January 3...

The loneliness of the trudge to work on a blustery, cold, dark and wet London winter's morning.

Richmond Bridge.River Thames.  8.02am. 

January 2...

A walk alongside the Thames River on a clear and crisp London winter's morning to retrieve the car from  previous evening's dinner party. Surely the end of the festive season is upon us! I think I have written a cheque too many that the body can cash.

River Thames. Twickenham. 11.15 am

January 1 , 2012

The first day of the new year. A cold and wet afternoon spent on the couch nursing a hangover watching old western musical classics such as the 1954 production of ''Seven brides for seven brothers '' followed by a 2 hour special on ''Morecambe and Wise''. 

Napoleon St. 1.45pm 

p.s. 

Who the f*** invented Jagermiester ? Let alone who thought it a great drink to imbibe at dinners end.

The purity of winter

There is something almost poetically pure about the crispness of a winters morning. Perhaps it's the lack of foliage on tree's that strips nature bare, leaving nothing to be hidden. Or is it the stillness and ensuing fog that evokes a sense of calm amidst the din of a major city? Whatever it is there are very few more beautiful and simplistic ways to start the day than a brisk walk in December through the parklands of London.

River Thames shrouded in mist

Richmond Bridge over the River Thames

The morning chore of walking the dog goes on regardless of the weather

The sun begins its short journey for the day

And on the 7th day...

as the great man sat there admiring his work of the previous 6 days with a take away Thai meal on is lap and a DVD titled ''Geelong Cats greatest AFL highlights'' on his TV he would have thought to himself..

'' What can I create to drink that would compliment this meal perfectly. Something that will go down in the history books as a truly great bottle of plonk ?''

Thus into creation was born

aka - Mothers Milk

You know you are back in Australia when....

you see an originally named bottle of wine with endearing subtitle like this

The road signs read like this

There is unique fare on the restaurant menu

Birds like this land on your balcony

and birds like this squawk at you from atop an eucalypt branch

There are signs like this in the local park

and the local flora is originally named..in this instance..''Bottle Brush''


God bless Australia. You have to love it. There isn't another place like it on the planet.

A penny for their thoughts

Cat - ''Just wait until they go out for dinner tonight..then you are allll mine

Fish - Where the F**K is the emergency exit ?!!??