Anthony Malloy

Yesterday I took over the weekly grocery duties while Rae took over the weekly picking-up-Phee-from-drama duties. Rae had done all the hard work, getting the list done and in order, so all I had to do was push the trolley around and throw stuff in.

However, this in itself can be a little boring if you’re doing the shopping by yourself so I decided to do something a little different. Yes, if you were shopping at Coles, Altona Gate, yesterday afternoon and saw the geek pushing the trolley around while tapping away to the iPod firmly planted in his ears, that was me. Everything goes better with a pod.

Now ‘they’re’ getting really sneaky.

I picked up the phone last night when it rang to get that pause, the one that tells you you are about to be connected to Indian Call Center Hell ™ (r).

Only it wasn’t.

Suddenly a recorded voice sprang out that told me the date and then encouraged me to dial a 1900 number (“only $3.95 a minute!”) to win a car. They repeated the number and automtically hung up. It was all over in 30 seconds but I was so stunned I didn’t jot down the name of the competition.

I’ve just called Telstra and apparently it’s been going on for a while. It’s an overseas company blasting Australia (hence the VOIP pause at the start). As it’s international there’s nothing we can do here.

Sigh.

Today would have been dad’s birthday.

I wanted to mark the day somehow, but couldn’t think of a good way until I went for a walk.

Dad left school at an early age, the equivalent of today’s year 7 if memory serves me correctly, and had to make his own way in the world. He never had an education but with an enquiring mind he read anything he could lay his hands on; newspapers, magazines, fiction and non-fiction and developed a broad spread of general knowledge that made him almost invincible at Trivial Pursuit.

So today I bought a book. It’s Russel Shorto’s ‘The Island at the Centre Of the World‘, a short history of the founding of New York. It’s a book he both he and I would love and, in memory of dad, once I’ve finished it I’ll release it and hope that someone else out there who deserves it and wants to increase their knowledge will find it and in turn pass it on.

(I’ve just opened the book to start reading. It’s dedication – ‘For my father’.)

Click to embiggen

We spent last night on Mt Buller. It was a great retreat for one night of luxury, probably the last time just the two of us will get away before the baby arrives, and for a good time after that no doubt. We spent the afternoon in Mansfield, and can highly recommend the ‘seriously good coffee’ from The Mansfield Produce Store. It was so good we went back this morning for another and sat in the big comfy armchairs in their window to read the paper. If you sit outside you can listen to Mansfield Radio broadcasting from the shop front next door, just like Chris in the Morning from Northern Exposure.

We stayed at The Mercure Grand Mount Buller Chalet in a lovely suite fit for kings and queens. Our bed was so large Rae’s pregnant snores were reduced to a distant rumble. We had dinner in their Black Cockatoo Restaurant and even ventured outside for a walk, ignoring the fact it was only 3 degrees and the sun was still in the sky when we did. Waking up to sun rise over the mountains was lovely, you couldn’t have asked for a more relaxing day away.

The mountain was all but deserted, ski season doesn’t start for another three weeks so it was a great time to go. Instead of 10,000 people fighting for space we had all that we could wish for. Next time we’ll make sure there’s no baby on board so we can both enjoy a wine or two, but until then this little break will do us nicely.

Today was the last time we’d see a Star Wars film for the first time. Up bright and early we headed off to Sunshine Gold Class and lined up with our fellow geeks to collect the tickets. Eventually we get in and the lovely young lass passes them over to us. Our tickets. For the 6:00PM screening – not the 9:30AM I had booked!

Deep breath, calm approach. We ended up with a full refund and comp tickets to Gold Class for another film. All this was good but we still had to see the film so a quick call to check seats and off we went to The Sun in Yarraville. We got tickets for an hour later than we had intended and killed some time wandering the streets where we ran in to Cameron before heading back for the main event.

And the movie?

It’s enough to make you wish you had three thumbs.

George Lucas has made the film that Star Wars fans have been waiting for. Gone is the rambling political exposition, the mind numbing boredom of watching Annakin grow up, the forced kiddy humour: all no longer there. Instead we have action, action, action, action, boring bit about who loves who more, action, action and then some more action. It’s dark. In places it’s scary. It’s unsettling at times and we couldn’t have asked for more. We liked it so much we turned around and went back to watch it a second time just an hour later.

It earns its M rating though which made us wonder why on earth one mother brought her 5 year old son with her. They only lasted 20 minutes before his yelling and jumping on seats annoyed enough people for her to realise she wasn’t going to get to see the movie today. I felt sorry for her, she obviously really wanted to see the film but no five year old is going to sit still for 2 and a half hours, especially when you fill them up with sugar beforehand. There was also a couple who bought a tiny baby with them. We were all ready to get grumpy with them as well but the baby made barely a sound. Speaking of babies, ours apparently is a Star Wars fan already if the belly shaking kicks are anything to go by.

So that’s it for Star Wars. No more days off with Rae to look forward to. No more thrill of hoping it would be as good as the originals. Sure, there’s a television series coming but that won’t be real Star Wars.

Thankyou Mr Lucas. Your films have meant a lot to me through my life and you’ve given me, and them, a fitting farewell.

At last I can share this fantastic news with everyone – Veronica and Steve are pregnant! I think they’re about 12 weeks.

We couldn’t be happier for them, such great people with such wonderful, wonderful news. That’s going to be one lucky baby with such good parents, overlooking the fact that the poor thing will grow up to be a Carlton supporter. Congratulations guys.

Now, have you booked an MC for the christening yet?

It was almost the perfect crime. Darren and I were heading down the street when we stumbled across a small basket on the corner of Glenferrie and Wattletree Rd containing pamphlets, whisks and most oddly two disposable cameras. Yes, ‘Whisk’, the Melbourne restaurant up for elimination in My Restaurant Rules seemed to be shilling for votes.

We stood and stared for a while at this lone basket before picking up a whisk, a pamphlet and strolling across the road.

The little man just started flashing red when a hand tapped me on my shoulder. “I’m so sorry, they’re not free.”, she said pointing at the whisk, “They’re five dollars.” Yes, it was Georgia herself. She was smiling and very nice about my unintended whisk theft before she ran back over the road to join three others who had all materialised from nowhere.

So after my brush with reality television I think I shall go and vote.

For Sydney. I’m sure they would have let keep the bloody thing.

What a day. Highs and lows and now, thankfully, mediums. But not the spooky kind, just the nice even kind.

First off, the footy. After 3 quarters of ugly, ugly football where a Collingwood flood denied the Tiger forwards the space they needed Nathan Brown broke free of the shackles and over ran the Pies in a display of match winning football the equal of anyone in the league. How we roared when he got us within 4, how we roared when we snatched the lead and how we all roared as the Tigers powered home, over running a team that had dragged us down to gutter football before Terry’s boys found their self belief, and Browny found his kicking boots, to take us to our glorious 6th win for the season. I’m going to enjoy this while it, and my voice, lasts.

As we were leaving we got stuck in the car park – and it was then Rae rang. Short story (long version here) Rae was concerned about the baby and she was heading to the hospital. Rae is not quick to panic so I was concerned.

It was Rob’s car and I sat there for ten minutes while we moved about one metre. In times like this I feel like I have to be doing something and sitting in a car didn’t feel like doing anything at all so I made a decision. I jumped out of the car and ran from the Hilton side of the car park to Richmond station. I jumped on the train, without a ticket as I knew a train was close and getting a ticket would have cost me time. I just wanted to get to Malvern. As I got off at Malvern I noticed three ticket inspectors alight too – they had pinged someone in the next lot of carriages. I am sorry Metlink but this was an emergency and the first time in 15 years I would have travelled without a valid ticket.

I then walked as quickly as I could up to the hospital to find my girl all wired up, a strong thumping heart beat coming from the machine that didn’t go ping but went ‘woosh woosh woosh woosh woosh’ 140 times a minute. Tears from her, perspiration from me. Rob made his way from the ground to the hospital so we all had a spot of dinner before heading home. Rob, thanks so much for being there this evening. Hope you know Rae and I do know how lucky we are to have you round.

Now we’re home, the cats are (eventually) in and the hour grows late after quite a day. Time to hit save, turn off the lights and give my girl the hug she deserves and needs.

This chicken was too lazy to cross the road by itself.

Things we have left to watch :

15 episodes of Deadwood
17 episodes of Veronica Mars
3 seasons of The Sopraons
The one and only series of Firefly
1 episode of Dr Who

Can someone please find another week in this year so we can have some time to sit back and enjoy?