The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 29 January - 11 February 2024
 "We all need a Dalek in our lives" (Kalorama 2024). |
January 29thIt's a bit weird, my paper diary for today is almost blank. Now that is strange and rare. Usually it is full of "must do's", meetings and reminders. I did do stuff today. We worked on some physical pieces for Project X. Lots of seriously cat cuddling with Miss Midnight. I took the watering can around Ailsa Craig and gave some plants a bit of a drink as February is always hot so good to give them some watering in advance. Great that it all comes from the water tanks.They are still at 90%.I make Kofta for dinner and spend most of the evening in the office. Just me and Bob ("Hi Bob"). Bob Dylan. The Bootleg Series. Val. 4. Bob Dylan Live 1966. The famous Royal Albert Hall concert. I love his harmonica playing around this time. A bit of email chit chat back and forwards between the wonderful Debbie Levitt and myself. Nice. A bit of a rush on emails from music mates tonight, Spock from BCO and Bongo Skyhook so that was great...and fun. Good blokes. January 30thA hazy day, i don't feel I slept well. A bit strange. I am sitting in the car park at the charity waiting for the boss to arrive, so I take this time to check our Youtube numbers. Our 3 live songs from Skyhooks are still doing the business, ticking over with views and some nice comments. Fantastic. Amazing in many ways , almost half a century old. Little did we teenage Aussie kids think back in 1975 about this amazing creation called the Internet and that our Archives would become a precious commodity. Enjoy the Hooks video here and listen to that hysteria. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iJ-uLnMu00I score a large Dalek for a gold coin today. It needs some internal work. Not sure what it will be used for, maybe I'll blow it up in a video clip? It always pays to have a spare Dalek handy for such things don't you think so? I would of preferred a Cyberman though. January 31stI call into Bunnings and try to return a power drill that they incorrectly sold me. I'll have to dig out the receipt and get a credit, which is fine as we buy so much at Bunnings. Marky paid for it ages ago, thankfully they will still honour the purchase, and really it was a mistake from one of their staff. Plus i was really nice about it.Marky takes me to Dinner tonight. At the last minute we call into the Mount D pub instead of Indian as we both had a craving for Parmi. There is a table of older people and one comes over. It's Gip, who we met at Peter and Marks BBQ. A lovely woman and she is rather fascinated by the history of our house. Dinner was great, thanks Marky. We cuddle on the couch and watch "Unmasking a Killer". An in dept look at the Golden State Killer. 51 attacks-rapes and 12 murders in California. It's put together extremely well, and you get captivated. I need to send this one to Sis, she loves her true crime shows. Mark has a theory that the Air Stewardess Murders in Texas were also the Golden State Killer, they happened during that time period where he went "quiet" or did he? Markys Youtube Wednesday today is Neil Finn live. Some footage I filmed in NYC at the Bowery Ballroom. One of the best gigs I've been too, the crowd really made this show. November 23rd 1998. "Four Seasons In One Day" and the audience has such a great voice. February 1stJanuary just seemed to vanish, Summer hasn't really arrived yet, it is very strange weather. I guess it will seem extra hot when it becomes full on Australian Summer weather. There is talk of it hitting 40 (105) at Kalorama this Sunday.I am feeling a bit average around midday, I put it down to fatigue. Carol tries to send me home but I soldier on. I do manage to help a few people in the afternoon so I am happy I stayed. Deb at work helps me out with an item for Project X. The girls are so great to me here. I love volunteering with them. At home and tonight we watch "Sweet As". An Aussie coming of age movie. The beauty of the Australian Outback takes my breath away. How fortunate are we living in this remarkable country. February 2ndWarm weather is arriving soon so I get some yard work done. I mow part of the nature strip, work in the vegetable garden. I'm making some satay stir fry soon so grab a few vegies for that. I long for the day where I pick 100% from my garden. It will probably never happen. Even if I just pick a few that gives me a tiny buzz, plus we know what we are eating and no pesticides.We are also watching "Feud: Capote V's The Swans" . We love it. Capote was such a vicious old queen at times, no wonder he had that love, hate stuff with Warhol happening. Imagine what The Rolling Stones thought of Capote when he invaded their tour for several weeks. HA! We head back to Bunnings as we need to buy a few things and I found the receipt for the drill. It's weird I have 2 file drawers of receipts so I expected it would take forever. I reach in and the second receipt i pull out is for it. Amazing. Bunnings are great, nice and fast and cash. We spend the refund in their store anyway. Everyone benefits. February 3rdHere is the hot weather, arrived at long last. Other parts of Australia has some cyclones and flooding. I get in early and mow the rest of the nature strip, so tick that off the list.I sit on the decking with Marky and my tool kit and work away on Project X. I have one break and still have the vibe so I go for it, get more done. Neil (Finn) puts the Four Seasons In One Day video from the Bowery Ballroom from 1998 up on his Social media channels so that was good of him. I am a bit cheeky and send him an email asking if he happens to have a spare or old video camera that plays Video 8 that we could borrow. Even though Marky took it apart our camera has died and we have a few dozen tapes from CH, Finn etc gigs that i filmed that we are trying to transfer. So even if you are not Neil Finn and have a video camera that you are not using that plays video 8 tapes please lend it or donate it to us. It means we can transfer the footage and eventually, hopefully it will go up on our Youtube page for music lovers to enjoy. I worry that if it takes too much longer the tapes will degrade and not be viewable. I've looked on ebay etc but the problem is you don't know the quality of the tape heads when buying an on line camera. I give Midnight a wash, grass ticks, just tiny ones that bite cats are around this time of year, and Midnights shampoo has some good healing content in it so that might help. She certainly isn't Banshee when it comes to a wash. Banshee loved it, Midnight gives me that look of "what the hell are you doing to me", she settles a bit and allows me to give her a shampoo. People think she is getting bigger, when wet you realise how skinny she is. All hair. She dry's out on the decking in the sun. Markys makes us his awesome sausage rolls for lunch, so delicious and no you can't have the recipe. LOL. February 4thI take my pocket penguin #58 to the bakery. Truman Capote "My side of the matter". Just those small books, the type you read on the train. Read and sip coffee. People stare, like it's been a long time since they have seen someone reading a book.I rush home and attempt some more mowing, am going to try for the entire block, which is a big ask. I'll do it over the entire week, it's a bit tedious but Ailsa Craig looks gorgeous when she has a fresh haircut. I hear from Neil and he does have a video camera so he's going to attempt to find it. So nice of him. It heats up by afternoon, Summer is here at long last. The solar panels are loving it so I use some of that sol created energy to run the air con. Nice. Midnight stretches out, Mr Air Con is her new best friend. It stays hot all night, just a sheet covering me, a tiny bit of sleep with my open window. We are watching more Golden State Killer doco's and I think to myself is it wise to sleep with an open window.? February 5thThe sound of the recycle truck and straight after that the green rubbish truck wake me up. I can't get back to sleep so drive for a coffee. It's quiet on the mountain and the locals have that "no sleep last night" look. The extra mention of Markys Youtube clip (Neil Finn "Four Seasons..") pushes it past our target 1000 views already. I've given it a push elsewhere too so a bit of exposure.I have a single page list of "To Do's" and I'm pretending it doesn't exist today. I could simply make it " Can't Do's Today". Not so much lazy but my body is saying "take the day off, just chill out" so that is what I am going to do. After i mow a bit more of the lawn...before the rain arrives. I decide to have a little nap after lunch, Midnight has discovered Banshee's favourite place, sitting in my open bedroom window. So she watches the world and I watch her watching the world. By 1.00 PM a gentle rain arrives, refreshing and cool. A subtle mist over Kalorama. I head down and clear the PO Box and activate my new card. So ok, maybe a few things off the "To Do" list after all. Homemade Pizza for dinner and the last of the chocolate mousse, life really isn't too bad is it? February 6thI am awake just after sunrise and decide to have a shower before heading to work. A black furry blob is sitting over the shower drain. It's a Bat in my shower. "Save water shower with a friend" has a whole new meaning now and I'm guessing that doesn't include Bats! It's a good bat so i get him in a plastic container and release it onto a tree outside. He stretches his wings all the way out so I take a photo. Of course the Batman theme is now rolling around in my head all day.Charity is ok today but my foot is still injured from last week here at work. My Achilles tendon is very raw and sore. It starts out ok but halfway through the day It gets painful, the girls help me pad it with some thick bandaids. They wear through my sock. Ouch. I mention it again to Carol and i do stay the entire day. I am glad to get home. February 7thA day of extremes. Marky so incredibly generous to me, you know when someone is so kind and generous you almost cry you are so happy. After that i hear from the girls and someone we all know, Heather, has passed away. We are all a bit shocked. At one stage she was the nanny for the Finn kids and lived in what was to become the Woodface apartment (before the guys recorded the album) so the apartment at East St Kilda that we ended up owning. Anyway she moved to a remote area but stayed in contact. It just seemed so sudden, and like so many deaths Covid related. Fly free lady and many glorious sunsets for you (Heather loved a good sunset).I call into Bunnings and a tiny splurge on a much needed item for Project X, my timing great as it was half price. I call into Pinchapoo and my timing was excellent as well. Kate had just arrived to open up the warehouse, so i hand over some donations. So great to catch up, loads of laughs and chatter. We love what she does, and if you haven't heard of Pinchapoo check out their website, they do some magnificent work. Home to put Markys You Tube Wednesday up. Crowded House live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London. 10/10/91. "Sister Madly". It's always wonderful to see Paulo in action and Tim Finn's knicker moment made me smile. You can view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJqFlHGAXfM I hear from Sis in the afternoon, Maddison wins her first swim heat, up against some really amazing swimmers. She also comes second in backstroke and the team relay 2nd. Incredible and she moves to the next event in a few weeks time. Yes she is part fish. I love that Aussie kids are encouraged to swim at an early age, I'm always a bit shocked that adults can't swim even a tiny bit. Ridiculous. I work on some project X stuff outside, not too hot, so it's quite amazing to be out. Midnight sits at my feet. February 8thUp early and no Bats in the shower, though Midnight attempts to hop in, she is slowly loving water, like her counterpart Banshee did. I wear thicker socks to the charity today in the hope of minimising the pain and problem. In the last hour it starts to ache again and in the back of my mind I am a tiny bit worried that I might need it operated on. The larger big metal bin at Salvo's probably did the main damage. Ouch. I grab a selection of blokes nail polish today, 5 for $2.00, the girls advise. Fun.I see that Taylor Swift will deliver an economic windfall of almost $150 million to the Australian national economy. Impressive. Big shout out to Sarah and Brad in Adelaide who have a video camera that plays the video 8 tapes for us. Woo Woo, bless them, to our rescue, so music fans should rejoice if the tapes play there will be some more clips for Markys Youtube Wednesday. Thank you guys. xxxx So it looks like we now have a camera for the tapes, thanks to their generosity. An earthquake tonight, 4.3 magnitude near Leongatha. I try some Voltaren cream on my aching area and I am shocked. 30 minutes later and the pain has gone, and no aches all night. Incredible, nothing else worked. February 9thBoth Mark and myself are awake in the kitchen at 5.30 am. A strange glowing light under his door for 30 seconds, even now we don't know what it was. I heard his door open so I woke up. It seems everytime there is a major earthquake in Victoria something strange appears at Kalorama, well our house!I am happy to report no aches this morning. I call into the vets and buy some drops for Midnight, bloody expensive. Am hoping they will defeat the tiny grass ticks. The box had no instructions and the tube sprayed the contents all over my hands, the bench and every other area and none on the cat!!! So I go back to the vet in a not so great mood and they are really nice. The girls at the front are equally confused by the tube, and vet Moss explains it's stupid new design lid. So they give me a replacement and Miss Kitty gets her drops on her neck. Marks mows, I work on some Project X design areas. We are almost close to pencilling in a date, so it is heading towards the final stages. I'm sure all of you will be sick to death of reading about it. We will be glad when it is done. We watch Skinwalker Ranch and the spin off show. I'm enjoying the Spinoff more. Yery little Travis and his absolutely shocker of a voice. February 10thBanshee sleeps in a basket most of the night and so little itching so that is good, maybe money well spent after all. She seems happier too.I leave my mobile phone at home so that felt strange, usually I use it for work while I sip my coffee. I chat the Travis the dog walker, and some of the regular crew. Mick gives some some of his homegrown cucumbers so I will Marky some Tzatziki. He's doing well this weekend as I'm also making him some of my Coleslaw and some cold pressed juice. That almost sounds healthy. Got to spoil my favourite bloke and keep him healthy. I keep listening for the new Crowded House song on radio but nothing. I guess gone are the days when a new Crowded House release was super exciting. I keep trying to find out if this is on vinyl. It doesn't look like it, they really blow it with their collector fan base. Maybe I need to stop being precious around this band. I'd be the first to cheer if they had another hit, trust me on that. I'll keep my eyes on the world charts for this one, it will be interesting to see how it goes. Beautiful weather and Ailsa Craig covered in colour. My sweet fuchsia Coneflowers are in full bloom on the decking and lots of multicoloured wild flowers scatter the yard. The air is full of pollen so half the mountain is sneezing. We both work on project X on the decking, official in pre-production mode. We lock in dates and people, so it is reaching a final stage. So a tad excited. February 11thA restless sleep and my own fault, I pigged out on some chocolate before bed. Plus ideas popping up in my head. I hope I remember them by morning.We were thinking of going to pride at Collingwood, mostly to see our friend Merl play in the Lost Girls , but sidetracked by pre-production for all of today. It feels good, suddenly we see a light at the end of the tunnel. I am far more relaxed that it will all work out. Mark is more uncertain. His production stuff is getting underway, I've passed the baton. Well kind of. At 1.00 PM today this diary clicks over it's 688,000th visitor so thanks dear readers for returning time & time again, and a shout out to the awesome Debbie L too. [editor's note: awww thanks!] I go for a quick coffee and chat to Matt and his rescue dog Gemma. A friend tells us that the Bottle Shop section of Mt D pub got ripped off last night. I return my singer friend Jeds call and he tells me he was across the road when it happened. Sounds like they were youngsters just after booze. The next few days are going to be scorchers here, say a little prayer that we are bushfire free. Hopefully this will be another Summer where we manage not to be burnt out and safe. Be happy, life is too short. xPG |