Thursday Thirteen No. 13: Yasi

Tropical Cyclone YASI hitting the Far North Queensland coastline... Stay safe!

1. Premier Anna Bligh, simply amazing with all of the natural disasters you've had to face so far this year...

   QLD Premier Anna Bligh & PM Julia Gillard
2. 7.31am A baby has girl has been born in a Cairns evacuation centre. She arrived at 6.09am (AEST) after her mother Akiko Pruss went into labour three hours ago in the first aid room of Redlynch State College. Mrs Pruss has made it clear her second child will not be called Yasi.
3. Tropical Cyclone Yasi approaching the Queensland Coast...

   TC Yasi
4. "It is just a scene of mass devastation. (Cyclone) Larry was a boy compared to this." Larry was Australia's most recent Cyclone, the largest since Tracy hit Darwin.
5. TC Yasi overlaying the United States to show just how BIG it is...

   TC Yasi (overlay to compare size to USA)
6. "It is just a scene of mass devastation. (Cyclone) Larry was a boy compared to this."
7. Satellite map of TC Yasi...

   Satellite map yasi 12-30am QLD time
8. The VERY DESTRUCTIVE CORE of the cyclone will take up to 4 hours to pass.
9. Showing strength in the line of TC Yasi

   Good luck North Queensland Yasi
10. DESTRUCTIVE winds with gusts in excess of 125 km/h between Cape Tribulation and Ayr will spread inland overnight.
11. Shopping Center becomes a 'make-shift' safe house for the local communities

    Earlville shopping centre
12. Reports are coming in that all banana crops have been lost and over $505 million worth of sugar cane is also gone.
13. Banana crops ruined...

    Ruined Bananas

Hoo roo for now...

Source of images and selected text: - News.com.au

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WW N0. 43 - Trains

Taken on a recent heritage train trip to Bomaderry (Nowra)

CPH 1 & 7 Central Berry

Berry Point Handles

Berry Points

New & Old

Hoo roo for now...

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House is 'coming along' slowly...

OK, so I know I've been slack lately with blogging, but I HAVE been a tad busy!

You will remember, that the house has had some major work done, (repoint and re tuckpointed on the facade). Here is a little more of a 'tease' as I want to get ALL of the painting done, and then do a big reveal! This will (knowing my upcoming trips) most likely be either my birthday in March OR the end of March at the latest!

House OLD 'v' NEW colours

I've also been busy with a trip to Nowra on the South Coast on an old CPH Railmotor, Brisbane for a day of spotting with J and met up with M, 20/20 Cricket games (NSW v Tasmania & NSW v QLD) with B & J (and Co...) as well just for good measure!

Nowra on a CPH Railmotor

The day started early, having to be at Central Station 8am. The old Railmotors, built in 1923, were restored beautifully and faithfully, except for the 'long drop' toilets are now no longer dispensing to the tracks below, as opposed to being enviro friendly today! There was a fair amount of 'rocking and rolling' as we had a top speed of 80klm. It was also rather noisy, as there wasn't much in the way of insulation for sound, but it was a great noise! The trip took us out from Central to Waterfall, down the escarpment via Helensburgh to Thirroul and through Wollongong. We briefly stopped at Bombo Beach just before Kiama and then onto Bomaderry (Nowra) where we had lunch at the local RSL Club. Thanks S&L for including me on this day trip, I had a ball!

Tickets

CPH 1 & 7 Central Berry

Drivers

Rounding for Bombo

Trip to Brisbane for some spotting

I spent Australia day with a mate, J, and his dad, D up in Brisbane. We also teamed up with N who flew in from Newcastle and some local spotters up there as well, M works with J but at the Brisbane airport! We did some spotting, but alas, these photos are still on laptop, so I will need to process and upload as soon as I can. The day will get a post in its entirety, as I had a great day, as I think we all did! Thanks J for the trip, I owe you one!! :)

20/20 Big Bash Cricket

Now I know that some people just do NOT understand the laws of cricket, and I am not about to tell you how its played. It is easier to watch a game and see it, rather than be confused as to its play. Having said that, this version, 20/20, is a recent incarnation of the game, and these two games are the Domestic version of it! Both games, I went with J & D (and co...), B &R and M. We had dinner up in the Members Gold Dinning Room, and then sat in the Members seating area which has a particularly good vantage point! On the NSW v TAS game, I did not take my camera, but I took it to the NSW v ACT ladies match and following them was the NSW v QLD game. There was a little bit of entertainment between games, and being an old curator myself, I watched the pitch repairs and rolling! It was, both nights, a great outing, and I can't wait to go again! Thanks to all involved!!

ACT v NSW Womens

ACT v NSW Women's

Pitch Maintenance

NSW v QLD Men Usman bowled

Pitch Maintenance

What a way to watch cricket

ANZ Stadium (4 pic panorama)

Hoo roo for now...

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Repoint/Tuckpoint complete

Today, I had one HELL of a headache, and didn't make it into work it was that bad. Having said that, I spent most of the day either in the house (with air con on in lounge room) or in bed sleeping... It was another hot day in old Sydney town! At one point, I woke up in a sweat that was, simply, horrid! Sorry if this was TMI!

Anyway, this is going to be a quick post due to me being tired, so here are some photos, the reason why it needed to be done, a progress photo (or two) and then some of the completed work (both repoint and tuckpoint)! I will have to wait though to do a full shot, as I need to mow lawn LOW, fertilise and water in to make the garden look a lot better as it has had a bit of a trudging this last week and a bit!

I am SO happy with the work from Guliano from the Brick Pointing Team! I am MORE than happy to recommend!

Reason to repoint

Garage Side

Acidwash Pressure Clean

Repointed

Taped Up

Tuckpointing

Tape Removal

Garage Taped Up

Taped Up

Hoo roo for now...

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Work programs... Starting and finishing!

This week, sees the starting of a major works program at home, whilst it bring the finish of another. It had been a long time coming for me, and finally, a yard upgrade that is finished for a friend!

On Monday, the re-pointing and tuck-pointing of the house started. I first got a quote done for this way back in Feb/March of 2009. It was an on again off again due to other commitments. However, in November, I committed to it and I got the call from the tradesman saying he was going to start! So, on Monday, he took to the mortar lines with an angle grinder and ground out about 10-155mm or so of the old lime mortar. It was going to be a two day job, but it was done in the day (soft mortar) but he did finish at around 7.30pm!

Tuesday, the garage side wall was re-pointed in an off white mortar. This took the day, and Wednesday and Thursday, was the area along the other side of the house along the second bedroom in the same off white, as a decision was to be made if I was to have from the facade to the entrance door, tuck-pointed. You see, most early Californian Bungalows have a 'front door' but in my case, it is a door that is to the side of the house. So the facade (Garage, bay window and veranda around the corner) was of a slightly different brick, a face brick, with matching common bricks elsewhere. This was very typical of the period (1927) of the home. BUT, I am not sure about returning it to a tuck-point, and having a very distinct change where the entrance door is. The areas that are getting tuck-pointed, has a brown mortar instead of the off white, but then gets taped up and a very fine white line is put on. It is very much a dieing art and trade! Anyway, here are the pics I quickly grabbed the other day:

Garage Side

Facade pre tuck-point

Facade pre tuck-point Bay Window

Also, before Christmas, I helped plan and coordinate a friends backyard makeover. He did the bulk of the design, I just helped it come to fruition! It was fun spending HIS money for once !!! lol Anyway, his spa was installed prior to Christmas and yesterday, the shade structure was installed. So his makeover is now finished! He is SO happy with it, me too just quietly, and the yard is now very much a usable space for entertaining (not to mention, having a spa as well)! He's having family down on Wednesday, they don't know its been done, and he is very excited! Here are some pics of his place:

Frank's Spa

Frank's Spa

Frank's Spa & Sundeck

Hoo roo for now...

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Queensland flooding...

UPDATE 12/01/2011: 75% of Queensland is now declared as flood affected, which is TWICE as big as Texas, and over FIVE times larger than the United Kingdom...

This recent flooding up in Queensland, is so devastating that words can simply not say how bad it really is... Here is a collection of footage, and images I have sourced to highlight JUST how bad it is. Some areas are under 20m of flood water! Its been claimed that the area of Queensland under flood conditions, is bigger than France and Germany combined!

Toowoomba, at over 700m ABOVE sea level, had over 300mm rain in a 24 hour period alone. Here is some footage, and some photos...

Queensland floods 2011

Toowoomba flood 2011

Toowoomba Floods

Toowoomba Floods

Toowoomba Floods

Hoo roo for now...

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Going to a Nursery and NOT spending, yeah right!!

Today, I went up to Flower Power at Glenorie, mainly to look for some pot feet and wind chimes for a mate, and I went with the intention to NOT, I repeat NOT spend a cent... Ok, I didn't, instead, I spent $137!!!

When we were walking through the homewares section, I spotted some cushions, I liked them and thought they would look good on the lounge... Luckily, they were on special, 50% off, so I got them and on top of this, there was an additional 8% trade discount using my trade card!!! So it was a bonus!!!

Lounge Before/After

Lounge Chair Before and After

Needless to say, they didn't have the right pot feet we were after, and by the end of the day, I went to two other Flower Powers (Moorebank x 3 & Bass Hill x 1) to get them.

Hoo roo for now...

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