Thursday, October 20, 2011

Happy Birthday Spike

By the time you read this I will be in WA. The penalty for buying the cheapest available flight is inconvenience.
The timeline is:
Now: Midnight
3am:  Get up
4am:  Catch bus to airport
5am: Check in
7.10am: Take off Melbourne
8.15am: Arrive Perth (Local time)
1.30pm: Have lunch with Spike. Today is his 20th birthday so it's good timing.
Hopefully there'll be some time for a nap somewhere along the way! (I don't sleep well on planes).


The main reason for the trip of course is to be there to celebrate my little brother's wedding on Saturday.
Bruce & Paula

Monday, October 17, 2011

Quick Updates

Australia lost the Rugby World Cup semi-final to New Zealand this evening which means one thing: Come on the All-Blacks in the final v France.

We are one week into an "experiment": home-schooling Sport Boy this term. So far so good. I took him to the Immigration Museum in Melbourne on Friday for his first excursion. Unprompted by me he wrote three pages of notes on the experience. Mrs Holt Press is doing most of the "teaching" and is enjoying and managing  it well.

I have two more days of work before having 6 days off so I can go to Perth for Bruce & Paula's wedding next weekend. As well as the family gathering and celebration there'll be time to squeeze in Breakfast Club, the CFFL Winner's Dinner and a trip to Busselton for a house inspection. It will be good to see The heir and Spike too, both of whom are planning to move to Victoria with us at the end of the year.

Favourite Daughter has an interview on Tuesday at the School of Photography where she is hoping to study next year.We'll see what develops!

I have been busy framing some of my pictures tonight so I can enter them in an art exhibition in Ocean Grove in a couple of weeks time.


I applied for a job this week. I am happy enough at the Bus company but an interesting position was advertised so I thought I'd check it out. I won't give any details at the moment other than it probably better suits my skills and experience. I'll let you know if I get the job.

I have stopped wearing my Geelong jumper and have gone three days without watching the Grand Final replay!

Tottenham are currently 1-1 with Newcastle United, come on Spurs.

Thursday, October 06, 2011

The Men From Sleepy Hollow

This was posted on The Footy Almanac website and is in my humple opinion, Brilliant!

by Rhys Howells
There is nothing so euphoric when you barrack for Geelong
And the team from Sleepy Hollow is on fire
They have joined the champs eternal – they can surely do no wrong
When they’ve roasted magpies on the funeral pyre.
And all the mighty players wearing hoops of blue and white
Were gathered at the cauldron MCG

They are brave and cool and skilful as they ready for the fight
The best of all the crowd will surely see.
There was Lingy there, the mayoral one with mane of flaming red
He plucked the Swan and hung him out to dry
A broken shnozz was just a scratch, he’d run ‘til he was dead
And kick the goal that made old Eddie cry.

And up the front the Hawkins lad was there to lend a hand
His mighty frame crashed through the gath’rin’ packs
It seemed the opposition were completely undermanned
And he exposed their ever-widening canyon cracks.

But one was there, with pigeon toes and knees that seemed to knock
His injury would surely keep him out
Though none could doubt his courage it was clear he was a crock
The poor old Cats would have to do without.
But the anaesthetic needle and the heart that beats within
Gave Stevie J the chance to strut his stuff
And he roamed across the green sward with his weird endearing grin
And he sliced and diced them ‘til they’d had enough.

And Kelly lived to bash them – he was racing on the wing
With Chappy there to link on the inside
They cut the Pies asunder with the toughness they would bring
They were the masters of the trade they plied.
The atmosphere electric, there were goals kicked to and fro
A quick riposte and now we’re back in front
The Cats threw in their bodies where the mad would only go
A deft handpass and scything quick drop punt.

They kicked them from the boundary, they soccered off the deck
They conjured sparks from embers surely dead
The juggernaut was faltering – there were portents of a wreck
And come three quarter time we are ahead.

We are at the mountain’s summit where the test’s now half an hour
Do we have the will, the courage to survive?
Do we have the inner fire that will concentrate our power
To push ahead our final fateful drive.

And Jim Bartel was at the head, his swarthy features set
He exemplified the things we all must do
He knew the final quarter had to be the best one yet
The honour roll for all in white and blue.
He marked it like a demon, his hands were strong and sure
His tackles left a wicked stinging pain
He led the final stanza with a madman at his core
He used his guile but most he used his brain

That you see’s the difference, between your boys and us
The product of a hundred years or more
When it comes down to the pressure, we do not fluff and fuss
We bear on down and kick the winning score.

And down by old Corio, where the Stadium is dark
A pennant new is destined for our boys
The ghosts of former players, live, in our Kardinia Park
And listen to the roiling surging noise.
“Go you mighty Catters – Go Ablett old and young,
There’s Polly there and Billy Goggin too,
Kick it Billy Brownless” – your praises are all sung
By lifelong fans with blood that’s white and blue

With memories of barren years, of desperate finals lost
Of freezing days, Antarctic winds and more
But now those days are over, at last we’ve paid the cost
Our trophy cabinet’s now no longer poor.
The legend of this mighty team with three flags out of five
Is envied by the footy world all round
We are a humble team of mates who’ve grasped the chance to thrive
And glory in that final siren sound.


RLM Incorporated
2 October 2011
(as always, apologies to Andrew Barton “Banjo” Paterson, 1864 – 1941)

Sunday, October 02, 2011

We Are Geelong The Greatest Team of All

The Cats are Premiers again!!

It has been a fantastic day, spent with my son Sport Boy and my mate Scott Darlow, watching our beloved footy team bring home the ultimate prize.

Go Cats

Saturday, October 01, 2011

AFL Grand Final 2011 The Cats v the Magpies

Just leaving home and heading for the MCG.

Go Cats