My Brother

My only brother, David, turned 70 in 2024. He is happily married to my "Favourite Sister-in-Law" [an in-joke, as she is my only SiL!], Colleen. They live about a 45-minute car ride away, thankfully.

Colleen and David, December 2024

17 October 2024

David Nov. 2023

Colleen and David, Sept. 2023

The Brothers: misbehaving (?)

Late 2025

David is ten years older than I am, and we almost didn't know each other for many years growing up. It wasn't a negative/hostile thing, we just had nothing in common at all.

It wasn't until my late 20s that we connected; now we are "Besties"! Excellent! We can hang out together now, comfortably with no agendas, and talk for hours effortlessly... from solving the World's Problems to talking absolute silliness... it's great. Truly is.

One fascinating thing is that as we are ten years apart, we have different memories and experiences of our parents, at different times in their lives. We miss them of course. (Dad & Mum)

"He's a good bloke".

Colleen and I are close as well... she's also a "Good bloke" [giggles].

David, Canberra, July 2024

➽ Here are some pics of their amazing little garden.

Gotta love their wild water dragon, living rent-free in their garden!

(April 2026)

➽ NB. Other blog posts about my brother.

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Also: Mal's Brother

Peas be with ewe 
Mal

I am a Beatleholic

Ever since I was 1 year old, I have been a big fan of all things Beatle-related.

My 10-years-older brother played their 1964 LP album "A Hard Day's Night," and I—barely walking—would pull myself up on the little wooden barricade between our bedrooms and rock back and forth while he played this—so I'm told.

This doesn't surprise me at all (laffs).

I physically wore his 1964 vinyl Black Label Parlophone label copy of this album out over the years - played it to death - true!

Things kicked-in in my younger High School days, when I wrote an (albeit terrible) Beatles article in my school newspaper.

It wasn't long before I had them all—all the officially vinyl-released albums, singles, and EPs as well! (Still have)

An early childhood memory: I had an old 4-stringed squash racquet, and I used to pretend to play along to other records, whilst watching myself in the mirror [laffs]. I had no idea then why it had 4 strings, only that Paul played a 4-stringed guitar!

I learnt guitar by chugging along to all of those albums. Thanks, John Lennon. I could play them all by ear forever.

Come this digital age, now I have everything PLUS! Official and bootleg versions of songs, concerts, jams, outtakes, different versions, DVD's & videos. And books... plus now with the internet, you can find practically anything. Pics, vids, music, videos, DVD's... amazing.

If it had been possible, I could have easily earned a [wholly useless] University Masters Degree in Beatles (if it existed then). Random thought: such a thing exists NOW! How bizarre!

Trivia Nights etc... guess who knows all the most obscure Beatles facts?! [laffs]. I've seen a few brilliant cover bands, and I'm usually the only one in their audience that can answer a random question they may throw out; like, "Who was the stand-in drummer for Ringo in their June 1964 Tour?" Jimmie Nicol, of course! [laffs]

➽ Meanwhile, on the Abbey Road Crossing (London) Live Webcam

→ https://bit.ly/Abbey-Rd ←

#TheBeatles #AbbeyRoad 

Of course, I love other 1960's-type harmonic music like Crowded House, XTC, Pugwash, The Byrds etc (cf. "My Favourite Bands" and "Favourite Albums")

https://bit.ly/Beatle-Mal

Peas be with ewe 
Mal

Weekend in Canberra

28-30 July 2024

My only brother David and I spent the 'weekend' together in Canberra, supposedly to celebrate my 60th birthday. Twas just an excuse to happily hang out together.

Canberra is about a 3-1/2 hour drive through gorgeous rolling Aussie countryside... complete with wild goats, and brilliant Aussie bush cafe hospitality in the middle of nowhere on the way!

Views from the War Memorial

As always, we had a brilliant time together.

We had great yummies at "Poppies" the cafe/restaurant at the War Memorial. The Memorial/Museum itself is currently undergoing massive renovations and construction. Still, what we saw there was amazing. Thankfully, my MS Legs behaved themselves the whole time. Thanks "Brian". [grins]

The exhibition in the various Galleries was simply breathtaking, even in its reduced mode. The famous World War 1 Dioramas are simply brilliant works of art. But that mud... omg...

We hadn't been to the War Memorial for years, but one thing that has always stuck in my mind when visiting as a child has been the HMAS Sydney Carley Float. It's the only piece recovered from the ship, which was lost with all hands.

Years later, they not only found the 'lost' wreck, but identified the sailor's skeleton found in the liferaft.

Those aren't bullet holes; it's shrapnel from when the ship [likely] exploded just as it was sinking.

This story has left an indelible mark in my memory.

It was cold first thing in the morning (below), but our little Motel had amazing heating, so it did not affect us. Of course, we dressed appropriately. There was no snow, but the wind chill was...

(-3.9c = 25f  // -8.3c = 17f)

Of course, we got lost driving around Canberra (of course! It's par for the course! lol), and even got slightly lost walking thru the CBD one evening, looking for somewhere nice to eat (isn't it funny how everything feels/seems/looks different at night? lol). No harm done - we saw nice places we wouldn't have seen otherwise.

After the War Memorial, I took David for a tour thru Parliament House (where he'd never been before). Hugely impressive... even with all the Security and guns... eep! The Parliament wasn't even in session!

Even the weather was perfect for our drive home.

Peas be with ewe 
Mal

Turning 60

You know you're turning 60-years old when both your local Parliamentarians send you a birthday card! hahahaha

Thanks, Josh! lol

Thanks, Seb!

My prezzie to myself was new eyeglasses... it's been two years and there has been a bit of change there... nothing major, thankfully.

New glasses... can't tell? Good!

I've had some old-time friends send me a delightfully generous package as well - I am very thankful indeedies.

My brother and I intend to spend a few days hanging out together floating around the sites of Canberra this week - just for the heck of it. And why not?! I'll take some piccies.

I'll be honest: I've found turning 60 to be a bit of a mind-fvck over the last few months. I know nothing magically changes etc, tho my bizarre random bouts of depression these last few months have been very unusual for me. Impossible to describe. Nothing dangerous or sinister, understand. Sleeping way too much and overeating etc doesn't help.

I remember being c.15 and thinking, "Gosh... I'll be 36 in 2000!", and thinking that was old [laffs]. But 60? I'd never thought about or considered it.

Crikies... it's been blinkin' cold here this winter - no snow, but the wind chill is brrr! Delightfully nice and toasty warm inside here tho.

Totally random Google search: I found Mum's old typewriter that I learnt to type on a zillion years ago! Triple carbons, black and red tape... positive happy memories come flooding back 😊

Yet here I am now, using a stylus to write this. Full circle: back to crayons 😃😄😁

Bought myself a new one of these basic steam mops at half-price on eBay. The old one lasted c.10 years: cannot complain. So easy for me to mop my kitchen and bathroom floors with this.

BTW: The pic is not me; my legs are much more shapely than that... oh, and no beard [laffs]

➽ Updated pics & videos of my sons:

https://bit.ly/JoshSamVids

https://bit.ly/SebsPicVids

https://bit.ly/AlexSopVids

➽ Music I've Enjoyed and Appreciated Recently  🎵👍

➽ Movies I've Watched, Enjoyed and Appreciated Recently 🎦👍

➽ Here's some Fun/Silly Band Names I've stumbled across... 🤭😀😃😄😁😆😂😜

The Senility Prayer

Grant me the senility to forget

the people I never liked anyway,

the good fortune to

run into the ones I do,

and the eyesight to

tell the difference

(Thanx David and Nola!)

Peas be with ewe 
Mal