The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 6 October - 19 October 2014
RIP -Gough Whitlam. The best PM Australia has ever had!
October 6thEastland invasion day, hit the shops. We have our lists... grab the free music press so i can work out which current reviewers should receive Andy Whites album. I see a new magazine at JB HI FI ,they review so little music so I'll have to elbow my way into that one.Find a very cute FOX pencil holder at TYPO store. I love TYPO but so little we need from them. They do have really good birthday cards -so we always end up leaving with a pile of them. The Fox is cute, like a statue that some old funky granny would own. After seeing the Fox outside my window last night I am in Fox mode.. it's an omen I explain to Mark. Really it is simply cute and the best $10 I will spend today. Paddle Pop sticks from craft shop for the "secret surprise" but Rosemaree suggests chop sticks would be better and she is right. I'll just have to make paddle pops with them this summer. We do not waste at our house, everything gets used. Neil Finns "Dizzy Heights" is on special for $12.99 so what the hell I buy 3 more- they will be used I'm sure. We both have hayfever eyes so I try some Zaditen, and it works...only 1 drop-god knows what's in it! October 7thTwin Peaks Returns, well soonish. Which we kind of secretly knew. As Laura Palmer said- "I'll see you again in 25 years".... and she will! That gum we like is indeed back in flavour-but will it taste as good. We sure as hell hope so. It's kind of exciting, I just hope it's brilliant....we are so regularly let down by such things eh?Public Meeting tonight at Olinda Hall for the SAVE THE OLINDA POOL. We are side tracked by work so are running 10 minutes late. Mark tells me not to worry as we will probably be the only people who turn up. But he is wrong, we arrive and the numbers are rolling out the door, about 450 which is incredible for such a thing. Community spirit is certainly alive and well and it's obvious that the people WANT this pool to stay open. No sign of our local Liberal person and unless I missed them , no sign of The Green party (I expected much more from The Greens). Labor local is in attendance and he has promised if Labor are elected in Victoria they will match the council half way with $550,000- outstanding. The Yarra Ranges council guy is really made to sweat- especially about how he voted around the pools closure. I take a few photos from the stage area. Such a passionate crowd was wonderful to see. The Yarra Ranges Council have a up a survey to see what people want but Themes 1-4 are so glossed up and hype and Theme #5 -which is REPAIR THE EXISTING POOL is almost a throw away. So please if you are reading this, it takes 5 seconds.. if you can go to the survey and "Strongly Agree" to Repair the existing Pool it will help -no matter where you live. Apart from being a positive thing for the community up here, it is also a handy emergency water supply during bushfire season. Thank you for supporting SAVE THE OLINDA POOL. http://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Lists/Current-Consultations/Join-the-Olinda-Pool-conversation October 8thCall Bongo Skyhook and we zoom in and get both Living in the 70's and Ego signed by him for the main page of the Hooks website (It's just like our Fan boy old days.. "please can you sign this"). We were so familiar going to the brick flats all those years ago, we forgot he moved next door- so a little italian lady answered... and despite Bongo shrinking a bit we knew it wasn't him *GRIN*. I quickly remembered he lived next door so gave him a buzz. So good to see Mr Starkie.. and even though we were illegally parked we stayed for awhile.Next stop Bella Union at Trades Hall-which is the corner of Lygon street & Victoria streets. We fluke a park right out the very front. $4.00 parking and at 8.30 it becomes free. We wander down Lygon street and have some dinner at La Spaghetteria -which was ok but the main meals were way too big for this Gryphon. It's an old building with many hidden rooms- almost a spooky adventure when you use their toilets! We have 10 minutes to spare before going to the Melbourne Folk Club at Bella Union. So we go move the car forward one space-the street signs are confusing but I think we will be parking ticket free. I knew I'd like the Folk Club, it's on the 2nd level. As I walk upstairs, on the second level is giant GIANT seventies photo of Gough Whitlam. It's MASSIVE and young comrades have covered it in lipstick kisses! Brilliant-next visit I need to bring a camera- that made me smile. As Mark pointed out, if it was a giant Tony Abbott blow up it would be covered in spit! You know he's right. Good ol' Andy has our names on the door so we are feeling spoilt. We spot our mate Trudy with friend Kevin and sit next to them. Across the floor are 2 other familiar faces so I give them a hello smile. All 3 acts have short sets tonight and all 3 are pretty good. "" are finishing their set, nice reaction. Andy pops up and says hello and we all admire Bella Unions beautiful drapes...for possible "future use" (don't ask)... The crowd dig Andy, we get a song dedicated - "My 2 mates from the Hills making the trek to the big city".... it's a fun crowd and there is that interaction between Andy & audience..he mentions the album launch at Toff In Town on November 26th and it was nice to hear audience members call out - "I'm going"! We decide to politely stay for the final act- "Stray Hens" and glad we did they are fun. I really dig their drummer- wonderful style but he rarely smiles. We'll have to check them out again too. We say our goodbyes and I blow a kiss at St Gough as we walk down the stairs. Our car is parking ticket free so extra good. The drive home is fantastic, no red lights, no traffic and only slowed for some road works. Trades Hall to Kalorama in under 40 minutes. A really fun night and good to see some mates who ventured out . We know you had a good time. October 9thI'm happy my Mum is home from hospital, she sounds so much more relaxed with her own roof over her head. The Woolworths website craps out while I am on line, trying to send her a food parcel. Eventually it works. I know she has a love for passionfruit yoghurt, so I send her every type they had!As a mate once said to me "no good deed goes without punishment"... which I've decided is the case with a few people. Over their faineant crap and in the end just happy to move on. Hippy dribble and second rate excuses, who needs it! Great chat with Miss Toija today, so vibey over all her Bowie projects- which is so good to hear. Passionate about it all- love that~! October 10thIt's throw away and silly but we did have a laugh at "Bad Grandpa" with Johnny Knoxville. The wowsers won't get this- some people are way too serious and need to go polish the chip on their shoulder. It is what it is , I bet it does well.Hear from Bongo Skyhook, he's after a phone number, I notice mine is 10 years old but the person still might be at the address. I won't be tempted to ask why.... all sounds Skyhooky? October 11thJogging down the oval and a few locals have a rugby ball out, yes Rugby in Victoria. Most are older then yours truly but I have a run, kick, crush for awhile. Should I tell Mark, noooo he'll give me shit. Which I get. I struggle home, bruised battered, some scab on my elbow. It was fun but that game I swear tells your body- you are getting OLD! I am going to stick to my jogging...I am proud I lasted the distance. Shit I ache next day.Upload an Enz documentary and good old Abbott's "It will do" broadband means it takes 14 hours. How crap is that? My friend calsl and has the youth unemployment numbers for the area up here. It's like the second highest in Victoria! The highest it has been for 15 years. With Victoria having the highest unemployment on the mainland-why would anyone trust the Liberals with their jobs? Surely people will think about such things at election time. I hear that the state Libs are also keeping quiet about opening new coal fields in La Trobe Valley. After the disaster that was the Hazelwood mine fire and the hype from Deputy Premier Peter Ryan- and his sales pitch to international miners & developers with ZERO people interested.... the Liberals will keep their yaps firmly shut with an election coming up. They've had 3 years to assist the La Trobe Valley but they've done zilch. The Hazelwood Fire and the premiers lazy actions around that have pissed off the locals. So coal most certainly is an election issue. Smoke & ash over Morwell for a month -totally destroying the grain of credibility left by this government on mine management as well as the health disaster that is still going on. At the end of the day Peter Ryan is as useless as Denis Napthine! Kick the bastards out! October 12thCoffee with Miss Rosemaree today..... good to catch up, we have been chatting a lot lately. She gave my bruises aching Rugby shoulders a rub! I am so not an athlete.The Tea Party at The Palais tonight, still sad this one has not sold out. They are in fine form and I love the latest album. October 13thThe best album in Australia's music history- "Living in the 70's" by the unique Skyhooks first charted -40 years ago today. It spent half a year at #1 spot on Victorias 3XY chart. Half a year at #1- no one has beaten that record, just mind blowing. Apart from being our favourite album - it also opened the door for a few great friendships with band members that endure to this day. If for some oddball reason you do not have this album on cd, especially if you are an Aussie- get it. Your music collection has a hole in it! (and Mark will surely say "Why Not"!!!).October 14thI hear from Brian at RocKwiz -he digs Andy W so I've made sure the new album has gone to him. Wonder if he'll be at the Toff in Town? It's been awhile since we've chatted but plenty of time for him. he's done so well from RocKwiz."The Leftovers" starts on Foxtel- we were unsure about watching it, but it's ok... not brilliant but it has grounds for improvement so we'll watch a few more episodes and give it a chance. October 15thBreakfast at "BRUNCH" our new food place, just down the road from us. They get the thumbs up so we'll be back. 1365 Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd, Kalorama.I remember Hessie mentioning how he'd venture across the road for coffee with the Hippys, when he lived up here at Kalorama. So it's kind of nice to look across the road from our table at BRUNCH and see Paul & Carolines old house. I also like BRUNCH because they have matching couch and chairs with the same Egyptian motif that Molly has on his chairs. (he doesn't have a live sulphur crested cockatoo on his chair though). BRUNCH has wild chickens and a very cute black duck (with shiny green feathers)..I've named him "Forest" because he doesn't have a name! Anyway if you are driving in the hills check this place out! How's that for a free plug. October 16thI'm amazed that the X-37B robotic space plane has had so little mention in the media. It's 22 month old mission is over and 3 Earth orbits- it looks like a small space shuttle... I want one!October 17thSome friends drop in some flowers, well left by our door as we are out. Fantastic surprise and love the note -feeling the love guys- thank you so so so much. Nice start to the day.The giant box of badges and fridge magnets arrive. So new Frenz of the Enz badges, and a fresh colour combination. With Miss R's love of purple she will dig this colour combination. Now to mail them all out! Chat to Fen and Giles for a good length of time, by the end we are all laughing, my sides hurt! Hey guys you can't move into that house- it just sold- how fast was that?! One of the main people from the electorate office calls and such nice comments- so I'm on again for the state election-as soon as I agree to working. Great to be with Marjo again. Looks like we might be at a different electorate. October 18thI mow our insanely large nature strip, it always does me in. Will work on the grounds over the next week. There are some nice sunny days coming up.I add another Enz documentary to Official Enz , the fans seem to enjoy them all. Thinking about heading down the coast tomorrow, seeing it's a nice day but the Motorcycle Grand Prix is on, so the traffic might suck. October 19thCoffee at the General Store and the bee man arrives.. (he knows all about Bee keeping)!!! I have a read of the Sunday Age -rare I get the chance.Thinking if The Cape is out Jan Juc or Bells Beach might be good. So surfs up..... going to be a great Summer! xPG Footnote- At the time of writing, the sad news arrived, that former Australian PM Gough Whitlam has passed away (age 98). A man of vision (so lacking in our current PM). RIP Comrade- you were unique. |