Illoura

From the book A City Lost and Found: Whelan the Wrecker, one of the workers was quoted, and I paraphrase, 'The only building I really felt sad about destroying was Illoura'. Many of us are sad decades after the deed was done, 1964 being the year of demolition. 

The original Illoura. How could they!

A year or so after demolition, this abomination appeared. I took this photo mid twenty noughties. 

At some point it received a repaint, this being half way through the job. It certainly looked better in my opinion. And the new building Lucient beside it, replacing a three storey flat block, of no great merit. 

A few years ago there was a failed redevelopment plan. The painting as above became faded and dull. A few weeks ago mini diggers appeared on the roof and some works were happening. This week hoardings went up around the building. She is coming down. After a check, this is an artist's impression of what will replace the present Illoura Plaza. There wasn't a mention of a name for the new building. Exciting? Not at all. Boring as batshit. 

Friday Phunny

It seems like the good people of Scotland did not welcome #47 to their country. Absolutely marvellous. Not only is he mad as a meat axe, he is also a felon, a grabber of female pussy, a rapist, a corrupt official in office, a  breaker of so many laws and the constitution, a person who may have had sex with underage females, and, he is also a golf cheat, as was proved by his caddy moving a golf ball to make a hit easier. 

Give it to him Scotland, and the people did.  

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/comments-video-donald-trump-being-160753769.html

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/brutal-scottish-protest-signs-welcoming-151347242.html I really like the restrained number 29. 

I kind of wish #47 would visit Australia and see if we can receive him any better than Scotland did. While not in huge numbers, anti Vietnam war protestors disturbed the visit of President Lyndon B. Johnston well above the weight of their numbers, with a lie down protest, and egg and paint throwing at the motorcades.

An outing and home decoration

What to write about?

I had lunch today with neighbour HH. Her sister has returned to Sydney, I think somewhat to HH's relief. They are not at all alike. We chose a new cafe, where we had to drive to, Halcyon Days. It was not cheap but that staff were so nice and the food was good. Within ninety minutes, we had caught up on everything, and sorted out some of the world. I expect our basic political views are different but that is really just a guess.  

Phyllis received a very good pass for his English test, 7.5/10. I had no idea how difficult it was. Kosov is going to send me the sample paper test.

I was a bit surprised that the gubbermint has cut my pension by 2/3rds. I felt poverty stricken. Phyllis noticed I had received a letter from the gubbermint and I told him how was now in a state of poverty. I don't know how he so quickly picked it up but, "Andrew, you have too much money and that's why the government has cut your pension". I think I am repaying some money that I shouldn't have been paid after I received my inheritances from Ray and Mother.

Well, if I have enough money, I should spend some and get my pension back. I haven't spent money on a proper holiday since Ray died. 

Tuesday I booked the overnight sleeper train from Sydney to Melbourne. I had to book two bunks to get a sleeper cabin on my own, but there was a pensioner discount. I also booked a flight to Sydney and after a taste of business class when Ray I flew to and from England in 2023, via Sri Lanka, I decided I would do so for the single flight to Sydney, and so found a reasonable price with Virgin Australia. The trip will happen in October, for about eleven days. It will be a whole new experience for me to travel alone. I am full of doubts, especially the number of days I am away. Now I need to focus on accommodation. 

The two red cushions on the lounge room chairs looked grubby, without zip off covers, and misshapen. I wanted new cushions. As usual, I looked and looked, Myer, Big W, Kmart and Bed, Bath & Table. There was one I liked in Myer, and a possibility in BB&T. The Myer price was ridiculous,and the BB&T price not much better. I saw cushions for $4 in KMart. I looked again at the Myer cushions...yes, I liked them. I showed photos to Phyllis and Kosov, and they liked them.

Yay, on sale, half price. They were still expensive but I wanted them. I tried them on the chairs and they were ok, but then I thought to swap the smaller sofa cushions to the chairs and put the new cushions on the sofa, and they looked perfect. Happy, happy, happy. All done without Ray's advice and the consultation. I think I've made some very good choices on my own, getting the new carpet and the painting done, the new fridge and the new microwave. The holiday remains to be seen.

The lounge room is so old fashioned, but I like it how it is. The two single chairs are up for replacement, one with a broken spring and sagging and the other just sagging. Only visitors sit on the couch. 

The clipped kentia

You can see how large the palm was in the photo below. I was think of cutting up the root ball to divide the plant and start again with one third of the plant. So  much work! After seriously considering all advice and constantly staring at the plant, one evening quite late at night, I got busy with the secateurs and gave it a trim. 

I am quite happy with result. Once it begins to grow again as the daylight stretches out, I will note where it is growing and maybe another frond will be removed. 

Household annoyances

Cleaning seems to have ceased at The Highrise. The kitchen benches need wiping down, the stovetop needs cleaning. The big shelving unit needs sorting and cleaning, which was proposed by Phyllis. They respond if I write a list, so I may.

Their bathroom is clean, although for some reason Phyllis wanted the bathroom and toilet doors open today and twice he sprayed something. The rooms didn't smell to me, and I couldn't even smell what was sprayed. I prefer the two doors closed. There is no point heating them when they are so briefly used, and there are heat lamps in the bathroom for instant heat.

Early last week I asked Phyllis if he wanted a driving lesson. I was busy Wednesday and Thursday and he was at work both days anyway. Friday he had an English exam, and Saturday I was meeting a friend for brunch and had an Open House tour booked. We set the the driving day for Sunday. Come Saturday, he said he couldn't drive on Sunday as he needed to study for his English exam that has been postponed from Friday.

The driving could have taken about one and a half hours, leaving him plenty of time for study Ok, fine. But as I told him, I could have booked an Open House tour on Sunday but I set it aside for your driving lesson. 

Kosov worked Phyllis' shift today so Phyllis could attend the language test, and then after a couple of hours of finishing, Kosov went off to work his own shift at his workplace. Phyllis briefly returned home. He said he had done his best for the test, but he wouldn't know a result for up to five days. 

Then I heard the door shut and he was out again. Within a few minutes he messaged me that he didn't think he would be home until 7.30. This is code for me making my own dinner, which is fine. He knows if he is home, it is his responsibility to make my evening meal, whether cooked from scratch or preparing a meals on wheels, meal. Why didn't he just tell me when I saw him? Before you judge, my evening meal is his responsibility if he is home, after an agreement about a rent reduction. 

They are good lads, very loving and will do anything around the home that I want doing, but I don't want to have to keep asking, and I feel a bit like I am being taken for granted. 

Phyllis cooked some mini quiche, and although they didn't taste like traditional quiche, they were very nice. 

Monday Mural

I'm joining with Sami and others for Monday Murals. 

These are rather great murals as they reflect Australian modern history. I can't identify everyone in the panels, and it may not be of interest to you overseas folk. I really did not see who was in this mural until I looked at posting it here. 

For me, if I right click and open the photo in a new window, the photos can be very large. 

In this first, I can see musician Nick Cave, Chopper Reid, Sir Les Patterson aka Barry Humphries, Peter Garrett, Norman Gunston aka Garry McDonald, Mike Brady, Nicky Winmar, Joan Kirner, Cathy Freeman, Peter Carey, Robert Dipierdomenico and Michael Hutchence. There are more whose identity I don't know. 

Who is in this panel? Michael Caton and the film The Castle, Steve Irwin, Kath and Kim, the pop group Spiderbait. Is that really how Ned Kelly looked? Hot looks. My ignorance of popular culture means I can't identify all.

Sunday Selections

I'm joining with River and others for Sunday Selections. As usual, random photos, mostly mine. 

This black wire thing is not part of the vase, and can anyone tell me what it is? The answer in about 12 hours. JayCee had it correct. It is a hair band. Kosov bought it for Phyllis because he was concerned Phyllis' hair was obscuring his side vision when he was learning to drive. 

The faded sign says E.S&A Bank, English, Scottish and Australian Bank. I remember the words doo doo meaning something kids do or was it name of a boy's body part. I wonder if Dou Dou is pronounced the same. 

Footscray is not fashionably gorgeous, but I like visiting and people watching from a table outside Maples Cafe with a cup of nice coffee. 

No comment.

I guess DISPLAN is Disaster Plan. I  hope there is more than a box of Band Aids inside. @ Anzac Station.

Energetic ants. By the shadows, it is very early in the morning. I was probably on the balcony with a glass of scotch in my hand. 

I so loved this photo on someone's blog, I stole it for my viewing pleasure. It may be a JayCee photo. 

A bit of AI, or more simply, a faked photo, but I like the sentiment. Hang on you stupid old man cynic. It is stuck to a mirror. I think it is genuine. 

From FB, without a credit to the photographer. It's an old diesel train at Spencer Street Station. I do love green and clean public transport. 

Might this be a music group? Not one I know, but I can see why I saved the photo. 

The very young Scottish group, Bronski Beat.

At New York's Studio 54, Mick Jagger seems very relaxed with Latvian ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov. Bless them. 

This photo is by Kath Lockett. I have an old FB account which I've forgotten how to log in to, and normally I can't see anything, but I could see this photo she posted of one sculpture in the city. I must photograph the whole sculpture again, as it is ages since I did so. Saturday and Sunday mornings, the three businessmen sculpture always had a ciggie in their mouths, from yoof antics the night before, but so few smoke now, I haven't seen this for ages. 

This too came from someone's blog.

Well, that's your bloomin' lot.