Short trained.

What does Murphy’s Law dictate for when its pouring rain?  Make the already crowded train two carriages short… That’s what has happened this morning and now I sit in stuffy carriage with mine and everyone else’s soggy umbrellas without a seat to spare as we approach Emu Plains were more people get on than ever before.  Great start to the day!

Last night coming home, the carriage was infested with Bogan Moths and there were more than 20.  Luckily most of them sat on the end wall of the carriage obviously groggy from the ¾ a can of fly spray that the conductor had sprayed on them.  And if this wasn’t bad enough, the train was held up at Parramatta as a lady had fallen through the gap between the train and platform.

She obviously had gotten up and come into my carriage, but the train refused to budge until the stations “safety officer” checked her out and interviewed her.  She refused to get off and they did their “assessment” of her on the train.  “Can you stand?” “Are you in pain?” “Do you need an ambulance?”… these were all asked of her as we all sat listening and getting increasingly pissed off.  She answered all the questions with a “Yes I’m fine” and her travelling companion said she would look after her as they made their way to Springwood.

When the CityRail staff had left, the companion started talking up how they can sue CityRail and get a motza!  “$50 grand easy!” was repeated quite often in the carriage in clear earshot of everyone else.  To make matters worse, the conductor would come in between stations and ask her if she was ok and could they do anything for her… he was actually quite polite, but every time he left them, they kept talking up their chances of a law suit…

In my mind as far as I can see, the woman was fine, but I bet CityRail get a legal letter sighting “psychological damages” and a “significant degradation of their clients quality of life”.

Go figure…

IR Reforms... what does it all mean?

OK, so we are getting bombarded with adverts telling us we cant be sacked for staying home looking after ill children… Does that mean we used to?  I have taken time off before to look after my kids when they are ill and recently “worked from home” because both Niki and the girls were ill… My boss actually said to me after this, don’t bother working from home, just take the day off and be done with it as family comes first.

Good attitude and one that I appreciated, but this was over a month ago prior to these new laws.

I did receive at work an email about work place monitoring of email.  I know that you can’t look at certain sites (you know… ‘those’ sites) but does that mean I cant read the newspaper online anymore?  Does that mean I cant look at this blog anymore as well?

I do get and send a lot of non-work emails from friends… should we stop this now?  A blanket ban?  Or is a “reasonable” amount acceptable – and if so what is reasonable?

And does all this IR stuff include me (a non-union white collar worker) or is it only for the trade unions etc etc… I am not even sure that this stuff applies to me.

So if you have an idea what this IR stuff all means, can you let me know… but don’t send me an email as we both may end up on the street!

Back on the rails...

Well, back in the saddle after a weeks break and I must admit, even though it is only a week off – and only 4 working days due to last weeks long weekend – I feel as though I have been away from the office for eons.  It will be hard to get back into the swing of things and I am sure I will have a pile of email and mail built up from my time away.  My calendar today is not too heavy and I will probably spend the good part of the day just sifting.

Also strange to be back on the trains today and it probably makes it a bit more surreal given the fact that there are about 10 Bogan Moths flying around in my carriage.  I hate them things and I have been on the train only 5 minutes and already been hit in the head twice by the bastards…

So other than the wine tasting and playing cricket, what else has been happening:

Blood Bowl:  The Southern Wastes League Season XI has been run and won with Snorri’s Dark Elves taking the title.  This little comp that started 2 years or so ago has now turned into one of the largest online gaming communities in this country.  We have added 3 or so more coaches this week and Season 12 will be starting very soon.  This thing is getting bigger than Ben Hur.  But Blood Bowl in general seems to be undergoing a bit of a revival lately.  A new site AusBowl has been started up and this will be the home of the Australian Blood Bowl scene for years to come I think.  I know that some of the SWL community have been heavily involved in this site (DM, chunky04) so congrats to them.  And finally, MOAB… Whilst I unfortunately missed the tournament, I understand it was a huge success with the SWL’s Beefygoodness taking the title over Tommy “ozjesting” Dean.  I am now committing myself to making the CanCon tournament in January… and my Dwarves will make their debut with full Cheese!

Cricket: I have watched the World XI series against Australia this week and whilst the concept will better with time, I think the series has suffered because of the lack of match practice of the World XI and also the fact that they were not a very good fielding side.  Also some of the selections were clearly made on reputation and reward for services to the game over the past decade.  Pollock, Shoaib, Kallis, even Lara were showing their age and/or lack of match fitness.  Only Sangakkarra, Vettori and Murali can hold their head up for the way that they played.  The World XI needs to be picked annually and be a next step up for Test cricketers.  Even if the World team doesn’t play a game, they should “name” a team.  Then when they do get to play a series such as this, the team will be clearly picked on recent form and not reputation.

NRL:  The NRL Grand Final was won last week by the Wests Tigers and a few things have come out of it.  Firstly the post match swearing.  I think people need to get over this.  No it wasn’t classy, and it is not good for children, but I have heard far worse language directed at children and whilst it doesn’t excuse the players, it does show that we do have a bit of a wowser element in our society that I cant stand.  Secondly, the whole ticker tape parade issue.  If the Tigers think that they deserve a parade, then they need to pull their heads out of their arses.  No way does a Sydney NRL team deserve a CBD parade.  Go have a parade in Leichhardt or Campbelltown, but don’t expect all of Sydney to shower you with glory.  Good game though and the Tigers make a fresh change from the Roosters / Bulldogs / Broncos rinse and repeat era.  Now if only my Dragons can get a win up…

 

Greystanes Take A Massive Lead

Whilst I have no pictures of the event (left the camera at home!), Greystanes with only 2 recognised seam bowlers and a spinner, managed to bowl Baulkham Hills out for only 85 with Paul 'Noyz' Brewster taking 5/29. Terry Hoban chipped in with 2 wickets as did Nick Nardo who bowled first change (yee gods!).



Having dismissed Baulkham Hills way before the drinks break, Greystanes piled on the runs into the fading light all the way until 6pm to finish at stumps 7/191.



Noyz starred with the bat to go with his 5 wickets with the ball with a well made 61. The team as a whole contributed with Paul Agius 23, yours truly got 18, Cam Imbesi 15 and Nick Nardo a big hitting 26.



Greystanes may bat on further next week to give our so called pop-gun attack something to aim at...



Happy Days!

Back from the Hunter Valley!

Had a great time up at the Hunter Valley this week staying at the Bimbadgen Estate winery. Great place and I highly recommend their Verdehlo... The accommodation (for 4 families!) was for nix and was in a 5 bedroom mansion at the back of their vineyards. We got to stay their via our friends Julie and Con as Con works in the "industry" and it was one of the perks of his job as he puts it. So for only a shared grocery bill and petrol we got to spend a week of touring, drinking and eating and then some more drinking...



This is a broader shot of the back yard with the pool and the vineyards... The place was mainly single story, but had a single room upstairs which was the main bedroom with an ensuite and spa... We were lucky enough to get to use that room! But with all the kids about, the spa was only used for mass bathing of filthy kids! :)




This is a shot of Niki & Brooke out the back of the house we stayed at with the pool behind them and the vineyards in the background. We were about a kilometre off the road down a dirt road and hence we got plenty of visitors from the local kangaroos as well... There was plenty of lush grass for the kids to run around and of course the pool. It wasnt very hot weather, but that doesnt deter kids from swimming..


And of course there was the obligatory wine tasting to be done... This is a shot of our friends Julie, Con, Sean and some tool on the end of the bar enjoying the wines at Wyndhams Estate. The people at Wyndhams put on a big spread for us that included anti-pesto, gourmet foccaccia's, cheese platters, cakes and muffins and soft drink and juice and coffees. They also gave us a tour of not only the functional areas of the winery, but also the history and how George Wyndham came to the Hunter and subsequently lost everything in a double whammy flood and recession. "Wyndham Estate" only bears his name out of recognition by the current owners not because the Wyndham family still runs it...

Here Kate & Brooke pat a baby crocodile at the reptile show at the Hunter Valley Gardens. The girls took the kids and went to the Gardens whilst us guys played golf at Cypress Lakes. For the record, I shot my best ever round of golf but still came third in a 3 horse race, but I actually won the back nine! 

Sorry I can't come to the Blog right now...

As I am on holidays... will be back with a full expose on the Hunter
Valley wineries on or about October 7.

Long Weekend and HOLIDAYS!

Its been a bit hectic this week at work and I thought I would post a general World of Clay update...



The pictures below are of Kate sporting her new pierced ears... I have been resisting this for some time but Kate has been bugging us about it for nearly a year. She has a fascination for jewelery and wants "proper earings". Well after 12mths I relented and she had them done last weekend. They look fine, and I suppose I shouldnt have made such a big deal about it, but I guess I am resisting my kids growing up...



;



Other things happening which will effect this blog is that I am off to the Hunter Valley on Monday morning and will be gone for 5 days. No PC, no internet, no fumbbl, no gaming, no blogging... Yee Gods! What will I do ;-)



We are staying at the Bimbadgen Estate with 3 other couples and their kids and all the accomodation is for nix! Beautiful! Piccies etc will come next weekend...



Today is our god daughter Gabriele's birthday. Bit of a party / BBQ lunch happening and should be good... and then I will try and catch my Melbourne fumbbl mate Twahn for a bit of a drink and maybe a BB game in the evening... will kick his arse I am sure :)



Sunday is NRL Grand Final Day and I, for the first time in decades, have no plans. The girls are keen to watch it so we decided to have Pizza at home. I am not really fussed who wins given my Dragons bowed out last weekend, but I guess the Tigers should get my support. I will find it strange to refer to either teams as "the Premiers" next season. But I guess a change from Bulldogs/Roosters/Broncos is a good thing.



Thats about it... no guarentee of another posting before my holiday, so take care all!