I’d been up to the Post Office to collect a parcel. And, now that the rooftop Taiko has stopped, I must make some phone calls before people shut down for the weekend.

The cats would love to tell you about the parcel.Details on their blog. 

And one picture to get you started…

“Jim” by Ann Wood

* Needn’t have bothered – one flyer from a politician wanting my vote, one from a real estate agent and one from some obscure church.

But, if you’ve a mind to know more about my busy-ness you’ll see that I’ve added a new page, artist books. Up there /\, just below the picture. Rather than clog the blog with stuff not everyone wants to read, I’ll post bits and pieces there. And there’s also a link to the group blog if you’d like to read/see more.

But don’t expect to see everything! This project is  about swapping works with other book artists and we’d like to retain an element of surprise.

So…what will I write on the main page? Oh, the usual nonsense. A sort of “wot I done on me ‘olidays” essay.

I might, for instance, have told you that I swam in the ocean at my local beach. No…the beach has been closed since Saturday when the life guards found jelly fish. Big box jellies. Red flags. Disappointed beach babes.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box_jellyfish

But I’m heading to the pool after lunch!

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 9,200 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

If you’ve been following me for a while you wont be expecting a list of things I promise to do. You know the sort of twaddle…I will lose weight. I will write a really clever, witty blog post every day. I will get behind the Tony Abbott campaign      Almost had you there!

No, 2012 will slide in like most of the the other recent years. Possibly with fireworks down at the beach (weather permitting), maybe  a wing-ding up the road. But the days when I partied all night are far behind me.

Over the years, I’ve welcomed January 1 in places as diverse as a kindergarten creche with a 10′ high plywood cut-out of this fellow*

and an old folks’ home.

On a yacht like this one *      

In a shearing shed. Beside oceans, rivers, lakes and even hot mud pools. 

But I no longer feel compelled to join the masses. Besides, I have an early start tomorrow and our pony needs shoes

But don’t let me stop you!

I’ll be back next week…

I found these pics on the web because I think Noddy’s Nursery disappeared years ago and the boat I sailed in had a rather nasty argument with a rock.

But for all the traditionalists who want the festive frippery…I give you a summery look …

In this part of the world, nothing says “summer” quite like the poincianas, their canopies ablaze for weeks on end.

What’s that you say? Don’t I have a “proper” Christmas tree? Why, yes, I do.

All down to my Man’s ingenuity. The “tree” is a spent seed branch from a palm. Add some flashing ear rings (yes!) and gold bells-on-chains and a star and you have a tastefully decorated tree.    great cat toy. sigh…

Still not traditional enough, huh? Let’s see… Bing Crosby? Definitely not! A creepy fat guy in red satin jim-jams calling out to ladies of an ancient trade? Don’t think so. Maybe this….?

Or this…?

                                              “I’b dot Rudolf! I’b god a cod!”

Whatever your pleasures, I hope you enjoy yourselves.  I’ll probably celebrate with one of my family traditions, the Tom Lehrer carol. And, on the very remote chance that Wes Baillie may happen upon this post…it’s all your fault, Wes! And I thank you, most sincerely.

post script…as WordPress published this they added a little quote in my sidebar:

“I am a drinker with writing problems.”

A hard-drinkin’ Oirishman, if you want to know. Brendan Behan. Which reminds me…La Cave needs restocking!

I did think I’d have a little guessing game, but it would be too easy for the smarty-pants crew to google it. This is what they’d find:  In some parts of the U.S., “brolga” is used to refer to a cocktail made from gin, Sprite (or 7 Up), and a few drops of Angostura bitters.

But boring ol’ me had something else in mind http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brolga

Taking palm trash up to the local tip this morning I spotted a small group of Brolgas so I pulled over to the side of the road, scrambled across to the passenger seat, put the window down and managed a few shots with the little camera. (more on Flickr)

Another fact…the brolga is on the Queensland State coat of arms, with a red deer. Never figured out how or why the red deer, an introduced beast ,made it to that level!

update    The final and current addition to the coat of arms was created in 1977, during the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, with the granting of supporting animal. A Red Deer, to represent the old world and it is a classic animal of heraldry; and a Brolga, which represents the native population and it is the state’s official bird.    

 More here  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Queensland

Sporran is back to normal after her limpy leg adventure. Not sure what Dave gave her, but I’m thinking of asking him if he’ll jab my shoulder with some!

Don’t know why I’m trying to write a post when I’m so tired. We stayed up late, watching Tim Minchin on television. Recorded when he performed at the Sydney Opera House.With the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. When I think what they did to Lenny Bruce for swearing…Mr. Minchin would’ve been on permanent cauliflower cheese back then! If he’d been performing then. A difficult trick, since he wasn’t yet born! He has quite a few clips up on youtube; here’s one of them. If the sixth letter of our alphabet upsets you, don’t play the clip. Otherwise…enjoy

The bar is open…back later.

OK, so now I’m being silly.

Here’s the (rather long) article. Read it and maybe , if enough people  understand how these cowboys of the sea operate, more pressure will be brought to bear on dodgy practices. Flags of bloody convenience! Ship [sic] does, indeed, happen.

http://www.cargolaw.com/2011nightmare_mv_rena.html

For the record, in case you haven’t seen a chart, the Astrolabe  is well-known  and well-charted. It’s like a whacking big dumpling! Blind Freddie  wouldn’t have bumped into it!

Off now to play with pens and inks and paints…

What a good thing I don’t sign up for those silly post-a-day blog things! You want regular, try prune juice.

Driving through pot-hole-y road works (yet again!) last week with my box of arty bits securely wedged so ink or oil or tools would not fall out…I discovered this morning that while it didn’t actually spill, the linseed oil was somewhat shaken . So I unscrewed the cap and wiped the threads (a thin layer of linseed can dry like glue) and reminded myself as I pushed my hair out of my eyes that I need a haircut. I’m  ”The Girl With the Flaxen Hair!”

It’s been a funny old week. I spent several days planting things in the spaces left after tree removal. Just low-growing fillers as I don’t want to risk bigger shrubs and trees at this time of year. Apart from the punishing heat,  there is always the risk of severe storms and I am a little concerned that we now have some mighty big wind funnels in this yard! Time will tell…

Elsewhere, politics has hogged the headlines. Yes, I have some firm opinions and waspish comments, but I don’t “do” tub-thumping here. Well, not much! But I certainly don’t want a star-spangled banner as a bulls-eye on the national arse! Mr. Obama can come back and have a little chat about parking his nukes in Darwin Harbour AFTER he’s hauled his troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan. OK?

I think I’d better go back to Youtube and find something  lighter… like these chaps

In all my zipping about I had no opportunity until yesterday to pull over and grab a quick pic of this:

FAIL!

         Hardly a “mystery picture” although some readers who live in city apartments may be scratching their heads.

Off to the library now. Oh god! the excitement!  :-)