Anthony Malloy

It was hard garbage collection here again this week. Lots of piles of junk out but a quick glance shows some interesting trends. Lots of people have been replacing beds (five mattresses in our street alone!), CRT televisions are yesterday technologies (two wide screen versions put out on our block, several older 4:3 models) and CRT computer monitors are on the outer too.

Hmmmm. Last time I was in Sydney Terry Wallace resigned as coach of the Tigers. I’m off to Sydney tomorrow and it looks like Ben Cousins is going to announce his retirement.

I was amazed to hear of people queuing up at Melbourne General Cemetery to secure a very rare release of burial plots.  I was then stunned people were willing to pay over $200,000 for the privilege.

To put it bluntly, what a bloody waste of money.

I have what I suppose are fairly non-traditional views about what I want to happen to me when I die. Strictly no funeral, no burial – just cremate me and scatter my ashes. If anyone would like to get together and have a couple of drinks to say goodbye then I’m happy to leave some money behind. If people want to remember me then they shouldn’t need a bit of rock or a plaque to go to to do that. I’d me much happier if they passed by a place we went together and had a smile..

Imagine if that $200,000 was put towards a scholarship for needy kids, or donated to a charity, the good it could it do. Instead you’ve bought a little block of land that in 20 or 30 years time people will walk past and wonder who you were. I guess death is a big business these days, but one I will contribute to as little as I can.

Today may have been Bert’s birthday but it’s been a great day for me.

Why?

I got to sit with my boy and help him build his first Lego set.

Life is good.

One bike, assembled by Rae.

Off and Racing

Our big boy turns 5 today. Happy birthday Bert.

Bert’s unwrapping skills on display.

After complaining recently about the waste of receiving the White and Yellow pages I was happy to see an article in The Age this morning about environmentalists calling for an end to them. Couldn’t agree more, although it’s not likely to happen.

The good thing is that you can opt out of having them delivered. To cancel your White and/or Yellow pages being delivered call Sensis on 1800 810 211. They also say you can go to the Sensis website but when you eventually find the page (http://about.sensis.com.au/Sustainability/Environment/Choosing-not-to-receive-director-print-products/) it directs you to call the number above.

I took Moo to the footy this afternoon to see our mighty Tigers take on the Crows. Come half time Moo wanted to leave and as we had barely put a whimper and a storm was heading in I didn’t try to persuade her to stay. We set off across the park to our car park in a Richmond side street and chattered all the way. Back at the car I put our coats in the boot and just as I was about to close the boot I noticed Moo had left a toy on the footpath. I told her to go pick it up and, without even thinking or looking I shut the boot.

I then went to get my keys out of my pocket.

There’s nothing quite like the moment you realise you’ve done monumentally stupid and there was nothing like this moment. For the first time in my life I’d locked the keys in the car. For some stupid reason I hadn’t opened the car first and for another stupid reason I’d tossed the keys on top of Moos jacket, probably as I took mine off.

Crap. Stuck in a side street in Richmond, storm closing in and no keys. I did the only thing I could, I called Rae. Luckily she was at a game on the other side of the city and I’m lucky she loves me ‘cause she gave up most of the 2nd and 3rd quarter to drive over and unlock my car. We drove off listening  to the hail pelt down and to the Tigers storm home in a come from behind win as Rae headed back to find a park and watch her boys win.

Now that, my friends, is love.

Okay, that was a spectacularly crappy start to the day. It featured :

• Waking with migraine
• Raised voices
• Trawling through the garbage bin that had been put out
• Wading through recycling bin
• Cat scratches on arm
• Cat bile
• Poor wife being bitten by cat
• Internet down when needed

And to top it all off the newsagent didn’t deliver my Age so I’ve nothing to read with my coffee and Friday morning pancakes. Just wondering if I should head back to bed and wait until it’s tomorrow.