No Supper for You

Next time you are in Italy this post may be of use.  I have spent two days trying to track down the whoha of getting into view the "Last Supper".  Selling internet event tickets is all the rage these days. I have used this method previously to cut the queue in Kuala Lumpur and also Dubai.  I have just now organised tickets for the "Statue of David" but Leonardo is proving tricky. You need to be ready on the web page (www.CENACOLOVINCIANO.org)  three months in advance.  The cost is 8 euro at the door however the tour operators charge 100 Euro with a two hour walking tour.  There is a telephone service (+39 02 92800360)  but all I get is error messages. Elsewhere tickets for the Leaning Tower (www.opapisa.it) are bought only 20 days in advance which means we will already be in Europe.

No Surname required

30th Just in Time

I'm going to parties where the celebratee (a new word?) is half my age. There is another party soon where the ratio will be a third. Perhaps I shouldn't dwell on the maths, as long as the food, drink, music and laughs are all there then who cares.  Except it took me a while to get going this morning.

Excellent party planning

Stockland Exit Strategies

I went to a seminar cum lecture cum info session on the tricks and traps of exiting a retirement village. Stockland is stretching the definition of the renewal clause into an upgrade clause.  The gist is, to get the unit back to something like new for the incoming lessee, the current lessee's estate must pay that cost of approximately $15000. Only Stockland have been charging $55000.   So the key points are

• Know your contract (eg Government changes post 2006)
• Attempt the renewal yourself or get some quotes before signing the vacant possession release
• Challenge the Stockland cost of works for the renewal
• Keep informed of similar unit values in the same village
• Negotiate the units' resale price and agree on it.

Packed house at Burnside

The old days Remapped.

Rode into town today to meet up with an old cartography mate. Robyn is featured in the photo below from 1976. I last saw her during the 1984 metrogaine which co-incidentally I plotted on my Google map the other day. People roll their eyes when I mention that I am plotting X and they are asking Y. (see shirt slogan).  There is now a lunch for old cartographers on the cards. Watch this space.

Final year excursion

PS I have my own cartography joke...

"Why are you using such a fat X  and such a fat Y ?"
"... because the plot thickens."

T Shirt Mania

I previously mentioned the tour of the Airport Tower some months back.  Maybe the tour controller could use a uniform such as below.  It seems someone out there has a lot of shirts and one printing press for different slogans. Then again someone I know can stitch on the design for a fee.  Just to keep it in the family I have included the nod to the bookkeeper.

ToadRooms and MushStools

My front yard is looking like the site of a pixie's paradise or fairies fracas. Another one of those "Signs of Winter" that I don't like. Sounds like a book title. It could be worse like a blanket of white stuff blocking my door.  I did check out that other book  "Winds of Winter". I believe even the pre-orders have sold out the entire print run for the hard copy edition and its not published until next year!


Amanita Muscaria

Toady Pie

Mushy Gloop

 

                               

                                                  Two days later - with Cherub

                                     

                                    

May Day May Day no help required

Sydney is pouring down with rain, Brisbane not much better but we are basking in sunshine here and no help is required.  I am always amazed at how many surfers are out and about mid week. 13th beach car parks are jammed full. There must have been a few hundred surfers spread out along that stretch. The plover update suggests that plovers operate in families ie there are currently 9 plovers which means another 12 have flown off. Perhaps another family group.  The shore has been scoured to leave some tightly packed shell shoals.  I could vary the old tongue twister.

"Shall she sell sea shells from a shell shoal on the sea shore? She sure should."

Shell shoal.