Ok, these guys are Bruce and James Milne, the owners of the fabulous Tote Hotel where I "work". The occasion was Bruce's 5oth birthday party, quite a big occasion, as Bruce is one of Australia's most famous underground music icons. He started Au go go records, and Infidelity records and has lost more money on rock bands than most musicians earn in a life time. Genius runs in his family, his mother Rosmary wrote the theme from "Playschool"! I kid you not. There were many fabulous costumes and gifts, the funniest present was an actual gravestone with a gap to chisel in the date when he finally croaks. Practical! Bruce is a Hawaiian music nut and a big Ukeladies fan, so it was an honour to be involved.
Do not panic little ones, I am just practicing! This is in NZ at "Hot Springs Beach" where very hot water comes out of the sand so you can have a self made spa and then cool off in the freezing ocean. Very civilized!
The ambulances were typically used for alchohol poisioning, not for crashed riders.
This is what I looked like before I went to Phillip Island with Dad and Uncle Stuart. That's my cousin Benedict Murray.
The only way to finish the day
When i figure out how to post film work i will send post some of the thrills and alot of the spills from the weekend. until then this will do.
as well as this he is made of fiberglass so he is very strong and he can't run away or talk back. I'm sure all my aunty's and married cousins are currently seething with jealousy. I know its innapropriate to talk about this on a family blog but we met on the main street of Newcastle and went to my friends house that night. This will be the first that mum and dad have heard about this, so in advance, sorry mum!
Lacho the sporto
Monica and I helped out on another film clip on the weekend attended by none other than the Sydney chapter of the Jim Beam girls! I forgot to get a picture with me but took some with some of the other members of the cast.
I had a bit of an adventure getting here. As you may be aware there has been extensive flooding in England, and a small monsoon hit as I was attempting to leave London. All services to the north of London were delayed or cancelled, and Paddington Station resembled a U.N. food drop, with stranded travellers competing physically for the few available trains. The only way to get a seat was to mob the information boards, where they were announcing the platform that the trains were departing from 2 minutes prior to departure. As soon as the platform was announced, there was a mad scramble to get there, which involved hurdling other commuters, quite a feat if you have a large back-pack, a handbag full of books, a ukelele and a beer. I would have prefered to be killed in the stampede rather than pay for a nights accommodation in London, so I managed to get a "seat", straddling a set of golf clubs and an aged Pakistani lady. My destination was the hamlet of East Hendred, on route to Oxford, where a mate is working and living in the local pub. Unfortunately the train station was completely flooded and the train was unable to stop. I got off one station later and walked in the flogging rain in the general direction of somewhere until I got to the middle of nowhere, which luckily has a tavern in it. The tavern was full of other wet and bewildered people, and i managed to flag a lift, driving through almost submerged villages, (blow up boats down the high street etc) and got to the pub a mere 7 hours after my e.t.a. People criticize English food but I have never been so happy to see a rack of lamb and a mountain of mashed potato in my life. Trains after that were completely cancelled, and Joe had to come and rescue me. (Thanks Joe) Not so lucky were the motorists on the M5, who were forced to sleep in their cars overnight.
Xavier is the best looking, wittiest and most physically powerful baby I have ever met. Along with Lachie and Sally. And I've heard Maisie is no slouch.
This is the Bodleian Library, they have 7 million books, 7 million and one including the new Harry Potter. My fly is undone in this picture, but hopefully you cant quite see that.
The most celebrated moment in Australian politics took place here in Oxford when Bob Hawke downed a yard glass in world record time. So proud.....so, so proud.......jpg)
Nick and I texted Annika from the outskirts of Melbourne hoping she new how to get the heater working on her Camry that Nick is borrowing/destroying while she is away (he wrecked his). Her reply, "Hahahahahhahaha". So no heater. She said she had a blanket in the back for just such an occasion so Nick and I rugged up in double hoodies and blankets for the trip. The photos make it look like we are Antartic explorers, gangster style.
4 hours later....
This is Mount Hutt. It is my local ski slope, its about an hour and half drive from Christchurch and so for the first time since Ive been going up the mountain snowboarding i decided i would take a few photos. Unfortunatly the conditions for the two days i just went boarding for were far to good to think about getting a few snaps so you are basically left with this one of the mountain from the car, the following one of the goats track.
There were plenty of thrills and a lot of spills, as you can see the conditions were good, good snow and heaps of clear skies, however with only two lifts open we had to sort our way through the conjestion on the trails leading to the chair lifts, the ski patrol were out in force and Giles and I received several verbal lashings from the ski patrol about boarding to fast through the crowds, bad luck for the ski patrol who could never seem to catch us.
