Broken Hill and beyond

I like Broken Hill - it has big wide streets, (speed limit 40k - oops) most named after mineral type things like Argent, Oxide, Iodide, Bromide, Kaolin and Silver; and lots of dirt.

The town is centered on the Line of Lode - a massive deposit of silver/lead/zinc ore that transformed a boundary rider into a very wealthy man. It took me a while to realise that the hills around the city were mullock and slag heaps from the years of mining activity and that the 'Broken Hill' was part of those heaps.
Art galleries and Mineral museums and Industrial landmarks are everywhere as are references to the town's strong Trade Union history.

The fact that it was the middle of 'winter' when we were there did make the visit a lot more pleasant than it would have been in a 38C Summer, the accommodation was reasonable and not overpriced and there was even a Local Yarn Shop to visit.

We went West...

to the NSW Outback.

At White Cliffs we stayed underground in the Dug Out Motel and explored its winding corridors and rooms.


We carefully travelled through the strange landscape of dugouts and mullock heaps and fossicked for opals through the huge piles of stones (with no success)

We drove hundreds of kilometers down long straight highways with Kangaroos and cattle - (alive and dead) - and admired the huge Wedge Tailed Eagles as they soared overhead or fed on the plentiful roadkill carrion on the roadside.







We travelled "interstate" to Cockburn SA and went border hopping.
We had Spiders and Waffles at Bells Milkbar
(To be continued...)

Hubris

Hubris - a great word. It appeals to the Pessimist and annoys the Optimist in me. Just when one is getting along nicely and thinking all one's affairs are being managed, along comes The Fates/God/Life and sticks a stick in the spokes.

I thought I was managing our household accounts very efficiently, juggling credit cards and savings accounts to make sure no excess account fees or interest were being incurred, looking for the best deals when buying the new consumer item, keeping a watch on statements as they came in.

I obviously wasn't paying the right amount of attention when I filled in a monthly payment slip and instead of $xxx.10 I wrote $xxx.01. The credit interest vultures were circling and when they saw my 09c mistake they swooped to the kill. Two months later I see my little error cost me several hundred dollars in debit interest charges but was this obvious? Was the failure to pay off the full statement amount highlighted in the next communication with the bank - of course not! That's how those big billion dollar profits are made.

I'm going to put this slip of the digits down to my current slodgy brain which I attribute to hormones. My get-up-and-go is on a go-slow so there isn't much happening on many fronts. The knitting sits in its basket looking forlorn and unfinished and the pile of books beside the bed stays unread.


The only success I can claim is finishing Neal Stephenson's brick of a book Cryptonomicon. I can't say I understood all the math or the code unscrambling but I did enjoy his complex story line and interwoven plots, especially the reference he made to Athena as the goddess of weaving (and by association Knitting). The book wasn't as pacy as Snowcrash but maybe it was just right for my present mental state - not particularly focused and prone to wondering off on complex bits of interesting distractions without any real outcomes.

Phishing for God

Dear Parent,
you may be wondering how we received your child's name and (home) address.
It was sent to us by Children for Christ who ran a Craft Club at the XXX Primary School Hall recently. They thought our lessons would be a big help for you child and have asked us to send lessons....

No! No! and No! I did not provide anyone with my child's name and address, I did not give permission for anyone to pass that information on anywhere and I certainly don't want any lessons of any kind - especially not in these circumstances.

This is the 21st Century where the safety of my child is paramount. I let my son attend what was advertised as a Craft Club run by a local church where he could play games and make models. I didn't expect him to be evangelised or preached to or for sensitive information about him be passed on to other groups to target him. The School where this "craft club" was held was also unaware of the underlying purpose of the group and certainly would not have agreed to information about their students being passed around.

I regard this as an illegal and dangerous practice and am very, very angry.

In these days of cult groups and cunning pederasts in all occupations (especially religious institutions) one cannot claim an innocent desire to have fun and spread the good word at the same time. There is a clear obligation of all groups interacting with children to protect their safety and privacy.

My complaint to the the Office of the Privacy Commissioner was acknowledged but unable to be acted upon because the legislation is limited to Government organisations and private businesses with an annual turnover of more than $3 million.

This seemingly innocuous looking ship is a constant reminder of the need to be ever vigilant in a world that is not as simple and carefree as many would like it to be.

Saturday busyness

The NSW Knitting Guild's stand at this year's Darling Harbour Craft Show was arranged by Veronica - she is sitting on my right wearing a Princess Leia hat she knitted. It was a busy and fun afternoon spreading the word about the Guild, about Ravelry and the various knitted items we had on display. There was knitted fruit, my Vintage Twist Hot Water Bottle cosies and the big favourite, a curly wurly crochet scarf from Yarn magazine by Guild member, Carolyn Murtagh.

At the same time on that busy Saturday afternoon the Sydney rep of World Wide Knit in Public day was taking place nearby at the Bayside Lounge. As I rushed to the Craft Fair I stopped by to pick up my WWKIP bags that Kris had printed for the event. I love the "No War" reference on the sails on the Opera House and I hope this will be the permanent logo for all the Sydney events.


The day finished with me rushing (again) off to work for the Playhouse performance of Possessed. A funny, slapstick but poignant show performed vigourously by Frank Woodley. It borders on painful sometimes (coccyx pain!) but it is a fast and entertaining show - think Mr Bean meets Buster Keaton with Vegimite.

Nice to be Home

Today was the first time in what seems to be an age that I've been home for longer than a night. The past couple of weeks have been busy with shifts and commuting and overnighting in the city.
I find I really pine for the Mountain air if I spend longer than a few nights away from home. The cool green view from the kitchen window is such a respite from the fluorescent lights and air conditioning in the concrete building.

Its grey and misty at present and the poor parrots are sitting in the tree looking bedraggled and hungry but they won't be getting fed until it stops raining because their tray is so waterlogged.

Inside, the combustion stove has been taken out of hibernation. It's so efficient that the whole house is heated from a few loads of wood and the big brick chimney stays warm all night. Above the fire, in pride of place is my first original art purchase.

When I was at Otago University in Dunedin, many years ago, I somehow managed to find $30 out my meagre bursary to buy this Still-Life with Gas Stove from a coffee shop in Stuart Street.
It was very similar to the enamel gas stove in the student flat I lived in and it always held this place in all my subsequent flats. It has no name or artist signature and is simply painted on hard board. I would love to find more about the person who painted it even though it was over 30 years ago.

Bunny in the Backyard

This little darling turned up in the backyard while I was hanging out the washing . S/he was very cute and very fast. I tried to catch it with grass and tomatoes but there was too much fresh food around to be distracted by my vain attempts. I presume it belongs to a neighbour nearby so I hope it finds its way back home safely.

I just buried a young King parrot that had run foul of a neighbour's Moggy. I try not to put too much food on the birdfeeder because the big Cockatoos spread it everywhere (they are such mucky eaters) and the smaller parrots forage on the ground below - perfect prey for a big fat ginger Tom. Whenever said feline is spotted in the garden a volley of clothespegs, applecores and the odd shoe greets it. One of these days it might get the idea that it is not welcome at our place - especially with its unsocial habits.

On the knitting fron (yes there is one) a lot of progress has been made with various WIPs but the most fun has been had with this pattern. The Bainbridge Scarf. Quick, stylish, economical and a perfect gift for patient teachers of hyperactive lads.
It has enabled me to use up the single skein stash of Eki Riva Baby Cashmere, the Mi Inca Baby Alpaca and the Rooster Almerino DK, all lovely soft yarns. There will probably be a few more on the way.


There has also been a 10th birthday celebrated at Teppanyaki in Double Bay - this is starting to become a bit of a tradition - with the requisite bursts of flame and omelette acrobatics.

Ironfest

Ironfest is always fun. We went late this year - just managed to squeeze in on the last few hours of the three days it ran. Despite this it was well worth it.

The Battle of Lithgow started just as we arrived so we braved the gale force gusts of wind to see the British and the French forces fight it out with cannons and muskets. I think the French force was vastly outnumbered but they fought bravely - right to the last soldier. There was an courageous (one might say foolhardy?) challenge by a French/Maori contingent in the form of a Haka. It was swiftly dealt with by the English but much appreciated by the audience.

Inside, out of the squalls, there was belly dancing, market stalls and art displays. The lad bought an Anvilchick while I made do with a skein of Alpaca from a farm in Little Hartley and a Dichroic Glass pendant from a Glass Artist in Wentworth Falls.


Sadly the weather stopped the Jousting as the horses were spooked by all the wind gusts but I was assured that next year an international contingent of Jousters would feature with combatants from all over the globe.

Driving home we travelled behind the storms as they progressed eastward to the coast. It made a spectacular sight with the clouds banked up above Victoria Pass and the rain falling in huge sheets.
The next day it was cold enough for snow to fall in Blackheath and Bathurst - and for me to realise that quite a jumpers had to be pulled out of the WIP pile in time for winter.

Those Who Forget History Are Doomed to Repeat It

I missed Anzac Day at our park this year - a shame because I find the ceremony very moving and poignant, especially the small local gatherings which have strong connections to the names on the memorial stone.

As I was driving to work that day I listened to Philip Adams talking with author, Peter Ewer and 93 yr old veteran Frank Cox, about a group of Anzacs that I, and probably a lot of other people, never knew existed.

The Forgotten Anzacs were Australian and New Zealand troops that fought in the Second World War under the umbrella of the "Anzac Spirit", in another battle that proved disastrous for the soldiers involved and which reinforces my low opinion of the British Military Command of the time.

"The campaign in Greece turned out to have uncanny parallels to the original Gallipoli operation: both were inspired by Winston Churchill, both were badly planned by British military leaders, and both ended in defeat and evacuation. British bungling at Gallipoli was one thing; but in Greece, Churchill authorised his commanders to leave the Anzacs to their fate if their rescue compromised wider British interests.

Just as Gallipoli provided military academies the world over with lessons in how not to conduct a complex feat of arms, Churchill’s Greek adventure reinforced fundamental lessons in modern warfare — heavy tanks could not be stopped by men armed with rifles, and Stuka dive-bombers would not be deflected by promises of air support from London that were never honoured."

Frank Cox was one of those soldiers and spent 3 yrs as a prisoner of war after he and thousands of other troops were left on the island to fend for themselves. Despite his very advanced age he tells his story with a clarity and sureness of memory that I envy.

The Late Night Live episode is still available on line and is well worth a listen.

Bmos

Here is Bmos, one of the Ensemble of performers in Moving Target - a wonderful, loud, physical collaberation with Malthouse Theatre that's just finished in the Studio. It wasn't a difficult show for me - I had an hour between Cue 1 and cue 2, - but the 6 actors were really worked hard. Lots of running and lifting and bashing against walls.

"The children's game of hide and seek has rarely been so physical, rough, exhausting and repetitive. The improvisational skills and breakneck intensity of Moving Target make for a wildly unpredictable, strangely unsettling experience." Bryce Hallett, SMH

The plywood box set was designed to take the punishment and accentuate the sound and movement but it had a few worried managers fussing around it, concerned about Risk Management. That's ironic because part of the underlying themes, which were many and complex, was the modern obsession with risk and potential threats and "Being Alert".

Bmos is the sibling of Amos who unfortunately didn't last the season - he was regularly thrown across the stage and had pillows stuffed over him.
I loved the action of this play - the lights and sound matched the physical intensity and the first half, though seemingly unintelligible, had me laughing every time.

In this production I saw some great lighting with LED washes (intense, quick colour) and discovered M83 Car Terror. Played LOUD it makes the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, playing a nice bit of Strauss in the Concert Hall, ring up and complain.
Noisy bloody neighbours!

The Birds are Back in Town.

I know Cockatoos are engaging creatures - they can charm the birdseed right out of your hand - but like a bunch of unruly teenagers once you invite them into your home they put their feet up on the furniture and start trashing the place. We were warned several times of their bad habits but had to learn the hard way. We were a bit late in putting out the food so they gave the newly built hand rail a good chew - just to teach us a lesson.

Consequently they have been banished back to the bird feeder and if more than 4 congregate they get sent off. This gives the King Parrots and Crimson Rosellas a chance and they've been showing their appreciation by paying us a closer visit.


It could be they are also admiring all the wonderful work on the new verandah. This handsome King Parrot checked out the post, the steps and the cane chair one afternoon and invied a mate along for a stickybeak as well.



There has been much wonderful work been done on The Back Steps as shown by the before and after shots - in best Backyard Blitz style.
The strange outward opening door from the kitchen has finally been blocked off (much better for the Feng Shui apparently) and the steps have been moved to the verandah. A spot of paint here and there and the transformation is complete - provided the Cockies don't come calling.

My Beautiful Bag

This is my wonderful bag created for me by Trudi of Knitting and Chocolate fame. It was part of a Ravelry swap mentioned earlier and I was so swept up with trying to create the best bag for my Swapee that the fact that I was going to get one almost slipped my mind. That made getting a big brown box in the mail all the better - especially when it cried 'Exterminate' as I placed it on the counter. I knew I was in for a treat!

The bag itself is felted and wonderfully lined with a heap of useful pockets. The lovely scroll work, inspired by a medieval post I had made early, flows into the sturdy handles which are also lined. Note the little green LED torch on the right side! The bag is big enough to take tools, notebook, diary, ipod and knitting, and I've already been using it daily. I don't lose my little coin purse so often now because it has a dedicated storage soace.

But wait! There's more!
A talking Dalek Chocolate Easter Egg, Merino et Soi yarn, chocolate Bilbies, a book and stitch markers. One spoilt knitter I am.

The egg has been eaten but its voice box is destined for this knitted Dalek pattern - maybe for next year's Easter Show?

Inspired to Dye

This is the result of a brief experimentation with some kettle dying I did a few nights ago. The yarn was from Virgina Farm Woolworks and I originally bought it to try out colouring with Kool_Aid in a microwave. The resulting mix of Yellow, Red and Purple was pretty average and the whole process of Glad wrapping and zapping I found to be fiddly and messy.

The gorgeous colour is from a deep enamel pot mix of Landscape Kingfisher left on the stove on a rolling simmer - a few rinses later and this rich hue resulted. I had heard that Kingfisher is a difficult colour to make fast so I made sure all the dye was exhausted before taking the yarn out.

I think there may be more skeins heading for this pot and the lad wants to tie-dye a few t-shirts while I'm there!

Looking at the Chooks

The next best thing about the Easter Show besides the Craft are the animals.

We were rained out of the Woodchopping so we sought shelter in the Poultry Shed. That's where I met this beautiful breed of Chook known as Laced Wyandottes. I didn't think a hen could look this pretty.

Some of the more exotic poultry breeds with poofy hairdos and strange protuberance were a bit too much but these fat colourful girls caught my eye.

There was also sheep shearing for the kids, both machine and hand,



three little piggies and a few more,


corn,





cows and








gentle fairground rides (as different from the ear-splitting, in-your-face carny kingdom at the other end of the Show.

Going to the Show

We went to the Easter Show yesterday. We bought our tickets from the Post Office a few days before, checked out online which show bags to buy and took all our own food and drink. It still cost us over $100 for the day which is why it's not an annual event.

My main aim was the Craft section to see how Captain Underpants was faring in his Creative Knitting category - as I expected he didn't win any ribbons but he did stand out among the nice Cardigans and Sweaters.





As is traditional we went to the CWA for Scones and Tea, bought some of their preserves (no Plum Jam left but I did get some Quince Jelly) and then checked out the baking and cake decorations.




The displays were mouth-watering, entertaining and magical.








I'm still at a loss as to the criteria and standards for judging - among the knitted categories they seem to be a well-kept secret known only to those who have been initiated but that won't stop me from trying again next year. Subtlely subversive is my motto.