Wednesday, August 11, 2010

A Perfect Day

I think everyone at some point in their long or short life ponders, even if only for a moment, how they will die. On Friday I thought my time had come. Obviously, seeing as I'm writing this, I thought wrong.
I guess it makes for a pretty funny story though, so I will share it with you and let you all have a laugh at my near-death experience. I set out for my daily walk-jog on what I can only describe as a beautiful Queensland morning. If I had died that day, at the very least, it would have been the perfect day to do it. I made it all the way to the sports fields that I amble around. Most mornings I'm kept company by some arrogant Magpies, some yellow billed birds I don't know the name of and a few Ducks. We all pretty much keep to ourselves. They do their bird thing, I trot. Friday was no different except today we had some extra company - some kids doing athletics training on the track next to mine. My witnesses. This was the setting for the scene of my near demise.

On my third lap I approached two Ducks who were ducking around and I thought they would move away as I approached. Now this isn't something I'll admit too often but, wait for it, I was wrong. It happened out of nowhere. I should have seen it coming. The bigger Duck didn't move. He turned. Looked me in the eye. I was looking down at the time. He put his head down, strained his neck as far as it could go without popping off and aimed his beak at me. He quacked something rude in Duck language to me. I didn't have time to explain I didn't speak Duck before he charged. Forget ambling, I sprinted with that little... I mean, big Duck charging behind me. I must have got 10 metres, feeling chuffed I'd outrun the monster duck, when I turned.
The Duck was 9 1/2 metres behind me.

True story. Remember I said I had witnesses. I'm sure you are all pleased that I'm alive and well.

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

A rant, because I feel like one...

I know people say this all the time but time is flying by. It feels like yesterday we were celebrating Christmas and here we are today in August. Life is rushing by too rapidly for my liking. I'd like it to slow down. I'm not sure I'm ready to be 35 in 2011 so I'd appreciate if 2010 stuck around just a wee bit longer. Alright?

This morning I heard that Selfridges in the UK is already putting up Christmas decorations in their stores. Hamley Toy store has launched their Christmas catalogue. Harrods is next. Things have not gone quite so mad in Oz yet. That I'm aware of anyway.

I remember being a kid (memory of an elephant I have). I remember the excitement started to build soon as you started to see the decorations, Father Christmas in the stores and on the TV and school closed. Then there was the big night in our city when the City Council turned on the Christmas lights down the main street in the CBD and my folks would pile us 4 kids into the back of the car and drive us down the road to 'ooh' and 'aah'. Good times.

Now. Now kids will still have another 5 months to wait. I wonder has the enchantment I remember from Christmas time been lost to the seekers of the Big Bucks?

I'm glad I was a kid then and not now. Rant over. I'm out.