Sunday - Wednesday, August 21 - 24 2011 (diary)

The driveways of both the Mango farm and our neighbour on our East side are running along either side of the NS fence which separates the two properties. Both being unsealed they create a lot of dust during the dry season with quite a lot of comings and goings by car, and with the prevailing Easterly winds this dust always ends up right on top of us.
So the two neighbours decided to seal the driveways. This took place last week under much noise of the various plants, but the result is good. So we have a nice sealed driveway into the property now and no more dust.

I have had to find a new GP here as my previous one left the area. At the recommendation of one of my bridge acquaintances I went to one in nearby Coolalinga this Monday : "Dr.E" I will call him. I was most pleased, it is a great guy and to my delight I discovered during our conversation that he too had lived on Bougainville Island. Dr.E was the GP there in the early 1970s and had just left for Darwin, when we arrived. So I am firmly set with my doctors again.

I also had my regular teeth cleaning and dental checkup. Very painful to the hip pocket this time with three old fillings being replaced, $1300 all up. My car and my teeth are the two most expensive items amongst my regular living expenses.

Politics throughout the Developed World are in dire straights.
In the USA both the Republicans and Democrats appear to have lost all sense of responsibility and Obama has still not put forward any intelligent medium term plan to reduce spending and the huge National debt.

In Europe the most powerful politician, Angela Merkel, who must decide whether to rescue the Euro and how, is squeezed between a rock and a hard place.
Understandably the idealism of the German people concerning a "united Europe" is sorely tested when it is them who must ultimately foot the bill for the irresponsibility of the lackadaisical Southern countries.
(In fact though, they would be rescuing their own banks, as these are the ones that are holding enormous amounts of Government bonds from those countries.)

And in Australia the Government, almost like a cyclone, has been running a meandering path of economic destruction through the entire country.
First it was the booming foreign students education industry (only 5 years ago our third largest export earner) which was largely destroyed, with many schools going to the wall and with serious flow on effects for attendances at our Universities.
Small shops were affected around the country when they were no longer allowed to employ school students for 1 or 2 hours after school, a severe blow to the business owners and students alike.
Then it were the mines under attack, first with a mining tax and now a carbon tax.
Only a few months ago a knee jerk reaction by the Government (stopping all live cattle export overnight, solely on the basis of a single TV documentary and without any consultation with those involved whatsoever) brought disaster to the NT cattle industry and unnecessary financial hardship to numerous hard working farmers.
And now it is poor Tasmania, with a Greens inspired slashing of their timber industry which in due course will have a long term negative economic effect on the entire Tasmanian island.

Thursday - Wednesday, August 25 - 31 2011 (diary)

"Territorians" (people living in Australia's Northern Territory) look for any opportunity to celebrate. Accordingly Christmas is celebrated not once but twice a year, once in December and once during the dry season when it is coolest in the Tropics. So last week the Palmerston Bridge Club held their annual Dry Christmas dinner at The Hub club where we also play bridge.

Betty, a still very active 80 year old, started the Club some 10 years ago, teaching new players over the years. The club is now at its largest with up to 6 or 7 tables more often than not. About 20 players attended the dinner, all meals paid for by the Club.

The Arafura Bridge Club too is holding many socials for their members, and this last Sunday we had a very pleasant twilight gathering at the popular Dripstone Caves beach area, where we watched the tropical sunset while drinking wine and eating various nibbles and a lovely curry as main course. About 15 of us were present.
The spot is much favoured by many Darwinites. It is only a 5 minutes drive from my son Jeroen's place, so he and his wife Lisa too go there quite regularly.

The eight people in adjacent photo all have two things in common : they come from different continents and/or have roamed around the world, and they all love and are most comfortable and happy to live here in magical Darwin.

(Fltr) Dev has roamed the world for many years as a merchant marine, likewise has Paul as a statistician for UNESCO. Anne-Marie grew up in Paris and the Provence which she still visits frequently, just like Marie-Jo, who is a native from French Mauritius and still owns a house there. Well, you know me, "Mr. Restless" himself.

Bill stems from Canada and Robin from Sweden, who just has returned from the holiday cottage he owns on one of the islands there. Pat is also just back from a tour through Canada, USA and Hawaii. She loved Hawaii, but is oh so glad to be back here she tells me.
So I feel I am lucky to have found this bunch of people with whom I have a distinct attitude towards life in common. They are great company to be with.