The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: * - * 2014
The Black Cockatoos of Ailsa Craig
December 22ndWe are enjoying "Looking" on Foxtel- probably not as good as "Queer As Folk" or "Tales of the City" but the characters are growing -pity that season one is so short. However it returns to cable very soon with season two...so we are looking forward to that. Apart from the ABC we don't bother with free to air TV anymore- just crap and outdated series.. and duller then dishwater reality tv (yawn)- I have no interest in fat people, houses being re built or pathetic lame arse shows like Big Brother. (Pulls out gun and puts to head).I also totally missed Armistead Maupins book release of THE DAYS OF ANNA MADRIGAL - I can not believe it has been out for a year... what a nice surprise. Somethings just slip through the cracks of life. December 23rdToday mostly packing bags and getting bits and pieces ready to take home. I email Neil and Sharon and thank them for the amazing present... hope they have a fantastic christmas too. So nice they always think of us.December 24thWe are both up early and ready to go. Trying an experiment and allowing Banshee full run of the house while we are absent. We reset all our security alarms and cameras to allow for her "size", so unless some dwarfs break in the house should be armed and active-plus our security company do check and wonderful neighbours. Banshee does know something is up and once again attempts to hide in my suitcase-not that there is much room with all the presents.The airport run was ok, not a lot of cars and we arrive at the valet service with time to spare. Mark has 2 very rare cassettes with him, master copies that arrived (hell the only copies) so we get security to carry them past the scanners and hand check -we can't risk them- the security guys are very excited by what band it is. I think we made their day. A bit of christmas stress from passengers-we are calm but you can see it in some peoples eyes-christmas isn't always easy for some. The frequent flyer lounge is great today- you can now make your own toasted sandwiches on the big press machines and the bread is excellent (and actually healthy). So I whip Mark up a sandwich and myself and coffee and juice. I also have some copying to do so 500 sheets later my on board bag is packed but hey saves $40 so that is great-covers my petrol whilst at home. Our Qantas flight leaves on time, the stewardess comes up and chats and I'm not sure why they know me- just odd. I'm reading Steve Kilbeys book so I'll have this finished by the time we are back in Melbourne. A really enjoyable release-I like his honesty. Worth checking out. Arrive Sydney and the bags take forever and even with priority tags slow -christmas holidays so less staff on I guess . AVIS give me a brand new car, it's done about 50kms...it has all the bells and whistles- to be honest they are wasted on me, I care little for that shit , I prefer a good car that wont fall apart in a crash. People boast about having all this stuff and it's a total wankfest- if you can't reverse park into a car spot hand back your license. Extras just make people lazy. We are heading to Marks dads place again this year and he's up on the Great Dividing Range so an hour and a half from the airport. It takes longer as that stupid long tunnel is clogged... we are chilled. Quite a few bad drivers about but I won't become one myself by being an angry aggressive driver.. nothing gained but stress and anger and heart attacks for getting worked up over these idiots. Christmas seems to bring them out of the woodwork, I'm not going to return the favour with aggressive behaviour though. Two hours later and we are back on the road again, via Robertson and the infamous Macquarie Pass- the fog has rolled in, really rolled in so the drive is slower, add to that tourist busses at hair-pin bends... but we are home around 7.30. A few of the relatives are at Mums for Christmas Eve, it's good. I instantly get some "so are you a tv star now" lines-all baiting and tongue in cheek... Sis arrives with Maddison and she runs to me arms wide-very cute. Love what she is wearing and she plants a big wet kiss on my cheek. It's good to see everyone. December 25thI'm awake fairly early- popped a stillnox last night and I slept and feel excellent. Mum has her christmas pudding on so I start work on the fruit salad. While the pudding is bubbling away-we head to the crematorium with flowers-pretty much a tradition. As we approach a "P" driver ignores the stop sign and just misses us by a few inches- total idiot. Could of wiped Mum, myself, Sis and MIM out in one go. Mum points out- "but hey we at least don't have to travel far if we were all killed"! (Yieks). You'd think this time of year drivers would be more careful - insanity.Christmas lunch is fun, and filling. Great pudding Mum....!!! I visit my great aunt and uncle in the afternoon and that is ok, both in their nineties and they bought me this brilliant shirt as a christmas present. They make me smile-will be sad when they are no longer here. I'm out the front of my Mums place and I hang all these Christmas baubles in the big tree... MIM loves them... I am teaching her french and keep saying "Boule"... as she heads to the car she points to the christmas decoration and goes "Boule".. holy fuck I'm impressed!!! Her dad is stealing her away to see other relatives- we all know WE are the most important *GRIN*... and there she goes waving at me. Funny kid- Christmas is great with her running wild at Nana's. My Mum buys MIM a rocking horse, and she rides it all day-it makes horsie noises and the tail wags... Maddison falls off, has a little cry and straight back on. You get back on that horse baby cakes! By late afternoon half the household is having a siesta ... and Maddie returns so Uncle is on duty. She grabs a blanket and sits on it-pats the floor next to her...so I guess i'm baby chatting on the floor. She already runs me. A long day, a fun day-lots of christmas photos taken. I'm the only one awake so instead of the usual re run of the Christmas Vacation movie with Chevy Chase I switch over and watch E.T. and it's freaky seeing Drew Barrymore that little! I pop another 1/2 a stillnox as I do need to get up early for the flight... I think of Banshee at home and hope she is having a good time-"we'll be home soon girl" - I mutter to no one in particular. December 26thHappy 10th Birthday Miss Banshee. Born on Tsunami day.Mum sneaks out early and cooks me a really nice breakfast.. I'm showered and ready to depart. I'll always have the vision of my Mum on her verandah waving goodbye.. with all the shiny christmas boule's twinkling around her. As tradition has it I'm at Marks mums place early to pick him up- and after another goodbye we head towards Sydney. Back in the frequent flyer and it's like ground hog day- toasties and more photo copying. I finish the Kilbey book on the flight and the hostess has a nice chat to me. I think I know her but not sure where. The 4WD is waiting at the valet, and as a present they wash it for me- nice guys. We stare in horror at the 5KMs of cars lined up waiting to get a parking spot for the Boxing Day sales- there would easily be 5000 cars. Why would you even bother. We take some back roads home... and Miss Banshee is at the front door to greet us. We sing Happy Birthday to our favourite cat and give her a cuddle. Watch the Dr Who Christmas special and it really is shit this year. It's sunk to a new level of crap. They so need Russell T. Davies back.... December 27thDrive to the supermarket and buy our groceries. Woolworths sent us another $50 card-brilliant. We buy some wood at the local Bunnings so I can replace the 2 steps near the main door-just waiting for the right day to do so. I love that we can do such things ourselves.My splurge today is on a $3 lime green frisbee. My cool red one disappeared after the Crowdies "Weather With You" video shoot , never to be seen again....! You still owe me a frisbee guys! December 28thHappy Birthday Mr Yeti- I remember to send him a hello & best wishes email. No idea when he will read it our where about's in America he is touring but it's sent with love and good intentions.I'm using chives a lot in our cooking this week- I'm not sure why. I decide to have Pizza for dinner but the shop is closed so I make my own-I do make a good Pizza-so says Marky. My better half has tonsillitis or some flu bug from the plane that seems to be going about. The flu shot is useless around this one and quite a few people have it. So lots of TLC from me. Nice to cuddle in bed this morning , our own little world- and no one is invading it for weeks. I'm not even answering the phone. Fuck the world I want to get off (no not really but it always sounds good‚. December 29thI go to bring in the recycle bin and have a laugh- a huge bamboo Gilligans Island style bar and a beautiful note-has been left at the back gate by lovely Allie. Just makes me smile..I go and get Mark as I know this will make him feel better. We'll put it in the art room area after working some "magic" on it... adding funky bits and pieces. So beautiful she thought of us-well MG especially! Thanks girl. xxxKeeping clear of Official Enz facebook page till the new year-some time off. I AM adding to Official Skyhooks Facebook though. Was hoping we'd get to 500 "likes" by the new year for the 'Hooks page. So feel free to visit and give us a "like". https://www.facebook.com/pages/Official-Skyhooks/751125208300602 Benny calls from the States and sooooooooo good to chat. Are we really all going to Cuba together- now that sounds like a plan. I keep looking at beautiful Playa Paraiso-Cayo Largo- great beach and crystal clear waters...means a flight to Cayo Largo but Aero Gaviota can remedy that. It's one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. http://www.cayolargo.net/beach_paraiso.html I head up to the art room after Benny called, with el cheapo camera in hand to photograph Marks new funky bar (sounds rude)... and my timing (for once) was spot on. The yellow tailed black cockatoos have landed, and one is on the fountain having a drink, so I managed a few photos of these magnificent creatures. They could well be my favourite birds-what a nice way to finish 2014. I call them the "storm bearers" as each time they land at our place it really really rains-today was no exception, it bucketed down. December 30thHappy Birthday to our mate Greg Macainsh. We'll control ourselves from singing The Beatles- "When I'm 64"... I'm sure he'll be sick of it by days end.Even though we have time off I sneak to the office and work, just all little bits and pieces that needed doing-now is a good time. I play Dragons "Sunshine" album -which is my fave Dragon album....I love that one. Marks massive Rolling Stones book arrives from Taschen (my Christmas present for him) - it's incredible.... the book depository in the UK just a godsend for prices and free postage! Plus 2 other parcels-one from Jennifer in NYC that we are opening at dinner tonight-we are so spoilt and that girl has amazing presents , plus 2 blurays from Amazon before Tony Abutt sticks GST on everything bought on the Net . Christmas has not ended! We like that. December 31stHappy New Year Everyone!The JB HI FI sale ends tonight and Mark wants to use our gift cards- of course JB have changed their website , in the end it's just easier creating a secondary account. Mark wants to send them a nasty email- we are both a bit delirious from this world wide bug. Everything is trippy and odd. We ache too... we could be emailing every person on the planet and I doubt that we would know! he controls himself and doesn't bother with the email. I buy some night and day flu tablets and they seem to help plus all the other stuff- we are rattling away this new years eve. We can't go out in case we inflict others, so just the 2 of us at home...well 3 with Miss banshee-she is a good cat and knows we are crappy and just meowing and sitting with us-happily content. Allie pops in and it's like she is visiting us in jail- "keep your distance"! *GRIN*. I bite the bullet and mow the rest of the nature strip- it was urking me so flu-bound I did it. Our first call for the afternoon is from Warrick and Navene , and it's great to have a chat-well they did the talking as I sound like some croaky old spinster. I don't answer any other calls- I'd forgotten Countdown Documentary repeat was on tonight and I'm told they had really good viewer numbers again. God bless the ABC. Mark decides to watch the original "Friday the 13th" , we DO have a Jack Daniels...my line of "If Keef Richards had the flu he'd still have a JD on NYE"! See any excuse. As it heads towards midnight I am fading fast, I do vaguely recall the fire works.... so 2014 rolls into 2015 in a slow blur. It's technically our friend Merelyns birthday as 12.01 but I'm so lost in the land of mind-fog I don't risk a call-I make a note to do so at a better hour. So have a great year, 2014 was most certainly a mixed barrel of Gryphons & Fish. I don't think I liked it very much. Lets hope 2015 is more magical. All the best Peter |