ianbee: this is instead of getting a dog

Lions

I've not written about the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa yet, even though it's now over That's because I haven't been watching the matches live and I have been terrified that someone will spoil the results for me. I watched the last test match yesterday, it was amazing! What a great game, what a great team! And I am thrilled with the result of "operation lion" on a domestic level too - I managed to get through all three tests without knowing the score beforehand! The matches were only on a subscription cable channel over here. I managed to find someone at work who's brother-in-law was willing to record the games for me. They were recorded on the Saturday, and passed to me on the Tuesday. During those four days I avoided Facebook and all the rugby news websites. The fact that no-one over here cares helped, although if anyone had found out that I cared then I'm sure my pleasure would have been ruined.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, the Lions is an invitation rugby union side made up of the best players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Every few years they tour another rugby nation in a season which usually culminates in a best-of-three test series. I find it wonderful because after four years of fighting each other, it's a chance to stand alongside my Scottish, Welsh and Irish friends and support the same team for once. Anyway, that's it for another four years. We're enemies again now

Whale watching

I went whale watching on Sunday. I stood on this cliff at Manly and looked out to sea for at least half-an-hour. I saw several water-spouts in the distance that I was told were whales. They were either large whales far away, or small whales even further away. There were no "Attenborough" moments, but I left satisfied in an I'm-easy-to-please kind of way. It's good to know they're out there.

Battle of the Choirs

There was an A Cappella battle on the North Shore tonight. Melbourne's Harambee, in black and pink, verses Sydney's Soulfood, in black and orange. Someone is going to have to sort an away-strip out for the return leg; it was too confusing.

Harambee have been commissioned to sing at the 75th anniversary of an umbrella manufacturers (!) and Soulfood still have Abba stuck in their repertoire from when they launched the Mamma Mia DVD. A large proportion of Harambee's repertoire was about water, rain, dampness and umbrellas. They also sang a song about Spiderman and a cover of Coldplay's Viva la Vida. Good gig!

During the interval I took a lot of flack from 'friends' in the audience about my attempt at bird-identification. (See below)

Look, he's washing up again!

According to the book Mum brought me, these two curious birds are Crimson Rosellas, whoops I mean Lorikeets.* I found them in the chapter entitled "pigeons and parrots"! Despite appearances, they are not escaped budgies, they are actually native - the Sydney equivalent of sparrows.

Yes, I realise the windows need a wash. But I'm two floors up, remember.

"Hello! Pieces of eight! Kwaarrrrk!"

*How was I meant to know that Australia had more than one type of funny red and blue bird?

Crème Brûlée

Somewhere in Sydney there is a little restaurant, and when you say you'd like crème brûlée for dessert they bring you three mini ones! One vanilla, one rhubarb and one espresso. That's three crunchy-caramelised-top-cracking moments for the price of one! It's a small restaurant, by the water. Forgive me if I don't tell you where, I don't want everyone to know, I'd like to keep it a secret. Maybe if you ask nicely I'll take you one day ...

Best choir in the continent

According to the trophy we took home after the the grand final of the Sydney Eisteddfod last night, apparently I sing in the best choir in Australasia. (A dictionary definition says that includes New Zealand and Papua New Guinea!) We beat all the church choirs and chamber choirs and school choirs and male-voice choirs and sparkly-lady choirs by singing a Stevie Wonder song and a Dusty Springfield song. The judges said we were the choir they would most like to hear a whole concert of. So what are you doing on friday ...?

Stage invasion

I went to see Ladysmith Black Mambazo last night. They were wonderful, a beautiful blend of sound that starts in the chest and ends up in the head and makes you think that everything will be alright.

I cynically thought their might be some sort of South African LMB franchise system, but no, it was the original guy who worked with Paul Simon twenty-four years ago and founded the group forty-eight years ago. That's a long career!

At the interval (chocolate cornetto, mmm) the friends I was with said that if they called people onto the stage they would definitely go. There's no way they'll call people onto the stage, I thought. I was more dreading the bit in gigs when the band get the audience to sing. It usually starts with them announcing that it's "your turn now!" No it's not, I think. We're paying you. I get to listen, you get to play.

Sure enough, after the interval LMB made us sing in a 'competition' with their choir. 'You won', one of them said. 'That's not fair', another said, 'they have women'. 'Well maybe we should have some of their women come and join us?'

Bad mistake.

Two of my friends jumped up like they'd had an electric shock and started running towards the stage. From the very last row in the stalls. Running, and waving their arms in the air. (In the post incident debrief they were not able to explain adequately why they were waving their arms.) LMB remained frozen on stage as two tall Australian women bore down on them and lept up alongside. It must have been terrifying.

It became obvious that LMB had only intented the statement as a hypothetical 'what-if?' and never expected anyone to see it as an actual invitation. After a whispered word in their ear from one of Africa's most famous musical heros they made their way back to their seats, simultaneously deflated and triumphant.

Toughen Up, Princess

I was just wondering if anyone knew what the Latin translation of "Toughen Up, Princess" might be.

No reason.

Carry on...