No Pressure

This is two dads on Boxing Day morning,  perhaps after a one or two festive beers the night before, constructing a complicated trampoline in the boiling sun with 6 children watching their every move ...and advice from the gallery too.

They did a fantastic job - it took about two hours - and the kids were over the moon.

Deck the bridge with blooms of Poin...er...

Doesn't our bridge look good at the moment?  This is Poinsettias by Ian De Gruchy and will be projected onto the bridge each night for about 5 hours from when it gets dark up until tuesday night. Poinsettias are Brisbane's floral emblem. At the risk of sounding like a smarty pants, I reckon that these flowers are actually from a Poinciana tree. What do you think?

 Either way, the floral tribute is very Christmassy as both red flowers are blooming in Brisbane right now. If you are celebrating, Happy Christmas to you!

Delicate Bokeh

Twas the night before the night before the night before Christmas last night so that's more than enough reason for me to have a glass or two of vino, right? Besides which, I needed something in the foreground of the shot, didn't I? Yesterday I learned a bit about putting some bokeh in your photos (say "bouquet") which is when you get the lights all out of focus like this. This was using the lights on the Christmas tree.

Yule-kulele jam

On Thursday night we trotted down to The Joynt on Montague Road for a festive final BUMS meeting of the year (that's Brisbane Ukulele Musicians Society). We played Santa Baby which turned out really well - and a stonking rendition of Blister In The Sun by the Violent Femmes (not very Christmassy but still lots of fun). It helps that we have a double bass and some very good ukulele players amongst us who carry the others. You can't hear the wrong chords at all. At one point I had been confidently strumming away and concentrating on the words projected overhead - then I looked down to see my hand curled into the right shape but in the wrong position... which would have been resulting in a deliciously awful dischord. I am getting better, though!

All Aboard The Six White Boomers Bus!

Each year for the last 15 years the bus depots in Brisbane have had a competition between themselves. They each dress up one of their buses for Christmas. This is the winning bus from this year's comp courtesy of the Bowen Hills depot and I think yule agree they have gone that extra mile. We've got tinsel on every pole, gum nuts and gum leaves, a huge Aussie flag and a fleet of kangaroos (Six White Boomers, no less) all roped up to a "sleigh" piled with presents at the back. There are all sorts of Australian Christmas references like...

 

A day at the beach! Inflatable palm trees, a bucket and spade, junk food and tinnies! 

There's even a thong tied up to one of the railings: 

(That's the footwear variety)

And let's not forget the native animals riding up the front - kangaroos, an emu, a kookaburra, a platypus, a wombat... and a few other things I don't recognise... all festively draped in tinsel!

I was having a chat to the driver (Hi Lyn!) and she said passengers love it. Everyone smiles. People take photos and really get into it. Some of the drivers dress up as Santa - it's hilarious.
One woman even told her that she hadn't been looking forward to Christmas until she got on the bus.

In case you were unaware of the Aussie classic hit "Six White Boomers" well I have a little treat for you here.

Vintage Frocks

Despite Brisbane being extremely hot and humid in the summer, there are quite a few outlets around selling vintage 100% polyester non-breathable frocks in every colour of the rainbow. Why are they here?

* because women continue to sacrifice comfort in favour of fashion
* because the fabric has a half-life of 500 years
* the people who bought them the first time round can't give them away
* or maybe they died from heat exhaustion/asphixiation/spontaeous combustion

Either way, if you like looking like Margot from "The Good Life" while smelling like a Cornish Pastie then head one of Brisbane's many vintage fashion outlets.

P.S. If any of the friends who bought me a very special vintage poly frock recently are reading this, I love it and will be wearing it on Christmas Day all day even if it is 33 degrees and 90% humidity.

In A Rusty Holden Ute

A bloke at work has this rusty Holden Ute that he drives around in (see picture) and every time I see it I have to break into Australian Jingle Bells. What's that? you ask... well here's a snippet - you  know the tune so sing along:

Dashing through the bush,in a rusty Holden Ute,Kicking up the dust,esky in the boot,Kelpie by my side,singing Christmas songs,It's Summer time and I am inmy singlet, shorts and thongsOh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,Christmas in Australia on a scorching summers day, Hey!Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut !,Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

Happy Christmas!

This is James -  probably the happiest, cheeriest Big Issue seller ever anywhere. I've never seen him without a smile and he always has a kind word for passers by whether you buy the magazine or not. Happy Christmas from him - and me.

By the way, if you pass a Big Issue vendor selling those funny calenders for only $5, they are a great buy.

Six White Boomers

Friday night Christmas singing in West End. Topping the bill (with excellent speaking parts for kids) was the Rolf Harris Aussie Christmas classic Six White Boomers.

Carols on Queens Street Mall

Protest in the Myer Centre

 

So you're doing a bit of shopping and you see Santa with a big red sack and lots of people dressed in green and red and you automatically think it's going to be something to do with Christmas, don't you? The protesters were encouraging boycotting Israeli products as Christmas gifts. It's a bit complicated explaining the connection between Santa Claus and the Palestine-Israeli conflict to kids who think they're about to get a special preview visit from the big guy. 

I found out later that Prouds jewellers weren't a target. The protesters just happened to be going past there when they were turfed out by the shopping centre security staff.

Checking out the Myer Christmas Window Displays

Thanks to Julie from Sydney Eye, last year for the inspiration!

Deck the Malls

Aargh! Where did the year go? Christmas decorations up in Queen Street Mall already!

Sing, Choir of Angels!

This is part of the beautiful carved Choir section in St. John's Cathedral.
Have a happy and musical Christmas!

Christmas Shopping

Queen Street Mall in the city, busy with Christmas shoppers. It always raises a quizzical eyebrow with me... the snowflake decorations. I get the symbolism... but it's 30 degrees!

Four Calling Birds

There's an interesting take on The Twelve Days Of Christmas in King George Square each day up until December 23rd. It's called Artist's Dozen: twelve artists have been invited to create large sculptural artworks from pre-made numbers to portray their own interpretation of a line of the song.

The results so far are funny, interesting, strange... these "calling birds" are kookaburras - best known for their raucous laugh especially at 4.30am when I am trying to sleep. Here's a few more... I quite like the ninja turtle doves. No idea at all about the 6 geese a-laying... any thoughts? The seven swans a-swimming (a work in progress on Saturday at lunchtime) was supposed to be a model of Wayne Swan (Australia's treasurer) swimming in a GF Sea (geddit?)

Click on a picture for a closer look...

Tree Angel

I found her hanging on a tree in Queen Street... beautiful!
Happy Christmas.