various bits and bobs

My wee cold turns out to be Bronchitis, so on Drs orders I can't do any housecalls which is a bit of a drag. The weather is lovely, today is 28C and sunny and the whole week was similar.

Europe's best known landmarks — including the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben and Rome's Colosseum — fell dark Saturday, following Sydney's Opera House and Beijing's Forbidden City in joining a global climate change protest, as lights were switched off across the world to mark the Earth Hour event. Millions were expected to turn off lights and appliances for an hour from 8:30 p.m. in a gesture to highlight environmental concerns and to call for a binding pact to cut greenhouse gas emissions. This year's was the fourth annual Earth Hour, organized by the World Wildlife Fund. I missed it but was asleep with only the tv on so I suppose I may have done my part.

Australian scientists say they have discovered the first evidence that an ancestor of the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex once roamed across Australia, they havent named it yet but I think the Tony Abbot would be a good name.

Tourism Australia has defended its decision to put a live caged kangaroo on display on the streets of Los Angeles, saying the animal was well cared for. The kangaroo sways constantly, appearing distressed, and a number of animal welfare groups have already condemned its treatment. I wonder who thought having a Roo in a cage in LA was a good idea, it may have been the same person that suggested the cane toad would be a great speices to introduce into Australia. It is hoped that more than one tonne of cane toads will be collected across north Queensland this weekend.It is part of the annual environmental campaign called 'Toad Day Out'. Collection tents and weigh-in centres are being set up across the north.The day involves the humane collection and disposal of cane toads, which are booming in numbers and causing extensive damage to native habitats.

50 yrs

My Mum and Dad just renewed their marriage vows after 50 years, when my Mum told me I thought of responding with the "you could have shot him and only got 20 yrs" old joke, but I googled it and thats not quite true, its depends on what country you are in and the degree of murder, isnt degree a weird word here the person is dead. Anyway I didnt say that to my Mom and congratulations to them on both 50 yrs and renewing their vows.

I have a dose of the cold with a sore throat and chesty cough, if it doesnt clear by tomorrow I have a Drs appointment, to get, no doubt more drugs. I have started reducing the dose of prendisone I am taking am down to 3.5 mg a day, hopefully the pains in my bones today arent due to reducing the dose but to the cold.

My pal Paddy is off to Fiji next week, I see they have just had a cyclone there and Australia has sent 8 tons of aid and now Paddy. We stayed on a wee island in the Manamuca group when we visited Fiji, it was very tranquil and unspoilt, was a nice break the only things to cloud it was that we got money stolen and the natives couldnt be talked into taking a boat out fishing they were so into getting drunk on Kava.

The Wall is coming down

The Wall is coming down woohoo the great wall of Kurnell is being dismantled, I approached the security guard this morning and asked if i could get a section as a momento, it looked like he was going to try arresting me so I buggered off quickly, He obviously doesnt remember the Antifaschistischer Schutzwall (Berlin Wall) and how much fun was had by people ripping it down and storeing chunks under their beds.

The sections are about 20ft by 10 ft and 4 tons so it would have been a struggle getting one back to the yard here and being a blue concrete wouldnt really fit in with the garden decor, lol garden decor, Grass up to your knees and a worm farm doesnt count as decor Rob. I suppose i could have painted it and used it for a helicopter landing pad.

Long run of warm nights making Sydney cranky.

It has been two weeks since the temperature has dropped below 20 degrees in the city, the longest stint in 27 years, leading to an increasingly cranky Sydney population, according to the weather channel, why dont they invest in blinkin air conditioning? I must admit its been horrible weather hot and very humid, George, Angies brother has prickly heat or some other exotic sweaty disease. Mind you hes a no airconditioning person. I have five airconditoioners and an electricity bill to match but I'm not cranky and I sleep like a small bear. The recent high humidity is a result of winds persistently blowing off relatively warm waters. The sea surface temperature just off the coast is about 24 degrees. I havent been out fishing atall as Paddy my fishing buddy has had a knee operation and has been out of action the last few weeks.

My elbow is starting to come good, the Physio managed to squeeze 10 degrees more motion out of the joint and I almost have 100 % twisting motion back albeit with a bit of a grimace. 24C is good for pelagic fish like Marlin and Dolphin fish  I'm looking forward to getting fishing again.

East German and Japan

What should I blog about ? Nothing much been happening here of great interest, I missed my walk this morning as I slept in and had a meeting with the "Elbow man" my surgeon, he seemed happy enough with progress, he doesnt feel the pain. I didnt realise the recovery time would be as long and as sore as it is. Another two months and he says i can start working on getting strength back up till then its trying to break up scar tissue and get some movenment into it. I may have blooged before about my female physio lets call her Greta, as she could be an East German Female Arm wrestler, anyway she is so into pain its scary. I was wondering why the receptionist was smiling at me on my first visit untill I heard screams when I was waiting last time. Kenji Miyazawa quote “We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.” Robert Shairp quote" We must take panadiene forte or other strong pain relievers, stay at home and watch the Bill"

Today was one of these days when I didnt really stop all day and yet still have an empty wallet at close of play, I had two computers in for repair that I will get paid for probably tommorow and a printer that had to go back for a warranty job apart for that I lent a laptop charger to a young bloke so he could do his homework and a lady on the waterfront is going to pay me tommorow for a job I did earlier. I didnt even get a chance to do any art today lol.

Ohh btw Kenji Miyazawa was born in what is now Hanamaki city, Iwate Prefecture (Japan) as the eldest son of a wealthy pawnbroker. From an early age, he was disturbed by what he perceived to be the social inequity between his well-to-do family and the impoverished farmers in the area from whom his family profited by lending them money.

I was thinking about moving to Tassmania but things have changed and Scotland may be the destination, Angie is worried she will retire and not be able to afford to go back home to see folks, I can understand her reasoning as Tassy/ Australia is a long way away from anywhere and it costs a lot to travel, I just wanted a tractor anyway. Ohh and I'm the eternal optomist and couldnt possibly imagine being skint, ok I was joking.

progress on the painting

I bought some oil paints yesterday they are Water mixable oil colour "Genuine oil colour which thins with water and cleans with soap and water " best of both worlds anyway above is the progress on my horses painting which I'll have to leave dry for a while now which is against my nature as I like everything finished yesterday lol.

recent pics

This one is in oils and not finished yet.