Dont tell Anastasia Beaverhausen but we did dip our collective toes in the travel whirlpool this month and spent last weekend in Toowoomba. Main attraction was a sadly rare opportunity to see the 6 pack all in one place. And they were Full Strength, none of that woosy Lite stuff 🙂 We spent two nights at our go to B&B “Wanulla” which has sadly gone now too! Perhaps they thought they should now close down and leave it as a shrine to our visit but they are getting out of the B&B caper in August. Covid restrictions already meant a 2 night minimum which worked out well actually. Toowoomba is certainly opening back up and we were able to get a beer at the Ark AKA Fitzys where you had to enter and sit 2 x 2 like some rare almost extinct species which to be fair is not far from the truth. Then we had a superb dinner at Sofras across the road. One could say it was a Turkish Delight. I’m here all weekend try the Baba Ganoush
Next day then we decamped at Number One Sons abode for the day and mingled and jingled. The kids are all a delight of course as they have inherited my carefree nature and general good humour just with a dash of sarcasm. Its always wonderful to see cousins get along so well and play together when they dont see each other all that often. Jess is a bit outnumbered but did have one big fan
Another very pleasant and quiet night at Wanulla before another sumptious breakfast and on the road to Maryhole via Flashman Inc at Sunny Coast. Time then to get back into the golf routine of the mostly work and some play variety. Oddly still stuck on a handicap of 7 which aint helping my wallet too much. It is great to be and about though on glorious days like these. Also great to have the PGA back on the TV especially with no moronic Yank in the crowd screaming out “get in the hole” when someone drives off the PAR 5 10th….
Speaking of morons. Where does one start? Australia is/has done well for a number of reasons whereas many countries have done woefully for usually two reasons – poor leadership and moronic behaviour – a dangerous, yet common occurrence. Two comments struck a chord with moi this week
“If you don’t like wearing a mask you won’t like wearing a ventilator “
” It appears the US is working towards making sure there is no second wave by ensuring first wave never ends”
It is easy to stay with US because of Buffoon Bob but UK is no better really. Crowds flock to the beach on a warm day and leave behind 40 tonne of rubbish while parking anywhere they feel like or they run into the streets to celebrate a football accomplishment
The USA situation is of course coloured by the constant dribble from BBs mouth. Talk about a person in denial. I did love the graphic by the Daily Show which shows the situation in all its simplicity
Trumps current approach about the alarming increase in positive cases is that they are testing more and he seriously wants to reduce the number of tests done to reduce the number of positives! Though moronic in origin there is a simple truth to the premise and that is about all his followers can absorb so nod one of their two heads sagely to his calming words.. Trump is itching to open all states so that he can get the rallies going again and economy heading in the right direction before November. Of course this is 2020 and things are not always in your control. The efforts by many to sabotage the Tulsa Rally were brilliant in planning and execution. Its not too often you see Trump look defeated even if it is a feeling he should start practising. His return from rally put to music was a perfect summary of the impact of a disastrous rally
If we now move on to first world problems then we see that this is having a significant impact on my personal travel plans. Pulled plug on October Las Vegas visit but was quietly confident that Feb 2021 in NYC would be a given. Not so sure now after Joyce comments about Qantas not returning to international flights until July 2021. Of course it is the politician in him that paints the grim picture to try and get more Government help now and also to keep expectations so low that if somehow flights return before that he seems like a genius. Of course it also means that “Call Me Bwana 2” is seriously in doubt. Mind you I do hear the Mohave desert is quite pleasant this time of year so that could be one way to boost my FF miles. I have a short stint in Sydney in August – if borders open! – and maybe CLP and I can get to Victoria in October. After that who knows. Its not that life is not pretty good at present but man the prospect of another February spent in Maryhole rather than making snow angels in NYC is depressing. In a relative way natch. I genuinely fear any future USA visit whether next year or 2525 will never be the same again. I feel a song coming on
In TV land there is plenty to choose from but you need to run the sliderule over some. Harlan Cobens latest The Woods was woeful and the continued excellence of his books is only matched by the continued woefulness of all adaptations. Yellowstone is a pleasant surprise and just hope it doesnt become Dallas 2 unless Victoria Principal appears in the shower again with jugs on full alert. Billions is the usual guilty pleasure. Once a week you escape to the decadent depravity of the super rich but without the odd little family of Succession as a necessary attachment. There has been a run of great 30 for 30 docos of late and also the excellent 2 parter on Laurel Canyon music
In sports land the return of PGA is great and have been 3 great courses so far with none better than the Travellers this week. You cant beat a great short Par 4 like the 15th and of course the field is chock full of top players, mostly COVID 19 Negative:) Roosters look a shoo in for Number 3 barring more injuries like last night while Broncs need to merge with Titans and Cowboys to make one hopeless team that only disappoints once a week rather than 3 times…..
flashman181 