The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: * - * 2014
The brilliant Burnham Beeches -Alfred Nicholas Gardens. (1947)
January 1stA new year .... off to wobbly old start. I've convinced myself however that it will be a year full of surprises and mostly good ones. Just for Marky and myself..not you guys sorry. All surprises are for us- you'll have to pry them out of our hands. For the rest of the planet it will really suck. You know I am joking, or maybe not.... it could just be my "inner Wilfred" ... or maybe our insular lifestyle here has created a bubble, one that we may or may not want to live in. You know I have become bubble boy when I look at motors to lock our security gates after we drive in!!! Go away no one is home!It's still a place we love up here, as I type this I am a bit delirious from the bug Mark picked up and passed on..I'm not sure if I really am writing this- I hear a tap tap tap of the keyboard but my head in in another place. Happy New Year! Forget drugs , get the latest strain of this flu type bug it's far cooler (not). January 2ndShirley Strachan would of turned 63 today- trying to imagine Shirl in his sixties! So we dedicate the whole day on Official Skyhooks to him. On ya Shirl!We are still hiding from the world but a few people discover us today and spoil us both. Some one asks why I rarely ever have my mobile on. The world can find me if it wants too. I have no urge to whip out a phone and show people the latest selfie snap of ones life. Do people really think anyone cares about such things- good grief? When people show me such things I just acknowledge the photo as soon as possible so they'll put the phone away. It's so boring, do people really think anyone is interested - polite is the new dull for 2015! January 3rdTrees down across the tourist road, a few cars crushed and power out for 6 hours. All our sturdy giants stand tall and strong , much to our relief... I avoid eye contact with them while they sway out of control.I wonder what sort of year it will be. I'm using the first month to play catch up on a hundred and one little things that I need to get done. I'm determined to clear my lists of the "things left to do"... January 4thAbbott is on TV, Australians might as well just turn the sound down as no one listens to his prattle these days. He was a far stronger opposition leader, he's become a spineless piss weak PM- he's dug his own grave , only a matter of time and he's gone and he won't even be a bleep on the radar screens of Australian history.Marks working away on some recordings. It's incredibly muddy so not much to save, still so little from this wonderful period. January 5thDealing with Telstra still on our phone and foxtel bill that they fucked up. The bank confirms today that the mistake had zero to do with them. Eventually I speak to another Telstra person who is actually based in Australia. It's become a joke and they really don't know what they are doing. How long will this go on, I speak to another girl who is based in Singapore and is meant to call me back at 9.00 at night but doesn't. I roll my eyes.. they are useless.January 6thMy Mums little dog passes away, so sad as he was her favourite and like a kid in many ways- I worry about her being lonely- even though we are a state away , sometimes it feels like the other side of the planet!Weird weather lots of rain.. the passionfruit vines I've put in will love the downpour. I dig passionfruits especially in my bakes cheesecake. Telstra tell me the phone bill mistakes have been worked out (hurrah) and I stupidly believe them. They are posting me a new paper bill to look at... January 7thGood old Jeff Jenkins and his box of Skyhook books that he kindly donated to us for a fundraiser. Nearly all the EGO books have gone and we've added the Skyhooks flexi disc.. nice we can give fans a little extra. Plus it means they won't get ripped off with high Ebay prices.Neil, Tim and Liam will be playing a special show at Auckland Zoo in February (27th) and tickets via NZ ticketmaster. This will be a fun gig... January 8thThe Queensland election coming up soon. I wonder if Queenslanders will remember Newmans last election promise like keeping unemployment at 4% (its nearly 8%) and that ALL Queenslanders will get $120 off their electricity bill each year but in fact electricity in QLD has actually been closer to a huge 50% MORE under his Liberal state government...they promise so much and deliver so little.Nice claggy throat, the flu thing Mark caught is still lingering..letting our bodies fight the bug. People run to doctors at the drop of a hat, our bodies should be able to fight such things. January 9thUpload some Skyhooks footage from their Nightmoves II concert- such a great gig that one. My parents gave me the ok to miss some school and catch the train to Melbourne to see that show. I think the wonderful Wooven family got the free tickets for us. Skyhooks were so hard edged at that gig. Of course the famous moment running into Shirl near the stage door and he signs my ticket and says- "this is probably my last autograph with Skyhooks". I can't recall if I believed he was leaving or joking..but he did. Anyway we hope the fans enjoy these 2 pieces of footage.January 10thIt's retro Countdown on RAGE , always happens this time of year so fans will click on their recorders... imagine of all the Countdown episodes exist, how amazing would that be. All these years later it horrifies me that so much as been lost forever.Determined to get all the padded envelopes ready for THE EARLY YEARS mail out, this book has taken forever- it will be worth the wait. I forget just how many delays happen, around such things- very frustrating. I start scanning some of the photos from my Sis's photo albums, some I've never seen before, some simply forgotten.. and handful really old. It's good to have them stored, just in case they get lost forever, plus excellent for Maddie to get some history down the track. I head to the general store, just want to get my work done away from the phones, internet and interruptions. It's my area of peace and quiet- sometimes I just want that- I do like some solitary. January 11thMy album of the day- The Church's "Heyday" which is such a fine release and holds up well. "Already Yesterday", " Columbus" and " Myrrh" my favourites. Myrrh itself I dig.. just from what it is..and it's medicinal properties...even without the Christ baby reference it is cool.It's heading towards dusk and we work on the main steps, replace and paint and even hair dry them before the rain starts. A job well done and they look pretty good. I'm a crappy ol' bitch so I have to apologise to Marky for being a shit head. It's been a long day.. that sounds like an excuse...he tells me I should join The Church (our IN joke). January 12thI hear from Eddie in NZ and he has found the Split Enz (Live) Sweetwaters 81 multi track tapes. It's still very early days but great he has tracked these down. lets hope they sound brilliant and are in good condition.We make these fantastic big schnitzel sandwiches for lunch today - the freebee baking tins from Woolworths are the perfect size. I call into Bunnings and buy some more wood and paint. The cutting room area is so slack , never anyone on duty-pretty hopeless. I use a voucher (thanks Sis & Margaret) ... that always feels good. January 13th"BRUNCH" was empty today- we had the whole place to ourselves, the last week it has been packed, so it's nice be human-free!The Official Enz page has been on Sheepbook for a year now. A handful of total losers , but thankfully 99% really decent people. Facebook IS exactly what I thought it would be - the total loser nut jobs absolutely shine but even they are far and few. You end up with some stalkers creating fakie pages on you- but that just shows that they really don't have any lives to speak of. All a bit sad, it's Facebook get over it. https://www.facebook.com/OfficialEnz?ref=hl January 14thThe Queensland election is coming up fast, funny if Mr Newman loses his seat. The Liberals have such a majority it is a hard call to kick them out after one term- still he's done a shit job with Queensland -especially around unemployment which just keeps growing and growing. I see our glorious dickhead PM has been asked to keep away. Imagine if Mr Newman lost his own seat- now that would make it a fascinating month! What the LNP promise the world and deliver next to nothing. Will QLDers be suckered again?January 15thUp way too bright and early (like 3.00 in the morning) and send out the press release for Neil-Tim-Liam at Auckland Zoo. Oddly enough I do feel wide awake.....and stay that wya all day.My day was spent on Finns, Finns and Finns.... and chat to lovely Jen & Merl. January 16thPower off on the mountain today-yes they are still working on the lines. I head out for more band work, off mountain. The house is so beautiful and cool when we finally make it home.Some friends drop in with food in the evening and it all ends in a giant conga line in the grove. No pot ,no tequila, I was a good boy...boy did we dance up a storm! (it actually did rain..so yeah a real storm). January 17thBanshee is showing the signs of a urine infection. Like most cats she gets them from time to time. It's easier taking her to our brilliant vets and get an injection. Plus her yearly shot is coming up so we'll do both together. She's not in pain etc just has the craving to pee, so digging cute little holes around the yard. I give her a wash in my bath -which she enjoys- takes her mind off it all. Poor little kitty cat. She still has time for a purr and kiss - she loves her dads and such a nice nature. Cats are so simple, they make it very clear if they are happy or not.I take the recycle up to the back gate and she tags along for a walk, every so often she will "cat talk" to me - of course I reply!!! January 18thMidsuma kicks off today and "Carnival" on at Alexandra Gardens. It's packed but plenty of room for a blanket and to watch the show. The Rainbow band kick it off at 12.00 , just magnificent. Love it when Drag extravaganza Dolly Diamond walks up to the microphone with her "date" our new shiny premier Mr Dan Andrews. A massive cheer for Daniel... tripled when he says "equality is not negotiable". It's not like our homophobic piece of trash PM thinks like that. The Greg Hunts of the Liberal Party can have their tongue up Abbotts arse as much as they want but end of the day he's just a Liberal pig. Tick tick tick dear Tony- one term for you.The Community stage is great (bless you Joy FM).. and it's a great crowd. Allie & jane are tagging along next year-it's a date gals! Congrats to Laura and Claire for some ink- especially you Laura - the first tattoo is always special. January 19thThe sun breaks through so we detour via Alfred Nicholas Gardens at Sherbrooke Forest. They are beautiful gardens and for the first time that we can remember ,the lake is empty (they are cleaning up the weeds) but still enough water for cute baby ducks to float about. We sidetrack to the deco mansion that is on the property- "Burnham Beeches". We love this place, 4 stories high, a bowling alley in the basement and it reminds us of a deco cruise boat. I want I want I want.......... it's empty but apparently it will be restored.So as we sail off into the sunset on the SS Burnham Beeches we wave a fond farewell till next diary. bye! Peter |