Most of my postings here involve female persons so it must be time that I posted on something else: My first year living in Cairns 1956 was a rather good year for me. I was 13 and in the final year of primary school. The family moved to Cairns from Innisfail half way through the year. It was just after my father's father (Jack Ray) had died and we went to live in the house formerly rented by him. It was a half-house at Stratford, an outer suburb of Cairns. We were on the main road and a railway line ran on the other side of the road. It was in the days of rent control and Jack had been giv ..read more

Small things make a difference when you are as disabled as I am... I got up at 8am after a good night's sleep; Around 9:30am Jenny and I had a good breakfast at Buranda; I had my usual Calamari and their excellent iced coffee and Jenny had smoked salmon Then was the big triumph. I managed to go shopping at Woolworths. I bought some fruit and some frozen food; then next we went to Vinnies and I asked if they had any ladies' watches. I wanted to give Z another one. But they did not have one I liked I then went home and promptly had a big nap, which I enjoyed Now it is lunchtime and I am hop ..read more

It's not easy to access online so I thought I would make it easier The Misfit By C.Day. Lewis At the training depot that first morning When the west-country draft came forth on parade — Mechanics, labourers, men of trade Herded with shouts like boneheaded cattle — One stood out from the maul Who least of them all Looked metal for killing or meat for the butchery blade. He wore a long black cutaway coat Which should have been walking by blackthorn-fleeced Hedges to church; and good as a feast Was the spare, wild face much weather had flavoured. A shepherd or ploughman I thought ..read more

The article below has some reasonable suggestions but I have my own way https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/love-thy-neighbour-what-to-do-when-you-can-t-stand-who-s-next-door-20240408-p5fi62.html I once had some young people move in next door and they liked their music loud. I called on them and asked them to tone it down. I also mentioned smilingly that we both had equal rights about playing music. When nothing changed, I dealt with it promptly. I put my HiFi speakers on the window sill nearest to them and promptly played Janacek's Sinfonietta through them -- loudly. W ..read more

My sudden inspiration to write an ode called up an amusing memory from 1965 when I was a student in the English Dept. at the University of Qld. It was in English I which was heavily populated by student teachers, who had to do that subject as a course requirement for their teaching diploma. So, as it turned out, I was the only real literary enthuiast in my tutorial group. I was there because I wanted to be. My tutor was a "Mrs Curry", who was a very good looking woman who undoubtedly made Mr Curry happy by having a part-time job. And she too was a genuine literary enthusiast. So we got on we ..read more

I get a LOT of skin cancers so I have a skin clinic where I regularly go and am well-known. But today was a surprise. I was attended to by TWO doctors, who also happen to be married to one another. I get on well with Rupert and extra well with Penny, who is a lovely lady in every sense of that term. It was actually Rupert who sprayed my bad bits while Penny watched. So why was that? My guess is that it was Rupert's last consultation of the day and Penny was simply waiting for him to finish. It was all very pleasant ..read more

I had lunch with an old friend of journalism fame today and was pleased when he recognized my reference to my "runcible spoon". It rather encouraged a revival of my literary inclinations. So what did I do? I wrote an ode! I think it is even Pindaric Ode to Z O heart who does just what she will regardles of restraints and does so without complaints Of her I n'er will have my fill I think between us there is a glue of strange but strong content that never once was meant but keeps us close and true ..read more

Answering that question runs into a lot of difficulties over definition. For reference, I give the Mayo definition of both conditions below * Autism spectrum disorder is a condition related to brain development that impacts how a person perceives and socializes with others, causing problems in social interaction and communication. The disorder also includes limited and repetitive patterns of behavior. * Antisocial personality disorder, sometimes called sociopathy, is a mental health condition in which a person consistently shows no regard for right and wrong and ignores the rights and feeli ..read more

Although I have no metaphyical beliefs, I sometimes call myself a Christian beause I try to live a Christian life. I do get rewards when I do the Christian thing in a situation. It's rather wonderful how often and sometimes how promptly kind, forgiving and generous behavior is rewarded I will mention just one small and rather amusing example of such an occasion. I was working in a Real Estate office many years ago when a salesman began abusing for something I had said. In reply I said: "Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa". I accepted blame in accordance with Matthew chapter 5 but I did it in Latin ..read more

I probably should not put this up as it is a sort of boasting and boasting is never wise. But it is too amusing to remain unmentiond. When I was teaching at the university of NSW, I was also in my spare time doing rather a lot of property renovations. It was mainly a hobby for me. I liked to see how much better I could make a run-down property look. And it did increase the amount of rent I could ask. But it did make some perfectly legal tax breaks available to me. So much so that in some years I paid no income tax I then did something that most people do not know you can do. I wrote to the ..read more