Dog-cam

Here is a shot of the sun setting over the field behind our house yesterday

Visitors of 2007

Barry Halpin arrived today and was rapidly introduced to the ozzie traditions of homebrew and tim-tam slams. He is here for a few days on gig so watch this space.

gig-cam

A friend of ours got married the other day. We played at the ceremony and participated at the reception in a more MC Hammer kind of way (pants stuck into the socks routine etc.) Here is a view from the string quartet position.

I had to arrange a piece for walking down the isle, which was supposed to start like the mendelssohn wedding march but then segue's into the rocky theme tune 'eye of the tiger'. it looked good on paper, sounded good in my head, but a last minute change of mind by the bride meant that there was a slight 'issue' about where to start so as a result the first 30 seconds sounded pretty crap and my arranging days looked as if they were rapidly coming to a gloomy end, but luckily the sight reading fiddlers got it together and pulled it off.

what are the odds....

So....as you all know by now, i have kicked the day job and gone full time muso, teaching by day and gigging by night and squeezing as much beer and fun in all the gaps in between. This is a sign i saw on my first day in one of the schools i teach in, if there is a nut minimisation policy, how come they employed an irish viola player?

Hoovers suck

hoovers suck, which is why the other day Jane went out and got this beauty, its a dyson, and it seriously sucks big time, cyclone technology etc blah blah blah. Also, it looks kinda like bumblebee from the new transformers movie (curse you micheal bay!!!!!!)

Houndwatch

Here is the guys yesterday out for a walk. They are both retrievers, but Fionn (on the right) is a slightler larger breed and has longer hair, so as a result we have great fun making his hair stuck up in the air in a mohawk etc. Here he is below sporting his new look.

Daddy day care

For the last few mondays we have been looking after a friends baby. Now that I am a musician, i work friday - sunday and pretty much have a 4 day weekend from monday - friday, so on mondays our place is converted into a daycare centre. Its great craic! The baby on the left is Oliver, the son of Magda and Martin, Magda went to school with Jane and she lives on the next street over from us and that wee fellah with the sharp teeth is Finn Morris, Janes brothers son. Here I am getting them ready for a bath. Jane and I make a great team, I handle spew and she deals with all poo issues.

Fionnwatch

Here is Fionn last night on the computer chair, and below is him yesterday when he got....ehem....talced, which made him kinda look a bit like a middle aged Richard Gere

MORE kegerator modifications

I came accross these magnetic discs the other day in ikea, they can hold up a piece of paper behind them so now I can label my beers. At the moment I have a chocolate stout called "chocolate chocolatey choc'o'choc" (its pretty chocolately) and a really nice european light beer which tastes bizarrely like spaghetti bolognese.

Best foot forward....

I got dressed in a hurry AND in the dark the other morning and it wasnt till about lunchtime that day when we were playing at a funeral that Jane noticed that I was wearing two different coloured shoes. This may seem like an odd blog entry but I am going for quantity here.

Pay attention class....

Yes, its official, i am a violin teacher, and an international expert in up AND down bows. Its fantastic! I have a few students privatly at home and teach in a few schools about perth. Its great fun, really rewarding and the best hours. I dont think i could ever go back to an office job after this!

Finbarr strikes again

Finbarr has been quiet and under the radar lately working on this. Be sure to check it out and go to the shop and buy some shirts so that he can make a living from being pure cork like

Follow the yellow brick road

Yup, we're off to see the wizard next week, Jane and I are in a local schools production. Shows dont happen that much in Perth and when a big show does come to town it generally only runs for 2-3 weeks as there is not really the population here to support a show for any longer. Also, as a result of that, lots of big shows only tour over east and rarely come to Western Australia.

Day at the dog park

Here is a view from a bench under a tree in our local dog park, there is reilly to the left up to her old tricks.

Ah So

Driving past the local train station the other day and came accross this top secret ninja hideout......

Another discovery!!!

For all those who have travelled more than 10 miles offshore of our emerald isle, you will know that our 'bulmers' goes under the international name of Magners (as not to be confused with the english cider of the same name) but the other day (in the same place where i found a packet of chipsticks) i found this, the original article!

Day at the dog beach

Its the middle of winter here now so it only gets up to 20 by day (oh de life) so we took off to the dog beach on sunday afternoon. Reilly and Fionn made loads of new friends and smelled LOTS of other dogs butts. Then we took them for a wash in the car park.

Shopping for the literacy challenged

Some handy spelling tips for shoppers, they think of everything over here........

Muttcam

Again, apologies for the recent lack of shenanigans and tales of the subcontinent, I will have a word with our quality department. In the mean time here is a few pictures of Reilly and Fionn in the bar.

New stuff in my garden

Apologies to all for the lack of quality bloggery of late, this new lifestyle of a full time musician means I am no longer chained to a workstation for 50 hours a week so as a result I dont spend much time maintaining the blog OR taking photos. This photo is the only one i have taken this week, its our new outdoor fire and lime tree. Rock on!

Cocktail Machine

This is the cocktail machine we rented for the engagement party on monday night, it was a big hit, we might have to buy one!

G'day mates

Got a phone call about an hour ago. I am now officially an australian resident. I am no longer over here on a working visa affiliated with one particular field (construction) I can now do whatever I like, woooohooooo! early retirement just got better!