The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 22 July - 5 August 2007
 PG & Dexter the Koala |
 BIRDS-Platinum x4 award |
July 22nd
Melbourne-Brisbane-Magnetic IslandUp early, not much sleep last night, thinking about a few weeks off, and sunshine.... so I clamber out of bed before the alarm, I'm ready to rock! It's strange with Banshee not being here, knowing she is just a few km's down the road at her cat minding place, I miss the little bugger.
Mark is awake-'I hate early mornings, need my coffee' look about him. I am smiling, escape is on my mind again.
Head to the Pet Hotel with Cosmo, a bit worried about the time window, from Kalorama to the pet place and back to the airport.... just cutting it a bit fine.
All goes well, and the best bit about the car at valet service, is that you can check in at the private check in area and no people. The boogie board has to go into the odd size check in area. They check it for explosives.
Flight QF612 leaves for BrisVegas on time, and we are in the seats 2D&F. They serve a decent breakfast, actually it was better then my last International flight.
Arrive Brisbane and have 2 hours to kill before the flight to Townsville (the island is 8 kms from Townsville). Call Foxy one and have a chat, jump on the internet as well and see if our latest album chart arrived... can't help myself. I know Time On Earth won't stay at #1......and it drops, #4 this week, top 5 still, which is ok.
We have lunch at the freaky flyer, being lifetime members it's the best thing we ever did, free food, drinks. Give Cathi a call and she isn't home, all this way, how dare she have a life.
We board QF974, Mark is relieved that there are no propellors, yes it's a regular jet plane...I spot our bags and the infamous boogie board being loaded. It's going to be a long day, think it will be dark by the time we get to our house.
Grab the keys for the hire car and set up the GPS, need to get to the Townsville supermarket, do some grocery shopping and drive to the last car ferry of the night. We find the Safeway but it sucks, one checkout open and I swear 50 people in line... insanity. We just leave the trolley and decide to shop on the island. We both could not believe so many people were in line.
Make the ferry with time to spare, we are the first car on. The sun slowly sinks over Castle Hill, the granite monolith that rises above Townsville. It's not all that rough on the ferry, a few waves, but overall just another short ocean trip. We arrive at the new ferry terminal, it's a bit snazzy, money has been spent.... kind of ugly but I guess modern is that. So here we are, on Magnetic island, an average of 320 fine sunny days a year, I hope we have timed it right. I need sun.
We head to Boulder Court where our house is located, I make a slight mistake and go into 12 Boulder instead of 12A, the street light was out..... as I walk to- wards the front door I turn it and it's locked. I peep inside and 2 old people are having dinner- shit WRONG house. They don't see me, at least I only spied on them eating, not having old people sex on their dinner table (YIEKS). We roll the car out silently...Mark trying not to giggle.
Our place at 12A is excellent, it's on Bright Point at Nelly Bay... palm trees swaying in the night breeze, waves crashing on the rocks next to the pool...oh way too nice. A long day but this feels so right.....I let the waves lapping on the foreshore send me to sleep.
July 23rd
Sunlight bursting through the curtains at 6.00. I try to work out what it is, sun, it's been so long. I open the blinds, my main room has 5 huge glass windows overlooking the sea....I just snuggle up and watch the waves..... two owls, either mopokes or boobooks leave for the day. They must be locals, sitting under the roof cover. They stare at me.Mark couldn't sleep because of the waves, it's like storms, he gets no rest, I sleep the sleep of the dead during a good storm. Not sure what that says about me. (or him).
I back the car out and we get stuck on one of the small boulders at Boulder Court. stupid boulders..... Mark is all macho and moves the rock....next I almost wipe out the rubbish bin- ok off to a good start. We discover Fat Possums (Nelly Bay) for breakfast ..meet Mr Possum, he makes a great mango smoothie. The coffee is excellent, a joy to discover good coffee, you just never know. Marks first visit to the island was in 1969, I'm a newbie compared to him. But I love this place.
We drive to Balding Bay and there are 6 people on the whole beach. Take the boogie board out for a splash, no real waves, I'm happy just tooling around on it, I can hear Hessie going 'Go Petey go..' I decide to climb to the top of the rocks , it starts getting high and I'm by myself so don't risk it, find a perch and take some cool photos, cut my finger so take this as a sign to cease and head back down..before I take the fast elevator and fall down. Dead is so uncool.
We are walking down the typical Aussie bush track and find a baby Echidna stuck under a tree so we decide to help it out. Of course it rolls into a ball and the quills pop out....I use my beach towel. A Canadian tourist walks by, I ask her if she wants to hold my Echidna (yeah does sound a wee bit rude!!!).... and she does. She is so excited, guess it's her first chance to mingle with the Aussie wildlife. I grab her camera and take some photos of her with it... he's only a baby but still manages to spike me (ouch). Mark films the little devil as he shuffles away. The tourist is so happy- we Aussies are such good people, except for the odd backpacker murderer.
Head home as we need to unpack our grocery stuff. Decide to try the pool in our yard, ouch, she is a bit cold, but after awhile in the water I warm up. Use our new diving mask, which is great.....nice to zip along the bottom of the pool.
Was going to go to 'Man Fridays' for dinner but they had some crappy attitude (along with the crappy name) so in the end we head to 'Noodies' (yes another crappy name) -Mexican bar & grill located at Horseshoe Bay. Yes the Island has a lot of bays.!!! Mmmm Margueritta's.
We are eating our food and a Curlew walks in, this freaky bird with stick like legs, they are everywhere here....he eyes my Margueritta..no way Jose!
July 24th
Was going to head to the beach this morning with a horse for a bit of a ride and swim, but decided that we should take a hike to The Forts. It's only a few kms the walk itself, but once you reach the old army battery, the 360 degree views are worth it. In 1942 the forts were finished, 2 large 155mm guns, that could fire 105lb shells 18,000 yards...see something good does come from war..a really cool view! Normall on the walk you can see the odd koala bear. Magnetic Island has the largest koala bear colony in QLD (I think).As we start on the trail a rather large Echidna waddles out of the bushes ,and poses for photos. I'm sure there is a man with a bag of Echidna's and along stick behind the tree, the same man that puts the koala bears in the trees near the walk track...oh jaded old me (no i really don't think that). With all the rain up here over the past month apparently it encourages the baby echidnas to wander about..we keep spotting them.
It's a decent walk, especially at the end, a few panting tourists are sitting recovering, really it's not that bad. The 360 degree views are exceptional, and inside the fort is the only area I've spotted graffiti.
The day rolls by, and night descends. I have my end of the month blues, so sit on a rock in the ocean with waves breaking all around. Someone must be a bit empathic as a cute young rock wallaby appears out of nowhere and sits almost next to me. He's funny, head up watching the moon, like I'm part of the rock. It's one of those moments, makes me smile, the rock wallaby has a smile too. Sleep well tonight.
July 25th
Overcast today, wake up hungry, think it's all the hiking and swimming. I watch some little yellow headed finches flying around the trees at the house, not a care in the world. There is a baby Echidna near the main gate, he digs in, can't budge him, we leave him in peace, I lock the gate so he is safe from dogs.We head off to try and get a snap of yours truly with a koala and succeed. He's very cute, and they just hold you with their arms. I can't remember why but you shouldn't pat them on the head or rock them like babies, but you shouldn't. We also see a mother 'bear' who is pregnant , she has a koala glow about her.
I have to say I didn't want to give this cute fuzzy critter up, and you know Kalorama does have the right koala gums growing...... oh ok back into the tree with you. In Australia there is a law around holding koalas (stress stuff) so you have to do it correctly, can't just grab them off trees like apples.
I'm so happy having a snap with him, even if the koala is far more cuddlier and cuter..oh well how can I compete, surrender to the moment.
Today I also conquer my fear of snakes, it wasn't a major freak out just every so often the odd poisonous one does freak me a bit. I do have this recurring nightmare of being in water and trying to escape from a sea snake.... so today we met a ranger and she presented me with my own carpet python, ok only for awhile... so as he wrapped himself around me I was very calm.... some of the people around me were not - one girl exiting very quickly. Have sent Deb a few snaps for the PHOTO area and PG and his huge python will be one of them. I've went straight from a swim in the salty sea to holding the snake so god knows what bad hair day I am having.
After the cute and not so cute experience we go for a 12 km adventure on a dirt track to West Point. It's pretty much as far as you can go road wise on the island. A few stray tourists, mostly woman out hiking by themselves. The island seems very safe for the ladies which is great. We call into Picnic Bay on the way, it's almost a ghost town now that the ferry landing has moved to Nelly Bay. We decide that we will visit the restaurants at Picnic bay just to show some support, we are a bit horrified how many empty shops there are- sad as it is a lovely area of the island.
We walk down the long beaches of West Point, not a care in the world, this is what a relaxing holiday is like..yes sir I'll take two! Tomorrow we get our boat, so we'll be cruising out there in the water. We get home and the baby Echidna in the garden has gone somewhere else, I'm sure another will show up soon to take his place.
July 26th
Day 5 on the island- The Boat!We wake up around 7.00-7.30...it's all this sun, even Winter Sun. I think Mark hates it, the early days. He is one of 'those' people, you know, 'no coffee and i could kill you in the morning' types. We have BLATs for breakfast at fat Possums, sitting outside, the sun, how I have missed it. Find out that fat Possums real name is Niall and Mrs Possum is Wendy. (Bacon,Lettuce,Avocado,Tomato=BLAT)
Drive to Horseshoe Bay and connect with Geoff, who owns the boats for hire. A quick 30 minute refresher course and captain Peter takes her out. It has been awhile since I've been behind the wheel of a boat. Our sea going family gene must be in their somewhere....I call for it as I head towards a rather expensive yacht ...she is a chunky boat and eventually responds to my hard hand....missed it by this much!
Forty five minutes later we are at Maud Bay, a cove all for us....so far we have seen one boat, that's it, just loats of coves, golden beaches and no people. This side of the island is basically national park and no roads. The sand is so golden and the water crystal clear- that Australian postcard shot, long beach... you just want to stay all day. I strip naked and take the boogie board into the 'surf'. I'm on the board wondering if there are some reef fish thinking of taking a bite of my you know what! Hurry out of the water and convince Marky that when one is alone on a beach you should be naked. Not that we want to fry and get cancer but 5 minutes won't hurt, it's that liberating remove ones board shorts that makes it a good thing. Not that our office will now become a naturalist nudie office. I'm sure two nude blokes scares away all the animal life. Somewhere in between the nude swim and romp our navigation map blows away. Thankfully I remember about 90% of it in my head, so we continue on with the journey. Now just to get the boat back off the beach, reverse is the only way and just going for it full throttle.
I hand over the wheel to Captain Mark and I love watching my best friend control our destiny. I sit on the side of the boat just loving this. We head all the way around to West Point and the tides are going out, so the water is getting shallow, we raise the propellor just in time as massive underwater boulders are just below our boat... we both decide a 3/4 of the way around is fine and head on back. Good decision too as the sky does darken and some decent waves are being blown up. This chunky boat handles them well, ok serious spray and dropping , but it's all part of the adventure. mark is a bit sunburnt and I am the same on the back of my legs, despite the sun-block. We make it in before the weather gets rough. Today was one of those days you just remember for ages, didn't think of work, who is Crowded House again?
July 27th
Happy Birthday Mark, and 36 years since Jim Morrison died too. I sneak a few presents up in my bag and it's funny, last time on Magnetic it was my birthday.Sitting at Fat Possums and we are both blown away that our Victorian Premier and his deputy have both decided to finish up- something rare about a man who hands it all away for his family. Wow! I leave the state for a week and all hell breaks loose.
After breakfast we visit Yvonne van Bemmel, a noted artist! She's won quite a few hinchinbrook art prizes, and her studio is on the island. Her subjects reflect life on the island, wildlife,coastline, and ocean. We buy 2 originals, and yeah we need more art!
Home for lunch and aloe vera on Marks sunburnt face and my legs. I swim for an hour in the pool, Mark filming bits and pieces around the property.
We have Marks birthday dinner at Antonio Morans Restaurant at Picnic bay. No one cares that we walk in with a bottle of JD! I am driving so I am good, only 2 drinks.
Was a nice day, heard from nearly all our friends, except one, loads of nice birthday calls. Thanks everyone.
July 28th
As the sun rises, Mark is awoken by 2 island lizards dropping from the cooling vent in his room, onto his bag. They scamper all around the house and he tries to get them to put outside. Eventually they defy gravity and head back outside themselves. If Banshee was here she would encourage them!!!Drive to Picnic bay, walk onto the beach and just chill out. Call into 'Island History' - it's also a craft centre, located at the old Picnic Bay school. Meet Di who runs it, and we just immerse ourselves in old photos and very funky seventies Magnetic Island posters. Di also paints island scenes on coconuts, truly she does. We bought one not know it was one of hers and she was stoked- she's a sweet granny.
Head to the very small island cemetery, find a headstone marked John Walsh so I take a snap and send it to our guitar tech- 'Hey you are dead!". Think he liked it.
Spend the afternoon on the balcony facing the sea, MG filming segments for the Rated PG dvd for later this year. I was hopeless today, too much island life, not focused, but the background footage was good *GRIN*. Mark is such a perfectionist amongst my clicks and pops...take after take. I need a swim. I'm in the pool admiring the full moon.
July 29th
Magnetic Island-Brisbane-MelbourneI'm awake early, couldn't sleep, home to see our critters. I open the numerous blinds and the island is covered in fog. Is this a joke? God preparing us for Kalorama and her foggy veil? I'm worried the ferry won't run, but hmm being stuck here isn't a bad thing. We are out of the house early and head to the terminal and get on board the first ferry, all fine. I sit on the deck and watch the dolphins swimming by and spot a sea snake.
Arrive Townsville and we have breakfast on the foreshore, it seems expensive. next we drive up Castle Hill to take some scenic shots. It's 286 metres above sea level and the view of the island is majestic, even with the fog surrounding it, the 'LOST' boys would kill for this shot.
Make it to the airport with time to spare and board the plane with the Queensland footy team. We catch our QF625 flight to Melbourne and arrive at the Pet Resort to pick up Cosmo at 6.00. He looks great and a girl bunny is in the pen next door, before we leave he hops up to say goodbye- such a sweet boy.
We are home by 8.30 and pretty fried, picking Banshee up tomorrow.
July 30th
I'm awake early, eager to see Miss Banshee Buble. The vets open at 8.00 so I'm across the road waiting, like some stalker mother picking her kid up at first day of school. At 8.03 I'm in the door... and I hear a familiar 'meow'...there she is. The vet opens the door and this bundle of fur leaps into my arms and gives me a sloppy cat kiss. I'm so lame, almost teary.Home again to see John Brumby on the news, our new premier.
By 1.00 a courier arrives with a big chunky wooden box. How cool- our Platinum x4 award for us from Bic- campbell for Bic Runga's BIRDS album. It's really nice when they remember us- thanks Sony-BMG too. Decide to wear a rather strange Bird beak for my award photo!!! I'm sure I could get weirder if I tried.
July 31st
Wow must be a good week, this lovely box of goodies arrives from our friend Wendy in QLD. Love the Chryscolla stone, mother nature at her best.On the phone around Enz 'stuff' for most of the afternoon, things are rolling along.....
August 1st
OK where did the year go? August already, that is crazy.NZ charts are in, Time On Earth now at #10, so it didn't make #1 in NZ. Funny though as Liam Finn debuts at #7 with his solo album 'I'll be lightning', I love this CD.
$50 billion was wiped off the value of the Aussie share market in the biggest one day plunge since 9/11. Which must mean the USA market is in turmoil too.
Tuscan meatballs for dinner. Not bad. I added to them by making them kofta.
August 2nd
Breakfast at the Verandah, just us and the view.Nigel from the Enz calls and Phoebe the sheep is now with another sheep & Igor the goat and she is racing about everywhere. When Nigel first rescued her she couldn't walk- amazing what a lot of love can do.
Noel Crombie calls in, and we are running through artwork and stuff for The Rootin Tootin Luton Tapes, loads of good news on this project, the wheels are indeed turning. Hope we get to see the 'sock climbing the wall' promotional 'clip' (don't ask)....oh those wacky Enz boys.
Watch the Enron movie- really fascinating, and scary.
Finally put the vinyl for DONT STOP NOW in the Jukebox and play 'Stare Me Out' sound perfect coming out of the machine....have a dance with Miss banshee while it is playing, she doesn't dance as well as Miss Hairball did.
August 3rd
The club charity project is almost at the half way mark, already. A big thank you to the numerous people who have shown support for this. ideally I'd love to get the classroom started before Christmas, and it's looking more and more like it will be in Africa. Just $1 per person will make a difference. Email me (peter@frenz.com) if you want to donate.http://www.frenz.com/fundraiser.php
Watching Rollins show and 'Deadboy & the Elephant Men' are on, they remind us of the White Stripes. Rollins show is excellent, he interviews some cool people. Some people will never get this, and you know WE LIKE IT LIKE THAT. Perry Farrell was being interviewed too, all those 'rr' in his name- Rock Roll!?
All the birds came and visited this afternoon, all wanting a free feed, it's been awhile so we gave them loads of seed. Would of been 50 of them. Crazy.
August 4th
The AK47 turns 60! Mikhal Kalashnikov says he now wishes he'd created a lawn mower instead- sorry that's Australia's claim. I'm more worried about the 70,000 AK47's that America has 'misplaced' in Iraq!I make homemade soup.... perfect for the Kalorama Winter.
Woodface is on the Great Australian Album show, I notice some of our footage was used.... it came up ok. Still think Skyhooks 'Living In the 70's' should of been one of the landmark albums too.
We watch The Rolling Stones Riverplate Stadium gig at Beunos Aires, Argentina. Truly amazing show, the most passionate crowd I have ever witnessed. Who are Aerosmith again? The Stones rock.... accept no substitutes. It's on the Biggest Bang DVD box that was just released. All live shows.
August 5th
Still feels funny being home, I think I';m on a go slow. Nearly ready to sign off on Spocks artwork for Rare #4 cd, so this will go into the CD plant in a week to be made. It's taken awhile this one, but Mr Judds track was worth the wait.Fred Skyhook calls into the house this afternoon and just hangs out with us. We film a short segment for an upcoming DVDr on the 'Guilty' album. Think he loves the house, when you catch people running their hands over the wooden walls it's a good sign (or they are looking for the safe?!). It's funny when you see people away from their band they are usually a bit different.
Notice the LIberal Party of Victoria are so exceptionally gutless, not running candidates in Williamstown or Albert Park in the bi-election, that is about as lame as you can get! I'm loving John hoWARds pain these days, a new Poll will be out tomorrow and his popularity has dropped again, the rot well and truly setting in. I order some Kevin 07 Tee's and bumper stickers, Greens, labor anyone except hoWARd for this upcoming election. I'll be glad when the old coot has gone back to the 1930's where he belongs.
Oh it's nice to be back and see not one mention of Mr Bush (I can do it)!
Stay Real!
Gryph