Living Contentedly

For those who have travelled or heard reports from those people, many tourism hotspots are under an unsustainable burden. The sheer numbers of tourists are killing the experience; for tourists, the tourism industry & local residents alike.  Mt Fuji, the Trevi Fountain, Venice, Yes Square & an y nner of known destinations are going under. The predictable response by respective governments is to tax the visitors, impose quotas or to erect physical barriers.  Personally, i have no skin in this game, the very thought of hitting popular anything is emough to make my skin crawl. But, that aside, I can't see anything good coming put of these reactions. The working classes, who save for lifetime's trip are going to resist any attempt by petty officials to prevent them from fulfilling a lifelong dream.  One really has to question where tourism is headed. Covid uncovered the fragility of tourism & international travel by air & sea (those cruise ships!).....

A small trigger event.  My motorbike is moved to allow a privileged fuck to sort his boat out. It wasn't a big boat, it was more the arrogant poncing about by the privileged fuck, that rubbed me up.  I didn't really take umbrage that much, i just wrote him & his privileged sprigs, as well meaning rich fucks  That was until I listened to   Today's episode focused on a book by Clive Hamilton "The Privileged Few" a summary below:- Hamilton describes an elite class that is bred within private schools. He details how these children of extreme wealth are groomed & conditioned by being told they are "special" & above average humans. Hamilton cites cases that have come to light of challenger hunts of some sort where students are set challenges such as "pissing on a homeless person" & "having sexual intercourse with a girl under 16 years of age". As Hamilton says, these behaviours are based o...

I wonder often. In darker moments; am I really ever going to go bluewater? Sometimes I feel tied down by my possessions.  I have a love-hate relationship with this house, my car. To be honest, yes my boat. The house; it needs constant  maintenance but I lack interest, money, & prefer to be elsewhere. Yet, at other times it feels like a glove; comforting & personal. But a house, like this is not something I desired. Although Ive tamed it & shaped it to fit, it came with an outdated relationship.  A home for me would be brick or stone, essentially one roomed, sunny, in a quiet nook in a small town. I'd like water, but it attracts rats*. (* Greedy people, over consuming, noisy,  profit driven.) My boat? It challenges me. One minute too small, but too cumbersome to slip easily. I'm thinking, now more often, how much I would like to have her nearer to me. A half hour's easy commute away, where I can take a dog, or cat, a week's food & hang out, do some boa...

Worker out to be a strange day, but I was extra glad to be away from "Summer Bay" what with that human lose on Home & Away. .  I rode my Royal Enfield as usual, though this time I had everything on a pack rather than panniers. I wrongly thought, the extra weight removed would lessen the risk of a puncture. Flat chance! As I came off the hill into Avalon I got that sinking feeling. Oh poop. Anyway onto the boat stuff. The boarding ladder was finally fitted. Using butyl rubber was both easy and hopefully successful. I couldn't find the proper bolts on board, do I used screws. Next time out, it'll just be a quick swap over job to complete that job. Headsail strop, done.  Ground tackle, progressing. The old shackles connecting the rope and chain to the anchor, were removed. Next time,new gal shackles will be fitted. I did get a big surprise learning that than amnchor. a Danforth, was made from aluminium. Odd! Also the hawser in the foredeck is too small to be of use ...

Worker out to be a strange day, but I was extra glad to be away from "Summer Bay" what with that human lose on Home & Away. .  I rode my Royal Enfield as usual, though this time I had everything on a pack rather than panniers. I wrongly thought, the extra weight removed would lessen the risk of a puncture. Flat chance! As I came off the hill into Avalon I got that sinking feeling. Oh poop. Anyway onto the boat stuff. The boarding ladder was finally fitted. Using butyl rubber was both easy and hopefully successful. I couldn't find the proper bolts on board, do I used screws. Next time out, it'll just be a quick swap over job to complete that job. Headsail strop, done.  Ground tackle, progressing. The old shackles connecting the rope and chain to the anchor, were removed. Next time,new gal shackles will be fitted. I did get a big surprise learning that than amnchor. a Danforth, was made from aluminium. Odd! Also the hawser in the foredeck is too small to be of use ...

We've all heard about lonely grey men being bemused after its revealed that the African Princess they been supporting is fake. They're never really too upset because they really dreamed  it to be true.  I'm guessing we all spend more   on dreams  then we should?  Fake & gay "African Princess ". My sister almost got duped this week. Prior, she had phoned the friend of a nun who recently passed and offered the friend some old books. The old woman, from the other side of the island, advised thay she jad no email and asked my sister to correspond via her niece. This done, my sister gets a request to send money, an Apple Card. Apparently the niece is having trouble with EFT and asked my sister to cover her for a friend's birthday. Being too ready to please, my sister springs onto action and only after she receives an impatient email, does she pause to think. She phones her sister and after brief discussions, stops the madness.  Later, she phones ...

" The Liberals* are led by Peter Dutton, a former police officer from Queensland, Australia's most conservative state. Dutton is also the leader of the so-called National Right – the Liberals' most conservative hard-right faction ". (*Liberal in name only, politically conservative.)                     Ref: The Loop. Extreme rightwing politician,  Leader of Australia's National Right, ex Queensland police officer. Relevant historical context of the Qld p olice force. Some years ago " a series of media investigations exposed police corruption in Queensland. The intensity of media interest grew, culminating in ABC's Four Corners broadcasting  The Moonlight State  in May 1987, an expose on police officers accepting bribes to ignore crimes such as illegal gambling and prostitution.   The Fitzgerald Inquiry not only proved that the reported corruption existed, it proved that corruption was systemic and high-lev...

Hobo Shoestring, as he was known on YouTube until his passing about a month ago. Hobo was a War On Terror veteran &, from the best of my knowledge, suffered a few missing fingers, PTSD, alcoholism & depression.  He says he rode 2,700,000 miles on the rails in mainland USA, Canada & Mexico since 1989, that's 35 years. He had a house somewhere, but preferred to be on or camped beside the rails. This looked like him carrying his pack with clothes, camping mat & roll, & invariably a bucket with a radio, food & useful things. Apart from the odd signing of rail buildings or bridges, Hobo was a burden to nobody, &/he seemed to enjoy educating his 197,000 YouTube followers. Some friends often passed on rail movements information, camping equipment & food.  Although rail employees supported him & let him ride in comfort, Hobo was as often scorned by rail security & police, "the bulls". If caught he was likely to be " run ou...

Hobo Shoestring, as he was known on YouTube until his passing about a month ago. Hobo was a War On Terror veteran &, from the best of my knowledge, suffered a few missing fingers, PTSD, alcoholism & depression.  He says he rode 2,700,000 miles on the rails in mainland USA, Canada & Mexico since 1989, that's 35 years. He had a house somewhere, but preferred to be on or camped beside the rails. This looked like him carrying his pack with clothes, camping mat & roll, & invariably a bucket with a radio, food & useful things. Apart from the odd signing of rail buildings or bridges, Hobo was a burden to nobody, &/he seemed to enjoy educating his 197,000 YouTube followers. Some friends often passed on rail movements information, camping equipment & food.  Although rail employees supported him & let him ride in comfort, Hobo was as often scorned by rail security & police, "the bulls". If caught he was likely to be " run ou...

MON : * Morning 50 & weights * Cleared old shed, tossed rubbish, placed useful stuff in aller shed, kept boat stuff aside to go into Elusive . TUES : Wet & shitty, but shed clear out goes on. "Marine stuff" is put aside for  Elusive , or picked over for repurposing & then put aside. Good stuff including a repelling device used for scaling the rigging.    * Reading Bill Tilman on Mischief in Patagonia.  WED: Mowed for Jo & OLH. What's this? Well they are two of my long term mowing jobs, & following today's tidy up, both are being photographed for sale. So, 2 fewer customers equals less work, closer to shutting the business down.  Morning fitess routine.  THURS: Tidied up at a remote job, ready to hand over to my son. They've had a mower failure that needed work, got that done, mowed out, ready to hand over to my son. 

Hobo Shoestring, as he was known on YouTube until his passing about a month ago. Hobo was a veteran &, from the best of my knowledge, suffered a few missing fingers as well as depression.  He claims, he rode 2,700,000 miles on the rails in mainland USA, Canada & Mexico since 1989. He had a house somewhere, but chose to hit the rails as often as possible. This looked like him carrying his pack, & invariably a "5 gallon bucket". He bivouacked or slept on goods/freight trains. Hobo tagged a bit, but was no burden to anybody. He enjoyed 197,000 followers that he called friends, who often passed on rail movements information, camping equipment & food.  But, although rail employees of old supported him & lbey him ride in comfort, Hobo was as often scorned by rail security & police. He was run out, harrasssed, & I believe, charged for riding the rails. Hobo feared the authorities & others, & often mentioned the need to remain out of si...

the ride is arduous. Taking a thermos & boiled eggs helps break up the journey and quells my nerves. fitting the ladder &:sorting out the ground tackle are priorities. 

My windvane is still under construction. A few day's hard labour would have him in going order, but I'm not into hard labour. I've made one vane block, but it didn't work. Its a tricky piece to fashion from hardwood. There are holes drilled at odd angles, the clock is then thinned down to make the holes which house the vane sail, shallower. A metal clamp is then bolted over to hold the vane sail in place. Its complicated. I need to make another. So naming is a bit premature. he's had a working name of "Forest". I found Forest Gump's capacity to continue running across America and back, totally fitting. Having sailed with a Navic (aka Plastimo) windvane previously, I am aware of a windvane's capacity to endure.  This evening the fictional element of FG is bothering me. I need something real, something Scottish and hard. That nation's highland warriors would fit the bill, but I was hoping for an identity with better karma. So The Flying Scotsman ...

CFG reckons its better to spend money on these things than on marine insurance:- . a manual bilge pump. . a second anchor & rode. . a "big gun" anchor stored. . storm trisail, on dedicated track. . Jordan series drogue. . paratech  drogue. . shark  drogue.  . gale rider  drogue. Lots of anchors & drogues! . 

Old mates bike up top is a Custom. While I'm not sure what that means, I can see the pipes & solo saddle are not stock.  Purple, has 30k on it & comes with  Blue Slip for $9k. What I'm noticing is its lack of storage & the chrome straps either side of the rear guard have been removed (I think?). YouTube tells me that a sissy bar bolts through those straps, & probably backing plates. If they've been removed, we have a storage issue, but otherwise its a plush bike. With a 1450cc twin engine tucked in there, she will move along nicely.  Very nicely indeed. 

Here's Mia early on her first day at work, 350k away.  That photo was taken weeks ago. Since then she has returned home, to collect horses, while here she mentioned a cloud on her left lung which led to getting it checked out, which led to surgery.  A little over a week ago she was strong enough to resume her intention to move back out west with her horses. As she was a little sore, and the horses can be a handful, I went along to help out. I stayed 10 days and we had a wonderful time hanging out together. We worked with the horses, mainly fencing, we went shopping, shared meals and talked a lot. For me it was like a holiday and I got stuck in and helped renovate the house andxtidy the lawn and gardens. Together with regular dog walks and my morning self care routine, I had a whale of a time.  Now I'm home and feel flat, sad and depressed. Some of this will be a natural let down at resuming "normal transmission" after a great time out west. But I think I...

some months ago i gave myself a deadline to quit work. well perhaps it was a line in the sand. I figured that Anzac day would mark the great reduction in mowing income, & the loss  of my "best customers".  here's how its going. * D day was 21 days ago. * it has rained ever since, I have been unable to work. * those three customers are still active. so apart from a great reduction in income, I still have a responsibility to those customers & feel obliged. but o have more time to get boat work done.  but, I really feel like time is rushing by. to drive the point home, I'm reminded daily that younger people are at risk of lethal diseases & accidents, & people even younger than me are failing on their health. the option to go sailing is something that may be snapped from my grasp. I just have to keep pushing. Keep getting a boat work done, keep visiting more frequently. Keep stoking my dream! Thanks to  Wayne's Diaries on YouTube.

Last month, I had an impetus to buy a roomier boat to retire onto. During my hunt, I sailed aboard a Clansman 30 with "Deb", its owner. Deb was close to my age, or quite unfit and unkempt. Perhaps I am being too judgey, maybe she had had a tough life? But I think not, she spoke of wealth and "guarded" her asset like a person of money. Unfortunately for her, she lied and stretched the truth a lot and that turned me against her and her boat. Turning against the boat was not hard for it was very poorly kept. I couldn't believe Deb actually joked about her curtains. They were ancient, dirty and tattered and I knew could easily have been replaced or even removed. She evidently spent lots of time aboard and was aware of their unsightliness, but had still chosen to do nothing. This sentiment echoed through the boat, the paint flaked, messy "storage" areas abounded and ultimately the mainsail couldn't be raised.  However, when talking about one topic (othe...

After a big evening on the xpt from orange to Sydney & then onto Newcastle, I'm now aboard for my final train ride to my home station. Its a beautiful autumn day here now, but Newy has been hammered with storms for two weeks. Walking to my parents' last night the surf could be heard for over a kilometer from the coast. Today feels like a significant upstep in my quest. At home, Mia has left in good health, taking her horses with her. That means my responsibilities to do twice daily feeds, rig changes and pumping water, will have evaporated. At home of will just be my son, two cats and two dogs. Joe can feed himself, get groceries and tend to the pets, so I feel much more free to begin a higher sailing workload. 

Sparrows chattering or arguing in the oleander bush near the back verandah.  The Currajong bird's haunting call. The Hill with its views, history and rusty debris along the red dirt trails. The presence of gold. Bohinia trees, large and plentiful. People own dogs that are cranky and barky. Large spacious house blocks. An array of Abandoned homes,  crumbling away in yards overgrown with peppercorn and bohinia trees.   Ponoes in back yards. Aboriginal people living & working alongside whites.   The owner of an abandoned Holden dealership refuses to sell any of the old vehicles still sat in the showroom.  This old gold town is healing from the ravages of greedy miners. Walkers are rarely seen on the streets.  Trucks and road trains roll through the main street at all hours.  That real estate is not a thing. There are more closed shops, than open shops. . That each street block is bisected by seedy back lanes. 

St Stephen's Anglican church. Rectory next door. Regular services are being held. Bathurst Diocese. St James catholic church on the Newell Hwy. Rather imposing structure, so probably once a thriving parish.  Lovely abandoned house on Euchie St. Abandoned ambulance station.    Old Peak Hill  firestation building on Newell Highway. 

Ideas from this image:-      * wind gauges & co. are mounted on a board that slides onto the main hatch.      *  a "box" is set in to the left of the hatch. This solid storage for coffee cup, small items.      * spray dodger is narrow enough to just over the hatch and retracts forwards.       * not seen here, there is a small shelf fixed under the coachroof to the stbd side just in the hatch as radio mount. I picked up this utoober (Pearson Vanguard Sailing) last night. Looks like he's sailing deep water, is modest in his presentation & shares a plain reality. 

Peak Hill birds :- Sulphur Crested Cockatoo Magpie Lark Australian Wood Duck Galah Magpie Currajong Sulphur Crested Cockatoo Chough Sparrow Zebra Finch Apostle Bird Willywagtail    ".  " variegated Sparrows! Yet to See ; Whistling Kite

2 may 24: story reads that ppl on low incomes unable to pay fines (which are more likely issued to those on low incomes), routinely have their incomes reduced by government order. What's been happening is that NSW government has been taking too much; over reaching & continuing  withdrawals for too long. Literally robbing the poor!  In other Loud Political News, in the wake of the murder of a beautiful young woman on the state's west, & 48 domestic deaths so far this year, the federal government is to pump $1billion  into relief. A $5000 payment, it is proposed, will be provided to women to help escape violence. On the surface, that's a good thing right? Well, no its another income stream for landlords of grubby rentals & cheaper hotels. The rich get richer!