Tim

I really enjoy the curling too. Plus, I can’t turn down an opportunity to watch Mattia Giovanella… not only is he just adorable, he has great Italian flag shoes.

Stan… pfft… more like Scam.

The free to air coverage of the Winter Olympics in Australia is atrocious.

It’s 50% ads, 40% self indulgent montages, chat and circle jerk… and at most 10% sport.

They then say to subscribe to Stan for full coverage (which needs an additional subscription on top for access to sport). Yeah, nah.

Maybe I’m just on edge after what happened in B*ndi but the amount of “unofficial” (read illegal) fireworks going off in the Gong after NY is stressing me out. I don’t begrudge anyone any fun but if you can get such large scale “unofficial” fireworks so easily for NYE… I worry about worse motives.

A glade in the Upper Shoalhaven River. A patch of grass in front of the river, shaded by some willow trees.

Sandstone rocks in the foreground and a pool in the stretch of river.

Found a lovely little glade and “beach” down on the river.

Looking out over a steel walkway towards Mount Kosciuszko and the main range

Lake Cootapatamba below a ridge with a streak of snow still just below the ridge line

Merry Kosciuszko!

Me: “Australia isn’t the cliché you think it is.”

Also me: Arrive at my dad’s and have to move on a red-bellied black snake who’s taken up residence under his front door.

Sydney airport is up there with Paris CDG as one of the worst, to be fair. But… they both have trains… to make an easy escape from the horrors of those airports. Melbourne airport is *actually* good.

Melbourne airport is better than Sydney airport. There. I said it. (But you guys need a train!)

Plate with six oysters arranged around a bowl of shallot vinegar

Three scampi on top of a plate of paccheri

See also why I love Melbourne.

Italian focaccia in a shop window

A sign saying no negroni without Campari above many bottles of Campari

I’m in Melbourne so… naturally… feeding my face.

Bloody hell. I have no words.

I literally went one place and overheard what I dreaded: awful opinions about what happened last night. I left before I shouted at them. We’re talking about people’s actual lives, it isn’t just the political battering ram for your conspiracist agenda.

The Lyonnaise waitress at our Christmas party came back twice to ask if I was sure I wasn’t French, as I spoke French without an accent. Now that’s a compliment I can take.

I can definitely get behind any fry up or cake tasting content. 😋

Happy birthday! 🥳 (At that time of night, can’t even tell if they’re hot scaffolders)

I saw that on my train this morning. As if there weren’t enough reasons to hate 3+2 seating…

There’s not much better than blasting Italian pop from a car while zipping through the suburbs. There were a few people at bus stops who I’m sure wish they were with us.

It’s such a good film! I also came to it late and wondered how I had waited so long.

A magpie just flew past me and swooped the cyclist who passed far too close to me. I’ve always liked the magpies.

I think it will forever be linked inextricably to that time… my own personal time capsule, I guess. There was love, there was hurt, there was discovery, there was redemption but I’m glad it was there in my life at that time.

Made a 700km round trip today to a place where I spent some formative years of my life (it’s where I had my first love and first heartbreak) and it’s startling how much it’s changed. I guess all things move on - the people who made it special, the places we went, and … well, me.

Shouldn’t even be a question. It’s a yes from me.

A turntable, the design looks like a slice of mortadella.

As per usual office day, I have ended up at the pub and missed the last train home. But… my mate has a mortadella turntable and comfortable lounge. 👌

Happy birthday @niallfulton.uk! 🥳

Oops, I just gave it air time.

The Tigers came through with a win against a top side. Now can we put the Galvin saga behind us? I’d rather enjoy the win without giving this “vendetta” (which probably doesn’t even exist) any more air time.

I love so many of your picks but I feel like O Jardim and Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein deserve a special mention. I think I’d have gone Go_A for the 20/21 double, personally.

Happy birthday! 🥳

They were scrappy, they were rough but Adam Doueihi brings Leichhardt magic! Go Tigers!