Supper and the partition of India

Well, I took the crab bisque and added the fresh broad beans (fava beans) to it (still no rhubarb) and some cubed fillets of leatherjacket (the ideal fish for this as it doesn't fall apart if slightly overcooked) and served it to B for her 'tea' (AKA supper) with big crusty flaps of home-made Olive oil and rosemary bread. It was a delicious complex of flavours, with the slight sweetness (and the richness) of the crab contrasted by the beans (which have a 'green' and mild nutty flavour). The fish just absorbs tastes so it merely something solid that was neither bean nor bread (nor good red herring).

I'm sort of fiddling with the universe for the steampunk thing and so as India was such a major aspect of the British Empire, had Dr Biren helping me plot an alternate history breakup of the Indian subcontinent, with more of a look at how things might have fallen out had the Brits not being busy with divide and rule. Fascinating excercise (if you are an Alternate History / Science Fiction writer)

We had 40 knot gusts today - I was really glad not to be at sea. The easterly actually blew the outside rocking couch thing right over - not happened before. The sea was all the colours of yuck, and full of wild white horses

sinking, sinking, black ink over the nose...

Or something like that. Anyone recognising the quote have 10 brownie points. Anyway, in this case I merely refer to my attempts to make ball sinkers (or egg sinkers as Quilly would call them). Lesson 1. heat the mould. lesson 2 - do not forget to pull out the wire. Lesson 3 - put on gloves. Lesson 4 - try for lots of patience. If I recall correctly doing this with my dad, he had a blowtorch and a pouring ladle - which could make life easier. The darn lead kept setting in the pouring hole (ergo, heat the mould). Anyway, I managed 8 sinkers in about 8 tries. Mr Efficiency, that's me (the mould makes 4 per time). It's a learning curve and it did use up some bigger damaged sinkers.

We took the dogs down to long point - Wednesday and Roly. Poor Puggles had to stay behind and he cried. I did some thrownetting and caught a goby. Go me. We also collected some of the little ribbed mussels (which are small) and grow in huge beds on the sand. Taste Okay, just a lot of them to very little meat. I also turned over rocks and collected little crabs (and I mean little - 2-3 inches across) which i have made into a crab bisque, with some fennel, leeks, garlic, onions, tomato, parsley and thyme and a carrot (did I use everything that was available and pretend I planned it that way? Hmm. You're close. But I didn't put in broad beans, snow peas, brocolli, beets silverbeet, or lettuce. Or sage or marjoram. Or Rhubarb.)

I took Puggles (and his cruciate) for a very short walk on the nearby beach. Poor boy, He did so enjoy it, and he was OK on the leash. It's easier when the others aren't there.

Our dog-tucker roo supplier brought us more roo (wallaby) and showed me how to debone them. It'll take me a bit of practice... at the moment there is way too much meat left on the bones for me to approve.

Oh and I managed 1000 words worth of a short story, which may even be saleable one day for our writers group. So there is the black ink.

Cabin Fever

Wind or work or flying pork rolls I think I need to get out tomorrow morning. It's horrible tonight, blowing and wuthering out there. But I am getting serious cabin fever, and had to kill the same section in the story 3 times today. (Because it bored me. It didn't work. I have a low tolerance for boring). I thought I'd do some sinker casting (making them) - but got a couple of visitors... so that went by board. And then concience got me back to my desk. It didn't do me a lot of good but it got me here.

Out of Africa

We had a relief sister - nursing at the multipurpose center - brought out to introduce to us here. She's from Kenya (so we must know each other, we're all from Africa). We got talking about Africa - The lady who brought her around sat there with her eyes out on stalks. The realities of HIV and things like the flying toilets and ideas like widow marriage were a bit of a shock. It was obviously nice though for her to talk about Africa with people who had been there, because she joined us at the Scottish dancing (Which had its token representative from every continent there). It was probably the worst attended night we've had which was a pity, but, ah, we made up for it in chaos. I've got on with the book a bit, and in sheer exasperation paid telstra 35 cents. Yes, you all remember the faulty 3G internet thing that got sent back to them, which I eventually got refunded for, and of course they then kept harassing me to pay for, (meanwhile I have replacement which is paid for) and how I eventually got them to back off back with threats of the Telecoms ombudsman? Well, they sent me final demand threatening letter... for 36 cents. For a piece of equipment that was returned to them, for which they refunded me in full, for which if anyone owes anything they owe me. Well, calling them would cost me money, and time so I decided 36 cents in small change was easier. Yeah i know. Giving in. Anyway the PO rounds off the amounts and ergo, I paid 35 cents.
I bet I get a final demand bill for 1 cent next month.

Tour de Flinders

There is a cycle race around our island. I am putting this up really too late for anyone to plan to come over this year as it is on 7 November, but for next year, put it on your calendar as a time to get over here and enjoy a ride.

We even have a cyclist this year, who has ridden in the Tour de France, coming to take part in our race here on the island. It will be quite a change of scene for him, I reckon.

I am looking forward to being a keen spectator!

Pilgrims's progress group

Now, I don't do comittees any more. I try not to anyway. Yes I've been on and been chairman, and secretary and dogsbody for eveything from the kids Scouts to Uni mountain club to various school things. I conclude I'm not very patient or terribly tactful as I've never quite figured out that people are not Sherman tanks. I like people (well, in small numbers and not infinite doses) but I lack my co-author Eric's ability to tell people that really they're wrong and actually this will work better, in such a way that they do something totally weird... like listen and bizarrely, agree.

For me a good committee has 2 things. 1)an Egg-timer. 2)A chairman who is Attilla the Hun in his spare time.

But anyway, I got drawn into a meeting / committee on ways to try and help our island progress -- well, keep its population and keep its essential services (like the school). We met tonight, and they need the egg-timer;-). Still, it's interesting to see the ideas. And because my life is dependent on the internet, and we need young families (for whom this is probably one of the best places on earth to raise children, at least to certain age) I asked about the idea that some places with shrinking populations have applied -- to go wireless and cheap/free broadband for their town, to draw internet-related businesses there. People seemed to think it a good concept. Anyone out there had anything to do with this?

And I got to meet a lot of people, some of whom I really wanted to meet (the headmistress -she's a champion) and the Olive growers to name two. And Bill, who I have promised to take to catch squid.

Time..

Today, I was working, but went home for lunch. We live out of town, on the same side as the school. After eating, I had half an hour left, and needed some shopping. I drove to town, fetched a parcel, drew money at the bank counter (we do not have an ATM) filled two containers and the ute with petrol, did the grocery shopping, went to the newsagent for our bi-weekly paper and still made it back to work with 1 minute to spare to sign in!

I am so happy living in a small place. Oh, and I dropped the milk at home on the way back so that it would not go off in the car!!