Sexy Sporting Saturday

I did not know the rather delightful Stefano Tsitsipas has a brother here competing in the Australian Open. I'm sure Petros is a nice fella, but he doesn't quite have the appeal of his older brother. He looked nice enough with long hair but now, not so much.

We have a new hope for Australian tennis with a possible rising star one Alexei Popyrin.  Not too shabby at all. His press conference after a surprise win was a delight of emotion.

To note, as Andy Murray won against an Australian player (no, I won't name the player because as you know I would not resist misspelling his name) he is assuredly a Scottish tennis player, not a British or English player as he may have been if he lost. Don't worry Brits. We do the same with New Zealanders. But the match finishing at 4.05am! I would have jet lag for a week. It seems absurd but must be good for somewhere in the world to watch. A daytime match in England, it seems.

Meanwhile a great Australian athlete has been accused of taking performance enhancing drugs. Whether he did or didn't, once an sports person is named publicly it's gonna stick. Peter Bol is an athletic runner. Footage was shown of him and others running. 

I remarked to R how runners' knackers are certainly strapped down now. Funnily the story's reporter, Matt Shirvington, was also a running athlete back in the days when junk was not quite as contained.

Not quite as impressive, but nor was Finish runner Markus Poyhonen very contained. 

Perhaps I should have called this post Old Man Sleazy Saturday. I've never watched athletics and a few years ago I did watch a tennis match on tv. 

Flagging Friday

I don't why I was thinking about flags yesterday but I was. Then this appeared in The Age newspaper today. 

Everyone knows the Stars and Stripes. 

The second most recognisable, I am in trouble here, the flag of England, or is it Britain, or Great Britain. No doubt someone will 'sternly educate' me.

I suggest the third most recognisable flag would be a toss up between these two flags. Both are distinctive, Canada with its maple leaf and Japan with its simple and striking red dot design.

For me the flag of Lebanon is instantly recognisable with its cedar tree.

But I doubt there is another world flag I would recognise. Can I even tell the Australian and New Zealand flag apart? This is the Aussie flag. All pics are from Wikipedia.

   

Ah, the Kiwi flag has red stars representing the Southern Cross star constellation and doesn't have the large star with each point representing a state and a territory as the Australian flag does. It is bit weird that Australia has an extra star in the Southern Cross. I could investigate I suppose, but my interest in flags is flagging.

Shopping in the US

When we go out each morning, R asks me if I have every thing. Wallet, phone, keys, transitional glasses. It used to be have you got your spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch.

He never reminds me to take my shotgun when we go out for brunch or shopping. It strikes me that by the time the woman who feels so threatened she needs to use her shotgun, and could she actually get it into a firing position, she would be deaded by a quick shooter. She needs a pistol type gun on her hip for a quick draw. Is by the colours the store a Walmart? 

Oh lordy, this looks like a machine gun of sorts and the good guy could take out multiple bad guys. Thank you to the good guys who take out bad guys. And good on you kiddies who shoot dead a nasty school teacher who you don't like. I wish I could have taken a gun to school when I was young.

Dying like flies

Late but eventually reported in Australia, it was sad to here Gina Lollabrigida died, once described as the most beautiful woman in the world. I hear shrieks of 'It should have been me' from some of you! No?

Here is a Gina clip. She is very beautiful.

And speaking of deaths, our local performer Renee Geyer died today. From being a pop singer she went to a acclaimed blues and jazz singing career. This is an early clip of her performing what I think was her first pop song hit. 

Tuesday Tennis

It is a wonderful time of the year in Melbourne. For the first time since 2019 the Australian Open tennis is in full and unrestricted swing. People pour off trains and trams and on foot to arrive at the venues all so happy and excited, perhaps apprehensive about the performance of their favourite.

It may sound snobby, but tennis supporters are generally somewhat nicer than football and motor car racing supporters. 

Covid unvaccinated bad boy Serb who breached Australian immigration laws and was deported after some days of confinement has been welcomed. I would boo him, but then I never liked him. His three year ban for an Australian visa was overturned by a government minister. One rule for the rich and famous and another for a backpacker who overstays or overworks in Australia. Tennis Australia behaved appalling by encouraging Djokovic to attempt to illegally enter Australia but no heads have rolled. So sad to see him ranked at number five...not.

Local bad boy Nick Kyrgios has a lump in his knee and has withdrawn. That is such a loss. Who can imagine what shocking and entertaining outrage he may have committed while 'performing' on the court. 

I'd love to see Rafael win but I am doubtful that will happen. He is ranked number two in the world, with a fellow Spaniard ranked number one. Number three is a Norwegian, Casper Ruud. I've not heard anything about him.

Nor have I heard anything about the rather luscious looking fourth ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas. He is Greek, and I am reminded of a I think a Greek Cypriot player from about five years ago who was very popular here. Of course my five years probably means ten years in real time. Who was that?

I am too old to have Stefanos' babies, so I would be content with him whispering sweet nothings into my ear. #delusional old gay man

Monday Mural

I'm joining it with Sami and others for Monday Mural. 

I think I took these in a lane off Little Malop Street in Geelong. They are pretty damned good in my opinion.

Not Happy Jan

It began Wednesday and stopped by Friday but when it was 38 degrees on Saturday water just poured out of the front of air con. Can you see the buckets? This is not good for a poor old age pensioner and a poor self funded retiree on a fixed income. 

An appointment will be arranged for an assessment on Monday. Our first unit was installed in 2002. It failed to needing replacement in 2012. This one has lasted a little longer. We hope it is something simple but we aren't optimistic. This year with barely an autumn and spring when it wasn't used, it has worked hard. But isn't that its raison d'etre? We may have to replace it and that will mean $$$s.

Ian Potter Gallery

I like the Ian Potter gallery at Federation Square. There is always something new to see. Before I entered I snapped the Forum Theatre. Subtle architecture it ain't. 

Into the gallery now. Stained lead light from the demolished Cliveden mansion in East Melbourne, made by Whitefriars Glass Works, London. 

Chinoiseries by Max Meldrum, Australia, 1928.

Shoalhaven Gorge, NSW by Margaret Preston, 1940. I love it.

The Bar, Melbourne, John Brack, 1954. Both this and the following painting are many people's favourite Melbourne art.

Collins Street, 5 p.m., Melbourne, John Brack, 1955, 

A rather ingenious supplementary heating and cooling system with air coming up through floor vents. It was a nice warm place to stand on a cold day as I checked for the many important emails I receive daily 🙄.

The Bridge in a Curve, Sydney, Grace Cossington Smith, 1930.

Similar aren't they but different artists. The bridge under construction, Sydney, Roland Wakelin, 1929.