Hairdrying Socks

After breakfast at the inn…
Louise: Ugh, my socks are still wet! I washed them last night, but they just won’t dry.
Sandra: Use the hairdryer. That should speed things up.
Louise: Good idea! Hmm, it’s not really working. They’re still damp.
Sandra: Oh, look, try this. It works much faster if you poke the nozzle of the hairdryer into the top of the sock so it balloons up. Like this.
Louise: But won’t the socks get too hot?
Sandra: Set it to low heat and keep checking the temperature. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a hole at the top and the bottom of the sock. Hah!
Louise: Got it. Ah! This is quick!
_________
Voice-over
Useful hack if the hotel doesn’t have a laundry. Take care not to blow up the hairdryer.

White Origami Rabbits in a Trunk Room

Fifty boxes containing fifty years of life in Japan are stored in what’s locally known as a “trunk room” (トランクルーム).

Held there until the future becomes less fuzzy.

Or until the third act begins.

The rabbits are busy now. 

Homeless for a while thereafter.

WHITE RABBIT WHITE RABBIT WHITE RABBIT

Olivia and Orwell

Elizabeth thinks Olivia is reading Animal Farm…
Olivia: No, Elizabeth, it’s not Animal Farm. It’s 1984. You know, the one about a dystopian future where everything is controlled by Big Brother.
Elizabeth: Oh, I see. So, you’re reading about a world where pigs don’t have to sew dresses either?
Olivia: Oho. Hilarious. At least I’m expanding my mind. What are you doing? Sewing tiny dresses for plush toys?
Elizabeth: Hey, those tiny dresses bring joy to a lot of plush toys. And besides, I don’t hear you complaining when you get a new outfit.
Olivia: Touché. But I still think reading Orwell is a bit more intellectually stimulating than sewing.
Elizabeth: Stimulating, huh? I bet you just like the idea of a world where you can boss everyone around, like Napoleon in Animal Farm.
Olivia: Oh pulease, if anyone’s a dictator around here, it’s you with your sewing schedule. ‘Olivia, hold this fabric! Olivia, fetch me the scissors!’
Elizabeth: Well, someone has to keep you busy. Otherwise, you’d just be lounging around with your nose in a book all day.
Olivia: And what’s wrong with that? At least I’m not making a mess with thread and fabric scraps everywhere.
Elizabeth: Mess? You mean the creative chaos of making beautiful dresses? Maybe you should try it sometime. It might be a nice break from all that ‘intellectual stimulation’.
Olivia: I’ll pass, thanks. But if you ever need a critique on Orwell’s portrayal of totalitarian regimes, just ask.
Elizabeth: And if you ever need a fabulous new dress to wear while reading, feel free.
________
Voice-over
Elizabeth and Olivia seem well-matched and well-read in this tennis of taunts.

Perking up with Percolated Coffee

A rough day…
Joseph: I felt so down cycling back from town that I stopped for a freshly percolated coffee at Excelsior Caffé. That perked me up.
Wolfgang: Some have such sensitive and gloomy natures! What brought you so low this time?
Joseph: Brother-in-law wrote that he had been knocked around by chemo and radiation. I felt hungry because of this girth-reducing diet I’m on. I lost a video editing gig, at the ATM got confused and forgot my card PIN number. And being between houses, I felt homeless putting all my belongings in boxes. Plus, just feeling old… all this deepened my depression.
Wolfgang: Wow, that’s a good cluster of downers.
Joseph: Seriously, it was a rough day. The coffee helped a bit, though.
Wolfgang: Glad the coffee perked you up. And you have me to unload onto, right?
__________
Voice-over
Coffee to tide you over the dietary downs, and friends to bring you up from down under.

Nominalizing an Adjective

Linguistics class…
Professor Pivot: Who can give me an example of an adjective which also has a noun form?
Ann: I heard the word “anodynity” recently. I always thought it was an adjective, anodyne, but someone used it as a noun. 
Professor Pivot: Oh dear, the liberties taken with language these days.“Anodynity” as a noun, you say? 
Ann: Isn’t language is meant to evolve? 
Professor Pivot: There was a time when language adhered to strict rules and conventions.
Ann: Well, Shakespeare played with words and grammar. He invented new terms all the time. 
Professor Pivot: He could bend the rules with poetic license. But today’s rampant word formation lacks such artistry.
Ann: I don’t know. Look at how “google” became a verb. It’s a natural progression. People are just finding new ways to express themselves.
Professor Pivot: The verbification of “google” is a prime example of modern linguistic decay. There’s a danger of losing richness and precision of traditional language.
___________
Voice-over
A subjective subject. Is it language change, or language decay? Undermining the professor’s argument is that any language was never an immaculate conception. Undermining the student’s view is that neologisms can be clumsy and imprecise.

Gen X advice to Boomer

Daughter thinks her father should expand his social network…
Jessica: If you joined a club or went to church?
Clint: I could. Friends come and go. As you get older, you lose many of them. 
Jessica: There are plenty of good people who would love to spend time with you. What about Mario?
Clint: Ah, the plumber. Has a lot of energy. 
Jessica: You deserve to be around people who care about you and bring out the best in you.
Clint: I appreciate your concern. Sometimes I just think it’s enough to keep in contact with those who go way back. Lots to talk about.
Jessica: As you say, friends disappear, though.
__________
Voice-over
The daughter can see her father’s social circle shrinking and thinks he should get out more often. He’s fine with that. He’s reached a stage where he is happy with either praise or criticism.  

The Poetry of Plumbing

Hotel desk
Receptionist: Good evening Mr Lynch! I hope you’re enjoying your stay. Everything alright with your room?
Lynch: Oh, yes, wonderful. I was particularly intrigued by the exposed plumbing below the wash-basin. I was tempted to call it “a poem of plumbing.”
Receptionist:  The pipes are exposed to allow for easy access in case of a sudden leak or any urgent maintenance. This way, there’s no need to tear off walls or panels.
Lynch: Clever. It also adds a design feature to the room while being practical.
Receptionist: Functionality with a bit of artistic flair you might say. Enjoy your stay.
_________
Voice-over
Plumbing, is derived from the Latin “plumbum” for “lead”, which early pipes were made of. Lead being soft is easily shaped. Gradually an awareness of lead poisoning led to copper being used. Which has been replaced by cheaper materials such as stainless steel or PVC.

White Rabbits in a typhoon

A bumpy landing coming into Narita. 

Local rabbits shelter from Typhoon Shanshan. 

This one flies like a butterfly due to air and sea temperatures, mountains and competing high pressure ridges.

Weather warnings come fast: “Leave the burrow!”

“WHITE RABBIT WHITE RABBIT WHITE RABBIT” 

House Relocation

Two halves of a house arrive on site
Contractor: Any problems?
Owner: A few hiccups along the way. The narrow roads. The trucks barely fit down some streets. Then, there was a low bridge that we had to navigate around, which added a couple of hours.
Owner: Anything else?
Contractor: Hmm. Also an issue with one of the truck’s hydraulics. And then there was an unexpected roadworks that weren’t on our route plan, causing another delay.
__________
Voice-over
Getting there is only the start. Factor in positioning the house halves in soft ground, levelling, breakages, reinforcement, connecting utilities, exterior and interior finishing and the process of inspection and approval.

The Last of the Oranges

Garden tidying…

Sandra: Could you pick the last of the oranges?

Ashley: I’ll need a ladder.

Sandra: Take care climbing. They’re good the oranges those, even though the tree is 50 years old.

Ashley: Probably it has deep roots that reach into nutrient-rich soil. 

Sandra: And the climate here is good for citrus.

Ashley: Mind you, the tree’s age means it’s well-established and resilient, maybe able to withstand pests and diseases better than younger trees.

________

Voice-over

Regular pruning might help too. But this tree has always been left to prune itself, dropping off dead branches.

St Matthias' Graveyard

Church on the hill...

Later in the evening…

Veronica: I took a walk past St Matthias Church up on the hill earlier this evening.
Rozy: At night? That place is eerie after dark.
Veronica: I know, but I needed some exercise. Anyway, I saw that one of the graves had been opened.
Rozy: Opened? Like, dug up?
Veronica: Yes, the earth was disturbed, and the stone was slightly ajar. It was so unsettling.
Rozy: Creepy. Was anyone around?
Veronica: Well, that’s the thing. Suddenly, I felt like someone was watching me. I looked up and saw the vicar staring at me from a window. I broke into a sweat. And a trot.
Rozy: I can understand. Any ideas?
Veronica: Maybe the vicar was performing some kind of secret ritual. Like a séance. Or hiding something in the grave. 
Rozy: Disturbing thought. What could he be hiding?
Veronica: And what if the vicar was trying to raise the dead? I know it sounds crazy, but his behavior was so strange.
__________
Voice-over
A reportable incident? Or could there be a perfectly reasonable explanation? The problem is to see reality as it is.

Busselton Jetty

Shouting over the wind…
Rachel: A bit wild today, isn’t it?
Mai: But the view is amazing. This jetty is so long! Can we see fish?
Rachel: On calmer days, you can spot dolphins and even the odd seal.
Mai: What’s that at the end of the jetty?
Rachel: It’s an underwater observatory. You go down 8 meters and see the marine life up close. Like being in a giant aquarium.
Mai: Can we go? Is it open today?
Rachel: Not in this weather. But on a calmer day, it’s a must-see.
__________
Voice-over
At 1.8 kilometers, it’s the longest wooden-piled jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. Originally built in 1865. Park and walk it, you’ll clock up 4 kilometers. Oh, and there are over 300 different marine species if you have time.

Kangaroo Viewing

Travelling in kangaroo country...

Brian: Do you know where I could go to spot kangaroos? In the wild I mean.
Richard: Kangaroos? If you’re around early in the morning or just before sunset, they’re usually most active during those times.
Brian: Any specific spot you’d recommend nearby?

Richard: Yalgorup National Park is a good spot. It’s about 20 minutes from here, and you’ll have a good chance of spotting them near the open grasslands or even around the lakes. The park is pretty quiet, so it’s a good spot for wildlife.
Brian: Any precautions you’d suggest?
Richard: Kangas can be unpredictable, especially the big ones, so keep a safe distance. Don’t approach them, especially if they have joeys. 
__________
Voice-over
Another thing is that they can hop across roads so take care driving especially at dawn and dusk.

White Rabbitroos

Hopped across the Tassie looking for a Marigold Hotel, and today,, on the first of the month, ran into three white rabbitroos which is a lucky omen.

WHITE RABBITROO, WHITE RABBITROO, WHITE RABBITROO 

for August, for All. 

 Throw another kiwi on the barbie, Trev.

Graveside Visit

At the garden center café…

Sophie: I visited my mother's grave yesterday. I was there alone, and it was so peaceful.

Barbara: Did you talk? I sometimes visit my mother's grave too. It's comforting to talk to her. I like that she doesn't reply; it makes me feel more independent.

Sophie: Well, I sometimes hear her voice. Yes, there's something calming about those moments.

Barbara: Uh huh. It's a space where I can just be myself and speak freely. How was she, your mother?

Sophie: I told her about everything that's happened lately, and this time she, well, just listened. It felt really good.

___________

Voice-over

Listening is an art. Something you want to be remembered for, even when you’re gone. Maybe people will keep coming to talk even then. So the connection will continue.