28/365 Memories of My Proposal

Oh, so that's why I stopped taking a photo every day. 

This brings back memories of Grant proposing to me. There were towels on the washing line. They were getting wet in the rain. I thought he was excited because we had a tomato on our tomato plant. Turns out we didn't.

General Sumo recommends:

Buying some champagne when your tomato plant finally does grow a tomato

It's an impressive occasion too.

Sleeping with fingerless gloves on

It's not just for hobos. I'm convinced Peter Alexander is missing out on a sales opportunity here.

27/365 Sew

Finally, finally, finally I got a sewing machine! Except that this was back in March and I haven't touched it since the weekend I got it. I have made myself promise not to touch it until I finish the wedding thank you cards. I have made five. And here I am writing a blog instead. Who knows why? So much to do, so little time available to do the fun things. I have a cushion pattern purchased, along with some Amy Butler fabric (and practice calico) just waiting to be attended to.

General Sumo recommends:

Celeriac

It's like a celery did it with a potato and they had a really ugly baby. A really ugly, tasty baby.

26/365 AUS Kitty-Hawk

June already. So not making 365 posts within the year. 

Another Who-Who post, this time displaying my cat grooming talent. Grooming usually takes place in a number of locations due to The Who's annoyance at being brushed. It's all good if the brushing is going with the grain. As soon as you get to the backcombing.... well, he was never going to be a goth. This grooming session started on the wall outside the back door, progressed down to the wall outside the bedroom window, round to the wall bordering 'the copse' (The Who's preferred outside 'toilette'), on to the ground in the courtyard then over the gate and into the common area. We finished with an edgy kitty-hawk style, guaranteed to strike terror into the hearts of Bella and Monty, the other third floor dogs (The Who doesn't need a kitty-hawk to strike fear into the heart of Muhammad, the third floor goldfish).

General Sumo recommends:

Avoiding scrambled eggs at Café Segovia

33 Block Place, Melbourne

Grant and I went there this morning, starving after walking out to East Melbourne for a couple of open inspections and then back into the city again. We weren't expecting awesome food but we were expecting some flavour. I must mention, however, that the waiter was very receptive to Grant's complaints so full points to him. However, we will not be going back. For a $17 breakfast, I expect scrambled eggs to be made with dairy products instead of water. And let's not pretend that dairy products aren't added for allergen reasons. Let's call it for what it is: a cost saving measure.

Bengal Tiger

Cnr City Road and Montague Street, South Melbourne

T: 03 9699 4791

Location, location, location. The Bengal Tiger doesn't have it. What it does have is consistently delicious, good quality Indian food with a warm, comfortable interior and friendly, personal service. Perfect for a comfortable mid-week meal or low-key weekend dinner, the only thing missing at The Bengal Tiger, besides a fresh glass per beer, is the people. As that pimply kid on the Bed Shed ad back in Adelaide used to proclaim "it's a pig of a location" and, as a result, it really seems to miss out on the patronage it deserves, at least from an eat-in perspective. But it definitely deserves a visit (or a few). I even felt rewarded for all that time I devoted to reading the Bhagavad Gita when I recognized a scene from the scripture of Krishna and Arjuna preparing to enter battle. That was some hard core reading.

25/365 Fat and Frisky Seeks Same...

... for bold and stripey fun and a little bit of straight arming.

It's been a long time and I have some major work to do if I'm going to catch up on my 365 posts in 365 days. I must confess that I haven't been taking a picture every day either. I'd appreciate it if you could just pretend that all photos were taken on separate days.

This photo is from the Mals and The Faths visit way back when in March. Quite a while ago now. The Who was getting down and dirty with his favouritist toy in the world, Diabeetus Mouse, who is a little hard to see in this picture, partially because he is so small and partially because of his superior camouflage skills. Or, as I'm told the kids on the street are saying at the moment, he has great camouflage 'skillage'. 

Let us now all straight arm in unison (see instructions below) as a sign of support for The Who.

General Sumo recommends:

Straight arming

Yes Grant and Gillsy, you know what it's all about. Here are the instructions for the rest of you:

1. Extend both arms straight in front of you at a 45 degree angle, palms facing each other.
   
2. Turn your hands at a 45 degree angle also.
   
3. Move your hands close together (although not touching) as though you were holding a light object.
   
4. Retract your head and focus your eyes intently on the imagined object in your hands. Dilate your pupils if possible.
   
5. Now move your hands rapidly up and down. If you're feeling particularly dextrous, do this in a slightly circular motion, as though you were juggling the aforementioned light object.
   
6. Remember, the less coordinated you look, the better your straight-arming performance will be.

The lazypatch duvet suit ad

As jwood299 writes: Is this for serious? Grant and I thought this was a joke ad. That said, I think it's supposed to be funny because the actual website is a bit a laugh. At first I just looked it up to amuse colleagues but the more I look at it and the more people I show it to, the more of a good idea it seems. I'd like to point out that you get that whole suit for just over AUD100! 

24/365 Hot Air & Love

For a couple of weeks when the mornings were getting darker and daylight saving time hadn't yet kicked in, I could maintain my leisurely 7 a.m. rising hour and still see hot air balloons making tours of the city whilst I had breakfast on the couch. 

Taking a hot air balloon ride is an entry in my 'Tea Box of Fun', although, when I did pick it out, I decided that we didn't have $600 to spare at that time, and so it re-entered the fray. Grant isn't very keen on the idea but I think he's still scarred from when, just after we moved to Melbourne, a hot air balloon got wedged between two buildings outside work. It was a surprising time for all involved.

The last time we were at Sandy Point, a friend of Mr and Mrs Booker's came around to show us her photos from a recent hot air balloon jaunt over the Yarra Valley. It looked very exciting and beautiful. Hopefully, it's made Grant feel more relaxed and conducive to the idea.

General Sumo recommends:

Telling Grant how wonderful a hot air balloon ride would be

Wow, imagine what a great birthday present that would make! I only wish we could take The Who.

Making a Tea Box of Fun

Last year, when we felt like we were just doing the same thing over and over again on weekends, I created the Tea Box of Fun. It is an empty lemon tea box filled with scraps of paper upon which are written things that we'd like to do and that are possible to complete in a weekend. So far, we've only done about three things in there. Wedding planning and, more so, obsessive work tendencies can get in the way of Tea Box of Fun intentions. Now that we're back on more even ground though, the Tea Box is making a comeback, sending us to the movies to see Duplicity recently.

23/365 Feels Like Home

Oh PWC, how I will miss your soothing blue signage when we move. Or if that proposed apartment block behind us gets approval. I can only hope that its residents will keep all of their lights on as irresponsibly as you do to guide me through life.

General Sumo recommends:

Sleeping with the blinds open

If you live in the city at least. It makes me feel connected. It's so comforting to be reminded that I can duck out for an audit or a flutter on the pokies if I need to.

22/365 Disabled Jewish Italian housing market

This is what is wrong with modern homes. Evidently targeting the large disabled Jewish Italian population in Melbourne, this little gem from Ascui Edwards Architects was presented in The Age Domain lift-out under the title 'The style of opulent minimalism'. Opulent is correct but author Kerrie O'Brien is clearly confused about the term 'minimalism'. Or Ascui Edwards's PR agency is.

Above is the floor plan for a brand new, three story home in North Caulfield. The two things that I think it has in its favour are 1) its garden seems to exist primarily of drought-friendly succulents and 2) it isn't a McMansion, although it seems to bear a lot of hallmarks of one.

If you decide to grant this property an inspection, as the article suggests that you should, you can expect to find the following:

• Pond and two water features - so practical and responsible in these times of 3A water restrictions;
• Both a meals and dining area, to avoid dinner guests seeing how you really eat when they're not there;
• Built-in gas barbeque;
• Kitchen with two Miele ovens as well as a Pesach kitchen with Smeg appliances - okay, useful for Passover if you're Jewish but with two ovens in the main kitchen already, a little extravagant;
• Rumpus room with kitchenette - two kitchens and a barbeque wasn't enough?
• Three bedrooms, all with ensuites, the master bedroom boasting a spa;
• Drying cupboard  and dressing room in the master bedroom as well;
• Home cinema - all the better to avoid leaving the house with, grandmother;
• Italian door furniture - otherwise known as door handles and door knobs;
• Video intercom - to keep the scary world locked firmly outside of your fortress;
• Four car garage with storage - the other 15 rooms didn't have enough space?
• And the best part, an Italian lift with mirror doors that services all three levels - again, very useful if you're disabled or aged, otherwise what? You're too lazy to walk up two flights of stairs? Once again with the Italian thing too...

I read this and felt a little bit like throwing up. Every day we get bombarded with bad news stories about environmental degradation (and I know it's unfashionable but god, I'm so over it) and there are still homes like this being built. And there are still, presumably, greedy, lazy people buying them. Unless you had six children, why would you possibly need all of that space? What's wrong with going to the actual cinema? What's wrong with one oven? What's wrong with one kitchen? What's wrong with hanging your clothes out on the line? What's wrong with sharing a bathroom and only eating in one room? And if you really think you need to live across three levels, then stop being so goddamn lazy and climb the freaking stairs! 

Hack.

General Sumo recommends:

Living responsibly

Do you really need a lounge room, family room and a home theatre? Homes seem to be all about cutting yourself off from the physical community outside your door now. 

Going to bed

It's late and you have work tomorrow. 

21/365 Happy Hippo Car Wash

A tip for fans of multitasking: whilst doing your grocery shopping in South Melbourne, you can have your car washed at The Happy Hippo Car Wash in the Spotlight Centre car park. 

Grant and I had our car washed there one day and, although I didn't stick around to watch, I'm pretty sure that this is what happens: in that cage, behind the sign, is a really big hippopotamus. Blue, by the look of things. The hippopotamus opens his mouth and the people that you leave you keys with, they drive the car in to the hippo's mouth. Then he closes his mouth and swishes your car around inside, much like you do when you use Listerine. After around fifteen minutes of swishing, the hippo opens his mouth and the peeps back the car out again and park in it specially marked parking bays, awaiting your return. 

I haven't quite worked out how they cleaned the inside of the car but maybe next time I'll stick around and see.

General Sumo recommends:

The Happy Hippo Car Wash

Level 1, car park of the Spotlight Centre

Corner of York and Cecil Streets, South Melbourne

I thought we were onto something new and exciting with the wash while you shop thing but it turns out that my mother-in-law has been doing it for ages back in Adelaide. Clearly, Melbourne has some ground to cover in car wash innovation. Although I'm not sure if Jan has her car cleaned by a hippo, so we may still be forward thinking in that respect.

20/365 Mr Feathers

Mr Feathers is the latest addition to The Who-Who's mouse army, joining such other popular mice as Diabeetus Mouse and Raffia Mouse. Mr Feathers came from a pet store and DIY dog wash in Abbotsford. After voyeuristically watching some dogs have baths, Grant and I checked out the kitten toy section and decided that two mice were clearly not enough for a capable hunter like The Who. So we purchased Mr Feathers, who at first was going to be called Many Cheezburgers Mouse. Above, we see Mr Feathers riding home in the Golf, about to meet his new family. The photo really captures his mixture of excitement and nervous apprehension. 

Mr Feathers has become a close second favourite to Diabeetus. To be fair to third favourite, Raffia Mouse, he is half the mouse he used to be, having lost a lot of his raffia, which can only be a sign of good play times that were had.

General Sumo recommends:

Those toy mice that feel like they're made with real fur

Maybe they are. Try not to think about it. It's not like mice in the wild have tails made of feathers. Not in Australia anyway.

19/365 Colour

Thanks former Safeway for some pre-Easter colouring in. I think I have done a superb job, especially in layering the colours on the pears and the sun. It was a little disappointing to discover that the competition entry form on the back didn't have an age bracket for 12+. 

What sort of shit Easter hunt is that anyway? Imagine going out in anticipation of brightly wrapped chocolate eggs and finding a pumpkin or a pear. Wow. Wild times.

General Sumo recommends:

Colouring in

So relaxing and therapeutic. Don't try colouring in an entire page in one night though. Your arm will hurt. Also don't let the cat sit on the page.

18/365 Beer!

Because one beer event is never enough, on Thursday night, I attended the Australian International Beer Awards. My primary memory of the night is pain due to wearing my work heels out to lunch that day then walking from home to the Belgian Beer Cafe to the casino in even angrier heels. I now have a lot of deflated blisters on the balls of my feet.

Aside from the foot pain, the event was lots of fun. The previous night's record of the most men, aged 23-48 in one venue was quickly surpassed once I arrived and plunged in to the sea of suits. I bravely began the night with a wine but moved on to beer once seated for dinner. Once again, I had entered man heaven as a short-term guest. A large silver bowl at the centre of our table was constantly replenished with different bottles of beer.

As an item of interest, I point out that the evening was hosted by Paul Mercurio. Yes, that guy from Strictly Ballroom who then did the Chesty Bonds ads (I accidentally typed 'Chesty Bongs' then but that is quite a different product). Dinner involved duck, arranged in artfully different ways in the three shallow valleys of my entree plate; ocean trout with some other stuff that escapes me; and an apple tart with cinnamon ice-cream. Normally suspicious of fruit masquerading of dessert, I was pleased to find the apple amply surrounded by fattening pastry and resting lightly in a puddle of cream. Afterwards came coffee, tea and chocolates. I had worked out a plan to chat with people at a lot of different tables so that I could gorge on chocolates without anyone noticing but then I realized I was tired and just wanted to go home.

No awards for us during the night but a lot picked up by a small Western Australian brewery called the Feral Brewing Company. Quite a big achievement for a brewery with only one bottled beer (several more in draught form). The picture above comes from one of a few old beer ads that were screened during the night. I can only hope to be such a good wife as the lady above, bringing her husband a refreshing beer after a long day at work, leading the way with her disturbingly pointy bosom.

General Sumo recommends:

Not turning down an offer to attend the beer awards

Bryson!

Only making one outdoor trip in high heels per day

Stupidly, I then wore the same heels to work the next day. What was I thinking? Caroline was smart enough to wear flats.

Feral White by the Feral Brewing Company

I couldn't say I was big on the name, nor did I try the Feral White but with so many awards and a room full of brewers willing to clap them, I'm guessing they do something right.

17/356 Male, 23-48

Beer, bratwursts and Boscastles. A man paradise at Fed Square - the microbreweries showcase. Leon sounded the call: Grant responded. Stella and I went along for the ride. I don't think I've ever seen so many men in the 23-48 age bracket (this record was broken the following night - see blog 18/365). Single people whose preference runs that way, take note.

Our very own Matilda Bay was there, complete with model of Sebastian the duck at the stand. 

I sacrilegiously drank a strawberry Big M, chatted with Stella and took photographs. Above we see Leon, peering out from behind Grant and clearly thinking about chish.

General Sumo recommends:

Fed Square Microbreweries Showcase

28th and 29th October 2009, 16:30-20:00, The Atrium

You buy a $25 tasting ticket entitling you to 20 beers (sample size), put down a $2 deposit on a glass and away you go, stopping for some sort of manly sustenance along the way with your $5 meal ticket. It's always exciting to see what sort of things the mini-breweries can come up with, away from the constraints of big business pressures (sort of...).

16/365 Red Roses and Champagne

A nice present that was waiting for me at reception on Tuesday afternoon. I was quite mystified when one of the receptionists said "A guy named Peter dropped them off" as though I would know who that was. "His number is on that Post-It note on the side," she added helpfully, pointing out a little yellow addition to the card.

For a little while, at least until I got up to the second floor and sat down at my desk again, I thought I could have had a secret admirer and was secretly tickled. Then I opened the card and discovered that I didn't have a secret admirer - I had suppliers. The lovely Kimberley and Peter at Mead had organized the gift to congratulate me on my recent marriage. 

I thought that Peter must have been in town from Sydney and dropped the present in personally, hence why the name and phone number were on the Post-It note. So I rang the number and thanked him for his thoughtful gift. Only it wasn't him. There was a long confused silence on the end of the line. "You're thanking me for them?" the gentleman finally responded. Oh. Turns out the courier was also called Peter. 

Um, anyhow... after thanking the courier (who knows why his name and number were on the package?) I called both the right Peter and Kimberley to thank them. The flowers are on their way out now, almost a week later but I've really enjoyed having them at home. I don't ever buy red roses for the house but they're a beautiful classic. The champagne, with its exciting cooler packaging - the bottom half acts as a cooler after opened - is in the fridge awaiting a special occasion.

General Sumo recommends:

Thoughtful presents

These really made my day. It's always nice to get flowers and the champagne was a lovely bonus.

Checking your voicemail often

That's more a recommendation to myself. I can never keep up with my voicemails and, consequently, these sat down at reception for half a day before someone called one of my colleagues to pass the message on. I even walked past the flowers downstairs and thought that someone was getting a nice gift. Turns out it was me!

15/365 Steamy Monday

This was the only thing worthy of taking a photo of on Monday. How boring. I did go to work but I'm figuring that it would pretty a) nerdy and b) suspicious if I turned up with a camera and started snapping photos at work. You might get to see all of that top secret innovation that is going on the behind the scenes (can you put an MP3 player in a can of beer and will anyone want it if it's not an iPod?).

So, I've been ironing three items of clothing a night, trying to space out the drudgery. It's going pretty well. Because I slacked on Thursday night and tonight, we'll be wearing rumpled clothes tomorrow. Good thing it's the weekend.

I've been thinking about buying a garment steamer. If anyone has any experience with non-industrial garment steamers, you can leave me a helpful comment below. Even if you've just thought about buying one too, you can leave a comment. It's nice to know that you're not alone.

The other interesting thing that happened is that the black hawk helicopters were doing some sort of military training manoeuvres during the day and evening. They went past my window at work and also upset The Who later on in the evening. He had to hide under the bed on the Jumbo vacuum-seal space saver bag for a while to recuperate.

General Sumo recommends:

Doing your ironing in small bites

Keep it manageable but more than one piece per person per day so you can have the satisfaction of knowing you have a selection of pre-ironed clothes to choose from. It helps me to feel empowered every morning.

14/365 Wardrobe Emergency!

You know the feeling: you're off to a special event, you've spent an hour trawling through your wardrobe but you've got nothing to wear. Well, my sartorially challenged friends, now is the time to rejoice! At least for those of you doing the weekly shop. Above is the perfect shirt to wear whilst shopping for fresh produce, as found at the South Melbourne Market. 

Try not to take offence when people comment on your juicy melons.

General Sumo recommends:

South Melbourne Market

Cnr of Cecil and Coventry Streets, South Melbourne

Although the Central Market in Adelaide is still my favourite, the 50 minute plan ride is not always practical. The South Melbourne Market is a damn good substitute. Fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, bread, sweeties and pasta are in plentiful supply as are cute dogs lining the street outside. If you're lucky, you might catch a random butcher singing opera. My only complaint is that it's a little bit vanilla. This is not the place to come if you're looking for anything that falls outside the regular white upper-middle class diet.

T.O.M.S. (The Organic Meat Store)

Stall 30, South Melbourne Market

I'm not such a big meat fan but I've loved everything we've bought from T.O.M.S.  The service is fast, friendly and helpful and the guys can tell you where the meat is from - something that makes someone struggling with the ethics of meat-eating, like me, feel a little bit better.

13/365 Bill

This is Bill. Bill hangs at The Gertrude Hotel in Fitzroy, waiting for scratches and doggy admiration. Rumor has it that he occasionally lets fly with a particularly pungent fart, although I've fortunately yet to experience this.

Grant and I ate lunch at The Gertrude on Saturday during an interlude in property viewing. I had pumpkin and parmesan ravioli with a tomato and vegetable sauce whilst Grant indulged in the burger. Big marks to my pasta, in particular the sauce, which featured plentiful vegetable action. I find this is often hard to come by in pasta dishes so it was a pleasant surprise. 

At first shunning my advances and seriously endangering my Dr. Doolittle reputation, Bill eventually came around when he realized that his table of lady friends was leaving and he could no longer receive foot scratches. We spent some fun time together, me giving him some energetic rubs on the belly with my feet. It sure did make me miss having a dog. I'm not saying I don't love The Who-Who because who doesn't, right? But there's only so much vigor with which you can rub a kitten's soft white belly.

Sleep well Bill. Until the next time.

General Sumo recommends:

The Gertrude Hotel

148 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy

It smelt a little funky this Saturday but I'm prepared to put that down to the copious amounts of rain. Or maybe Bill. I've heard the chicken wings are superb but since I am one of those three Australians who doesn't like chicken, I haven't explored that terrain. Friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, amusing pet and a fireplace. What's not to love?

The CardioTwister presentation

This was on the TV at The Gertrude. Working out hasn't been this fun since.... well, ever! And I don't know, Cheryl, I reckon I do hate working out more than you do. Check out the padded handlebars at the 2:00 mark. I think you'll appreciate them as much as she does. Also, note that by buying the CardioTwister, you appear to automatically upgrade your digs to a mansion with swimming pool. And for only $14.95 for a 30 day trial (but if you don't like it, you have to pay return shipping)! What I want to know is, if it takes 4-6 weeks to ship, as detailed in tiny writing at the bottom of the last few frames, does your 30 days start from the despatch date or the receipt date? Oh to hell with it! 7/10/09 - Cardio Party at my house!!!!!!

12/365 Connex Sizzle!

Hammer in the stake! Finally, the prayers of thousands of Melbourne train commuters are answered.

General Sumo recommends:

Living walking distance from work

Not only do you not have to worry about commute times and train anger but you can act all self-righteous about how environmentally responsible you are.

Taking your shoes off and stepping all over fake grass

Not as good as real grass but still a tactile delight.

11/365 arieanjlhj.,,,,,,,,,,.ewthlkadf

I'm pretty sure that's what The Who was typing. He has discovered an important piece of information that has changed his life: the laptops get hot! Especially when I'm playing Simmies. I'll be busy running the lives of Platypus Chan, Hobson's Bay Hobson's Bay and Thompsons Fitzgerald when all of a sudden the game wildly starts taking photos or recording a film or randomly quits. Oh, The Who-Who must be on the laptop again.

I've tried putting random things on the keyboard to discourage kitten settlement but he tends to just sit on top of them. One time he actually reclined against the screen. He's so relaxed with modern technology.

And yes, Grant, after this photo I did push him off. He got on the Macbook instead.

General Sumo recommends:

Setting up a comfy blanket as an alternative to the warm laptop

It took a bit of prodding and the placement of a tea box on the laptop keyboard but he got the message in the end. He was little bit angry but he got over it.

Sims 2

Playing dollhouse was never this fun before. I like to use the phonebook and name my people after street names. Hence why I have someone called Platypus Chan, sister of Beaver Chan. I also had someone called The Ridge. She was awesome. Then I like to conduct mini-social experiments like, what happens if I make a freaky cult community full of blonde, blue eyed people who aren't allowed to have any technology and whose female members can't work and see how long they can survive and interbreed before they're all related and have to search for partners in the outside world. Next up: the singles neighbourhood.

10/365 Yep, It's A Busker

My last day of holidays (I'm a few blogs behind but have faithfully taken a photo every day). I went into the city to do something.... What was it? Oh, to buy ink and more storage solutions. So after picking up some black Quink and a set of three over-the-door hooks, I came back through Bourke Street Mall and spied this guy busking. I was impressed that he managed to get a piano into the mall so after taking this photo and making a donation, I went over to ask. The answer was much less exciting than I had anticipated: by truck. I had romantic visions of him wheeling it all the way in from Brunswick or something. Nevertheless, going to all that trouble to load and unload it from a truck sure beats a guitar on a strap.

My request was 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow'.

General Sumo recommends:

Making an extra effort as a busker

I'm not interested in your artful dreadlocks, your dolphin candle store clothes or your hemp guitar strap. Call me when you're respectfully dressed in a tuxedo t-shirt and jaunty top hat and have wheeled your piano all the way from Brunswick. 

Having correct grammar

Note the correctly placed apostrophe on that bottom sign. If I'd noticed that at the time, he would have gotten another few coins. I've seen professionally painted signs that can't even get that right!

Over-the-door hooks

$8 or something at Big W for the three-hooker

The answer to all of our 'I can't be bothered putting my clothes in the wardrobe' problems. I should have got the five-hooker.

9/365 Lemon Baxter - You Can't Stop It

On Tuesday during a trip to the South Melbourne Coles to get pasta, Grant and I spied this awesome old building set to be demolished and redeveloped as an office block, with sales courtesy of real estate firm Lemon Baxter. How criminal. The building is clearly begging for someone like us to have enough money to buy and live in it, although those windows might be a bit too revealing in the middle of South Melbourne.

As an aside, I've always thought that Lemon Baxter sounded like a cocktail made up by David Baxter at work, not a real estate company. "I'll have two martinis and a lemon baxter thanks."

General Sumo recommends:

Not getting rid of all the awesome old industrial buildings

Although, to be honest, I'd rather see them destroyed completely than a slow, painful death by executisation. This is when property developers take a great warehouse and strip it of any character on the inside to make it into an 'executive apartment', relying solely on the coolness of the brick exterior to sell the place as 'edgy and urban'.

Drinking a lemon baxter

Mojitos are so passe. I don't know how to do an e acute on the Macbook. Just imagine it.

8/365 Utah Trio Aids Host

Back from Sandy and still on our reduced television kick, Grant and I decided to do the puzzles in The Age. We started out with the quiz, moved on to the quick crossword, had a stab at Target and finished off with two other word puzzles. 

We were quite proud of ourselves managing to complete both of the latter puzzles. Then we noticed that they were titled 'Under Age'. There are two options when considering this title and both make me feel dumb. Option 1: This is a section for young people, calling into question our mental abilities. Option 2: The title, Under Age, is some sort of clever play on words using the name of the newspaper. But I can't work out what it is, once again calling into question my mental abilities.

Interesting to note that the solutions for the puzzle from the day before seemed to be on some sort of bushfire theme. Maybe I'm reading too much into that. Not sure what the theme of the puzzle we did was. Sounds political.

General Sumo recommends:

Doing puzzles in the paper together

This is our new after dinner activity and I'm loving it, even though The Age makes me feel stupid. We've been looking up new words on Dictionary.Com and researching crossword answers on Wiki, those infinite sources of infallible knowledge. I was a little mad that The Age didn't recognize 'fuck' as a legitimate answer for Target. It's a word! It was the first word I found.

Looking up the solution words from yesterday's Target. 

Who knew 'tufa' and 'kerf' were words?

7/365 Coal Power: I Never Did Ask How That Worked

Mr and Mrs Booker kindly extended an invitation to us to visit with them at their beach house in Sandy Point once again this past weekend. No staying at caravan parks like ruffians for us! 

It says a lot about Sandy Point, and indeed Mr and Mrs Booker, that I am prepared to sit through a two and a half hour car journey to go there. I detest road trips. It raises long repressed memories of the three and a bit hour car journey from Port Augusta to Adelaide that I made many times during childhood. The only consolation now is that I get to sit in the front seat, have unlimited access to the lollies and nobody punches my arm every time they see a VW Beetle. 

After engaging in the prerequisite reading and lying around in the afternoon, disturbed only by the amusement of a miniature motorbike, we sat down for drinks and chips with part-time Sandy Pointer, Simon. Simon works as an operator at a coal power plant. And as he spoke, I thought, "I spent a lot of time growing up in a coal power plant town. I never did ask how that actually works". Back then, I was too busy being a hater.

And so here was my opportunity. Above, we see Simon using a yellow bowl as the boiler and various beer bottles as I can't remember what exactly but something that the coal is crushed up into dust in after the moisture gets zapped out. Don't ask me to explain it but it involved gas, water, coal, crushing, heating and a lot of really big things. It's all a lot more complicated than I ever imagined, causing my head to spin kind of in the way it did when I read that astronomy book five years ago. But less scary. I felt much more appreciative of electricity after that. And also of that versatile yellow bowl, which is my favourite piece of crockery at Mr and Mrs Booker's beach house.

Before I forget, another highlight of the trip was using our Jumbo vacuum seal bag to transport our bedding. It works, it really works!

General Sumo recommends:

Asking more detailed questions about what people do

I used to do this a lot but I've clearly been too self-absorbed for too long. You never know what you can learn and from whom.

Not stirring paella

You might get in trouble with the host. This is what comes of never doing the cooking at your own house. Umm...at least I remembered bedding this time.

Falling asleep on road trips

It's the only non-boring way to spend the time. Remember to wake up every hour or so to make a token effort at engaging the driver in conversation. Unless you are the driver. In which case, you may need some sort of stimulant to last the trip.