AT LAST

INTERNET ACCESS!

its been 2 days since i arrived in osaka and we've only just got the net sorted. my laptop has died and the electric plug converter i brought is the wrong one.  then rene's computer wasn't getting the net.  always hassles of some kind when you travel - my phone's not working either, good old telstra turned off the internet for me but i think they also turned off international roaming.  enough grumbling.
its fabulous to meet cal - I've spent a large part of today with him sleeping on my stomach. he's recognizing me (and my wonderful singing voice) and really starting to focus.  back to thursday 25, the day i left wentworth to drive down to helen and don's.

 

goodbye australia . . .

                                                        














. . . hello land of the rising sun

above -  the ferris wheel on the way into namba on the train.

the ticket collector  was so sweet - she turned and gave a polite bow to the carriage before she continued on to the next one.

rene and his brand new hi ace camper van, all fitted out and very impressive.  it:s really long and high - this photo gives no indication.

























CAL   -  yes, i've checked and he is gifted

and gorgeous

Uncle rob

last night's dinner,  great food here so far

Meet super - one of rene and sayaka's funny cats



can't help wondering where the marketing people were

nightie night

 beeb'n'super

BUSY DAY

TOMORROW I LEAVE for the grampians then down to melbourne for my friday flight to japan so today was a running around day getting things, tying up loose ends etc.
this morning i did a 2 hour talk about my work to the University of the Third Age - U3A -
at latrobe uni.  that went well, really well - i enjoyed it and got great feedback plus i sold $360 worth of books.  then lunch with donnie and di cross, who helps run the rowing club down here.  i've joined so i can use the gym, it's right on the darling river, a pretty spot.  
then ANOTHER bunnings run for two more hose fittings, i think i've got it set up now so
all the individual new trees and shrubs i've put in are covered as far as watering goes.
 made a rhubarb crumble to take with me to helen and don's on the way down tomorrow.  visited telstra so they could adjust my mobile for overseas travel - i.e. removed the internet facility.
meanwhile the guys were here pulling out the old laundry troughs and putting in a brand new loo. 
i bought radox for the bath tonight, but sadly the waterproofing guy came to do the walls and said i can't use the bath for a couple of days :0{   SOOO disappointing.
planted six new trees.  then remembered i was meeting di at the rowing club to pick up keys to the gym.  a frantic search for the car keys and i got there in time.
i think i'm almost ready for tomorrow, the cars packed up with framed prints for my mini
show at marita's in august.
i think i've earned a sleep and that's just what i 'm going to do.  just a few pics from today.











i grabbed a shot
of jacko the plumber
despite his hesitation
about being in a pic.

goodbye to the old
laundry troughs














and hello
to my
BRAN NUE LOO

the birds have been going crazy the last few days,  cormorants in literally 
hundreds and hundreds, all sitting in the water being carried past on the current.

the vines in winter -  lovely shapes

MONDAY NOTES

NOTHING much to report, the weekend was spent workin workin  -  i leave wednesday for melbourne then japan.  i have a lot of illustrating i wanted to finish - that won't happen, it's only half done but coming along.  i have trees and shrubs
 to plant,  have bought lots of new hoses to look after the new trees i've put in - friends will water while i'm away.   knitting to be done, baby size of course.  trying to clean the house - it's full of plaster dust.  no pics, no time.  night night  

FAMOUS FACES

BEAUTIFUL MEN - clark gable, van heflin, gary cooper and james stewart -
such a great moment captured

another great moment -  sophia and jayne mansfield at romanoff's

i've had these pages from vanity fair in a plastic sleeve for years and they've deteriorated, so i've touched up the creases in photoshop and preserved them on the mac.   technology - used for good not evil

BATHROOM UPDATE

I NOW HAVE 

A BATH

the room's all

plastered and ready

to be tiled, the

plumber's coming

to connect the bath

up on monday :0)

i've replaced the door

with a sliding door into

the wall cavity -  more 

room in the bathroom

that way.

kyoko's pics

kyoko sent a couple of pics 

from her time here with damon

 the riverbank down the end of the road

with julie at the pizza cafe after damon and kyoko's exhibition opening

BATHROOM CAPERS

The house is full of testosterone as the lads hammer, drill,

bang and generally dirty up the place, muddy boots on the beige carpet -

all the usual stuff.  they're going like the clappers, all the old bathroom is

pulled out, new plaster is going up, electrical work is started and there's a

new sliding door in the wall cavity. three builders, a plumber and two sparkies
here today.

this is the old laundry/bathroom,  a bath is going along the end wall where the

shower and toilet were,  the washing machine and troughs are going in

a cabinet along the outside wall of the house which will double as a

garden cupboard and drawers as well.

there'll be a floating vanity under the bathroom window and opposite, a large

three piece bevelled winged mirror, with recessed shelving behind.

all in neutrals and white.   understated elegance really.  the other

bathroom near the bedrooms will just be a large black tiled wet room

walls and floor all tiles, with the old cream pedestal basin and another

winged mirror above, plus a nice black glass shelf that i got online.

it's fun, i love doing all this stuff.

ken dean, jayden scaddings and . . .  must check tomorrow, i've forgotten

jacko the plumber
was camera shy
but didn't quite
escape














WHOO HOO  my bath is in, hopefully it'll be plumbed in the next few days

THIS MORNING ON THE RIVER

I TIPTOED down to the riverbank, hiding behind huge redgum trunks, to get some photos of the mass of cormorants that's taken up residence on the old fallen trees.  they've been there for the past few days, but they're cagey buggars.   try as i might, i couldn't get close shots because they spotted me.
The whole group was hunched, backs towards me like a group of sleeping vampires.  ooh, nice image.
but the moment i came outside (thinking i was almost hidden) the heads all came up and they took off
in groups of three and four. still, i got these shots. these shots are cropped - there were probably twice as many.

DON'T MAKE 'EM LIKE THEY USED TO

SAW this on the net and thought it should be shared.  the beautiful burt lancaster early in  his great career.  so gorgeous and he's not even flashing his famous smile.

MISTY MORNING

and then the builders arrived . . .

i was still in bed when they got here at 7.50a.m.   they worked their butts off all day, the plumber
was still here when i left to head off to damon and kyoko's show at 5.30.

driving in - the setting sun
shining on the trees and
below, from the other
direction, the eastern sky
just kept changing all the
way

it was a good opening, I bought a print to take over to rene in japan

Julian opens the show

this work was beautiful - lorraine connelly-northy

SMOKE ON THE WATER

WELL, FOG ACTUALLY 
the river looks beautiful, i'll get some shots when i get up, right now i'm looking out of the bedroom window.  time to get up though, ken the builder is arriving today to start work on the first bathroom, 

the one with the BATH!

not sure how much they'll get done before i go to japan on the 24th but if they get the bath in i'll be happy.  the thought of having a long hot soak in a radox 'muscle soak' tub after a day of gardening is just heavenly.

:0)

WHOA!  THEY'RE HERE
i had to leap out of bed and throw on some clothes in a hurry - they got here at 7.50, a good sign.  they're ripping into it now, lots of noise going on.   goodie

the TERRY'n'ERICA'n'CRAIG SHOW ARRIVES

IT'S BEEN A FUN NIGHT -  friends terry denton, erica wagner and craig smith arrived this afternoon on their first stop on a 4WD trek across the centre and up to broome and the kimberley.  we had a big dinner of moroccan lamb shanks and rhubarb crumble and played the dice game i'd learned from damon a few nights back.  we
laughed and laughed and laughed.


trying to get a decent group shot with automatic timer - not so good

the alternative - a selfy + 3   :0)

my rhubarb crumble turned out just right - a handful of oats in the crumble meant it had a sort of anzac quality.   

erica really knows how to relax :0)

THIS MORNING   brekky together then outside to watch the rising sun

shining across the river,  pelicans gliding by

corellas heading for the lagoon

terry's blase about the pelicans already

the boys attached my new bike rack for me before they hit
the road - much appreciated 

HAPPY TRAVELS - SAFE TRIP   :0)

SIGH   -   back to work now