The bits of stuff that fall in the cracks between Life, Music and outrageous fortune.  
     
     
     
June
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1) The coffee that didn't deliver 2) Mordialloc basks seedily in the winter sun

3) I enjoy looking at the boats rotting on the water, as well as 4) rotting on the river bank
A Sunday kinda Saturday
26.6.05 -
Of course, now it's really Sunday, but most of yesterday was a counterfeit Sunday - during the sunny bits anyway. I started my almost Sunday by investigating a newish coffee joint that's opened on Saturdays for the first time and is within walking distance of home. That would be nice, I thought, to have a really nice coffee joint so close to home, but, as is so often the case, the product, although looking promising (pic 1), proved to be a disappointment. Poof! goes dream #1. As is my wont on the weekend, I went and picked up my son Chris from the 'ranch', and we did the Mordialloc thing, a bit of a father-son tradition where we hurtle down to Mordy, buy fish 'n' chips and consume them, (or not, in Chris' case), watching the sea from the safety of any ol' carpark down Beach Rd. Now I have a van with a radio, we listened to the Wallabies v. Italy game as an aural distraction. We tried a different fish 'n' chips joint this time, but the result was indistinguishable from our regular indifferent stale oil joint. A quick visit to the Sullivans to wish Melissa a happy birthday, and it was time to take Chris back home and watch the All Blacks / Lions first test. Now, that's what I call real winter weather!
 

1) The Rose St Café 2) The streetscape from the window at the Richmond Hill Larder

3) The snug interior of Café Latté in Hawksburn 4) Your Pinot Noir awaits you, sir..
Café society
24.6.05 - Was it lunchtime on Tuesday I met management at the Rose St Café? I dunno, but despite it looking like rain, we elected to sit outside in the courtyard to partake of our open sandwiches. Bit of a mistake really, 'cause the service was inexplicably slow and we alternately froze and then rejoiced in the watery sun when it chose to poke out from behind the threatening clouds. Yesterday morning we had breakfast at the Richmond Hill Larder, which is always good value and the place to buy cheeses, and where we were surprised by Craig Horne of the Hornets sitting at the next table. Craig had just been to the Epworth to have his knee inspected for a possible arthroscopy, so we swapped crappy knee stories for a few minutes and quizzed him about a couple of gigs the Hornets have done that we're doing in the near future. As he was leaving, he said that Triple R was consistently playing the Hornets' nifty version of Going Home, which is good news.. And today we lunched at Café Latté in downtown Hawksburn, one of our more reliable faves. All told, quite a week. When I think about it, I'm pretty sure that this frantic café activity is a prelude to the school holidays, when such civilised behaviour is severely curtailed, if not completely verboten. Ah well, at least we have the memories to keep us warm..
 

1) What's this? A birthday cake? For whom? 2) Just the two candles, Mikey - you can do this..

3) I feel kind of funny now, Melissa..
The party's over, Mike!
20.6.05 -
Excuse the inexcusable indulgence, but my other sister-in-law, Kath, sent me these shots of my being proferred my 60th birthday cake and the ritual that followed. Sue's youngest, Melissa, appears to be concerned for my health after I blew out all of two candles - I guess you can't be too careful with old folk, ..
 
 

1) Vinyl relics from an era long past adorned the party walls..
The party must go on..
20.6.05 -
We weren't gigging on Saturday night, so my rel's got together and pooled their resources to give me a slap up birthday bash at sister-in-law Sue's place. My brother Richard contrived to get a headache after his performance at the Kelvin Club, so he and Mary couldn't make it, but just about everyone else did. I copped some neato pressies too. And then yesterday at St Andrews, the Robbos bushwacked me with a bottle of fine Mornington pinot - so I dropped off at Warrandyte on the way home, pinot and rugby tape in hand - and promptly got belted with four more you-beaut pinots. Life is good..

2) Louise and Miss Molly party pooped early 3) My son Chris and his cousin Michelle wait for their food to go cold
 

1) What's this? Compressed T-Shirt? 2) I get it - I think! Maybe I should consider a navel ring?
It's a modern world..
17.6.05 -
Imagine my delight when I was leaving the house yesterday and found a parcel sitting on the porch from my brother Jeremy in San Francisco. When I got home again, I opened it to discover a plastic tube (pic 1) with the description of the contents on the label - 'Compressed T-Shirt'. 'What will those yanks think of next?', I muttered rhetorically to myself as I ripped off the plastic sheathing. The result (pic 2) is very modern, I think you'll agree. Thanks Jeremy..
 

What I'm listening to this week
16.6.05 -
I've got pretty catholic tastes for an atheist, as this list (in no particular order) will betray.
1) You Rascal You - Fats Waller
2) Mirrors Of Fire - Tim Kain
3) Caravan - Art Blakey Jazz Messengers
4) Beatle Jazz - With A Little Help From Our Friends
5) New Jazz Conceptions - Bill Evans
6) Full House - Wes Montgomery
7) Crazy Legs 2004 - Trevor J and The Big Town Playgirls

 
 
Spill the wine
13.6.05 - With my 60th b'day imminent, I can only hope this is not a sign of things to come. Last night (Sunday) I did the right and proper thing and hove my weary carcase up to brother Dick's place in Warrandyte, with rugby videos and a delivery of fine NZ pinot in hand. I'd barely got any sleep the night previous, due to my internal alarm clock waking me at 8.00 despite my having fallen into bed only five hours earlier, and I s'pose that might've had something to do with it. Anyway, during an animated conversation I made an ill judged lunge, glass in hand, and spilt a third of my glass on my person (pic). Actually, the bulk of it spilled on my trousers, but I think the visible form of the spill on my jumper suitably expresses my surprise and indignation at my own clumsiness. Not to mention the waste of wine. I think I already hate getting old..
 
 

1) Looking down Hardware St 2) The view from the Postman's Nostril 3) Roberto Benigni
9.6.05 - I like going into town every now and then, and nice things happen there when you get close to a birthday. For instance, my brother Richard met me for lunch today and decided to shout me as my birthday present.. I was able to buy a couple of CDs from Discurio before we ambled down to The Postman's Nostril (Il Nostro Posto) in Hardware St. They've got good (Italian) food there and very friendly staff, including the guy who starred in the movie, Life Is Beautiful (pic). He's remarkably humble, considering his illustrious background.  
 
 
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