Recommended reading

I wasn't going to post today. As I write this on Friday, I have a real case of the sads, no matter how privileged I may seem to some. Yesterday's post was a fail. For all I churn out of course not everything works and people can be cruelly critical at times. No matter. I've been at this blogging stuff for a long time, like 16 years. People come, people go. Onwards and upwards.

Oh, Blogger has changed again for me. What is that 1 in the left hand side bar? Why is there a left hand side bar at all? Well, I will see how it goes. Ok, they are line numbers. I don't really need them.

Former host of ABC TV Breakfast Virginia Trioli is now coming up to her first anniversary as ABC Melbourne radio morning host. She is absolutely brilliant on air. She is challenging, witty, quick thinking, funny and quick to call evasive, stalling and waffling politicians to account . We in Melbourne are privileged to have her on air. She also writes a weekly column for ABC.

Ah, I found something to click on the left and I am back to the old new Blogger. The phrase 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' comes to mind.

Now where was I? Ah yes, Trigger Trioli. What she wrote this week really cut to the chase for me. It is how so many of us feel. We crack at the drop of a hat. I don't remember crying when I was young but now I can just so easily tear up, as Trioli who was interviewing an old digger (army man, a Rat of Tobruk) and he started crying but said to her, don't worry about old man tears. And don't you worry about old man self pity.

You can read her column here. 

Friday Funny

Last week's Friday Funny was way too serious, a Sammy J satirical clip about private aged care. This one is a bit lighter.

I've asked a couple of people and they haven't seen this, so maybe you haven't either. The first one is a sweet and short version.

But I like this one better although it is not all in English and the segment is the first part of a longer production I don't really recommend. Note at the end the addition of India, clearly produced later than the first.

Switching back to old Blogger seems to have gone. I can't seem to embed Youtube videos. This post has taken three times what it should. 

Visitors

Oh f***  is what I want to type but instead, golly, gosh and bother. Armed with umpteen documents from doctors, a specialist and the department of social security Mother and her carer ABI Brother are staying here tonight. ABI Brother is having a skin cancer removal at a nearby hospital tomorrow. They need these to travel outside their five kilometre limit.

Mother's ears are full of wax that can only be cleared by an expert but she needs to go to another town and she is COVID fearful so she can't hear well. ABI Brother shouts at her and she replies, I am not that deaf. 

She walked to the balcony door to go outside to smoke and then walked back inside to get her walker to walk to the balcony door. Go figure.

For a one night stay she brought the kitchen sink and the washing machine. She is now about to die because she forgot Muscopan Forte, except she quickly forgot about it.

ABI Brother is a bit drunk, loud and annoying.

R and I argued about their visit before they arrived. It is as bad as we thought. 

My ensuite will be covered in talcum powder tomorrow after Mother showers. 

Better go as Creeping Jesus keeps passing me by as she ricochets between the balcony, the kettle, the bathroom and the spare bedroom.

Oh no, there is ABI Brother's lilo to pump up. Three slightly sozzled men, well me just advising and Mother supervising. I think the reason I fell flat on my face on the lilo was low blood pressure. 

Deco Delights

Most people, I know not all, really like the Art Deco architectural style, but first an update to this post. The sign says; Motor Engineers (and) Panel Beaters. 

These are all in the area of South Yarra where I at times ISO walk. Some you may have seen before but you may have forgotten.

This one I have certainly featured before.

You may remember this place when I featured its lamps. I am not sure that it is Art Deco, but what the heck.

It has some very detailed brickwork and the designer and bricklayers should be proud of themselves.

Perhaps more Modern than Art Deco. I love it.

I think this fits the bill.

Maybe Modern too. The periods kind of overlap.

The last one you get two for the price of one. Both are a little shabby and could do with a coat of paint.

The tucker on the table

When Household Management feels a bit over cooking, I may suggest to to him that we just have lamb chops or sausages with  chips and eggs. It is an easy meal to cook. 

I can still make him laugh. When I asked if he would like dinner suggestions for tomorrow night he said yes, what? I replied, Chicken schnitzel? Chicken Kiev? Or maybe just an omelette, chips and eggs. 

Two seconds later he laughed.

PS We are having Chicken Kiev.

My ABC

Some how this was left in drafts some time ago.

I am furious. Furious with our Federal Government for cutting funding to the ABC, our major tv, radio and digital media organisation. I am not happy with our ABC Radio either.

It was during a Australian wide radio news broadcast at 6pm on Sunday night. While there were 40 plus COVID infections in my state, it wasn't mentioned in the news, but the 6 infections in New South Wales were. A fatal car crash in Queensland was reported. An incident in West Australia was mentioned, but nothing about the the state of the State of Victoria, with a similar population to NSW. Over many years I have noticed the NSW/Sydney bias of ABC radio with national news.

But the lack of funds for Our ABC by the Federal Government is a disgrace. Through our awful summer fires, to floods and then COVID, Our ABC has been on front foot. It is our emergency broadcaster and it really came into its own during the summer fires.

The 15 minute ABC radio news at 7.45 is an institution. It will be cut to a five minute bulletin at 8am. This was tried over the Easter holiday period and I was alert and alarmed, with good justification it seems.

But country folk are up in arms at the dropping of the 7.45 news and they will apply political pressure. At best I would expect the 7.45 news to be kept with some direct government funding, but the general cuts to Our ABC will remain. Our conservative Liberal Party governments has cut funding to the ABC every time they have been in office at the expense of news, current affairs, comedy, music, culture, the arts and all those areas that Australians treasure. The Australian Labor Party has promised to restore funding but will it?

Shame on Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Shame on Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. Shame on Minister for Communications Paul Fletcher.

Sammy J dressed for work

No, Sammy J is not gay. He is married (to a woman) and has a four year old daughter. Interesting that I now have to add in 'to a woman'. He could be married to a husband and have a four year old daughter. What societal changes I have seen in my life.

Morning ABC radio host the fabulous Virginia Trioli dared Sammy J to wear a mankini on air and such as you can do on radio he did. I've never been a fan of a mankini. 

Anything for publicity is Sammy J and here he is hailing a cab to begin his 5.30am radio shift dressed in..........I don't' know.

ABC Morning radio host Trigger Trioli doesn't know where to look.

Sammy J often makes me grin as I lounge in my bed with my tablet after I wake at 7am. He is so pretty and witty and gay. He is on air from 5.30 am until 7.45 Australian Eastern Standard Time. 7.30pm start GMT. I think anywhere in the world you can listen to Sammy J at the ABC Melbourne website or using the app, but here are some links to some of his work. 

Sunday Selections

Joining in with Elephant's Child for Sunday Selections. I missed getting this post together to be published at 5am Sunday morning, so instead I have a cunning plan. I will post it at midnight and it can do for Monday's post too, which will still be Sunday for many.

No real theme at all, just a few loose photos cobbled together.

Interesting light as the sun was sinking unseen in the west.

This conflict lasted for a about a week before someone decided that cars coming together at right angles with both facing Give Way signs was a problem, and the signage was altered.

The entrance of the expensive apartment block across the road, Number 401 St Kilda Road.

I am not sure when I took these photos at Docklands, more specifically Victoria Harbour.

There are some people at least in the photo, quiet as it is. Now it would be dead quiet I should think.

Grace, we have the same problem at Victoria Harbour as you have at Elizabeth Quay.