Two months, two seasons

Ok, more on our place Tanglewood shortly (probably over at Northern Menus), but look at this!

When we moved into Pontcanna, this was the view Matt faced every morning on the way to work.

Cathederal Road looking towards Cardiff early April

But now, 6 weeks later, the whole street has sprung into greenery.  Cop this:

Cathederal Road looking towards Cardiff, late May

and this

Kathy on corner of Cathderal Road and Sophia Gardens, camera looking towards Pontcanna, late April

and this

Coming home from Cardiff, 9pm, after the Heineken Cup: looking up Cathedral Road to Pontcanna

God we love it here ...

Anyone spot a change here?

OK boys and girls.  Lets play spot the difference.

This is me at King O'Malleys in Canberra on St Paddy's day in 2007 (before we started boozing).  This was just about the time that the first lot of document discovery was wrapping up for the court case.

Matt aged 38

And this is Kath and I up the top of Cardiff Castle on the 12th of April 2008.

Matt aged 39

Any changes?

And speaking of songs

I'm really getting into the Stereophonics.  Check them out.  I really like "Rainbows and Pots of Gold", but much of their stuff is great too.

Check out versions of this track on You-tube here, (the song is good but the video is complete crap, it's just some dickhead who just mucked about with a camera and posted it to the web with 'Phonics music) or a live version here.

Apparently its in the film Kingdom of Heaven with Orlando Bloom too.  Bugger me.

Other 'Phonics songs of note:

• Local boy in photograph
• More life in a tramps vest (sorry 'bout the vid again)
• Too many sandwiches
• A thousand trees
  

Anyway, as the man says I've grown a lot since we last spoke, got myself together, fixed what was broke

Two things learnt on Heineken Cup day

1. Despite 6.023 x 10^23 people in town for the match (I counted them, twice - and I'm not making a mountain out of a molehill), and 15 designated "Heineken Cup" bars, only a few bars in the city actually showed the game since it was on Sky (and none of the "official" bars).  Which was odd since we saw the quarter finals at the pub no problems.
   

1. 
   
2. Munster supporters can't get enough of this song ...

 What's that coming over the hill? Is it a monster?  Is it a monster?

"My cheeldrin need wine !"

OK, May 24th, Heineken Cup final in Cardiff, Munster vs Toulouse, and the town is going off.  Fantastic.  Probably put some photos on Northern menus shortly.

Kath and I get up, do our brekky thing at Cibos (the wintress actually said "Your usual table?" - Cooool), and then zipped down Cathderal Road into Cardiff proper to pick up some gear for me.  See another installation of Asshat Theatre (coming soon!) to hear about the delays with our clothes coming from Oz.

Anyway, on the way back home to drop of the gear (through an ever swelling crowd of Feench and irish supporters), we see a funny looking van parked on the other side of Cathedral Road.  Left hand drive, its owners having driven all the way from France for the game.  Good stuff.

But what do we see as we go past?  A folding table set up, with the quite mature occupants of the van sitting on a stone wall, sipping glasses of the different bottles of wine they had set up on the table.  Which they casually finish, tidy everything up, pack the van and drive away ...

So what do you do after a 10 hour road trip from the south of France to south Wales?  Clearly, you stop the van, set up a table, break out the wine, and throw back a few ...

Magic moment

You heard the man ...

Kath and I were walking around Pontcanna, looking at all the lovely houses and admiring the little fenced-off park in the middle of the square.  It's called Plasturton Gardens I think...

Anyway, there are 7 kids playing Rugby whilst their parents and families look on.  The kids were aged between about 6 and 14, and one of them, probably aged 11 or 12, was the referee, complete with whistle.  So 3 a side Rugby, in a little park, just gorgeous.

So one of the kids races away and scores, and then the opposing team kick off.  Straight down the gullet of the 6 year old, who promptly coughs it up, and it bounces in front of him 3 or 4 times, after which he scrambles for the ball, picks it up and starts running as hard as his chubby little legs would carry him.

"But ref!  That was a knock on..." says the 14 year old.

"PLAY THE WHISTLE!" shouts the 12 year old referee.

Kath and I laughed so hard we started crying.

Magic moment ...

That'll hurt come winter

Children, look away now ...

Danny Cipriani (London Wasps)

Asshat

We have come across some real asshats as part of our move.  Judge for yourselves:

• the Canberra letting manager who told us not to come to the showing and then couldn't get into our house because she didn't bring keys (bye bye 2 weeks rent)
  
• the same letting manager who held a second showing but again lost the keys (another 2 weeks rent down the toilet)
• the same letting manager who rang us to complain about the keys - it was 5 am UK time (moral of the story: lock in details when your property manager goes on leave - we had left 2 sets of keys and the asshat who stood in for her couldn't find them)
• the great TV debacle (see the dedicated post on that)
• the asshat neighbour in Nyawi who, on the 18th of March rang the ACT government and said "someone has abandoned a house with a pool and it is a safety issue" - we were actually in the house on 17th March for fucks sake (but kudos here to ACT Urban Services who rang Kath -" who abandons a house?"  just to placate the annoying old gits next door to us and get them to bugger off)
• and speaking of 17 March, asshat award to the satellite TV provider in Oz who said "we'll pick up the digital box between 7 and 9 am" - and when they hadn't arrived by 10, we had to drop it off at the bloody real estate agent
• Then of course, here in the UK, people telling us "you'll see us in the morning", then at 9:30 saying after lunch, and then at 2:30 telling us they haven't left and its more like 5:00, after we wait around for half the day? Well, that's just asshat behaviour in my book...
• Would the same people be a hour late for lunch the very next day?  Nah ... that would not only keep Matt waiting but also other guests as well.  No-one would be that rude, would they?
• the asshat's at the cable UK TV company who dicked poor Kath around ([eyes narrow] ... Yes Mr Branson, I'm looking at you) - see the dedicated post on that too

 

Kudos

Kudos (pronounced /ˈkjuːdɒs/, often /ˈkuːdoʊz/), from the Greek κύδος, kydos, (literally "that which is heard of") means "fame" and "renown" resulting from an act or achievement. Extending "kudos" to another individual is often done as a praising remark.

And that is what I am doing here.  Extending kudos to friends and colleagues who have helped me out during the last 15 months or so.

Oh all right, that picture is Kodos not Kudos.

But here is a brief list of people to whom I extend kudos ...

• Sheed & Liz, as always for being there when we needed you.  Thanks especially for that wonderful day in May last year down by the lake, the day at Old Canberra Inn, plus a hundred other things
• Staff' & Fiona, who showed us some good times and gave me sterling advice during a very very bad time
  
• Plugger, thanks also for the advice during that rainy night in Sydney
• Hussman, thanks for popping in to see me at the CBH last year when Kath was at the Price of Wales Private
• Bobby & Linda for putting us up at their place after we left Nyawi
• Dave & Nugget for buying a literal truckload of our gear
• Jimmy D for buying the Falcon - hope it's still running well, and clocked up more than the 117k!
• Billy for buying our Desktop PC - hope it's working out for the little Allens
• Snapper for getting us Brumbies tickets, and then Michael A for buying them when we left
• Sheeds (again) for looking after our video/audio library
• The gang who came to our farewell do at Mezzies
• Deez and Helen for always being there when we needed extra hugs

Anyway, to all of you, thanks

Photonic Sneeze Reflex

The name of the blog comes from a dinner party conversation where I was talking about the photonic sneeze reflex.  This goes by other names too (photic sneeze reflex etc.)  It turns out that Dad reckons he suffers from it.  Anyway, its the phenomenon which causes sneezing

when exposed suddenly to bright light.
This is what they have to say over at Wikipedia.