February 2013
Thursday 28th Feb
Marians Birthday…had gastro during the night and a bit slower today, drove M to work, home to work with Natalia . She learned the basics of Mig welding and made a small junk monkey, I cut two more arms for a chair and painted and also started on Natalias seats..Gary dropped in, Alan dropped in and dropped off a poem for Marian and Bill Clark dropped in to get some metal, slept a lot of afternoon, went to Warragul to get hinges for Bills frames and aslo bought a couple of plants for M.She made her own tea and I went to bed.. got up a bit later and watched one Dark angel, did a bit of email stuff feeling a bit better
Wednesday 27th Feb
Cooler day , Kirk and crew arrived to start earthworks for shed.I helped decide where trees were moved to.. don’t hold too much hope.. worked on finishing side of sculpture, sent off email resigning from Jindi Business group, guys worked hard at getting pipe laid and dirt deposited, I started Bills frames,rained, cleared out gutters, went to warragul to get steel for Natalia s chairs,shopped for book club, picked up M went to Brians house in Gembrook area for bookclub, discussed Jasper Jones and other stuff, home
Tuesday 26th Feb
Rained overnight and some showers through day, Belinda came and worked on plane, Took M to work at 10.00, bought metal from Boord and also textas, home to do seat wood and paint seat also wrap up sculptures for transit to Perth, took sculptures down and dropped off in Dandenong, went to fountain gate and new JB bought 24, Dark knight rises, and Sapphires, home to have nap, vacuumed and cleaned, cooked wraps for my tea, expecting business group, just Faye, started re writing thing for ABC open…more than 300 words! Kathleen brought M home, Jeff came over from work talked, held Eleanor listened to Missy Higgins.
Monday 25th Feb
Warm day, Dropped off M, did basic shopping, worked on seat, Had two classes of Nilma Primary school come to visit, went to pick up stuff from Bunnings, had to go to other hardware, picked up M had chicken Kiev for tea, Pilates, M on call, listened to Doors program, home at 10.30
Sunday 24thFeb
warming up day. Jindi Flower show, finish seat and start on modifying Dragon, sat at show and drew lots of kids, made about $100 selling flowers, 1 bird and elephants, home for nap, chicken Kiev for tea, put out pieces and walked dogs, looked at Ffound and M talked to Em.
Saturday Sat Feb 23rd
Warmish day getting hot but cooler in evening with an easterly breeze.M off to conference at Traralgon, I worked on fixing and repainting “Shes not There, then finished second “Seurat sister”, started another piece involving metal patches.Kathleen over, steak for tea, watched Children of heaven and Sherlock Holmes
Friday Feb 22nd
Warmish day M has day off.Coolish morning, worked on doing 5 flowers, then painted boards for seat, started second seurat sister, one side done, went to Drouin and ordered 10 pipes( 640) and checked in at metal man, came home and welded on mesh and painted inside of girl, then vacuumed car, nap, shower and off to drop off Magnum at Kathleens drop off M’s car too pick up Sue , go to Yarram for Blue exhibition opening.
Thursday Feb 21st
Coolish day ,m leaves late, I worked on 5 flowers and a flower seat, Power out about 10, mowed paddock and across rd Alan dropped in Power came back, continued on seat, painted, loaded up Big red and went to Sale to deliver to John Stone, then to other side of Sale to pick up Ralph, Tea KFC, home by 7. M home late too, watched making couples happy, M talked to Kathleen and Sue, then she watched Midwives while I read Thailand and went to sleep..no real rain
Wednesday Feb 20th
Warm day loaded trailer and car and went to Yarram, was drizzling rain down there, took everything into exhibition and set it up Sue’s work looks wonderful, 4 helpers, had lunch at Federal coffee palace( a wrap and coffee) then started for home,, road blocked by an accident had to go back to wards Yarram for next road, missed the turning and went up a dirt rd sliding everywhere in the mud, finally reached Grand ridge Rd and went home, got home about 5, made sausages for tea as M on call then went out to Open studios meeting, lots there at Neerim Sth Hotel, no power initially, home again
Tuesday Feb 19th
Cooler day and promise of showers( didn’t come) still pleasant day, Belinda came,and worked on plane, I worked on my 2 characters for separate paths, a pelican, a bird and 2 dogs, talked to reporter from age who was looking into Jindi Cheese story.. he bought a bird and I gave him the two turned table legs for a slab of wood he had, went to Drouin Kathleen and Eleanor a sleep, then to Warragul to drop off hearts for wedding girl, bought glass at warragul glass and glazing,dropped in on Ian Plant to pick up metal bits. home to do puzzle, did chops for tea. Sue came round for me to adjust her magazine rack, Kathleen came over , watched New Tricks and I looked at photos on the web.
Mon Feb 18th
Warm and sunny day, sorted papers and found forms, looking for the cheque book, Vicki came and gardened I did 6 flowers and 2 small characters, Anne Plant dropped in to discuss idea for a seating arrangement at the oval, took big wheel piece to Heritage Hill to be picked up un Wednesday, dropped off bird at Rowville Pack and Send to go to Sydney, home to talked to Alan, Puzzle and Nap, hang out washing chicken Kiev for tea.Pilates.
Sunday 17th Feb
Lovely sunny day, up to get the paper saw Robin and Tracelle, Brenton Ziero, back to do hearts for girl who ordered them yesterday, In car and off to beach stopped at Dumergues, not home stopped at Grants and talked to him about babies and Thailand, swam in sea, stopped at Dumergues talked to them about Thailand and Babies, home to do chicken Wraps for tea, then walked in evening, did emails and watched Tropfest. Liked Time, Cargo, Let it Rain, It happens to all of us,the illustrated one
Saturday 16th Feb
Up at 7 breakfast, loaded trailer and got papers, warragul art market, sold elephant, seat, bird, flowers and hearts, a few orders and a few people to talk to lovely warm day with a lovely breeze under the shade of the trees in civic park, delivered seat, called in to see Steven Schmidt and destroyed his shade cloth gazebo, looked at welder, caled in on Gary, home to read paper and do puzzle, chicken and rice for tea, started watching a Law abiding Citizen and it stopped ½ way through , watching music from the heart. Good.
Friday !5th Feb
Fine and sunny day with a breeze.. the evenings are nice and pleasant. I worked on finishing the last of the painting of the first coat.on the big round thing..then did some cutouts for the market, an elephant, hearts, musical note, then a pelican and a peacock,and a dragonfly, did some flowers, went to Moe and bought 145 worth of welding rods and cutting discs and a frame for ems piece,Roz Carlsen came over and needed a bit added to the gate, and her sister wanted a gate made. Did more flowers, then came up and relaxed. Went out to Judy Macintosh exhibition, bought a piccy, talked to people, home to stop, Kathleen and eleanor came over. Watched Silk .
Thursday 14th Feb
Sort of fine day except for showers and thunderstorms.. still about 30,did article for Lifestyle mag, finished rest of welding on big wheel piece and painted ½ of it . Went to Warragul for shopping, dropping books off at oppshop and getting Penetrol and black spray paint. Then to Drouin, visited Kathleen, and metal man. Home for puzzle and nap.chicken in slow cooker, walk watched fixing couples, finished Jasper Jones did emails etc.
Wednesday 13th Feb
Fine and sunny day nice breeze, worked on big wheel thing,, welded both sides together and welded pieces in the edge..worked to 12 then break, 12.30 back at it worked to 2.still two inner faces to do.. soreishback..went to Kathleen dropped off meatballs, sang to Eleanor, bit of shopping then back for a nap and puzzle, reading Jasper Jones, off to Emerald for Cardinia artists get together.. ok.. home to do emails etc.
Tuesday 12th Feb
Fine sunny day with a breeze, Sent off more emails re M birthday. Belinda came today worked on making spiders for her web, I did the other face of the big wheel thing.. worked til lunchtime then off to Warragul for a new big picture frame, returned airfryer which would not work, then to Drouin for shopping, home to do a bit more on wheel and a nap and puzzle,Meatballs for tea..finished off watching Salmon fishing in Yemen… very nice.. then another batch of photos on Facebook and emails
Mon 11th Feb
..fine sunny day with a nice breeze, Vicki arrived I worked on article for papers re Thailand..then down shed and started on big wheel other side..also did a bird, Off to Warragul, bought shopping at Aldi and air fryer, dropped ticket money into Helen, haircut, dropped in on Kathleen.sang to Eleanor, Home to nap and puzzle. Chicken bits for tea, air fryer refused to work, Pilates..bit battered, did emails and facebook
Sunday 10th Feb.
cooler day warming up.tidied up for open Studios, did a few more signs, M put out pedestals, talked to people, about 60 over the day, started watching Salmon fishing in Yemen but phone call from Em.. I did photos onto Facebook and emails
Saturday 9thFeb
Fine day, still, and warm.Rokeby market, loaded up went up for papers and met Sue and Brian Goodwin who have taken over the store, off to market sold about $400, saw Jenny, Jude, kathleen, Brian Bryan and Jeanette, Bob kirkland,others. Home for lunch added photos to facebook, looked at Dvds from Poh chang, small chops for tea, watched some of the thai videos Looper didn’t work but knowing did. Watched the end of Alice in wonderland on TV.
Feb 8th Friday
Fine day with a breezeWorked in shed today. Did a peacock, a pelican 2 birds, 4 chooks and a dragon fly as well as finishing off the seat. Went shopping for 12mm rod and some groceries. Bought Pizzas for tea. Added to them at tea time, I went to the poetry night for ½ the time then came home.. uncomfortable.. watched Crocodile Dundee. M came home from Kathleens
Feb 7th Thursday
Day fine and sunny with a breeze..pleasant. I mowed the paddock and got most done then up to house to send off emails re open studios,rokeby and art show.Then did 10 flowers and started seat for Rokeby. Worked til 12ish then loaded mower on to be repaired, and went to Lyrebird hill to pick up sculptures( all sold) On the way home dropped in at Dumergues but they werent home, dropped in at Kathleens but she was asleep, saw biggles and Magnum, home for puzzle and nap( reading Jasper jones and When asia was the world) went down shed to finish welding seat, and painted with black, painted Marlenes girls with clear and some of beau’s world, Unloaded car and rearranged rock in Birth.Tea was fish pieces fried with left over salads from last night.a bit on facebook downloaded some of Aarons photos then off to Drouin Art show opening. Saw lots of people, Rhona, Darrell, Janine, Sue A Sue O Sue K, wendy O, Keltie Justin Terry M,Ellen sayers , Michael N, Min, Rodney Todd. etc.
Wednesday Feb 6th
A warm fine day. worked on Diary onto computer but it ended up losing all I did. Worked setting up art show for the morning. Lots of people helping.Shopped , called in on Sue O, called in on Kathleen, sorted photos for evening.. still too many..did BBQ and salads for tea. Jeff and Jeanette Sue O over for tea, showed Thai stuff and photos on Tv..way too long and everyone went to sleep.
Tues. Feb 5th
a fine warm day ,Up at normal time and unpacked and showed off treasures.M went off to work, I did most of emails,washed clothes,couldnt start car so rang RACV, had a busload of people arrive to see sculpture garden, talked to them( Louise) Racv man arrived and car started, went to Metal man and got springs,paid$50, then to Helens and picked up stuff for open studios, to shopping, to art show area to find what I had submitted( have promised to help Janine tomorrow) to Sue, not home, to Kathleen and talked to her and held Eleanor, she has her aircon in..home for lunch,eyes are tired so a nap, then sorted Thai stuff on computer and updated diary.
Mon Feb 4th(Brunei to Melbourne)
Up early( 4.30) .I couldn't finish my book yesterday.. just too tired so finished it then then off to sleep for another few hours..up and packed, down to breakfast( fried egg) and then up to get last bits tidied, down to check out and wait until shuttlebus to airport.At airport got through customs etc without too much fuss, then wait for plane.. well loaded..I was reading the "inspirations " book I got from the thai museum.. quite good and ..inspiring! On the plane I was going to read but couldn't really settle so watched a movei( searching for sugarman about finding the singer Rodriguez) then Butter about a butter sculpting contest then started watching Alex Cross but it was a bit lame..Landed in Melbourne no fuss.. came out and Marian was there..Yay..she had had a few hassles getting there but I was very glad to see her . She drove me home and I alked most of the way..Barney was delighted to see me.. and so to bed!
Sun Feb 3rd( Bankok and Brunei)
Well I didnt actually go to bed, just took the shuttle bus to the airport at Bankok early,( about 1.00 in the morning,) then sat around reading One shot.. which I had read before.. but it is the new tom cruise movie and I couldnt remember the plot ..finished it and left it at airport...until about 4 ish when the counter opened.. went through quickly and waited at the terminal gate... on the plane.. sort of ok seats and when the plane took off I went to sleep.. woke for a meal of sorts,then reading other lee child book( the affair) in odd spaces between sleeping... arrived at Brunei.. fine warm day (not humid) about 30,taxi to hotel.. ok room ..then hotel taxi to the museum for an hour.. they were having some kind of regatta on the water but I thought I would concentrate on what I actually wanted...the museum was a bit odd, poor lighting, no cameras, no bookshop, some exhibits not labelled..a number of displays, fauna including monkeys( proboscis) Hornbills, snakes, crocodiles, bears etc...an islamic gallery( from all over islam).. a petrol and gas exhibition.. a native tribes area( very extended earlobes, poison darts, circumcision, girls on barrell dresses...not enough on this..also a history mainly referring to each sultan...back to bus and he dropped me off at another market near the regatta and a water taxi asked for me to buy a trip so I did and spent a good 15 minutes looking at houses on stilts( concrete) over the water including schools, police stations and garages. back to the market, a quick look at different food stalls and back to hotel for a sleep.
went for as walk looking for a waterfall and monkeys but I read the map wrong and went in the wrong direction.. back for another nap...up for tea( grilled seafood and salad and iced lemon( no alchohol as its a muslim country)..walking off to see the night market, Giant drains and big holes in the path at times..need to concentrate on walking.. and walking between the smell of exhaust and waste water...finally found it after a very long walk in a very humid evening..only foodstuffs really so a slow tired walk back.. another shower and reading book and doing diary...tired and off to bed slept well except for odd bits of soreish legs.I'm going home tomorrow Yayyyyyyy
Saturday Feb 2nd last day in Bankok
Ok night and reasonable morning.up early and had breakfast at the hotel,coffee, toast bacon and egg, then went and asked at the desk for a taxi.. the man offerred me someone to drive me around all day for 2500 baht... the idea seemed ok so he sent for him.. it was early but I had hoped to beat the traffic. Thongsuk came and offerred to drive me to a range of tourist attractions but really all I wanted to do was see the museum, National art gallery and Queens art gallery...all in down town Bankok..off we went and he did a good job negotiating traffic.
We got to the museum and walked through the history of Thailand exhibit, then went to a temple, a queens resting room and a building filled with everything imaginable...not everything was really well marked but it was interesting and I took photos of musical instruments, elephant Howdahs, palanquins, a room full of Ivory treasures, a room of gold treasures, fabrics, guns and swords and lots of other stuff.
Then back to the car and around the block to the national art gallery...It started off a bit dull with pictures of kings and queens and then some older watercolours but then it had a whole sculpture area and this went from old style realist work to a great exhibition of modern student work. One piece was a series of photos of old peasants cut up and woven back together to create a great effect, a wonderful giant woven cane piece, a fantastic pair of animals being eaten by insects all done from nuts( and bolts)..They also had student writing, student music and student film and we watched one called battle about a contrast in interpretations of buddhist beliefs between a young monk and an old monk...lovely work.
We went across to look at the queens gallery and saw an exhibition from a Thai princess who now lives in France..lots of wierd stuff with animal heads on human bodies and re imaginings of traditional european paintings...sort of ok. By this time it was nearly 2.00 so we went and had lunch in a food court on the way back to the hotel..I didnt want a jam packed day as I have to be up at 3.00 tomorrow morning!.I had chicken curry and rice and a puff of some sort with orange juice and suk had a thai soup filled with stuff. Then to a shopping mall where I bought a history of Thailand, an explanation of Thai architecture and a few dvds.. and a tiny toy for Eleanor.Back to the hotel..discussed checking out and went up for a nap.
Friday 1st feb (Phitsanlok to Bankok)
up early and breakfasted( pineapple watermelon and coffee) after a bit of a restless night.. brain wouldnt stop.. everything packed and checked out of Amarin Lagoon.. off to university for opening ceremony..photographed lots of work then went and sat out front. The president made a speech in english.. well done and lots of photos were taken.. then inside and even more photos were taken.. I was the token yeti!..lunch and sort of farewells to helpers from university, one of the girls gave me some dried bananas. after a bit onto bus and off towards Bankok.. I took photos all the way of roadside life..stopped and bought 2 videos.. they might work.. I finished the ayuttahaya book and gave it to Edam...I looked through the book of artists and jotted down idaes for an exhibition. Pimpisa is with us for one more day and David has left for up north.
Arrived at the Novotel and everyone complained it was too dear so we headed off to another hotel which apparently had been booked for us..Its a but ratty but ok however there was some mix up with the booking and various important people huffed and puffed.
Pimpisa has gone off with a few others to a different area and I will have to be a bit more independent. All settled now I think.. my room has a nice bed and internet so finally emailing properly..no it recieved ok..didnt send them so back to mail2web .I have tomorrow in Bankok and then fly out at 6.45am on Sunday morning meaning a 3.00 start. Still should be ok.