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SOooo. The Ashes. The 4th Test is being played at Trent Bridge. Australia batted first and...
*sigh*
Well, it's obvious the Aussie team has forgotten how to play cricket. It's the only explanation for "All out for 60 runs" in the first innings. It's enough to drive a bloke to drink.
...more.
*sigh*
Well, it's obvious the Aussie team has forgotten how to play cricket. It's the only explanation for "All out for 60 runs" in the first innings. It's enough to drive a bloke to drink.
...more.
The ultrasound showed a "hyperechoic mass" containing "<1cc of fluid" which is "consistent with an infection."
I see the doctor tomorrow to talk about this, but I think it means the lump in my manboob is nothing to worry about. It is going down now, anyway, and no longer hurts.
The antibiotic is doing horrible things to my bum. I'm eating a lot of youhurt, but it's really hard to get full-fat non-diet yoghurt so I'm piling into the rather expensive Gippsland Dairy flavoured yoghurts (full fat, low sugar, NO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS, fruit puree swirled in) trying to keep things under control. It's hell down there!
I see the doctor tomorrow to talk about this, but I think it means the lump in my manboob is nothing to worry about. It is going down now, anyway, and no longer hurts.
The antibiotic is doing horrible things to my bum. I'm eating a lot of youhurt, but it's really hard to get full-fat non-diet yoghurt so I'm piling into the rather expensive Gippsland Dairy flavoured yoghurts (full fat, low sugar, NO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS, fruit puree swirled in) trying to keep things under control. It's hell down there!
So I'm on antibiotics. Yesterday afternoon one of my manboobs became painful, and by last night there was a painful lump under the scar where the doctor removed all the not-quite-cancer manboob tissue in 2009.
This morning the lump was larger, more painful, and the pain had begun radiating toward my armpit. The doctor looked at my history, then examined at the left manboob (chest crater full of soft fat bastard fatty tissue) and then the right manboob ARGH DON'T PRESS SO HARD! before going:
"Hmm."
Then:
"Okay."
Then:
"So how do you feel? Feverish? A little light-headed? A bit... achey?"
I nodded at all of these. She felt into my armpit, then she said
"Hmm."
Then
"Good, nothing there. Are you allergic to antibiotics? Good, you have an infection so I'm prescribing you some Apo-Cephalexin. Four times a day until YOU TAKE THEM ALL. Okay?" And then she said "But..."
So I also have a referral marked "Urgent" to go to a radiology lab to get me some sweet sweet unltrasounding "for diagnostic purposes only to rule out suspicious lesions" on Monday, and I am to try all the local pathology labs until I can find someone who can fit my in on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, otherwise I am to go to the Base Hospital Radiology Department (Not ER) to see if they can do it.
This morning the lump was larger, more painful, and the pain had begun radiating toward my armpit. The doctor looked at my history, then examined at the left manboob (chest crater full of soft fat bastard fatty tissue) and then the right manboob ARGH DON'T PRESS SO HARD! before going:
"Hmm."
Then:
"Okay."
Then:
"So how do you feel? Feverish? A little light-headed? A bit... achey?"
I nodded at all of these. She felt into my armpit, then she said
"Hmm."
Then
"Good, nothing there. Are you allergic to antibiotics? Good, you have an infection so I'm prescribing you some Apo-Cephalexin. Four times a day until YOU TAKE THEM ALL. Okay?" And then she said "But..."
So I also have a referral marked "Urgent" to go to a radiology lab to get me some sweet sweet unltrasounding "for diagnostic purposes only to rule out suspicious lesions" on Monday, and I am to try all the local pathology labs until I can find someone who can fit my in on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, otherwise I am to go to the Base Hospital Radiology Department (Not ER) to see if they can do it.
If someone were to ask be "Hey Den! Is there a creature in Australia that actually worries you?" I would say, Yes. Yes there is. It's an ant.
This ant.
(The scale is in mm)
I found this ant in my house and I was really, really, really concerned that there was a nest nearby. I didn't find one, so I can only hope it's a stray that came in on someone's load of wood.
This is the bulldog ant. Its sting will cause anaphylactic shock in people who are susceptible. They are really aggressive and have good eyesight. The jaws are like being pinched by a pair of scissors. And the sting in the tail...
Oh boy. That sting.
It rates 4/4 on the Schmidt sting pain index which is described as "...stings induced immediate, excruciating pain and numbness to pencil-point pressure, as well as trembling in the form of a totally uncontrollable urge to shake the affected part.". By my sale it hits 10, with a ramp up to 11 with every heart beat. And it lasts for hours.
I live in Australia, where we embiggen the dangers in the bush. Crocodiles and box jellies are a bit of a worry, but I can avoid them. I'm wary of venomous snakes. I don't like spiders much.
But this ant truly frightens me.
This ant.
(The scale is in mm)
I found this ant in my house and I was really, really, really concerned that there was a nest nearby. I didn't find one, so I can only hope it's a stray that came in on someone's load of wood.
This is the bulldog ant. Its sting will cause anaphylactic shock in people who are susceptible. They are really aggressive and have good eyesight. The jaws are like being pinched by a pair of scissors. And the sting in the tail...
Oh boy. That sting.
It rates 4/4 on the Schmidt sting pain index which is described as "...stings induced immediate, excruciating pain and numbness to pencil-point pressure, as well as trembling in the form of a totally uncontrollable urge to shake the affected part.". By my sale it hits 10, with a ramp up to 11 with every heart beat. And it lasts for hours.
I live in Australia, where we embiggen the dangers in the bush. Crocodiles and box jellies are a bit of a worry, but I can avoid them. I'm wary of venomous snakes. I don't like spiders much.
But this ant truly frightens me.
Sort of well
2 May 2015 22:27So whatever I had, has gone. Mostly. I still have a cough and my voice is still very croaky and fails entirely on occasion. Those occasions being every time Dad rings to see if I have my voice back.
The dogs give me funny looks when I order them outside. I've found the best way to get them out is to open the door and squeak "Cat!" And then I get trampled in the stampede. Polly charges out like a champion and silently patrols the yard. Snowy fluffs up, and does a stiff-legged bounce around the garden, yodelling and chuffing like an idiot and alerting all the cats in the yard that there is a Big Dog on patrol.
I can't call them in, but if I rustle a cellophane bag to imitate opening a pack of Schmackos dried liver strip treaties, I get their attention. The down side is a pair of dogs drooling enough to make Dr. Pavlov happy.
It's taken a week, but I'm over it.
The dogs give me funny looks when I order them outside. I've found the best way to get them out is to open the door and squeak "Cat!" And then I get trampled in the stampede. Polly charges out like a champion and silently patrols the yard. Snowy fluffs up, and does a stiff-legged bounce around the garden, yodelling and chuffing like an idiot and alerting all the cats in the yard that there is a Big Dog on patrol.
I can't call them in, but if I rustle a cellophane bag to imitate opening a pack of Schmackos dried liver strip treaties, I get their attention. The down side is a pair of dogs drooling enough to make Dr. Pavlov happy.
It's taken a week, but I'm over it.
I'm siiiiiick
20 April 2015 22:48I appear to have picked up a mild cold that brought along an annoying cough. So I'm living on aspirin and tea sweetened with too much honey. Not so ill that I can justify a day in bed, but too ill to feel good.
And of course, the temperature fell last night and it rained all day. Sunday it was 31C and sunny, today 13C and damp. blagh.
And of course, the temperature fell last night and it rained all day. Sunday it was 31C and sunny, today 13C and damp. blagh.
New Camera
3 April 2015 23:24In July last year I bought a GoPro 3+ Black edition so I could play around with time lapses and dash mounts and stuff. About a month ago it Went Wrong, and refused to turn on. I took the camera back to Harvey Norman and asked them to check it out. Their tech couldn't turn it on either, so he sent to back to GoPro. Last week I got a call from GoPro, who told me that the camera really had Gone Wrong, and they were giving me a store credit to pick up a new camera.
Which was nice.
So I went back to Hardly Normal and paid a little more, and picked up a GoPro 4 Silver edition. It has all the whodads of the 3+ Black, PLUS a rear LCD screen so you can see what you are looking at without needing the phone app.
So tonight I tested it.
I need to find somewhere the street light doesn't reach.
Which was nice.
So I went back to Hardly Normal and paid a little more, and picked up a GoPro 4 Silver edition. It has all the whodads of the 3+ Black, PLUS a rear LCD screen so you can see what you are looking at without needing the phone app.
So tonight I tested it.
I need to find somewhere the street light doesn't reach.
Pours a dark, slightly cloudy amber colour. The head is thin and tan, and fades away quickly. No carbonation visible in the murky depths.
First sip: Strong malts and toffee, followed by a mild citrus and fruit sourness. Very mild hops after-taste that fades away quickly. Mild carbonation tingle on the tongue. Medium mouth-feel.
It's odd to read "Vintage Reserve" applied to beer; it's usually a wine Thing. This is quite a nice brew. The fruity sourness is different, but pleasant. This is nice but not nice enough to drink a lot of in a session. On the other hand, I would never say "No" if someone offered it to me.
The beer burp is nice, too.
2013 Harvest Reserve Vintage Amber
Endeavour Beverages
5.2% alc/vol
330ml bottle
Same again, sir? Yes.
An English Bitter, from Manly in Sydney.
Pours a very dark amber, The head is small and very little carbonation is visible.
First sip: Strong malts, followed by caramel and toffee. Mild but very long lasting hops bitterness that lingers long after the swallow. Mild carbonation tingle on the tongue.
This is a yummy beer. Malty, not sweet, not too gassy, very drinkable. It's yummy. It is warming in the belly and has a nice beer burp. Have I mentioned that this is a yummy beer? It's another one I would happily drink all day, because it's a yummy beer. It's been years since I've been to Manly. I think I need to go on a Harbour cruise on my next trip to Sydney, to raid the store of yummy beer in Manly. Because it's very, very yummy.
Extra Special Bitter
4 Pines Brewing Co
5.4% alc/vol
500ml bottle
Same again, sir? YES!
Pours a very dark amber, The head is small and very little carbonation is visible.
First sip: Strong malts, followed by caramel and toffee. Mild but very long lasting hops bitterness that lingers long after the swallow. Mild carbonation tingle on the tongue.
This is a yummy beer. Malty, not sweet, not too gassy, very drinkable. It's yummy. It is warming in the belly and has a nice beer burp. Have I mentioned that this is a yummy beer? It's another one I would happily drink all day, because it's a yummy beer. It's been years since I've been to Manly. I think I need to go on a Harbour cruise on my next trip to Sydney, to raid the store of yummy beer in Manly. Because it's very, very yummy.
Extra Special Bitter
4 Pines Brewing Co
5.4% alc/vol
500ml bottle
Same again, sir? YES!
I think I voted, yesterday. I went to a place, wrote some numbers on paper, and stuffed the paper in a box. Later that night some politicians appeared.
The conservatives won on promised that seemed to be mostly on improving services in Sydney. Because we all know Sydney is New South Wales and all the areas outside Sydney is just... outside.
The conservatives won on promised that seemed to be mostly on improving services in Sydney. Because we all know Sydney is New South Wales and all the areas outside Sydney is just... outside.
Pours a dark clear copper colour with almost no head. Some carbonation visible in the glass.
First Sip: Nutty, roasted malt and a small amount of caramel sweetness. The after-taste is a little dry with a long lasting bitterness on the back of the tongue. Medium mouth-feel with a mild carbonation tingle on the tongue. The malt becomes stronger as the beer warms in the glass.
This is rather nice. It's pretty close to an English bitter, which is not bad for a company from the sunny Gold Coast in Queeensland. It could do with a little more malt, but it's still a good beer and one I would happily drink a lot of in a session. The beer burp is nice.
At first I thought the label was one of those "humorous" borderline-offensive labels you see on a few new brews, but on the web-site the brewer says he brewed this for his wife. So you can read the label any way you like.
I prefer to read it on an empty bottle.
It doesn't need a cheese, but it does go well with a cheap blue-vein.
My Wife's Bitter
Burleigh Brewing Co.
4.8% alc/vol
330ml bottle
Same again, sir? Yes.
Pours an opaque black with small amounts of carbonation through the glass. The head is thin and tan, and fades away very slowly to a very thin lacing.
First Sip: Mostly dark malts, with some mild coffee and dark chocolate flavours. A faint fruit flavour shows up when the glass warms a little. The after-taste is a mild bitter dryness. Mouth-feel is smooth and maybe a little thin, with a mild carbonation tingle on the tongue.
This is missing the strong flavours you expect in a stout, but it is still a nice brew to quaff. I could certainly drink this all day.* Definitely a good one for smoked meats, or a mild curry, or fish and chips. Or just about anything you care to mention. Cheese, for instance. Cheap cheese, out of date. With a hint of Vegemite because it was on the knife I also used on my breakfast toast. I know it is highly unlikely for anyone else to hit that combination, but this beer goes with that. It's a very nice (and versatile!) beer. Even the beer burp is nice.
* or until I put on wobbly boots and fall over
4 Pines Stout
4 Pines Brewery
5.1% alc/vol
330ml bottle
Same again sir? Yes please.
Pours an opaque black with very little head. (That could be my fault.)
First Sip: Dark roasted malts and burnt toffee, mostly. Very faint, brief taste of citrus on the swallow, followed by a mild bitterness. Mild carbonation tingle on the tongue. Mouth-feel is thin but not watery. The malt becomes a little more noticeable as the glass warms.
This is nice and quite drinkable, but it's a bit boring. It doesn't have the heavy malts and buckets of flavour you expect from a stout. In fact, it reminded me more of Toohey's Old than a stout. While I like this beer, it just doesn't have It.
Cascade Stout
Cascade Brewery Company Ltd. Hobart
5.8% alc/vol
375ml bottle
Same again, sir? Okay.
And now, a hefeweizen from Tasmania, in a standard glass because I don't go for the poncey appropriate glass for specific drinks rubbish.My appropriate glass is based on the "Does it hold the drink?" school of manners.
Minimalist labelling.
Pours a slightly cloudy dark yellow. The head is large and fades away slowly to a thick lacing. Some carbonation visible in the glass.
First sip: Lots of grainy malts with a mild sweetness. Very mild fruit flavours, almost buried under bready yeasts. Mild lemon after-taste. No hops to speak of. Mouth-feel is a little thin, with a nice carbonation tingle on the tongue that seems to follow through right down to the stomach.
This is a yummy beer. No, this is a very yummy beer. I could easily drink this all day and not eat cheese. I recommend this Aussie brew highly.
Seriously yummy in an interesting bottle.
Hefeweizen
Moo Brew, Bridgewater Tasmania
5.1% alc/vol
330ml interesting bottle
Same again. sir? Yes!
Minimalist labelling.
Pours a slightly cloudy dark yellow. The head is large and fades away slowly to a thick lacing. Some carbonation visible in the glass.
First sip: Lots of grainy malts with a mild sweetness. Very mild fruit flavours, almost buried under bready yeasts. Mild lemon after-taste. No hops to speak of. Mouth-feel is a little thin, with a nice carbonation tingle on the tongue that seems to follow through right down to the stomach.
This is a yummy beer. No, this is a very yummy beer. I could easily drink this all day and not eat cheese. I recommend this Aussie brew highly.
Seriously yummy in an interesting bottle.
Hefeweizen
Moo Brew, Bridgewater Tasmania
5.1% alc/vol
330ml interesting bottle
Same again. sir? Yes!
Pours slightly opaque dark brown with a medium head that fades away quickly. Very little carbonation visible.
First sip: Sweet caramel and toffees up front with a strong fruitiness (raisins? plums?) leaving a port-like flavour. Malt is almost buried under the other favours. No hops bitterness to speak of. The sweetness lingers after the swallow and is a little cloying. Medium mouth-feel with very mild carbonation tingle on the tongue. Each swallow hits the stomach with a blast of warmth. Nice beer burp.
Wow, this is sweet! But not unpleasantly so. I'd almost class this as a dessert; one to have after a meal. It's definitely one to have in Winter - each swallow hits the stomach like a glass of hot water - not surprising given the alcohol percentage. It definitely needs to be drunk with something to nibble on, to cut through to the sweetness. A wedge of (cheap!) blue-vein cheese works well, but a cheddar or packet of crisps would be just as good.
La Trappe Quadrupel
Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.
10% alc/vol
330ml bottle
Same again, sir? Yes.
Pours a slightly cloudy pale amber with a large head, which fades away quickly to a thin lacing on the surface. Lots of carbonation visible in the glass.
First Sip: Very sweet malts and mild caramels, with a mild fruit flavour (banana? Grape?) and very mild yeast. Hops is faint and fades away as soon as you swallow.Mouth-feel is medium and a little syrupy. Nice carbonation tingle on the tongue.
This was very fizzy when I opened it - the beer foamed out of the bottle when I opened it - but settled down to a nice moderate carbonation. It isn't fizzy in the mouth, but it does have quite a carbonation tingle on the tongue. It is, however, very sweet. You really do need a strong food to cut through the taste - smoked meats, a curry, or a nice (cheap!) blue-vein brie. As it warms in the glass from fridge to cellar temperatures, the flavours improve but it is still a little too sweet. Even so, I'd drink this again. It's nice, but not a Yummy Beer.
La Trappe Blond
Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.
6.5% alc/vol
330ml bottle
Same again, sir? Yes.
Pours a clear golden colour with small amounts of carbonation visible in the glass. The head is thick and foamy and take ages to fade away.
First sip: Sweet but mild biscuity malt with a mild citrus flavour and hops. The hops builds to a strong, lingering bitterness that lasts for a long while after the swallow. Medium mouth-feel with a moderate carbonation tingle on the tongue. Quite warming in the stomach.
I'm not sure about this one. I's nice, but like other English Pale Ales it's just a little too hoppy for me - but that won't stop me from drinking it all! I need to eat something to go with this ale - a mild smoked cheddar from West Australia works well but a strong farmhouse cheddar would be better. The mild cheese just doesn't cut through the hops enough.
Golden Age English Pale Ale
The Celt Experience, Wales
4.2% Alc/vol
500ml bottle
Same again, sir? Maybe.
