Author: jkirkby8712

It all seems quite ironical – a few months ago towards the end of last Summer, our farming communities were optimistic that the decade long drought, and very little rain that came with it over ten years or so,  would be reversed during 2011 and the drought broken.  Yet here we, at the beginning of December – and yes, over the past few months, the drought really has broken  –  but, grain growers across southeast Australia, as reported in today’s ‘Weekly Times’ are facing financial ruin from continuing heavy rain. It seems that already, crops in New South Wales and Queensland have already being decimated by the rain in those states, and now over the next few days, as heavy rains continue to fall, much of the Victorian grain crop is threatened.

I guess it’s not a new story – through history, and around the world – that farmers and their livelihoods will always be at the mercy of climate vagaries, be it drought, rain, frosts, floods, bushfires, and also currently, locusts!!  It was noted yesterday that if the rain forecast for that day, and today occurred,  grain farmers face disaster.  Well, certainly, the rain has come as expected, particularly today, and apart from the farming communities, the threat of major floods to many regional towns and communities, and parts of Melbourne is being given serious attention tonight, as rivers and streams, which in many cases were basically dry twelve twelve months ago, are now close to breaking their banks and inundating low lying land in nearby areas. In fact there are many areas of New South Wales [NSW] and Victoria facing flooding, a follow up from the rains and floods that took place back in September.  The problem with talking about disaster relief yet, is considered a bit early because of the varied nature of the rain –  with rain and hail dumped on some farming areas in massive quantities, others remain basically untouched. Hail can be a particular problem, with some farmers  having crops destroyed, eg, one area in southern NSW saw where  ‘Two hailstorms shredded barley crops, shattered canola, stripped lupin pods and flattened heavy wheat crops’ [Weekly Times, p. 5, 8/12/2010]. Fruit and vegetable growers are similarly being affected, with the unseasonably  wet Spring and early Summer taken a toll on crops like cherries, stone fruits, strawberries, wine & table grapes, etc. No doubt, this will flow on to higher costs to buy those kind of foods in the near future, although the stone fruits seem to be perpetually highly priced, almost to the luxury standard!

Oddly enough, even here at home, I was out briefly tonight, building a bit of a rough levy and drain around the rear of the house – those areas I haven’t cleared of weeds yet!!  –  not that there was any danger here, but I noticed quite a build up of water during one heavy downpour earlier this evening around the back of the house, so decided to try and give it an ‘escape’ route. Reminded me of my first year or two in Sunbury in the middles 1980s, during another wet period there for a while. Our home was one of the first in a particular area of the Goonawarra Estate, and still had a large area of vacant land behind us, which tended to slope partially downhill towards our back fence. During times of particularly heavy rainfall, the water would flow down from this vacant land, through our back fence, and straight through the property, and out into the street at the front. If it was particularly heavy,  the water had difficulty getting beyond much of our backyard, and would soon be lapping at the doorsteps. I recall three or four occasions, been outside at night with the big gumboots on, digging a series of drains [in places where I didn’t want drains] in order to divert and force the water away from the house. At the time, I think I was more worried about the ‘scars’ I was creating in the rear part of our property than the actual water itself!! I think I still have some photos somewhere of those occasions. These days, I don’t think that same degree of problem occurs because all of the area at the rear of the property has now been developed with roads and houses etc, and any water flow from that area is better controlled now. And of course the land around the house is much more developed itself these days.

Of course thinking about the weather here, and much has been written about the cold spell over in parts of Europe and Great Britain and present. Reports from over there have indicated record early widespread snowfalls in more than 17 years. I really couldn’t imagine living over there in England in those conditions –  in extreme weather which has apparently covered  Scotland and North East England in snow, and closed schools, and not surprisingly, created mayhem on the roads. I’m happy to read about it – would certainly not want to be a driver in that kind of environment! Some of the Fscebook comments from friends and relatives over there, are almost too bizarre to believe, as I commented, it’s like describing to an Australian in this relatively warm climate, conditions of another world!

Such comments as   “Is snowed in at work and cant get home!”  and   “We have just come back over as we went to see if the Indian was open..it isnt..neither is the chippy..and the Byre beyond our budget. The canteen are giving staff free food up to value of £3.50 so me and Eileen each got a chicken burger and…(tharr be more) chips..with ketchup and vinegar !! Even had enough for bottle of Irn Bru. Brian, the traffic apparantly round the town centre area is grid locked. I wouldnt wish you to come out in it. Eileen and I have “borrowed ” blankets and pillows from the Ward as there are no beds left for us !! We also have wine, lol !! “  and later “Eileen and I listening to the radio. We have 7 pillows between us and 2 blankets…and 5 chairs so sure we can make a bed somehow !! Also got a bottle of wine each from Alberto and thats on standby..could easily chill it by hanging it oot the window !! Pamela, hope they get home safely but its taking 2 hours to get from Hairmyres to EK town centre and thats about 2 miles…the gritters are stuck in the gridlocks. Hairmyres is on “major alert” status.  Or  “There is a HUGE jam around the M74 area and M8 due to 2 jackknived lorries. There is traffic jamming back on M8 in the motorway just outside Glasgow. Its madness. Roads in East Kilbride are not moving at all so we wouldnt even be able to make an attempt at getting cars out until after 8pm. and heard on Radio Clyde that STrathaven is hell !”  So there you go, things could be worse here!!  [incidentally, those comments made by a ‘distant cousin’ whom I met recently through my current family history research].

From the Sydney Morning Herald tonight –

“Australia’s Ashes hopes are in tatters after their last-day capitulation at the Adelaide Oval allowed England to take a crucial 1-0 series lead.  Resuming at 4-238, the hosts lasted only 20 overs before falling at 11.27am for 304, with Peter Siddle the last man out, giving off-spinner Graeme Swann a five-wicket haul. The result, a loss by an innings and 71 runs, is Australia’s first innings loss to England since the Boxing Day Test of 1986 [which from memory, I was a spectator!!] Australia must now win at least two of the last three Tests of the series to win back the Ashes. Furthermore, if England win any of the last three Tests it would be impossible for Australia to win back the urn, as a drawn series would go in favour of the holder: England”.  Final scores in the Second Test at Adelaide  –   England: 5/620.  Australia: 245 and 304.    Enough said!!

Don Bradman would have turned in his grave at the Australian cricket performance. But then, he would have moved on like I did tonight – and listened to some music.  In fact during tonight’s show music program, I played a couple of track from a two CD set of ‘The Music that Don Bradman Liked’  –  tonight, Paul Robeson’s ‘Ole Man River’ [from Showboat],  Harry Secombe singing ‘If I Ruled the World’ [from Pickwick], and Mario Lanza’s ‘Golden Days’ [from The Student Prince].   I also played some songs from an album by the Irish singer Ronan Keating called ‘Songs for my Mother] which was released last year – this was a Cover album, so they  were his version of songs recorded by other people. While I generally prefer to play a singer presenting an original song, the Keating version of songs such as Time after Time, Both Sides Now, and Vincent. There was one song which I’d not heard before named ‘Mama’s Arms’. In the CD liftout, Keating wrote “This song got me through my mother’s passing. It tells the story of a young boy dealing with his mother dying. Regardless of what age you are, it’s hard to say goodbye to your Ma’

Earlier, I had another slow day at the office today, after ‘another’ poor sleep  – woken by a painful ankle affliction, I knew I would have to live through it for most of the day – the inflammatory tablets take the best part of the day to get rid of that problem,  which seemingly started from the little lawn mowing exercise on Saturday!! Must be something to do with the way I push the machine around!!

A couple of hours north of here, this is a problem which is creating major concerns – as reported in the media,  “Warm weather across Victoria could worsen a locust plague already threatening to become the state’s worst in 75 years as the pests pop up in Melbourne. The highest-density swarms – more than 50 locusts per cubic metre – have been sighted around Echuca in northern Victoria as they head south. Swarms have also been reported across central Victoria but the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says they are not posing a serious threat to crops. Department of Primary Industries (DPI) state locust director Rob Walker said warm weather on Monday provided favourable conditions for the locusts to breed across most of Victoria. But further rain was expected to stop the locusts swarming.\  Mr Walker said the movement of locust swarms was unpredictable but swarms varying from low to high density had been reported from areas along the Murray River and south of Swan Hill’. In fact, I see that tomorrow’s forecast is for heavy rain and thunderstorms across much of the state, but that kind of relief from the locusts is only going to provide a temporary hiccup to the problem, and in some areas, I understand the situation is worse than the scenario painted in the preceding media report.

A pleasant dinner tonight, over in Chapel Street, South Yarra, with Committee and staff of my work team, and I was god [no, I wasn’t, but I was ‘good’]  –  ordered a lamb salad meal, had one beer, and no dessert!!!   Must admit it’s a pain at times to have to be considerate of what I eat whenever I go out for a meal, though if I do so, I’m usually grateful for that ‘pain’ by the end of the night!

More interruptions  by rain in the Test Match today  – at stumps on Day 4, England looks to have the only chance of winning, if the match isn’t going tp be another draw!  The progressive scores are:  England:  5 for 620 declared.  Australia: 245 and currently, 4 for 238 runs, still behind by 137 runs!!  Not a good situation at all!

A very warm day in Melbourne, a couple of hours of which, I spent wandering around the vast expanses of the Melbourne General Cemetery [MGC]. A distant cousin, Ann Yeates, travelled down on the train this morning, basically with the sole purpose of showing a fellow family researcher, just where certain members of ‘our’ earlier generations were eventually buried – we are mainly speaking of the late 1800’s/early 1900s period.

Our joint connection goes back to the Kirk/Kennedy marriage which basically began the Australian part of my ancestors. Like myself, Ann was a descendant of the Kennedy parents  –  I went off on the Kirk side, she went off on a different branch of the many Kennedy siblings of my original great great grandmother.  The gravesites at the MGC were of various ancestors connected to the many Kennedy lines, because many of the original family stayed around the Carlton and Parkville areas of Melbourne. The Kirk side travelled up country eventually, and established their lives in the northern parts of the state, where in general, they lived and died.  Oddly enough, I had never before [s far as I can recall] visitede the MGC, though of course have driven or walked past it hundreds of times, and mainly I guess, that was because I was more interested in the early years of my research with my direct side of the family, none of whom ended up at MGC.  It is in fact a huge expanse of potential residential/business prime real estate  land [though hopefully it never will be] close to the heart of the City of Melbourne, and has many old sections of graves from the 1800s. Many of those of course, are totally neglected, with no numbering or plaques, etc to actually identify the ‘site’ owner, although the written records are retained, just no obvious physical evidence. One disappointing aspect for Ann, was that one particular section of her ancestral family were now ‘officially’ buried underneath more modern gravesites – I think this happened in the 1970s when space needs led to that kind of decision. Ann’s enquiries as to what happened to the original ‘occupiers’ of those sites, was that they were left where they were buried – new graves had been constructed on top of them. So much for ‘in perpetuaty’ as had been the supposed original intention!

Anyway, it was a fascinating [though somewhat tiring in the late morning heat and humidity] exercise. Ann herself had been here numerous times, although she still had difficulty remembering where all of the respective graves were located. however, we found most of them. We were not the only confused visitors however – the main normal entrance to the MGC as closed for vehicular traffic whilst a special Memorial site was been constructed just inside the main entrace for the new saint Mary McKillop  – so people being forced to used different entrances were finding it difficult to get their bearings in the vast expanse of the complex.  I gathered meanwhile, that each time Ann visited the MGC, she came laden with a collection of plastic flowers [as she did today] which she faithfully placed on each ancestral grave she came across. In most cases, hers was the only tribute ever left, although the grave of my Isabella Kennedy’s parents who brought the whole family of ten plus children out here to Melbourne in the early 1850s, was generally well cared for by ‘someone’, and naturally Ann was curious to know who. There was provision for messages of enquiry to be left with the MGC office, but in such cases, no names, etc were to be included, just the fact that an enuiry had been made. She tried this, but had received no feedback.

After our cemetery wanderings, I drove Ann over to he nearby Carlton area, searching for some of the old homes that the Kennedys had built themselves in the late 1800s, most of these in the Canning Street area – we found most of those old addresses, although not unexpectedly, one whole section of 5 or 6 buildings in a row were now occupied by a blocks of modern multi story flats or housing complexes. However, it was interesting to wander the streets where the early Kennedys would have lived much of their lives. Oddly, the houses in Ancrum, Scotland where the family had originally come from, were still in existence over there! The need for modern development in those small Scottish hamlets was obviously not as desired as here in the near inner suburbs of Melbourne!

As usual, and exploration of one’s family history always leaves much more questions than answers. I was thinking tonight, whilst watching a TV program called ‘Know Your Ancestors’ [or something similar] and featuring former Australian test cricketer, Rod Marsh, how unfairly easy it was for the celebrities who feature in that program, to have access to all the available records in tracing their family history for the program, no doubt, at no cost to the celebrity concerned, and how ‘simple’ the processes seem to come over in finding the answers in those cases!!  The rest of us have to pay for all that research through either time or money!

Having put cricket into my mind, I shouldn’t neglect to refer to the outcome of Day 3 of the 2nd Test between Australian and England, in Adelaide. I think play ended a couple of hours early today due to rain in Adelaide [which we will probably get in a day or so], and the Australian might well be counting themselves lucky that play stopped when it did. The English team had been batting for two days now, and creating all kinds of records along the way. Probably the most amazing of those records was the fact that in all test matches between these two countries, this was the first occasion that England had achieved an innings  score of over 500 runs in consecutive innings [even though in two different games]!  Anyway, at stumps tonight, the situation was looking grim for Australia, again. In response to our 1st innings score of 245, the English team had moved to 4 wickets for 551 runs, a total of 306 in front of Australia. A ‘Cricket Australia’ reporter writes tonight that:

‘Heavy rain during the tea break ended play on day three in the second Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval with England in prime position to take a 1-nil lead in the series courtesy of a Kevin Pietersen double century.  Pietersen starred for England on day three smashing his way to an unbeaten 213 with 31 boundaries and a six as he demolished the Australian bowlers to take his side to 4-551 and put the visitors in front by 306 runs. After bowling Australia all out for 245 on day one, the Poms mowed down Australia’s total and were spearheaded early by first Test hero Alastair Cook.  Cook produced a fine knock of 148 and formed a strong 173-run partnershipon day two with Jonathan Trott, who ended his innings on 78, before both were eventually removed by quick Ryan Harris. Pietersen then set a new match high partnership with Cook, 175 runs, before the opener’s departure. Pietersen continued his onslaught on Australia posting a solid 101 fourth-wicket stand with Paul Collingwood who raced his way to 42. After Collingwood was trapped lbw by Shane Watson, middle-order batsman Ian Bell immediately resumed the slaughter and remains not out on 41, with another 100-plus-run partnership looming as he and Pietersen have together chalked up 99 runs.  Australia has had little joy in the second Test with a disappointing performance with the bat and an even more appalling display with the ball. ‘.  There seems no immediate end to the ‘Aussie’s pain, which must seem even worse, as it is partially at the hands of one of our most competitive opponents, Kevin Pietersen.

I bought a real ‘Christmas tree’ yesterday, as I do each year. Most years, Susan finds my choice not as good as she’d like it to be – too tall,  not thick enough, a lean at the top, etc, etc!!  This year, I think I was the first customer of the local Scout group from whom I purchase my tree, so I had the perfect opportunity to ‘get it right’!  And I think I did!  I was out last night, when Susie returned from work to find the tree installed, awaiting her specific decorating skills, and it must have satisfied her immediately, because by the time I returned home from my concert, the tree was decorated,  the lights glittering in the window of the lounge, and the approach of Christmas suddenly seemed a little closer.  It’s dark here now, on Sunday night, and I’ve just gone around the house, switching on the various Christmas lights that Susie has set up – she’s gone out, so I thought it only right that she can return later from wherever she is, to find her home ‘sparkling and flashing’ as a result of her handiwork.

As for last night’s concert,  that was the 4^th [and final] concert of the year by the Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra, a suburban orchestra located over in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Although I must admit that after a day in which I followed up a morning walk, with a rather tiring and hot period of mowing lawns, and a bit of gardening, that I would have preferred a Saturday night at home – which is generally how my like to spend my Saturday nights these days – especially with the 6.30am radio start on a Sunday morning. However, despite that, I did want to go the concert  – no other commitments, the weather was good [I don’t like driving long distances in the rain at night], all in all, I had no excuse not to go!

Actually, a bit of a bonus with last night’s concert, as there were two shorter ‘twilight’ concerts on before the main one – the first by  a local Junior Strings and Youth Orchestra [which I didn’t get there in time for], and the second, by the Heidelberg Wind Ensemble, which I did manage to enjoy. Their short program was quite entertaining –  beginning with Elgar’s ‘Pomp and Circumstance Military March No. 1 [which most people know through the tune of ‘Land of Hope and Glory’], quite a ‘brassy’ performance I must say [well, it was a ‘Wind Ensemble’ after all!];  next came a composition from Mendelssohn, the ‘Overture for Winds, which had been especially transcribed and re-scored for a contemporary wind band]; and finally a piece called ‘Fantasies on a Theme by Haydn’, written by one Dello Joio, and based on the opening theme of the Finale of Haydn’s String Quartet No. 2. I wander what Haydn would have thought of the way his quartet had been re-commissioned, shall we say?   The modern ‘composer’ wrote that ‘The subtly conceived theme offered an opportunity to fantasize in the musical language of today…..it is my homage to a composer who will always remain contemporary’

The Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra [HSO] concert, commenced at 8pm and was titled ‘From Bach to Tchaikovsky’. I did wonder, despite the promise of some wonderful music, whether I could last the 2 hours duration. I’d found that on the 45 minute + drive over to the concert hall, that I had been feeling extremely tired, and was in a bit of pain from a swollen left ankle [complements of  the day’s lawn mowing I believe. Added to that, with the warm night we were having, the Performing Arts Centre itself was quite warm and humid during performances with the doors all closed of course, and particularly up at the rear top part of the auditorium, where I was seated!  However, we did survive, thoroughly enjoyed the program, although I must be honest and say how glad I was to get out of that building into some fresh air at the conclusion. My drive home was mostly undertaken with the car windows open, taking full advantage of the natural airflow, irrespective of the car air conditioning.

The HSO began with the full orchestra, and a very exuberant rendition of  Johann Strauss’s ‘Die Fiedermaus [or the Bat]  Overture’ – light, humorous and exciting music really.  This was an operetta first performed in Vienna in 1874 with Strauss himself conducting the orchestra. The plot is a mixture of deceptions, disguises, mistaken identities, and planned revenge.  No wonder the music was so full of life, and various alternating melodies!   J S Bach’s cantata ‘Ich Habe Genung’ [or ‘I ask for no more’]. This featured a smaller part of the orchestra, mainly the string section with piano, and a solo oboe player [beautiful sound]. For someone who was already feeling extremely tired [and with some of the orchestra members not involved in this piece, coming up and sitting on the aisle steps adjacent to my seat, leaving one feeling a little ‘crowded’ in the humid conditions], this was probably not a good choice. In fact, it was beautifully performed, with the musician joined by young baritone singer, Jonathon Bam.  The Cantata is a pure solo cantata and was first performed on February 2^nd, 1727 for the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary. It’s text is apparently based on the Biblical story of Simeon [Luke: 25-35].  The arias and recitations which formed a lovely part of the Cantata flowed so easily with the music of the various strings, together with the oboe. It really was a delight to listen to.

The major work last night was Tchaikovsky’s very popular  Symphony No. 5. Interestingly, although successful as a composer, Tchaikovsky’s private life held problems that he found difficult to solve. Writing for the program notes, Isabel Milsson notes that ‘The symphony reflects his melancholy and introspection. It is in four movements, which are unified by the appearance of a motto theme typifying ‘fate’ in each movement. The music is dramatic with contrasts of dark and light, sombre and happy, both of which are vivid and intense’.  A good description of No. 5  – ‘intense’, and as to be expected, the HSO drew that out so well in it’s presentation of Tchaikovsky last night. This was of course a symphony with which I was quite familiar, but it is always good to hear it played by a different orchestra.  Meanwhile, whilst at the Performing Centre last night, I purchased a copy of the second of the HSO’s cd productions, which feature selections from their various concerts over the years. More material for my Sunday morning concert, from which in fact, I played a track in this morning’s program, from ‘The Planets’!

Early Saturday morning, the sun’s shining warmly outside, don’t know for how long because yet more rain and storms are predicted. I wish I’d had a good camera with me last Thursday evening – as I was walking into the Bowling Club for the Committee dinner, the clouds coming overhead were as thickly ink black as I’ve ever seen them, and at that moment, it seemed inevitable that a massive storm was about to hit us. As it was, that ‘one’ must have moved on quickly and struck somewhere else because we only received a few light patches of rain. But those storm clouds were something to behold!

I was reading a few more pages from  former Prime Minister John Howard’s biography last might [Lazarus Rising], and he was talking about how he felt on the night he ‘finally’ won the election in March 1996 after years of failures, rejections [even from his own Party] and deep disappointments. He compared his responses that night to a famous English Prime Minister, and quoting from page 228, we read as follows.

“There were many touching moments and gestures made to me on the night of ther election; one that I shall always remember and which, literally, brought tears to my eyes, came from my brother Wal and his wife, Gwen. They gave me a caricature of Winston Churchill in the form of a mug, into which Gwen had deposited a note in her own handwriting, repeating a recollection of Churchill’s which recorded his emotions when he finally became Prime Minister of Great Britain in the dark times of World War II. It read as follows:

‘I was conscious of a profound sense of relief. At last I had the authority to give directions over the whole scene. I felt as if I was walking with destiny, and that all my past life had been but a preparation for this hour, and for this trial……I thought I knew a good deal about it all and was sure I would not fail. Therefore, although impatient for the morning I slept soundly and had no need of cheering dreams – facts are better than dreams’. [Winston Churchill]

And as Howard went on to say:- ‘I came to the prime ministership with a long experience in politics. Serving as federal Treasurer is a great training ground for the top position. In addition I had been tested and tempered by the turbulence of 13 years in opposition. I had known years of rejection by my own party as well as experiencing defeat at the polls in 1987. I came to the job as a known quantity, with not all of the Australian people liking what they knew. For the duration of my prime ministership, the Australian community knew where I stood on issues and that there was a consistency of belief on certain things, according to which I would govern. From the moment of my return to the leadership on 30 January 1995, the Coalition had presented as a unified cohesive force. The old animosities dissolved almost overnight, and every section of the two parties united in a determination to make certain of victory’. [John Howard, p. 228]

This is a large volume which I have been reading off and on in those rare spare moments I find, since the 5th November when I purchased it, just a few weeks after it was published heree in Australia. A story told in three parts, I guess the first third of the book, where I have just reached consisted of Parts 1 [‘His’ Early Life & the Fraser Government], and Part 2  [The Opposition Years]. The major part of the book from here I am reading now, probably quite naturally deals with his eleven years as Prime Minister, the ‘Years of the Howard Government’ taking us through until the period, as Howard titles it ‘The Tide Runs Out’. No doubt I shall return at various points, as we move again through those years, and the many tumultous events that occurred along the way, both within Australia and internationally.

I awoke in the early hours of this morning, found my radio still humming away, and soon afterwards heard the news from Switzerland  –  Australia had [not surprisingly in my view] not been successful in it’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup Soccer finals. In fact, what did surprise me was that the vote went to the Middle eastern country of Qatar, which as I would comment in Facebook later on, strikes me as a choice for money – in an unpleasant climate, and basically unpleasant country as far as tourism might be concerned!!  While as I suggest, the hopes of Australian being successful were far more optimism than a likely reality, those supporting the Aussies’ bid team etc, were certainly shattered and bitterly disappointed by the overnight decision.  It was an equally disappointing night for  the English, who had been hoping to get the right to host the 2018 World Cup. That decision went to Russia!!  It simply becomes so obvious that money plays such a dominant role in all these decisions!!  Our national team captain [Lucas Neill] had this to say about the result –

“Hand on heart, I honestly thought we ticked all the boxes for our bid.   “Let’s be honest, it’s incredible to think that we can only get one vote up against the likes of the countries we were up against. But we accept it and we move on.”   Neill admitted it would be a while before Australia would get the rights to host the World Cup but felt the bid committee did all it could in their attempts to capture the 2022 tournament.   “It’s unfortunate it’s going to be a long time before we get another opportunity to bid but we have really done Australia proud,” he added”.

That disappointment must have rubbed off on our cricket team!!  The 2^nd Test against England, in the Ashes Series started today, and Australia batted  – not very well  –  in fact, we had our worst ever start to a Test match, losing the first three wickets for just 2 runs, as opener Simon Katich was run out on the 4^th ball without even facing a ball, captain Ricky Ponting came in, and was out immediately first ball, and two runs later, vice captain Michael Clarke was out!!! I didn’t hear about any of that until much later, and I think I’m rather about that!!  In the end, by the close of play on Day 1, Australia were all out for 245 runs [our best scorers were the heroes of the First Test, Michael Hussey [just missed another 100, out for 93] and Brad Haddon.  England were 0 wicked for 1 run at stumps!  Certainly was England’s day in the cricket!!

A quick trip down to Ballarat today, for a funeral. Wall Smith was 87, and the father of my brother’s first wife  – I think Ian still looked upon Wal as a bit of a second father. A rather nice service at the Doveton Park Funeral Centre in Ballaat North, followed by the burial service over in the Ballarat New Cemetery. Despite a long downpour of rain during the later part of the drive down from Sunbury,  the weather in Ballarat was perfect during the period of the funeral, which made us all rather lucky, particularly at the cemetery stage!  [I shall return anon>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>]

It was an interesting, even sometimes eventual drive down to Ballarat this morning – much of the first part of the trip was covered in isolated patches of thick fog, and I was grateful for daylight, as I have never enjoyed driving at night in foggy conditions – remembered various wintry Monday nights when I worked at the Shire of Gisborne, north of Sunbury, and the occasional late night drive after a Council or Committee meeting in rather unnerving fog conditions One of the girls  who used to work with me, named Belinda, also came from Sunbury, and I recall she was even more apprehensive of the fog than I was – on a couple of occasions, we arranged for her to closely follow me, so at she at least had something in front to guide her, while your writer here, was often just hoping for the best, that he was still on the correct side of the road, or simply on the rod!!

Anyway, back to today – conditions much better than those nights. However on the second half of the trip, the rain started again, and at about 20 minutes out of Ballarat, it was coming down by the proverbial bucketful. This did not auger well for this morning’s funeral!!  However the ‘gods’ were with us, and the rain had basically stopped by the time I reached Ballarat just before 9am, and the sun would be shining for the next few hours!!  Just for ‘old Wally’.  That in fact was whose funeral I was attending  – Wally [Walter Godfrey] Smith, born in 1923 [two years after my own father], and died at the age of 87, on 26 November. I’m not sure [and I didn’t press the issue] why I didn’t find out until late yesterday afternoon, and then only by accident, then my sister’s husband ‘grabbed me’ on Facebook.  Had I not logged on at that moment, I would not be here now [in Ballarat], would not have had the opportunity to pay tribute to Wally, nor [as important as everything else], would I have had the opportunity to meet my younger brother who I’d not seen since the end of June 2006.  I believe I would have been ‘a little upset’ had that occurred.

The connection with Wally  –  he was Ian’s  [the brother I am referring to] first wife’s father, and I think in many ways, Ian looked upon Wal as a second father to himself, certainly he had a lot of time and respect for him, and had kept in touch over the since his marriage to Jenny [one of Wal’s daughters] had fallen apart.  And while I had only seen Wal on a couple of occasions over those years, he was always someone you would be happy to call in upon. In fact as I mentioned earlier, I’d intended to do that before I went up to Brisbane in October  – but ‘didn’t get around’ to doing so!

Ian was one of the first people I met, upon arrival at the Funeral parlour in Doveton Street North – he had driven basically 24 hours straight through from Brisbane [most of it in rain and unpleasant weather conditions], and had stayed overnight at Wal’s home, with Jenny’s sister, Sue, who had been caring full time for her father over recent years as his health deteriorated. For this funeral, I had mistakenly assumed it would be a small and short affair, instead, the numbers of mourners was quite large for this man described by all as ‘generous in spirit, generous in time, and generous in character to family and friends, in fact anyone who did the right thing by him. As one of the tributes to him stated, he was the kind of man that you would visit, and upon leaving, would feel as though you had taken part of him with you, a wonderful complement.

Amongst the  large number present, were of course all of my sister’s family [the Skilbecks], Jenny, Sue and their two brothers, whom I didn’t really know, and Ian’s two sons by Jenny – sadly, since the marriage breakup between their mother and Ian, the relationship with his sons had not been the way you would like, and not necessarily any fault of Ian’s. So he met two of his grandchildren today for the first time, and was barely aware of their existence before today apart from the advice passed on by our sister!  So one can only hope, that arising out of the death of this wonderful old man, that some degree of ‘reconciliation’ of this family can eventually take place. At least today, there was communication.

In the meantime, I think that both Jenny [and Sue], and Ian, were separately happy to see myself turn up today – and so was I, particularly in view of how close it came to not happened. I must admit, I was always fond of Jenny as a sister-in-law, and I think for a while, got on reasonably well with her at a distance [one state away] after her marriage breakup.  But eventually, everyone drifted apart, but it was a good feeling today to be welcomed at Wal’s funeral with feeling of warmness. I think Ian thought so too  – not only met his grandchildren, but ‘even got a hug from Jenny’!

As for Wal, a man who had lived a long life, had many different jobs, served in the Australian Army during  World War 2 [so today’s service included an RSL component as had occurred at Dad’s funeral, back in 1969], never made fame or fortune, but certainly was much loved by all who became part of his life, even for a brief period of time. A man who spent half of his working with one hand, after he lost it in an industrial accident, yet never allowed that to stop him from living the rest of his life ; a man who lost his beloved wife, I assume when the four children were still reasonably young [I never met her], and who as his son said, remained faithful to her, until the end of his own life.

Wal was a fan of the music and singing of Paul Potts, and Susan Boyle, so this morning’s service included Nessum Dorma [by Potts],  I Dreamed A Dream [by Susan Boyle], and ended with Time To Say Goodbye, sung by Paul Potts. It also included a Photographic Celebration of Wally’s life, on a screen, which I noticed Ian, whom I was sitting with,  had difficulty in watching  – this whole service had quite an affect on my ex-Army brother. Meanwhile, by now, Ballarat was bathed in brilliant warm sunshine, and it remained that way, as we joined the brief service at the graveside in the Ballarat  New Cemetery, across the road. Certainly, the ground was very soft and wet underfoot in the cemetery grounds, but for that time, the weather remained perfect [later in the afternoon, back in Melbourne, we would be ‘enjoying’  thunderstorms and drenching rain again.]

I only stayed briefly for the ‘wake’ & refreshments following the two services – long enough to take Ian back across the road to the Crematorium part of the cemetery, where we visited the joint memorial to our Mum & Dad.  Jean [sister] and her daughter & boyfriend joined us for that brief moment of tribute to our own parents, at the site of the resting place of their ashes, one from 1969, the other from 1990.

For myself, it was departure time, back down the highway to Melbourne, where I basically had to go right into the city to get across to my workplace. That drive was in fine weather [just] though a number of ‘large trucks’ seemed to be ‘haunting’ for most of the trip which didn’t allow for much relaxation on the drive.  In many ways, I regretted not deciding to spend the day in Ballarat rather than rushing back the way I did, but having made the commitment to get back to the office by early afternoon, I felt obliged to do.  Should have committed myself differently.

My short stay in the office this afternoon, saw your writer feeling rather tired, and there was no rest this evening either, as it was the final meeting night of the radio station committee  –  a meeting  that I must admit, consisted entirely of an informal ‘gathering’ for a meal at the local Bowling Club restaurant, our usual annual haunt for that purpose. Those who know me, will be aware that I generally make conversation only when it’s needed – and as a consequence, when I night like this evening occurs and after the events of the day, I find that after 2 hours I have virtually been talking non-stop, well, my voice simply ‘cracks it’  and I can’t continue. So it was not a late night!!

On this first day of December, which officially happens to be the first day of Summer here in Australia, I am left wondering what happened to our Spring? I guess we can’t complain – after a decade of drought conditions, emptying reservoirs, dead lawns and beloved plants fading to nothing, the rain we have had over the past few months has been a delight, and has certainly freshened up and created a multitude of greens all over the countryside.  I guess it is really the low temperatures that we have experienced through much of Spring, especially in November just past, that have left the feeling that we have missed a season along the way somehow!!!

However, the general view [if you are an overseas tourist coming to Australia at this time of year] is that it will always be typically hot and dry, great swimming weather etc throughout the nation. But be warned, being such a large country covering many different climatic zones, one area can vary immensely from another, with  deserts [of varying natures], beaches, rainforests, bushlands,  and mountains to take into consideration.  Have a look at these average temperatures for December weather in Australia. Of course most of my experience comes from Melbourne, and while the specified averages below for Melbourne are a good representation, that average that be exceeded quite severely [or vice versa] sometimes from one day to another.  That in fact, to my point of view, is what attracts Victoria’s weather [and in particular, this southern coastal region] to me as being ideal  –  it may get extremely hot for a few days [or vice versa] but you can always guarantee that it will change after just a few days. Over in Perth, for eg, you mind find anything up to three weeks at a time with temperatures well above the 30s – thankfully that doesn’t happen here. As has been said before, Melbourne [and district, which includes Sunbury] has been capable of producing the equivalent of four seasons in one day!!  Great place to live!   The weather in Melbourne is less variable in December compared to November, though it can still be quite diverse. Cool and overcast conditions can happen for several days. Hot days are at time associated with unpleasant north wind, which can be fairly strong.  Anyway, those average temperatures are:

Average Temperatures in December
Adelaide: 16°C (61°F) to 27°C (81°F)
Brisbane: 19°C (66°F) to 30°C (86°F)
Canberra: 11°C (52°F) to 26°C (79°F)
Darwin: 25°C (77°F) to 33°C (91°F)
Hobart: 11°C (52°F) to 20°C (68°F)
Melbourne: 13°C (55°F) to 24°C (75°F)
Perth: 16°C (61°F) to 29°C (84°F)
Sydney: 18°C (64°F) to 25°C (77°F)

Meanwhile, Australia’s 2022 World [Soccer] Cup bid team will be finally decided one way or another this Thursday, over in Switzerland I think.  The successful hosts for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be announced together on Thursday.  I have to admit to personally feeling was it is a bit optimistic to expect Australia to be successful – sure, we are a great sports loving nation, but it could never be claimed that we are yet [if ever] a power in football [soccer].  Yet despite what the other football codes in Australia try to suggest, a successful bid would bea great bonanza for a country, but sadly, the selfishness of our other codes [Australian Rules, Rugby League, Rugby Union] would most likely see those codes hoping the bid fails, particularly if they feel that success will rebound against their sport. A recent report, in today’s Age newspaper,  places other doubts on Australia’s hopes of a successful bid. An AFP,  Reuters report says:-

‘Australia’s 2022 World Cup bid team has played down the significance of a FIFA study which ranked the country last overall in projected revenues for the tournament. The report by management consultants McKinsey was distributed to all members of the FIFA executive committee, who will pick the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Zurich on Thursday.  The study assessed each bid in five key revenue areas: ticketing, TV and media rights, sponsorship, hospitality, and merchandising. While rival 2022 bidders the United States scored 100 per cent overall, Australia trailed last with 68 per cent. Japan placed second with 73 per cent, with South Korea 71 per cent and Qatar 70 per cent.  However, Football Federation of Australia chairman Frank Lowy shrugged off suggestions that the report may have a damaging impact on the Australian bid.  “McKinsey are not voting,” Lowy told journalists. “They are not the deciding factor.” “I don’t want to give you a lesson in economics but I can tell you that if 2022 goes to Australia it will be very profitable, especially for FIFA. “If you look at the growth of Asia, Japan, China, India in the last 10 years, what will happen in the next 10 years is unbelievably great in numbers of people, wealth creation, spendable dollars. “Those things are overwhelming, whatever McKinsey might say.” Australian bid officials said they had commissioned their own studies in the past which had given a different picture, he added. “It does put a picture that is very profitable for FIFA and World Cup Australia. What we need to take into account is that we are a gateway to Asia.” Lowy said Thursday’s vote would not be swung by one individual factor, whether that was the technical or financial strength of the bids, the political lobbying or Wednesday’s presentations to FIFA’s executive committee. “There are many deciding factors, but I think we have a credible, good, top bid, very seriously done,” he said’.

Of course, it’s not surprising that our people associated with the Aussie bid would be downplaying  any negative attitudes towards Australia’s hopes, and good on them. Being a great fan of all levels and kinds of international sport [even if actually being a live spectator is becoming less of an attraction as one gets older!], I would love to see the World Cup come here. But 2022, mmmmm, that’s 12 years away! How old will I be?  I don’t want to think about that! However, in the past, when thinking about the main international sports I’d like to go to, the top five have always been the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Ashes Test Cricket,  Grand Slam Tennis final, and the World Cup [Soccer] Final  –  the latter is the only one I’ve not got to, and don’t ever expect to, unless it comes here!  Anyway, we will know the outcome of Australia’s bid in less than 48 hours!

Earlier in the year, I was following the progress of my brother [ex Australian Army] and his partner’s travels around Australia, but around the time of the football finals, while they were somewhere over on the Western Australian coast, I kind of lost contact, and didn’t hear any more from Ian & Toni. I did hear when I was up in Brisbane 5 weeks ago, that they wre on their way home – to Brisbane, but up until today, I really didn’t know whether they had finished their trip or not.  That was answered today, when a brief online conversation with my brotherinlaw in Ballarat revealed that Ian’s ex-fatherinlaw had passed away this Monday past, the funeral would be held tomorrow in Ballarat, and that Ian was driving down from Brisbane to attend the funeral.

Meanwhile, this was another case of my leaving things too late. During my brief visit to Ballarat in September for my sister’s 50th birthday, one of the other guests was the sister of Ian’s first wife – Sue, who was now [or then] a fulltime carer for her father, old ‘Wal’. I promised her at the time that I would call in to see her father, who was a wonderful friendly old chap that I’d not seen for a few years. I had intended to pop down to see him just before I went up to Brisbane, but as fate would have it,  never made that visit! Perhaps even then, it might have been too late, as he had been in hospital for a little while, and only the immediate family had been permitted to see him. However despite, I still felt a little regretful had not having made the effort in time. So despite the short notice, I determined that I would get down to Ballaat tomorrow morning – it was an early service, at 9.30, which would allow me to be back at the office by around midday. The added incentive to make that trip, would be the chance to very briefly see my brother, whom I had not seen since June 2006.

Incidentally, back to the World Cup 2022, and the decision to be made at 1.30am on Friday morning our time, as to which country would host the event that year  –  there were apparently five contenders – the United States, Qatar, South Korea [which had ‘plans’ to discuss the hosting of some matches in North Korea as a peace gesture, although after recent developments, the idea might have been dropped by now], Japan, and Australia. So that is the competition we are up against!  I have a feeling, as a matter of diplomacy, that Korea might get the nod.

Finally, a bit of expert commentary on possible changes to the Australian cricket team, for the Second Test due to start in Adelaide on Friday  –  “Australia have two major concerns stemming from the Gabba, one with the ball and one with the bat.  Both Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus failed to have an impact. Hilfenhaus got a wicket with his third ball of the Test and then failed to have any success in the remaining 50 overs he bowled while Johnson’s match total of 0-170 combined with a first-innings duck made for a horror return.  The concern with the bat is that almost 70 percent of their first-innings total was made by two batsmen, Hussey and Haddin.  The question the selectors face is determining whether those factors are significant enough to warrant a change in personnel ahead of Friday’s match. Pacemen Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris have been brought into an expanded squad, increasing the pressure on Johnson and Hilfenhaus to retain their places. On the batting side, while Hussey has extended his period of grace with his great knock, question marks persist over Marcus North, who has been out in single figures in 15 times in 33 Test innings’ [from the Cricket Australia website, today]. I imagine the final team will be announced tomorrow.

In an article in today’s local newspaper, the Liberal candidate in the local electorate [Tristan Weston], who looks as though he will just be beaten when the final count of votes is ascertained, had a couple of useful comments, which to my mind, suggested it was a pity he was going to fall short. The item, in the Macedon Ranges Weekly Community Voice noted that:-

“Mr Weston, a police detective, told the Weekly that regardless of the final result, he was satisfied with the job he did. ‘Obviously it would be great if we can win. It’s too early to call it one way or another, but there’s nothing I would have or could have done differently. I think the days of the local MP sitting back comfortably are over. This is a marginal seat now and everyone knows marginal seats will usually be looked after. I’m very happy with that and think the people of Macedon can look forward to more attention from their local member’. Mr Weston said the Liberal Party’s policies for Macedon had been formulated after consultation with the community. He said if a Liberal government came to power, it would honour its promises irrespective of who the local member was.  ‘Both Joanne Duncan and the [former] government have been sent a message. If they want to claim a [local] victory out of this, it’s a victory in name only because she’s being given a crystal-clear message that the community are not happy with how she or her government were doing things. I think she’s being told in no uncertain terms to lift her game. If she stays local member she’s on notice.  I think I’m done an enormous job for the community by making it a marginal seat’”.

I couldn’t agree more, and as I commented on here a few days ago, the current member, who looks like continuing in that role,  has had it far too easy for the past decade, and before this election, has barely had to do much to keep her seat!  This time, the Liberals made a determined effort with a good candidate, and while they may have fallen short, have made everyone realise that this electorate could change hands very quickly next time. around

Certainly, that is the way the day started after a night of very poor sleep, this writer didn’t really want to go anywhere this morning. When we eventually did get on the road, we immediately made the wrong choice as to which route to travel [I have two options of a morning], and as a consequence, a stretch of highway just out of Sunbury that is normally traversed in 3 minutes, took over 25 minutes this morning. Had it been because of an accident, I would have been much  less annoyed than I was to discover that this monstrous delay at peak hour on a 110 kph stretch of road was due to road works been set up early!!!  A little bit of forsight on someone’s part could have avoided all that hazzle – but then sometimes, I think these ‘road people’  do things like that for a bit of a laugh!!  Well supervisor on the Calder Highway this morning, it wasn’t funny!

Meanwhile with respect to the outcome of the weekend’s State Election, it would not be until late this afternoon before the existing Labor Premier, John Brumby finally accepted the inevitable, and conceded defeat for the outgoing government, when he realised that his Party was not going to be able to win enough seats to retain the government. So it seems that as of tonight, Victoria has a new Government – the Coalition of the Liberal Party and the Nationals, and  new Premier of Victoria will be Ted Bailleau. Obviously I’m quite happy about that because ‘my team’ has won for a change!!!  Not so certain, is our own electorate here, the Macedon seat – apparently the vote counting is continuing and is still very close, although most pundits seem to be giving it to Labor’s Joanne Duncan, again!  That will be a pity, as I would have liked to see this electorate fall in line with the new Government, and have it’s first Liberal representative for a decade.  We will have to wait on that one.

The news in the cricket was not so good – for Australia –  while we didn’t lose, we didn’t win either, with the match ending in a draw after another mammoth batting display by the two English batsmen who finished yesterday’s play not out. That’s where they stayed until the game ended this afternoon  –  not out, and broke various records along the way, the most impressive of which was the  biggest partnership scored in Australia by England in the history of the game.  This report from sportinglife.com

“England will head for Adelaide tomorrow still convinced they can win the Ashes after Alastair Cook led their second-innings escape from the Gabba.  Cook was the cornerstone in record stands of 188 with his captain and fellow opener Andrew Strauss and then an all-comers’ best against Australia down under of 329 with Jonathan Trott for the second wicket.  He finished unbeaten on 235 – his first double-hundred in first-class or Test cricket – alongside Trott (135no), as England declared on an astonishing 517 for one.  After Strauss’ 110, this was the first instance since 1924 of England’s top three batsmen each making centuries.  The circumstances of the feat made it all the more notable, after England had begun their second innings needing 221 runs simply to make their hosts bat again in the first Ashes Test.  Few made much of their prospects of rescuing a stalemate at that point, even on an ever-improving pitch”.  The English scorecard showed  Strauss 110; Cook 235 not out; and Trott 135 not out, leaving the team at the end of their innings, when they declared, on 1 wicket for 517 runs!!  That record partnership between Cook and Trott –  329 runs!!    The final team scores were England: 260 and 1/517 declared.  Australia: 481 and 1 for 107 at the end of the match.

On the world front, I’m a little concerned that  the United States  is going to go ahead with it’s planned joint US-South Korean military exercises [war games if you like] in the Yellow Sea, despite China’s concern that the exercises may provoke Pyongyang [North Korea] into further aggressive action against the South.  At the same time  the South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak has vowed to make North Korea “pay the price” for its “inhumane” artillery attack last week  on a frontline South Korean  island that killed four people and sparked global outrage.  Lee had come under pressure to take a tougher line against Pyongyang after his military’s counter-fire following North Korea’s deadly artillery strike on a border island last week was seen as feeble.  I suppose he has to respond in such a manner, but it strikes me as being a further inflammatory reason for the North Koreans to get ‘trigger happy’!  It’s a very precarious situation up there on that peninsula, and I worry that somehow Australia will get dragged [again] into any longterm conflict that might arise, and all of the ramifications that could arise from that.

I mentioned at the beginning of this contribution, that the day had been preceded by a poor night’s sleep!  I have these moments when I begin to worry and think about all the various little tasks I’m trying to get completed on the home front, and realise that the middle of the night is not the time of day to dwell on such matters!  Unfortunately, my mind is apparently not always disciplined enough to obey the obvious, and occasionally decides to go to work at the most inconvenient times!!!  Bahh!!!!