Since I had nothing to do today other than to wait for the weather gods to allow Jayne to fly to Australia, I decided to take a research trip into the city. The State Library of New South Wales is just a few blocks from Circular Quay, and it was easy enough to remind myself of the route after my brisk ferry ride across the harbor. I did not enjoy the scenery too much on this harbor crossing and it is all Jane’s fault for loaning me a copy of A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. I took it along to read and had a lot of trouble putting it down for any length of time. An excellent Indian novel, this story is taking a delightful amount of time examining the background of each character, and I am thoroughly enjoying it.
I write these lines from the bowels of the Mitchell Library where they allow free internet access (and free air conditioning…..I wonder what this place was like last Saturday…..) I am rather pleased with myself, having uncovered the identity of the principal character I needed to document on this trip. I have even established a speculative link between this chap and one of the founding board of trustee members of Royal National Park, so this was a fruitful expedition indeed. I will probably linger here in the city until late afternoon, when I will return to the Manly Fishos club to play trivia with Ron’s mates.
Jayne should be here tomorrow. I sure hope so.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Stupor Bowl Party
Everybody says they enjoy the commercials during the Super Bowl, and some people admit that the expensive ads are one of the main reasons they watch the show. I guess you could count me in that latter group, so you can imagine my boredom with the game yesterday when every commercial break took me back to the same Australian ads I have been seeing for days. No talking babies, no chimps in funny clothes, just Aussies hawking Hungry Jack hamburgers and Holden pickups. The game itself was not much of a surprise for me; having two colleagues from Wisconsin I not only knew the team to root for, but also the team that would win.
There was little to do around the apartment after the game, although I did manage to get outside in the lovely cool weather to take a stroll down to the shops. In addition to a “Vinnies,” (St. Vincent de Paul thrift store) there is a fine used book store with volumes stacked to the ceiling. I had yet to finish A Tale of Two Cities, the book I brought along with me from the states, and I knew that Jane had another to loan me later that day, so I did not purchase any of the tomes that beckoned from the dusty shelves. However, I will be back. I cannot resist the siren call of a used book store.
Last night at Ronald’s we had Thai curry, which was delicious. I foolishly added too many of the peppers that stood as a condiment for the feast, so I had to get a second helping of rice to deal with the heat. Fortunately the heat was entirely on the palate since the weather continued cool and breezy until the time for my return to the apartment. I got one last call in to Jayne before going to bed to wish her a pleasant journey, and now I count the hours until her arrival here. Its been quite lonesome.
There was little to do around the apartment after the game, although I did manage to get outside in the lovely cool weather to take a stroll down to the shops. In addition to a “Vinnies,” (St. Vincent de Paul thrift store) there is a fine used book store with volumes stacked to the ceiling. I had yet to finish A Tale of Two Cities, the book I brought along with me from the states, and I knew that Jane had another to loan me later that day, so I did not purchase any of the tomes that beckoned from the dusty shelves. However, I will be back. I cannot resist the siren call of a used book store.
Last night at Ronald’s we had Thai curry, which was delicious. I foolishly added too many of the peppers that stood as a condiment for the feast, so I had to get a second helping of rice to deal with the heat. Fortunately the heat was entirely on the palate since the weather continued cool and breezy until the time for my return to the apartment. I got one last call in to Jayne before going to bed to wish her a pleasant journey, and now I count the hours until her arrival here. Its been quite lonesome.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Cool enough for Spicy
What a change twenty four hours can make. Yesterday morning it was still hot enough to stagger down to the beach in search of relief. Ron, Jane, Cindy and Barbara all came over to the apartment and we went down to the safety flags to challenge the surf. This time I left my keys wrapped in my shirt and stuffed into my hat, both of were guarded by Ron who scorned the flag zone. The water felt pretty darn good, and one giant wave tossed me to the bottom where a vigorous meeting with the sand helped remove any excess skin I may have been carrying around.
By the afternoon, however, the sky began to darken and the wind blew with considerable force from the southwest. Light rain began to fall, and the force of the wind howling through the apartment made the fans superfluous. Before too many more minutes, it was actually COOL, and I found the wearing of long pants not to be intolerable. The change in the apartment comfort level spurred me into action, and I cooked two pans of home made enchiladas without breaking a sweat. By the time Ron, Jane, and Cindy arrived at 6:00 pm, only the aroma of Mexican spices greeted them at the door rather than the blast furnace of yesterday. I believe the cooking was to their liking, and I know it was to mine. Now I face leftovers for breakfast and it is not an unpleasant prospect.
Today is the Super Bowl in America, an occasion also usually marked by the consumption of spicy food. I think it ought to be on some Australian station, and if so I will give it a glance today while I enjoy the continuation of this cool weather.
By the afternoon, however, the sky began to darken and the wind blew with considerable force from the southwest. Light rain began to fall, and the force of the wind howling through the apartment made the fans superfluous. Before too many more minutes, it was actually COOL, and I found the wearing of long pants not to be intolerable. The change in the apartment comfort level spurred me into action, and I cooked two pans of home made enchiladas without breaking a sweat. By the time Ron, Jane, and Cindy arrived at 6:00 pm, only the aroma of Mexican spices greeted them at the door rather than the blast furnace of yesterday. I believe the cooking was to their liking, and I know it was to mine. Now I face leftovers for breakfast and it is not an unpleasant prospect.
Today is the Super Bowl in America, an occasion also usually marked by the consumption of spicy food. I think it ought to be on some Australian station, and if so I will give it a glance today while I enjoy the continuation of this cool weather.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Out of the frying pan
Even the most dedicated snow bird will eventually meet their match, and mine arrived yesterday afternoon with an intolerable, humidity laden afternoon that made this apartment an oven. It was too hot to even think, so I did not for several hours. Towards evening Ronald and Jane, along with their friend Barbara, picked me up for dinner at a restaurant down the street. It was really no relief, since it, too, is an open air dining area facing out to the ocean. The food and company were excellent, however. After driving me home, the group wanted to see the apartment and were met at the front door with conditions rivaling a blast furnace from Hell itself. They stayed out on the porch, hoping to catch a breeze, and at least were rewarded with a nice view of the Southern Cross above the soutwest horizon. However, after they left, I had a very uncomfortable night with every fan in the house blowing full tilt.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Idiot of the Day
So Saturday has finally come round again and the bold lads of the Narrabeen Life Saving Club have set up the safety flags at the middle beach location, just about one hundred yards from my apartment. What a convenience! After taking another long bike ride this morning and working up a pretty good sweat, I donned swim trunks and towel for my first true dip in the Pacific. The sand was really hot on my feet as I got to the safety area between the flags on the beach, so I quickly threw down my towel and hat in order to charge into the surf. It felt glorious, with big breaking waves knocking me around as I worked my way out about thirty yards where others were bobbing about in the water. What a refreshing feeling! What a beautiful sunny day! What total horror when I realized that my apartment keys were no longer in my pocket.
Having sacrificed my only apartment access to King Neptune, there was nothing I could do other than trudge warily back to the apartment building and survey my options. I had no cell phone, no wallet, no way to call the landlord and I knew I had to rely on my own cunning to get back in. Although my porch is on the third floor, it is separated from the apartment next door by a wall that does not extend very far past the balustrade. I went upstairs, knocked on my neighbors door, and sheepishly explained to the fellow I had obviously just disturbed from a deep sleep that I needed to perform a dangerous stunt from his porch. The guy was game if I was, and I stepped out to his porch to execute the ticklish maneuver. I tried not to look down as I stepped gingerly over the railing, passed beyond the separating wall, and vaulted over the railing of my own porch. Luckily I had not locked the porch door and I was safely inside in less time that it takes to type this line.
I had to call my long suffering landlord to get replacement keys and he graciously performed the task within the hour. Now I sit here shaking my head and thinking how ironic my fears are. Always a bit squeamish about getting in the ocean, my biggest danger of the morning was actually a peril on dry land, three stories above a soft lawn of Bermuda grass!
Having sacrificed my only apartment access to King Neptune, there was nothing I could do other than trudge warily back to the apartment building and survey my options. I had no cell phone, no wallet, no way to call the landlord and I knew I had to rely on my own cunning to get back in. Although my porch is on the third floor, it is separated from the apartment next door by a wall that does not extend very far past the balustrade. I went upstairs, knocked on my neighbors door, and sheepishly explained to the fellow I had obviously just disturbed from a deep sleep that I needed to perform a dangerous stunt from his porch. The guy was game if I was, and I stepped out to his porch to execute the ticklish maneuver. I tried not to look down as I stepped gingerly over the railing, passed beyond the separating wall, and vaulted over the railing of my own porch. Luckily I had not locked the porch door and I was safely inside in less time that it takes to type this line.
I had to call my long suffering landlord to get replacement keys and he graciously performed the task within the hour. Now I sit here shaking my head and thinking how ironic my fears are. Always a bit squeamish about getting in the ocean, my biggest danger of the morning was actually a peril on dry land, three stories above a soft lawn of Bermuda grass!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
The News from Lake Woebegone
Today’s title comes from an interesting criticism that came to light after my talk. Jane told me that after I left, the next speaker took the podium with her slide and powerpoint presentation and started off with the comment, “Well, no one told me I was going to have to follow Garrison Keillor!” I suppose it was intended as a dismissive insult, but I have taken it to be the highest compliment. (Although if she meant I LOOK like Garrison, I am severely offended!)
Today is the first day that I don’t really have anything to do. My groceries are adequate, I have plenty of laundry, dishwasher and other soaps, and I have explored the bus route south enough for a while. My “dongle” for internet access is now working, and although it took me several hours to figure out how to activate it, at least I don’t even need to leave the kitchen to post messages on the blog. All I really need now is Jayne to make this stay a perfect ten.
I have enjoyed reading the Manly Daily newspaper again. It is full of curious little stories about the lifestyle here on the northern beaches of Sydney. The first time we were here in 2008 the very first headline I saw was “A Snake’s in my Bed!” and featured a front page photo of a woman reclining on her mattress while regarding a slithery reptile in the foreground. This time around the headlines have been more mundane, although yesterday’s lead story about local road conditions was heralded with bold type that demanded “Fix our Nightmare!" I am sure the traffic and potholes are bad around here, but I think the situation in Queensland after Cyclone Yasi and the floods of last month more properly fit the definition of nightmare.
Today is the first day that I don’t really have anything to do. My groceries are adequate, I have plenty of laundry, dishwasher and other soaps, and I have explored the bus route south enough for a while. My “dongle” for internet access is now working, and although it took me several hours to figure out how to activate it, at least I don’t even need to leave the kitchen to post messages on the blog. All I really need now is Jayne to make this stay a perfect ten.
I have enjoyed reading the Manly Daily newspaper again. It is full of curious little stories about the lifestyle here on the northern beaches of Sydney. The first time we were here in 2008 the very first headline I saw was “A Snake’s in my Bed!” and featured a front page photo of a woman reclining on her mattress while regarding a slithery reptile in the foreground. This time around the headlines have been more mundane, although yesterday’s lead story about local road conditions was heralded with bold type that demanded “Fix our Nightmare!" I am sure the traffic and potholes are bad around here, but I think the situation in Queensland after Cyclone Yasi and the floods of last month more properly fit the definition of nightmare.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Technodolt
I had my big presentation in front of a small, somewhat bored, audience of the assembled Australian Library and Information Association yesterday. I had no powerpoints to show, no videos, no internet websites, just my twenty minute talk about the death of reading and the demise of the book. There is simply no telling how it was received, except I can definitely testify that the applause at the conclusion of my remarks seemed somewhat forced. I was glad enough to get out of there, running off to catch the Manly ferry and get back home in time to participate in trivia night at the Fishos club on Pittwater Street with Ronald and his friends.
Today I rode the bus down to the mall to purchase a "dongle,' a prepaid device that theoretically allows one to tap into the internet, but of course I cannot do it. Fifty dollars and two hours later I found myself so frustrated that I returned to this internet cafe to post an entry and perhaps calm down a bit. I note there is a computer store across the street from this Subway and I will, as a last resort, take my laptop and newly purchased "dongle" to these chaps and offer them some money to make it work for me. It certainly would be more convenient than peddling down here in the midday heat. I would estimate the temperature to be about 95 degrees with humidity to match, a bit severe for a Wonderbread white Montanan like myself.
I spoke with Jayne again this morning. It seems that if I call her every day about sunrise I can catch her, and its a real comfort to hear her voice. I cant wait for her to join me here.
Today I rode the bus down to the mall to purchase a "dongle,' a prepaid device that theoretically allows one to tap into the internet, but of course I cannot do it. Fifty dollars and two hours later I found myself so frustrated that I returned to this internet cafe to post an entry and perhaps calm down a bit. I note there is a computer store across the street from this Subway and I will, as a last resort, take my laptop and newly purchased "dongle" to these chaps and offer them some money to make it work for me. It certainly would be more convenient than peddling down here in the midday heat. I would estimate the temperature to be about 95 degrees with humidity to match, a bit severe for a Wonderbread white Montanan like myself.
I spoke with Jayne again this morning. It seems that if I call her every day about sunrise I can catch her, and its a real comfort to hear her voice. I cant wait for her to join me here.
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