Festival Time and The Weather's.....

Sydney Festival time and the weather's....ugh. Not sure what's going on this year but an unusual atmospheric event has seen us with cool temperatures, lots of rain and storms and no opportunity for a tan. But it's Festival which is awesome. Live sites, free concerts, lots of people and fun times to be had however, our public transport sucks and the Sydney City Council in their wisdom have decided to close the Harbour Bridge for the next three weekends for resurfacing. Now what clown made that decision? Still, its school holidays here so I guess the traffic's lighter.  Not much more to say so I'll let the pictures do the talking. I went to opening night last week and am toying with going to see Mike Patton and friends at the Domain tonight depending upon whether this cloud bursts or not!

Walking up Martin Place towards the Free Concert at the Domain

Occupy what?

Oh get a job you ferals

They travel in packs

Apero!

Incoming fruit bats

Party times

Stage in the Domain...Manu Chao La Ventura / Washington / Gurrumul /

St Mary's Cathedral shows its stripes

  

The Club Bus in Hyde Park

Dancing in the Streets, Trocadero at Martin Place

On Patrol

Oirsh and Strine

I had to wait until they arrived home, but on the 28th December, I met up with a long time blog friend and his wife and a new time blogger who actually lives in Sydney but whom I've never met. Nick from Nickhereandnow has been in Australia before a couple of years ago with his lovely partner Jenny and we met for the first time then. Since, we've kept in touch and it was wonderful to see them both again, neither looking a day older. Both sunkissed and energetic despite a whirlwind tour around the great brown land. Nick and Jenny from Belfast, Kylie from  Eclectica in Sydney...it was indeed a pleasure.


Kylie, who's already met up with a number of LA bloggers last year including Megan and Leah just lives on the other side of the city so hopefully, we'll catch up again. And kudos to Kylie's son Liam who kept her company among a bunch of misfits (and for being the only other meat-eater and sharing a shaslik).  Thank you, it was a great evening, good food and fine company.

Jenny, Nick, Kylie

Bloggers three; Me, Nick, Kylie

Vegetarian feast....but I wanted a steak

Seriously, the best Turkish version of Salsa I've ever tasted

Pretty huh?

Seeking coffee in Newtown

Found Coffee in Newtown. Nick and Jen

Two Weeks

Well hello there! Happy New Year. Hope you all had a dandy Christmas and are now working off the podgefest with a few ab crunches and a detox diet.  Today's the last day of 2 weeks leave imposed by a compulsory closure at work so here's a brief introspective:

Last day at the Quarry near Goulburn, NSW and we put on a barbecue for the Civil Contract boys. I was having dinner with a few that evening and telling a lovely man sitting next to me how much I liked a  photo of three filthy plant mechanics sitting on a rock....turned out to be the guy in the middle!

Men can barbecue apparently. However Engineers seem to have some trouble.

Steak came only one way.....incinerated!

Christmas with the Taylor/Bainbridge Clan.

Yeah we're a little 'touched'. The theme "Superheroes" was taken to the extreme with: Toxic Tinsel, Supa Santa, Bendy Elf, Rudolf the Nuclear Reindeer: Jungle Girl; Beer Man; and Hit Woman

Of course we had to Skype Clare Bear in the second half of her 4 month "What Country is That" trip. After 8 weeks in South America (Equador, Galapagos, Columbia, Argentina), then to London, Scotland, Newcastle, Manchester, Madrid, Granada, Seville, Barcelona and on to Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich....next? Not sure but can't wait for her to head home in Feb.

Lithuanian Christmas with the In-Laws.  They're awesomely hospitable and lovely people. I'm very lucky to have them in my life and they take Christmas VERY seriously. Their house is like the Rothenburg Christmas Shop and seriously, I can't do it justice but promised Siobhan some pics.

Their family room....there's more, so much more...

 

 I could do an entire post in this alone!

 Well done Dalia...21 people for lunch and it was fantastic. I resisted Vic's shots and managed not to fall over by the end of the night.

Great people, interesting food and a pile of hay beneath each plate. Apparently the man I'm going to fall in love with will be tall, thin and have a leaf growing out of his ear.

The Bainbridge in-laws' Christmas, low key but great people. Awesome fun. Congrats to my Nephew Jack who did really well in his HSC (our final school exam). 

And a great day for my MIL who had major heart surgery, not without its complications early this year, a wonderful opportunity to celebrate. Although I question the synchronised dropping of ice into your Champagne - a travesty I tell you!

The second week slightly marred when I went to fill the horses' water trough and tripped in a bloody rabbit hole. Instead of finding wonderland, I sustained a nice sprained ankle that saw me 'feet up' for three days watching porn for women.

Poor thing's insomnia works to my advantage! Thanks lovely boy,  for keeping me company while I've been off my feet

Lovely Merry Widow's daughter returned from London for five weeks to attend a friend's Wedding. The time went all too fast and culminated in a pool party of sorts on one of the few fabulous days we've had this December.

The ankle recovered enough to be strapped more tightly than a US air drop and, sustained me through the opening night of the Sydney Festival which commenced on the 7th January and runs for 2 weeks so hopefully, there will be more photos of goings on. We figure over 100,000 turned up for the free Concert in the Domain.

St Mary's Cathedral wore Zebra Stripes

Dancing in the streets to the Trocadero in Martin Place.

Well that's about it...Happy new year, may it hold all you wish for. Back to work on Monday.

Time to clean the lens, recharge the batteries and photograph 2012.

The end

The Spurious World of Internet Dating

Alright. I fell in love with the wrong man. Well no, I had a mighty crush on the wrong man. Well no, he was the right man but the wrong time. Well no, it was the right man at the right time but the wrong ages. So, to move onwards and upwards, re-mount the horse so to speak, I decided to try RSVP dating. Hey, it worked for Clare's flatmate although being a silf-like blonde with big boobs probably didn't do her any harm.

So it works like this. You get onto the site and build a very comprehensive profile pretty much describing yourself in vivid, and in my case, accurate detail (although I neglected mentioning arthritic knees and a neurotic personality). Then you plonk up a few photos. Then you buy a few 'Stamps' so that when someone sends you a 'Kiss' you can actually reply beyond their measured responses or you can email and begin a chat.

Now I'm no stranger to Chat. I use it to talk to you...to family...to said crush...I don't even have a phone so Skype IS my phone but there's nothing worse than getting a 'Kiss' from an index typist, you know, the ones going 'Where's the 't' on this keyboard'. I have time to make coffee, get changed and take a pee before he's replied to two lines of conversation.

So, first encounter is via chat. Nice policeman, very tall, quite handsome but has kids with him 60% of the time, talks then declares that he's actually not interested in romance just collecting conversations to fill his boring weeknights when the ex-wifey (with whom he has a wonderful relationship) has the kidlets, and all women met and chatted with, are referred to as his 'ladies'. Ba-dong! Outta there.

Then there's the 47 year old that likes oral (yes he pretty much broached that in the first half hour), 'lol's a lot and keeps sending me email notifications via RSVP at 1:30 in the afternoon when I've already told him I work behind a secure proxy server and can't get onto network, dating sites or blogs. He refuses to tell me more than his name or sexual preferences, playful and funny but will not email or Skype (oh don't worry I have 'alternative' accounts for the great unseen). Another one for the bin.

There's the lovely freelance journo who I actually did meet on a pouring wet day, although he was half an hour late when I msg'd said crush, who bless his cotton socks stayed up until I came home to make sure I was alright and to hear the predictable 'woe is me' whine - or perhaps to gloat because he thought I'd been stood up. Anyway, said journo/photographer sends so many mixed messages from 'you're lovely and terribly pretty, let's keep in touch,' through to 'I chased a woman up the north coast and it didn't work out.' My thoughts? Why is he on a dating site if he's already got a target. Rebound man who I'm still talking to but sparks? Probably not. Could end up being a decent pal tho so hope springs eternal.

Tonight however was a doozie. A rather nice military man sent me a 'Kiss'. I emailed back in the hope of chat. Clearly broken English, had a short exchange (remember he's the one that initiated contact) parted with "I have to go to the bed" and that was it. Perhaps it was my name that put him off, or the fact that I typed 50 words to his 1, since we barely had a conversation beyond, 'How long have you been on here'.  As far as I know, he's still online and shopping in the virtual meat market.

Ah well, I have six stamps which entitles me to emails to the end of January. So if Mr Right doesn't pop his head up, and Mr Goodbar doesn't kill me.... or he's able to type with more than two fingers and isn't holding a huge fish above his head as a trophy... I'm buying a dildo and listening to the sexy voice of the guy on the 'Quit Smoking' CD that I bought last year.  Now there's an image to rock your world!

Oh you really didn't think I'd go there did you?

Life As We Know It

First, apologies for being a lousy visitor and thanks to those who still bother to slip by here. I think about you often but travel there rarely. Then you know where to find me. I'm an email, Facebook and Twitter whore so no excuses.

My daughter is in South America and spending her first Christmas away, travelling next week to London to meet her boyfriend then Scotland for New Year then...Spain and who knows, her travel plans are 'fluid' to say the least but thanks to Skype I can almost keep up.  She'll be home in February and the urge to squeeze the life out of her is palpable. My boy turned 25 this year. Yep, the curly haired angelic blonde now a big boofhead with the funniest personality and the most awesome of bear hugs.

Apartment living has taken its toll and the prospect of playing acoustic drums in his living room no longer a reality. So..sell the kit and buy an electronic set which requires the use of headphones rather than the smash of wood on skin and a physically robust mother to help unload the Landscaper's gear and make the ute worthy of an instrument carrier. God bless him, gadget man is in heaven. Poverty on both sides meant no huge celebration but we did have a lovely day of cocktails, summer storms, drums and Christmas cheesy flicks. Did I tell you I love my son? Apart from the fact that he drops in and uses the last of my toilet paper, dumps 25 plants that I don't need and leaves the lid off the cordial bottle so that the ants crawl in and die a syrupy death. He is a fine young man.

Dog's well with two titanium knees.  Daughter's adventuring and badly missed Work is paying the bills. Almost. Still harbouring the dream of travelling I80 late next year  with a to boy three dogs and two cats and hopefully picking up a madman who lives in one of those states beginning with 'I' and I can't find my Christmas tree so Chez Bainbridge is a little dour but some sparkles to remind me that Christmas is only two weeks away. So...my life in a nutshell.

Sunday with Adam and the 'other' Mrs Bainbridge was lovely. French Apero and cocktails punctuated by the rubbery thud of Ads smashing the bejesus out of electronic drums and finished nicely with Baileys on ice, Citroen Tart (Lemon not a French blonde in a car) and Cheesy Christmas movies...it's the simple things that thrill. Summer has deserted us and it's 24 degrees and very, very wet.  But Christmas is coming and someone's goose is getting fat. Wising you all the very best of the season. Next post will probably be our Christmas in which we have to dress as superheroes and endure the alcoholic temptations of mad Lithuanians.  Any ideas for a quick costume that costs zip and can be run up in a day?

Things Men Have Told Me

"Can we make love now..." In a Triumph Sprite.. yeh like that's gonna happen. Is that the gear stick or are you just happy to see me?
"Fuck off... you're dead to me" Brotherly love
"You're terribly pretty" So ask me out moron
"You have a big clitoris, I like that" *no sound*
"You're not the right cultural fit" I could wear a Hijab if  you prefer it.
"Don't oversell yourself" ...because underselling is so much better
"You are lovely, intelligent, interesting and one day will make someone really happy"  Who?
"I like older women..." Thank you Mr Goodbar
"You're so aggressive" yeh well if I was a man, I'd be 'assertive', a go-getter
"Don't be needy.." because not caring is sharing
"You say what you think don't you?" You'd prefer I lie?
"I feel a bit woozy" Yeh but you're not the one in labour shitting out a watermelon!
"You're out of your futhermuckin mind." Only because you put me there
"Your skillset is extraordinary." You gonna hire me?
"Oh my. You have great breasts" Yeh my babies liked them -26 years ago
"You know you fart in your sleep?" And you don't?
"Oh this isn't good" Upon an internal examination, "This is excellent" Thank you Dr - Every girl dreams of a well healed vaginal cuff.
"I only eat here to be polite" What? After I've been to Morocco to get the ingredients to my Moosewood Cookbook?
"Can you do me a favour?" What? Babysit your dog while you take your floozie to Fiji, sure.
"You need to stop projecting..." Because my lumen is fading?
"I love you, but..." ....Oh really... stop...now
"You make the best pepper sauce.." Truth at last. My epitaph. No, really I do make an awesome pepper sauce.

Crank it punters and dance like you're going to lose your legs tomorrow....if it wasn't so funny, it would be sad

I should add that these are men over the ages...not anyone in particular. Feel fee to share some of he silliness...

Mistifiying

Well hello there!  Quite a lot has been happening which I may or may not share over coming weeks, the least of which is a 2 year contract and a pay rise (relief). The prospect of a new 'man', a daughter in South America, a son being awesome and of course the onslaught of Christmas.

Today my bestie and I wondered to the airport to drop her husband off for a golf trip with the rich and famous before descending into the world-famous (although God knows why) Bondi Beach to check out the annual Sculpture by The Sea cliff-side exhibition.  Pretty bloody good this year actually, although there was this weird inversion layer of mist over the ocean despite the high temperature. 

And joggers....who despite knowing this is a crowded cliff walk event throughout the month of November, persist in pushing their way all sweaty and sunscreened past the throng of tourists and making no effort to conceal their chagrined expressions. 

Of course there's the fashion on the beach ranging from, shall we say, gentlemen of mature age with schlongs that would be better hidden than dangling half way down their lycra clad thighs and men whose bodies would be better left covered than not.  Of course there were a few beach volley ballers that prevented yours truly from stripping down...buns so tight you could...oh never mind.  The ladies varied from teensy weensy bikini frilled nubile nymphettes to those who really shouldn't wear an organza fascinator on their sun hat.  

There was the ample plethora of bathing beauties over-tatted and over tanned. Far too many noisy Chinese women and naughty children ignoring the 'do not touch the artwork' signs and what's with covering the baby's pram with a cloth?  There's going to be an entire generation of vitamin D deprived teenagers in Australia in the next 12 years. Everyone seems to have at least two dogs, most of course are small enough to put in your pocket or ugly enough to be noticed and distract onlookers from the budgie smugglers at the end of the lead. 

And the cafes don't take credit cards unless your spend is over $20 and there's also a $2.50 surcharge? What? We living in the dark ages? Fwooooaaar.

Anyway, a guy at work said he'd been disappointed. Not me. I loved it. Although both my friend Thommo and I agree, we're over rusty steel and twisty metal.  But who can resist a smiling Asian with a perfect willy or a skeleton with a fishing rod?  Although for both of us, the real sculpture had been done by the sea, the sandstone cliffs are spectacular.

Cold water, warm air, sea mist

Yoga at Bondi Icebergs.....bags the front row

Oh herro zebra

Mutant daisy

I thought I saw a heffalump

Boring twisty metal thing and a complete tosser in the background

Beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

Impossible hole

Somebody buy those women a steak! Eating disorders on legs

Rivetting....and ribbetting

Natural sculpture....artist? The ocean

Hmmm well sculpted lifeguards

Sub mariner

Creative wood pile

Poetry in motion....love it

Harro wirry

The long and the short of it

It wasn't me Officer...

More on the flickr slide show on my sidebar if you're interested.