would never understand, so sorry for the rant dear reader.
And the above bottles of the finest wine from the best grapes in Gippsland will be shared with kin. A few for sure at the NuHoose Over The BillsBong Location when they move in, and not long there! And soon as can be at OG, Bunnyton, Mill Rd, Sunbuns, maybe SBrahton, and The Ghurk too. Oh dear, that is not far away either, maybe there will be a bottle of The Backyard Portable Vineyard Alcoholery available---- Now I am ranting on....
From the 45 bottles above, now only 41.... It's young, and so I hope that a year, or two more, might even make it taste better, cos really, there is one a week for nearly a year... the 2006 vintage was great too my friend Hoffy says.
three out-of-state-trips
for the kids
without me.
And more soon!
Where's that cash gunna appear from? Thin air?
Nah.Dad the money cow. [Apologies to an old Delhi Pet geo mate, Adelaide 1986]
He don't need no noo sailin' gear!
I feel left out, as usual. That's getting so common these days an oi don know why I mention it. Boring old fart that drinks too much? Travel? Pfft.
Well, I have been where they went, and where they are going to next as well.
So it's not like not being there with them that I am going on aboot Dixie. Or Geoff Peterson. [balls!]
But I think I am. Pity. Pfft. Cant spend it.
I am glad I managed to get them there, frankly.
Last year the younger ones got to go to Cannberia [#s 3a & 3b], and Taswegia[#2], as did #1 for a----Music festival in Taswegia that he paid for!
 |
| Likely lad- LET ME OUT |
 |
| gels at 2-1/3yrs |
Hells bells, I just wanna sail fast at sandy! Take a few days off down there rather than rush down and rush back tired hurt exhilarated just for 2 hrs on the water. If I have to take the gels along, hmm. How boring- I would be worried as hell leaving them alone on a beach while I reach down the inlet and back as fast as I can to make sure they are okay. If #2 comes along too- well, you cannot ride a bmx in the sand dunes now can you? How long can you fly a kite, build sandcastles or moats or slide down dunes for, or swim/paddle? By your selves? Oi! Maybe they can now... Nah. There will be the little devils riding my conscious, not to mention others! Next year maybe.
And if I like it there and enjoy myself- it would have been just Windy And Bloody Cold for them.
ahhh.
And #1 is fine BTW. From his diary-like blog I see that something is right in the world. If you ever read Diary of Adrian Mole 13-1/2, the reading from the start is just as good IMHO.
So they are being edumacated, cum ell an hi water, and well. The schools are brilliant around here.
And. So. What ever anyone says- I am not that lazy a bastd. That has been mentioned in my hearing and I hope those gits stub a toe, badly. More than once. And never bring it up again. Or bother me. Ever. Again. Some times you can't pick who will do it, and then WHAM. Threatened once. I was left shaken. Depressed. Ashamed. And the criticism of some, well! But why? Like, have they lived my life? Can't I be myself, and just help me out with or give me a proper response so I am not left wondering at the motive of the actions taken? So now, as a recent correspondent says, Fuck Em. Rude and ignorant and arrogant douche bags. Piss Off, I have more on my mind than climbing that ladder the small minds want me to. My mother-in-law said to me once, "Ah Tone, never apologise or explain! Live!" Sends shivers down my spine, what a way to go, but, sometimes, you do need to open up to soothe or be soothed
And the above bottles of the finest wine from the best grapes in Gippsland will be shared with kin. A few for sure at the NuHoose Over The BillsBong Location when they move in, and not long there! And soon as can be at OG, Bunnyton, Mill Rd, Sunbuns, maybe SBrahton, and The Ghurk too. Oh dear, that is not far away either, maybe there will be a bottle of The Backyard Portable Vineyard Alcoholery available---- Now I am ranting on....
From the 45 bottles above, now only 41.... It's young, and so I hope that a year, or two more, might even make it taste better, cos really, there is one a week for nearly a year... the 2006 vintage was great too my friend Hoffy says.
Monday, March 7, 2011
bad dad...
Looks like the dentist is looking...down... on me.
Dragged me and them all to see the dentist the last few weeks...
#3b has to have a couple of fillings, on top of the filling that #3a had late last year.
Obviously, I managed to leave out a 6 month check up, as The Dentists Want, and now I am paying for it with a u beaut guilt trip and another credit card charge, rgh.
What ever I do, sometimes there is no time to check them in.
Now, if they all had a toothache- BAM, first available appointment! But the checkups...
At least #1 and #2 had a good/clean bill of health!
And another thing, bloody cheeky dentist wants a lazy few grand extra for the girls to have braces...
Argh! Of course, I sort of agree, and will have to call the insurance people first...
But Mrs Thatcher and Mr Blair looked okay, didn't they?
Dragged me and them all to see the dentist the last few weeks...
#3b has to have a couple of fillings, on top of the filling that #3a had late last year.
Obviously, I managed to leave out a 6 month check up, as The Dentists Want, and now I am paying for it with a u beaut guilt trip and another credit card charge, rgh.
What ever I do, sometimes there is no time to check them in.
Now, if they all had a toothache- BAM, first available appointment! But the checkups...
At least #1 and #2 had a good/clean bill of health!
And another thing, bloody cheeky dentist wants a lazy few grand extra for the girls to have braces...
Argh! Of course, I sort of agree, and will have to call the insurance people first...
But Mrs Thatcher and Mr Blair looked okay, didn't they?
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Reminded by a Cajun
I come across someone's blog a few weeks ago. She had become a single mum.
Part of her life was blogging, and had made lots of friends doing it. I read through it, made me sad. The links were good though.
One of them was a Cajun, transplanted thru wedded bliss to Australia.
She had her little stories about Oz and Dixie, some are really good. One story was about how her hubby did not have to leave the car at all in one US town, everything was like a drivethru type of thing. Donuts, banking, coffee, burgers etc.
And that reminds me of a few US stories of my own.
One was of going thru a US Mobil petrol station. The fill in. I had been sent to Fort Worth with Halliburton to do a course in MWD and directional drilling with new downhole tools back in '96. The office and workshop and practice rigs and all that stuff was on Everman Parkway, Fort Worth.
Our hotel, the Crowne Plaza Fort Worth South100 Altamesa East Blvd, Fort Worth, TX was near or south by a mile, of the hugest freeway intersection In The World [to me]. This place had a bar, but across the multilane freeway that I never got to was a real bar, with a fake drilling rig in the front carpark. Too far. Bugger... At the hotel bar one night, a fellow patron was forward as he pulled up a stool and ordered a drink- "Ha thar, Ahm Je-am Sumthang, from [City] in [State]". "Hi Jim". I loved being there, twice! Man, they had great breakfast muffins. I was caught out once putting the brekky dishes out the door and the door swung shut behind me, wet and dressed in a towel only... The idea of phones, along the hall near the ice machine, to call the front desk was made clear; because of people like me.
The road network was fun. The second trip back there, we went on the wrong North/South route, but never mind, it was only a few mile out... Once I went to Grapevine Lake to see if there was any windsurfing gear for hire. Nah. But it was windy. That was why I went of course.
The hire car needed some gas on the way back, and the Mobil station nearby had the newish fangled thing EVER!
The bowsers had credit card facilities! Whahoo! Had to try that!
Filled the tank and replaced the filler, and waited to see what would happen.
The machine had taken my card, thank gott, and printed out my receipt and cut it automatically for me to take.
My sister-in-law has a hubby [Aussie] that works as a manager on a motorbike racing team during the US racing season. Travelling through the mid-West or east coast- forgotten- the team was under his orders to stop wasting time at stops along the way! At one coffee stop, he asked the young waitress for a cappacino. 15 minutes later- the guys in the truck were starting to wonder what the hell was he up to! He eventually got back in the truck. The poor waitress in a panic had had to go to the nearest store for some extras- to make a Cup Of Tuna…
Part of her life was blogging, and had made lots of friends doing it. I read through it, made me sad. The links were good though.
One of them was a Cajun, transplanted thru wedded bliss to Australia.
She had her little stories about Oz and Dixie, some are really good. One story was about how her hubby did not have to leave the car at all in one US town, everything was like a drivethru type of thing. Donuts, banking, coffee, burgers etc.
And that reminds me of a few US stories of my own.
One was of going thru a US Mobil petrol station. The fill in. I had been sent to Fort Worth with Halliburton to do a course in MWD and directional drilling with new downhole tools back in '96. The office and workshop and practice rigs and all that stuff was on Everman Parkway, Fort Worth.
Our hotel, the Crowne Plaza Fort Worth South100 Altamesa East Blvd, Fort Worth, TX was near or south by a mile, of the hugest freeway intersection In The World [to me]. This place had a bar, but across the multilane freeway that I never got to was a real bar, with a fake drilling rig in the front carpark. Too far. Bugger... At the hotel bar one night, a fellow patron was forward as he pulled up a stool and ordered a drink- "Ha thar, Ahm Je-am Sumthang, from [City] in [State]". "Hi Jim". I loved being there, twice! Man, they had great breakfast muffins. I was caught out once putting the brekky dishes out the door and the door swung shut behind me, wet and dressed in a towel only... The idea of phones, along the hall near the ice machine, to call the front desk was made clear; because of people like me.
The road network was fun. The second trip back there, we went on the wrong North/South route, but never mind, it was only a few mile out... Once I went to Grapevine Lake to see if there was any windsurfing gear for hire. Nah. But it was windy. That was why I went of course.
The hire car needed some gas on the way back, and the Mobil station nearby had the newish fangled thing EVER!
The bowsers had credit card facilities! Whahoo! Had to try that!
Filled the tank and replaced the filler, and waited to see what would happen.
The machine had taken my card, thank gott, and printed out my receipt and cut it automatically for me to take.
And.
The wind blew my receipt away!
No proof of purchase for the company expense report or even a souvenir to take home.
Second story is about a comment made by an engineer at the workshop. He had been out huntin' awhiles back there in the hills. After a days huntin', he was havin' few quiet beers back at a tavern. One guy was talkin' 'bout the days shootin'. This guy never saw anthin all day, but did take a "noise-shot at sum bushes ovah thar a bit..."
The wind blew my receipt away!
No proof of purchase for the company expense report or even a souvenir to take home.
Second story is about a comment made by an engineer at the workshop. He had been out huntin' awhiles back there in the hills. After a days huntin', he was havin' few quiet beers back at a tavern. One guy was talkin' 'bout the days shootin'. This guy never saw anthin all day, but did take a "noise-shot at sum bushes ovah thar a bit..."
My sister-in-law has a hubby [Aussie] that works as a manager on a motorbike racing team during the US racing season. Travelling through the mid-West or east coast- forgotten- the team was under his orders to stop wasting time at stops along the way! At one coffee stop, he asked the young waitress for a cappacino. 15 minutes later- the guys in the truck were starting to wonder what the hell was he up to! He eventually got back in the truck. The poor waitress in a panic had had to go to the nearest store for some extras- to make a Cup Of Tuna…
Friday, March 4, 2011
Longford Shiraz 2010
Longford Shiraz
Harry Hof gave me a few kilos of his best shiraz, so that was crushed and added on 7th too.
Got 16 brix, or 1010sg, not adding sugar.
What a vigorous fermentation! Still going Saturday
Ended up with 35 litres or nearly 3-1/2 dozen potentially
Racked off 29 July, tasted good, added some PMS. Moved inside to start a Malic Lactic fermentation.
Ended up with 45 bottles, and some top up for the 2011 backyard shiraz after it was racked and egg white treated. There is a little tartness/bitterness but the PMS will fix that I think.
Along with the backyard Shiraz, will have some noice choices for the Easter camp in the country
5am! What the
So for the last few weeks I have known that daughter #2, or, offspring #3b (get it?) has been organising to go to The Big Smoke for a special day for Leaders.
Cos she is part of the Junior School Council, and we are both proud of that!
But to cut back- The official correspondence informed custodians of the JSC members that their custodee's were aboarding a mini-omnibus at five forty five AM Friday 4th March...
I thought it was 6.45am. Uh ha. FIVE 45 am babydoll. Argh. Really? Bugger me.
So I was going to leave off the tv at midnight last night. Nah, too much to catch up on, so had 3 hours sleep and the little dear Awoke Moir [is that right?] At 5am.
Brekky with #3b was fun, first time, just us, at that time.
Got the snacks and lunch and coinage for badges etc and set off and arrived at the omnibus stoppaging point at ohhh, about 5:30am...
Of course, being such an important day for them all, some overslept their alarms.... One dad was overheard to say, "@#$$^ $%&, I wake up every so often to make sure I wake up at the right time"...... Hmph. I just wake up on the hour, bugger it, specially after missing a flight, a Long Time Ago in dear old Adelaide... So two were late.
So after one phone call was actually successful, a missing person was rushed by a vehicle exactly 300 meters to the gathering point... Driven by mum, I should mention, not dad.
So that made about five dads there to drop off the offspring. the rest mums of course, or nans.
And the departure was long after 5 bloody 45 am ETD, thankyou very much. Good luck to the lucky Dad driving the bus, he told me that there was no bus parking at the destination- that had been turned into a building site and he had at least a ten block walk back if he did park.
Maybe I should have booted #3b out there at 5.30 and be back in my suggly wuggly warm bed at 5:35am stead of 6:35am. Dreggles it, I stayed until the bus started up at least! Don't recall hearing that the missing body turned up. see comments later
And then, And Then, I had to pick her up of course.
ETA- 6pm. NOT!
Gotta say- it's a hell of a drive back from Big Smoke when the freeway is cratering into a mine, they did not get to miss the carpark freeway cos the traffic peak in The Big Smoke is from - oooo, 'bout 7am to 7pm? And then, there was a minibus full of "can we stop at maccas?" sort of thing too. I guess, that is.
So then we went out to The Nu Hoose to check progress, as little eagle eyes noticed on the way back home that there were blue things on the Nu Hoose!
So- see Spouts up!
What a day. And now it's after midnight and missed another Tudor episode, dang it.
Cos she is part of the Junior School Council, and we are both proud of that!
But to cut back- The official correspondence informed custodians of the JSC members that their custodee's were aboarding a mini-omnibus at five forty five AM Friday 4th March...
I thought it was 6.45am. Uh ha. FIVE 45 am babydoll. Argh. Really? Bugger me.
So I was going to leave off the tv at midnight last night. Nah, too much to catch up on, so had 3 hours sleep and the little dear Awoke Moir [is that right?] At 5am.
Brekky with #3b was fun, first time, just us, at that time.
Got the snacks and lunch and coinage for badges etc and set off and arrived at the omnibus stoppaging point at ohhh, about 5:30am...
Of course, being such an important day for them all, some overslept their alarms.... One dad was overheard to say, "@#$$^ $%&, I wake up every so often to make sure I wake up at the right time"...... Hmph. I just wake up on the hour, bugger it, specially after missing a flight, a Long Time Ago in dear old Adelaide... So two were late.
So after one phone call was actually successful, a missing person was rushed by a vehicle exactly 300 meters to the gathering point... Driven by mum, I should mention, not dad.
So that made about five dads there to drop off the offspring. the rest mums of course, or nans.
And the departure was long after 5 bloody 45 am ETD, thankyou very much. Good luck to the lucky Dad driving the bus, he told me that there was no bus parking at the destination- that had been turned into a building site and he had at least a ten block walk back if he did park.
Maybe I should have booted #3b out there at 5.30 and be back in my suggly wuggly warm bed at 5:35am stead of 6:35am. Dreggles it, I stayed until the bus started up at least! Don't recall hearing that the missing body turned up. see comments later
And then, And Then, I had to pick her up of course.
ETA- 6pm. NOT!
Gotta say- it's a hell of a drive back from Big Smoke when the freeway is cratering into a mine, they did not get to miss the carpark freeway cos the traffic peak in The Big Smoke is from - oooo, 'bout 7am to 7pm? And then, there was a minibus full of "can we stop at maccas?" sort of thing too. I guess, that is.
So then we went out to The Nu Hoose to check progress, as little eagle eyes noticed on the way back home that there were blue things on the Nu Hoose!
What a day. And now it's after midnight and missed another Tudor episode, dang it.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Imagination, lost?
Imagination.
When I was a little kid, I would sometimes nod off to my own stories, under the doona.
Some vivid memories would be being the owner of a fancy rock collection, (Fancy that) where the black light would be making all sorts of rocks glow in their cabinets, and people would flock to such a great display.
Or for some odd reason suddenly growing taller, and giving my school age tormentors their own stick back, or coming first for once or starring in the footy game.
Even some dreams remain- like actually going out with Wendy Johnston in third grade. She was the cutest girl I knew back then.
Those sorts of stories simmered down as I got to adult hood, until.
In the nineties, I was making more money and felt very satisfied with things. The little family was growing, buying a house was on the horizon. I don't recall any major tiffs with my wife.
Yet, on the rig in the middle of no-where in particular, I started to wonder what I would do if I won the lotto. Well, that really got the old imagination going for the first time in a long time.
New fancy stuff for Tarn and the kids, cars, houses, sailboards. Donations to some charities- as not all are exactly charitable- more business like rather.
And how would I invest it after the thrill settled down?
Shares! Funds. How much interest does a major win generate, and would I really have to spend half my life away from the family anymore?
Ah, dreams. That last expectation has blown out double at the moment.
Just thinking of what to do with a lotto win back then was was my lullaby for a while out there.
After I lost Tarn, that lullaby was not in use.
Before that event, I had run a budgeting program on our household expenses for a year after we bought our little pot of gold at the end of the smudgey rainbow, and I could tell "She What Must Be Obeyed" what we needed to live on, say thirty thou a year for house, food, car, utilities, newspapers (I got that anal), and that If I Could Keep The Oil Job, the house would be ours in less than ten years with all the extra shift work I was getting! After ten years we could live anywhere we liked! Or even get a holiday house at Sandy Point! However, I was not required in the Oil Patch a few years after that...
Later on I was working on a property, driving a tractor around for a day a few times a month, and the day dreams of first division lotto wins occupied my otherwise bored mind. A Lambo? New roof- and extensions?
The lullaby / story effect was lost again, I could fall asleep as soon as the head was plunked on the pillow.
Then Top Gear came on and the Bugatti Veyron reared it's head and there I went again with the lotto dream, some for a car and some for interest to live off. Of course, to help get back to sleep I would spend an inordinate amount of time calculating interest, insurance, a new garage...
And now, just like reading a new text book that you know the answers to anyway, as soon as I think of winning a major prize in lozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....
When I was a little kid, I would sometimes nod off to my own stories, under the doona.
Some vivid memories would be being the owner of a fancy rock collection, (Fancy that) where the black light would be making all sorts of rocks glow in their cabinets, and people would flock to such a great display.
 |
| From Wikipedia- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Fluorescent_minerals_hg.jpg |
Or for some odd reason suddenly growing taller, and giving my school age tormentors their own stick back, or coming first for once or starring in the footy game.
Those sorts of stories simmered down as I got to adult hood, until.
Yet, on the rig in the middle of no-where in particular, I started to wonder what I would do if I won the lotto. Well, that really got the old imagination going for the first time in a long time.
New fancy stuff for Tarn and the kids, cars, houses, sailboards. Donations to some charities- as not all are exactly charitable- more business like rather.
And how would I invest it after the thrill settled down?
Shares! Funds. How much interest does a major win generate, and would I really have to spend half my life away from the family anymore?
Ah, dreams. That last expectation has blown out double at the moment.
Just thinking of what to do with a lotto win back then was was my lullaby for a while out there.
Before that event, I had run a budgeting program on our household expenses for a year after we bought our little pot of gold at the end of the smudgey rainbow, and I could tell "She What Must Be Obeyed" what we needed to live on, say thirty thou a year for house, food, car, utilities, newspapers (I got that anal), and that If I Could Keep The Oil Job, the house would be ours in less than ten years with all the extra shift work I was getting! After ten years we could live anywhere we liked! Or even get a holiday house at Sandy Point! However, I was not required in the Oil Patch a few years after that...
Later on I was working on a property, driving a tractor around for a day a few times a month, and the day dreams of first division lotto wins occupied my otherwise bored mind. A Lambo? New roof- and extensions?
The lullaby / story effect was lost again, I could fall asleep as soon as the head was plunked on the pillow.
 |
| From Wikipedia, again, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/35/VeyronUS001.JPG/800px-VeyronUS001.JPG |
And now, just like reading a new text book that you know the answers to anyway, as soon as I think of winning a major prize in lozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....Imagination, lost?
Imagination.
When I was a little kid, I would sometimes nod off to my own stories, under the doona.
Some vivid memories would be being the owner of a fancy rock collection, (Fancy that) where the black light would be making all sorts of rocks glow in their cabinets, and people would flock to such a great display.
Or for some odd reason suddenly growing taller, and giving my school age tormentors their own stick back, or coming first for once or starring in the footy game.
Even some dreams remain- like actually going out with Wendy Johnston in third grade. She was the cutest girl I knew back then.
Those sorts of stories simmered down as I got to adult hood, until.
In the nineties, I was making more money and felt very satisfied with things. The little family was growing, buying a house was on the horizon. I don't recall any major tiffs with my wife.
Yet, on the rig in the middle of no-where in particular, I started to wonder what I would do if I won the lotto. Well, that really got the old imagination going for the first time in a long time.
New fancy stuff for Tarn and the kids, cars, houses, sailboards. Donations to some charities- as not all are exactly charitable- more business like rather.
And how would I invest it after the thrill settled down?
Shares! Funds. How much interest does a major win generate, and would I really have to spend half my life away from the family anymore?
Ah, dreams. That last expectation has blown out double at the moment.
Just thinking of what to do with a lotto win back then was was my lullaby for a while out there.
After I lost Tarn, that lullaby was not in use.
Before that event, I had run a budgeting program on our household expenses for a year after we bought our little pot of gold at the end of the smudgey rainbow, and I could tell "She What Must Be Obeyed" what we needed to live on, say thirty thou a year for house, food, car, utilities, newspapers (I got that anal), and that If I Could Keep The Oil Job, the house would be ours in less than ten years with all the extra shift work I was getting! After ten years we could live anywhere we liked! Or even get a holiday house at Sandy Point! However, I was not required in the Oil Patch a few years after that...
Later on I was working on a property, driving a tractor around for a day a few times a month, and the day dreams of first division lotto wins occupied my otherwise bored mind. A Lambo? New roof- and extensions?
The lullaby / story effect was lost again, I could fall asleep as soon as the head was plunked on the pillow.
Then Top Gear came on and the Bugatti Veyron reared it's head and there I went again with the lotto dream, some for a car and some for interest to live off. Of course, to help get back to sleep I would spend an inordinate amount of time calculating interest, insurance, a new garage...
And now, just like reading a new text book that you know the answers to anyway, as soon as I think of winning a major prize in lozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....
When I was a little kid, I would sometimes nod off to my own stories, under the doona.
Some vivid memories would be being the owner of a fancy rock collection, (Fancy that) where the black light would be making all sorts of rocks glow in their cabinets, and people would flock to such a great display.
|
| From Wikipedia- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Fluorescent_minerals_hg.jpg |
Or for some odd reason suddenly growing taller, and giving my school age tormentors their own stick back, or coming first for once or starring in the footy game.
Even some dreams remain- like actually going out with Wendy Johnston in third grade. She was the cutest girl I knew back then.
Those sorts of stories simmered down as I got to adult hood, until.
In the nineties, I was making more money and felt very satisfied with things. The little family was growing, buying a house was on the horizon. I don't recall any major tiffs with my wife.
Yet, on the rig in the middle of no-where in particular, I started to wonder what I would do if I won the lotto. Well, that really got the old imagination going for the first time in a long time.
New fancy stuff for Tarn and the kids, cars, houses, sailboards. Donations to some charities- as not all are exactly charitable- more business like rather.
And how would I invest it after the thrill settled down?
Shares! Funds. How much interest does a major win generate, and would I really have to spend half my life away from the family anymore?
Ah, dreams. That last expectation has blown out double at the moment.
Just thinking of what to do with a lotto win back then was was my lullaby for a while out there.
Before that event, I had run a budgeting program on our household expenses for a year after we bought our little pot of gold at the end of the smudgey rainbow, and I could tell "She What Must Be Obeyed" what we needed to live on, say thirty thou a year for house, food, car, utilities, newspapers (I got that anal), and that If I Could Keep The Oil Job, the house would be ours in less than ten years with all the extra shift work I was getting! After ten years we could live anywhere we liked! Or even get a holiday house at Sandy Point! However, I was not required in the Oil Patch a few years after that...
Later on I was working on a property, driving a tractor around for a day a few times a month, and the day dreams of first division lotto wins occupied my otherwise bored mind. A Lambo? New roof- and extensions?
The lullaby / story effect was lost again, I could fall asleep as soon as the head was plunked on the pillow.
|
| From Wikipedia, again, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/35/VeyronUS001.JPG/800px-VeyronUS001.JPG |
Then Top Gear came on and the Bugatti Veyron reared it's head and there I went again with the lotto dream, some for a car and some for interest to live off. Of course, to help get back to sleep I would spend an inordinate amount of time calculating interest, insurance, a new garage...
And now, just like reading a new text book that you know the answers to anyway, as soon as I think of winning a major prize in lozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....
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