Ghost Gums, Old Glory

...And I Feel Fine

Well, maybe a little sleep deprived. I know we only brought her home on Friday, but already it feels as if she's always been here. Most of you guys know how long I've waited to bring home a puppy, and Buffy was well worth waiting for.

But enough of me wittering on, I know what you really want - PICTURES!

 
Buffy on Saturday, lying on Stephen's jacket on the floor, surrounded by toys. I bought a dozen chew toys but forgot a bed for her to lay on when she's not in her crate. Stephen went to get her one yesterday.

"I'll just do some redecorating, this mat would look much better over here".

"Don't get up, I'll just feed myself!"

"So...tired...can't make it...to the bed...here under the chair...is fine...zzzzzzz"

Here's my girl this morning, look at one ear standing up already! Poor lopsided baby! Boy, she's growing so fast...they really don't stay babies for very long, do they? I came to that realization last night, sitting here stressed out about the condition of the house. I realize I need to let the housecleaning go for a bit, and give her my time. Cleaning can wait, but the time put in with her now will pay all of us in the long run.

(I know some of you are in shock at hearing me say I'm going to let the cleaning go. I'm happy I can still surprise you ;-)

I haven't put her in the same room with the cats yet, just let them sniff each other through the screen door. I confess, I'm chicken. Or rather, I want to give her time to settle in before I visit the trauma of a hissing, spitting cat on her. Yeah, that sounds better.

In other news...oh wait - there isn't any other news. I've got a new puppy, everything else has ground to a halt. Although I'm happy to report she slept peacefully through the night for the first time. Well, she didn't whine to go potty, so I count that as sleeping.

It's The End of The World As We Know It...

The calm before the storm...

Puck has no idea what's he's in for. Today we bring the puppy home, and life as we know it will never be the same.

I can't wait!

Our new addition!

Thursday was a miserable grey, wet and cold day. But, there was one ray of sunshine:

How cute is she?! Meet Buffy, our German Shepherd puppy. She's 7 weeks today, and we'll be bringing her home on Friday. I've been buying out the pet store, and puppy-proofing the house (and yard!). 

I don't think the cats will be too pleased, though.

The Motown Event

First of all let me say to Mary Wilson, if she's reading this - Back up off my man! hahhahaha!! Oh I crack myself up sometimes.

Let me back up a little, start at the beginning...

The end of our week o' concerts was The Motown event at Sandalford. 

Celebrating 50 years of Motown music. We left home a little early because of construction delays on the way, but it turned out the construction was pretty much finished, no delays at all- so we arrived a lot earlier than planned. To the VIP enclosure, where the food was crap. Absolute crap. I was starving, so Stephen went to the food stands and got me a chili dog and fries. 
It had nothing in common with a chili dog, except the name. One of those instances where someone here has read about a chili dog, and interpreted it in their own way - a sure recipe for failure. Back to the food stand to get a hamburger for me, and fish and chips for Stephen. About 45 minutes before the end of the food service they started bringing out food you could actually eat - by which time I was full. Oh, and they were serving sushi, in 90+ degree heat, nothankyouverymuch. The very next week, during the Tom Jones concert (we didn't go, I know you're surprised) the president (owner?) of Sandalford came on stage and announced that they were severing their relationship with A Day on the Green...this would be the last concert under that banner. It certainly explained a lot, about why the quality of the VIP function went to shit.

The lineup was Mary Wilson, The Miracles, Joan Osborne, Ian Moss, Jimmy Barnes, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves, and the Temptations. Ian Moss and Jimmy Barnes are Aussie entertainers who I think put out an album of soul music once. Can I just say, Jimmy Barnes has a massive, massive head.  His  daughter is named 'Mahalia', they performed a song together 'River Deep, Mountain High' which I understand was a huge hit for him here. When he introduced her, I thought I misheard. I told Stephen if I had known how much they love African-American culture here I would have been here YEARS ago!

First up was Mary Wilson, who looked amazing!
(all the pictures were taken with my phone, as I forgot to put the camera in my bag) She sounded good, and was obviously having a good time. As we were in the front row, she noticed me right off - not too hard, the only brown face in sight! She singled us out, she smiled and walked to the front of the stage and started singing to Stephen. The camera was right in my face, I looked at the big screen and sure enough - there we were on the jumbotron!  At the end of the show when all the performers were onstage, she was still singing to him. He said 'Can you see yourself home? I think I'm in with a chance there.' What a funny man.

Next up, The Miracles! The last surviving original member (not counting Smokey) was old and creaky - I felt bad for him shuffling onstage, and standing up there trying to remember where he was and why, and why is it so loud up here, and who are all these people?

At every concert, without exception, there is a drunk woman seated next to us. I can't understand how it happens EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. Usually it's Stephen who has the drunk as a seatmate, but tonight I was the lucky one. She had massive fake breasts, and a minuscule black dress. Waving her arms and gyrating in front of me, stepping on my feet, throwing an arm over my shoulder in drunken camaraderie, It was extremely amusing watching the male performers take notice of her.

I saw a couple of people tonight with the glow light necklaces - so weird, like they thought they were at  a Jimmy Buffet concert.

Joan Osborne, Ian Moss and Jimmy Barnes.

The Four Tops!

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas!

The Temptations!

At the end all the acts came onstage and did a tribute to Michael Jackson, it was actually really good, and a little moving. I still find it hard to believe he's gone.

We made our way through the crowd and out to the car. And thus ends our concert season. I'm really looking forward to next season, I think Aerosmith is coming!

Quiet Nights

Let's see, where were we?

Oh yeah, one crazy week of concerts. Sunday was Rob Thomas, Tuesday was Diana Krall, and the following Sunday was The Motown Event.

Diana Krall was another Day on the Green event, but this time at Kings Park. We did the VIP thing again, and we both liked it so much more than Sandalford. The food was delicious, and the champagne was Veuve Clicquot. We were seated on a comfy bench, and I was eating a bowl of couscous with chicken. All of a sudden a bird flew between us, and away into the trees. I looked down into my bowl...and a piece of my chicken was gone! Damn kookaburra stole my chicken! From the dish I was holding! Cheeky bugger...it was really good chicken, too.  

There he is, the thief.

This is the view from the VIP area, where we sat in comfort listening to the opening acts.

Next, down to our seats, which were these low lawn chairs.

A couple of uninvited guests. They interrupted her at one point when she was talking to the audience. She was talking about the lovely lake, and the ducks, and they sounded off, right on cue. She said 'They must be Canadian geese!'

More of a pond, really. The last time we were there, there was a platform over the water, and we sat right up next to the stage.

The music was amazing, I love Diana Krall! Unfortunately we had to leave a trifle early. I fell and jacked up my knee. It swelled to the size of a softball, which made it a little difficult to walk, so we left a little early to beat the crowd.

A Day on the Green, ~one more time

Sunday we went to Sandalford to see Rob Thomas  The opening act was Vanessa Amorosi, who I didn't know. (I really need to start educating myself on Aussie music). I was pleasanly surprised, I really enjoyed her show. It was a very bare bones sort of stage setup, and her sister sang backup (when she wasn't canoodling with the percussionist).

She's got a great voice, and I'm going to have to search out some of her music. I thought her outfit was interesting:
She had cue cards(!) made up so the crowd could sing along :

At intermission I visited the bathroom, and found that they had changed the setup. The mens' and womens' were separated by about 50 feet, I wonder why?

Then it was time for the main act, and I must say Rob put on a great show. He only did one Matchbox Twenty song - by himself, with just a guitar, which I thought was a nice touch. 
There were some technical difficulties - first, his earpiece wasn't working, then, the lighting rig cut out! He soldiered on and did the next song with just a spotlight. I was standing most of the show, singing along, what a great night!

On the way out, I saw this:
Not only is that a Hummer limo, it's pink! *sigh* I don't even know.

Badvertising

I came across this today, a blast from the past. Does anyone remember Corn Nuts' ill-fated ad campaign from about 1997? Apparently, none of the suits involved in giving this ad campaign the 'ok' had the slightest idea what it meant. I remember listening to this, just dying laughing.  Here's the radio spot:

It's just amazing - "Go to your room and lock the door, 'Cause when you try it once you'll wanna try it some more! Size doesn't matter and that's a fact, It might be small, but it's a big impact! Bust a nut! Bust a nut..."

Maybe, the creative guys at whatever ad agency were slapping themselves on the back for slipping that one by. What do you think?

 

Summer is Here

Summer is here, no doubt. It's currently 26.4 celsius (80 F for the northern hemisphere people). At 9:30 pm. Today's high was 39 C (102 F). Now, anyone who knows me, knows I love the heat, but even I have my limits. There's a reason man created air conditioners...which I'll be shopping for this week. In the renovation, we took out the old inefficient ones, and haven't replaced them yet.

It's weather like this that makes me miss Florida - the way every single public space is refrigerated, with condensation running down the windows. Ahhh! You open the door, and get that waft of cold, moist air. A lot of Americans here whine about how it doesn't seem like Christmas in the heat. I strung lights on my palm trees, and wore shorts and flip-flops to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. It's all what you're used to, isn't it?

Bouncing off the Satellites

Where do I start? There was a major traffic jam on the way there, due to roadworks. It took us about 45 minutes to drive 4 kms. Very unusual! We arrived at the VIP function, under the tent,
where I had my fair share of champagne, and some very average nibbles, then it was time for the show! They sent us off with a bottle of wine, in a bag with ice. I thought the ice was a nice touch.

When we got to our seats, there was a DJ playing music before The Proclaimers took the stage. He was having too much fun!
Yes, that is a New York Jets uniform.

There were 2 crazy people seated next to us. Drunk or high - or both at the same time, I don't know. They were slightly amusing at first, but they quickly became completely annoying. Flailing her arms about, dancing in the aisle despite repeated warnings from security. Finally we had to move away from them. I'm just glad Stephen didn't smack her.

In the interval between The Proclaimers and the B52s, I made a trip to the port-o-potties. Of course there was a conga line in front of the women's, and the men waltzing right in to their loo. A woman in front of me stuck her head into the men's side, and I asked her if there were any stalls? Getting an affirmative answer, I proceeded to waltz into the men's, into the empty stall, and take care of business. I do feel kind of bad for the guy standing at the urinal, though-  I believe he was struck with performance anxiety when I walked in. He was still standing there while I washed up and waltzed out, past the sheeple lined up, still waiting for the ladies loo. Stephen had a good laugh when I got back to my seat and told him what I'd done.

Do I even need to say they put on an amazing show?

My pictures this time were not up to much, the camera didn't want to focus, I think the light show confused it? Any way, I got a couple good ones. Sometimes -not often- I really see the limitations of my little point and shoot. Ah well.

Cindy Wilson , Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider, Ricky Wilson and Keith Strickland were the founding members of the B52s. Cindy Wilson's brother Ricky died back in 1985, of an AIDS-related illness. I felt so bad for her, and she really took it hard - and it hit kind of close to home for me.  The remaining four are still together, still making great dance music. 

A Trip to the Mall

I've got some pictures from a trip to the mall. Often I see things that are just slightly...off? Lost in translation, somehow.

I took this with my phone, sitting at the light. That van says 'Hire A Box'. (hire=rent) Who is going to rent a cardbord box? Is there really a need for that service? Talk about your niche marketing! Oh, and there's financing available!

The first half dozen or so spaces in the row were marked this way. I understand the Aussies like the idea of a laid-back lifestyle, but in which universe is an hour and a half considered 'express'?

Close-up:

This looks like a gift store, but the name doesn't exactly put me in mind of happy gift-giving. I dunno, it just struck me as weird.

Here's a sandwich shop:

Mmmm, pumpernickel bread! Only, not. They don't actually have pumpernickel bread, despite taking their name from that delicious, dark, chewy goodness. I find that a lot, that people will take an American word and use it, just because it sounds cool. Sometimes it does my head in.

And last, but most certainly not least: in the back of the case you can see a container of the hallowed beetroot. (Beetroot=beets) Aussies put beetroot in everything, from sandwiches to pastries.

Yes, pastries. Here's what I figure: They like to look down their nose at the amount of sugar Americans consume, all the while adding the sugary beetroot to every dish they can.