Parlez-vous francais ?

I’ve just finished reading Peter Corris’ novel, “Master’s mates”. The principal character, Cliff Hardy, spends the first one-third of the narrative in New Caledonia. I really enjoyed this part of the book because it brought back lots of memories for me. I spent time in New Caledonia in 1964 and again in 1966. Several places mentioned in the narrative are places that I’d visited.

On the road again

I have a set of wheels again. I collected my car from the auto electrician yesterday afternoon.He had fitted a replacement tail light assembly. I went off and found a reflective surface and made sure that all lights at the rear of the car (brake lights, tail lights, turning indicators) were working normally (and they were).

Totally smashed

I backed my car into my driveway this morning, as I have done many times before. Unfortunately, this morning I clipped a tree beside my driveway and smashed the right hand tail light assembly. I was staggered when an auto electrician told me soon after that a replacement tail light assembly would cost me $440. He did say, though, that he might be able to pick up a second hand tail light assembly from a wrecker for about $100 or so. I’ll find out the good (or bad) news tomorrow.

The lovely bones

Yesterday afternoon I attended a screening of “The lovely bones”. This is not a film for the faint-hearted. In many ways, it’s quite a bleak portrayal of what happens to a family after their 14 year old daughter is abducted and murdered. The film is basically a drama with lots of tension so it’s quite emotionally draining. Having said all that, it’s a fine piece of cinema. The principal characters all turn in first class performances.

Where the hell is Moyhu ?

I was scanning newspapers on the Internet last night looking for an issue which might lead me to an interview for my weekly program on community radio when I spotted a story in “Wangaratta Chronicle”. Apparently, the Moyhu Health Centre closed last month, leaving the people of Moyhu without a GP. Alright, I hear you cry, “Where the hell is Moyhu ?” Moyhu is 27 km due South of Wangaratta on the King Valley Road. The people of Moyhu now face a 27 km drive to a medical clinic in Wangaratta. If folk happen to live 20 km out of Moyhu, they face a drive of about 50 km to the nearest GP. I recorded an interview with the MLA for Benalla this morning about the impact of the closure of Moyhu Health Cente on the people of the King Valley and the prospects of getting the Moyhu Health Centre staffed by a GP in the near future.

Country of paper castles

On Saturday evening I went to see an amateur theatre production of John Tilbrook’s “Country of paper castles”. This is very much a show for children. The cast contained a few adults but most of the actors were children with a sprinkling of teenagers. I thoroughly enjoyed the music, singing, dances and costumes. Anyone with children aged say, between four and ten, might want to consider taking their kids to this show. I think they’d enjoy it. The season ends this coming weekend. Full details of dates, times, venue and ticket prices are on the Hartwell Players’ website.

Boldly going

You have to love VicRoads. When I travel to my community radio station on a Sunday to present my weekly interview program, I travel along one of the busiest arterial roads in Melbourne. This morning this arterial road was completely closed (not just restricted to one lane) for roadworks. Because I was under pressure of time to get to the radio station so that my program would go to air on time, I took to the back streets and, hey presto, I encountered a slice of the inner suburbs that I’ve never seen before.

Sheds, tents and caravans

I’ve identified an issue that I want to pursue on my radio program. I spotted a piece in a Wimmera newspaper. A spokesperson for Grampians Community Health has called for more and better public housing in that part of Victoria. Apparently, families are living in sheds, tents and caravans because they can’t access public housing and can’t afford to rent houses privately.

On the bottom rung of the ladder

I have set my foot on the bottom rung of the ladder. I’ve just completed the prescribed reading set for Seminar One of Advanced Torts which I’m enrolled in in Semester One this year. This is a small achievement but an achievement nevertheless. The challenge now is to make a start on the prescribed reading set for Seminars Two through to Twelve. If I can make a dint in that task, that would really give me a flying start to Semester One.

My crowning glory

A few weeks ago I felt something solid rolling around inside my mouth. It turned out to be a crown which had come adrift from one of my teeth. I saw my dentist today, showed him the crown and asked him if it was worth fitting it again. After inspecting the condition of the crown and my teeth, he decided that it was. Now I have the crown cemented in place and I have to say it feels a bit odd, given I’ve managed to get through the last few weeks without it.