Sunday 23 January 2011

Didn't know I could do it

Well, an interesting week this has been. I was at work alone most of the week. And, I finally got caught up. So I allowed myself a couple of hours dag time, and had a long lunch while reading my book on Friday. I had gone for a cuppa first with my friend Eve, and then went back to the office and ate my favourite salad very slowly.

This week also saw us buy a new car. Well, an old second hand car. See, the new van is heavier than our current van, and the Mitsubishi 380 won't pull any heavier. So we spent most of our savings on a good second hand car. It's a 2000 model Ford Fairmont. It has all the bells and whistles, and a woodgrain dash. Very spiffy. But we have already encountered a couple of hitches. I drove it home Thursday afternoon from south of Adelaide, and noticed that the digital readout for fuel range left, etc, was fading out, as was the climate control reading. When we took it out on Saturday we noticed that they had all but disappeared. A call to the car fellow sorted that out. He is going to replace the screen when he sources a new one. So he should.

Then, this morning, it wouldn't start. Just like it had a flat battery. I took it out of gear, then put it back in and it started okay. When I backed out I noticed a pool of fluid on the driveway... have to keep an eye on that. Perhaps it just hadn't slotted into park properly last night when I parked it, and it was trans mission fluid leaking?

Anyway, here it is.





Saturday, Fluffy had his stunt driving school morning. I think he enjoyed it. Here is one of the instructors, Luke.



It was an early start, as the track is about 45 minutes from here, and we had to be there by half past eight. We arrived quite early, then there was the obligatory wait around while everyone else arrived.

As there was water in the pedestrian tunnel we had to all get into our cars and drive around to the track. Once there, the participants were introduced to the vehicles.

There were two minis, one red and one blue, and one red mini with a weird contraption on the side. Turns out this is a kind of stabiliser. This vehicle does two wheel rides. I was under the impression that the participants got to drive that one, but no, they only get a ride in it.

Still, there was plenty to be done. They had three goes at each activity. First up was jumping the ramp:



Then, the two-wheel ride:



Then, there was the 180 degree handbrake turn....




And then the 360 degree slide turn. This was by far his favourite so I included a little more of it....



Then, after a brief stop at the shop it was home for a couple hours before heading off to a 40th birthday bash. Now, I have never been a party animal. Never one to go out, get drunk, make a fool of myself. So I don't really like parties. I like to go for awhile, but I am lousey at conversation and am usually home around 11.

This time, I took my camera. It was a fancy dress - come as your fave dead personality/celebrity. But as we had been busy every weekend since coming home I hadn't had time to organise anything so we didn't dress up. We were the only ones who didn't. But we didn't mind.

I had my camera and I wasn't afraid to use it. I won't include many photos as the people involved wouldn't mean anything to you. But we had two Cleopatras, Steve Irwin put in an appearance. As did these two:



Darth Vader and Padme. Padme was the birthday girl. It was supposed to be a joint party with her brother Paul, who was 5o, and herself. But he was stuck in Queensland and unable to attend. She was so disappointed she wanted to cancel, but a friend (who dressed as the Scarecrow from Wizard of Oz) wouldn't have a bar of it.

So we also had a visit from said Scarecrow, Dorothy, and the Tin Man (who does an excellent photo bomb....)



There was also Marc Antony, Tupac Shaker, Bon Scott from ACDC, Farrah Fawcett Majors, a few ghosts, a very young Annakin Skywalker, The Wicked Witch of the West (who looked fantastic), Arnie put in an appearance as did Kurt Curbain. Alli Baba also flew in on his magic carpet.

I ended up getting to bed at 1 am, a very unusual event for me. Dobby had a great night, and even Fluffy had a couple of beers, although the poor lad had to get up and go to work just after 5am. No wonder he crashed this afternoon. I don't know how he did it.

I crawled out of bed at 7.30 this morning as I also had a big day. I stripped the bed and did two loads of washing, then headed out to the WEA educational centre in the city to meet with Eve and a group of strangers. Six hours later I came home with this:



What do you think? I had trouble with the mouth so the tutor did that, and I tweaked it a bit. It's hard to do the hair, so I just stuck stuff on. As Fluffy and Dobby have been teasing me since Ceduna about having an aboriginal heritage, they just reckon it's an ancestor of mine (the hair makes her look like she has black origins apparently). And bless them, they want me to play with it till I am happy, then dry it out and get it fired. Which means they won't mind it sitting around the house for a few years. Aren't they lovely? It's Terracotta so it will go a lovely red when finished with. So long as I keep it wet I can play with it for as long as I like. When I am happy with it, I run a trace through the bottom to separate it from the board, then dry it out for 4 weeks. Then I arrange for it to be fired somewhere. Costs about $40 I think.

Well, apart from now taking such a bloody long time to upload videos onto this stupid blog, I am done for the day. I can't seem to get the clay from under my nails so I think I'll run a bath once I get all these videos up. Yep, sounds like a plan to me... cup of hot chocolate to go with that too, and a piece of cake from last night just to top it off... aaaaaah!

5 comments:

SOL's view said...

Great vids. I bet he had fun.

The clay looks like a heap of fun too. There does seem to be a hint of aboriginal about the features! Lol.

Anonymous said...

Yeh, I think it's the nose that does it!I am thinking of doing pottery classes next month. Great minds think alike! PS I can smell a lemon! Love Rat

JoeinVegas said...

Did he have more fun with the driving or you with the clay? Or is that even comparable?
Both events looked like fun.

Chris H said...

I hope the new car is not giving you trouble still.
Love the bust... hope it doesn't blow up in the kiln! Lots of heavy things do.
I was a potter for many years... had some experience of explosions in the kiln! lol

Anonymous said...

love wally