Yuletide Greetings From the Sunshine Coast

Night before last the coast had 95mm of rain. What a lovely Christmas present. Still in drought, but with the prospect of the break coming sooner rather than later, it feels very good to be alive.

Our new apartment complex has an enormous underground water storage area, resulting in loads of water to put on gardens, wash cars and fill the swimming pool. Even a trip to Toowoomba last week for my ex boss's retirement farewell party saw one double taking as one glanced at the surrounding landscape covered in various shades of green. We still have to have LOADS more heavy rain to fill the dams, but the ground surface around South East Queensland is looking pretty lush and green.

I sincerely hope you and yours are in for a brilliant Christmas. I won't bore you with my annual treatise on how I loathe and detest the whole holiday season. It's not gay, it's not being male, it's not about not having family to share it with (my sister in law invited Rene and I to join them plus 15 others for Christmas lunch - thanks Kathy darlin') - I just passionately dislike intensely the whole commercial side of the industry called 'celebration', the compulsion to spend it with folk you'd never see other than at weddings and funerals etc. It's like Mother's Day and Father's Day etc etc. - Hallmark Heaven = Langdale Loathing!

Good, now that's out of the way....let's talk about positive things. I wasn't really looking forward to my ex boss's farewell. No real idea why, just wasn't. I went as a sort of duty thing, after all he had been a terrific guy to work for, and I did really like my 11+ years at his school (I've been gone 41/2 years now already!) so I went. Rene came too. Guess what? I had a ball. Yes, I truly enjoyed seeing all my former colleagues, swapping stories, catching up on the gossip, making a short speech where I mentioned the word 'arseholes' out loud.....yes, a very good time (even Rene enjoyed himself). We stayed at our friend Kay's new home outside Toowoomba at Highfields - wow, how her new garden has grown! (I think there's a pic or two here somewhere on the page).

I've had some lovely emails from folk around the place. I must specially mention Cary in Toowoomba who has filled me in on all the news from school and home. It was just lovely to see him and his lovely partner Anne the other night at the staff party. He's another 'late bloomer', except he went in the more conventional direction (unlike me haha).

We've had a few visitors recently, and one couple even stayed the night - that's a challenge for the first timers because we haven't quite fine-tuned this apartment yet. In the morning our visitors Polly and Kit went with us across the road to the beach side cafe for a coffee followed by a walk to the tip of the island and halfway around it. Very civilised. Mind you, coming back Polly yells at me "STOP!" (which I did immediately). Just before our complex, on the pathway outside, was a very dangerous red belly black snake. I just wasn't looking for a snake in the middle of suburbia, but there it was, sunning itself. I told the manager of the site about it, he alerted Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin's place down the road from us) and they would send someone, but 20 minutes later we went back with a camera only to discover it was recently deceased - covered in ants. Now, when we saw it earlier there were no ants on it, so it had just died I guess. Maybe hit by a car, crawled as far away as it could to die? Who knows, but it did give me a scare the first time I saw it. It's only the fifth snake I've seen in 43 years in Australia - don't go thinking we live with them and come in contact frequently, we just don't. Anyway, I won't be so casual in future. Not a fan of reptiles, not at all.

We have a guest for Christmas. Yes, Roman, a Swiss friend, is coming to stay with us for a night or two. That's lovely, especially since there was a line in the movie last night along the lines of "Happiness is only happiness if it is shared" (or something like that).

Speaking of the movie, last night Rene and I saw "Into the Wild", Sean Penn's latest film. I really admire this director's view of the world, and especially his decision to not make easy films. This film (at around 150 minutes) is a solid commitment from the film goer, but what a rewarding effort it is in the end. This morning I'm still thinking and thinking about it. Should you get the opportunity, please go and see it. To those friends of mine who assiduously avoid American cinema these days, make the effort. An astute review can be seen here http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/21/arts/flik22.php

This was the first movie we'd seen here on the Sunshine Coast. It was a very nice complex of 12 screens situated on the edge of a large shopping centre (260 shops), alongside the River Walk - a group of outdoor eateries and coffee shops either side of a river. For a large shopping centre it's quite good, but it is still huge. Anyway, we had dinner and a few beers at 'The Pig and Whistle', a British style pub (they never are, but they do try to pull it off). A short 7 minute drive home and we were in the underground car park of our apartment complex.

There is an enormous amount of growth here on the coast. Motorway construction (there's one going through the middle section of the coast north/south), estates, amalgamation of the three Sunshine Coast local government councils into one super council, lots of development and optimism. I went to visit a friend of mine who lives in a new independent living retirement community behind Caloundra at Little Mountain, and as I left around 4:45pm there would have been two dozen roos grazing behind the complex in the fields. Very lovely to witness. Rene and I have been to the local beach once (Kawana Waters) and it's divine - like all the others stretching along the eastern seaboard. We've used the pool often, and are genuinely feeling more relaxed and settled.

We now have VOIP - a regular telephone working over the internet, sort of like Skype, but we have a regular phone number and we phone people direct to their phones, not computers. We got this because we simply can't get a land line - no ports available at the local exchange. How pathetic! Thank God Howard has gone. I hope the Labor Government does a better job with telecommunications infrastructure as well as many other things. Take protection away from Qantas to ensure it has to compete with service and price and not decay to the extent it has (you've no doubt heard about Qantas' pathetic service on the ground in Brisbane Airport - cost cutting gone berserk). Anyway (ranting aside) we get VOIP for $19.95/month and have free calls to anywhere in Australia plus 10 overseas countries. These countries include USA, UK and Holland. We'll give it a try, we've only had it on for two days, but I'll report back later. The phone number will be found on the email sent out to subscribers (friends) of this blog.

Rene's hard at work next door in the gallery apartment (yes, we have two here - one we own, the other we rent). He's really enjoying being able to have a large space that he doesn't have to clean up every day. If he's mid job (you know, the frame not finished yet) he just leaves it tidily where he was working and walks away. It's a preview of how our new home will be when it is finished (the builder starts at the end of next month).

Lastly (I'm sure there's more, but for now) here are a few items of interest about The Netherlands. You already know they are a wealthy nation, but did you know they make the world's best ice cream? Tot ziens for now and have a very happy Christmas and above all a healthy and prosperous New Year.

Amsterdam - An ice-cream parlour in the Dutch city of Amersfoort, in the central Netherlands, was on Monday named the world's best ice-cream maker.Gelateria Mazzoli, owned by Ermanno Mazzoli, won the Longarone de Coppa d'Oro for its banana-flavoured ice-cream.Eighty professional ice-cream makers competed for the international award, the most prestigious in the traditional ice-cream industry.Another Dutch ice-cream parlour, La Femigi in the small southern Netherlands town of Malden, came in second. (source Expatica NL)

LUXEMBOURG – The Dutch are in the top three of richest EU nationalities. The purchasing power of the Dutch is 31 percent higher than the EU average, European statistics bureau Eurostat reported on Monday.
The richest EU citizens are the Luxembourgers, the residents of the Grand Duchy enjoy a whopping 280 percent more purchasing power than average. The Irish come in second place with 44 percent more than the average.
The poorest are Bulgarians and Romanians. They have only 37 and 39 percent of the average EU purchasing power, respectively. Even poorer are EU candidate members Macedonia and Turkey. The average purchasing power in these countries is 28 and 31 percent of the EU average, respectively. (Source Expatica NL)

The longest hop ... Qantas first flew the "Kangaroo Route" between Sydney and London on December 1, 1947, creating "one of the most important events in the history of Australian commercial aviation", according to the Daily Mirror newspaper.

Where to begin?

I had a very pleasant day today, very nice indeed. I comment on this fact to merely explain that I have not been a very happy Vegemite for the past three weeks or so. Yes, various parts have been delightful, but in the main I haven't had a very wonderful time. Why? Because we moved yet again - the 9th in the past 5 years for me.

I liked my stay in Mount Gravatt, Polly and Kit were great to live with, I think Rene and I were great house guests - but enough was enough! Folk are not meant to stay as guests for nine weeks.

The two apartments have taken a fortnight to straighten out, with Rene's office in the one bedroom apartment (which we own) getting curtains hung today and the neighbouring two bedroom apartment (which we rent) being more than adequate and spacious.

Today we swam in the lovely pool for the second time this week instead of just looking at it from our deck. It is around 25m long (I guess) and two lanes wide and being a lap pool it is consistently deep all the way. I have yet to play a game of tennis on the large full sized court, but we've seen some people using it in daylight and at night.

Peter and Bernadette are friends from Brisbane and have been staying up the coast here redecorating their beautiful apartment, so their presence has enabled us to have many lovely dinners and drinks out and about around Mooloolaba. They've gone back to Brisbane this week so we are alone here again, but we have friends visiting, starting this week, plus we have a trip to Toowoomba later this week for my former principal's retirement party.

School ended yesterday for the year and I have seven weeks vacation ahead of me. That's nice because I found the commuting to Brisbane from the Sunshine Coast (a 100km each way) a bit of a drag.

I am going from four schools down to more time at just two schools next year, so that'll be a good change.

The Saturday after we moved there was a federal election for the government of Australia. It was won, predictably, by Kevin Rudd and the Labor Party. Maxine McKew, in the former Prime Minister's seat of Bennelong, defeated John Howard, who had held it for 33 years. The Labor victory was larger than many had predicted, but it was obvious that the conservatives would be thrown out. I'm happy.

Moving has not been without its 'issues'. My beautiful big fridge does not fit into the alcove in the 2 bed apartment but does fit the 1 bed apartment kitchen (go figure!). We now own a small bar fridge (all fridge, no freezer) and we move between the two fridges when entertaining large groups. This small fridge will go into the office in the gallery in our new house, so it's a solution, but I think an unnecessary expense.

Do you own a phone (you know, the land line type)? Of course you do, except we don't. The Telstra exchange on the island isn't large enough to cope with demand so nobody (except the building managers) in our 63 apartment building can have a land line just yet. More ports in the exchange are coming, but so is Christmas. Solution? Yes, we have got wifi internet from Buderim Mountain via a local company which has an aerial on the roof and delivers it by cable to each apartment. This week we'll also take delivery of a modem which will allow VOIP to work, so we'll have a wifi internet based telephone for $19.95 a month that will allow free local and interstate calls PLUS free overseas calls to the USA, UK and The Netherlands. If you don't know how this works, it's sort of like Skype but operates using land line telephone numbers - we'll be issued a regular 8 digit plus the state area code (07) telephone number, and we'll use our regular phone set up in the two apartments totally wifi. In addition I have got the totally new, very schmick for me, Motorola Razr2 V8 mobile phone that is SO very cool - I'm still finding out how to set all the features. It has a camera for photos and even video - and above all BIG keys and a superbly brilliant screen for the person with slightly impaired vision.

The previous paragraph about the woes of getting connected in this late 2007 Australia have been downplayed considerably because I have been HUGELY pissed off at most of the crap concerning telecommunications, Telstra, Optus, shareholders and the Federal Government that have been plaguing my life for the past month. You guys reading this in Europe or America must be thinking we are SOOO backward here in Oz, and you'd be right. Between politics, screwing the consumer, placing shareholders returns above service to customers and generally fiddling while Rome burns, I have been trying and trying to get the basic services connected that the average person in a First World country would take for granted. I won't mention the fact that at our new home in Nundah I also cannot be guaranteed a landline connection of my choice come next June when we expect to move in - presently I must choose Telstra, since Optus has opted out of using Telstra exchanges for new connections until their own new exchanges are on line.

Speaking of the new house, it has been approved, the builder is ordering materials this week ready to start late next month. We have selected colours, finishes, the kitchen (stone benchtops and 2 pack cupboards) along with a myriad of last minute decisions. It is almost on budget. Rene allowed me to choose the air conditioning system and brand, so it's a ducted system with seven zones throughout the upstairs and downstairs digitally controlled - it even has a digital scroll on the coolant delivery so that it can reduce to just 10% when not working hard during the hot daytimes - but I hasten to add I wouldn't know a digital scroll if I fell over one.

We walked today to a little BBQ party at a park at one end of the island today to mark the last block of land being sold on Kawana Island. We walked on after lunch around the perimeter of the western end of the island and marvelled at how much work has been done to make it a positive balance between development and conservation. Having protected wetlands on one side along with a national park ensures it isn't totally a sea of roofs.

There's more to say, but I'm due to get to bed seeing as though we have things to do in the morning. Have a wonderful remainder of your weekend and catch you again very soon.
(PS the block we are in is the incomplete building in the very middle of the Google Earth picture of Kawana Island).

Australia votes next Saturday

Australia goes to the polls this Saturday to vote for the next federal government. It is an important democratic right and vital to ensure the people get the government they deserve. Nobody should be in any doubt as to my thoughts on this election, but should you still be wavering as to where to place your vote, this site http://howshouldivote.com.au can help you make up your mind. This is just for Australian readers of this blog, you fortunate folk who live offshore and thus have been not bombarded with mountains of promises, sound bites and crappy rhetoric from our likely candidates can let November 24 float past you in a blur. We cannot. Compulsory voting means every Australian must vote or find themselves fined for not exercising their democratic right. Don't you just love democracy?

Spring in Brisbane

Spring in Brisbane is different from spring in Toowoomba where I once lived because we basically only have two distinct seasons in Brisbane, Toowoomba has four. This photo was taken by Rene in New Farm Park this week and shows the last of the jacarandas in bloom (love those purple flowers) and the vibrant poincianas that are just everywhere at present. Simply stunning.

Are you my 1000th Visitor?

I just checked my site meter and I was at 999 as at 10am EAST on the 16th. You are probably my 1000th visitor since I began my blog earlier this year. Congratulations! You are most welcome.

It took over 75 minutes yesterday afternoon to get from Nundah to Mt Gravatt, leaving at 4pm. The trip at night is 20 minutes. There was a delay/accident/incident on EVERY major arterial route through and around the city at that time. The impressive tunnel system and additional bridges currently under construction can't come soon enough. Brisbane/Queensland has been so slow to react to the need for more infrastructure. I had a chuckle to myself as I passed the Governor in her white limousine also stuck in the enormous traffic jam known as Fortitude Valley. The car looked very obvious in the crowd with its silver crest replacing the number plate. I couldn't stare as I drove passed slowly because the traffic was too heavy, but I'm sure the chauffeur was taking the strain from Quentin on that long slog home (or to the next appointment). Here's a link to the upgrade of the main Gateway Motorway - www.gup.com.au and also here's a link to the impressive new tunnels being built under our city (we have three of the largest German-built borers in the world about to start work 24 hours a day) http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/15/1978965.htm

http://www.rivercitymotorway.com.au/

Rene has been working on improving his website, and now it'll feature more information on the artists and subjects. It's a work in progress, but looks to me to be very impressive indeed. We're picking up fliers today (four types) to leave at cinemas, theatres, bookshops, restaurants, cafes etc.

This Sunday sees the 43rd anniversary of our family's arrival in Australia. It is a very long time ago but is worth mentioning. I work with New Australians every day and am often reminded of just how very fortunate and smart my parents were to select Australia, and in particular Queensland, to move to. I'll post a picture of our family in 1964 on the weekend.

Enough - have a brilliant weekend doing whatever you do.

Oh, late edit - we have our second apartment confirmed at Kawana (we needed ours for Rene's business and one to live in and have some space) - definitely moving this coming Friday (yahooo!!)

It's the 10th already?

The tinny sounds of Christmas carols playing over the PA system in a store this week reminded me of how tacky this whole 'Christmas' thing has become (as if I need reminding). I could do my 'grumpy old man' routine about it, but I'll refrain for now. Suffice to say I have been plotting ways of enjoying the Yuletide season and not getting caught up in the whole charade. How about we try to put the Christ back into Christmas? My, oh my! How radical.

My god daughter Amy returned from Wales last week and it's only today that I'll be seeing her following the landing here on Terra Australis. Rene and I are off to The MacDonald's for a BBQ get-together with Torquil's 60th birthday as the focus, but no doubt overshadowed by the return of the prodigal daughter. Since we moved to the other side of Planet Earth (known as Mt Gravatt) we have only ventured north for work and business, thus haven't seen them for a fortnight, so the evening should be just delightful.

The apartment on the Sunshine Coast at Kawana is finally ours. It settled yesterday. We are just waiting for a neighbouring 2 bedroom apartment to become available for moving into to signal yet another move, this time for just over seven months. I could do without the commute, but it'll be sort of a fun break to live on the coast for a while.

The Californian fires recently highlighted the climatic similarities between the continental USA and Australia. Devastating pictures emerged from the countryside, so reminiscent of the ones we see here each summer in Australia. The authorities seemed better prepared than for Hurricane Katrina. All those homes, but more than that, all that family history just lost. The light loss of life is the best news to come out of there, amazing when one considers the picture below.

The selection of the fittings/colours for our new house has been a very extensive and intensive thing. Last Sunday we spent 4.5 hours selecting colours and deciding what fixtures go where - laundry, bathrooms, kitchen, light points and power points etc. Yesterday we spent 3.5 hours just selecting lights. We followed that with 2.5 hours selecting tiles, features (we're going for rock) and the carpet (NZ wool). We followed that with a brief call into the timber floor supplier to select the type of floor/timber. This morning we selected the sinks/vanities/tap ware etc for three bathrooms/ kitchen/ laundry - that was after two previous visits to the plumbing supply place plus a special trip to a manufacturer's showroom on other days.

If I mention all the features it would be too much for here, it's enough to say that the home will be very special indeed and just what we want. I should also mention that I reckon much decorating is done through attrition. As the sessions went on (and on) I found myself agreeing quite readily to some things - but in hindsight we still like all our decisions. Oh, all things are not perfect though - Rene and I had a disagreement over door handles (kitchen cupboards etc). Still no agreement, but no urgency either. We'll talk with the cabinetmaker later. All in all, considering the hundreds of decisions and hours of deliberation we did well to come down to one disagreement.

The election continues with much fuss but very little new content. The Human Rights Commission has outlined 58 pieces of legislation that is discriminatory towards same sex couples. The Government has been very slow to resolve these issues (although it has gone some way in this direction) but the Labor Opposition is far more prepared to address these inequalities in their first term of office, therefore above everything else that's why I'll vote Labor in the House of Representatives. I'm not sure to go Labor or Greens in the Senate. A year ago the Prime Minister was not acknowledging that Climate Change was a real issue. He now uses it and his economic record as reasons for maintaining the status quo after 11 years of government. The constant reference to the past interest levels under previous Labor governments in interviews irritates me beyond belief when they selectively chose rates of 17% housing interest rates from the early 90's etc etc but somehow never refer back to the 4/5 budgets that saw a deficit when Howard was Treasurer plus the rates of 22% for houses waayyy back then as well. Surely the Australian public are not THAT stupid not to understand that we need change for the sake of change - Australian Labor is no Socialist / Communist government in waiting. Heck, Labor has in the past been the best Liberal government this country has ever seen (who floated the dollar, introduced more private banks and reduced/eliminated tariffs to boost productivity and the 'level playing field' in the 90's?).

Never let it be said you never knew where I stood on issues.

The BIG news is that last Monday Centred Art went live on the web. Yes, if you click on http://www.centredart.com.au/ you will see the site up and running - after an enormous amount of effort from Rene. For our Dutch visitors, it's all in Dutch with euro prices as well. Check it out, better still consider a purchase - did I mention it's close to Christmas? Darn, there's that corrupting capitalist slant coming into the Yuletide season again. Anyway, enjoy the colour and variety that is the Dreaming told in a 21st century way.

Incidentally, the gallery space on the ground floor of our house has a huge tiled area with (I think) 24 spots helping light the space. I can't wait to see it finished.

In 1958 I was living in South Africa. The world of the future was glimpsed in comics and occasionally on serials on the big screen at the kid's movie sessions. Well, here are a couple of clips from a film made by Chevrolet in 1958 forecasting what the future of design would look like. It makes fascinating viewing. Enjoy (hold that cringe).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_br4n4eCWME

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx63IaAPxME

Hey, what do you know? Brisbane has made it this week to the travel pages of The New York Times for the first time since 1988. Yes, we do exist (not that we need the NYT to prove it). These articles are always a bit slanted, but it gives a good review to the city I now call home. Check it out:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/travel/4next.html

Enough for now, there's loads I've left out (like the end of school's only 4 weeks away) but I'll take this opportunity to wish you the very best for the coming week and hopefully I'll update this a little quicker next time. Ciao!

PS I love this picture - too bad it isn't clearer, but I had one of these moments this week and it makes me chuckle every time I see it.

Another week gone

Yes, the 26th of October already, and tomorrow Rene's birthday. Yesterday he received a wonderful package from Holland - a photo in a frame. The photograph was of the entire Dings Clan, including pets. Tomorrow night there are eight of us going to a favourite restaurant of ours for dinner. We have our own wine (if you don't know, it's BYO wine even though it's fully licensed). We have our own room at the restaurant, and I just know Rene'll have a terrific time.

Sunday night we're going with a Taiwanese friend of ours to a Sunnybank restaurant to have crab. It's a tough life!

Today Rene and I sorted out things with our financial advisor, which lead to a second trip into the city to see a bank manager. We've had terrific service from both people today and above all it was very personal but efficient. Quite impressed! Oh, we also went in and out twice on the bus for the first time (we always used the train from Clayfield). The buses were fast, efficient, and the dedicated express lanes - they're elevated or tunneled where necessary - meant a short 15 minute trip each way. If only we had them everywhere. There are a couple of new ones being built now, and a major northern one matching the tunnels being built at present for the cars crossing Brisbane for something like 11 kilometres. Major activity and expenditure, but absolutely essential.

We should be moving to the Sunshine Coast somewhere around the 12th of November (Kay, if you're reading this in Prague or Italy - it'll be safe to come home again haha) and we'll have one apartment for the business and a neighbouring apartment in the same complex to live in.

A week on Sunday will see the exciting and challenging selection process for the exterior colours/ interior fittings for the house. We have been collecting catalogues and brochures, website links and all sorts of stuff in order to make up our minds quickly and correctly. It'll be a lot of fun. Done this twice before from scratch and it is a really lovely feeling to have a blank sheet and get everything just where you want it.

The Federal Election campaign continues with lots of pork barrelling from both sides. I'm still hoping for a thrashing for Howard, but I'll settle merely for a defeat of any size.

Rene today showed me the beta version of his website for Centred Art. It's looking great. Look out for the official launch any day now.

Deborah Kerr died last week. The impression of her was always that of being a star without that brashness that seems to accompany so many people courting the term these days (OH, I'M SOUNDING OLD!) but you get my drift. Apart from "The King and I", that famous kiss and other well known movies, the one that has always stayed in my mind is one I last saw on B&W television waaay back in 1969 when I was going to the University of Queensland here in Brisbane. It was called "The Innocents" and was a chilling drama involving seemingly innocent, yet wicked, children. No, I haven't seen it since, but when I saw it on TV here in '69 it was the second time I had seen it, and it made the hairs on my neck stand up. Not sure if it's available on DVD, but worth a look if you like being frightened.

I smell cooking - we sure eat well here in this house. The other day we had tortilla soup with all the Mexican trimmings (awesome!), Spanish rice and tortillas, last night I cooked tuna steaks (yumm) and I think tonight we're having BBQ'd steaks plus oven roasted vegetables.

I love my life!

(ciao for now, have a brilliant weekend)

and to think you thought I was missing.

Well, sort of missing I guess. I have been busy with many things, and blogging just didn't seem that important - until now.

I have been for the day (last Friday) to the Sydney Motor Show, very enjoyable experience but too much to do on one day. I did bump into our house designer at Sydney airport coming home. He and his wife were rerouted home from a brief holiday in Fiji via Sydney, so was surprised but pleased to meet them and have a drink in a bar to pass the time.

Our new apartment is one bedroom, and we inspected it the other day and found it to be very small - VERY small, so our plan is to use it for Rene's business until June and we'll attempt to rent a 2 bedroom apartment in addition until our home is built. We won't have to pay for storage either, so we'll offset some of the cost. I think it'll work.

We also attended the Multicultural Festival at Roma Street Parklands at the weekend and found it to be a very enjoyable distraction. A couple from my past came back to visit me whilst walking through the railway tunnel at Roma Street. A couple of teachers that I worked with over 34 years ago in Dirranbandi saw me and heard my voice, recognised it, and introduced themselves. I was really surprised to see them after all this time. They both looked exceedingly well and I was flattered that they recognised me.

I've been commuting for over a week and a half now from Mount Gravatt on the Southside of the city to schools on the Northside. The commute has been very tedious and slow, but seeing as though it is for a few weeks only, it's more than tolerable. I'm really impressed with the courtesy and patience of the drivers as a whole.

Kit's wife Polly arrived back Sunday from working for seven weeks back in the US. Now we're a household of four instead of three and it is really delightful to be so welcome here in Mount Gravatt. Dinners are shared and we dine exceedingly well, and once again the recycle bin is on a hiding to nothing to escape being extra full again this week. Incidentally Polly arrived back nearly recovered from a seriously sprained ankle (reputedly from dancing outside at night - hmmmm) plus sporting a viciously black finger nail attached to a strapped, alas broken, finger that was the result of her encounter with public transport (a train I think?) in Boston. Now when is that girl going to learn that dancing and public transport just aren't safe any more?

Decisions are looming on colours/materials for our new house. We hope to have that hurdle out of the way by mid November, then we won't have to think about it anymore.

The Iraqi family I teach have had a miraculous turn of events happen in their lives. Their father, who was kidnapped three years ago in Baghdad, has been found by US troops alive, but imprisoned underground, during a house sweep in mid August. He was released after questioning two days later and it took him three weeks to find contact his family here in Brisbane. We at the school only found out last week. Today I helped write a letter from my school to support his repatriation with his wife and five daughters here in Australia. It just goes to show that one should never give up hope, even though it may seem to be impossible to consider.

That's all for now. We are in the midst of a federal election campaign that will culminate with the polls on November 24. Those of you overseas, please think of us poor sods Down Under enduring the rhetoric and vitriol of a lot of people whom you really wouldn't like as friends. There is little difference at present between the policies of either of the two major parties, therefore I just want a new crew in Canberra because the old crew is too tainted by the past ('children overboard' is but one example). Oh well, at least we are fortunate enough to have relatively minor issues to distract us unlike many other nations.

It's such a tough life - not!

I would never like you to think for one moment I ever take my good fortune lightly. I really appreciate my friends, the great food and wine we get to partake of, the interesting work I do and above all the opportunity to travel meet fascinating people.

Last Wednesday night Rene and I were with four dear friends enjoying a delicious dinner at Azafran (in Annerley - try it, I heartily recommend it). We had earlier on been to see our house designer at a display village, discussed at length this 'finish' or that 'look' - the sort of thing that besots one when in the throes of building - we were having drinks, chatting away, really loving the service from two very smart, attractive young waitresses, and I was overwhelmed by a feeling of deep satisfaction. Here I was, in just about the safest, most stunning country on planet Earth, surrounded by people I like/love/adore, eating great food, sharing great stories from here and around the world, about to launch into yet another round of 'change' (which I usually enjoy), and I felt blissfully happy. It's a good zone to be in, and I really appreciate the opportunity to share this bliss with Rene and my friends.

Enough gushing, I've just reread the above and consider it a load of @#*%, but I'm leaving it in because they are my thoughts, and this is my forum to express them in.

Our team came equal third at the trivia night last Tuesday - not our best effort. However, it was enjoyable and helped make this fortnight off for the Spring vacation enjoyable.

Back to work tomorrow. I have a workshop and social and emotional competencies of 5-7 year olds on Tuesday. I think this will be particularly interesting in the light of the events with one of my refugee families at the end of last term. Our federal immigration minister currently has made pronouncements regarding African immigration reductions for 2008, due to lack of integration of these communities. He, of course, makes Rita Verdonk (his Dutch counterpart, now departed I think) appear Left Wing by comparison, and his public announcements regarding many issues (including overseas doctors) appear to be either ill-advised or at least very badly managed. My work with refugees is federally funded, and this funding falls far short of what is needed to assist these families in a holistic manner. A person from a camp with a non literate background is going to be much harder to settle and assimilate than the French, Italian or German immigrant child who arrives with similar funding for ESL (let's just use this one example). Yet after one year it ceases - the European child assimilates gradually over time (still takes a long time) but for many (not all) African refugees this assimilation will take generations to accomplish, and to assist in this, much more family support needs to be put into place, with assured funding from the government that wonderfully decided to allow them into this country in the first place.

Oh dear, I'm in my 'going back to work' frame of mind again. No matter, a new election in November/December will assuredly see the conservative government of John Howard thrown out and, hopefully, see a more humanitarian 'left of centre' government in its place. Mind you, all governments seem the same to me these days, all hovering around the middle. Oh for the days of Jack Lang (pre War Labor premier of NSW) - oh, forget that, that was during The Depression and the world was different then, no sub-prime jitters affecting the stock exchange, just extreme middle and upper class greed - thinks... the wealthy have never had it better in Australia....hmmmm, is there much difference between the greed of the Twenties and that of the Noughties?

Must sign off, about to depart for Doug's Seafood Cafe at Sandgate. We're taking Kit (our house mate) for the first time to this wonderful piece of Australian life - dining on fabulous fish and chips/salad beside the Bay for what is almost nothing.

Have a terrific week, write if you can, all notes gratefully received. If you disagree with a statement, discuss it with me, I'm always open to a great debate (or a little one). Ciao!

Tuesday - must be trivia night!

Yes, our third Tuesday night trivia event in two weeks - a record. First week we came second, last week fourth, this week......who knows? It's fun, we get out, it's inexpensive and above all it's one less meal to have to prepare.

Last night a Swiss friend came and visited after seeing our land and our plans. He's an architect, and it was interesting to see his European slant on all things housing. I thought our plan was ultra simple, but the one and only 'kink' in the northern side of the house accommodating the staircase was the one thing he would have straightened out and just had plain straight all along the side.

He stayed for dinner. We had barbecued beef and pork ribs, home made potato salad (I made it and it was delicious) along with a green salad. We dined on the veranda since it had been a hot day. The nights are still cooling down beautifully, it is spring after all, but Thursday is forecast to be 32. Ouch!

Saw Hairspray late Sunday afternoon. Enjoyed it for what it is, light entertainment. A group chatting behind us a couple of rows to the right continued chattering as the movie began. Without a second thought, after stewing for five minutes, I told them firmly but quietly to quieten down please, THANK YOU! I spent the next 20 minutes calming down and sort of regretting I had said anything. Rene was mortified. Oh well, I'm getting sick and tired of people using cinemas and theatres as their own lounge rooms and forgetting etiquette, manners and actually caring about what the other poor sods that occupy their public space are feeling. I mean to say, mobile phones texting in the dark during an opera, let alone a movie? Let's start not silently accepting it and putting up with it and telling these inconsiderate unsociable ingrates that enough is enough. I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore! Oh, I should add these people aren't necessarily all young, but they seem to be almost all female (don't hit me, I'm only reporting anecdotal evidence first hand).

Here's Brisbane's latest footbridge linking Roma Street to the GoMA (Gallery of Modern Art). It's only our second such bridge - we're very slow to catch on to this type of thing here in the deep dark north of the country. With its construction starting today and the nearby Hale St road bridge due to start in January, traffic movement will be improved, but the disruption to traffic whilst it's being achieved is going to be scary. We already have 11km of tunnels being built under and across the city with all that that entails, this will add to the burden of peak hour travel - yet we need all of it (like, yesterday!).

Saturday 29th

The week has flown by. Several of my friends are overseas at present and those that are not seem to be planning trips away somewhere interesting. I've had emails from Rebecca in Portland OR, Kay in Turkey, Di and Torquil in Western Australia, Peter and Bernadette last night describing their upcoming two months driving through western NSW to South Australia, then next year their 3 month sojourn through Europe in their new motor home that they bought this week in Britain. Oh, they'll stop off in South Africa on their way home and leave their motor home in Europe for the following year's 3 month holiday. Me? Well, the prospect of 7 months living up on the Sunshine Coast seems very nice, but still, it is quite suburban compared to the other places mentioned.

This evening the designer/builder comes with the contract for the new house. Building will start in January. It should all be done by June in time for Rene's sister's visit (sometime around September) when there'll be a wedding arranged. I already have some work in Caboolture next year, both in the primary and secondary Catholic schools, so that will reduce travelling times. I hope to get the remainder of my hours in north Brisbane.

If anyone knows of a you beaut site that deals with colour selections, please let me know. Rene and I have to decide soon (no urgency about it though) on an interior and exterior colour scheme for the house. No easy task. I tend to be with these things a bit like in a restaurant - the longer the waitperson takes to take my order, the more often I change my mind on the menu selections. I'm happy to nail it all in one sitting after lots of consultation then leave it alone until it is finished.

Refugees? What Refugees?

Click here to find an article from today's New York Times on refugees from Iraq. I teach one of these families. Interesting viewpoint.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/opinion/27cohen.html?ex=1348632000&en=e3283ca8ba8b34ce&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

House plan finalised

OK, maybe not finalised, but certainly sufficient to enable a contract to be signed this Saturday. We saw the whole drawings (elevations etc) for the first time today and I have to say I'm excited. It certainly won't be an architectural marvel, but it will sit very nicely on the site and internally it will fulfill every one of our requirements. I'll post the plans here next week. We also met both of our new neighbours today and they seems to be very nice people indeed. While we chatted the birds were flying around in the shade of the trees, a few people were walking along the creek bank and all in all I feel like we've moved in already. Sadly, it won't be until June next year, but given the way this year has flown by, it won't take all that long to pass.

Thursday 27th September

Today I received an email from a friend who lost his son to a 17 month long illness last week. Such a sad loss of a wonderful person. It again focuses me on making the most of every day and appreciating the life I have been fortunate enough to have. I sincerely hope you are making the most of every day and every opportunity to be fulfilled.

New House Design

Yesterday Rene and I met with the designer of our new home. The plans look wonderful, but I'm a bit biased since it is essentially what I planned already. Two storeys, three bedrooms plus study, three bathrooms, large deck at the front on the top floor, kitchen and living room at the front on top. It has over 80 sqm of gallery space on the ground floor plus a workroom and a double garage. Exterior will be weatherboard, the roof Colourbond metal roofing, integrated ducted air conditioning, solar hot water....the list goes on. Very exciting. Approval should be through before Christmas and the builder can start in January, but the finish time is around June. At the moment it is well below our budget but we have yet to add stone benchtops and a two pack kitchen etc etc. Still, it is quoted with timber floors upstairs for the living areas plus study, carpet in the bedrooms and tiles on the ground floor. The whole house has 9ft ceilings on both levels, and the living area's ceiling rises along with the scissor framed roof. I think it'll look brilliant.

Moved!

Yes, the first part of the move from our lovely town house is completed. We moved last Wednesday with our temporary residence being Upper Mount Gravatt on the south side of Brisbane. Our friend Kay has left for Turkey, Italy and Eastern Europe for two months, so whilst she is away we are invading her home. It is now Sunday afternoon and we are now almost completely settled in, even to the point of having the net up and running. My American friend Kit lives at Kay's house and has graciously accepted the 'invasion', and his liver has already been given a serious workout. When his partner Polly returns from her long trip to the US there'll be four of us at Stanhope Street. It's really lovely to have such nice friends.

On Thursday night, after cleaning the house and doing a myriad of last minute things, we met four friends at a restaurant in Albion called 'Bespoke'. We were running late, tired, and above all not brilliantly dressed for such a smart restaurant, but other than last minute ironing and a traffic jam, we arrived at the place ready to be thoroughly spoiled, and we certainly were. The food was outstanding (three courses times six people, enough opportunities to get something wrong). Everyone enjoyed each course, we loved the service and above all the balance between smartness and informality (when Aussies get it right, they get it SOOO right!). From my entree of yellow fin tuna plate with the fish prepared three ways, through to the bouillabaisse served in an interestingly new way (seafood piled upon a caviar blini) and to top it off a dessert combining rhubarb and strawberry - well, this very tired bloke went to bed that night extremely satisfied. Recently we entertained a couple of visiting Dutch friends to a dinner at a fabulous restaurant only to find a series of highs and lows during the evening (food-wise). Bespoke got everything right, and I mean everything. We'll be back. http://restaurantbespoke.com.au/

Back at Last

This post has been tidied up a little since the weekend but is still a little less than perfect. Only a couple of the first set of photos enlarge when you click on them, but should you wish a high quality enlargement, just send a note and it will be done. This dry river bed below is the Todd River in Alice Springs. Last January it was in flood. It must be an awesome sight in a land of countless awesome sites.

G'day everyone. After a lapse due to travelling and packing and preparing to move house, another post is upon you from Owen. Rene got back from Alice Springs last Tuesday, I had returned 8 days prior.

It was a stunning trip - one I was dreading because the roads we were travelling over were some of the worst in the country. We successfully drove the Nissan Patrol over 2000 km in one week, travelling down from Darwin to Katherine, then west towards the W.A. border, then down towards Lajamanu, a truly remote Aboriginal community. The Nissan had a 3L turbo diesel engine with a 96L tank plus a sub tank holding 48L therefore the range was quite good on a tank (and a half). The most expensive diesel was A$2.10/L (in Brisbane today it was $1.18).

We continued on after buying art towards Tanami driving on the western side of the Tanami Desert. We turned east towards Alice Springs (still 655km to go) and camped the night in our car. Rabbit Flat is Australia's most remote road house and only has bush camping facilities. A couple from Victoria befriended us and we shared hot tea and light and lots of conversation. To say the full moon and the stars were stunning would be an understatement. The word 'awesome' is a trifle overused these days, but this Central Australian sky was all of that.

After an early morning start we arrived at Yuendemu (more Warlpiri people) and visited the art centre. The drive to Alice Springs allowed us to travel beside the McDonnell Ranges for some 170km or so. The landscape and colour in the Centre is astounding, and I hope Rene's pictures capture a little of it.

Once in Alice Springs I had a couple of nights before flying back to Brisbane (and work) but Rene stayed on for the Desert Mob art show and also to drive to a couple more communities to buy art.

Now we are moving out this Wednesday and living in Mt Gravatt (Brisbane) until our apartment is finished on the Sunshine Coast towards the middle of November. We have met today with a designer/builder who has come up with exactly the concept we're looking for to build ASAP on our land in Nundah (Brisbane). More details later, but for now I must finish this post and get to bed. One whole day of packing left for me, but Rene has three. Exciting, exhausting and exhilarating life may be, but a bit of calm over the vacation period in a week's time will be eagerly anticipated.

The pictures are in no particular order as of yet. I'll tidy up this later when I have time. Click on them to see them larger, especially the landscapes.

I'm Back...

Yes, I survived the Outback. We drove some 1800km of which nearly 1000 was on dirt, some of it extremely rough. The country is absolutely stunning and I promise to tell more soon, but not tonight. I've been back at work just two days but I'm really very tired. Last week was incredibly exciting and fascinating, but it requires some considerable time to do it justice, and that's just not what I have at present. What with the trip plus planning on leaving the house and packing up within 16 days, I've enough on my plate right now. Just spoke to Rene back in Alice Springs who had just returned from his fourth remote community and he said everything was very successful - bought lots of art - he's now returned the 4WD with some 2500km added to the odometer. This is a mighty big country.

Examples of Contemporary Aboriginal Art

Today I thought I'd feature just a couple of examples of modern Aboriginal art, but remember these are just two examples of the many varied and interesting styles coming out of 21st century Australia. Elements remain from traditional art but they are modified in keeping with the ability to use more colour and acrylic paint instead of natural paint and colours. 100 pieces of contemporary Aboriginal art from 100 different artists will produce 100 different styles, which makes the whole scene very exciting indeed. More to come when Rene's website is up and running.

Saturday August 25

Yesterday Rene and I attended the wedding of my nephew Simon and Tracey. It was a delightful event that had to be held indoors because of the unseasonal but wonderful rain we've been receiving here in Brisbane over the last week. There are floods on the Sunshine Coast where they've received upwards of 700mm in the past 24 hours. We've had much less than that, but more importantly some of the rainfall is actually in our dams catchment areas so we are breathing a collective sigh of relief at the present. Far from being enough, it is at least SOMETHING.

Back to the wedding...it was very nice indeed and the bride looked stunning and everyone looked happy. My parents would have been so proud to see their grandson extending the reach of the 'Langdale' name in this country.

I may have a little too much to drink because at one stage (quite early on if I remember correctly) my niece asked me the name of this blog and I said "Eternal Blow" instead of Beau - well, you can imagine how much reaction that received.

This morning we went to a little chat session lead by the guy who had the workshop a couple of months ago on Aboriginal reconciliation. It was tough to back up at 8am following a wedding and reception last night, but the three hours went by quickly. No easy solutions, but it provided food for thought regarding the communities we'll visit next week in Central Australia.

We leave Monday night for Darwin. On Tuesday we pick up a 4WD and drive through Katherine towards Lajamanu, a very remote desert community. Rene is visiting the art centre there to buy art wholesale. We continue on towards Alice Springs with one night at Rabbit Flat Roadhouse (Australia's most remote) camped by the road (there's no accommodation). This year it is operating 7 days a week, whereas last year it only operated Friday to Monday.

I found some ads on the net the other day and I'd like to share them with you. They appear quite clever to me, I hope you like them too.

PS With the issue of building uppermost in my mind these days - well, along with work, the new business and a trip to the Territory - this picture tickled my funnybone. I'm loathe to say 'Only in America' but, well, I think this is applicable:

Centred Art Website

The business cards arrived today for Rene's new business, and they look terrific. The design is on the website http://centredart.com.au/ which is being held open ready for a launch soon.

Rain, apartment and life

Glorious rain for the last two days and more promised this week. Great news.

Saturday Rene and I went to look at the latest work being done on our apartment complex. The landscaping is progressing well, the pool is yet to be filled, the tennis court looks ready to go and palms and assorted trees and shrubs are being planted all over the place. We get in to inspect our place on October 14. Can't wait.

Bought a new shirt and shoes on Sunday ready for my nephew's wedding this Friday afternoon. Should be a very pleasant affair at the Victoria Park Golf Club.

Today assisted the annual testing of the Year 3/5/7's at one school, again tomorrow. My ESL students try so hard, but even with explanations of text (no elaboration, just help with the reading) they usually find it difficult to carry out step 2 and 3 after just understanding what to do in step 1. Anyway, it proves nothing but keeps the politicians happy.

House designs and builders are proving to be a little challenge. Nothing solid to report just yet, but I guess it's early days.

Rene has continued framing his many Aboriginal art works. I have to say they look stunning framed and free standing. He's doing an excellent job.

Planning for next week's journey to The Centre is finished. I'll publish a map of the route at the weekend. Suffice to say it is around 1800km of often desert terrain and will be fascinating. We have booked a large 4WD for the journey. Looking forward to it enormously.

I'll finish off for now with this picture that I found on someone's blog - loved it to pieces. Until next time....

Mid week holidays

Today is the People's Day holiday for the 'Ekka', the annual Brisbane Royal Show called The Exhibition - but in true Aussie style this has been shortened to Ekka. School children have another holiday tomorrow as well, and state school teachers go back for in service, but Catholic schools (bless 'em) allow staff the extra day too. Tomorrow I have the car booked in for a service, Rene and I have to sign documents at the bank for his business loan, and Rene also wants to finalise the 4WD car for the Northern Territory trip in a fortnight. Additionally he also wants to buy a new digital camera for his business (my faithful Nikon is now incredibly four years old and still going well). So, a day off for me, but filled with interesting activity.

Rene's been busily making frames and stretching canvases for the existing 30 or so Aboriginal paintings he has bought for his private collection. They looked great as canvas, but now stretched on frames they look stunning. He's decided on the logo and now the printing of stationery and the creation of the website is underway. This is the final logo:

Our new block of land

Today we took friends to look at our new block of land in Nundah. We walked over it, around it, along the park both ways, and whichever aspect one looks at it, it's a beautiful spot adjacent to a park and creek right in the middle of a busy suburb. Hope you agree it's delightful.

Chinese Aussie stands up against Olympics

Today's NYT carries a story that I've not noticed in our local media about an Australian/Chinese lady in Beijing refusing to leave her family's business so it can be demolished for the Marathon route next year. Read more here http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/09/world/asia/09china.html?ex=1187323200&en=829c67969932453b&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Amazing update - just 24 hours since the last.

A couple of things: firstly Miss Saigon last night was good but far from great. Maybe we weren't close enough? I thought the sound could have been sharper, the diction a little clearer and the audience a little 'buzzier' (is that a word?). Don't get me wrong, it was very good, just not 'great'! I never realised it was so much like Madama Butterfly.

I came home this evening to a request by Rene to accompany him during his first week in the Centre at the end of the month. He feels for his first trip he needs a co driver just to be safe. I'd earlier indicated I'd go with him, but I was in fact the third person he asked. Some of the distances are quite impressively lengthy. We fly to Darwin on the 27th late arriving after midnight and a day later make our way southwards stopping at a couple of isolated communities before finally reaching Alice Springs by the weekend. He'll stay another 10 days or so, I'll fly back to Brisbane on the Sunday. I've never been to Alice Springs so it'll be fascinating for me.

Zandvoort in The Netherlands was the scene of a gigantic Lego man being washed up on the beach yesterday. It's thought he might have drifted from England, but whatever the source he stands adjacent to a drinks stand on the beach until someone claims him I guess (or is it finders keepers?).

Loved this cartoon in this week's NYT of a full plane. Very clever.

I know, it's been a while...

I can only say I've not had the time or the inclination to update this blog. For one thing I've had a cold since a week last Friday night. not enough to put me in bed, but enough to make me feel thick in the head and uncomfortable (where are those tissues?). Soon after our Dutch friends left Rene went to Melbourne for all of last week. He has been checking out galleries and generally establishing the business. While he was away a real estate agent contacted me and asked why our place wasn't listed with him (he had sold it to us originally). I said it was sold, did he know of any land around this area? Next day he rang me, he met me at this lovely block of land overlooking a park and brook. I was impressed. I told Rene over the phone, and on Friday when I picked him up from the airport I immediately drove him to the spot, he liked it, and the next day we haggled with the owner via the agent and bought it at noon. It is not very far from where we currently live, about 2 km away. It is three blocks from a station (Toombul) and is in the suburb of Nundah. Now we have to find a design then a builder to put a 2 storey 300+sqm house on it by the middle of next year.

The weather has been very dry but warm to hot. Last week we even topped 27 here in Brisbane, not bad for winter. Mornings are still cold, I think today we got down to 6, but the daytime temperatures are glorious.

I'm off to Miss Saigon tonight with three friends. Rene is staying home (not his thing). I'm really looking forward to it. Bye for now and I'll update this update perhaps tomorrow.

Oh, this picture is from beautiful Santa Fe, a place I stayed in for a week or so in 1996. The article from the NYT this week is interesting reading. Enjoy! http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/08/05/travel/05SantaFe.html