Not quite buddies in the Middle East

Israel was a once safe place for Jewish people from all over the world. If only Israeli Jews did not illegally extend their territory into Palestine. If only rabid Palestinians a couple of years ago did not go on a killing and abduction rampage in Israel.

I know about what has happened in the Middle East because many on the ground journalists have informed me. 129 journalists and their assistants who have informed the public have been killed as they went about their daily jobs. These are generally not western country journalists, but locals, as western journalists have been banned.  

Although with troublesome neighbours, isn't Israel a civilised democratic country? Yeah, nah. No. In 2025 two thirds of the 129 reporters covering the conflict were killed by Israeli forces. My abacus tells me that is 86 people doing an honest day's job. This would not happen if not for the huge funds being transferred from #47's government (yeah, you US taxpayers)  to Israel. The US is equally complicit in the killing of journalists as it blindly supports Israel.

To me it is simple, and call me an ignorant simpleton if you like, but Israel recognise Palestine as an independent country and not take over Palestine land. US, get the fuck out of there. For Palestinians respect that they have their own county and there is no reason why they cannot peaceably live next to Israel. The two countries may never be bosom buddies, but they could exist beside each other.     

Monday Mural

With Sami and others, this week my Monday mural is perhaps a commercial endeavour but quite good in my opinion. 

For the birds

Today has been good but stressful. I bought a new car. Obviously more on that another time. I only have the mental energy to post this rather lovely live webcam site.

 

Let's visit Ireland, where a pair of blue tits are raising their young. I haven't really researched Fionn O'Donoghue but I like what I did read about him, a good guy. So, check out the baby blue tits. It seems the babies of Lapis and Lazuli will fledge in two weeks. Blue tits remind me of Australia's fairy/blue/little wren. Tip for Aussies, the feeding action is really full on after 5.00pm east coast time. 

Songs of Phyllis

At times I hear a song I like coming through the car's sound system being played by Phyllis' phone. I don't really expect most of you to like the music.

My first discovery, and I am repeating a previous post, was Dua Lipa. I'd never heard of her until I heard Phyllis play her music. I love hearing Phyllis singing along when he is in the shower.

This one is a real flea in the ear for me, by Samuel Kim. Da, da, da da da da.

There is a Just a Boy song and Just a Girl song. I prefer the Just a Boy video. The song is described as rap. I don't hear it like that at all, at worst it is light rap. It sounds sweet to me, and is also quite catchy. 

Always learning, as I composed this post I came across a Japanese word that is often used to describe sex or rather lack of between married Japanese couples. Yep, I feel rather mendokusai about 'the biz'.

South Gippy 2

A zoom in on the Inverloch sandbar. It looks so temporary, but I expect it is centuries old. 

From the Environmental Centre we drove on to Flat Rocks, an area where many dinosaur fossils have been found. While I was once quite familiar with South Gippsland, neither I nor my brother can remember visiting Flat Rocks. I don't think I need to explain the name. There were steps down to the beach, more than a few, so I stayed up top. A P&K photo. I could see the people on the rocks from above.

This photo is and odd one out, taken by P&K. I think they went out for a walk the first night.

We then drove on to Eagles Nest. I saw the nest from a distance while in the car, but again steps down to the beach. I walked half way down, but stopped and left the lads to continue and I climbed the steps back up to the carpark. This is an impressive headland, looking to the east.

And I think this is what is known at Eagles Nest.

I am not sure where these P&K photos were taken. 

We were back for cheese and nibbles with family by 3pm. That night we all dined at the Inlet Hotel where P&K and myself bought the meat platter, which had far too much meat for a platter, and so was served on a cake stand, well similar.

P&K had been to the games room the night before and had some tokens to use. They took some of the greats to the play room, probably paid for more tokens, and some kiddies won and picked up stuffed toys. 

Next morning at 8.00 an armada of greats appeared at our cabin to see P&K. They were still asleep. Come back later guys. Oldest great nephew, 5?, returned on his bicycle and he and Kosov had good fun together by racing against each other and generally having fun. All the greats love Phyllis and Kosov, as they are fun and energetic, unlike me.

I had coffee with Hippie Niece, her partner and their four combined children, and they were away. 

At the suggestion of Bone Doctor, my sister's wife, we journeyed home via a steep hilly and twisting road to Korumburra and then the South Gippsland Highway. Gippsland's rolling hills were just beautiful. 

Phyllis

What I have I learnt about Phyllis over the eighteen months he has lived with me, is he is incredibly smart.

A few examples:

While checking into the caravan park at the weekend, I was given the usual sheet of paper with a map and the route to our cabin highlighted, and another with the Wi-Fi password and some other information, including the six digit code plus hash for the car boom barrier to enter and exist the park. The first time we exited the park, I realised we had forgotten the paper with the written code. It's ok Andrew, I remember the code. What? I read the code out to him when we entered and there was nothing memorable about the code.

Bone Doctor suggested we take the scenic route home, via her old home town, and it would only take a few minutes longer. It was good choice to travel via the twisting road, and Phyllis drove without fault at a speed like an experienced driver. I only opened my gob once when near home on the motorway and I told him he was too close to the car in front. 

When he moved here, he did not know how to cook. With the assistance of the internet and his mother, plus a little advice from he who professes to not know how to cook, he quickly picked it all up and became a competent cook, better, like Ray, an instinctive cook. As I have told him though, not everything needs to be spiced up. Steamed broccoli alone is delicious, as are many vegetables. Cauliflower and brussels sprouts are excluded.

He and Kosov are bilingual, Kosov having improved his English a lot since he moved in to my home. Between them, they mostly speak their own language but at times switch to English.  I don't dumb down the way I speak when talking to them. 

I won't say Phyllis is manipulative, but he could be if not guided by a firm yes or no. By instinct I tend to say no, and then think about it, and maybe say yes later. He has worked out that if I say no, he just needs to wait for me digest what he has asked or suggested. 

Whatever, they are both agreeable and fun guys and I am fortunate to have them in my life. 

To South Gippy

Gippy being Gippsland, the south eastern area of my state, Victoria. Gippsland covers a huge area, say from 60/35 south east of Melbourne to the southernmost east coast, to its far eastern point, into the Great Dividing Range to the north. 

To celebrate Ex Sis in Law's birthday and Mother's Day, family all stayed for two nights in Inverloch, occupying  six cabins. It was a wonderful time away...mostly.

With Phyllis at the wheel, we drove via Pakenham to pick up ABI Brother, then stopped off at Grantville for food and coffee. Phyllis had failed to fill the car with petrol, so there was another stop for fuel, whereby he paid a higher price than he would have in Melbourne. I wanted to stop off at Kilcunda to see the disused railway timber trestle bridge, but I was ill prepared and it flashed past. No matter, I said. We can see it on the way home. That wasn't to be.

I had taken a three bedroom cabin, with a room for myself, another for ABI Brother and one for Phyllis and Kosov.

The cabin was well equipped and super clean. This is looking towards Phyllis' and Kesav's bedroom, with the bathroom and toilet on the left and my and brother's bedrooms to the right. I had a king sized bed, tv and fan, while they had bunk beds.  

My only complaint was the shower over the bath, awkward to get into and the bath very slippery. There wasn't any kind of bathmat, and it is too late to go to the office once you are under the shower to ask for a bathmat. For my second shower, I was just super careful after my first shower experience. This will be noted at Trip Advisor when I write my review. 

Aside from the minor complaint, it is a terrific holiday park, with an indoor heated pool, an area of water features to surprise and soak children, the barbeque and kitchen with a large air conditioned public eating area. A mini golf area, and a games room. Security is very strong. I believe the park was full for the nights we stayed there. While the weather was cool, it was generally dry and aside from it being Mother's Day on the Sunday, there wasn't any other reason for the park being full than it is very popular.                                             

In the distance you can see the sand bar that protects the Inverloch beach from heavy seas. 

But erosion is a huge problem. The surf life saving building collapsed and was rebuilt higher up the beach, and now it under threat again, as is the beach side road. 

 

We visited the local shops after checking into our digs, then the nearby beach. That evening a family barbeque was held in the communal park kitchen and barbeque area. There were twelve children under twelve and about the same number of adults.

At some point Phyllis had made up a pot of some kind of curry, and he and Kosov ate some late that night, perhaps not being terribly satisfied by the Aussie style barbeque. True, the barbeque was quite basic.

The next morning we were all up early enough, and  accidently met up at a nearby cafe for coffee and a bite to eat with some family members. ABI brother had gone for a walk, later working out he had walked to the shops to put on his horse racing bets. We spotted him from the cafe as he walked back and asked if he would like to join us to see some sights, and he agreed. 

The first stop was Bunurong Environment Centre, which had a few things to see, but then wow, for a gold coin donation, there was the shell display, thousands of shells. It was amazing.

This shell castle is over 100 years old.

A bench had shells you could pick up and handle. I put one likely looking shell to my ear and I couldn't hear the sea, but I could hear the wind at the sea. 

We went on to a few more places, details in the next post.