A memory

This is written more for myself than for you. Clarity of thought and memories came through.

There were two Melbourne DJs I really liked in the 1980s who played at the clubs. They really knew how to work a turntable, playing the stereotypical music gay men liked. One was Andrew Collins, who is still around, Andrew on the left in this pic.

The other, who I had the privilege of being introduced to once, was Guy Uppiah. 

It was sad to learn Guy died a couple of years ago. 

Later edit: A question was asked in the comments about what is 'gay music'. There is a subjective list compiled by the magazine Rolling Stone. There are many more songs that could be there. The only one I know in the 2000s is by the Scissor Sisters. Check it out here.

The Flora

The Mother's Day flowers we bought after Mother's Day are some two weeks later still in the vase. They survived the heating and while they don't look great, they are still alive with most blooms looking ok.  Truly amazing longevity.

An interesting thing happened with pink flowers that were, it became obvious, dyed. 

The dye filtered down down the stems into the water.

Then the dye in the water filtered up the stems to previously white flowers, giving them a touch of pink. Isn't nature marvellous! Well, not quite nature alone.

Monday Mural

Along with Sami and others, here is Monday Mural. This could be North Williamstown Station, but I can't remember. 

Sunday Supplement

We watched an interesting YouTube clip about the seven stages about cat acceptance of humans. When Ray and I had cats, this would have been a load of nonsense with our cared for cats, fed and watered, given medical care if needed, and affection on demand. Having a house bound cat who was a pregnant stray is a very different kettle of fish.

The first big step came when Jass would sit on Kosov's lap where he would give her a paste treat and then brush her fur. 

Then came the time when Jass stopped running away from the at times screeching Phyllis. He could pick her up and hold her for short time, bribed with treats.

Then one night she slept on my bed next to my thighs, and then it happened most nights, but not for all of my sleep. Instead of walking down the bed to get off, she would walk over me to get off the bed, and wake me. 

As is my wont, I was lying on my bed this afternoon, about to watch something on my tablet when Jass came and lay across my legs. This was a first. After a couple of minutes, Kosov got out of his bed after a day sleep after not getting home from work until 7.30am, and Jass jumped up to go to greet him. I think we might be at about stage five of the seven of cat acceptance levels. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mVoQ2d4WyY  

Sunday Selections

It seems a while since I joined River and others for Sunday Selections.

One fine Saturday we drove around the Yarra Boulevard to Studley Park Boathouse, and so did the rest of Melbourne. We were very lucky to find a parking space. What was a boat storage shed was many years ago turned into a cafe, or perhaps restaurant is a better description. It is a very popular, and the location on the edge of the Yarra River is attractive.

We took a short walk to Kanes Bridge and stood in the middle looking down at the water.

Securely anchored to land.

One boat is visible in this photo.

It was a very nice drive.

Not sure the how and where of this photo of two planes. Maybe it is from Grand Prix flying displays.

Last Sunday was set aside for a drive in the new Perl. Phyllis works as far out as Kangaroo Ground, to the north east of the city. I wanted to see the area he described with which I wasn't at all familiar. When looking at an electric map before we left, I noticed the location was near Sugarloaf Dam, which I also hadn't seen. I drove and Phyllis drove back.

It was an amazing journey through Bulleen, Eltham, Research and other places I don't know. The roads twist and turn, uphill and downhill, at times revealing some great views. With cheaper land, more can be spent on houses themselves, and Phyllis described one huge six bedroom, six bathroom house he has cleaned, with a quite old woman living there on her own with a huge uncontrollable dog. He mentioned a couple of monster houses that were so filled with stuffs, they refused to try to clean.

There was nothing to see at Kangaroo Ground, which seemed to be just a school. We went on to Sugarloaf Dam (Reservoir), with very low levels, but I think it is fed by larger storages upstream.

A fine liquidambar in its autumn shades.

It was certainly such a pretty area.

We didn't come across anywhere to eat, so the lads looked at their phones and suggested Yarra Glen, and we found a nice bakery for lunch, and then it was homeward bound with Phyllis at the wheel. What an amazingly good driver he has turned out to be. Mind, he has done a lot of driving in MY cars.

Beating a child

After Ex Sis in Law and I two days ago looked after the her twin boy grandchildren, my just on four year old great nephews, for about five hours, I've become a firm believer in 'spare the rod, spoil the child'. 

Ex Sis in Law parked in my spare space but Nephew's wife called me about parking? FFS, didn't you work this out before you came. They could have done a drop off and gone on to guest Government House parking. I suggested some all day paid public parking about 300 metres away, and that's what they did. I tried to tell myself that guest parking is not my problem, but I was already stressed, adding to that, there was some furniture to be delivered to them here, adding to that, they had my apartment number wrong and a neighbour on my floor let them in, added to that the delivery apartment number was wrong, with a timeline of 7am to 7pm. I had to visit my neighbour to tell him what to do if a delivery person called him

With their own toys, it took me time for me to realise they had taken Phyllis' toy bus assembly partly apart. Kosov entered the scene and remarked, I don't know where the assembly instruction are. I stopped the bus disassembly but they continued to just 'play' with pieces, 'putting in back together'. Fine, kids will be kids. 

Jass' natural curiosity soon passed and she opened my bedroom wardrobe door and took refuge there. Twin L is quite loving. Twin R is more distant and thoughtful. 

After Fire Fighting Nephew and his wife went off to Government House for him to receive his award, we took the boys on the tram to the Arts Centre, to change to a number 1 tram to Albert Park Beach. We found somewhere for lunch, and then walked to the sand park, a kids' playground on the beach edge. L disappeared while Ex Sis in Law was dealing with work matters on her phone. It is a secure park, but I felt the need to follow L. He was on a rotating platform, standing in the middle. We needed to return to the others but when I asked him to get off, he refused and defiantly crossed his arms and stared me down. Such insolence from a nearly four year old towards his great uncle. Eventually I turned my back on him, knowing the area was secure, and found a comfortable seat to look out to sea, where I saw a long distance swimmer's head bobbing past and a woman throwing a stick into the water for her dog to fetch. Mysteriously was a Spirit of Tasmania ferry sitting at Station Pier.

Ex Sis in Law drifted down to us with boy R in tow. We went back to the other end where they played with with a water flow feature. A man was clearly checking risk assessment at the park, shaking play equipment to test the soundness.

L kept putting his sandy shoes on the tram seat on the way home, with me telling him that I would chop his feet off, was ineffectual. 

Once back home, on the way them being subdued by a very packed tram home, L went off the edge. Even Nanna, whose grandchildren know if she says no, she means it, could not control him. It ended with him lying on the floor screaming and banging his fists. His twin brother looked on with  benign expression.

This is the same as what one of the now nine year old cafe latte twins once did at the same age, and just what now 18 year old Jo did at that same age. 

I say, bring back smacking badly behaving children, to shock them into obedience and be fearful of physical punishment.

Eventually they were all gone and I had a mental breakdown. "Kosov, see that bottle of Scotch? That will be empty by the morning". "No Onndrewww. I will hug you and all will be better".  

Later, a message to Nephew's wife.

Low level stress: "Dear Uncle Andrew. Favour to ask. If you have time next week, would you be able to pick up a flat pack at Ikea for us?" "While I am busy doing old retired person things, no problem. Old people like to find reasons to go out each day, a sense of purpose. It's even more exciting to go out in my new motor car to collect a package. Phyllis and Kosov like going to Victoria Gardens. We will have lunch there, but not Swedish meatballs. They can carry the flat pack." Low hanging fruit, and you would have saved the delivery fee. You should have just asked.

Nephew with his wife and then nephew with his mum on a very special day.