In Print

 I received the 2nd instalment of my article about maps on stamps. This is the printed magazine version. They do have a website at  www.mapsonstamps.org but there does not seem to be a digital copy anywhere there, although I do have the digital version as well.  These mags are quarterly and I originally sent it in last year so I have half forgotten the jist of it.  I tried to mix it up with some facts and with some fun, like find the hidden map on the stamp. It must be the first time they had a game page in their magazine. The whole printing effort is very slick with high quality imaging and paper.  I got in just in time as the editor is retiring, so might the mag if there is no one else.

Two Books

I am reading two books concurrently.  How clever. The second is another Jack Reacher mashup where in the back of the book, is an interview of the author lee Child by our old friend GRR Martin.  I think we can dismiss any chance of ever getting those last two books for Game of Thrones. He is busy everywhere else.  The other book consists of anecdotes from last century of a stamp dealer, like the time he got a letter from a lady who found an old stamp. The first stamp ever printed was in 1860 but she found one that was older with a picture of Columbus dated 1492.  She was convinced it must have been worth a fortune and wanted to sell it to him. However dealers being untrustful types, she tore it in half, writing that when you send me the money I will send you the other half.  She was all in for a half measure.

Door Man

 We have a new door at the side of the garage. It still needs more work but is lockable and secured.  I assume the old one will be taken away. In the meantime I have been casting around for travel options next year as we need to make up for lost time.  Holidays have been hampered due to covid, ailments and other general mayhem.  I think my skills of being my own travel agent, navigator and travel guide may have lapsed into disuse.  So perhaps it might be time to consider the tour option where the decision making is all done beforehand.

before

after

Sunday Oneday Paella

 1st Sunday of the month is paella day at the Oneday estate.  Since we have moved here, 77 1st Sundays of the month have gone passed without trying the huge dish they cook up of seafood paella. The last time I saw a dish this big was on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean. It also helps that we are in perfect sunshine here while further North seems to be covered in snow.  There was also some art to see on the premises which was not making much of an impression especially with a $3000 price tag. 

Fence Me in

 Rain and rot go together. If you can keep plants away from houses and fences they would last longer.  The fence section has been replaced however we still have a new expensive door to be installed in the side of the garage. The metal frame here is rusted out but with some grinding and metalling (new word?) it can be saved.  We have painted the fence previously but the very bottom still holds the water and softens the wood.  So it is getting a trim from one end to the other leaving a bigger gap.

does not look much different from here

Bubble Pools

 Two days in a row of stillness and sunshine has to mean something. I went further than yesterday across to the Dell area where I haven't ventured all Winter.  There are two barrels with a form of oyster trap spilling shells everywhere that have washed up.  Getting closer to the walkway the seagrass has been completely cleaned out from under there so that you can see the minerali water bubbling up again.  The wrack piled up was jammed as high as the boardwalk but so is the shifting sand. 

A delivery of wood

Last year  we cleared some bushes and trimmed back some rose trees from the side gate area revealing the small section of fence there to be wobbly, rotty and grotty.  It has taken this long to get something done which should be happening in the next few days.  I went across the way seeing the weather was favourable. I picked up a decent bag of junk, including insulating foam which boaties use everywhere and pump into everything. Also a length of black tubing and my least favourite, a nicely fermenting bag of dog poo.