Vacation at last!

(Another one of Centred Art's recent acquisitions)

Day 1 of the winter vacation is upon me, and this boy is one happy chappy. Just as well as I've been listing and sorting things to do with the house:

- the interior painting is finished today (well, I hope so)

- the exterior painting finished by Tuesday

- plumber finishing downpipes today

- gallery painting hanging system installed Tuesday 11am

- electrician installing lights/power points Tuesday ( memo -must deliver lights by 9:30am)

- toilets installed Tuesday, bathrooms finished off

- air conditioning unit plus vents etc installed Wednesday

- concreter to visit Wednesday to lay out where form work to go for side path and driveway

- Thursday/Friday concrete form work placed

- Saturday concrete poured (no vehicles on it for 5 days)

As a result Rene and I are going to stay with friends Di and Torquil on Tuesday and Wednesday nights (maybe Friday??). We really need to be local for any last minute things we may need to do.

I was at the house last Wednesday at 3:15 to meet someone to give a quote for screens etc and I couldn't get in because the painters weren't there. ARGHHHH!!! Anyway, the guy did the best he could, but with a four week delivery timeline you really need to get these things sorted now, but at least being winter you don't urgently need insect screens.

While I was at work yesterday morning I rang Rene about something and when I asked where he was, he said he was about to climb up to a lookout 20 minutes from home which overlooks the Glass House Mountains, a series of volcanic plugs left over from activity millions of years ago. They were named by Captain Cook in 1770 because, due to recent morning rain, they reflected shiny light. This is one of Rene's pictures from yesterday. As you can tell, it was a gloriously sunny, warm morning after a chilly night.

We can't sell our apartment here at present due to there being little or no real estate activity (everyone is waiting for worse economic news - eg oil passed US$140 last night) so we are renting it out, and we already have a prospective tenant waiting in the wings for it. That's good for us.

I read the other day where Venezuelans pay 4.2c/L for petrol, those in Sierra Leone pay $5.20/L. Our fuel topped 159.9c this week. We complain about it, but I remember in 1974 paying loads more, and I found a figure that said in 2006 terms fuel in 1974 in Australia was the equivalent of 175c/L - so, folks, we've been there before.

Younger readers won't know this, but the more mature amongst this august (yet small) readership may well remember street lighting in Europe reduced, public buildings without floodlighting at night (I was in Paris in '74 and the Eiffel Tower had one red light on the top glowing in the dark sky). The Christmas lights in Oxford Street, London, didn't happen in 74. Now, when the queues extend around the block at service stations, the odd and evens on the road system is introduced again, as happened during the Arab Oil Crisis of 74/75, well then I'll believe it has seriously hit the fan. For Aussies here, that's what killed the Holden Kingswood, the huge iconic Australian motor car. The Commodore, a smaller Opel-based car from Europe, was released in 1978 as a result of the oil crisis.

The factors involved in this present day crisis are very different to 30 years ago. The Indian and Chinese economies are driving up demand to unprecedented levels, and in addition, speculation that was 10 years ago just 20% of business, is now 60% of trading, and THAT is the real cause in my mind. Attempts to relate and compare to the past market profiles just don't add up in my opinion. It is a totally different world we are living in now. Greed is STILL good, but now it is also GOD. Incidentally, I read Thursday that there are now 10 million millionaires in the world today (up 700 000 in a year). These are people who don't count their home as part of the assets). The big increase is from the two giant powerhouse economies of India and China. Just this week China signed off on an iron ore contract in Western Australia 85% higher than the contract it supersedes. Who'd have thought...

Old picture (mentions Yugoslavia) but still relevant. You do tend to forget how bloody huge this country is until you get on a plane and find that it takes sometimes hours to cross vast distances between capital cities.

Just another weekend (not!)

Rene and I, being the social butterflies we are, have just enjoyed the most wonderful weekend. It began with dinner at the Alex Surf Club Friday night, then on Saturday we had our monthly card night and this week we found ourselves on a small farm in the hinterland, in from Noosa and below Cooroy. It started with leaving at 3pm to be in time to see the wildlife and views (really impressive), then a huge baked dinner, a cheesecake that tasted something like a creamy Mars Bar (heavenly) and we got home by 2am Sunday morning. At 2pm Sunday we joined a dozen or so residents from Caribbean beside the pool for a little soiree which lasted until 7pm when I came upstairs and cooked dinner for four people feeling quite solidly tipsy. They left at midnight. The pictures below are from the farm's pool area. We saw wallabies and kangaroos just below the pool area. Lovely crisp, sunny winter weather.

I'm feeling my age a bit today, but what the heck. There's plenty of time to sleep and rest when you're dead.

Rene and I both went out this morning and did some retail therapy. Brightened me up no end. The last day of the Myer sale saw us spending up big time, and I came a way with a couple of pairs of shoes, two jumpers, underwear and a long sleeve shirt. I did feel a lot better after that. I have to go to work tomorrow to help pay for it now.

Recent additions at Centred Art

I asked Rene to mail me some pictures of recent purchases he's made through his business. They are never as fabulous as in reality, but you get an idea of the colour and dazzling variety. Of course the website has them all, http://www.centredart.com.au/ and paintings have recently been bought and dispatched to Spain and New Zealand, as well as The Netherlands.

The official opening is set for August 30 at our new gallery in Nundah. Watch this space for more details in the next few weeks.

Crook

I've been crook this week. You have to be an Aussie to understand that 'crook' means unwell. Now, you can also 'go crook' at someone and tell them off. Yes, we have the Watergate-type crooks too, but in Australian English one never wants to make the learning of the language too easy for 'foreigners'. Suffice to say I'm better, the cold or whatever it was has gone, although I'm still a little thick in the head (but what's new? I hear you cry :) I've banished myself to the spare room so as not to annoy Rene too much with my snoring - I loathe a blocked nose.

On the subject of 'crook', I have a photo somewhere of my mother leaning over a town sign for Crook in Co Durham in the north of England. Her sister was bemused as both Mum and I laughed our heads off over anywhere being called 'crook'. Yes, I know, you had to be there.
A week last Friday Rene and I popped over to Straddie - North Stradbroke Island - just for lunch. It is our most favourite place around here. Friends just back from the States had an American friend visiting, so they stayed at Beachies, a delightful house overlooking Dead Man's Beach - terrific location, shame about the name. We went over by water taxi and were met by our friend Polly and her American friend Joy. We picked up things for lunch at home, including 2kg of delicious freshly caught prawns. Six of us waded our way through a mountain of foodfor lunch, walked up the end of the road to a whale watching station and promptly saw two hump back whales cavorting in the Pacific - just delightful. Oh, I nearly forgot, we also saw a koala in the tree right over the road where we bought the seafood. My picture of the tree has it in it, on the lower left corner, but I'll get a better picture from Joy's beaut camera (mine was only the phone camera) and post it later.

We stayed that night with friends in Brisbane and went to the house in the morning to see the first pour of the concrete patio at the rear and half the side path. We needed the side done so that the smaller thin 3000L tank, the air conditioner unit and solar hot water collector can allstand on the same level. We also had a pad poured for the 5000L tank. Painters have been there for a week, but I haven't been inside the house at all - too messy with covering everywhere. We even now have our pergola over the rear terrace. I was just on the phone to Ray our builder and he said three to four weeks tops. We're giving notice tomorrow.

Week last Saturday we went to Toowoomba for a dinner party and had a lovely time - but it was freezing cold. Kay's home is underfloor heated so inside was fine, but outside it was windy and very chilly. Food as usual was delicious, and I took a phonecam picture of the dessert...mmmmmmm!

Rene's sister and her partner have this gorgeous dog they imported from England. This is Splinter, now considerably bigger than the last time he was featured here.

I was sent this yesterday. Couldn't resist including it. NASA, eat your heart out!

I'M VOTING REPUBLICAN
So says the title of this youtube clip. Check it out, it is seriously clever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiQJ9Xp0xxU

What a shame the Dutch team lost its quarter final to Russia. I have to say it appeared that the Russians were the better team on the night, but it's sort of sad for the Netherlands. Guus Hiddink, the Dutch born Russian coach, said he felt like a traitor a bit, but not enough to stop him from willing on his team to win.

This delightful story came across my screen this week from Switzerland. It is totally fabulous because I've witnessed a sea of orange in Holland when the last Euro Cup was on in 2004. At the end of my street was an enclave where every square centimetre of ground and air was filled with the most iridescent orange I've ever seen. I know it featured on television during the Cup season. Here's the article from the paper:

Swiss railways change colour as Dutch soccer fans get confused

Switzerland's national railway has told its workers to stop using their normal orange reflective vests after confused Dutch soccer fans started following them on to the tracks.
A railway spokesman said the changed strip had been prompted by an incident in the Swiss capital Berne when a group of Netherlands supporters followed a worker on to the lines after mistaking his uniform for their traditional orange dress.
"We have now given out yellow vests to all our staff who have to work on or cross the tracks in Basel, where the Dutch fans are now based," Oliver Tamas said.
"It has raised a few eyebrows but we think it's a necessary measure to ensure the safety of our guests."
Tamas said that 1,500 railway staff involved in fan co-ordination work had already been given yellow vests to help them stand out from the Dutch supporters.
Police in Berne also ditched their orange vests after Netherlands were drawn to play all three of their group stage matches in the city.
A Basel police spokesman said on Friday that the yellow vests used by Berne police had now been sent to Basel in time for Saturday's quarter-final between Netherlands and Russia.
- Reuters

Tonight on SBS here in Australia is the latest episode of Top Gear from Britain. Rene and I just love it, so do many of our friends (male and female). They've just announced the three hosts of the Australian version of Top Gear. This clip will show you the three blokes lucky enough to score the gig. Oh, they also this week announced the American Top Gear guys too. The Brits have a great formula here and I'm so pleased to see it being expanded. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO0hKkT2UmE

I was searching for a Dutch radio station the other day and came across this useful link. Not only is it good for Holland but also virtually anywhere else in the world. Click on it and check it out. Go to different countries and hear what their programs are like. http://www.surfmusic.de/country/netherlands.html

Next week I'm on winter vacation for a fortnight. We'll be packing (again!) and preparing for the move. I've set myself the task of learning how to imbed video on my blog. Hopefully next time instead of seeing a link to a video you'll actually have the picture to merely click on to activate.

Picasso's Private Collection in Brisbane

In another coup for Brisbane's arts scene the 18 month old GoMA (Gallery of Modern Art) has secured the more than 80 paintings from Picasso's own private collection. The exhibition opens this week and will run through until mid September. It is not touring. Other Australians will have to travel to this city to view the collection.

It is the first time the collection has been seen outside of Europe, and even then not all of the collection was displayed on the two occasions when it travelled.

There are 35 artists represented, including Paul Cezanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Henri Matisse and Salvador Dali.

The collection is from the Musee Picasso in Paris.

(below - GoMA - Cultural Precinct, South Bank, Brisbane)

Queen's Birthday holiday? - only in the former colonies

Tomorrow is the Queen's Birthday holiday. I remember being in England on this day in 1990 and being blown away when I discovered that in the UK they don't have a special public holiday for it. I really respect Queen Elizabeth and the concept of her being the Queen of England etc etc, but as to her being Queen of Australia? Nah! We are overdue becoming a republic, long overdue. Still, I doubt much will happen while She is still on the throne, but there is no way the monarchy will survive in the Antipodes beyond that. "Long live the Queen" - but not here.

We celebrated Queensland Day last Friday. It is the day, June 6, in 1859 when Queen Victoria signed the 'Letters Patent' bringing into being the colony of Queensland, separated from the colony of New South Wales. Next year is our sesquicentennial, our 150th anniversary, so the State Government is planning a huge range of events to commemorate this special date. Like the world over, we are experiencing strain from the economic downturn plaguing developed economies yet we in Queensland (and Australia in general) are feeling less impact due to the thriving resource sector, and we have loads and loads of resources for export to the booming economies of China and India. The 'gloom and doom' merchants are currently having a field day, yet we can still use the opening lines of the Queensland Song composed for the centenary in 1959 - "Life is great in the Sunshine State..." (that's our state flag)

We seem to have become masters of the art of the extended lunch. Yesterday we dined downstairs at our neighbours apartment with a starting time of noon and I think we finished just after 6:30pm. Four of the guests came from Tasmania, one was born in Holland. Of course I yet again proved that I can be all talked out (yes, it can happen) and of course copious quantities of beer followed by wine and terrific conversation just exhausts me. Throw into that equation delicious Indian cuisine and no wonder I melted into bed last night. Rene and our neighbour combined to cook delicious dishes, and all in all a great time was had by all.

By the way, the morning began yesterday with strange noises outside the bedroom window - turned out to be two guys working on adding sealant around the blind brackets to stop water leaking in (around 10 apartments had water damage last weekend - we didn't). Strange to be eye to eye with two blokes on the second floor. This was at 10am - fortunately they weren't outside the window an hour earlier.

Rene has sold some more paintings this week, this time to a bloke from New Zealand who was visiting Brisbane. After buying a few, he turned around a couple of days later and bought another one over the phone. The visitor drove up with his daughter to the gallery from Brisbane and saw the Sunshine Coast looking exquisite after its drenching the previous weekend. This weekend it's again cool and occasionally showery, but for four days last week it was sublime, even reaching 25C. Not bad for winter.

Mind you, me, myself, I was working and of course commuting. Would you believe that EVERY morning last week the Bruce Highway into Brisbane was blocked by accidents; every morning mind you, so I rang in saying I'd be leaving a bit later to give them time to open the road and clear the backlog, and even then I still drove at a snail's pace through kilometres of clogged roads. I can't wait for the holidays, after that we'll be yet again living back in Brisbane.

The house is looking very good, and I'm almost certain that we'll be in on July 10. Yesterday the builder said that the deck was being finished off with railings and marine wire cabling, and the tilers are supposed to have finished on Friday (haven't been there since Wednesday) and the interior painters are due this Tuesday or Wednesday. Now all we have to do is get the driveway and pathways etc done. That's our job. I still have to get one quote, this Tuesday. I only have one seriously awful picture taken with my phone of the detail in the en suite. Of course the grouting isn't done, but you get the drift. I can't wait to see it all finished and shiny.

The Australian football team, the Socceroos, were defeated last night by Iraq in Dubai. They lost 1-0. They defeated Iraq here in Brisbane a week ago. They are still equal top in their round. They have two qualifying matches left, the first against Qatar and then China. This match will be held in Sydney. The Socceroos Dutch coach, Pim Verbeek, is still confident Australia will qualify into the next round.

No doubt like you, I've been watching the Obama / Clinton stoush for months. At first I was pro Clinton since she was the known quantity, and I certainly had never heard of her opponent. If it came down to a black president or a woman president, I was initially in favour of the latter, since 52% were wayyy overdue for acknowledgement. Now, you could argue similarly for the black representation (not the same %age), yet to me at the time a known woman was better than an unknown man, regardless of colour. I was still erring on her side until things got a bit nasty (who needs enemies when you have Democrat 'friends' like her?). The machines behind both camps are amazing, beyond my comprehension. Just think what they can do from now on working together (thinks...with such vitriol flying around these past weeks, how can they unite to defeat the unthinkable - a Republican victory?).

A major turning point in my perceptions of what's been happening between these two camps came via my trusted and oh so wise friend Kit. He's an American living here in Brisbane (currently back in the States for a vacation). He rationally explained to me why Obama was the way to go, a Kennedyesque persona with policies to match, directed me to a couple of websites, and ultimately convinced me by (for the first time in his life) putting his hand in his own pocket and sending off cheques to Obama's campaign committee. Now, I'm off shore, in a country that doesn't vote for the American Presidency, yet the very choice of a president influences our everyday life here in the Land Down Under via our defence commitments, the price of oil, foreign policy, world stability etc etc. Should the Republicans and McCain win in November we will all be well and truly fucked. Yes, I used that word. If I hear and see another white Middle Class Democrat woman on TV scream "we wuzz robbed because She is a woman" I'll scream myself. And should she latter also utter the phrase - "and I won't vote for Obama either" - that Democrat female should just find a good cliff and follow the other lemmings over the edge. Also if the "race card" influences a Democrat to not support their fairly elected nominee, they too should just surrender and let the current Administration proceed to continue doing their bit to well and truly contribute to the wholesale mess that Bush has left us with...and I used the word 'us' deliberately.

The women have a fair case though in saying Clinton was reported in a biased way, using 'sexist' language and references that a male wouldn't have to tolerate. This aside, they jointly have tremendous burdens to carry, those being both race and gender. The Right's view of the world scares the crap out of me, it really does. Nowhere in the world does the Right have such outrageous influence, and the money to back it. Scary stuff indeed!

Incidentally, whilst walking along an esplanade at the beautiful Bay of Islands in New Zealand at the end of 2002 I argued with a dear American friend about how decisions being made would lead to war and the mess we are currently in over in Iraq (I had no idea then just what a huge mess it would be). It was heated to say the least, but he had some difficulty seeing just why what the US did should concern anybody over here on this side of the world. Well, we are committed to troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, along with several other countries now, and I'm teaching English to refugees from those very countries. I want thinking, rational Americans to join as one; get behind Obama and defeat the past, embrace the future. God Bless America.