Xmas Hols

Being on holiday is a lot like being in prison, if you can make it through the first 3 days - you have a fighting chance.
I hung in there baby, I tell you what. Yesterday I was so bored I almost watched day time television. It was my low point.
Today was much better, slept in, went fishing in the morning, had lunch, almost finished Ratchet and Clank, did Chrissy shopping (got a 2 for 1 deal on some Viz annuals and found a Great Uncle Bulgaria Womble doll for my 'any day now' nephew/niece (Ben and Rhonnie's first)

Never thought it would be so hard trying to actually relax?!?

A Bad Dog

So this morning at 5.30am I got up as usual and took our Wolfhound out for her morning walk. I take her out first as she needs a longer stroll than the other two (she's a big ole girl, clipping the scales at just under 50kg).
Well Bish and I headed out on our usual route, down the end of the street out over to the school field. We've being doing this for a couple of years now and have it down to a regular routine. Once we get to the school field, I let my girl off the lead for a couple of minutes so she can streach her legs.
But the proviso has been, she learns to come when I call her and we work on our command structure (ie I'm in charge and do what I say).

All had been going well until this morning. Bish was fooling around in a silly mood (not unusual) when her ears went up and I saw just on the ridge of the field 2 kangaroo's. Well I knew this meant trouble, I started to call her back and she took off like a rocket to chase the Roo's...

I ran like a bastard and got the top of the ridge in time to see Bish collapse in a heap after loosing her footing.
She got up and watched the roo's hopping away at a fast rate. She turned back and saw the mountain of fury that was holding her lead.
She lowered her head and put her tail down and trotted back like a true penitent to sit at my side.

We went home in disgrace with a kick to the bum.

We were very quiet on the short walk home.

I'd like to think she has learnt a lesson, but it'll be a while before I'll let her off the lead again.

Eucambene River, Wind, Trout and Platypus

Dude!!!!!
Had my fly fishing field trip this weekend and didn't catch a damm thing. But as you should know, thats not the point of getting out there amongst some beautiful scenery. Its all about having fun.
And have fun I did!

The Eucambene River is now dammed to form the Eucambene lake, but the 'Big Dry' (now in its 7th year of drought) has evapourated a good 76% of the dam's capacity. So the head of the river is pretty much back to its original state, although with about 3 foot less water than I would have liked.
But it was chock full of trout and thats a fact.

I got down there about 8.30am on Saturday (The Eucambene is about 30 mins west of Cooma - so about south 2 hours odd from Canberra). And the class headed off from there, about 12 all up. The thing about fly fishing is the weight of the line is what allows you to cast not the fly, unlike lure casting.
And the thing about trout fishing is you have to cast up stream from behind the trout (Trout face the direction of the current - its where the food is coming from). So when the wind is blowing down stream and your trying to cast up stream... it ain't gonna happen baby!!

So Saturday was a wash as far productivity was concerned. But I did learn a lot and I got some practical feild experience and covered a fair bit of the river. So from a recon perspective, very successful indeed.

On Sunday, I got up super early and headed off just as the sun was rising to beat the wind. It was while I was checking out a pool ahead of me that I saw the platypus!!! He (I guess) was have a swim with some trout just minding his own business. I stood up to get a better look and he he turned to look at me... just drifted by with the slow current and checked me out.

Amazingly cool stuff.

So no fish, by I do have the lay of the land and will return the fabulos Eucambene very soon and hopefully catch a fish on my fly rod!!

A candidate for SingStar

This song is brilliant! Its a fantastic little number, a duet between Marc Almond (yes THAT Marc Almond) and Gene Pitney (no, the other Gene Pitney).
The song is a ripper, a really great powerful belter.

But watch and listen for the 2 styles. Mr Almond has a lovelly velvet sound, really rich and smooth. He has a great range for this number, listen how he adds a bit of menace to his voice in the first verse!!
Now Mr Pitney (who sadly, passed away this year) is renowed for his pitch and vibrato and OWNS this song. But again, listen for how professionally he harmonises with Mr Almond in the third verse. Its effortless, they crank the power up to 11 - then release it suddenly!!

What a great duet, I'd love to see this number on a future SingStar... who knows?
[LINK]

BuffMan

Thought I'd give y'all an update on my gym goings on.
I've be hitting the weights for about 10 months now (usually 3 times a week at lunch time) and I have to say its been a great thing to do.
The whole going to the gym started from a back injury I gave myself last Christmas. I had been drinking like a fish and eating like a pig (which is not imply that pigs are no less renowned for their drinking than fish - but you get the point). According to the bathroom scales I was clipping 80kg and had a stomach, that was well fat.
Anyhow, I figured one morning I should do something about it all and began doing push ups and sit ups. Then I fucked my back up.
Added to all this my wife had begun her health kick and was looking fantastic!! I really needed to pick my game up.

With my back fucked up my posture was going to shit and I had less and less energy, but I was still eating the same crap. So I was gaining more weight because I was doing less, because I had less energy, because I was carrying so much surplus weight.
I made the decision to go to the gym and it has been a good decision.

But it hasn't just been about the gym, at the same time I radically changed my diet. Bread, potatoes and heavily fried food - OUT. Good quality vegetables, gluten free stuff and sensible sized serves - IN.
So in other words - regular exercise and a balanced diet = a fit and healthy BubbaJay.
I would make the point to differentiate between 'fitness' and 'healthy'. In so far as you don't get both from doing only one of them. Dropping potatoes and bread where a hard thing to do, but I tell you what, I was carrying a lot of bloat that cleared up after a couple of weeks.
Try it for yourself, if you don't believe me.

Anyway, this is not just the rambling of a fit and healthy man, science types also agree [LINK]

Sooo near to the Holidays

Dammit!!! Is it Christmas yet ?!?

Well I know it isn't but I have 2 weeks left on the farm before I can skip away for 3 weeks of holidays and Dude - I have totally checked out.
Which is not to say I don't have stuff to do... Its the, 'can I be fucked to start anything with only a few days left before the silly season truely kicks in' attitude.

I guess I'm just tired, this week is a rare week - one without travel. So I'm just trying to avoid starting any work that might hang over my holidays.

Boy this reminds me of school, the holidays are never going to get here!!