David

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 * PhotoStory - Where else but Queensland**

Father’s day and my daughter repaid my visit to Penrith last week. The traditional Father’s day breakfast was special. It was a morning to indulge and not to feel bad about the indulgence! Low-carb, high vegetable protein, non-fat goats milk rich in lactose, high fibre muesli, extra sunflower seeds, rich antioxidant and amino acids, gluten free, and washed down with green tea with jasmine. These are but some of the properties I can remember!
 * What I did this weekend - 05 August**

Into the car and off we went for our traditional father and daughter drive. This year the theme was Tibetan-Peruvian–Chilean-Indian. We first headed south to Kiama in search of merchandise consistent with our theme – particularly bandanas and a new yoga rug. Nothing in Kiama and with Mogo and Kangaroo Valley too far, we moved north along the tourist route through Bulli, Thirroul, Austinmer, Coledale, Wombarra, Clifton, The fantastic Seacliff Bridge and Stanwell Park. Unfortunately lots of Dollar Stores but no Tibetan-Peruvian–Chilean-Indian merchandise.

Dejected, we succumbed to a slightly higher carbohydrate traditional Father’s Day lunch in Helensburgh – Fish and Chips

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 * MS MovieMaker - Oriental Express**

This weekend was my opportunity to take a drive to Penrith. Not quite to see the Panthers! Rather to visit to my daughter. Thanks to texting, emailing, the occasional Skype chat and Optus ‘free time’, we are pretty much in contact. This was a well overdue ‘face to face’ visit. Penrith may not be all that far but having to listen to a GPS for almost 2 plus hours was rather much. Cindy knows how much I love a little coffee shop. I can easily pretend that I am sitting in an aroma filled cafe in a village along the Route de Gargilesse sipping a short black while nibbling from the cheese platter and listening to Edith Piaf’s La Vie en Rose in the background. I was therefore very glad that she suggested we meet at the Coffee Club along Nepean river in Penrith. I have always known the Coffee Club to be a cosy little place to enjoy a slice of apple crumble and a cuppa. The Coffee Club along Nepean was different – very different! It was the biggest Coffee Club I have been to. We had to wait for about 15 minutes in a fairly long queue before a table became available. The coffee is still very good. After our real life hug and kiss we got down to some real time conversation. What I thought was going to be a one to one conversation turned out to be a one to three! Her dreaded mobile phone joined the conversation! This resulted in very little eye contact between Cindy and I and more eye contact between her and her phone with my lips competing with her thumbs below the table; Competition was stiff! Our one to one conversation was occasionally be interrupted by some updates like: ‘..ooh goodi-goodi it WAS a baby boy’ and ‘Gee Dad Steph just got home from the night club’ and ‘Dad, Sal says I must say hi to you’ and ‘Kel wants me to upload a photo of you and I’. I had no idea where any of her friends were communicating from. The time of the day in Penrith suggested that Steph had just returned from a night club in London or Cape Town or still the previous night in Vancouver. I soon realized that I was not in my beloved little French village but that I was now in one of the SBS Global Village episodes. I did enjoy our rather different time together. Fortunately I knew where home was so I did not have to use the GPS again. I just loved the Best of Edith Piaf borrowed from the library, on my way home.
 * What I did this weekend - 29 August**

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 * Wordle - Australian Natives**

It is now Sunday afternoon. I had to start this now because I would never get it done before lunch time tomorrow.
 * What I did this weekend - 21 August**

Enough rain before the weekend so there was no need to spend time watering our seedlings over the weekend. Instead, what started off as a simple unrelated internet search led to a thought provoking emotional experience for me.

Just for the fun of it, Janet and I found ourselves surfing the real estate site domain.com. The idea of moving back to Queensland (...beautiful the one day and perfect the next!) again surfaced - possibly as a result of the Queensland government’s latest incentive to lure more people to the sunshine state. Yes we are entertaining the idea. After my certificate 2! So, while ‘surfing’ along the forested, scenic hinterland areas of QLD, Janet jokingly suggested that we find a place like on the Golden Pond – referring to the 80’s movie starring Henry Fonda, Katharine Hepburn and Jane Fonda.

We both enjoyed the movie at the time and decided to get it from the video store to relive the glorious Pond! I originally did not find the movie very thought provoking. I felt it was rather simple with a predictable theme. The type of movie to watch and just relax with popcorn! It was merely about an aging couple living a tranquil life on the lake. Merely about a cranky old husband who was merely losing it; Merely about the daughter struggling to bond with her father. The main feature was the beauty and serenity of the ‘pond’. This was a place that I could someday own - possibly in Queensland! Of course it must have been Janet’s dream too, hence the suggestion which led to a second viewing 30 years later.

Scenes in the movie had now taken on a different meaning for me. Nothing in the movie was now ‘merely’. It was no longer the old absent minded professor going out to collect berries and becoming lost and terrified. I now saw a dejected old man who may have been suffering from early dementia or Parkinson’s, overcome by the stresses that go with it. 30 years later and I could only now identify with his emotional state because I have since, like millions of people all over the world become aware of the existence of these diseases. Yes I certainly was very naive 30 years ago.

I now saw a retired professor battling with cognitive demise. Even though I knew that the character was fictional, I still found myself wondering whether he did in fact retire because of age or whether early dementia got the better of his career as an academic and innovative scholar. I now saw an ex-professor who may not have been able to keep up with the rigor of academia. Was the pond his place to escape to upon his ‘retirement’? Had he by then just given up on any form of cognitive stimulation? These thoughts, perceptions and questions at times became rather overwhelming while viewing.

I also found myself intermittently looking at the character within the context of his own life which paralleled that of the character. Like in the movie he also experienced a strained relationship with his daughter Jane Fonda. I found myself wondering how Fonda the person, dealt with his dementia years after playing the character.

I have for the rest of the weekend been thinking about this second viewing and the impact it had/has on me. I must admit I am looking forward to a less stressful experience on the farm next weekend.

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 * Depth of Field**

A rather wet weekend was well received by my wife because the new seedlings had arrived! Wow! Did I ever think I would see the day when a tray of seedlings would actually excite me? Now I believe it!
 * What I did this weekend - 13 August**

Less excited about the weather were hundreds of fans hoping to see a turnaround in form of our previously mighty Dragons. Fans had become rather disillusioned with the dismal performance of the team over the last few weeks. In support of the team, Janet and I donned our wet weather gear and also marched down Crown Street to the stadium to the sound of ‘As the saints go marching by’. Our confidence was high because of Roosters’ dismal record against the Dragons. Also because of the suspension of Roosters’ star Tod Carnie.

After 2 soft tries by the Roosters, our confidence started waning. The Bondi Beach surfers were now the one’s spewing the flames on our faltering Dragons. After the game we again marching back (quietly) down Crown Street.

On the conservation front, battle against the dreaded Lantana weed continued. Lantana is a thick perennial shrub. The weed apparently is a native to Africa or South America. It is poisonous to a number of animals – particularly our indigenous animals. We were working on our conservation site near Tallawarra. The aim is to eventually eradicate the weed over an area of approximately 2 square km’s and then plant various natives. This weekend saw us plant approximately 400 new plants. And again thanks to the rain, our plants should have a good start.



[] You might find this website interesting.


 * What I did this weekend - 06 July?**

My wife and I are members of a community farm on the outskirts of Dapto. Our allocated 100 square meter plot is large enough to keep us busy. We do this more as a hobby rather than as a commercial venture. The farm strictly only allows organic practices. No chemicals can be used for fertilisers or weed control measures. It has always posed a challenge. We are winning though. After the large rains we had over the last few weeks, our plants were relieved of their thirst but now crying out for relief from the ever uninvited weeds! Janet and I managed to clear a fair bit before the rain clouds gathered again. On Sunday we drove up the southern escarpment to a farmers market in Mossman. Our GPS appeared rather confused, pointing towards Sydney rather than approximately 30 km’s from Robertson. A kind motorist we flagged down also confirmed that Mossman was nowhere near Robertson. Thanks to her we managed to get to ‘Mossvale’. No need now to get rid of the old GPS!


 * Before and after photos**




 * What I did this weekend - 30 July?**

Most of Saturday was spent in Liverpool at a karate championship. Not that I am personally involved in this age old martial art!

Friends from North Queensland flew down for their son’s participation. What I thought was merely going to be a fairly minor competition turned out to be an international one. Very impressive indeed! Participants came from countries as far afield as South Africa, India, Brazil, Canada, etc. Within the few hours at the tournament, I managed to pick up on a number of rules and grading criteria; Some of which I admit, was rather complicated - for me! I was particularly impressed with the level of commitment and focus from most of the very young kids; Some younger than 8.

Tafe Illawarra Archtecture
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