Curtains

Ah, with thanks to my pals bob'n'pats for this beautiful image.

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Arachnophobia

6.30pm Massage therapist arrives at home.
8pm Every muscle has been tweaked and has turned to jelly.
9pm Every muscle is switched on. World's biggest huntsman has its legs out and is ready to eat me.
9.30pm The Last Post is playing for the huntsman, carefully and artfully squished. I have produced a litre of sweat in the undertaking.

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Auslan Advance Australia Fair

Personally I find it a bit hard to get wound up about Australia Day, but this Auslan version of Advance Australia Fair could change everyone's tune.



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Random acts of electrical kindness

I popped into the hardware shop next door to work today to replace part of a 50s clip-on anodised lamp. The old plastic switch had snapped in half after five decades of use.
On buying the replacement part, I realised I'd need the aid of an electrician to connect it up for me.
Little did I know I was standing next to him.
Next thing. I'm out front of the hardware shop with another customer, using the boot of his black VW convertible as a makeshift work bench. I handed him the new parts while he wired up the lamp. During the procedure, another guy turned up with a tray of three coffees: his friend had gone off to shout a round of lattes.
So that's why I live in the inner city. For random acts of electrical kindness.
Now the King can read in bed again.

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Oh what long whiskers you have

The King of Darlinghurst does indeed have some of the finest whiskers around.
And check out those eyebrows!
He raised them yesterday when Everapominoz came over and used an electric drill to install Hang it All.
(With sincere and joyous thanks to Everapominoz for kind assistance; apologies to the King about the drill and the embarrassment of having to hide under the bed.)

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Crazy about the King (the King is Crazy)

The King does look a little crazy here; cross-eyed even.
He was reaching out with his mouth to catch a long piece of grass hanging down yesterday (placed there by my good self).
It helps explain why I love him so. (He makes me laugh.)

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The Big Ish

As the mercury soared to 40 degrees C and then some in western Sydney today, I beetled past my vendor of The Big Issue this morning. I had bought my copy earlier this week.
"I'm asking people today if they want to buy a manually operated fan," he declared. Some weeks back he told me his ability to talk was his greatest gift.
He was - deliciously - right. I love his way with words.
ps It's hard to be the King of Darlinghurst when it's 40C and you have to wear a black fur coat.
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Hang it all

In London in June, I spotted this divine answer to my storage prayers.

I didn't know it was a classic in retro design: The Hang It All (on the drawing board in 1953) by Charles and Ray Eames.

All I could think was

a/ how beautiful it was

b/how impractical it was to get home to Sydney

Then I spotted it in Surry Hills a couple of weeks ago. Pretty soon, voila, someone who can operate a masonry drill will mount it on my wall. At the moment I seem to be stuck with comics who say they don't even know the masonic handshake, let alone their drill.

The King had fun playing hide and seek in the box it came home in.

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And so it was...

...time to return to work.
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The last day of holidays

Went to koi in Darlinghurst the other night and engaged in some chalkboard toilet graffiti of the King (left).

And now, here I am on the last day of my summer holiday. The King is oblivious and sleeping on a freshly laundered bed.

The lemons are preserved, the fig salame for cheese is made and the spag bol is on the stove.

It must be time to return to work.

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Tomato chilli jam - refined

Unbelievably, I'm back making chilli jam.
I reckon the shot is to peel the baked half-tomatoes and then put those skins through the blender with some of the liquid and add it all into the aromatic brew.
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The King's big night on the tiles

A few years ago the King had a big New Year's Eve... he got out!
Last night he was in, but the way he's crashed out on the bed today, you'd think he'd been out all night on the rantan.
Happy New Year, full of brightness and good new things.
My resolution is to carry a notebook at all times.
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