Not for the first time, I was very glad I bought the ski gloves a few weeks ago. Even with them on, I could feel my fingers freezing up as I rode in to work this morning. When I showed Tress the pic, she said this is probably the coldest it’s been. At least since I moved here. I wonder if Kiddo has felt anything colder in her earlier years here.
Author: Eikon Theou
Washed up, grateful for tender mercies from above
Engaging friends and family – either side of the Hume
I rode the push bike in this morning. It was the first time in a week and a half, since I hurt my back the week before. It’s good to be able to get in to work without relying on the car again.
I made the long drive back to Melbourne again on Friday night, listening to Hawthorn being punished by a very good Richmond side on the radio. It was good to be back with Tress again as always, and the little fury black ball was, also as always, a bonus. It’s a usual weekend except we caught up with a young couple friend (Gerry and Jesslyn) with their lovely 2 girls. They invited us to their home for their very good Sarawak laksa dinner on Saturday and to have 3 very good meals in a day was such a treat. Tress had made the usual brekky of avocado and poached egg on toast and I had made coffee on the espresso machine, which I hadn’t used for a while. Then we had lunch at Madam Kwong’s before finishing off with dinner at the Hii’s.
Life chugs along for the Hii’s. The girls are growing up, Sheanne the older one will be in prep next year. Sheryl the younger one, was bubbling along, laughing often and engaging in everything we did with her. We had been to the hospital soon after they were born and to see them now growing into happy and engaging kids and are well, is such a thrill. They talked about their plans – for renovating their home, their holidays in December, their families (mainly Jesslyn’s) in Singapore – they are living their lives well. They also talked about Crossway, the church they’ve been going for the past 2-3 years now. Their pastor was apparently speaking about gay marriage, and I also said to them the church I go to in Canberra had also very recently talked about the same thing. So it was good to know the topic is being discussed in churches now, and in very sound, biblical and wise ways too.
Church in St Alf’s on Sunday was a bit quieter than usual – there was a ladies’ weekend and many were away. As usual, the trip home after lunch at Madam K’s is a difficult experience. It was especially difficult on the last leg of the long drive, as I meander my way through the undulating slopes of the Yass Valley. It was pitched dark, the slopes went on forever, and there were road trains every few hundred meters. I was tired, bored and couldn’t wait to get home.
It’s always a drained sensation when I reach Watson Street and as I begin to unpack my stuff and get ready for the week, I wonder again what this phase means, what it’s supposed to do in my journey. Kiddo and I then talked. It was about nothing – just some social phenomenon, equal opportunities etc. But we talked and that was enough, and it was good. Again I was reminded maybe that’s what this phase is for. Just to be able to sit at home and talk to Kiddo again. To engage with family and friends, with Tress always there. I couldn’t ask for anything more – even if the price is a 14-15 hour trek on the Hume every other weekend.
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A find
I was at a lovely joint last night in Lyneham, as the crow flies from my office. It’s Tilley’s and it is a rustic place, a bit of a throwback to yesteryear.
The furniture – especially in the booths (yes booths) – were aged and unadorned. The little tables near the stage evoked scenes of 60’s cabaret clubs characters like gangsters from “Goodfellas” would have frequented.
The stage seats an old piano and I was told live bands sometimes play there on that stage.
The bar – with good inventory including lovely Pinot Noir selections – stretches across one half of the hall, with high ceiling throughout. It all made for a lovely and likeable experience.
Tilley’s is apparently an institution in Canberra.
That it has lasted so long means it is probably making money, which is fundamental of course. No enterprise can run at a loss over a period of time, no matter how lovely the experience it provides.
Further cause for its longevity and (therefore?) profitability can be seen in the crowd. For a Tuesday night the place was bustling and with mixed demographics too – groups of adults who look like work colleagues or university study groups as well as couples and young families. So I guess Tilley’s is also a successful enterprise because other than facilitating a welcoming environment it also facilitates engagements across different levels.
The food was nice – not great but not bad either. I guess there are so many compensating factors to elevate ordinary food to a better experience as a whole. Food I guess, is secondary when it allows people to come together, meet and talk and share their lives together in a homely and welcoming manner.
Tilley’s at Lyneham is so close to home (and work), evokes pleasant nostalgia throughout and provides promise of an enduring local. It’s potentially memorable and promises to stay.
Cold Walk
My back is nearly completely recovered. I can only feel a slight soreness/stiffness now. I decided against riding the push bike in this morning however as being on a bicyle entails bumps, sudden movements, etc. But I could no longer drive in to work, in the sense that it felt ridiculous to drive that 2km stretch. So I walked to work, which I haven’t done for a little while. It was nice to feel the cold air in my face again, without the fingers freezing over. As cold as it was (a “feels like” of -6.5 degrees!) walking always feels less cold than riding. By the time I got in, I felt a little warmer. I think I’d alternate between walking and riding from hereon in, although walking back at night can be a bit of a bummer…
Chook Dinner, 6, Quentin T and Mamee Master Chef
I did my back in, sometime last week. I think it was Wednesday morning. I felt a spasm as I was putting the toilet seat back on, and knew immediately that it was gone. For the rest of that day it was very sore and stiff. It has since improved ever so slowly and now, on the sixth day, it is probably about 75% back to its “before” state.
So there has been no runs, push up’s, rides or even walks (until yesterday). On Saturday I was itching to do light walks so I went to the Belconnen fresh foods market and got some stuff for dinner later that night. I did a baked chicken dish and had a good time with Kiddo and Mic over dinner. They also did a magnificent job with the cleaning up so it was a very good day. Unfortunately we finished by watching the very gory Quentin Tarantino classic – Reservoir Dogs – which I thought we then needed to be sanitized somewhat. Though artful and well acted/delivered, the script was littered with obscenities it’s hard to think it’s anything but gratuitous. I guess it portrayed the characters but it was still very difficult to sit through.
I had also – while in Belconnen – dropped into the Mazda dealership in my quest to seek something more attuned to my Hume hikes. The 6 Wagon felt right and this morning the dealer rang with some very interesting numbers so I could be on my way to a change of wheels soon.
Sunday I was in Crossroads again, with Simon Nixey preaching the first sermon of a new series on Ezra/Nehemiah. It was a gloomy day with threats of rain petered with drizzles. I had walked to church and after, I walked to Canberra Centre, did a bit of grocery shopping, and then walked to the Unilodge area and had lunch in a Japanese place. The ramen was good for a wet and cold day but it was no where near as good as the ones I had in Melbourne. Then I walked back home, and did some ironing. I had put away the laundry earlier that morning – I had woken up early to watch the Man Utd/Barcelona friendly game and at half time, decided to keep away the laundry which had been hanging on the dryer frame sine Saturday morning.
Sunday arvo the whole being alone in Canberra thing hit again and later went out for another walk, once the sun started to peak through. I walked to the Canberra Centre again, this time in near freezing conditions. On the way back I picked up some nostalgic snacks – “Mamee” noodle snacks – and headed home to wait for the first night of the Master Chef finals. The funky Jessica Arnott lost out, and Billie McKay will slug it out with Georgia Barnes for the title of Master Chef 2015 tonight. As usual, Tress and I were on Skype through the show and I hope she’d be there again tonight, to check out if Billie. the overwhelming favourite, will take out the title or Georgia will set off hounding,
frustrated and angry screams by flustering her way to glory.
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From Ashes to Ashes
Tress drove the Xtrail to the office on Friday arvo and I left early – just after 4pm – and made the journey back to Melbourne with her. We arrived just before 11pm and managed to catch Steve Smith earn his double ton at Lord’s to seize control of the second Ashes match.
On Sat morning we went to a car dealership in Nunawading to kick some Skoda tyres. I’d been looking at the Skoda Superb wagon but would probably abandon the idea for now. Later, we went to do some shopping at the Forest Hill Chase and then went to pick LBJ up from his sitter, which was just 2 streets from us. Rosemary had been introduced to us by Amber, his groomer, and she was very good for him.
We got him back home, walked him for a bit, and then I washed him while Tress did some gardening. Later that arvo – after the customary lunch at Madame Kwong’s in Box Hill of course – we went and watched a movie at the Forest Hill Chase again. Pixar’s Inside Out is such a clever idea and cleverly executed. Kiddo had watched it a few weeks back and told me it was very good and earlier in the week Tress had suggested we watched it over the weekend. It was thoroughly enjoyable, even with dozens of kids chatting away in the cinema before the movie started.
Back home after the movie, I eagerly awaited the start of the Sydney Swans v Hawthorn game. I was expecting a tough battle – instead, Hawthorn completely decimated Sydney Swans. The final margin was even bigger than the Grand Final last year and the way Hawthorn doggedly and brilliantly went after each contest and steamrolled Swans when the ball is won, was breath taking. It was even better than the win against Fremantle Dockers last week.
Sunday morning was freezing cold. There was frost in our backyard and when we drew the blinds at the front of the house, the oval in front of us was also covered by a blanket of frost. It was just under zero. After brekky and church we went to Madame Kwong’s again for lunch. These double treats on weekends back to Melbourne are almost worth the 6-7 hour drives each way in themselves. The only downside is for the Sunday feed, the post lunch drive leaving Melbourne to head back to Watson Street is always something of a challenge in so many ways. I took a few DVDs (The Godfather box set) to “listen” on the way but the footy games (Melbourne v Brisbane and Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide) took up most of the drive.
Back at Watson Street last night, I watched The Ashes again – hoping to catch the Aussies get a few quick wickets to seal the second match and level the series. In the apartment by myself watching The Ashes in the middle of winter reminded me of my student days, when I would listen to the radio broadcasts in my room on the first floor of the shop on Anzac Parade in Kingsford NSW. Instead of Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Terry Alderman, the heroes now are Michael Clarke, Steve Smith and Mitchell Johnson. That was almost 30 years ago now. This weekend which was sandwiched by the first and last days of The Ashes felt like a microcosm of a bigger slice, sandwiched by The Ashes of the late 80’s and 2015. And these have straddled Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.
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Mid Winter
It’s the middle of winter and it has been 8 weeks since I moved to Canberra to start my new role here. It’s cold here. On most morning it’s sub-zero. These past couple of days have been wet as well. Some days I feel staid and as though it’s all a drone like experience – just whirring away with no undulation of note. Kiddo’s away for a camp so I’ve been alone at home the past couple of nights. Thankfully Tress is coming up tonight on a late arvo flight and I’d be picking her up from the airport straight after work. I cant wait to see her again, having spent the last weekend here in Canberra.
Last Sat I spoiled myself by going for a fun test drive of a new car. I drove the Volkswagen Passat Wagon. I’d thought about getting a different car to better cater to the needs which come with frequent Canberra-Melbourne-Canberra drives. A 4 wheel drive SUV is great and fun but when the bulk of my driving is going to be on the Hume with over 1,500km each round trip other factors come into play. I have not made the plunge though – buying a car is always such a painful exercise. Better fuel economy, better handling and safer ride become more important for me under my present circumstances.
The car dealer was in Belconnen so I did some grocery shopping there as well. I had been to the Canberra Region Farmers’ Market at EPIC with kiddo earlier in the morning too so that’s all the week’s grocery all sorted out, and more.
Sunday was very cold again, and wet too. So I drove to church instead of the usual ride. Marcus touched on gay marriage. Graciously oppose is his mantra. AS I’ve read from numerous sources anyway, the institution of marriage in Australia has been dramatically changed since Lionel Murphy changed/amended the marriage act and turned marriage from what was intended to be a permanent covenant into a temporary contract, where parties can walk away when that contract no longer suits. Guys like Scrutton had also written on this so Marcus’ talk wasn’t so revolutionary. It wasn’t designed to be in any event.
I went back after church, put away the washing, did some ironing, cooked lunch and then went for a walk – first to Canberra Center and then to a pub to watch the Hawks v Port Adelaide game. PJ O’Reilly’s was closed on Sundays so I went further down the street to a joint called Hellenic Club. There were more people there than my last game at PJ’s. The sound however wasn’t turned on. Instead some dub-dub music was playing away which was annoying but Since Hawks were annihilating Port, and most of the viewers were (surprisingly) Hawks fans, it made for a much better atmosphere than at PJ’s.
I’m now looking forward to Tress visiting, and then our drive back to Melbourne together – probably on Friday night. It’s the middle of winter and I no longer wish for an exit from this roundabout. I don’t know what to make of that.
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New Diamond
United signed a couple of very good midfielders overnights. Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneirderlin. I just made those spellings up. The Mega Shop would have to have these names in large prints for those people doing the embroidery on the back of guernseys.
2 Spaniards, a German, a French and a Belgian. No British, let alone English.
Compared with Sir Alex’s days – where the likes of Keane, Scholes, Becks, Giggs, Butt and Neville brothers were all Brits.
Here’s hoping the new diamond sparkles again for United…
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Good strong stance
“…institutionalizing same-sex marriage is nothing other than to “give approval to those who practice” the things that God’s word condemns (Rom. 1:32). And behind this moral affirmation, Paul tells us, is the religious “exchanging of the immortal God for images” (Rom. 1:23). To establish same-sex marriage, in other words, is an utterly religious act, by virtue of being idolatrous.“
Extract from a good strong article that speaks to our present day.
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Dreams
I had a strange night last night. I went to bed relatively early – just after 9.30. I then woke at 3.30 and did not go to sleep again till nearly 5. I had strange dreams, which I cannot recall when I woke. I only remember a lady coming into my office to say my boss is going to counter offer. I was excited at that prospect. I must have been thinking about Melbourne opportunities (ie Aus Post) a bit too much during the day in recent days. That lady didn’t look like anyone in this office. Then a group of us were gathered around someone’s table looking at a computer screen when someone tapped my on the shoulder saying my boss was looking for me. Then there was a restaurant scene where I was about to leave when I saw my brother seated on another table. We talked but I can’t remember what about.
I wondered about those dreams which made me wake in the middle of the night.
It’s a cold morning again with a “feels like” temperature of -6.8 degrees. I was glad I picked up a pair of thick skiing/riding gloves over the weekend from the cheap $2 shop. It made the ride in to office less painful for my fingers.
Ante 