Niagara Café in Gundagi

I think this is the name of the café that we have visited on our way north. It is run by a family, I believe they are Greek. The location is the main street of Gundagi famous for the dog on the tucker box story. There is a monument to him not far from the township, from memory you can have a picnic there, appropriate really.

The first time we went there it was by chance [as with so many finds in life, a chance encounter and you can be hooked for life.] A car load of kids, a start of a holiday, lets give the kids something historical to see. What better than iconic Gundagi and seeing we were on the road there, the song came next, ‘On the road to Gundagi’ had to be sung as we drove the last few kilometres off the main road. Having got there it was a very ordinary little town. Main street with old shops and pubs, a playing field and picnic area down towards a river from memory. Having taken in the surrounds with a sweep of the main streets in the car, we decided first things first, fill our stomachs, that was the purpose of the visit.

I think we had a choice of a couple of eateries and a hotel or two. When I looked through the windows of the Niagara it looked like something out of the 1950s or 60s , with bench seats and fixed tables. Pictures on the wall of politicians was a bit different and mainly Laborites too. From memory outside was cold and inside was warm and welcoming. Milk bar counter and the front of shop and tables on the other side. The back was shielded with some panelling and fly trap type plastic strip doorway to a kitchen. Menus on each of the tables showed basic fare, including baked beans on toast and of course hot chips. A range of toasted sandwiches were chosen along with drinks and chippys, and while I waited I watched the family busy themselves around the shop and kitchen preparing meals and serving customers. A little disorganised to the untrained eye, but in a matter of no time the food was on our table and being devoured. The daughter who served us was beautiful in that dark Greek way. I think my eyes followed her around the room for the rest of my meal. She had a look of must get out of here one day soon. I imagined her wondering about the lives of her customers and their trips back to the city.

I think there was a picture of Bob Hawke or Paul Keating on the wall possibly saying “Hi” to the owner. Maybe it was both Bob and Paul in their buddy period.

Every time we go anywhere near Gundagi we call in on the Niagara Café. I hope it is still going and the beautiful Daughter I wonder if she ever caught a bus out of there and found what her heart is looking for.

Woof.

Spring has sprung

The weekend went by with a blur of basket balls and some good music down at the local. Fire and Theft are really hitting their straps now.

Ev and I saw some amazing coins in the Ian Potter museum up at Melbourne Uni. Quite unexpected having spent half an hour looking at out of focus photo prints we found these amazing little coins that date back over 2000 years. They looked new straight from the mint.

Well to the Spring, for the first time in a long time the morning walk with dog started in daylight and there was a mildness in the air that makes the nose tell the brain that spring is in the air. The elm trees are pushing out their new leaves that look like clusters of green flowers. The air is thick with smells of blossom.
Tomorrow it will probably rain and go all south wind cold again. But for today Spring has Sprung here in Melbourne.
Woof.

Grumpy old Dog: A first Time for Everything

Grumpy old Dog: A first Time for Everything

Poff thanks for your comment. I appologise if I didn't get the facts right re the reasons for the no vote. I was quoting a scientist I heard on the ABC. I still believe that we need to recycle our run off water and waste water. Your rates shouldn't affected by this the state and federal governments should subsidise these sort of projects.
Woof.

A first Time for Everything

For the first time in my life, I agree with John Howard on something. He is very easy to disagree with let me tell you.
John says we should recycle water. That is to drink. And don't give the voters a referendum on the matter, just do it.
Recently up in Queensland they had a referendum on reusing their household water. They came back with a 60-40% against, a strong no campaign won out. A scientist at the time said the recycled water would be cleaner than the current damn water they are using.

It ain't rocket science, London has been doing it for years and so has Singapore. So yes John on such a dry continent as Australia we need to recycle water, or we wont have enough to go around in the future.

Our damns are down to 50% capacity and the farmers are using excess to the river flows to irrigate their crops. And to top it off, we have an El Nino coming, and we all know what that means. Don't we????

So yes for the first time ever I am in agreement with our Prime Minister. Let democracy go to pot on this one, and just get on with collecting and cleaning our waste water, and city run offs.

Woof.

John's Motorbike race

I mentioned in an earlier blog a elderly engineer [now dead] who I got to know briefly before he died. He had stories of his life that went back to the beginning of the 20th century. One of his story was about his time in the middle east during the first world war.

As a young British soldier he was sent to the middle east. For a bit of fun the troops would play with their motor bikes. One thing was racing them as fast as they could over the sandy roads on the outskirts of town. One day John needed some extra ummph to win a race he knew he couldn't win using just the standard fuel. So using his knowledge of chemicals he made some acetylene which I think burns with a smokey yellow flame. But if you mix it with oxygen it can burn a hole in metal. This is the oxy-acetylene torch.
John somehow managed to get his acetylene mixed in with his regular fuel. I think he did it while riding the bike and leaning over the air intake and either tipping or infusing using a cloth. The result of which was to give the bike an almighty boost. Not for long but enough to accelerate away from the competition just long enough to win his race.

I think they also used it to frighten the beejezus out of the pillion passengers when they hit the gas and took off, sometimes leaving their back seat rider on their arse.

He told these stories with a dead straight face, only an occasional twinkle in the eye. But he would manage to pop in the name of Lawrence of Arabia as a fellow traveller and risk taker.

I think it made me realise just how lucky they all were to get out of there in one piece.

Woof.

Winter Sand

Nothing better on a beautiful winters day
to be on an empty beach with views as far as
you can see.
Dogs allowed.
Woof. 

Old Engineers do they ever die?

At work we have a key cutting machine. It’s been with us for almost 20 years and it is still going strong. Newer style keys have superseded this machine, but it is still good for most keys people bring into us.

When we first got this key cutter I knew an elderly Engineer in his eighties. He had worked in the Yalourne power industry, which is a couple of hundred kilometres from Melbourne.

Being an engineer he had an enquiring mind, so when he visited our shop he saw me cutting a key and looked at the Voltmeter mounted in the middle of the machine. Probably not something I had ever really looked at. But as soon as he had, he explained the purpose of the voltmeter and I saw him pondering some lost memory from his days at the power station.

Soon after his visit he died I saw his grandson a couple of times, I think he was quite close to his grandad.

So, today as I cut a keys, I think of my old engineer with his snow white hair and moustache. And whenever I see the voltmeter needle go flicking back and forth he is there next to me pondering that electric current.

He hasn’t been forgotten, his story lives on. He had some fantastic stories to tell.

Woof.

Postcarders

What do you call someone who sends postcards? A postcarder? Well I think it is a wonder full thing. I actually think there is a group of postcarders around the world sending each other postcards. What I like about a postcard is that it has a picture usually of a place you haven't been to. Which is good in it's self. But also the postcard has a message on the other side. This message is open for anyone to read. A public show of acknowledgement. So thanks all you postcarders out there keep sending those little rectangular pieces of card.

Woof.

Drivers?

Here in Melbourne [ Inner suburbs] We have small Victorian streets which run off larger roads that often have tram tracks down the middle of them. This set up means that there are some driving habits peculiar to this town. Luckily most of the antiquated ones like give way to the right have long gone. A more recent addition to the road-scape has been the mini roundabout.

Having grown up in the U.K. I am familiar with roundabout etiquette and can usually predict the approach and exit with out much difficulty. Now here comes the crunch about 50% of the Melbourne drivers just don’t get it. They approach a mini roundabout as if they are entering a super highway. Some almost stop, when they see the roundabout approaching a hundred yards away. They then creep, their way up to the edge, and peer into the abyss. If there is any possibility that a car, bike, truck, house, block of flats, you name it, is coming their way they remain seated on the edge of the intersection. Only when all is clear as far as the eye can see do they venture forth.

But if there is a traffic jam, and they can’t get through the intersection, they still motor ahead and then block the middle of the roundabout.

To say they don’t have a clue is an understatement.

Woof.

Joni Mitchell Both Sides Now

I read this song last night for the first time in a very long time. Thought I'd share it with you. Love those Canadians. X

BOTH SIDES NOW- Joni Mitchell

C F C F

Bows and flows of angel hair

F Em Am C

And ice cream castles in the air

F Dm

And feather canyons everywhere

F G

I've looked at clouds that way

C F C F

But now they only block the sun

F Em Am C

They rain and snow on everyone

F Dm

So many things I could have done

F G

But clouds got in my way

CHORUS:

C F C

I've looked at clouds from both sides now

F C F C

From up and down, and still somehow

Em F C

It's clouds' illusions I recall

C F C Am Gsus G C

I really don't know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and ferris wheels

The dizzy, dancing way you feel

As every fairy tale comes real

I've looked at love that way

But now it's just another show

You leave them laughing as you go

And if you care don't let them know

Don't give yourself away

I've looked at love from both sides now

From give and take, and still somehow

It's love's illusions I recall

I really don't know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud

To say, "I love you" right out loud

Dreams and schemes and circus crowds

I've looked at life that way

But now old friends are acting strange

They shake their heads, they say I've changed

Something's lost and something's gained

In living every day

I've looked at life from both sides now

From win and lose, and still somehow

It's life's illusions I recall

I really don't know life at all

Woof.