So, it’s Queensland. Recent events on the origin field have fu(k all interest for me, despite the entire population of our local town complaining about the result of a footy game. 1 nil down in the series on the back of a knock on, I would still back the passion of the blokes up here to take the cookies!
We have taken some moments to reflect on our new home and have a bit of a mooch around.
We bumped into a bloody big parrot called Bella, (Not Bellend!), at Eumundi Markets. Turns out that Bella lives in a bird sanctuary in a place called Maleny. Bella and her newfound best friends are mostly birds that have been snatched from their natural habitats and popped into cages for imbeciles’ enjoyment. When said imbeciles get bored of their colourful pets and their insatiable appetites, the birds cannot be returned to nature, so end up in the knacker’s yard or places like Bird World. We popped down to Bellend’s house to see her and her chums in their new home. Turns out to be the mother of all aviaries, with room to spread those massive wings. Those foolish enough to pay the 47 buck entry fee get treated as a walking perch. Jewellery, buttons and ear lobes are fair game for all manner of colourful, screeching, flying beasts. Bellend renewed our friendship by nibbling JT’s finger and consuming a fair percentage of my favourite fedora! The place is also home to a heap of farmy type beasts including the world’s most angry and aggressive turkey. Stomped our way through the llama poo and headed to the local ale establishment for refreshments and a shower.
Back home in the bustling town that we call home, a new gaff called The Nook plays host to comedians, poetry sessions and small bands. 40 ticket holders get a VIP seat in a BYO venue with a handy bottle shop next door. There is also an Indian underneath for necessary soakage and pre entertainment nibbles. Our evening played host to a couple of chicks called the Hussy Hicks. Serious talent, so close up makes a pretty awesome evening. Wash it all down with a couple of visits to the bottle-O and a vibrant vindaloo belly, the 20 minute walk back through town takes a tad longer on the way home. Dark, takes on a new meaning up here with few street lights and bugger all other than a head torch to avoid Queensland’s nocturnal beasts. Many stumbles and giggles later, our destination, the ugly duckling that we call home, is somehow reached.
Our ugly duckling was a scruffy, unruly, 15 year old teenager. Unwashed and generally grubby when we moved in. She now looks genuinely grown up and seriously pretty. The filthy roofs have been chlorine washed back to their natural beauty. The whole exterior has enjoyed a fresh coat of paint and the woodwork has slurped up several expensive tubs of oil. Pre-school seems like a weird name for a paint colour. In reality, it is a weird colour! A soft, light blue number that looks fu(king awesome against the surfmist white colorbond on the roof and eves. Dark brown merbau deck oil hides 10 years of neglect, damage from tenants and Queensland’s feisty weather. Our ugly duckling has grown into a beautiful young lady. Inside, the shitty, plastic blinds, suspect curtains and dodgy rails have found their way to the bin. Replaced with things that look less like a nasty brothel! All of our downlights have now been upgraded to party lights. These are awesome, neutral whites or off yellows for normal behaviour. Violent waves of music activated trance colours for the weekend. Making heaps of friends with our new neighbours!
On the subject of upsetting our neighbours, a ghost from our 2023 road trip dropped in to say hi. Say hi that is, and consume a beverage or two. Dee is a living legend and a barrage of noise and fun. Popped into the Pomona Hotel for a couple of warm up sherberts before bailing out as the language exceeded lunchtime audience. Headed home via the bottle-O. Nothing unexpected was going to happen here. Beverages consumed, karaoke set up enjoyed at full throttle and the didgeridoo given a few neighbour friendly blasts on a school night! Bloody oath!
In the meantime, two solid weeks of rain have turned the formerly named Sunshine Coast into a network of lakes and rivers, the quiet creek behind the house looks more like Nazaré and even our friendly parrots look sad.
Under the house and safely in the dry, our firewood collection has happily doubled in size and sits on its shiny new, termite proof structure. The choppable bits have been attended to courtesy of my shiny chopper and there is a swanky looking, battery powered chain saw sitting in the garage ready to attend to the larger specimens. The wood burner is now in regular use. Mr chain saw could be joining me for a bush visit soon!
On the subject of the bush, there are some unreal walks around here, kicked off with a gentle 6k number around the forests of Black Mountain. After 23 years in this awesome country, it is still exciting to be amongst kangaroos in the wild.
Took a cheeky overnight to Brisvegas to see a show called Wankernomics in an old power station in New Farm. An awesome venue that we took a waft into to check out the bars mid arvo. Popped a bottle of wine into a water bottle and headed in for the evening’s entertainment. Most of us have never heard of Wankernomics because it doesn’t really exist. Pivot this and pivot that. Consult this, consult that and send the invoice. Fu(k all input and 0% outcome. Truth is, if you are in the corporate world, you have heard words and phrases like, 360 degree all-hands ideation session, stakeholder buy-in, focus groups, strategic deliverables and outcomes focussed outcomes. Stack that up with heaps of meetings and meaningless gatherings and collect the pay cheque. Enough said, so happy that I pulled the pin on this world so many years ago.
Much fun had so checked out of our pad the next morning and spent an outrageous 50 cents to hop on the ferry to the other end of Brisbane and hop off at Southbank for a cheeky Italian feed. Then back to New Farm to collect the car and a rude 3 hour drive back to paradise. Just over two months up here and we are used to no traffic at all. No traffic lights and minimal percentage of dickheads on the road. Well over an hour to clear Brisvegas, will take the train next time!
Pickleball continues to consume a fair chunk of our spare time, 3 outings a week is pretty much standard. Super happy and not so humble champions yet again and J4X has now been handed her own session to host and mould into her own. Pretty special that this is one of only two sessions a week in our little home town. Exciting times ahead.
