New Year's Day

My uncle, Archie Mauchline, died last night at the age of 90 years.  He has been in a nursing home for about 10 years and so was looked after well in his later years.  I'm his executor and now have to look forward to the chores which follow a death.

Archie was the epitome of a likeable rogue.  He had a difficult childhood and left home early to go to sea.  He was in merchant ships during World War 2, mostly on the run between Glasgow and Novia Scotia, but also had a couple of runs to Archangel.  He rarely talked about the war, but it must have been a terrible time.

He had little education but still managed to make a bit of money.  His wife, my Aunt Mabel, was a very careful manager but, after she died, the shackles were released and Archie started to spend his wealth. He was an easy target for a certain kind of female and we know of at least five who were enthusiastic about helping him enjoy life.  After a series of mini-strokes a few years ago, he had to resign himself to a well-behaved retirement but I'm sure he hankered for the days when he carried hundred-dollar bills in his shirt pocket and could book an overseas trip on a whim. 

His sister Peggy and his two nephews who live in Scotland are his only close surviving relatives.

December 26, 2014

It was a very good Christmas, over all.  Without little children in the house, we were able to sleep until a reasonable hour, except Nera who had to work and had a 7 o'clock start.  Madi and Josh came for lunch, which was great.  Nera brought some huge prawns which she had cooked in lemonade (!), and we followed with lamb and ham, glazed with maple syrup.  We found a Jamie Oliver recipe for Glazed carrots which turned out to be the highlight of the meal.

Today, of course, it's back to the real world.

Christmas Eve, 2014

How did I ever get myself talked into adopting two goats.  It's a nightmare. They're so demanding, screaming for food, or to be untangled, or just for attention every minute of their waking hours.  Billy is the noisy one: sounding sometimes like a horse and sometimes like a rooster.  It's blood-curdling and, until I became used to it, I used to run to see whether he was having his throat cut.  Ted is the quieter one but makes the most extraordinary sounds.  You'd swear he was saying No or Ni.

When we collected them, we were given their 'house' as well, an A-frame of colorbond sheeting on a wooden frame and open at both ends.  Their habit was to go in the front way, and out the back, getting tangled on the way.  I decided it would be  a good idea to close off the back so I found an off-cut of corrugated Perspex and some large rocks to make a wall.  Billy was the first to object.  He stood in the shelter bellowing his indignation.  Ted then arrived and started butting the half-finished wall and trying to climb over it.  

I persevered but within an hour it was demolished and Ted was stomping up and down on the ruins.  Unbelievable!

The next project is to build an enclosure for them.  We have a 'hill' on the property which they love:  a pile of earth and rocks with a couple of small trees and blackberries.  The plan is to build a fence around it so they can be locked up at night, off their chains.  So, $190 worth of dog wire, 15 star pickets and hours of labour, the day before Christmas.  We must be mad.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

I usually try to keep my natural cynicism under control but, occasionally, some issues can't be overlooked.  I've dealt pretty well with the over-the-top breast-beating following the Sydney siege but, when I heard a Salvation Army officer suggesting that Sydney was undergoing a 'journey of grief', I'd had enough. The man is a saint; he was in Martin Place every day offering support but he did himself no favours using phrases like that and, to cap it all, he also spouted the tired old cliche: we may not see eye to eye, but we can still stand shoulder to shoulder.

Even the ABC let me down this weekend.  I turned it on yesterday to be greeted by a cheery voice saying, 'Welcome to the Happiness Show, thank you for joining me in the Serenity Lounge.   Really, have we been reduced to this?

Friday, December 19, 2014

We've just come back from the TGIF Christmas Party at the Windermere Cafe, just down the road.  They serve good wine and food and it's always great to catch up with some of the locals.  Of course, we haven't been for over a year and most of the faces were unknown to us.  That's life.

I was reminded of a little bit of Australian culture which I don't particularly like.  When other people are enjoying some wine in a nice glass, there will be some who prefer a beer, but instead of using a glass in a civilized way, they suck the beverage from the bottle, like over-grown babies who can't give up their reassuring bottle of warm milk.  It's OK, I suppose, to drink from the bottle at a barbecue when everyone is standing around, but not at a polite Christmas 'do' when we're sitting around a table.

We're enjoying having Bil and Ted in the family.  They bleat when we come home and wag their tails like dogs when we go near them.  Poor old Ted is on a chain all the time and is forever in a muddle.  I can see my new job will be to sort out Ted's tangled chain.

Wednesday, 17 December, 2014

Bill and Ted have arrived and got straight into their job of clearing the place of blackberries and other weeds.  Ted needs to be kept on a chain but Bill won't move too far from his mate.  They're very excited to find that we have hills and piles of rocks on the property and they spend all their time clambering around on the mounds left behind from various excavations.

I was interested to find that goats are browsing animals rather than grazers and prefer to eat from bushes and trees.  That's OK, we can provide for the needs of any kind of herbivore.

Monday, December 15, 2014

This is Trevor, our new Lawn Tractor.  Jamie decided it was time we became serious about new technology and 2 acres needed more than just the little Makita.  This beast cuts 42" wide and chews through the thickest grass.  When it hits a bump in the road, the cutting blade rises up to prevent damage.  It will dramatically reduce the time I spend behind a mower and give me more time to do whatever retired people do when they're not mowing.

Trevor arrived this afternoon and we've had great fun running it up and down, learning the proper techniques.  It certainly cuts well but raises an awful lot of dust.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

A very hot day in Northern Tasmania today.  We did a little bit of work in the garden this morning but, happily we had a 3 year-old's birthday party to go to at lunchtime so that filled in the hottest part of the day.

Kids' birthday parties aren't what they used to be.  This one was at a local hall.  The room was sub-divided into a play area with tents and tunnels, an Art & Craft area, a Popcorn Station and so on.  But they did have Pin the tail on the Donkey so all is not lost.

We did manage a couple of hours in the garden this evening and the place is certainly looking better already.  It's been neglected over the past year but it's not such a big deal,to knock it back into shape. We have a couple of helpers joining us on Tuesday. Their names are Bill and Ted and, apparently they are champion lawn mowers.  Can't wait to meet them.

December 13, 2014

Knowing that  I would have lots of grass to cut, I had dropped my mower in for service before me went on the cruise.  They had to wait for some parts but I managed to collect it without too much hassle.  Mr Hodge did his thing with the tractor and slasher and Jamie and I started the long process of mowing and whipper-snipping to make the place look a little more respectable.  It's great that I have Jamie to help, even though he can't use his right arm at all.  One arm is enough to push a mower but, sadly, you need a right hand to use a whipper-sniper.

Nera is keen to be involved and she's the fittest and strongest of us all, but she has her work to go to so we don't let her do too much.

We noticed a problem with the mower; it was vibrating too much and the blades seemed to be loose.  Back to the repair-shop to be told that we had the wrong blades fitted - we had ones designed for a Victa and our mower is a Makita.  I'm disappointed with Bunnings who sold me the blades, assuring me that they're all the same.  I've been a great fan of a Bunnings but this has dampened my admiration.  I suppose it's the problem of lacking any mechanical aptitude, I just don't understand these things.  I remember at school when we took Aptitude Tests at the end of High School.  Apparently, I scored miserably on that section and was told I was only fit to be an Accountant.  Oh, well!  Of course, if I'd stayed in that profession I might be very wealthy today.  Or in prison.  Or dead.

December 11, 2014 (4)

While we were on the ship we wandered along to one of the Art auctions.  It's really an excuse to get a glass or two of (cheap) champagne but there's always something to be learned.  For example, I didn't realise that some of the best-known art movements of the 20th century, like Cubism and Surrealism only lasted for a few years.  Of course, the art experts also have a bit to learn too.  Our fellow told us that the earliest art can be found in caves in France and Spain and is about 20 000 years old.  Someone should tell him about the Quinkan rock art of Queensland which could be as old as 30 000 years.

On this cruise, they were pushing the art of Peter Max, a hippy artist of the 1960's and one passenger had been identified as a buyer.  I would have called him a 'cashed-up bogan' but I'm a bit cynical.  Anyway, at the first auction, they contrived to give him a free painting, softening him up for the big sell.  At the final auction of the cruise, he bought a Little Peter Max for $3700 and a wall of 6 paintings for $6700.  It was a bit of a mish-mash but he and his wife were happy.

Marilyn and I bid for two paintings in a Silent Auction, not expecting to get either.  In fact, we got both.  They were all packed up and delivered to our cabin on the night before we disembarked.  I quickly got onto Jetstar, bought another 10 kg of baggage allowance and they were transported to Launceston with little fuss.

We certainly don't need any more paintings but they are by a favourite artist, Linda la Kinff, and look great in our bedroom.  The image is one of her paintings we bought years ago.

December 11, 2014 (3)

I'm having technology problems at the moment. When I switched my phone back on when we arrived in a Melbourne after the cruise, it wouldn't connect to Telstra.  No amount of re-setting or pushing of buttons made any difference. I've had the 'phone for nearly 5 years so maybe it's time for a change.  More of that later.

Also, my e-reader has given up the ghost.  I purchased it on October 21st last year and it died on November 21st, just one month out of warranty.  I'm not impressed because it wasn't a cheapie but, luckily, I have a backup Kobo which I bought earlier this year when I forgot to pack the original one before a cruise.

The phone is a more interesting proposition.  I'm now conditioned to use a smartphone but a new iphone is hugely expensive.  I don't want another contract so I've had to fall back on a Nokia Lumia.  It's a nice phone and works on the Windows system.  The mad thing is that comes complete with a group of imaginary friends all listed in the contacts menu and all with a realistic profile.  The eerie thing is that they send me messages reminding me about meetings and I keep being notified that I had a missed call from Zak or Chelsea. I can't seem to get rid of them.  Marilyn's starting to ask who is this Chelsea who keeps trying to contact me.  It's clearly designed for those poor souls who have no social life but I haven't got to that stage yet.

On my Kobo, I'm reading Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari a fantastic explanation of the evolution of man.

December 11, 2014 (2)

On the Saturday morning, after a good breakfast, we wandered down to Southern Cross Station.  Marilyn parked me at a cafe while she browsed through the DFO and we headed for Collins Street to get the tram to Port Melbourne where we were expecting to join the ship at about 1o'clock.  We love the public transport in Melbourne.  Cheap as chips and so reliable.

Except this morning.  Apparently Santa is arriving and trams have been diverted to Spencer Street.  While we're waiting, we get chatting to a couple, Jim and Julia, who are on the same cruise.  They only have a little back-pack each, while we have our stuffed suitcases.  We think we're doing well to limit ourselves to a medium suitcase each but this pair are carrying everything on their backs. 

'Where is your formal gear?' asks Marilyn, getting to the nub of the situation.  'Oh, it's all in there,' says Julia. Jumping ahead, we saw them a few times during the cruise and they seemed to be wearing the same clothes all the time.  The other odd thing is that they charge nothing to their on-board account - no drinks, coffee, excursions, etc.  On one cruise, the Purser's office rang to see if they were still alive and to ask whether they intended to use the account.  The answer was No, so they're quite unpopular with Princess who are losing money each time they sail.

On board, we found our cabin.  Great big bed and plenty of cupboard space.  Perfect for 13 days on the ocean.

The cruise was one of the best we've done.  The weather wasn't kind and we missed out on Wellington and Milford Sound but the entertainment staff were terrific and we enjoyed every day.  We formed a quiz team with two couples from the Mornington Peninsula and had some success.  Quizzing was fierce on board and the room was usually full of determined professionals itching to win.

On the mornings in port, numbers were less and Marilyn and I formed a team on our own.  We won three times which I think is pretty good.  One morning, we were just starting when a fellow wandered into the room.  'Is this where the quiz is being held?' he bellowed and sat down right at the front.  After the first couple of question, he shouted, 'Do you have to write the answers down?'

Taking pity, Marilyn invited him to join us.  Keith was his name and he struggled with most of the questions.  However, we won, and he was delighted and hurried off to tell his wife.  'Hang on,' said Marilyn, 'Don't forget your prize.'  He couldn't believe it but we never saw him again.

December 11, 2014

It's over 100 days since I posted my last comment.  Looking back, I note it was a little whinge and I'm not happy going out on a negative note.  Also, I'm within striking distance of 500 posts and, like a cricketer, I'm motivated by the chance to reach a significant score before hanging up my bat.

The real reason I'm taking up my pen, though, is that I'm vain enough to think that my meanderings are of interest to people and, if I can bring a little light into someone's dull life, I'm prepared to accept the challenge. (This is tongue-in-cheek)

Let's start with November 14th.  Marilyn and I flew to Melbourne, ready to join the Dawn Princess for a cruise to New Zealand the following day. We booked in to the Hotel Sophia which is near Southern Cross Station and were pleasantly surprised with the very nice room we received.  Better still, there is a little pub attached to the hotel where we could get Parmy and Chips for $10, with a free beer.  Breakfast the next morning was, again, $10, with eggs, bacon, sausages, and so on.  A great deal!  

The breakfast room was serviced by a little, bent, Greek crone, dressed all in black and silent.  I realise I have bent the PC rules of ageism, sexism and racism in that one description but it can't be helped.

In the evening, we went to see Once.  We jumped on the tram in Bourke Street, had a glass of wine at the Princess Theatre before taking our seats.  When we came into the theatre, the stage was covered with members of the audience enjoying some impromptu jamming by a group of musicians. At 8 o'clock, by some secret signal, the audience returned to their seats and we realised the musicians were the cast of the show.

The show is fantastic and the music is terrific.  It is based on a film, which we've downloaded to watch later.

At the end of the show, it's back on the tram and back to the hotel for a good night's sleep