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        T R U M S P E C T R U M S P E C T R U M | 
   
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    | M 
        I K E R U D D B I L L P U T T . C O MM M 
        I K E R U D D B I L L P U T T . C O MM 
        M I K E R U D D B I L L P U T T . C O MM 
        M I K E R U D D | 
   
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    | a 
        separate realityr 
        
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          | July |   
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                |  1) At 
                  Dick's, who cocks his snoot at his elder and betterer brother 
                  while Maria contemplates another one of her fabulous shortbread 
                  biscuits
 
       2) One 
                  of Tony Irving's film noir paintings from Beyond the Twilight 
                  Zone 3) Artist Graeme Drendel and Crudd 4) Graeme again with 
                  M&M at the Lindberg Gallery (Lamont)
 
    5) The 
                  corner of the Hotel Jesus Mexican bar that will forever be ours 
                  6) Maria snaps the two cuddly guys over the table
 A coupla 
                  days in the life of M&M
 18.8.17 -  It was last Monday that we popped over to 
                  Dick's place in Warrandyte North to finally pick up the hampers 
                  of goodies that the Sellers' donated to us before they left 
                  for the Land of the Long White Cloud. Dick's on his Todd while 
                  Mary's away in Arnhem Land and and was cooking pikelets in our 
                  honour when we arrived. He was quite glad to see us (I think). 
                  He's coming over to the Mount tomorrow night to see by how much 
                  the ABs beat the hapless Wannabes on the telly in the Red Room.
 Last night (Thursday) saw M&M poodling into Collingwood 
                  to catch the opening of Tony Irving's Beyond the Twilight Zone 
                  exhibition at the behest of Hand Made Films' Peter Lamont. 
                  (pic 6) M and I both liked the work in general and the 
                  one shown here (pic 2) in particular, but no bargains 
                  to add to our collection tonight. Peter was already there and 
                  chatting to another well-known Victorian artist, Graeme Drendel, 
                  (pics 3 & 4) who recognised me as a ghost from 
                  his early days in Ballarat, when Spectrum played at the Miners' 
                  Rest Community Hall to fuck-all people. He's also played in 
                  bands apparently before settlimg on painting as a way of not 
                  making a lot of money. Peter showed me a sample of Graeme's 
                  work on his phone later and I really liked it a lot. Peter also 
                  introduced us to another high-profile artist, David Milne, who 
                  mentioned in passing that he'd been commissioned to paint a 
                  portrait of Mick Gatto.
 We did get to speak to the artist of the moment briefly, although 
                  the chatter was getting to the threshold of my tolerance and 
                  my attention started to wander somewhat - which was when I realised 
                  the room was stacked with (mostly male) artist heavyweights.
 We decided it was time to eat and Peter led us to the Hotel 
                  Jesus, a Mexican bar cum resataurant (pic 5) 
                  in Smith St where we ate a selection of allegedly Mexican dishes 
                  that defied my experience of standard Mexican fare. The bar 
                  was noisy, of course, and I didn't understand a word of our 
                  authentic-looking waitress' recommendations - which may explain 
                  why I didn't recognise any of the food that arrived in front 
                  of me.
 Peter's very good company and we enjoyed chatting the chat in 
                  the Hotel Jesus and then even more chat on the way back to the 
                  poodle. If this is living when there's no work about, then it's 
                  not too bad I suppose..
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          | July |  
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                |      1) Maria 
                  in a buying mood next to Sandie and Philippa 2) Hither and Thither 
                  for the studio 3) Phil's Drifting Blues
 | Two 
                  Phils at the Print Gallery 13.8.17 - I've met Philippa Riddiford, 
                  Phil Manning's other half a number of times so I knew she was 
                  an artist, but I've never been to an exhibition of her work 
                  before now. Maria received an invitation for us to go to her 
                  current show's opening at the Printmaker Gallery in Fitzroy 
                  on Friday night and we somehow managed to turn up right on time, 
                  which meant we were the first to arrive by some fifteen minutes 
                  - with the exception of Philippa's friend Sandie (pic 1).
 M was struck at how much more vibrant the colours were in the 
                  flesh and that may've
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                | encouraged her to buy 
                  a couple of the smaller prints - and then for me to buy one 
                  for myself !! Unheard of extravagance from me of course, but 
                  then I heard from Laneway's Vincent Donato that he had also 
                  bought one of Philippa's works! I think my pic (pic 2) 
                  will suit the studio and maybe even provide some much-needed 
                  inspiration. Phil (Manning) eventually started playing some gentle blues 
                  (pic 3) but by now M&M were starving and had to 
                  rush out into the night and find a nearby Thai before Maria 
                  fainted.
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          | July |   
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                |    1) THE 
                  KISS after the tying of the knot in front of the assembled witnesses 
                  2) THE KISS in close-up
 | Broc 
                  and Kathleen tie another knot 12.11.17 - Two days have passed 
                  and I've finally managed to send Broc the crucial videos from 
                  Saturday's celebration, which means my iPhone is free at last! 
                  This was THE first WEDDING of the year - and it had everything. 
                  The radiant bride, the groom, the merest hint of drama, a cast 
                  that hasn't been assembled since Broc's 60th at the same venue 
                  two years ago, the music - especially Keaton's duo with Broc 
                  - the disappearing heating and even more. The nuptials were 
                  conducted smoothly and with appropriate decorum by the celebrant 
                  (pics) and before we knew it the quite important banquet 
                  and the music part of the gig were under way.
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        M I K E R U D D B I L L P U T T . C O MM 
        M I K E R U D D | 
   
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