the one where I see if Dad is reading this

An exciting day today. Had an interview with another temping agency. By lunchtime they'd invited me for one interview on Thursday and had sent my CV for another. Even though Wayne Swan announced public service cuts today...


Then tonight we had a storm, which started off as heavy rain and developed into hail. Usually we park our (borrowed - thanks Dad!) car outside, as the garage space is a bit small. However, M's great parking got the car to safety once the hail stones started to get bigger. 

10/10 for parking

M took this one

A preliminary examination shows no damage to the car. Unfortunately we can't say the same for M's tomato plants, which had been coming along nicely. Now they have been shredded. 

serious coffee

Had a fun lunch outing today meeting new members of M's family - cousins recently married off.  Also got in a bit of pool practice in preparation for Christmas.

Our other exciting news was that today we finally purchased a coffee grinder so we can use some of the Thai coffee beans we purchase on hols. M did the research so we have one that performs a 'conical burr' - which apparently is the best cutting action to get a uniform grind without burning the beans. I think it would be a great name for a band... and now, live on stage, CONICAL BURR!!!!

soggy

Yesterday's visit to the Botanic Gardens was fun, although it was too wet to walk anywhere but to the cafe and then to the bookshop. Unfortunately the cafe suffers from the location effect - ie, the location is great, therefore the food doesn't have to be - so it isn't. Had a tasty florentine though. I'm looking forward to going back to see the gardens when the weather is better. Rain again today and more catching up with old friends, at breakfast and at dinner. 

chilly

The last couple of days have been a bit chilly - under 20 degrees. I've been hard at work on a job application for a position in the House - Parliament House - which I'm sure would be interesting and I'm sure hundreds of other people think so to. In about two or three months I guess we shall see whether I'm in with a chance. Meanwhile another temping agency would like to interview me - that will be early next week. 


Tomorrow I'm going to the Botanic Gardens with a friend so I might have some photos to post after that. 


PJ Harvey fans, check out this link that M found. Following her winning a British music award she appeared on a breakfast show, on the same morning the British PM was also a guest. The tv presenter asked her what she thought of the government's arts funding policies - and she tells him - only to be cut dead and told to run along to get ready for her song segment. Go Polly! Not sure about that hat though. 

celebrity spotting

Well, I was hoping to have a photo of Princess Mary to post here. I spent most of the day at the National Library and was planning to walk down the road to see Mary and Fred in the afternoon, as the Crown Princely Couple were (was?) going to be at the National Portrait Gallery. And in the past few weeks I've missed Liz, and then BO. But at the appointed time it was raining heavily and I discovered that my celebrity stalking urges were fairly minimal. 


All was wonderful at the library. I love the place. Today I saw the small but lovely Women's Weekly exhibition on Level 4. There is a selection of front covers, expertly chosen. My favourite was one with a model with her face covered by a full face knitted mask - classy. Hopefully you can see it here. The National Library, through its fantastic resource Trove, has most Women's Weekly magazines saved digitally. You can browse the covers collection if you just want to look at pictures.  And if you have any old Women's Weekly magazines, check out the NLA's wish list of missing issues.


So far, this is the only celebrity I've seen in Canberra. 

Oh, and I have seen Michelle Gratan at the airport. 

callistemon = bottle brush

Saturday was perfect weather - around 30 degrees but with a breeze. M and I spent a wonderful afternoon in a friend's spectacular garden enjoying a bbq lunch and plenty of catching up conversation. Then today it was rainy, but not that cold. After a trip to the Fyshwick markets in the morning, it was a great afternoon for working on job applications. The sky cleared in the late afternoon and we took the opportunity to have a lake walk. Good to get some fresh air, even if it was slightly marred by idiot boys throwing a paint tin up from below one of the bridges onto the road and narrowly missing a passing car. 

Also very excited as we've booked tix to see Fleet Foxes in the new year. 

more strange sights

Went for a walk early this morning and saw a scene out of Hitchcock's The Birds - the Australian version. About 50 sulphur crested cockatoos were eating callistemon buds, covering the ground and perched on gates, fences, houses. 

Then later this afternoon, I found a moustache!

More job applications going out today - nothing much coming in. 

POTUS is coming

Nothing much to report. Job applications blah blah blah. Lovely weather. Another great sunset. 

Obviously spending too much time on the web - this excerpt from a story on the ABC website struck me as very, very funny. Who says Canberra doesn't know how to show someone a good time? 


quote: Gary Rake from the National Capital Authority says parts of Canberra will have a distinctly American feel to mark the president's visit.

"We'll be lighting the Kings Avenue tunnel in red white and blue and rather than the striped colour arrangement that we had for her majesty's recent visit this time we'll be lighting the entire hand rail in a single colour," he said.

"The tunnel will be blue for 30 seconds, white for 30 seconds and red for 30 seconds. It'll cycle through the colours." end quote


Well, I hope the president appreciates the effort. 

The full ABC story here

to market, to market

On Saturday we checked out the Murra markets - at Murrumbateman, about 20 minutes out of Canberra. They're on four times a year, so we thought we'd give it a try. It was a very small market, but we did get some good fruit and veg and some plants there. We also saw some baby alpacas. 

Alpacas at the market

On the way home we called into Jeir Creek Winery and used our first Entertainment Book voucher. So far the riesling and the sparkling shiraz are favourites. 

Jeir Creek winery

Jeir Creek winery cellar door

As you can see from the pics, the weather this weekend has been fantastic. This morning we tried out the Jamison markets (mostly trash and treasure, with some fruit and veg too). Lots of stuff and plenty of potential, but no major purchases made today. We then went for a walk around LBG (Lake Burley Griffin), had an affogato, and had a look at the newly opened National Library's Treasures Gallery. 

Lake BG

The promo collateral for the gallery features Patrick White's glasses, but there were many (more) interesting things to see there, including Australia's earliest surviving printed document - a theatre flyer from 1796.

strange sight

I went for a walk this morning and saw... a sofa!

By the end of the day it had been removed - not sure by whom. 


I also went to the Vinnies monster garage sale and bought some bargain winter clothes. I went with a friend (also an experienced op-shopper) who got some great shoes. Definitely worth a look if you are thinking of going. 


On the jobs front, I've applied for one and working on another application for one that sounds very possible. There are more applications due next week for some interesting positions. And the temp agency has put my cv in for a couple of jobs too. 

misty

This morning we awoke to discover our view had disappeared. It looked beautiful and wasn't that cold. We had a walk around the lake before breakfast. The fog still hadn't lifted by 8 am. 

Smiley face stencil, Lake Ginninderra

Yesterday, the bottle brush was attracting crimson rosellas. 

I met a friend for coffee at Silo and had the most incredible peach brulee for morning tea. The place is well known for its superior bakery goods and a bit of attitude. Both up to a high standard this morning. 


I've been looking for an entertainment unit (second hand) and went back for a second look at one I saw at the Salvos at Fyshwick. I'm still undecided but while there picked up a silk skirt and a new rashie ($1 each) and a beautiful vase for just $2. And a book. Just one. If you go there make sure you check out the separate 'bargain basement' downstairs. 

apply now

The weather continues to be excellent. M and I just went for a walk and it's so balmy. I even had a swim this afternoon! Been tackling job applications. Many of the government departments now use Lominger competencies for selection criteria with inspiring headings like 'Achieves results' or 'Communicates with influence.' Of course I'm finding job seeking tremendously enjoyable...

follow the sun

The weather has been fantastic the last couple of days. On Friday I went for a walk around Lake BG with a friend plus pooch. The trees around the lake have grown a lot in the last few years so it looks quite different, and there is a a coffee kiosk lakeside, just down from the flag avenue. We had an affagato there post walk - delicious. 

A chalk art riff on Blue Poles

Then I came home to meet Mr Telstra. The phone here is connected - but not by us - which is causing strange and annoying problems. So no landline as yet. 

stencil art at Ainslie shops

Today we did the markets, including Fyshwick, which was much better than I remembered. Then the usual domestic duties blah blah (bring back the maids!).

The architecture around here is so angular. I'm reminded of Howard Arkley or Jeffrey Smart paintings. There is a particular corner where birds seem to like perching to have a squawk.

news from the bird hide

All is going well. This morning we had a visit from a crimson rosella - at breakfast we often see them, also swamp hens, firetails and blue wrens. 

I had a walk around the lake this morning. The water was very still, which makes for great reflections. I heard a fish slap back into the water. 

I even had time to bake a cake before I went to my interview. Yes, I cooked something!!! I've been inspired by my friend A and by the great kitchen we have now. 

Carrot cake (spelt version)

My interview went well and hopefully I'll hear from them $oon. 

get a job

Now everything is unpacked, I can concentrate on becoming gainfully employed. To start things off, I've got an interview at a temping agency on Thursday. There seems to be a lot of public service jobs around - but there's also plenty of public servants here. Teaching is a slim possibility - public service policy is probably more realistic.