Friday, April 28, 2006

At last

(Random walkies)

Short one today. Had to run hither and thither like a blue-arsed fly. My grandfather used to say that. Never have seen a blue-arsed fly.

Tree trimmers
(Big version)

I wonder if they take turns or if one guy has to do the sweeping all day?

Gran's memorial tree
(Big version)

Bought with my bequest from Gran. Took a while to get one with the right shape but here it is at last.

Gran didn't have a lot of success growing one of her own but she loved them and the all day sun on my balcony is perfect for it. They do quite well in pots. I've seen them on balconies all over the Peninsula and they get to a decent size.

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Hideous kinky

Put your coffee down before you click.

Stolen from Dooce.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Brick Wharf Road

Brick Wharf Road is where I finished up my every-street walk of Woy Woy last September.

Brick Wharf Road


From my September 2005 post:
The Woy Woy Tunnel was built in the 1880s. It's the longest railway tunnel in NSW, has 10 million bricks in it, is 1791 metres long (1.11 miles) and takes three minutes to go through on the train. Rock Davis (local mover & shaker after whom Davistown is named) brought the bricks in by boat to the wharf and they were moved to the tunnel site on the rails already laid this side of the tunnel. Hence Brick Wharf and Brick Wharf Road. (Read the rest or see the photos)

Brick Wharf Road Woy Woy
(Big version)

Black clouds rolling in from Gosford. Lions Park and private jetties with Pelican Island and Davistown in the background. Lions Park runs beside Brick Wharf Road.

Brick Wharf Road Woy Woy
(Big version)

Woy Woy narrowest house? I don't remember a narrower one and I've walked every street and seen every house on the Peninsula.

Brick Wharf Road Woy Woy
(Big version)

"Perfect for redevelopment" says the sign. Bugger that. Just do a nice reno and add on a veranda please.

Brick Wharf Road Woy Woy
(Big version)

A very calm-looking house. Something of a farmhouse air about it with its post-and-rail fence and wide-hipped roof.

Those lights behind the house are at the footy oval. Some sort of kiddies training or something happening there today. I could hear the PA system halfway down the road.

Brick Wharf Road Woy Woy
(Big version)

Some bugger's always parked in front of the blue house and I can never get a head-on shot of it.

Brick Wharf Road Woy Woy
(Big version)

I'm going to say Federation Bungalow for this one. Though, looking at the line of the main roof, it could be that the original house was a cottage and it was just renovated and added to when bungalows came into style (circa 1890 - circa 1915). Whichever it is, it's a beautfully balanced shape.

Brick Wharf Road Woy Woy
(Big version)

Love this place. The shape, the colours, the age, those lovely frangipannis. Around 1900 I think. Need another look at its chimney.

Brick Wharf Road Woy Woy
(Big version)

From the age of the materials there was a reno in the last 15 years and a repaint in the last five. Looking at the chipping on the windowsill under the veranda (not under the carport), the style of the windowsill and the chimney, I'm going to put the main part of this house (under the main roof) at circa 1890. Could be a couple of decades older but I'm hedging my bets.

The veranda wall, the front fence and the carport have the crisp clean lines of the very new, as young as five years maybe.

The middle roof I don't know about. The windowsill looks old but it also looks untouched by the ravages of time and it certainly doesn't match the sill on the main part of the house. Scratch it and I bet it's concrete.

All up, whatever the original date of the house turns out to be, it's a beauty. Good colours, well-made and maintained and just the right amount of decoration.

Blackwall Mountain from Brick Wharf
(Big version)

The dingy's been sinking for months. 'Passen' the name on the back is.

As you can see there were no fifties houses on Brick Wharf Road though there are a few unfortunate seventies and eighties fuglies up at the station end. It's one of the older streets on the Peninsula and one of the nicest. Haven't been along it for a while and I'd forgotten just how nice it is. There's the Memorial Park and the Lions Park along one side and the water and Pelican Island beyond them. You're never out of sight of water all the way along it. Very nice.

Quickie
Cyclone Monica is no more. Darwin escapes worst of Monica and no-one killed.

Kudos
You have Fuckkit to thank for giving me a kick up the arse about widening my columns so the photos don't overlap the links column. Pop over and leave some cake.

Monday, April 24, 2006

Anzac Day

ANZAC Day

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

For the Fallen


Anzac Day isn't a celebration. It's a commemoration of the sacrifice made by our war dead. It's also about the beginnings of our nation. We were made into Australia by a vote in 1901. In 1915 at Gallipoli we started to feel like a nation. Gallipoli is our birthplace.

I could go on a bit but I think I'll let yesterday's photos of Woy Woy's war dead do the talking.

A couple of Australian songs about war:

And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda - about a young soldier sent to Gallipoli, also used by American Senator Bob Kerrey in his 1988 Presidential campaign.

I was only 19 - about a young soldier sent to Vietnam, by Australian band Redgum.

Memorial Park

Trotted into Woy Woy for some stuff this morning and nipped into Memorial Park with my camera. The sun was in and out like a fiddler's elbow but I wanted to get some close-ups in the park in time for Anzac Day tomorrow.

Woy Woy Memorial Park
(Big version)

Woy Woy Memorial Park seen from Brick Wharf Road. Pelican Island in the middle distance, Saratoga and Davistown in the background.

On the fence beside the gate there's a wee plaque saying: "Wall completed 1974 RSL Sub Branch Memorial Club Gosford Shire Council". RSL means Returned Services League.

The sign says: "Gosford City Council Woy Woy Memorial Park A Place of Remembrance". In front of the sign is the Australian flag in coloured stones.

Note the rosemary bush growing in front of the sign. Rosemary is for remembrance. Many people wear a sprig of it on Anzac day and those with large bushes of it in their garden often cut sprigs to hand out to strangers in the streets.

Woy Woy Memorial Park
(Big version)

The left plaque I can't read at any magnification. I'll have to go back for the wording. UPDATE, 26-4-06: Wording is: "Decidated as a soldier's memorial park by His Excellency Sir Philip Game GBE, KCB, DSO Governor of New South Wales 19th October 1932".

The right plaque reads: "Dedicated to the memory of John Joseph (Jack) Ryan 15th January, 1895 [?] - 2nd November, 1982 Their bodies are buried in peace but their names liveth for evermore! ANZAC Day 25th April, 1998".

Woy Woy Memorial Park
(Big version)

The main memorial in the park.

As you can see in this photo, the park is on the waterfront. That's Pelican Island across the water and Saratoga & Davistown in the background.

Hopefully the rain clouds will be gone by dawn tomorrow and it will be dry for the dawn service.

Woy Woy Memorial Park
(Big version)

At the top there's a silhouette of the ship. The words read: "Presented to Gosford City Council and the people of the Hawkesbury River area by the ship's company of H.M.A.S. Hawkesbury (K363) on the 50th anniversary of the frigate as a token of regard and in appreciation of the wartime and ongoing relationship with the Royal Australian Navy presented by Commander H.J. Weston, DSC, RD, (Retd) Legion of Merit (USA) (To Hawkesbury for meritorious service within the US Seventh Fleet) Commander Officer H.M.A.S. Hawkesbury 1944-45 to Councillor D.B. O'Connor Mayor on behalf of the City of Gosford".

HMAS stands for Her Majesty's Australian Ship. (Retd) means retired from the service.

Woy Woy Memorial Park
(Big version)

At the top it says "A.D. 1925" on either side of what looks like the rising sun motif from the Australian Army with a crown (for England) on it.

The plaque reads: "To our boys Who have stood in the forefront of the battle with the Elite of the world's heroes, fighting for Liberty, home & Empire: This Monument is gratefully dedicated by the citizens of Woy Woy."

The carving under the plaque is a wreath.

Woy Woy Memorial Park
(Big version)

West side of the main memorial. Pelican Island in the background. The wall behind the memorial is covered in memorial plaques for individual services personnel.

The carving at the top reads: "War declared 4th August 1914".

The main plaque reads: "Lest We Forget 1914 [wreath] 1918 [C]ox M.O. Cox E.R. Fountain R.C. Geraghty W. Murphy A.A. Ormiston H. Peel H. Roberts R.C. Roberts J.H. Stuart F. Tonkins L.C. Tonkins R.C. Taylor J.O. Weaver C. 1939 - 1945 Bassan T.W. RAAF Biggs R. AIF Butler A.F. AIF Cheyne C.J. RAAF Crews H.W. AIF Fitzell C. AIF Humphries W. AIF Jones D.H. AIF Morante E. AIF Mulligan R.P. AIF Murphy M. AIF Neal D.O. RAN Parks Les AIF Parks J.R. AAF Peters K.A. AIF Reeves G. RAN Riding E.H. RAAF Skene A.J. AIF Snellgrove F.N. AIF Steinbeck W.J. AIF Van Gelder F. AIF Webb B. AIF Webb W. AIF Williams R.S. RAAF".

The AIF was the Australian Imperial Force in WWI and WWII. RAAF is the Royal Australian Air Force. RAN is the Royal Australian Navy. I suspect the AAF is a typo for AIF.

The small plaque reading: "Korea" was presumably put up after the Korean war in 1950-53.

Woy Woy Memorial Park
(Big version)

South side of the main memorial. The low wall behind the memorial is covered in plaques for individual services personnel. Behind the wall is the baths (a fenced off section of the channel), the fish&chip shop where they feed the pelicans (right, green) and shops (left, yellow) then Parks Bay (right) andWoy Woy Bay (left) in the background.

The carving at the top of the memorial reads: "Armistice signed 11th November 1918".

The main plaque reads: "Honor Roll Alderton C. Adams C.W. Adams D. Browne W.J Brown C.A. Bourke M. Bartlett H. Costello W.R. Cox E.R. "D" Cox M.O. "D" Cooper W. Davis W. Davis P. Davis O. Davis H. Driscoll F.W. Daley C. Endicott E. Easterbrook C. Ford S.R. Forfar C. Flynn L. Fegan W. Fountain C.R. "K" Clover R. Garrett L. Gridland W. Geraghty W "D" Hagan A.H. Hagan H.B. Hutchinson A.S. Holt R. "M.M." Hughes A.P. Hawker C.W. Jones C.J. Jacobsen S. Jacobsen W. Jacobsen E.C. Jenkins C.W. "D" Keogh M."

I don't know what the "D", "K" and "M.M." mean. Some sort of regimental thingy perhaps.

The bottom plaque reads: "Malaysia" and was a WWII hotspot I think.

Woy Woy Memorial Park
(Big version)

The carving at the top of the memorial reads: "Peace signed 19th July 1919".

The main plaque reads: "Carey W.T. "D" Kirby W. Kirby E. Lukene C.M. Lawrence C.P. Loydstrom C. Larsen C. Martin A.A. Murphy A.A. "D" McFadden F.A. "M.M." Ormiston H. "K" Preston E.C. Piper J. Peel H. "K" Roberts Jim Rand F. Ransley [] Richards O. Settree W. Stuart W. Stuart F. "K" Bayliss E.O.D. Peak E.J. "D" Smith C. Seymour F. Stapleton A.E. Singleton Jas Singleton C. Singleton R. Singleton J. Taylor J.O. "D" Tonkin L.C. "D" Tonkin R.C. "D" Vidler R. Viret J.C. Vokes B. White E. White C. Warmoll R. Warmoll F. Wallwork [] Watts C.J. Wheatley D.F. Woolford H. Weaver C. "D" B[l]ackwall J. "D"".

The bottom plaque reads: "Vietnam" and it's always a relief to find Vietnam mentioned on a war memorial.

Woy Woy Memorial Park
(Big version)

Buggeration. Haven't got a photo for the plaque on top of the wall. Can't remember what was on it but it was a dedication plaque I think. UPDATE, 26-4-06: Plaque on top of the wall reads: "Erected by Woy Woy Ettalong Hardy's Bay Retrned and Services League Sub-Branch Significant Contributors: Commonwealth Government State Government of New South Wales Gosford City ouncil RSL NSW CCDC Vietnam Veterans Federation Gosford City Sub-Branch National Malaya and Borneo Veterans Association War Widows Guild Ettalong Mr A Laundy AM Generous Members of the Sub-Branch Dedicated by DEJ Rowe State President Returned and Services League New South Wales 4th September 2005 President B Router Secretary J Carney This plaque was donated by E McMyrtrie & Son's [sic] Monumental Masons Point Clare".

The white plaques on the closest wall have dates from 1981 to 2006. Eight more years and there'll be a century of war dead commemorated in Woy Woy. A centenary I could do without. UPDATE, 26-4-06: When I was there today there were wreaths of poppies and other flowers all over the foot of the main memorial and along the walls. In front of a plaque bearing the date 2006 was a tiny wreath someone had twisted together from rosemary sprigs.

Woy Woy Memorial Park
(Big version)

The left plaque has the Navy, Army and Airforce insignia across the top then: "Korean War 1950 - 1953 Active Service 1953 - 1958 Peacekeeping".

Right plaque: "In commemoration of Ettalong War Widows Guild Club 50th Anniversary 1954 - 2004 ANZAC Day * April 25th 2004".

The low wall behind is the Brick Wharf Road edge of the park. The building site is possibly Woy Woy's slowest ever building site. It's been going at least a year and maybe 18 months. It's just a block of units for fuck's sake, how long do they take?

I know I'm not the only one who hates seeing repeated surnames on memorials to the dead. In a small town like Woy Woy it's almost certain they were related. Private Ryan wasn't the only poor bastard to lose all his brothers.

Bloody hell, I'm sniffling already and it's not even Anzac Day yet. Think I'll go to the pub.

Sunday, April 23, 2006

On the telly

Been watching Nerds F.C.. Bunch of hard-core geek types snatched out from behind their keyboards and taught to play footy (football). Three months from "what's a soccer?" to a game in a stadium full of expectant footy fans.

Should be interesting. Particularly as they can't run, can't kick, can't head the ball, can't stop running into each other full tilt, can't see the ball until it hits them and their goalie can't catch.

Rash was about graffiti in Melbourne. Some very nice stuff. I loved the stencils. Ha Ha and tyRONE did the best art. Liked Ha Ha's robots particularly and the political stuff.

I wish they'd come up here and do something on the Clock Tower at Woy Woy. It's rather tacky and eighties and the taggers who target it and the rest of Brisbane Water are not very ambitious. I'd like something Steampunk or perhaps a crest with a pelican on one side and a Dear Old Thing on the other.

Nice and nippy today. Sunny and chilly. I've been trapped indoors all day but tomorrow I'll be on the road again.

Friday, April 21, 2006

Trafalgar Avenue

(Random walkies)

Halle-fucking-lujeh! The new pillow worked. My neck still feels like someone's used me for a golf tee but it'll come right and I got the first decent night's sleep in a fortnight last night.

It was back to the nice autumn cold this morning. Stood at the kitchen window with a steaming cup of tea warming my hands and the floor cold under my bare feet. Bright autumn sunshine again and a blue sky. I sniffed yesterday's trousers cautiously, decided they were good enough for another day and off I went down Trafalgar Avenue.

WWII emergency airstrip in Woy Woy
(Slightly bigger)

In World War II there was an airstrip running beside Trafalgar Avenue. An emergency strip made of gravel. Its outline is marked on my old Council map. It starts between Albion and Neptune Streets on the Springwood Street (east) side of Trafalgar. It heads north and runs over the top of Trafalgar between Gwendolyn and Balaclava Avenues. It ends halfway between Balaclava Avenue and McMasters Road, half on Trafalgar and half off on the west side.

Apart from the ridges at the back and Blackwall Mountain on the eastern edge, the Peninsula is as flat as a tack and wasn't well populated until after the war. Good spot for an emergency landing if you were a fighter pilot or transport plane in trouble.

Corner shop on Trafalgar Avenue Woy Woy
(Big version)

The ex-butcher's shop (now Davo's Seafood) on the left and the mixed business (newspapers, chiko rolls & chips, lollies) on the right. Across the road from a small park.

The poles are the practice poles at the fire station. The fire-fighters shimmy up them and so on. Very butch. The station was put up in the eighties judging by the age of the materials and that dicky little portico.

Trafalgar Avenue Blackwall
(Big version)

Three suburbs intersect at the corner of Trafalgar and Gallipoli Avenue: Woy Woy, Blackwall and Umina. This house is on the Blackwall side. Bit of an identity problem with the fifties shape, seventies brick and retro iron lace.

Trafalgar Avenue Blackwall
(Big version)

Not terribly exciting as fifties houses go but it's neat and tidy and sans cladding and those naff windows, it would look much like its old self. The nice big frangipani (top right) leaning in from next door helps.

Purple & yellow house on Trafalgar Avenue Umina
(Big version)

Without the colour scheme this would just be another house. Not my cup of tea but well looked after. Just down from the shop next to the fire station.

Trafalgar Avenue Umina
(Big version)

This one looks rather sculptured outlined against the sky like that. Wouldn't take much to get it back to its original whatsit.

Trafalgar Avenue Umina
(Big version)

I like the veranda on this one, or rather, the built-in portico thingy. The awnings keep a good bit of the fifties look too, despite the seventies windows.

Trafalgar Avenue Umina
(Big version)

Got a feeling I've snapped this one before as well. Never mind, its nice blue on white colours and the pattern of the fibro joins are worth a second look.

Trafalgar Avenue Umina
(Big version)

This one was actually taken months ago in summer, hence the storm clouds closing in. A nicely-shaped fifties place and nice colours.

Old house on Trafalgar Avenue Umina
(Big version)

Nice old place down the West Street end of Trafalgar. Quietly decaying but it may well be still structurally sound and worth a reno. Look at that nice closed in veranda.

Last couple of day's we've had a minor heatwave due to the influence of Cyclone Monica. Very late in the season. I don't remember there ever being a cyclone after Easter. Anyways, she's in the Gulf (of Carpentaria) now, picking up speed again after not doing too much damage in Far North Queensland, if you don't count a fresh lot of flooding.

Goulburn has the exact opposite of flooding. Their dam's as dry as a dead dingo's donger.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Bleary

I have pillow rage. More precisely, wrong pillow rage. My stupid fucking pillow is the wrong fucking pillow and I am enraged.

It's so much easier to become enraged when you haven't slept properly or turned your head to the left for a couple of weeks. I tried maintaining the rage at 3AM last night but it just wouldn't fly. The storm was too nice.

My old pillow carked if a few weeks ago and I've been hunting for a replacement ever since. Dug a couple of old ones out of the cupboard but neither of them is right.

Woke up last night in hideous pain and couldn't get back to sleep. Got up and prowled moodily around the net searching for all-night pillow deliveries services. Then the storm came. First distant rumbles of thunder like a wobbly goods train then a cool cool breeze lifting the curtain out into the room and the first few drops of rain. The storm hung around for an hour or so. It was beautiful and I was almost glad that evil fucking pillow woke me up to enjoy it properly. Eventually I got back to sleep and woke up after nine with the sun well over the yardarm and my mouth tasting like rat.

Got another pillow at the shops today and if this fucking one isn't fucking right someone's going to pay!

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Quiet howling

(Random walkies)

I like these random walkies as much as I like the every-street ones. This morning I drifted about for a bit and ended up on the foreshore at Blackwall. There's a park along there from the mountain to the point with the boat jetties then into Woy Woy along the other foreshore park. That's the one that ends at the Memorial Park. There were a couple of Council persons painting the little white posts round the obelisk in the Memorial Park and a lot of hedge clippings on the footpath.

All today's photos are from Blackwall foreshore.

Pelican Islet off Blackwall foreshore
(Big version)

Pelican islet has no offical name. It's the tiny sand islet in this photo and it's less than 2 feet high. It's about twice its high tide size here.

In the background, left to right: Daley's Point, Rip Bridge in front of Killcare, Blackwall Mountain.

Canoes on Blackwall foreshore
(Big version)

People who live on the foreshore tie their boats up at their own jetty or drag them up onto the bank. St Huberts Island and Daleys Point in the background.

Rock oysters at Blackwall foreshore
(Big version)

Rock oysters. Don't get too excited. There's never any left by the time the seagulls have been at them. But we get plenty of fresh oysters anyways. There's oyster and mussel farms throughout Brisbane Water.

Jetty & the Unnamed Islets
(Big version)

A private jetty at Blackwall foreshore near Allfield Road.

Backgound, left to right: St Huberts Island & its islets, Kincumber in the far distance and Daleys Point on the right.

Bungalow on Blackwall foreshore
(Big version)

Lovely old place on the Blackwall foreshore Park Street. Inter-War California Bungalow by the look of it. Circa 1915 - c. 1940.

The book also says: "Deriving from the English Arts and Crafts movement the bungalow became popular in the United States at the turn of the century especially in the temperate climate of California" and "as the twentieth century progressed Australia was increasingly influenced by the many aspects of American life and popular culture which were promoted by the movies, radio, gramophome records and magazines".

There's nothing like that lovely closed-in veranda in the book. More of an Australian touch I think. I love closed-in verandas. They remind me of being snug and warm in winter in my Nana's house with the wind howling and whistling through the louvre windows on their veranda.

Bungalow on Blackwall foreshore
(Big version)

The same bungalow from the other side. Note the dingy in the front garden. The water is only 40 feet away over the foreshore park.

I really like the colour combination on this house. Very well chosen and balanced. Fresh but gently old-fashioned.

50s brickover on Blackwall foreshore
(Big version)

Argh. Please, if you have a photo of this house before the brick-over happened to it, email it to me so I can get this distressing image out of my mind.

The other weird thing about this house is that it sold for 437,000 (or thereabouts) a couple of years back but the new owners haven't seen fit to knock the bastard down and replace it with something that doesn't hurt the eyes.

Empire Bay from Blackwall foreshore
(Big version)

Kayaker (right there in the middle) paddling towards The Rip Bridge. The Bridge is in the distance on the right. The low mangroves behind him are one of the unnamed mangrove islets off St Huberts Island. The hill in the background is the hill above Empire Bay.

Took this photo from the blue seat under the small pines between Park Street and Brick Wharf Road. Sat there for a few minutes and listened to the breeze making the pines howl quietly. Love the sound the pines make. Some people hate it, ghostly they call it. Bollocks.

The house below is just behind the blue seat and next to the storm drain that runs from North Burge Road to the foreshore.

Old red & white house on Blackwall foreshore
(Big version)

Beautiful. Even with those fugly seventies windows. Federation (circa 1890 - c.1915). It's for sale too. Hope it's not bulldosed and replaced by some hideous wanker palace but instead goes to a good home and is lovingly restored. Fucking better not be bulldosed or I'll be round there to give them what for.

By the time I took this photo there was rain coming up from Sydney and it's not long stopped raining now. A quiet slow shower that wet the leaves and made that special rain smell. Sky's clearing again now and the rain's on its way up to Newcastle.

Monday, April 17, 2006

Monday meander

(Random walkies)

Last day of Easter today. Bright and sunny with a nice crisply cool morning. Wandered off in search of a discount bunny left over from the scrum last week. Didn't find one but had a nice little wander in the sun and took some pictures for my Bustling Downtown Woy Woy collection.

Woy Woy Library Oval Avenue Woy Woy
(Big version)

This pleasant little building is tucked in behind the Library. The Library is on Blackwall Road across from the Post Office and this is on Oval Avenue which runs off Blackwall Road.

It was built in 1933 (the Library was built in 1931 as Woy Woy Council Chambers) as a garage & storeroom then branch office of Gosford Council when Woy Woy became part of Gosford City Council. Now it's part of the library extension and houses the Spike Milligan Room. Which is where story time for kiddies is run during the school holidays.

Woy Woy Library Blackwall Road Woy Woy
(Big version)

This is the side of the Library on Oval Avenue. Blackwall Road is out of frame on the right.

The old building you can see the back of on the right is the oldest part of the Library.

The old one on the left is the former Gosford Council branch which was a garage and storage thingy when it was built in 1933.

The new bit in the middle is part of the 2004 (?) Library extension.

That green thingy is an electrical substation or telephone junction thingy.

Woy Woy Oval in Oval Avenue Woy Woy
(Big version)

Woy Woy footy stadium looking as lovely as any stadium ever will. There's always a sprinkling of shopping trolleys outside the gate due to there being a carpark just out of frame on the left. That's the back of the Library behind the tree on the far right.

Back of Noonan's on Blackwall Road Woy Woy
(Big version
The blue building is the back of Noonan's (the funeral director) and it looks like it and the back of the wee fiftes arcade on the right have upstairs flats.

The wall on the left is Which Bank (Commonwealth) which was built in the seventies on the site of one of the old cinemas (picture theaters).

I like the backs of buildings. You often see a very different picture than is presented by the front. Noonan's front is that of a funeral director dealing in death every day but the back has what looks like a flat and a flourishing garden and is full of life.

I had a slack-arsed Easter. Laid around in me tracky dacks drinking and scoffing bunnies. My shoulder aches like buggery. Dunno why. It's not like I did anything physical all weekend. Maybe I got beamed up and they probed the wrong end of me. Hope you all had a good slack-arsed Easter as well.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Torture chamber

Trudged into the supermarket today for supplies. It was murder. Had to fight my way through the madding crowds. Harrassed housewives plagued by small screaming children, Dear Old Things stopping dead in the middle of crowded aisles with their hearing aids turned off and yours truly bobbing helplessly as on a storm-tossed sea.

Then some overindulged little oik in Kmart wanted the last blue Easter bunny. I tightened my fist around it and glared down at the little swine and barged off towards the checkout. I trod on a sniggering teenager on a mobile phone and when the baby clinging to the woman in front of me literally spat the dummy at the checkout chick, I saw bloodlust rise up in her. Poor thing, all that and barely twelve bucks an hour.

Outside in the carpark it was still chaotic. There's construction going on along one side of the carpark, taxis fighting for space with construction delivery persons and some fat bloke in a grubby tee shirt trying to back 50 foot freezer truck into a thirty foot delivery bay round the back.

But it was sprinkling. A light shower, cool and welcome on warm skin, and a breeze picking up. And now I'm home where there's no screaming sprogs and panic-buying parents and they can all just fuck off for a few days.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Goanna Street

(Random walkies)

God, these cold mornings are bliss. In summer I was leaping out of bed before dawn and scurrying out before the summer sun turned the Peninsula into the Sauna. Now I get up at dawn, dawdle over my toast and the paper then saunter off into the warm autumn sun and wander the streets as long as I fancy.

Down to Umina this morning then back up round the railway line.

Shell petrol station West Street Umina
(Big version)

Another one for my Bustling Downtown Woy Woy collection. Umina. Petrol station on the corners of Ocean each Road (crosswalk), Osborne Avenue (right) and Sydney Avenue (left middle distance).

On the site of a cinema (picture theatre) which Paddocks, Palaces and Picture Shows says was built or opened in 1954, had 595 seats, was 61 x 103 feet and had a 7 year career as a cinema. Doesn't say when it was demolished just that it was bought by Shell Oil.

That's the fourth or fifth demolished cinema on the Peninsula. There's only one now. In an eighties building, Ettalong Markets on Ocean View Road.

Shell petrol station West Street Umina
(Big version)

Same petrol station from beside the roundabout (traffic circle). Ocean Beach Road (beach end) where the red car is on the left, West Street in the foreground, Osborne Avenue behind the roundabout. I'm not loving those lamp posts. Too eighties. But they're only in West Street as far as I remember.

Moana Street Woy Woy
(Big version)

Not many fifties houses in the area. Moana Street's also known as Goanna Street.

This place didn't have much of a backyard but they've made good use of the front yard by the look of it.

Victoria Road Woy Woy
(Big version)

Not fifties but looks fifties influenced. Might be part of the revamp and expansion of the St John's buildings. Fucked if I can remember what used to be where the fifties-influenced bit is. Probably just a garage, judging by the garage door still standing. Victoria Road Woy Woy.

Think I'll drag a chair out onto the balcony after lunch, lay a sock over my eyes and toast myself for a bit. Some bastard's coughed on me with their evil flu germs.