Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Buggies and Boogies
Last weekend we drove up to Albury where Right Foot was delivering a paper to the Carriage Builders Association annual knees-up. People kept asking us, if we lived in Queens Road, where did we keep our horses? On the mantelpiece in the living room of course.
On the Saturday night there was a trivia quiz which is my favourite way in the world of spending an evening. We competed for prizes such as canvas horse rugs, Zilco harnesses and the services of a stallion. Every second round was on a horsey theme: dressage, show driving, etc. We were reasonably useless but we learnt heaps. Last night, watching the finale of Masterchef, I expressed surprise at seeing the contestants chatting with the judges during the competition. ‘Yes’, said Right Foot knowledgeably, ‘You’d be disqualified in dressage for that’.
We spent Monday to Friday in Coolangatta, braving the waves in our wetsuits and boogie boards and trying not to blend in with the rest of the population whose average age was about 90. Everyone dines at 5.30 and toddles off to bed at 8.
Yesterday we went to ‘the State Theatre to see ‘The king and I’ and were greeted as usual at the foot of the circle stairs by Jeanne Pratt who seems to attend every performance by her company. Her late husband’s scandalous behaviour was all over the front page of the Sunday Age but she calmly sat a couple of rows behind us to enjoy the show.
But the best part of our week off was returning and catching up with our gorgeous boy, Caspar
Last weekend we drove up to Albury where Right Foot was delivering a paper to the Carriage Builders Association annual knees-up. People kept asking us, if we lived in Queens Road, where did we keep our horses? On the mantelpiece in the living room of course.
On the Saturday night there was a trivia quiz which is my favourite way in the world of spending an evening. We competed for prizes such as canvas horse rugs, Zilco harnesses and the services of a stallion. Every second round was on a horsey theme: dressage, show driving, etc. We were reasonably useless but we learnt heaps. Last night, watching the finale of Masterchef, I expressed surprise at seeing the contestants chatting with the judges during the competition. ‘Yes’, said Right Foot knowledgeably, ‘You’d be disqualified in dressage for that’.
We spent Monday to Friday in Coolangatta, braving the waves in our wetsuits and boogie boards and trying not to blend in with the rest of the population whose average age was about 90. Everyone dines at 5.30 and toddles off to bed at 8.
Yesterday we went to ‘the State Theatre to see ‘The king and I’ and were greeted as usual at the foot of the circle stairs by Jeanne Pratt who seems to attend every performance by her company. Her late husband’s scandalous behaviour was all over the front page of the Sunday Age but she calmly sat a couple of rows behind us to enjoy the show.
But the best part of our week off was returning and catching up with our gorgeous boy, Caspar
Monday, June 21, 2010
Monday, June 07, 2010
Carn the Hawks
Caspar has proven that giving him the same name as one of the Three Wise Men was appropriate. He has decided to be a Hawthorn supporter. Here we see him following the distribution of beanies ceremony.
First, he looks thoughtful as he considers the lifetime of emotional highs and lows ahead of him or maybe he’s thinking about those cold Friday night matches at the MCG reliving his grandmother’s fantasy that one day a reincarnated Gary Buckenara will dash along the Members’ wing.
In the second shot he seems to be developing a one-eyed view of the game. It’s funny how quickly that happens.
Finally we see Caspar howling in dismay at another appalling umpiring decision by Scott McLaren.
Carn the Hawks!
Caspar has proven that giving him the same name as one of the Three Wise Men was appropriate. He has decided to be a Hawthorn supporter. Here we see him following the distribution of beanies ceremony.
First, he looks thoughtful as he considers the lifetime of emotional highs and lows ahead of him or maybe he’s thinking about those cold Friday night matches at the MCG reliving his grandmother’s fantasy that one day a reincarnated Gary Buckenara will dash along the Members’ wing.
In the second shot he seems to be developing a one-eyed view of the game. It’s funny how quickly that happens.
Finally we see Caspar howling in dismay at another appalling umpiring decision by Scott McLaren.
Carn the Hawks!
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
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The Triple Ms have gone back to Germany leaving a big gap in our lives. They were all asleep when I left for work on the last day so I didn’t get a farewell hug. I felt arm-empty. The only consolation was that I had spent the entire previous day with Mads. We trammed it to Fed Square, commentating on the old familiar sights along the way. The floral clock is a highlight but nothing can equal Stop 20 – Domain Interchange. Mads loves saying those words and doesn’t need an excuse to work them into a conversation. She tries out various pronunciations and emphases: D’main Interchange, DERmain Interchange, Duhmain Interchange, etc. Eventually I told her I knew a girl named Domain Interchange – THAT impressed her.
When we got to the playground at Fed Square Mads changed into her dragon suit, complete with head, tail and claws. She got a lot of attention in this outfit and, at one point, from the top of the slide, she called out to me with a world-weary sigh, “They’re all admiring me.”
From there we went to the Ferris wheel. There were no other starters on a Thursday morning so we had it to ourselves. The man locked us in our carriage, started the wheel and walked away. We went round and round, and round and round and round and round. “We sure are getting our money’s worth Mads!” Round and round, round and round, round and round. “It’s very windy up here isn’t it?” Round and round. “And a bit chilly!” Round, round and round again. “I want to get off now Arma”. Hmmm. I could see the man some way off with his back to us and it took 3 more circuits before someone else noticed my waving and gyrating and organised a breakout. I think we are Ferris wheeled out.
The rest of the day was all good. Precious memories to store up for the long winter of absence ahead.
A couple of years ago Mads’ proud boast was, “I’m toilet trained”. Now it’s, “I’m bilingual”. So there’s an upside. I suppose.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Beamish Boy
We have a grandson! Caspar James Beamish was born at 9.05 pm on Saturday May 8th to Hilary and Rob. He is the most beauteous boy the world has ever known.
Another Caspar was one of the Three Wise Men and some of the lines from TS Eliot's poem, "Journey of the Magi" are highly appropriate, eg. A hard time we had of it and such a long journey but also, happily, There was a Birth, certainly, We had evidence and no doubt.
Caspar is doing well and Hil is recovering.
A few early pics are posted here.
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
'Full of expectation'
This is the header chosen by a twitty journalist for a not so great article about our fabulous Hil.
Her new series is being launched but he fails to mention any of her existing works, not even the highly successful Zac Powers.
This guy has no future beyond local rounds
This is the header chosen by a twitty journalist for a not so great article about our fabulous Hil.
Her new series is being launched but he fails to mention any of her existing works, not even the highly successful Zac Powers.
This guy has no future beyond local rounds
Monday, May 03, 2010
Baby Beamish was due yesterday but the doctor thinks there may be another week to wait. I am getting a little edgy.
Mere was 15 days late and people kept ringing me up and saying, Are you still there??? I hope BB is not quite so tardy. Hil is well and she and Rob are still considering names. They are seeking something 'unusual but not freaky'. I know I will love it.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Aeroplane ashtrays - come one - come all!
James has mounted a display of his famous aeroplane ashtrays for ANZAC Day at the Prahran Mechanics Institute. It's only part of his collection but I am taking the opportunity to dust a few shelves in their absence.
Maybe they'll ask him to do a model boat display next. That would be great.
Get on down to High Street and have a look
James has mounted a display of his famous aeroplane ashtrays for ANZAC Day at the Prahran Mechanics Institute. It's only part of his collection but I am taking the opportunity to dust a few shelves in their absence.
Maybe they'll ask him to do a model boat display next. That would be great.
Get on down to High Street and have a look
Monday, April 19, 2010
Camels and Cake
On Saturday we headed up to Andrea’s country estate in Shepparton to celebrate the first birthday of Great Niece Isobel. It was a gorgeous sunny day: perfect for a tres elegante garden party and a very fine time was had by all.
Only scarey thing was the ride on a camel which I undertook with Black and Auntie Buggers. They were terrified too but just stuck with cussin’ and cursin’ under their breaths while I let my feelings be known.
On the FCS (Fraidy Cat Scale) camel riding scores higher than even the water slide at MSAC, the Glen Iris level crossing or Sister Rosaria from primary school. I spent 3 gruesome years with Sr Rosaria, about the same waiting for the gates to open at Glen Iris and 3 X 3-minute heart-stopping goes down the waterslide. But camel rides take an eternity when you are in constant danger of slipping off because your skirt is too snug to allow your legs to reach the stirrups and the handler delights in your discomfort.
Arpa and I were able to take a quick refresher in baby-handling though. There’s only a couple more weeks to wait for Baby Beamish – very exciting!
On Saturday we headed up to Andrea’s country estate in Shepparton to celebrate the first birthday of Great Niece Isobel. It was a gorgeous sunny day: perfect for a tres elegante garden party and a very fine time was had by all.
Only scarey thing was the ride on a camel which I undertook with Black and Auntie Buggers. They were terrified too but just stuck with cussin’ and cursin’ under their breaths while I let my feelings be known.
On the FCS (Fraidy Cat Scale) camel riding scores higher than even the water slide at MSAC, the Glen Iris level crossing or Sister Rosaria from primary school. I spent 3 gruesome years with Sr Rosaria, about the same waiting for the gates to open at Glen Iris and 3 X 3-minute heart-stopping goes down the waterslide. But camel rides take an eternity when you are in constant danger of slipping off because your skirt is too snug to allow your legs to reach the stirrups and the handler delights in your discomfort.
Arpa and I were able to take a quick refresher in baby-handling though. There’s only a couple more weeks to wait for Baby Beamish – very exciting!
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Chocolate Shall be Your Salvation
Good Friday is not a good idea. It’s boring, depressing and melancholy-making. We distracted ourselves by packing a lot in: the pool, Luna Park (tawdry but open), a beach walk and finally Catherine Deveney at the Comedy Festival.
More Comedy Festival on Sunday (Pete ‘n’ Dud – Shaun Micallef), two trips to Anglesea to get some mileage out of the wetsuit I bought during our GP escape, a visit to the recently completed volcano (took 130 years) in the Botanic Gardens and that was Easter.
Except, of course, for the chocolate. The Bunny brought Right Foot chocolate-coated ginger and dark chocolate with almonds and me a delicious selection from Chocolateria San Churrio sporting the strapline “Chocolate Shall Be Your Salvation”. I couldn’t put it better myself. Seasonally appropriate too.
Good Friday is not a good idea. It’s boring, depressing and melancholy-making. We distracted ourselves by packing a lot in: the pool, Luna Park (tawdry but open), a beach walk and finally Catherine Deveney at the Comedy Festival.
More Comedy Festival on Sunday (Pete ‘n’ Dud – Shaun Micallef), two trips to Anglesea to get some mileage out of the wetsuit I bought during our GP escape, a visit to the recently completed volcano (took 130 years) in the Botanic Gardens and that was Easter.
Except, of course, for the chocolate. The Bunny brought Right Foot chocolate-coated ginger and dark chocolate with almonds and me a delicious selection from Chocolateria San Churrio sporting the strapline “Chocolate Shall Be Your Salvation”. I couldn’t put it better myself. Seasonally appropriate too.
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Return of the Mummy(care)
Mothercare opened its first Australian store in Chadstone on Friday. http://www.mothercare.com.au/
I went there on Saturday and if I’d known the sex of the unborn ‘Celly’, would have had a bit of a spend-up. Most of the clothes were very gender specific.
It was nice to talk to the staff in English. The last two Mothercares I was in were in Poland and the Czech Republic. Lots of miming and pointing but even more being ignored or avoided.
When Mere and Hil were kids our Mothercare shopping was via the eagerly awaited catalogue which arrived every season. We had enormous pleasure selecting stuff, much of which we could have found suitable substitutes for in Adelaide. But this was English baby lotion! European bibs (or feeders). Stylish, sophisticated nappy pins. So cool. Yes, it’s true. I really did import safety pins from the other side of the world.
We’d wait three months for the parcel to be shipped. Sometimes it would be opened by Customs and I’d have to pay duty. Other times our contraband simply arrived unscathed and unsniffed. Bonus!
At first the products were only for under five-year-olds but just as Mere was nearing her fifth birthday the catalogue arrived with “And now for children up to ten” emblazoned across its cover. Praise the Lord! Hil was only eighteen months old so another eight and a half glorious years of Mothercaring lay ahead.
But I do not remember ordering anything after we were banished to the Latrobe Valley. Who cared what you wore in that god-forsaken hellhole? Better not to look too swish anyway.
But now I have a new catalogue, picked up in store. It’s been thirty years but I’m back.
Mothercare opened its first Australian store in Chadstone on Friday. http://www.mothercare.com.au/
I went there on Saturday and if I’d known the sex of the unborn ‘Celly’, would have had a bit of a spend-up. Most of the clothes were very gender specific.
It was nice to talk to the staff in English. The last two Mothercares I was in were in Poland and the Czech Republic. Lots of miming and pointing but even more being ignored or avoided.
When Mere and Hil were kids our Mothercare shopping was via the eagerly awaited catalogue which arrived every season. We had enormous pleasure selecting stuff, much of which we could have found suitable substitutes for in Adelaide. But this was English baby lotion! European bibs (or feeders). Stylish, sophisticated nappy pins. So cool. Yes, it’s true. I really did import safety pins from the other side of the world.
We’d wait three months for the parcel to be shipped. Sometimes it would be opened by Customs and I’d have to pay duty. Other times our contraband simply arrived unscathed and unsniffed. Bonus!
At first the products were only for under five-year-olds but just as Mere was nearing her fifth birthday the catalogue arrived with “And now for children up to ten” emblazoned across its cover. Praise the Lord! Hil was only eighteen months old so another eight and a half glorious years of Mothercaring lay ahead.
But I do not remember ordering anything after we were banished to the Latrobe Valley. Who cared what you wore in that god-forsaken hellhole? Better not to look too swish anyway.
But now I have a new catalogue, picked up in store. It’s been thirty years but I’m back.
Friday, February 05, 2010
Dancing: the vertical expression of a horizontal desire legalized by music
(George Bernard Shaw)
For my birthday last November Right Foot bought me dancing lessons – AND agreed to go too. First, five private and then ten group lessons. On Wednesday evening we took the first two of the group classes. There was both less and more pressure: less because we weren’t the only ones being scrutinised by the instructor but more because it’s one thing to stand on the toes of your nearest and dearest and another to stand on a stranger’s. We lumbered through the Marengo, the Salsa, the Tango and the Quickstep.
The real hurdle was the degree of physical contact with unknown men that many Latin and even Ballroom dances involve. I am so accustomed to the dimensions of my usual partner that the others felt all wrong. I am used to dancing with my arms above my head as if I were the victim of a stick-up, with a partner double my weight whom I can clutch like ballast. These other puny weeds were too short, slight and insubstantial. There didn’t seem to be enough man to grab hold of. Their skin was too fair and had a different smell. Wednesday night was warm and there were naked bits of unfamiliar male flesh I hesitated to touch. I wondered why – too fastidious? Too loyal? Too shy? Just out of practice?
In the second class I was the only woman who had a partner with her. I guarded him zealously.
(George Bernard Shaw)
For my birthday last November Right Foot bought me dancing lessons – AND agreed to go too. First, five private and then ten group lessons. On Wednesday evening we took the first two of the group classes. There was both less and more pressure: less because we weren’t the only ones being scrutinised by the instructor but more because it’s one thing to stand on the toes of your nearest and dearest and another to stand on a stranger’s. We lumbered through the Marengo, the Salsa, the Tango and the Quickstep.
The real hurdle was the degree of physical contact with unknown men that many Latin and even Ballroom dances involve. I am so accustomed to the dimensions of my usual partner that the others felt all wrong. I am used to dancing with my arms above my head as if I were the victim of a stick-up, with a partner double my weight whom I can clutch like ballast. These other puny weeds were too short, slight and insubstantial. There didn’t seem to be enough man to grab hold of. Their skin was too fair and had a different smell. Wednesday night was warm and there were naked bits of unfamiliar male flesh I hesitated to touch. I wondered why – too fastidious? Too loyal? Too shy? Just out of practice?
In the second class I was the only woman who had a partner with her. I guarded him zealously.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Ruby Saturday
On Saturday 16th we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary. Having just arrived back in the country we decided on a low key, crayfish dinner for 2 rather than a knees-up for everyone we’ve ever met.
I am now proudly wearing a ruby on a rose-gold band. Beautiful. And James has a posh bottle of ruby port.
We have also harvested our first tomato. I got to eat it.
On Saturday 16th we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary. Having just arrived back in the country we decided on a low key, crayfish dinner for 2 rather than a knees-up for everyone we’ve ever met.
I am now proudly wearing a ruby on a rose-gold band. Beautiful. And James has a posh bottle of ruby port.
We have also harvested our first tomato. I got to eat it.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
January 12th - Auf wiedersein
9.00 a.m.
Tonight at 10.10 (8.10 a.m. Wednesday in Melbourne)we are scheduled to fly home to a city where the temperature has been more than 50 degrees warmer than what I've become accustomed to.
Today they will have launched the new system at work. I wonder how it went.
There are a few things I'm looking forward to:
Seeing Hil, Rob and "Celly"
Not having to wear 78 items of clothing whenever I leave the house
Flat white
Celebrating our 40th anniversary
Catching up with some cricket
De Bortoli chardonnay
The Saturday Age
The Sunday Age
The gals at work (and AL of course - gotta say that)
Regaining the power of speech
My daily games of Alchemy and Word Mojo Gold
I'm going to start implementing my New Year's Resolutions too. No more unachievable, high flown stuff but something practical, i.e. memorising my mobile phone number and labelling all the mysterious dollops in the freezer. That should be do-able.
What I'll miss:
The Triple Ms - Mere, Matt 'n Mads
The cheese
The bakeries
Being so close to other European cities
Efficient transport system
The Kulture
Just knowing I am in Europe
The excitement of travelling
New experiences
2.10 p.m.
Just back from a farewell lunch with Mere at Textorbar. I had a chardonnay, a real one with body, flavour and discernible alcoholic content, not a wussy Euro one and it's gone to my head. I have to rest up.
Das es alles. Tchuss!
9.00 a.m.
Tonight at 10.10 (8.10 a.m. Wednesday in Melbourne)we are scheduled to fly home to a city where the temperature has been more than 50 degrees warmer than what I've become accustomed to.
Today they will have launched the new system at work. I wonder how it went.
There are a few things I'm looking forward to:
Seeing Hil, Rob and "Celly"
Not having to wear 78 items of clothing whenever I leave the house
Flat white
Celebrating our 40th anniversary
Catching up with some cricket
De Bortoli chardonnay
The Saturday Age
The Sunday Age
The gals at work (and AL of course - gotta say that)
Regaining the power of speech
My daily games of Alchemy and Word Mojo Gold
I'm going to start implementing my New Year's Resolutions too. No more unachievable, high flown stuff but something practical, i.e. memorising my mobile phone number and labelling all the mysterious dollops in the freezer. That should be do-able.
What I'll miss:
The Triple Ms - Mere, Matt 'n Mads
The cheese
The bakeries
Being so close to other European cities
Efficient transport system
The Kulture
Just knowing I am in Europe
The excitement of travelling
New experiences
2.10 p.m.
Just back from a farewell lunch with Mere at Textorbar. I had a chardonnay, a real one with body, flavour and discernible alcoholic content, not a wussy Euro one and it's gone to my head. I have to rest up.
Das es alles. Tchuss!
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