daddy-fu’s Neighborhood

From the always dedicated baddogwhiskas over on Flickr.

The streets in Enmore are now a touch scarier.

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We went to Narracoorte Caves in South Australia over the Anzac Day long weekend (that's around April 25). Loaded the car up with kids and camping gear and drove 500-odd km to wander through some pretty cool limestone caves that have lots of fossils of now extinct megafauna (marsupials in particular).

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And we went on some tours of the caves, and did an adventure cave tour (first time for us all) which was nifty getting the overalls and helmet with a light on to go crawling through little spaces. I put some pictures of the caves on my flickr page, and reflecting on that made me realise just how many photos of caves I must have, and how little i can tell them apart. When I was a kid we used to go to lots of caves around the place - my dad is into them but it also might have been the weekend access keep the kids entertained thing as well, which is good too.

Can people distinguish between caves when photos have been taken? I might have to get a compare and contrast thing going on by scanning some old pics in and trying to remember where they were taken.

Anyway, here are some views of Narracoorte Caves.

We camped while we were there - it rained most of the time, but fortunately we were underground most of the day. there is also a bat colony - at sunset we went for a walk and found a (fenced off) opening to a huge cathedral-like cavern and stood there for ages just listening to the swooshing of the bat's wings as they flew past our ears. The noise was surprisingly soft and delicate sounding, which really makes sense now that I think about it. If you are down that way - check it out. There are also _lots_ of vineyards.

It's back into winter here - and we have had a miserable few days with hail and rain, and now a very soggy backyard, though it's not very PC to whinge about that, is it now? So on to more positive vibes.

The winter planting has happened - the sugar snap peas are sprouting (pics to be added), and seedlings of leeks, fennel and onions (brown, white and red) have been planted. There is also a lovely crop of Cos and red minuet lettuces, as well as the ubiquitous silverbeet. We have been enjoying Stephanie Alexander's recipe for sauteed silverbeet and parsley - mmm. That's in here if you are looking...

The sole product of the pumpkin vine was harvested - and it's tasty (into pumpkin and fennel soup).

Choco's chokers. I am cleverly diverting attention from Brisbane's capitulation at the hands of a superb Bulldogs last night by pointing you towards a rather good article exploring just why Port Adelaide is like it is. Is it all Mark William's fault?

Vossy is talking up the Lion's chances for a premiership either this year or next and to be honest if they keep playing the way they have been I don't see them getting beaten a lot. The upcoming game in Round 12 against the Bulldogs will be the first real test against a top 4 time since they hit their stride and started putting back to back wins together. Vossy is right the current strategy is all very much about staying in touch for September and if fortune and hard paly favours a top 4 spot. Adelaide looks vulnerable and I can only see the Lions or the 'Pies getting a shot in for that position. Sydney is an outside chance but are far too mecurial to be a sure thing.

More dark madness from the mind of Warren Ellis. Michael Jones is a former spy who was subjected to nasty experimentation as his career descended into alcholism and ineffectiveness. He is subjected to a year without sleep and kind of resents the people who did it to him and their ilk. He now works as a private investigator to the exile ex-Intelligence community that exists in Los Angeles.

Jones is hired by a rich old bugger who has lost a stash of home porn made by Adolf Hitler and wants it back. What follows is a dark and dirty noir tale that descends into the depths of the exiles in LA.

As usual Ellis spins a good yarn and I found Desolation Jones to be on the darker side of his work. Given his work isn't usually about puppies and rainbows this work is in the darker shades of gray. Jones is a sympathetic but not particularly likable character but few of Ellis' protagonists are. The storytelling is tight and taunt and I actually found myself reading the trade paperback in the single issue chunks to give myself a break from the tension of the story. A great read.

Vossy for the Gold Coast gig!

I'm still not sure how I feel about it to be honest. Michael Voss is obviously passionate, ambitious and has a heap of desire, but the general question is does that compensate for a lack of assistant coaching experience? Rohan Connaly from The Age explores the question with some considerable thought but the answer still seems to be - who knows? It's one of the great questions of football at the moment.

Go see this. Go see it now. Noice. Stands up to alternative soundtracks quite well too, and it's released under the Creative Commons, so it's got me thinking on the possibilities. (Thanks to Tycho at Penny Arcade for the pointer and similar urging.)

Audrey has been doing this "Mummy do!" thing whenever I try to do anything I need to for her; new nappies; going to bed; feeding her dinner; pretty much anything. My usual best scenario response was to sing the "Daddy do" song which started out rather free form and Audrey would respond with a sshhh! and a finger to the mouth. I'd sing the song quietly for a while before building up to a loud but in which the cycle and the game would repeat. It had it the desired effect because it left Audrey sufficiently amused with Daddy that I could finish the job at hand with less screaming by either of us.

The Daddydo song has evolved kind of naturally into 'sung to the the tune of "The Manamana Song"'. Both T & A loved the bit you get to where the hairy guy goes off with the Manamanas and I'd happily oblige them, hamming it up to the nines. Anything to get Audrey to eat.

This evening I finally got around to showing them the clip from The Muppet Show and I was informed with 30 seconds by Thomas that I had to 'copy it'. Audrey just sat making a face with pursed lips and a look of awe. Those pink cows are a special touch and I think they just shocked and awed her. The song was then on constant rotation until bedtime.

Enjoy: