Omne trium perfectum

/ Robert / 1 Comment

Latin for the rule of three; my husband’s favourite number.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Home
Unusually for a Tuesday, I am taking a day’s leave. Our original plans have changed and there is a forecast for thunder storms.

We sold our house at the first open inspection, to a cash buyer. We arranged for a 60 days settlement period to allow time to find a new place. The weekend after the sale, we found a ‘late mid century modern’ (1980) house to buy.

In line with the terms of contract the building and pest inspection condition has been ticked off, only the finance approval to go. Fingers crossed this will occur by the end of the week.

Health
This morning, we walked to one of the local supermarkets to buy supplies so that we could have scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast.

By the time we arrived at Morningside Plaza the recently diagnosed osteoarthritis in my right hip had slowed me down to a snail’s pace.

Knowing exactly where to find our loaf of choice, I headed to the bakery counter. A burly baker asked me if he could help me. I pointed to the racks of loaves behind him, requesting a white, sourdough Vienna. I thought he asked if I wanted ‘normal’ or ‘finest’.

At times my slight bilateral hearing loss leaves me unsure, so I said, ‘sorry?’ An equally proportioned woman sporting curly burgundy coloured hair flattened by an oversized dark brown hairnet shouted back, ‘HE SAID, NORMAL OR FINEST!’ She then went back to wiping down the stainless steel surfaces.

My ‘finest’ loaf was bagged and labelled after I refused the offer of it being sliced.

Hubris
I exited the store into the shopping centre. While mulling over the fact I usually purchase discounted bread at the end of the day off the shelf without the need to interact with dubious assistants, I was confronted with a supersized picture of a tabby entitled ‘how’s your health’. Cogetating for a second or two, I thought there’s no vet in here. Then I saw ‘sugaring’ and ‘waxing’, I guessed the ad was related to beauty treatments.

Convinced others are seeing me as some sort of elderly idiot, I am now frightened my brain may be slowing down; quelle horreur!

Eight aitch words

/ Robert / Leave a comment

On Thursday, I used two words, I seldom, if ever use, haywire and hullabaloo.

The former in relation to my new work laptop connecting to a landscape, wide screen monitor, after I returned from lunch. The mesmerising resizing action of Google Chrome browser and Microsoft Outlook windows appeared completely out of control.

The latter when describing havoc related incidents at large scale events.

Being the eighth* letter of the alphabet, I’m surprised I haven’t thought more about aitches.

Havelock was my grand father’s middle name. According to https://www.meaningofthename.com/havelock, it has Norse ancestry meaning sea battler and from the Germanic elf warrior; olive tree.

Haphazard, our reality while in limbo. Could also be used to describe the seemingly random posts on this blog.

Heart, home, hearth; an oasis of warmth, caring, and kindred spirit.

Homo; the same.

* read more https://theinfp.com/2022/10/30/numerology/

Amber Gambler

/ Robert / 4 Comments

My husband exclaimed, ‘don’t they know what amber means!’ as we encountered a second car speed through another set of traffic lights.

Another Amber Gambler*!

It was late afternoon on Monday, we were returning with a lime green, lemongrass zest fragrant candle from Dusk candle and homewares store. The advertising boasts ‘A refreshing mix of aromatic lemongrass, zingy citrus fruits and verbena for an exotic, uplifting fragrance. ‘ Close up my husband says it smells like creosote. Luckily when caught on a waft it smells devine.

This is the chosen aroma for our open house scheduled for Saturday morning from 8:45 am. Our home is officially on the market!

Fingers crossed the sale will be the green light for us to move on to the next chapter of our antipodean adventure.

*According to Wikipedia, ‘Amber Gambler is a metaphorical phrase and the title of a British public information film from the 1970s, about the dangers of speeding through traffic lights before the amber changes to red “when there is ample time to stop”, or in advance of it turning to green.

Halcyon daze?

/ Robert / 1 Comment

Today, Friday 13th, lunch time, I was drifting off, post quiche Lorraine and salad. My consciousness was teleported to a moment in my teenage years. A warm English Summer’s day in 1979.

I vividly remember the gentle breeze as I lay on a sun parched patch of grass in Birmingham. Dozing as I listened to Knock on Wood by Amii Stewart on a battery operated, handbag sized, portable cassette player with carry handle. Very similar to the one pictured above, I would record songs from the radio.

The weight of my eyelids was getting the better of me as I drifted off whilst reading a paperback science fiction novel, The Weapon Shops of Isher by A. E. van Vogt.

Halcyon daze?

Benedictine

/ Robert / 5 Comments

Our initiation to this medieval French herbal infusion sweetened with honey, Benedictine took place at much loved Rubyos restaurant, Newtown, Sydney.

Liz introduced us to the delight of an after dinner Benedictine on the rocks.

Yesterday, we tried a Jamie Oliver sour Benedictine cocktail recipe including, brandy and lemon juice.

Perhaps swapping out Cognac for brandy did not enhance the taste experience. I hasten to add, I did not photographically record my screwed up face as evidence of the cough medicine flavour.

Today we have a winner, a Benedictine spritz.

The recipe:
Half teaspoon of Amaro
Dry sparkling white wine
Tablespoon of Benedictine

Start by adding the amaro to a champagne flute, then the Benedictine. Gently add dry sparkling white wine.

For the sweeter toothed, you can commence the recipe with a sugar cube or two in the champagne flute.

Feel free to share your favourite method of serving Benedictine in the comments below.

Happy Boxing Day

/ Robert / 4 Comments
Detail, Victorian inspired papier-mâché baubles

Boxing Day is an English bank (public) holiday.

Currently a favourite for people wanting to grab a bargain in the post Christmas sales and for sporting events including, one day cricket and soccer. The day is not known for boxing.

A round robin of sites courtesy of Google yielded the following theories for the origin of Boxing Day:

Alms boxes
In the Middle Ages (approximately late 5th – late 15th centuries), it was common for churches to open alms boxes on the day after Christmas, distributing all the money inside amongst the poor.

Christmas boxes #1
In Queen Victoria’s reign (1819 to 1891) servants of wealthy household were given a rare day off to visit loved ones. Masters would gift a Christmas box, containing food, gifts and sometimes a financial bonus.

Christmas boxes #2
Tradespeople such as milkmen and butchers would spend the days after Christmas collecting money or gifts left to them by customers. As a child, I remember my mother putting aside some Christmas box money to give to the men who delivered bread, pop (soft drink), milk etc.

After the excesses of Christmas Day, we are spending Boxing Day relaxing with our Sydneysider friends. This evening we will join dear friends for a rooftop barbecue in Newstead, Brisbane.

Merry Christmas 2022

/ Robert / 11 Comments

What a year this has been, what a strange mood I’m in…..

Left hand sporting chipped China Red nail polish.
It started off as an idea of red, green, red, green until I realised the six colour nail varnish kit is ‘gel’, requiring curing under a UV or LED light.

Eh bien!

The last two weeks at work have been a frenetic push to complete everything possible before starting just over a week off.

We welcomed our friends from Sydney yesterday afternoon. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to spend Christmas with them again; the last in this house.

We have settled on two options for a new home, a top floor apartment closer to the city or a detached single storey house on a modest block of land with at least a one hour commute into the office.

The new location will remain unknown until we sell this one.

My husband has been rewarded with much gratitude from the local charity shop as we ruthlessly donate, clothes, glass wear, electrical items, etc.

It is a cloudy 29oC Christmas Eve. In unison we four sit on the patio gazing at our phones while sipping an Espresso Martini to the dulcet tones of light jazz.

Merry Christmas, dear readers xxx

Darkness

/ Robert / Leave a comment

Soft, drowning, slipping; darkness
Of heavy lidded slumber
Creeping up to steal the light.
Eyes closed, relaxing in to
Drowsy, down plunging, black hole.

Loosing, grip, realness, draining.

Mirtanza warning; ‘may cause,
Drowsiness and may increase
The effects of alcohol.
If affected, do not drive
A motor vehicle or
Operate heavy machinery. ’

The Secret

/ Robert / 6 Comments

I have read the book, watched the video more than a couple of times, cast spells and promptly forgotten about visualising something into our live.

This evening, my husband revealed to me in the spa; whenever he has focussed on our next move, it has eventuated.

We are currently in a period of extreme life challenges. According to the ravings of evangelical fundamentalists, we are faced with oppotunities.

Carpe diem, indeed!

Time will tell if our mid-century modern, Palm Springs house is realised in Queensland…….

Diamond Birthday Jubilee

/ Robert / 4 Comments
Detail of eye shaped sculpture front of MCA

I met my future husband when he was about to turn 31 and I had turned 30.

Over the years, our shared adventures have taken us around the world and jetting between hemispheres. Amazing family and friends have enriched our lives.

Yesterday morning, we arrived in Sydney, our home for 20 years prior to making the move to Brisbane. This is our first visit in over three years.

After a light lunch at the MCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) we headed to the Sydney Opera House for a cocktail with a friend whom we haven’t seen for two years. He and his partner took us for a sumptuous French dinner at the Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks, Sydney.

Looking toward Kent Street from Clarence Street

Today after a late breakfast we wandered from our accommodation in the Skye Suites, Kent Street to the Queen Victoria Building, the revamped David Jones department store, and Martin Place.

Westfield Tower from QueenVictoria Building

This evening we are celebrating my husband’s 60th at Capriccio Osteria in Leichhardt, Sydney. Friends are joining us from Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle, and Sydney.