A day in Africa

Anzac Day in Australia was the anniversary of Ray's sudden death. What can be a better antidote to a sad day than surrounding yourself with children and at Ex Sis in Law's suggestion, the family got together at Werribee Zoo.

My Arthur Itis mate was not keen on a 10.00am meet, 40 minutes drive away. I suffered, but it was just wonderful to have family around me. Not quite all the family were there, but all the greats were. 

Nephew's three, two being twin boys and one daughter, Oldest Niece's three, and Hippie Niece's twin cafe latte coloured daughters, and their two stepsisters, one who has returned home after some time with her drug user mother. 

The new Elephant Walk recently opened, and it was a long walk in hot sun to visit. I had lost my enthusiasm and I saw an open vehicle to transport people back to the main area approach, so I took a ride back to the zoo entrance. I would have had to walk further to actually see the elephants but I just couldn't do it. 

The sky had clouded over and there was some light rain. We found a shelter area near the hippopotamus enclosure to sit where we all ate our brought from home food; Phyliss having made me a large sandwich with an Indian taste. We bought coffee at the cafe. 

About 2pm, most of us departed. The night before was a melancholic memory evening for me, but the actual day, filled with children, family, and still with some memories of the last time Ray and I visited, was ok. 

There'd be animals, some fierce animals. You can stand on the back of a jeep and see a lioness lounging on the bonnet of a jeep.

I didn't know lions climb trees. Nowhere is safe.

A lonely zebra.

I know I should know what this bird is, but I don't. Pretty, yes? 

A dromedary camel or a humpty dory camel. I can't remember. 

No photo but seeing a gorillas move around was amazing.

I can't remember the name of these deer like critters.

Indian antelope. 

Giraffes, how exciting. 

And zebra.

Giraffe are quite tall, very tall really.

Ostrich. 

One of the animals in this photo is called something like the horseshoe bum deer. 

Some rhino have horns pointing upwards, and some downwards. It depends on their diet preference. 

Sister snapped the hippopotamus out of the water. I did not. 

As I was leaving, I passed by the cheetah enclosure. Wow, it is so pretty. Don't you just want to give it a cuddle. 

I am away again for another family event. Back soon. 

Another of my days

Don't worry, this won't be a permanent feature, but the hot iron struck. 

Thursday is shopping day. I replenished my wine cellar from Dan's. A visit to Aldi to replenish the stock of tissues that disappear at an amazing rate, and chance buys as I walked the aisles, triple smoked ham, a block of milk chocolate and some frozen samosas.

At a relatively new place for me to buy coffee, the woman greets me with bongornio. The hot Italian barista with an Italian accent is friendly and in an Italian male way, whatever he says sounds flirtatious. He's a smooth operator. My last sentence spoken to him was so twee. You're living the good life. He politely laughed at the silly old man's remark. 

On to Woolworths, where I bought six items, all purchased bar one because they were on special. Some flavoured milk, yoghurt, Schweppes soda water, small packets of spreadable cheese and dry biscuits and I can't remember what else. 

I received an absurd email from ANZ bank bereavement department. We are sorry for your loss....lalala. We can find no trace of Ray's bank account details. Can you please respond to this email address with his account numbers and any other information you can provide. No, I cannot. His accounts were closed last year and I rid myself of unnecessary paperwork. There is $500 sitting in one of Ray's bank accounts, and it is mine. 

My reply will be along the lines of: 

'I no longer have Ray's bank accounts but in his wallet I have his two credit cards and savings account card. Here are the numbers. This is strange, as at my and Ray's bank next door in St Kilda Road. the terrifically helpful R and N can bring up all Ray's bank account details on their screens. That is how I know there is $500 in his account. This is one year after Raymond died and I am becoming rather frustrated with the bereavement department of ANZ. Ray's and my bank details should be accessible to you, along with the account I had to set up for the $500 to be transferred to, whereby I can then transfer to my account. 

Does this need to be elevated to a higher level where someone can actually see what the situation is on their screen and realise all the information is there?

Nevertheless, here are Ray's three three card numbers:

3pm I hopped a tram to St Kilda Junction and met up with my hairdresser friend. We journeyed on to Glen Huntley Station on a 67 tram and walked to my Indian friend's apartment, who had a falling out with Ray, and so I didn't see him for a years. I made contact a few months ago and we caught up a couple of times for a pub dinner and a lunch. He now has an Asian Australian partner, who is a perfectly pleasant and nice guy. 

We drank wine, talked, drank wine, admired his garden, drank wine and ate the delicious food he cooked. After three hours, I called a Didi ride vehicle to take me home, via my hairdresser friend's seaside abode to drop her off.

It was all quite lovely, and I returned home with gifts for Phyllis and Kosov from my friend's small but very productive garden, kaffir limes and their leaves, curry leaves and a little bit of mint.

My Day

Steve writes about his day in such a nice way. He gets the detail right, without too much focus on the finer detail where it would become a chore to read. 

I hope this isn't a bore.

Rise at the usual time of 7am. Watch YouTube and listen to the radio for an hour. Very pleasing to hear on the news that Canadians have voted correctly. 

8am, shower and groom, as I put lipstick on a pig. 

8.30 Send dead in bed neighbour HH a text to make sure she is alive. If she doesn't reply, there is a plan. If I don't send, there is a plan. In my message, I included what I have being doing about a nearby crane without lighting at the top. I take my medications. I receive an email from City of Melbourne about the non working crane light. Why am I bothering? If an aircraft hit the top of the unlit crane, it could possibly spin out of control and hit my building, my apartment even. It is a basic building safety regulation. 

8.40 Attend to matters of the internet, including blogging. 

9.30 Phyllis arises, we chat and he does his ablutions in a manner I do not understand. 

10.00 Kosov arises, who won't speak until he cleans his teeth. 

10.10 Phyllis departs for work.

10. 30 Kosov does his ablutions in a manner I don't understand. Can't they just shit and then shower? 

10.50 I discuss a cheap birthday gift for Phyllis with Kosov and he comes up with the great idea of a set of black/grey sketching pencils. 

Not long after, Kosov left for a uni class and then to start work at 8pm.

11.10 I catch a 58 tram to town and feed and caffeinate myself at a bakery in Bourke Street. Order food and coffee before 12.00 and you get a free cinnamon doughnut 

12.05 Office workers are coming out of building to buy lunch. I am checking out guys in suits for their hotness level. No one seems to be wearing suits anymore, so I am checking out guys in smart casual. It is very variable. 

12.10 I catch a tram to Swanston Street, then tram then tram to Franklin Street to visit the art supply shop Eckersley's. I bought a packet of Faber-Castell sketching pencils for Phyllis. 

01.00 I caught a tram one stop from RMIT to QV shopping centre. Phyllis had offered to cook for me tonight. But I needed to buy minced garlic and minced ginger, and worst of all shelled prawns. I am out my comfort space here. I found some and 400g were priced at $18! And they had tails that Phyllis didn't want. There were also semi frozen. It ended up being a nice meal but later Phyliss and I discussed him being more specific about buying prawns, and food in general. It was never my department.  I should have gone to Aldi, and I was so close to one at the art supply place. I also bought a birthday card and a gift bag for Phyllis' birthday. I have about one hundred gift bags somewhere, which were in a drawer in Ray's bedroom, but I don't know where they are now. 

1.20 I am done with shopping. I wanna go home. Just missed a nearly empty tram. A wait for the next which was very busy. I wait for the one two minutes later, not too busy. 

1.40 Did stuffs. Wrote messages. Arranged catch ups. Paid the two month hot water bill, curiously $1.40. I no argue. I blogged and emailed. Ate half a Meals on Wheels sandwich. 

2.40 Cross the road to the cafe to sit and have a double espresso coffee. 

3.40 pm To bed to rest for an hour or so, more internet matters. Ate a plum, a cocktail tomato, some grapes and a tiny Cherry Ripe bar, along with a small amount of triple strength iced coffee.

5.30 Arise and do stuffs.

6.00 Phyllis gets home. He can work with the prawns and he got busy in the kitchen.

7.00, I had a delicious meal of rice and slightly spicy prawns.

The rest of the evening was spent here writing and half watching tv. 

And I thought I would write a stylish post about my day like Steve does. It just ain't so.    

Daylesford

It took me a while to get the spelling of the Victorian country town correct, located 1.5 hours drive to Melbourne's north west. Day-les-ford.

Phyllis is about to turn 22 and I offered him and Kosov a day coach trip along The Great Ocean Road for his birthday. It was problematic as Kosov works most days. Phyllis asked if we could visit Daylesford. I looked at overnight accommodation for one night and the price seemed ok. I decided on two motel room accommodation with double beds, and I used Booking.com as I would be able to cancel almost at the last minute should Kossov's work situation change. 

What were given were like caravan park cabins. They weren't flash, but clean and comfortable with everything you might need. The shower test succeeded beyond my expectations, with lovely hot water at high pressure in a huge shower. And, this was the first time I've stayed in any similar accommodation that had a tv screen of a decent size. 

It was an enjoyable trip. Phyllis connected up his phone to the car and played his quite boppy music on the way up. We stopped for food along the way at a truck stop (UK: Services).

On the way home Phyllis and Kosov were arguing. 'Phyllis, please put on some nice smooth and calming music.' He did and they shut up.

While my phone needs my fingerprint on its screen to operate, it can take photos without my fingerprint, and Phyllis likes my phone because of the high quality photos it takes. So, he kept using it to take photos. 

Here are heaps of photos, with some commentary.  

Albert Street was pretty with a few trees showing autumn foliage. Note the high mound at the back of the town, the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens.

Pity I didn't take the photo before I messed up my cabin.

Phyllis demanded to go shopping. He does love shopping. We were in a second hand shop, a rather cool place. 

Some of the historic buildings in Daylesford are great. We dined at this hotel the night we stayed. I made sure our accommodation was within walking distance of the pub, so I could have a drink or two. 

The food was fine and the staff very competent. There was a table of about fifteen men dining together, a gay group I expect. Generally I did note some obviously gay male couples, all older. But female couples of wearers of sensible shoes dominated. 

A rainbow post and a bed of petunias oddly still in reasonable condition at this time of the year. 

They later returned to the shops and Phyllis bought a cashmere wrap for $25 and wrapped it around himself for the rest of the day and the next. He became quite adept at throwing it over his shoulder. However, I am doubtful about the $25 wrap being cashmere wool. 

Genuine Tudor.

The pussy cat seemed quite static. 

Once back at the cabin, there was an interesting tv show about fashion designer Jenny Kee. She is quite old now, but still designing interesting clothes.

My cabin had a charging pad clock. It worked well.

There were a few really nice homes nearby. I took a walk. 

Cool chimney design.

This home looked gorgeous, say late 1940s or early 1950s. By the numbers of chimneys, you won't be cold. 

A better photo of Wombat Hill. Kosov wasn't ready at check out time, 10.00. He is eating chicken, Phyliss proclaimed. The night before after we were back at the motel, they returned to the supermarket and bought bought a Bachelor's Handbag for Kosov to consume for breakfast, and he ate the lot. 

We drove the short distance to Hepburn Springs, a town famous for its mineral waters, of great benefit to your health. Apparently you bathe in the waters and drink it. 

There were several mineral water pumps, all stained with iron. The waters were supposed to taste different depending on which pump they came from. They all tasted slightly like vile soda water. We all spat the health beneficial waters out from our mouths. The park land was nice, with a number of short or long walks leading away. 

Here for $$$ you can have a mineral water spa bath, hot or cold and massages with essential oils. Yes, we did do that when Ray took me to area for my fortieth birthday. Nowadays, I suppose the business would offer mineral water colonic irrigation.

Right, up to Wombat Hill, sitting above Daylesford.

It was lovely but there wasn't really a good view of the town below.

The area around and the tower itself were closed for renovations. That's ok, I had no intention of climbing the tower, as I had done twenty seven years ago.

A winged wombat, be afraid.

There was hardly a breath of wind, so the bubbles the mother produced from the machine were amazing, as they just sat in the air. 

I took this photo, then Phyliss demanded my camera and away he clicked. 

The begonia glass house was terrific, and Phyllis snapped away.

Phyllis didn't know how to pronounce the word gazebo and nor did he know the name rotunda. He knows both now.

As we descended back to town, I stopped the car on the steep hill and ordered Phyllis out to take this photo.

Then it was to the beautifully peaceful Lake Daylesford. 

Kosov was disappointed to not be able to see fish in the clear water.

It was time to head home but on the way we stopped off to see Sailor's Falls. The infrastructure was terrific, with a steel stairway down to the valley floor. I didn't go down the stairs as somehow I would have to get back up again.

However, the weather has been very dry, and so the falls had run dry.

So that was our brief time away, and we enjoyed it, well I did. I think they did.