blah de blarney de blarney

Ah dear, been d'ere- blah de blarney de blarney

As St.Pat's day has been in my face for a week, finally something to write about.
Nearly.
You know- "look, St Patrick's Day Special..." and here, "St Paddy's Day Sale.

Yeah well, green beer is not my idea of celebrating a myth, nor is green Guinness for that matter.

And adding another "special" consumeristic day of email spams trying to get me to buy another laptop and software besides the birthday card also needed and forgotten [Sorry J'nine- Happy Birthday!] just upsets me and the bank manager. Argh, getting grumpy.

Besides that.

Just over twenty years ago, Tarn and I had a week to go travel the Emerald Isle, seeing places we had heard about all our lives.

My Aberdeen boss, where we were living, said "Yep. A week. No- less. Bye."

As usual, never letting a chance go by, our anniversary close or past [?] we took it and left from Glasgow Airport to Dublin, picked up a hire car and left for the north where Tarn's aunt Dot used to live, Carlingford.

From Wikipedia- Carlingford

Now one of the first things you notice, when you travel there as an Aussie, is how much Ireland is Like Oz, as in western Victoria anyway- GREEN soft rolling hills and vales. Cypress and pine tree lined fields, horses, sheep, cosy cottages, and all that stuff.

from bbc

Lots and lots of stone walls instead of mainly the posts and rails or posts and wire usually filling the landscapes at home. On the other hand- I could see a whole lot of WORK put in too!!

Next is the people- nice and not too hard to understand- unlike the Scots- at brekky time...

And mad too- in spring, the end of the footy season, a finals game celebration [how did we not notice how hard it was to get a B&B place in Galway that night?] there were some people, standing up bare chested through their little car's sunroofs drunk and yelling and whooping... [car sunroofs in Europe.... really a selling point?]

Tarn enjoyed the trip- as unplanned and chaotic as it was- "where can we go today?" or "hell, it's getting dark, better find a place to stay!"

We spent just a few days, but did a wonderful Cook's Tour, including the west and southwest and south east coasts- like in - poked our noses out the car window and breathed the Atlantic in, or avoided dropping of the Moher Cliffs, missed the Waterford Shops getting to Dublin Airport-["dang... should have got here earlier"]. Even saw a place called Ford on the map- but could not find it, maybe they up and went to the US a while ago...[just did a quick search with google earth- lots of towns ENDING in 'ford]. Cork was a nice place to stay too- a real Georgian house.

Now the whole point of this particular little write up is that I just read about the Blarney Stone. Being a geo on travel, it was an interesting place to go. The rock looked like the rest of the remains there- I could see nothing special. And I was not going to pay someone to kiss a rock either, upside down or not!!! And there was a DROP that the helper was going to stop you from falling through. Yeaahhhh right. Nup.

But Tarn was easily persuaded, and managed to score some Cookie Jar points off me!

So if you want to know, it really aint special as a rock goes.

But if you like a little adrenaline rush, then the Blarney Stone kissing game is for you.

http://news.sciencemag.org/europe/2014/03/scienceshot-origins-blarney-stone-revealed

Just another day

Another cake on the table

Number one son 

aka Son#1, returned home the other week after a wee trip.

His travels included some live p.jam, rubbish, small falls near buffaloe and a venice beach visit!

Lucky lucky lucky....

Anyway, he also brought back some little things for us all, what a good guy! I also got some parts for a portable weather station and a thingo for my home weather monitor!

The gels had a cake ready for dinner to celebrate his latest birthday now that he was back. Yummo- the usual mud cake!

The Visitor

Ensconced in his favourite place... The gels do not want me to hand this deaf lil ol critter back to the rightful owner! I 'd love to, he needs TLC, from auntie! Oh the poos and wee is funny... once a month maybe...

Weegen at the beach

Saturday Night- "Daaad..?"
Cant' be good...

Off the cuff, #2Son asks me in the evening,"Can you, me and Shane go to Sandy Point tomorrow for a surf like we talked about over summer?" IE, Months Ago..
Not a time for one on one exactly- but 4 hours with two young adults in a car... And, like- what? Tomorrow? [But me- oh oh- some speed sailing?]

Hmm. Dilemma. That day [and off cuff again], I had taken the gels and their friend out to the lake sans water craft- on the off chance, that the "Blue Green Algae poisoning the lake scare" had passed. Or not. Saturday itself was a hot steamy day and the gels Had To Go To The Lake so I "did not have to pay for pool entry"- HAH! 40km round trip and needed fueling up too...

Nice afternoon, no sunburn on the ducks. There was a fool on a skidoo there and that annoyed the hell out of me, the 5kmh speed limit near a beach was IGNORED. We were going to leave early- wondering where the water cops were as usual.

So organised the 300km round trip Sunday drive to the Best Sailing Inlet In The World. There is a nice surfing beach there too. Rang up my new sail boarding buddy to invite him for a surf down there too- "nah mate- work..." Bugger- on the weegen? Tough luck, too late, so made arrangements for a drink there later in the week. Shane was sms'd to turn up bright and early with surf gear... And made sure that the gels and their friend would make it to her place and stay there 'til we got back- giving them more pool money in the end... Went to see my old work place on the way home, the winery and vineyard had sure changed a lot since 2008!

Sunday: Took off 30 minutes behind schedule [not too bad], the learner driver taking us to fuel up the car first, then off for a drive, with board covers flapping.

 Waratah Beach, Sandy Point VIC, with the boys way off the the left

He made it there before lunch. Dropped the boys off with no real "warnings", trusting that young adults do not need that shit anymore- wrong slightly.

Drove to Shallow inlet and considered the next move. Conditions were slightly sail-able for a large board and sail- or kite sailing. Hmph. Read a book, checked some forecasts and observations on my new work tablet. By midday enough wind turned up that I could do better than the sailors already on the water- two of.

Rigged up the 5.9m2, and really enjoyed myself for nearly 2 hours. Quite a few successful jybes on the fluffy wind- pleased. The wind died out a bit, and I got pretty tired trying to raise the sail after falling in twice after a lull, so decided enough is enough! I was not going to get a tow in! Started to rig down once I got back to shore, and the wind came in properly then- Argh! No, Tone, home!

Went back to the surf beach and waited for the boys to come out. The waves were okay for them I think- they did not go out to where the bigger rollers were curling. There was a wave-sailor and a stand-up paddleboarder[?] out by the time we left. And the only accident was some sunburn on #2Son's legs and arms- after two sunscreen application as well! Organised on the way via mobile for some take-way fish-n-chips to be picked up at the same time the gels and us got home.

All up, the activities were great, out of the blue or off the cuff, a bit expensive   but you cannot take it with you...

Hmm. Tight. Good. The Foos

And OMG

Sucked into a FooFighters Concert.

So I was thinking I did the right thing a few months ago, buying some concert tickets for the 16yr old and his mate, seats at the December 2 FooFighters concert in the Big Smoke at the Aami Stadium
But boy was I wrong. They wanted the mosh pit, so the mate bailed out.

Pissed me right off.

So for the next few months I was on #2's back- get me my money! $120 is not a sneeze- it is about three slabs of beer man!

By the 1st december, no takers....

Talking about it to a mutual friend- A Father and Son Outing!

Riigghhhtt. Me and the boy going together to a Foos concert.

Suggested by SMS to #2.

No answer.

After school- "Yeah, good idea", cos I did say he could drive us...

!!!!

Okkaay then. Organise the gels so the boys could take off.

Tight

So then I had to finish work early, grab #2 from school early, and get to the city by 6pm...

Worked dragged on and on...

Left home to pick #2 up, but had to return for the reading glasses... Off to pick Him up. And returned home yet again so he could FINISH packing things he did not pack in the car before school...

Arrived a little later than imagined, the Learner driver being booted out of the driver's seat at Springvale Rd,  then after panic attack about parking the car, as dropped idea of staying with #1 at the campus flat, set off around the MCG, over the railroad, and could hear the warm up bands from a mile off.

Walked all around the concert stadium - 359° - to get to our assigned row and was ready for Tenacious D. Who ever. But the Screens- Man, they were BIG!

"Jack Black?" I asked the expert, with shock.

OMG, am I out of the loop!

So that was enjoyable.

Then the show started in earnest.

OMG II- Out of the loop or what. Really this time.
I only knew a few radio hits, but tapped along anyway.
As far as it went, I would rate it loud.
Like Pink Floyd 1989 Adelaide, Springsteen 86 Melbourne and U2 in 84 Perth.
And Tommy the Movie, mid 70's...

The drummer did a Wall song, something I vaguely knew in the first bar, and then, OH YEAH, somethin' to Tap Along To!

Well, I reckon #2 enjoyed it anyway.

We have just arrived home, getting through the 11:30pm traffic jam and home by 2.30am, and here I am, looking at the $45 dollar concert tee-shirts at 3am and wondering, sometimes life is worth it.

seemed odd afterwards

A family run around
Busy or what?

Last week, we had fish n chips n ChikoRolls midweek at my inlaws D and PD at the NuHoose

Friday, she picked the gels up from school for the weekend because I was off to see my mum, so did not catch her Friday arvo.

At 6 pm. dropped into see my eldest son in The Big Smoke for a coffee and to drop off of xrissy prezi.

At 8pm (late cos had to pick up some flowers!), arrived at Mum and Dad's place, by the sea and  river, not far from a 13 hole golf club!

Saturday, saw Dad off for his trip to help my sister boy and my broinlaw for the Garmin 24 at Redesdale, where the little guy got a third in his division. By the way, it bucketed down and the nobby tyres caused the portable showers a problemo, if you know what I mean...

For the weekend, sat around with Mum, fixed this up and that, installed a new weather station, formatted a slow laptop that they had given up on and hey presto, it just ZINGS along Now! Cos everyone wanted to put something on it for Nana to use, it was very cluttered, and glacially slow that they got another one... Should have taken it home to fix- for meself- but thought the better of it, it would be something the grand-kids can fight over when it rains...

Sunday: Did the leaves in the gutter thing, took dog for a walk once- cos it rained and rained and...Dad gets back and I take off home, with a washing machine for my brothers girl that has moved into a share house in the Big Smoke with mates and three dead laundry machines... cannot believe she has finished study and ready to work in the real world of Nursing. Their place was not too far out of the way, and a simple [NOT] drive home to pick the gels up. And catch up with D and PD again, and collect my gels.

No radar flashes or hidden traffic cops the whole weegen, cos I was Very Watchful of my poor empty wallet... And collected two nice hand knitted jumpers made by Mum for my gels!

The point: face to face time with family. Just doing it.

Tony's Tiny Diggers

School Camp and the Gang
What they got up to
Bendigo
Ballarat
First night
quiz

to be continued as time goes on...

Quiz Night.
The kids in my group were called- Tony's Tiny Diggers. That was the decision after a  five minute Round Table discussion between themselves.

After all I am a geologist. They were my team. And we were after gold in Bendigo, or at least a gold medal in the quiz! Some of the other teams names were obvious suckups to their leader, or highly fun, or just plain.

The adults were sitting around the room, [wishing for various substances banned for a few days. I think. I was.]

Chaddy Cooks tour

Like my Irish Cooks Tour
Short but long

When I was pretty young, my mum took me, and my brother as well, to see Santa at the newish Myer store at Chadstone. The getup was up on the roof if memory serves right.  And a sunny day, being Summer Marv.

For the last couple of years, I have avoided the Myer Christmas windows in the Big Smoke and taking the gels shopping anywhere in town or the Big Smoke.

But now...

Not Alone Halfway time

Family gathering
as I make it Halfway through My Allotted Lifespan.

Growing up, a favorite calculation I liked to make was imagining the year 2000 and how old I was going to be. And because death by then had never occurred to me- that was confidence that I was going to get there!

relativity- a good weekend

This Easter weekend was FIVE days long here in Oz. Here is another look at the weekend done earlier

Because of the alignment of the moon and the sun, and things we have to celebrate other wise it is not the Western World, and a world war nearly a century ago; a four day weekend was added to, by the Anzac memorial holiday.

Some would say that it was almost a week of bloody awful football. Did my team win, still do not know...

Leaving

I had a dream...

A dream knocked my usual shower ponderings off course this morning, after it came back to me, wet like.

The set up: using my hair brush. It is from Aber-bludie-deen, so it had done a few "stylings" since the early 90's... The bristle pad needs to be re-glued to the handle, again. Maybe time to give it up?

I was looking at the brush in the dream, and noticed it had another apartment under the pad, handle side.

"What the...?"

It was a another brush! For shoes!

I turned it over, took it out and tried it. It worked a treat.

"Well well!" [I think I would have said]

Then my dream self noticed a third brush! From the other end it appeared.

This one was for brushing lint off clothes! Wow!

A magical Russian dolls type brush, and for two decades I had never known about it!

Was there a fourth?

I may have woken myself up by then in the strangeness of the dream.

Weird dream. Because had been thinking of dumping it...

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.

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!

Likely lad- LET ME OUT

gels at 2-1/3yrs

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.

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.

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..."

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… 

Home again, after a non sailing weegen

So after dropping Off The Boy, I stayed over at Sandy Point yesterday after a little trip to Inverloch. Stubby of VB. Bottle of red was used 50%. Two late telephone chats. Slept in til 9:30! No wind to wake me up by trying to over-turn the "new Winnebago" to remind me why I was there.

Th

a last supper

Last supper with #1 tonight.
Before he starts at uni.
We, him and I, are going down to the Big Smoke with his gear on the morrow, the 12th.

I invited Pop and Bren over for a last supper, Not To Make Up Numbers Noreen!

So I rang Mr Pizza, and ordered small, medium and family size.
One slice left! Two girls and four adults. Wow! And the girls were too full for IceCream!!!???

Shared a bottle of Chocolate Milk Stout with Pop.
Bren had some ginger beer, the girls orange pop.
#1 did  not partake in the stout- he was orf to a mate's place for 'real beer' later on...
Alrighty then. Noice noight Joy-cee.

Missing above is Son2, he was out with his gf's family for her 15th, a pub meal- my guess was a plateful of schnitzel- correct!

And Tomorrow- I am letting the girls stay at pop's.
Son#1 and I go to Big Smoke, sign him in and drop off all #1's stuff.
Then I may got to RPS (need a safe for the wallet).
Then I am gunna go speed-sailing with any luck, down at Sandy Point and on the Shallow Inlet speed run to try my new GPS tracker.
The weather forecast looks great.
And I will have a whole few days by myself to worry about #1 and #2, and where the girls are going to school next year.
And what would Tarn be thinking and planning or whatever.
That's the hard part- the Missing Part of our lives, that I seem to skim over, distract myself from.
I have not yet let the car drift over the white line yet.
Been close over the years but now I will be staying closer to the verge for a while.

#1 son seems to have all his shit together. Was early packed tonight...
Keeps telling me to chillax!
Well, I am not that optimistic- paranoid that it can not go all that sailingly well...
Fingers, toes and nuts crossed.

My Dad's baby sister

My dad's baby sister is about half a generation older than me. I am catching up. Soon, I will only be 5/6 her age...

Her youngest boy is a bit older than my baby sister, also about half a generation younger than me.

The other two are into their careers now. One has a child. The other used to be a busker on Bourke St, where dad's brother would chaperon him. I think I have that straight. In any case, by Easter there will be a clan camp in the country and I can figure that out again.

But my aunt. At the moment according to the latest up-date that is mass emailed to the clan, she was in Houston with the love of her life, where they are on a business trip.