To Australia Before Breakfast
The Royal Academy had a special show of their Australia exhibition for Friends from 08:30 to 10:00 this morning.
As my boiler is in the process of being changed and my house was extremely cold, I decided to go and took a 38 bus through the rain.
The exhibition was well worth a visit and for me, the paintings of the desert, brought back happy memories of an amazing holiday some years back, where I hired a light aircraft and flew us both round a lot of Eastern Australia.
But as there were few visitors, at that time in the morning, it was almost like your own private view.
This should be done more often.
Imagine being able to walk round an important gallery like that showing the Turners at the Tate Britain by yourself.
I don’t need to imagine, as I did that last night.
Praise For Kings Cross From Down Under
One of my Internet alerts is for Kings Cross Square and I picked up this article praising the area from the Sydney Morning Herald web site.
Afterwards, Australian visitors, will only need to go to Highgate Cemetery to feel at home.
Magnificent Skies
Living in London, you rarely get a clear sky with no light pollution.
But here in Central Sweden, about fifty kilometres north of Vasteras, we got some of the best skies I’ve ever seen.
Perhaps the best were in Alice Springs in Australia, when C and I flew around the country in a Piper Arrow. We were staying in this hotel and a local student had brought his telescope and set it up in the courtyard. He was showing anybody who wanted to view, the southern sky. Sadly, in the evening we were there, only C and I took up his offer. C would talk about it afterwards any time, we saw a magnificent sky.
My one regret on this Swedish trip, was not to bring a decent star chart with me. Another guy, who knew more than I do about astronomy, felt the same too.
It just shows how clear the skies were.
Next time, I go to the area, I’ll be better prepared.
An Explorer And His Cat
They had a news item on BBC London today about a statue to Matthew Flinders being erected at Euston, which is where he is buried.
I did know a bit about Flinders, but I was puzzled to see that he is being shown with a cat. This story on Wikipedia tells the tale of the cat, Trim.
There aren’t many cats, who have their own page on Wikipedia and even fewer who appear with their master (?) in statues.
Piers Morgan On The Royal Baby
With so many congratulating the Duchess of Cambridge on a successful birth, there had to be one or two that were funny. I like this one from Piers Morgan.
My money’s on an Australian cricket birth – all out by tea.
Obviously, it was on the news that the Duchess had gone into labour.
My Sunday Lunch
This picture may say I seem to be on the breadline.
My Sunday Lunch
However, I’m just returning to one of the traditions that C and I adhered to in the early years of our marriage. We tended to get up late, feed the kids, read the Sunday papers and then have bacon and egg and probably some extras like tomatoes, beans and perhaps mushrooms.
Why and when we gave it up, I do not know!
I only did it this time, as I wanted something simple to do, whilst listening to the Australians losing the cricket.
The Dangers Of Eating Pies
As a coeliac, I don’t eat pies unless they have a potato topping, rather than a pastry one. But this story, should be a warning to us all.
Aystralia seems to be going rather soft these days, what with the rugby and now the cricket.
Will It Be Kangaroo Or Lamb Pie Tonight?
With Australia and New Zealand playing today in the cricket, the question has to be asked!
With Australia at two for twelve, it looks like it’s veering t0wards kangaroo.
But because I have one in the fridge, it will actually be shepherd’s made from beef.
How To Celebrate Australian Defeat By England
Last night, I made a couple of my shepherd’s pies.
Last Night’s Shepherd’s Pie
One was for last night and the other was to be saved for later. Although, as I have had a slight problem with the fridge, I suspect it’ll go in the freezer. I dropped a knife yesterday and it slid under the fridge. In getting it out of its hole under the work-top, I must have pulled the cable out, so of course it stopped working. As all my milk went solid, I’m not in the best mood today, having had to drink black tea.
I had a thought yesterday, as I was making the pies. Would one work with kangaroo mince, to celebrate a victory over the old enemy?
My rudimentary cooking skills say it would and from time in Australia, I know that kangaroos are good eating. So I used that great cooking utensil, Google, to look for a supplier.
The first I found was Macken Brothers in Chiswick. They have a selection of exotic meats and confirmed they can do kangaroo mince.
I also searched further and found Kezie Foods in Scotland, which has a wide selection of kangaroo meat. According to that page, kangaroo meat is very good for your heart.
I’ll definitely cook something in the next month or so.
My Poor Australian Physio
I’m going to see him this afternoon. I suspect he’ll get a lot of teasing after the performances of Australia in the cricket and the rugby at the weekend.
I doubt I’ll be the first to lay it on thick!
After all they did celebrate at the pub, by spit roasting a kangaroo!
The Anonymous Widower 