Antigua Penny Puce

 I have been persuing my list of secondhand books with a philatelic theme. They are older, out of print and hard to find. This one reminds me of a Jane Austen saga, family feuds, love triangles, a set of twins and a lifetime brother and sister dispute about a stamp collection. A philafeud no less.  It all stems from the idea that older brothers have the better knack and know how of maintaining a stamp collection than younger sisters.  After auction room swindles, court cases and news media taunts, the who owns what seems settled only to start again with the next generation.  Graves wrote this in 1935 when stamps were king. He is more famous for historic writings like "I, Claudius" which made it onto TV and a book I already had on the shelf, "The Twelve Ceasars". 

True Retrievers

 It is a team effort when it comes to putting and getting. It's like what goes up must come down and what gets put must get got.  It was the perfect beach afternoon and MRI's were not the reason to hang back. If we were going across then I had to bring the shot, even if it was just to roll the arm over with a few upright puts and I did have some true retrievers with me.  I had to find our gear, proper solid umbrella with the four anchor bags, beach seats, floor mat with all four corner pegs, coolarised drinks backpack and heavy duty beach towels to name a short list. The afternoon lulled into evening with mid twenties all night. The water is very clear and refreshing however swimming has not been a focus but it's turn will come.

true retriever

true retriever

MRI Revisted

 The last one of these I had was for a prostate examination and that resulted in removing body parts. This time it is a version of sciatica. MRI's use magnets and radio waves to interrupt bodily functions. It is like lining up metal filings with a magnet then switching it off to allow them all to fall back in place. Except this time they are lining up protons and snapping a picture when they settle back.  They are wanting to examine the hole where the nerve pokes thru. Ah the science!  The venue is a new one here with a brand new machine. Is it just me or are these machines getting smaller? One question they do not ask is how are you with claustrophobia?  Either I am getting bigger or that tube is getting smaller.  They asked me what music to play and I said Magneto and Titanium Man but they didn't have it. 

the latest in MRI casual wear

Water Therapy

We went across to try the cold water soakademia method of dulling this persistent ache in my leg.  Beaching is a good way of taking your mind somewhere else anyway. Physical activity is also good but it has to be mild enough not to reawaken the problem. I had my trusty retriever here so I let fly with 12 or so attempts in a fully upright stance. Since I did not have to go fetch or bend down, this session worked out ok.  We finished off in the water but only in the shallows where it is not really that cold. 

retrievers are believers

Fashion Shoot

 Or should I say fashion shot. I will be the best dressed shooter in the ring now that the uniform is coming together.  I have to get there in one piece first, seeing I am having complications with this pinched nerve business. My left ankle is not responding and the leg is weak but at least the pain has receded to an ache. I have been having a contest in my head about which is worse, this nerve thing or the shingles I had previously or maybe knee tendonitis which I have had three times. yadayada.  I have vowed to stand and deliver a few shots today and I have the shirt to prove it.

Orchid Hunt Not

 Some weeks back we arranged for an orchid hunt today. A new area was identified, lunch was set but instead I am visiting doctors and chasing an MRI appointment for later this week.  It seems this pinched nerve business can affect strength and movement as well as feeling. The feeling is coming back and the strength but there is reduced movement in the ankle. So a scan is being arranged to get a closer look. In the meantime I have done a home orchid hunt. The cover below is what we were after, the endangered candy spider orchid.  Now that is a hard thing to find and when they do pop up kangaroos will happily munch them. At least the home orchids are blooming and booming.

candied spider

We Solve Murders

 Even reading is a problem lately as concentration is short but I did finish off this new Richard Osman book. He has retired the retirees at the murder club and moved onto a new set of characters, much younger, more agile and able to shoot back. It took me a while to switch from the retirement village scene to a romp around the world scene for this whodunit. There is still one retiree in the new bunch, the elder statesman of the group who seems to be able to unravel the clues better.  A new dective agency is born and a second book is already here, so fast work by Osman between TV quiz shows.

Analysis of Pain

 There is a hole at the back of the spine area where a nerve pops thru. Somehow it is possible to irritate that exact spot so that the nerve is inflammed and touches the sides of the hole giving rise to a constant ache. It is when you bend in any way that a fire surge is sent thru the bum cheek down the back of your thigh then the calf and out thru your toes. Standing is my best defence. Nights are the worst. There is not much sleep happening. I have discovered that if you get as straight as possible with your feet over the end of the mattress you might get an hours worth. This stuff is getting on my nerves.

beach walk to brighten a day

Walking is Relieving

 This nerve business is a pain in the leg. It is so similar to the shingles pain I had some yar ago, it is unnerving. Walking is the only thing that feels normal and so far I have only walked for a few kms. We went back down yesterday to check out the final touches on the beach cleanup. It is looking good and there has been no wind to bring any grass up to spoil the scene. I am itching to put a few craters in the smooth sand but it simply is not an option. I can't sit any longer balanced on one bum cheek like this without standing up so I better finish this. Debbie has a very versatile stand up or sit down desk, maybe I should get one of those. 

the sandipity

another lemon drop

Pinching a Nerve

 We are not sure exactly when but at some stage during the last mega Sunday I pinched a nerve in my back.  This time it seems to be worse than any other time I have done it. The good news is that I am on the Rhoids to get the inflammation down.  I have had trouble trying to put the shot and also doing up my shoe laces.  It is not so much the putting but the bending down to fetch it.  Sitting down is not good so I am mostly standing or balancing on the edge of a seat. The culprit might have been the Duck Duck Goose activity that was going on last week, too much goosing and not enough ducking. 

Tractor Clean No1

 The mini dozer arrived yesterday for a beach scrape and shape. Now it seems a bit early this time around with Spring only halfway thru however I went down afterward to check on progress and see if it got a tick of approval.  The job is only half done. I went to the far end where they started from and "AHH the pristinety". No flotsam, no jetsam, no wrack and no ruin. I had my shot with me and I could not resist the smooth surface that had been prepared. Soon I had pock marks all over it, cratered, holed and shot shocked. At the other end, the wrack has been pushed and funnelled into a heaving weed scape. There are tons of the stuff and I dare say it will be lifted to the other side of the groyne, as per previous practice. 

East End Mess

West End Best

Fete Accomplice

 It's just not marathon day without it being fete day as well.  It is amazing to see how many large trucks can pile into a school car park and then unfurl each ride like it was show day. The queues were long for popular rides like the dodgy dodgems but tea cups and air balloons were quicker access but slower ride. So far we have not reached the grandie age of the stomach dropping rides.  I was tempted at the white elephant stall by the three books for $10 offer, but I resisted. Good thing too, as I got three books in a prize packet when there was a group Happy Birthday later.  You can't beat a sausage in bread. 

Another Marathon day

 Find your way to the MCG from Williamstown early in the morning. Negotiate closed roads to get as close as you can but ignore the 50,000 runners and their supporters until you can find your parking spot.  We knew the drill from last year and parked in the exact same garage.  The view inside the G was the same with huge crowds, fire works and more people than last year collapsing before the line. Only one failed to get up again and was taken away on the gurney express. Daniel was across the line in a similar time to the last year's which was at least 30 mins faster than mine from 40 yar ago. I am revisiting stuff I did 50 yar ago so maybe I should sign up for another marathon. NOT.

finish line

sports city

The Waiting

This is a book title but it applies to more and more these days. I don't think I have been to a medical appointment yet that has seen me in on time. yada yada. This book is one of the Millard cold case dectective yarns. We have seen season one and this story seems to have TV viewing in mind. Three issues running thru including the crazed gunman and two cold cases. Connelly's old mate Bosch gets involved despite retirement and helps wrap up the bad guys.  I have put it back on the shelf at Willie already yesterday but did not get out another as I have had  two deliveries of books. I am running out of my own shelf space.

served on a plate

Two Ring Willie

 Yes after various aborted attempts I have given the Willie rings a good workout. Just three of us on the track. One on the back straight, one on the front straight and me in the middle. It was a good 45 minute session using the crushed scoria sector.  I tried to work it so that the activity increased eg the number of consecutive throws increasing to no more than five but with a rest before another set. All fine in theory but I am still just over 9m as my longest effort and this time I got an actual tape measure out.  What a step up in equipment.  The lady the other day is correct but also you need to enter thru the back as well as leave thru the back. I needed to remind myself of that and work on the approach and exit as I have been ignoring that rule until now. 

AHH the Serenity!

Tree Lopper

 A rest day beckons as my arms have had an extra workout this week and I am also returning to the Willie washed out track tomorrow, so today is not exactly on the couch but I am using the armrest. Haha.  Yesterday, I started out with the very long sweeper broom which is suprisingly an arm buster.  The very top sections of covered awning require the broom at full extension. There was a lot of accumulated dust, webs and the remains of the bug plague that blew in a week back.  Then in the afternoon it was another solid workout with the large limb cutters. Some of those branches were thick and manoeuvring the thing is tricky. At some stage we have to get back to finish trimming the lemon tree. 

Masters Games United

 Some old guy throwing a weight at the beach is like a magnet for some people. This couple with heavy Irish accents were walking their dogs and the lady was wanting to talk about shot put. She has entered Master Games previously. Her first line was "Always go out the back".  I cannot produce the accent here but that is not what I heard. Then she gets closer and says it again and the husband chimes in "Out the back of the circle, to be sure."  OK don't step over the front always leave from the back, now I understood. For some reason after that I could get everything she was saying.  From now on, I am going to have sessions whenever the weather is ok. It was supposed to be a regular thing with recovery activity in between but the conditions just don't allow for it. All subject to my arm not dropping off.

Does the water look higher on this side of the wall?

Rats in the Belfry

 This area is so quiet at night. When possums scurry across the roof they will always wake you up. At least they are not lingering. They have a destination. Rats are a different story. They are trying to make a home. It has happened from time to time but never has it been above the bedroom. Two nights ago it was the ensuite and last night it was even closer.  Constant chewing, gnawing and wrestling with some nice silvery material to line the nest. A well aimed ugg boot seems to quieten the ruckus. I got into the roof cavity this morning. I did not even have to climb all the way up. Right in front of the hatch cover is a scat line showing a rodent roadway.  I neatly applied a row of rat nap to become a scat trap. At the same time I launched a throw sack towards the ensuite area. Now I need to catch some zzzz's.

rat scat

this reminds me that heater needs maintenance

Dentati Puttata

 Yes that's gibberish for having a shot put session and immediately followed by a root canal drilling and filling.  I seem to recall having done this last month as well. Good thing these root teeth only require two appointments these days. The last time I had this done was last century and there were at least four appointments over a couple of months. The hip pain never goes away as the bill caught up with me at $1,000 an hour.  As for putting the shot it was drizzily conditions but a solid 30 minutes. The elusive 10m remains just so. There may have been a 9.2 or 9.3 in the mix.  Maybe I will be able to grit my teeth more now for the final push (put).

this is supposed to show a landing zone

Coast Care Cleaners

 I saw a group of people coming back from the beach area and each one had a hession sack and some with pickup sticks to eleviate the bending.  It is the first time I have seen the coast care people concentrate on rubbish removal. Most times they are cutting out weeds and planting new trees. I had to go look for myself.  Yes all those corner seagrass areas have been worked over. I could not see anything left behind that had been washed up over time, except grass. These are the spots that I don't go into much. If the wind stays away for a bit then this cleanup might last a while.  

makeshift bridge before the rain

after the rain

flotsam free zone

Fruit Cake Biscuits and Olives

 We gathered at Estelle's house for another birthday offering. It was a wet but social weekend as the previous evening the Clancy's travelled over to Willie for a visit as well. It is all part of the Timmy rehabilitation, get driving, get moving, get active and give cancer the flick. Back at Estelle's house it was crazy games before other guests arrived like the Taylors.  It was at least an hour of frog flicking, scrawny chicken throwing and uppy uppy.  The high tea event was held with various birthdays in mind. The Taylors brought two jars from the 20 odd kilos of olives that came off our tree. These have been labelled as of 5 months ago so we might let them soak a bit longer.  The dessert featured an Estelle inspired cake as well as fruit cake shaped biscuits. That's different. A tour of the agriculture revealed blossoms on the orange, lime and cherry trees, As well as blossom on the passionfruit vines. The in ground plot has carrots (very crunchy, and must be grown from seed) and corn amongst the usual vegies.  There are plans for a hot house. These guys will never need to go to the shops.

frogger

chicken toss

fruicuits

Winter Returns

 We are at Willie today and I have been wanting to try the ring here.  The rain refuses to stop but I checked the radar and it seemed that the intense parts had passed over and it was going to ease. If an earthquake is not going to stop me then surely this weather can't. I drove over to the track in a deluge, so much for the easing part. The place was deserted and soggy. Just walking from the car to get my backside trackside meant I was soaked. There was no chance and with a gathering this afternoon it will have to wait til another day.  Maybe we can call it slosh and toss.

Wet Sky

 We have not seen the Sun for two days now so that means it's stamp weather. Actually any day can be a stamp day but even more so in the wet. I have been dismantling an old album from Germany, printed in 1928. One of my collecting guidelines is just about anything from the 1800's, especially from a place where I have no previous knowledge. Just like the separate states here before Federation, German states ran their mail service with their own stamps, like Baden, Hamburg and Bergedorf. They also repeated the same stamp designs for world domination, as did the British, as did the French. Those Europeans!