Sunset Drinks

I went to a talk at the National Library, and was treated to this spectacular sunset. 

We cracked open this beautiful beer we brought back from California - one of my favourites - it's still tasting great!

Consecration by Russian River Brewing Company

It goes well with pretty much everything, especially cheese and crackers.

We went around to see some friends and ended up exchanging gifts. I gave out a copy of my book and a cross-stitch I had designed, and I received a ring of purest green and some beautiful spoons for when I run out. 

Autumn Electives

My work takes me to visit many schools in the region. This was a mural on one of their walls depicting their values; I thought it also seemed appropriate for the upcoming Anzac Day commemorations. 

We're still enjoying checking out the local cafes for breakfast - as long as it's got fruit; it's healthy, right?

As newly-minted citizens, this was our first opportunity to vote in the federal elections, so we went to do our civic duty. The voting stations are usually located at primary schools and the schools use the occasion to fund-raise -for many it is their largest event of the year. Everywhere sells hot dogs for sustenance after the exhausting business of working out how many boxes to tick on which voting paper (seriously, it's not as straight-forward a system as I'm used to from previous country), and they are known as 'democracy sausages'. We felt that to do this thing properly, we really should partake. 

Democracy Sausage

There was also a massive moon that night, which is probably an ominous omen or a positive portent. Or, it could be an astronomical phenomenon - I'm actually none the wiser about any of it, but it was big and bright and shinning over the tops of the terraces. 

Meanwhile, back at the house, those beautiful autumn leaves are making a nuisance of themselves, by falling everywhere.

Some of them are still clinging to the trees, and the garden is really rather glorious. 

And we've got praying mantises among the silk camellias, which is not a euphemism (at least, not so far as I am aware).

And there are some other things growing as well - there is a limit to my botanical knowledge.

Ooh, lavender (I know that one)

A collage of autumn stuff

One of my new run routes takes me up Mt Painter past the Cook sundial. Apparently the suburb of Cook is named primarily after Captain James Cook, who 'discovered' the east coast of Australia in 1770. (Just to keep the locals happy, it is supposedly also named for Sir Joseph Cook, who was Prime Minister of Australia from 1913-1914 and knighted in 1918.) The citizens of Cook marked the James Cook bi-centenary by the erection of this sundial. I'm sure he was well chuffed.

On the Rise

As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, I can curl up on the sofa and cross stitch. It's not the worst life. 

We popped down to The Basement to see Hugh Cornwell. He is touring to promote his new album Monster, which sounds excellent from the material we heard, and I downloaded it to my fruit-based device (still not funny) as soon as I got home. He has a quiet dignity on stage and he talks to the audience between songs in a chummy fashion. It's not very punk, but it's extremely appealing and it made me remember why I loved The Stranglers so much. 

There was no support act as he played two sets, accompanied by another two chaps on guitars - the first was his new stuff and the second was 'the hits' for all those folk who just wanted to hear Golden Brown. It's still a great song, but it's not the best of the night; that's no disrespect to the classic, but a ringing endorsement of the current talent, who managed to provide fresh, raw, string-focused approaches to tunes better known for the keyboards. 

These are not my photos, but this was the most incredible come-back; Liverpool FC powered through one of the most miraculous European second-leg semi-final matches I've ever seen to beat Barcelona 4-0 and make it through to the final in Madrid. Anfield erupts and the dreams that they dared to dream really did come true. 

 

General Philosopher had a birthday and Emma Cake made him a birthday cake, because she's very good at that sort of thing. The cake and the company were all top-notch.