Pub Crawl Drop In and Jo's 30th

Yesterday, after frantically trying to locate a place to complete my democratic duty with the local, compulsary Council election, I met Nikki in the city, and we travelled over to South Melbourne to meet up with Melissa and Katie, who were mid-pub crawl.

We joined them at The Railway, which I think was their 5th pub. The group included Melissa's housemates, Nick and Greg, and had the lads in Merry Christmas santa hats, and the girls in Ho!Ho!Ho! santa hats.

The crawl they were following was the Albert Park-South Melbourne crawl from the The Victorian Imbibers Club website - which is just giving me ideas!! The group had also put together rules/challenges for each pub, drawn out before each change. Things like the hopping pub, where they had to hop between sips of their pots. The Railway's challenge was to aquire a business card.

The next pub was The Montague, after a long and misguided walk, where the quite gathering inside didn't know quite what to make of the rowdy group, with everyone speaking in a Pommy accent, and Pom Greg having to speak Aussie! Hilarious!

We then moved on to The Albert Park, very art deco outside, funky wood modern inside, before the Hotel Nest. This pub was drawn as a 'No Slash Pub' so everyone was trying to down their pt quickly, to allow the group to move on to the next! Nikki and I left the group at this point, and trammed back into the city.

Great crawl, great idea with the rules and tasks for each pub. Will definately have to complete it someday next year!

We found our way to Charlie's Bar in Hardware Lane, for Jo's 30th birthday. We joined Kate and Mark, and Michelle, and soon Stacey and Andrew for the countdown to midnight to celebrate turning 30 with beautiful Joey.

More work mates joined us, with Stevie, Christina and Dan, and much later Patrice and Leno. Big bucket glasses of Hoegaarden beer, champange, and all sorts of other combinations later, designated dave me drove people home at the end of a very long, and fun day. Happy Birthday Joey Mac!

Diesel

Last night after work, Jenny and I headed up Lygon Street to the East Brunswick Club. Having bought tickets for the show many months ago for Jenny's birthday, we were off the see Diesel.

Jenny actually saw him this year, whilst I was under house arrest, and raved about him live. Spotting this gig, I jumped at the tickets, and am quite glad I did!

Coming on at 9.30pm, and playing for the two hour set, he belted out a few new tunes, including his new release Days Like These, and then worked his way through his nine album catalogue.

Impressive guitar riffs, and awesome vocals, he belted out tracks like Tip Of My Tongue, Come Together, and Please Send Me Somebody To Love. Amazing live version of Soul Revival, plus Don't Need Love, and crowd favourite 15 Feet Of Snow.

Covers mingled into his set, including Dylan's Rainy Day Woman, and then an extended Come To Me. Encore included Crying Shame, and ending with Steal My Sunshine. A great, and talented entertainer, even better live.

Quang Goes Mangoes at The Empress

Last night Nicole and I met after work at one of my favourite pubs, The Empress, which also happens to be my local.

We grabbed a table, and settled in for the act that got us there, Quang Goes Mangoes. Quang Dinh from Little Red, did a solo set. Music he has written himself, all love songs of some kind, including one to his Mum. His vocal range is amazing - even when he is toasted!

Nicole and he chatted after his set, being Facebook friends and all!

Next at the bill were The Box Rockets. Little rock band of three, with the lead's Mum in the audience!

The night was actually the first of a residency for The Good China - our new band find! They were awesome! Nine people on stage, girls and guys, playing a full range of instruments. Violin was a highlight, but xylophone, maraca, recorder, and even the banjo!

The band took full rotation for lead vocals, and the range was amazing. The girls were very good. Ending their set with All Nothing, a massive number, with cute coordinated double clap with all 9 people, plus some in the audience.

Such a fun band, and certainly one I'll be looking out for now!

Greeting Card Campaign

Jess alerted me to the UK Amnesty International's Greetings Card Campaign. Part of their tireless work to fight human rights abuses all over the world, they have launched an initiative to incorporate people's Xmas cards routine.

At risk cases identified for the Campaign, reading each one is harrowing, and a reminder of how lucky we are to live the lives we do.

I am going to send off a couple, picking people based in countries I have visited. So hard to narrow down otherwise! Journalist Pablo Pacheco Avila, in Cuba, and Ferhat Gerçek in Turkey will receive cards from me. AI state that the impression international mail makes to the authorities can help raise awareness about each case.

The Peg Leg

Today I am wearing my hot 'walnut brown' pressure stocking. Thigh high, but with open toe, thank goodness!

I have managed to find replacements for the hospital white versions I was given when I was first diagnosed with DVT, and have managed to track down and order some colours from the US. Not available in Australia in anythng other than white.

I have black, and also the lovely beige, which makes me look like I have a wooden leg. I have started referring to it as the peg leg. The Peg.

Now just to be ok with having the Peg exposed....
Clearly Summer, and warm days like today, will make it necessary...

Research tells me I need to wear these for at least two years, maybe longer. Definately for any flights. The compression, particularly at the ankle, helps my damaged vein in my left leg with circulation. So that fluid doesn't pool at my ankle...so that I still have an ankle! If that's what it takes....

One More Month

 

The Melbourne Myer Christmas windows are in full display, and means that it's getting very close to Xmas. This year is a progress of Santa's preparations, with this window - the first, Christmas College for Elves - being all the 'training' that goes in. Loved the department for 'Christmas Intelligence'! Also answers to questions about how Santa gets around to everyone, how they time the run to cover different cultures and countries Xmas day....

I was inspired by Nat's and Jess' posts about this years lights in London, and checking on the lights from when I was there.

The closer Xmas is, the closer I am to putting this DVT chapter behind me. Very excited for that!

Cambodia: Group 78

I have just put together a letter of appeal to send off to the Governor of Phnom Penh Municipality, Cambodia. This is part of Amnesty International's, UK branch, campaign for a group of people they are referring to as Group 78.

According to Amnesty International, Group 78 is a group of some 150 families, who are being evicted from a piece of land from which, by law, they have entitlement to. The reasons for their eviction range from the beautifying of the area, to needing a bridge built.

Having lived and worked in Cambodia, I can imagine the lack of processes and confusion around a situation like this. Amnesty International state that the families have the documentation to make their claim on the land, but are being rejected.

My experience just to get a working visa over there led to visits to window after window at Government department to department, and a small fee here and there to get things moving. Corruption and fear for higher powered figures there remains a strong influence on how anything is done, on a day to day basis.

I have also emailed my interest in being part of the Australians for Cambodian Education group, here in Melbourne, in a quest to get involved.