The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 11 July - 24 July 2016
Winter in the Yarra Ranges
July 11thI find a bag of hand written letters underneath a pile of eighties signed band photos (Bowie, Adam Ant, Kim Wilde, Cyndi Lauper) . Most of them from 1981- a surprise as some were from my Dad, my grandfather, my sister when she was aged 10 years old and a whole host of friends. Some very cool letters from Mark when i was away overseas for 3 months. These are wonderful, they all capture the moment. I guess the art of letter writing has evaporated forever. Sad in a way, this little bag of letter has blown me away.The urge for some sun and sand and an escape is starting to consume me. Wanderlust moment! July 12thMy friend Tania sends me a $10 coupon for the local Kuranga plant nursery, which is fantastic as I have been thinking of planting some small native shrubs in a side area so this will cover the cost of a few of those. Very kind of her. It's not the nursery closest to me (that's Karwarra) but we drive past Kuranga every week or so , it's easy to swing a left and call in.I'm getting into the Winter only habit of dropping my coats and jumpers on the bedroom floor. Which Miss Banshee is fine about but really just being a slack bastard. My Mum would of kicked me up the bum if I was that lapse at home. July 13thYou know it's Winter in Australia when it's 10.00 in the morning and not even 1 degree outside. Snow in some areas of the Yarra Ranges but (sadly) not our place.I wake up incredibly fatigued today , am going to have one of my rare sick days off. Strange ache in my side, Just a bit strange, so a bed day for me. Our courier arrives with a parcel and she tells me she had the same thing yesterday, she went to hospital. They couldn't work out what's wrong with her. I joke that maybe the Kalorama water is poisoned! Yieks. As always i'll bounce back by tomorrow. Sick is boring, nothing worse then someone moaning how sick they are. I so do not want to be that. July 14thI see that July 29th is now the new date for the end of the world. I guess the coronal hole in the sun that the solar dynamics observatory spotted last week will freak a few people out as a sure sign that it's all coming to an end. Fear not the dark regions of the sun (coronal holes) occur regularly, some larger then others... still if the end is coming I suggest buy all the chocolate that you can carry, it will be the new currency! Ha!Feeling much better today but have some wanderlust, so thinking we should take the afternoon off. Seeing the snow falls missed us (so far) we shall track down the snow instead. A little road trip to Lake Mountain could be fun. It's only 60+km away so not that far. I grab our toboggan's just in case we find a decent bit of slope with snow on it. Far more fun being spontaneous. It's an easy drive, and no traffic. The weather changes but by the time he hit Marysville it's not too bad. We always call into the town and buy some food and there is a pretty good chocolate shop (Marysville Produce store) too. I get some petrol from the auto-service station, it always rips people off by a few bucks, or maybe that's the credit card fee? The sign says "chains are needed" but fairly certain we are all ok with the Jackeroo 4WD. Lake Mountain is easy to find, you just drive down the main road in Marysville and the turnoff is at the end. No ice on the road but after 10kms we start seeing snow. We spot the Welcome to Lake Mountain Alpine Resort sign. The snow is ok here, looks like a fun area and we don't have to enter the park, so save about $55 on fee's. We build a small snowman and I brought along my top hat for him to wear. Last worn at my sisters wedding. It's pretty cool. Some cars stop and take some photos... the bent carrot nose adds some character to Snowy. I explore this little dirt road that is off the main drive and find a pretty good slope for the toboggans , a ten second drive too. Mark picks up some serious speed (meaning motion not the drug) but not so good in the manoeuvring department..I keep screaming out "jump, jump" but he doesn't want to be covered in snow so takes a crash into the tree line. No broken bones. Is it fun yet Marky? A real lovely afternoon, and good to be away from the office. Home by 4.45 and I drop Mark off and head to the bakery for some nice warm pies. I only have 15 minutes before they close so I zoom along ridge road. Thankfully I spot Mr Peacock standing in the centre of the road and stop in time. I had to lift the bloody thing off the road, it refused to move. Tourists going by gave me dirty looks like I was trying to Peacock-Nap the thing. I called the Bakery and they stayed open for me. Nothing like a warm Aussie pie at the end of a snow day. July 15thI wake up to the sounds of laughter, it's Mark watching the 24hr News. Killing himself laughing that Donald Trumps "celebrity" supporters are Chachi from Happy Days and the guy from Duck Dynasty. Talk about Z grade, so fucking lame. That says it all, it really does. We laughed about it all morning. Gee that Chachi will bring in the votes Donald. Ha Ha Ha.Really like Nudie's "Mango & Passionfruit" juice, makes me think of warm Queensland. The whole litre container gone by mid morning. Chachi... sorry..still laughing. Ha! July 16thReally positive emails from Neil Finns Quebec City Festival appearance. Not a bad email amongst them. Just great that Neil can play so many overseas places and get such passionate crowds.A cold few nights coming up, so spend some time sharpening my axe. Chop 2 very large containers of wood. We are ready for the big chill. Not sure why I get so much enjoyment over chopping wood? July 17thSomething equally politically funny as Chachi, ... and that's Liberal Christopher Pyne the new minister for defence industry. I can just picture Poodle Pyne barking at terrorists. God I feel so safe now. Ha Ha. I see the Liberals are still in fighting, losing all those seats sure has impacted on them , maybe I should lend Bishop and Morrison my axe sharpener.... oh that's right the Liberals don't knife each other in the back (Sure Tones!). I can't see Mr Turnbull lasting the distance.July 18thSuddenly a break in the miserable Winter weather, blue skies and Sun! This will make a few of our mates happy, they seem so bummed out during Winter.I get a call asking for a photo with Molly (Meldrum). I dig out the classic from the Countdown Awards Party (April 1984) with Billy idol, Molly and myself in the background. I joke that you can't see my lime green leopard skin pants. The book people seem happy with it, so I'm fine if that's what they want to use. I'm always laid back around such things, it's history and kind of fun. Idol looks great in the photo I must say. Cook a roast for dinner, we didn't like this one , tasted too salty. No one can cook a roast like my Mum. July 19thOlivia Ball would be a good Lord Mayor for Melbourne. Far better then horrid old Doyle -each time I see him now i wonder how he has managed to inflate his head with a bicycle pump. He has that Bert Newton look. I like Bert, he has always been kind to me, I think Doyle sucks. Go Olivia.Put up some Skyhooks images etc on the bands "Blue Jeans" success in New Zealand. The single made it to #3 in NZ and a gold NZ single award. Seems NZ radio was happy to play the more "safer" Skyhooks song (rolls eyes). My Mum still in hospital and today she has moved to the 3rd and final unit. I'll flight hop home again in August. Slow and steady she's getting there- will be 3 months in hospital by the time she is finally home. July 20thWork on some Crowded House bits and pieces today... the wheels are turning. Take some photos behind a plasma globe, freaky images, lopvin' the plasma. Start trimming tree's near power lines, I'm being extra careful.It's freezing outside tonight but I still have the urge for some Bacio Gelato. What a freak I am. July 21stHappy Birthday to Fran and Trudi. Manage to track both of them down - and sing, only a few lines but I made the effort. Just didn't want to send emails or Sheepbook- it's all so half arsed to do that.I walk down to the park in the sun, call into Karwara and buy some plants for a birthday present. I've never walked around their Native Garden and it's really fantastic and is quite large. Free admission too, as i think you used to pay. Another fine place to chill out- no humans or mobile phones- we like that. Upload some documentary's on You Tube, Turnbulls Fraudband is exceptionally slow today. Two hours 40 min for upload.. so pathetic, insane. How do companies cope with such lame NBN. Very frustrating, Australia deserves better. I see that Peter Garrett from Midnight Oil has included a version of Skyhooks Ego is Not A Dirty Word in his live stage set on his solo tour. I wonder how his solo album will sell. I predict top 5 on the charts. July 22ndSleep in today, rain, wind all night - no tree's down but bleary eyed this morning . Ych coffee at General Store, depends on who makes it. Not a nice one today.Afternoon and I head to Mt D. post office for my passport renewal. We finally get the right photo, that was the only (small) delay) it must be my 4th passport. The first one I look like some gothic junkie. I'm surprised the photo was even allowed. While I'm being snapped it starts to rain, really bucket down. Mark tells me the next 25 days are rain, rain and rain. Even our circular drive is starting to be a bit water logged. With all this rain, dam storage levels in Victoria are only at 61% . It's not a lot, the growing population will make short work of that. We also had the warmest June on record here, each month a new record gets broken. I wonder what percentage they lose to evaporation? I'm looking forward to the fourth season of "Black Sails". It's become a fan favourite as witnessed by the fan reaction at the San Diego Comic Com. It will be sad without the wonderful bad arse Charles Vane in the show. I love the Pirates last words- "Get on with it mother fucker". Actor Zach McGowan made him his own and added such depth. Maybe he'll appear in flashbacks in Season 4, who knows. Anyway stoked there is a 4th season on the horizon. July 23rdWoken up by a call from Bob Skyhook. Just wanted to pick my brains on some band stuff, though my brains felt like they were packed with straw and lentil beans this morning - but I got myself together! Always nice to hear from Bobby. He's playing Yarraville Club tonight, so I've given the show an extra little push. Sounds good as his band have added "The Other Side" to the set, rarely played Skyhooks song-fans will love that one.Mr Gregory John Macainsh singing "Cars, Bars & Girls" is playing in our office LOUD this fine Saturday afternoon. Serious dancing and gyrating body moments are going on, we are certainly having way too much fun. Banshee the cat is starring at us through the office window, going what the fuck! Really love that Macca did the vocal for this one, always a live favourite. I have this memory of Greg offering up his bass and Mark playing it with his teeth at one of the live shows. Speaking of Miss Banshee, there was a post on the Herald Sun FB page on cutest cats and Miss Banshee received quite a lot of attention, it just made me smile. What a celebrity we have living under our own roof, she mighty be very hairy and have 4 feet but the love for miss kitty is world wide. What a star. Forget rockstars, catstars are the popular. Cold day up here, I have thick hiking socks on and my feet wrapped around the office heater. I rarely feel the cold but today, I do. July 24thI'd forgotten how nutty it can be on the mountain. A bit of afternoon sunshine and the tourists flock up here. I head to Sassafras in search of a birthday present for Mark and to catch up with Lisa, Ray and JW . Meet up at Chojo, which is the Bonsai gardens . A good spot too as you can chill out away from the tourists and cars. The parking totally crap so i throw caution to the wind and park in a no standing area. Oh what a rebel-not! Rules are boring, what is someone going to do, snitch on me. Snitches are just lame arse people who are so miserable with their own lives they want to make others lives as crap as theirs. We were going to go to RIPE but it looks like they have some renovations happening. The Oracle also packed and some of the usual shops- tourists everywhere. I guess it's good Winter money for the mountain, so keeps some shops open during the miserable non tourist week days. On the way home I do drop into Nourish Day Spa at Olinda. That place SMELLS so good.I get a wonderful call from Fen. So nice to chat to her. Charts are in and Peter garrett's solo album debuts at #3 - he must be happy. A busy week coming up, was hoping to have some Crowded House news but maybe it's been put back? It will happen when it's meant to happen. Markys birthday in a few days, he hates celebrating birthdays , not his cup of tea so I've promised no big parties. So my final line for this diary is to wish him a happy day. Love life! PG |