Phillumenists

Another good morning for the swim.  Many highlights but among them was a large clam that was sticking straight up. Not the electro colours you can see in the tropics but had hand size shells.  While the good weather is around there is still some time for stamps.  I just completed working my way thru a packed shoebox full of mostly Australian pre-decimal stamps except for one only matchbox cover.  That reminded me of a collection of matchbox covers I used to have 50 yar ago.  Not sure what happened to them. They may yet turn up in a box but I think they are gone and stamps became the focus. I do remember that the only matchbox factory in Australia was in Melbourne and when it closed in favour of imports that was the final straw, the end of an era and no more Australian themed covers, like the one below.

Double Snorkel

I went over the road for the swim this morning which has helped me shrug off the rib problem.  I started out swimming between the groynes and it was so calm I kept going along the jetty poles.  There were good fish to be seen and also banjo rays snuffling around together at the bottom of the posts.  It was still good conditions in the afternoon so I went back for a second go.  It was a bit breezier but good light to see the bottom.  Not as many fish this time but still good colours on the posts.  Some locals who live in our street for the last 20 yar were on the beach and were amazed at what I was telling them you could see and no more than 100 metres out.  

                                             Towards the end I hold still hovering over the rays.

Beach Hour

 After 7 hours of Pure Bookkeeping yesterday and another 7 hours of it today, we squeezed in an hour and half on the beach from around 3:30 until 5:00 but now there is still some time to sit on the deck with cheese and tomatoe.  I also tried some more window cleaning robot style this morning. I think the best go is to use the hose outside in down stairs area where it is easier and to use and have the robot upstairs where hosing has been difficult. Also the robot seems well suited for the inside glass which you would only do occasionally. Debbie says that in three years the inside glass has never been properly cleaned. OK then. I also managed to bruise a rib by leaning over a rail and flexing it convex when it's supposed to be concave. It sprang back quickly enough but now I have to get over the soreness. 

another strawberry harvest

Dirt Music

 Yet another book on my shelf that I have forgotten where it has come from. It is secondhand and has Donna Jansz name written inside the cover.   As for the story, it is based in WA, as a lot of Tim Winton stuff is (eg CloudStreet).  I can claim some knowledge here, as I spent four weeks driving from Broome to Perth one time and not once did I ever think the area was as drenched in rednecks, like he paints in this book.  It is worth a read and also has a musical theme that still gets me mixing up Tim Minchin with Tim Winton. It was made into a film last year and from the trailer I just watched, seems to drift a lot from the book's story.

Passing camel train

wind sculpture

watchers above cable beach

Robot 3

 People in glass houses should have a robot window cleaner.  The robot vacuumer is working well for us after a month or so it is still sucking dirt.  So why not try a robot window cleaner.  We have a lot of glass that gets very dirty very quickly.  Being able to see clearly out of all the windows, especially from the kitchen area and also from the upstairs, is one of Debbie's pet joys.  I have been playing with this thing for the last hour. Right now it is happily scooting its way around the glass doors opening onto the deck. I have also had it dangling off the balcony glass petitions on both sides of the glass.  I haven't completely got the hang of its cleaning patterns and it makes a difference when you want vertical on the door glass and horizontal on the deck glass.

More phone wrangling

 A few years back we setup the commonwealth bank mobile phone payment method mainly as another way to pay when we were overseas.  So we haven't given much attention to the newer Google Pay and Samsung Pay systems.  I went to the supermarket today but left my wallet at home. So I had to do the whole thing twice including getting stuff out of the fridge area, as when I went to retrieve the wallet from home they had put those things back into their fridge.  This afternoon I have been wrestling with Samsung Pay. As a rule, I use a debit card at the supermarket and the very first card I try to add is not recognised by their system. It seems I have to convert it to a specific mastercard type of debit card, which will take 10 days to be delivered.  So I then added the credit card with no trouble, so if I have left the money at home in future, I can still pay using the phone.

Housing price update

 When I came out of the water this morning there was a couple right there who I had talked to before and I think they were waiting for me.  There is an auction next week for a house about six doors down from us with the same views. They wanted to grill me about the street and especially the weather and the wind. I told them the wind comes with the territory but the views and sunsets  etc far outweigh the downside.  The house is sturdy enough, as a two story brick box but has no curb appeal. The deck that was there was taken down probably made of wood and rotten like next doors deck that had to be rebuilt.  This couple had put in an offer of over $1 million but due to other interest was switched to an auction and the asking is now $1.3 million. These two have had a builder in who has quoted $300,000 for an update, $60,000 of which just replaces the windows.  They will be bidding and are hopeful there is no Melbourne competition.

It is designed with a ship prow at the front. 

three swims three days

I did the swim this morning and more. It was millpond still so I took my time and also went much further. Good sunshine so I could see a long way. The highlight was the two rays that I saw along the way.  The first was a big one and sitting on the bottom without a care about me. It was not one of the banjo variety, it was mostly gray to dark blue and sitting in a pyramid type shape.  The other ray was totally buried by sand except for the eyes. The shape of it was plain to see more like it was sculpted out of sand.  On the way back I saw a golf ball that was slightly deeper but I haven't quite got the technique of releasing your breathe to sink lower.

A big ray with sunshine

White Sky

I waited until the afternoon to see if the Sun would break thru. It didn't.  It is better to have some illumination to look ahead as far as you can so that way you are not lumbering into some massive jelly blubber.  I went for the swim anyway as the water was still and clear but visibility was low.  It was just a gray wall ahead and lots of suspended grass as well.  I saw a few fish and one fat one that was hiding in the sand with just its eyes casting about.  There are meant to be storms tonight and tomorrow.

Red water near the jetty

Snorkel weather

 It was 18°, not much wind and the Sun was out so they are all the ingredients for a snorkel as well as tice measurement. Where is a Roberts' Tide Prediction Machine when you need one?  I can always look up the computer which said 0.8 m at 10:30 am.  I also got out the GoPro camera for the first time this Summer.  Out along the pole line was very clear water. Only a few fish to be seen however.  I got some good colour from a few poles but only stayed in for 15 minutes. The beach has had a bit of a washout again during the last two weeks of Winter type weather but the council should be able to grade some sand back over the exposed rocks.

Graveyard Book

 Neil Gaiman has won Hugos before however this book is better than his other winner. It is a while since I read a book with illustrations but since this is also a children's yarn then a few pictures now and again makes a change. This is yet another good vs evil tale but set in a graveyard where a boy is raised by ghosts.  There is a good chance it will come out as a film with some big names getting involved, like Disney's Pixar and Ron Howard as a producer but it seems that was a few years ago.

Rubbish Appointment

 We have to book a curbside collection with the council. This is the first one we had this year but we are now thinking that maybe we don't need to book at all.  We had placed a tidy pile of goods out there, a fan, tv set, clothes dryer, two good mattresses and a stack of other stuff. The neighbours rang us up and asked if they could add to the pile.  In the end the neighbours had the largest part of the pile, everything else was taken before the council came along.  So assuming that whoever takes it, is recycling it by fixing and selling or getting out the scrap metal then maybe the council is not required, although they did get the mattresses picked up.

the mattress truck

We have one more bed and mattress for the salvos and then we have an empty garage.

Blackout/All Clear/Wheel of Time

 I should have twigged that Blackout/ All Clear was two volumes to complete the one story.  In this case the first half being Blackout got the Hugo award and the second one did not.  I will not pursue the second volume at this stage as this yarn is a bit repetitive. I can see the second installment being more of the same.  I wish the publisher would print Vol 1 on the front cover.  The Wheel of Time (WOT) starts on Prime TV today. It is the biggest undertaking since Game of Thrones (GOT).  When I started reading WOT, the first book had Vol 1 on the spine, so you new what you were getting into, especially when it takes a year to read all 14 volumes and 15,000 pages.  Home Box Office took 10 years to do GOT on TV with its 7 volumes.  Robert Jordan's widow has been arguing with production companies  about getting the WOT show started. But at 14 volumes will it get finished and will they be able to match GOT standards.

Drysdale Station

 I am getting further on the bike these days. I squeezed in a ride this morning before the rain came although I did ride through one shower. The Station yard upgrades are progressing and gladly they did the new bicycle crossings first.  A new switching point has been installed as well, for the extra train lines going into the yard, all nicely concreted for bicycles. I did a lake circuit, as well as a stretch of the rail trail but the road bike does not particularly like the gravel surface.

Lake Lorne

Crossing 1

Crossing 2

Outside View

Strawberry Fields Invasion

 I am starting to get some strawbs consistently again. I was wrong about the wormy worms. We have good protection from snails and birds but it seems there is a fruit fly that lays eggs on the surface of the strawberry. It must be a small fly as we have netting with a close weave but not close enough. I noticed some holes on the last two strawbs so I cut down thru them sectioning the tunnel they made.  These were more like grubs.  It seems when you eat them it just adds to the meal. I'm sure Bear Grills would not think twice about finding ripe strawbs in the bush with or without bugs.  I have also added a film from last weeks deep freeze.

Bug Off

Asher and the Train

We went across the road for breakfast in Keilor and picked up a Boston Bun for Grandma's birthday candle.  One only is all that is needed for Asher to blow out.  We had books to unwrap for presents but she spotted a train high on a shelf.  It still had dust on it but that has been the centre of todays action for the whole afternoon, just a small push button recording of chugga chugga and a whistle, even though the real ones do the same thing outside her window all day long.  It is the afternoon sleep right now so I just have to get a few photos before she wakes up.

yes birthday cake

Estelle feeds herself

These grandchildren  change quicker than you can turn around.  I have a short 20 minutes before pub grub and I am logged into an unfamiliar network. We gave Heidi a lift to the car mechanic where she could get James' car back, then it was off to the gymbaroo. This seemed to get Estelle into a jumping mood as she was all beans with the peek a boo game. Feeding time in the chair is interesting with every spoonful being positioned by Estelle.  We have made to the Inn now in time for food across the road.  Tomorrow is Asher day and Grandma day.  Not sure whose network this is but I did not use a password and it works well.

Estelle dances thru

The Caterer

 Leanne and Shane had a neighbour at Wallan who sold up and moved to Torquay. The connection with us went back along way, like 60 yar, when I was working at the Collingwood footy ground from age 8 to 18.  Bert Noorman was working with Gordon Roberts for O'brien catering.  I started with a lolly stall and moved onto a pie stand with Damien O'brien but Bert could not really remember the detail of it. He and his wife Denise were talking travel and we mentioned using European Bicycle races as ideas for travel. They started talking about their friends who provided travel packages based around such races. As soon as they mentioned the name Grace, I knew there was another connection, as Peter Cook was both a mentor to Grace & Patrick's business ideas, as he was to Debbie's bookkeeping ideas.  Bert is also a keen stamp collector so we crammed a lot into the two hours they were here.

Clean Up

I am using both recycle bins tomorrow as all the cardboard from the two recent mattress boxes has been crammed into them, not to forget the 20 metres of plastic that encased each one as well. That stuff is going into the rubbish however it has to be one week at a time, as our second rubbish bin currently has garden stones in it.   That was this morning, in the afternoon we got to the shops in Geelong. Christmas shopping is full on here and Santa has kids queuing up.  We got new sandals and books.

Too Cool

 I was doing a few stamps just now and it said 11° on my computer screen.  I went downstairs and put my UGG boots on and also checked the actual outside temperature from our weather station.  That one said 13°  so at least it was two degrees better.  I was supposed to try for another increase in bicycle distance today but that is not happening. The creeks going out into the bay have a muddy water streak from the incessant rain at the moment, not sure if that will be seen in the attached photo. Another good stamp day. At least there is no wind.

Garden Update No 856

 We made a major discovery after I finished the blog yesterday and a second discovery this morning so I am doing another garden update even though I just did one yesterday.  Last night Debbie found some scale eating the Japanese Maple. This plant has had a lot of attention in the last two years and maybe now we have found why it is lagging way behind in its flowering.  The scale is simply being scraped off but requiring even more time. The other drama was with the strawbs this morning, as I found two of the black leeches of death just worming their way across the surface of one of the ripening strawbs.  There are only a few that are almost ready but I grabbed them anyway. However I found the perfect strawb hidden under foliage.  

this scale is a blight

worm watch is now in effect

scaling up

Garden Update No 497

 I have been keeping a close eye on the strawberry patch. There are many strawberries sprouting and so far no sign of the dreaded black wormy things.  I have plucked just one small strawberry so far but there are a few larger ones getting much redder.  Elsewhere, the succulents are sucking nicely and the lemons are getting like footballs.  This tree needs more attention, as I noticed just now, a lemon that never fell and has shriveled completely while still attached. 

almost ready

hidden rotter - maybe that has put the possum off lately

Coolant is Coolin

 We were driving the other day and every warning light that possibly exists came on at the same time. I think this is the default if the condition you are having does not have its own separate warning message. In this case we had to get an appointment with Subaru this morning and they have had the car all day. Normally I would bring the bike for a standard service and go for a ride for two hours.  This problem took all day and so they drove me home and now I am waiting to be driven back. Then we have to do it all again because the spare part is not available. I will have a bike next time. 

 In the meantime I have been to the beach twice. On my first swim I found a packet of chocolates on the sea floor. I threw them out onto some rocks for later retrieval but I forgot to get them on the way back. So we went back for a leisurely sit and soak but as I went walking thru the rock groyne there were other items like a cut rose, some plastic and tin foil. During the earlier swim i also saw a big jellyfish the first one I have seen this Summer.

Sunset heading southwards more over land

chocolate crack all

Riding again

 I got out the road bike for a slightly longer 10km ride.  The new phone has a Health App on it which can track your movements, measure distance, even track your sleep but you have to draw the line at sleeping with your phone. Mind you the wrist watch sleep tracker is not that far away from me.  I stopped a few times for some photos of Melbourne and the old rail line.  The road bike is the better bike for me at the moment with its greater choice of hand positions.  I will get to 20km by next week.

Hint of Melbourne 

Tracks - Note bird box

Wardrobe Void

 I have been cleaning up a few boxes around here. We have also made an appointment with the council recycle truck to make a home visit soon for old mattresses, beds, clothes dryer (which broke last week) etc. I have installed the units in the wardrobe which means I can move much philatelic related material into secure storage.  While I was checking thru some of this I found an appropriate envelope titled Polly Woodside Centenary 7-Nov-1985.  So Laura was born  exactly101 yar after the launch. We did go there for a birthday scenario one year but I cannot remember which birthday it was. 

Reject shop drawers

I'm guessing it was Laura's Ninth birthday party

Lunch at home

A morning shopping trip was had to Leopold.  I got some stackable vertical drawers which should fit into the void of the closet behind me. I have numerous odd boxes of stuff that have built up, like First Day Covers, letters, documents and stamps. It wont stop new deliveries going onto the floor but it should still be less clutter. The Klyes called around for a visit and brought the good old chicken and rolls. We also got thru 3 bottles of champagne as well but whose counting.  We showed off a few of the changes here like the new table and the robot cleaner.  Lunch was served on the upper deck so we had a good view of the passing parade. 

The garden tour

Tweak

 Like the heading says I gave my back a bit of a tweak this morning. I can still ride a bike though as I went into town to get some last minute massage treatment.  The road bike seems to be a better option for riding at the moment so I will stick to that one for the next month.  I also took a rubbish bag over to the beach and did some slow walking along the very centre stretch of beach. I found mostly small items except for a child's brand new leather sandal, size 10. There is a parent out there who is not happy. I threw it in the bin along with the usual cigarette butts, small rope strands, a straw and numerous plastic bits as well as a dog poo bag unused. The biggest stuff was outside our house across the street where the cars park.  There were chocolate wrappers with the chocolate still inside and coffee cups. That's a trick, throw the chokies on the ground and stand on them.

Looks pretty clean

Exercise Day

The physioman  said I could now start increasing my kms on the bike so as to reach 20km rides by the time I get back to see him in 4 weeks. So I went about 8km this morning with some slight hills. A little old lady pulled me up to point out a bee swarm that had come into a front yard ahead. I said thanks Honey.  In the afternoon the tide was up but a little breezy. I did my groyne swim and the same two rays that have been observed of late, were there again. Daniel says I should start an investigation along the lines of "My Octopus Teacher" from Netflix.  

Bee careful riding thru

last time I saw this pier it was choked with grass. Mostly clear now.

Lucky Weather

Today is raining steadily after three beach days of good weather and I think we were at the beach on all three of those days, but we had more time yesterday.  Daniel and I tried out the new snorkel and have confirmed that just about all the grass beds have been stripped bare, so the fish have moved off somewhere else, except for the ever present rays and a four kilo monster snapper that something had taken a bite out of.  Asher went on a few booger board rides, however it's ankle strap has perished since the Collendina days. Today we have put the house back roughly the way it was and after having spent the last four days close to or on the ground it will be good to stand up straight. But we would do it again tomorrow.

board rider