Thursday, December 18, 2008

~~ ON THE PROWL ~~

Looking for Filipinos in Sydney with an awesome sense of humour, can tolerate the occasional blue joke and who are not easily offended.
After well and truly getting over others who badly stabbed a few of us in the back, I am determined to find more of the good ones who live in this city.

There has to be some good hearted Filos out here who seek loyal friends and not to stab each other in the back, ones who love to have a good laugh
at anything and don't take life to seriously.

If it sounds like you, and/or your bored bollockless with life, shoot us an email. I for one would love to try meeting the better side of the community here again.


Wednesday, December 17, 2008

~~ MERRY CHRISTMAS ~~

This year I will sadly not be able to attend any of the usual post Christmas, Christmas parties so I thought I would take this opportunity to wish all my good friends, family and other readers of this blog a

MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND

A

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I look forward to catching up with the more mentally stable ones
of you sometime in the new year.
Until then, stay safe and have an awesome Xmas period!

Monday, December 15, 2008

Celebrations Galore (Babies - Parties)

~~ CELEBRATIONS GALORE ~~

Its been a busy period for the barkada and their outside families.

My dear best mate Gina just got word she is pregnant with her fifth baby which will be due around August next year (well after Rudd scraps the baby bonus).
I couldn't be more happy for Gina and Hubby Ron.
Congratulations!


Despite a cock up regarding club locations, Ning's visiting brother had a great night out for his birthday in Australia.
Onyo is the one in grey with black stripes.


FERLIE's GRADUATION
Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending Ferlie's graduation with her mum Analiza and Gina. The following photos were taken at the big event.


ALL FERLIE'S PHOTOS REMOVED


Getting to photograph a new hornbag is always call for celebration!

Cherry Picking Pt3


~~ PART 3 ~~

Before you all start emailing whinging about my missing part two of the cherry trip I should tell you it is because Blogger seems to be farting around yet again.
Seems you are likely to find a more reliable seller of Balut in Tondo than be able to get reliability from these sites sometime. Still it is a free service, something you ain't likely to get off a Balut vendor anywhere.
So anyway, I will try to get Part 2 up at a later date. In the meantime you will just have to persevere with Part 3 won't you................


Sadly 'Part 2' contains all the cherry picking bollocks, so this part of the report commences with the ride back to pack and pay for the cherrys we had picked.
The ride into the orchard and back was via an old Australian Army jeep built in November 1969, so it was only marginally younger than me, although it was probably in far better bloody condition.


We were running extremely late following the picking and we set sail pretty much straight away for, what was planned to be, a direct (and fast) trip back home in order to drop off the hired van.

Clouds were scattered for most of the trip back, with various patches of rain experiences. However this was not to be our only hassle of a water nature.


About 30 kms out of Bathurst (Blayney side) Ron and Gina's car overheated and needed more water. The problem was traced to a bodgy thermostat and they struggled onwards, regularly filling up with water until we got top Yetholme where Ana's brother attempted some temporary repairs.


Ning had here own special seat in the Tarago allocated to her.



Despite the temporary repairs and the unloading of much of the weight, including people, into the Tarago, problems were experienced all the way back to Sydney.
One of the more interesting stops being on the extremely steep hill out of Lithgow on the Bells Line Of Road.


Of course Gina can make light of any situation and as such still had a smile on her face.


At one of the many stops the lovely ladies joining us popped out to get some flowers and a photo.


Thus concludes all the riviting details and exciting drama that was the Young Cherry Trip, I do hope it was as enthralling for you as it was for us, although somehow I think there may be buggar all chance of that.
If Blogger can be half arsed to co-operate with me tomorrow then hopefully I shall be able to tingle you all with what you missed.

Cheers

Cherry Picking Pt2












Bing's Surprise Birthday Party

~~ HAPPY BIRTHDAY BING ~~

Saturday saw Bing's REAL friends get together for a party to celebrate her birthday.

Although Bing was otherwise occupied with the 'Eastlakes Aswang Bakada' who were busily making her feel like she was accepted, we were able to get a photo of her as a replacement.
We felt this may be a good replacement, however, unlike Mrs Credibility, Bing has more character than a piece of paper with an image on it.

Attending the big event were Ning, Gina, Ron, Analiza, Ferlie, Maria and Honey from the 'G-Spot Barkada'.
Also civilians Jun, Cecile, Annie, Inday, Rowena, Jessie, Rose, Gerry and a number of other unknowns.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY BING
L to R
Annie, probably another gossiper, Honey, Maria, Gerry, Cecile.

Steve Miller, who wasn't actually there, sings Bing's photo a birthday song!

Bing's photo enjoys a shot or 10 of Tanduay.

Cecile and Ning having a private discussion about aswang!

Santa visits briefly to share his sack with Bing's photo.

Bing's photo is taken to the Neath Hotel for a scrumptious dinner and birthday drinkies.

Ronnie sings up a storm with his drink bottle karaoke system.

Bing's photo enjoys a chat with more friends.
Actually it is fake, these people are all in the Philippines, but since the real one seems to enjoy fake friends we thought "what the heck".

Colonel gives a special display of his pissed dancing for Bing's photo!

Colonel experiencing a moment of extreme happiness after
finding out that Mrs Credibility
wasn't going to be attending!

Everyone had a great night and much alcohol was consumed.
Thankfully Bing's photo offered to drive all her REAL friends back home.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

HUNGRY?

Its time to for someone to eat their words!


Talk is that a member of the 'Eastlakes Aswang Barkada' has fallen pregnant.

While we congratulate her and wish her well, it is interesting to remember back to comments made by her to a dear friend of mine concerning their bad opinion of my friend having kids to different fathers.

In Filipino myth it says that Aswang have a taste for human flesh - it would also seem they have a great taste for eating the many words they have spurted forth in their life time.

* He has kids - I will never accept that relationship.

* I will never let a man ruin my friendships.

* I have credibility.

* I will never have a child to another man, all MY kids will be from the same father.


** START MUNCHING PEOPLE **



~~ PART 1 ~~

It took two months to plan, five days to organize and two days to complete, but our '2008 G-Spot Barkada' pilgrimage to Young to pick cherries is now over.
So why spend two days driving around the countryside to pick fruit that can be got around the corner in the local Woolworths or other grocery store?
Well for a start, cherries straight off the tree taste bloody awesome. I would never have believed it, but they are far better than those you buy in a shop that have been off the tree for a fair amount of time already.
Also it is a chance to get out into more civilized parts of our nation, away from the stresses of home. For me personally, it was a chance to return to all those beautiful country towns I once spent half my life in, especially my beloved Cootamundra.
Please join us on our journey to Young and back. I will be covering it in a number of parts over the next couple of weeks, so please come back for a look.

NOTE: Click on pictures for a larger version!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Good god, the alarm rings at 2am signifying the start of our first day.
We were due at Gina's by 3am and I knew it would not be easy to get the rest of the families bums into gear, despite the fact they would be able to sleep the whole day while I drive.

Having only gone to bed at 10am, and subsequently getting woken by the wife at midnight, two things had become apparent.

1) It was going to be an awfully long drive to our first stop at Goulburn.

and

2) I was going to need copious amounts of my favourite sleep delaying product.

I think we ended up meeting at Cecile's place, or perhaps it was Gina's. Who knows - I was after all asleep while driving. We did leave rather later than planned though, heading past the airport around 03.30.
Despite plans to go non-stop to Goulburn for breakfast, Pheasants Nest become our first stop to load up on Red Bull, examine the local bushpigs and evacuate our bowels before the second stint.
This is as far as most of the woman got before sleep time hit and they passed out for the balance of the way to breakfast time.

FERLIE PHOTO REMOVED

Arrival at Goulburn was in unison with a southbound train. While my railfan urges were trying to force me to set chase, my wife, and no doubt my mates in the other car, certainly would not have allowed such activity. Ahhhhh als, the life of a railfan is hard when traveling with 'non-believers'. :-)

Soon enough we were to arrive at Goulburn's iconic, and New Zealand's wet dream, GIANT SHEEP. It was here we had a 1 hour wait for the roadhouse to open so we could obtain their famous bacon and egg rolls.
Masarap, these bacon egg rolls which almost utilize a pig each are something not to be missed. But be warned, they are best in the morning, because at night they seem to be a bit tight arse when it comes to content.
Their Big Breakfast also rates very highly in the railfan community.

Anyway while we awaited breakfast we decided to get a group shot in front of the previously mentioned big sheep. Seen is our group, minus myself who was taking the shot and Gina who was still fast asleep in the car.
Some of us wanted to do more with the sheep than just get our photo taken.


While awaiting breakfast some rather impressive trucks rolled past with all the parts for some of those energy producing windmill thingies. Bloody impressive watching the drivers negotiate the roundabouts.

FERLIE PHOTO REMOVED

L to R
Maria, Cecile, a rather stunning looking Ferlie, Ning's brother Onyo and Ning.


Goooooooooood morning darling - glad you could join us.
Gina is awoken by the lovely smell of bacon and eggs, as well
as numerous photographers.


Soon we were off from Goulburn and headed for the lovely town of Yass. This once busy place as turned into a quiet backwater since being bypassed by the highway.
Most of the group went for a walk down the main street looking at such exotic shops as 'Go-Lo' and 'Target' while your beloved barkada webmaster took off to the local railway museum to see whats been happening and then to the old Dutton Street railway line to get photos given it is now in danger of removal.
Soon enough I meet up with everyone again at Go-Lo and help to carry back the bags and bags and bags and bags and bags and bags and bags and bags and bags of shopping. Ay Naku.

This sign is probably one of the most photographed McDonalds
ones in Australia, if not the world.

It takes a rather smutty mind to work out why. Can you?


Yass - The towns main street and shopping strip.

Tarago reflections!

Sticking with my usual tradition, I took the back road to Cootamundra from Yass. It is a bit longer and, obviously, follows the railway line, but it also allows one to look at the rather sad looking towns of Binalong, Bowning and Wallendbean along the way. It also gives chance to see the rather large township of Harden (thats an 'e', not an 'o'. A common mistake for those smutty minded ones again).

~~ COOTAMUNDRA ~~

It is my favourite Aussie rural town, a friendly place, large enough to cater for almost any need.
Cootamundra is famous for being where Don Bradman (Australia's most famous cricket player) grew up, being the Wattle town and, hmmmm, well thats about it really.
For many years I would travel to Coota almost monthly in search of train shots and I made many friends, mostly with railway employees, down there. People in the shops I frequented were often surprised when I told them I actually live in Sydney.
I've long had a desire to live in Cootamundra one day, though now it would be hard to leave all my dear Pinay friends back in Smogney.


Scotty in Albert Park, Cootamundra.

FERLIE PHOTO REMOVED

Lunch in Albert Park, which was situated, rather conveniently,
in view of the railway line.


Our place of residence in Coota was this huge 16 person tent which was built while I was busily driving down to Junee in search of trains while others rested. My search was quite successful incidentally, the results of which appear on my railfan blog should you be hugely interested.

Thus this brings us to the end of the first day. Join us later in the week when we go cherry picking at Young and encounter automobile dramas on the way back to Sydney.

Brad