ALWAYS COLOURFUL AT CHRISTMAS

Robert 2007

Truth be told, the lei was a bit much......

LINDA VILLA OWL SEES ALL - STORY RETOLD

The Owls are the order Strigiformes. Most are solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions.  The Linda Villa Owl must love us as it can be seen flying from one tree to another during the early morning hours, as well as watching over the complex during the night.  Though owls are typically solitary, the literary collective noun for a group of owls is a parliament., which suggest that MOI should try to get more to come here...


Owls have large forward-facing eyes and ear-holes, a hawk-like beak, a flat face, and usually a conspicuous circle of feathers, a facial disc, around each eye. Although owls have binocular vision, their large eyes are fixed in their sockets, as with other birds, and they must turn their entire head to change views. Most birds of prey sport eyes on the sides of their heads, but the stereoscopic nature of the owl's forward-facing eyes permits a greater sense of depth perception necessary for low-light hunting.


Owls are farsighted and are unable to see anything clearly within a few centimeters of their eyes. Caught prey can be felt by owls with the use of filoplumes, which are small hair-like feathers on the beak and feet that act as "feelers". Their far vision, particularly in low light, is exceptionally good.  It can turn its head 135 degrees in either direction; it can thus look behind its own shoulders, with a total 270-degree field of view.  With aid of more lamps in the night, our owl now sees much.

Most owls are nocturnal, actively hunting for prey only under the cover of darkness. Several types of owl, however, are crepuscular, active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk; one example is the pygmy owl. A few owls are also active during the day; examples are the Burrowing Owl  and the Short-eared Owl.


Much of the owls' hunting strategy depends on stealth and surprise. Owls have at least two adaptations that aid them in achieving stealth. First, the dull coloration of owls' feathers can render them almost invisible under certain conditions. Secondly, serrated edges on the leading edge owls' remiges muffle an owl's wingbeats, allowing its flight to be practically silent.

The Linda Villa Owl sees it all.  The Palm trees add to the ability to view from on high the nightly activity that some would believe is un-noticed.  How wrong they be.

The Owl sees the endless traffic that passes through the patio gate of a soon to be departed tenant.  How odd that they do not know that the quick stop visits are very odd indeed.  The owl notes the large volume of traffic into the car park that the unit in question has all the day long , even notes small children playing in the vehicle with no supervision and just might set the motor to rolling and cause great harm.

The Linda Villa Owl never misses the endless flow of night time visitors to another flat.  Poor chap is clueless that 'friends' are using his flat as a 'hang out'.  Mind, the days are numbered as 'friends' have brought drugs onto the property and that will not be allowed.  The owl will see the departure of another tenant who thought that 'drug free' was a joke told to on move-in.

The good Linda Villa Owl also sees much to be right pleased by.  He sees tenants digging in the dirt and planting flowers to make the Linda Villa more brilliant AND to possibly capture the grand prize on May 8th.

Our owl also sees lovely tenants having a good time on patios, a little food and drink and chat with mates, all done with consideration to others.  No tossing of butts over rail or causing noise to drown out neighbour under flat.  How lovely that young blokes can be so considerate.

The Linda Villa Owl caught sight of this old geezer, Murray, Paul, James, Chandra invited to the patio of Della & Michael to partake in a cook-up with potables!  Fancy that.  All carried out with good grace. No riot of drink in the car park or loud noise.  Truth be told, even the wee ones were on best behaviour.

The Linda Villa Owl has seen another weekend come and go at the complex.  True, there be one day left, but it will be quiet, considering the amount of drink SOME had until the wee hours.

This morning as I watched OUR owl fly from tree to tree, I hoped that it would get comfy and take position again this night and watch over us.  What grand things folks miss when they write off a road, a community or complex based on what was and not was is at present.  More's the pity that...

SAGGING UNDERPANTS

 Justin Bieber is shown almost always with more than a little of his underpants showing.  The young lad has been shown in pink, white, black and famous labels.  It is a wonder that he bothers to wear trousers at all.  Which got the old geezer to think on ...........

 Kris Humpries has decided to reveal his looks in underpants. Racy the photo shoot was but one wonders the importance of the combat boots...

David Beckham has done adverts for underpants in the past.  Responsible for massive sales.  Wanting his fair share of the market, David has own line of underpants and has done a new series of snaps showing off his bod.  Father of 4 and now 39, David shows that he still is in good shape.  Mind, it may well be that with the loss of weight, the old geezer might have to get a few pair.  Right, no one will know but the old geezer...

Lastly, we have a snap of Marky Mark, AKA  Mark Walhberg, in his underpants.  Ages ago, in Honolulu, the old geezer and a few mates, attended a concert of the band a member of.  The draw was that he might drop trousers and show his underpants completely.  Can you imagine?  The old geezer was in 40's as were the mates who went to concert.  Most of the concert  goers were teenagers.  We old men had purchased the best seats, right up front, and stood for better view, would not allow any to push aside.   Just to see a little 'underpants'.

More than 20 years on, the practice of showing underpants lives.  So much so that ordinary chaps parade in town with underpants showing.  Not always clean underpants...

This is one fad that needs to be retired...

Which bring this old geezer to the end of this post with the above snap.  One should very careful in Flint...

July 24th - A Day in Me Life on Earth - 2010

Cheeky bugger be this old geezer. Mind, you already know that...
Today is the day devoted to all on YouTube to film a bit of life and send in to be part of a global 'day in the life on Earth', with selected filmed bits being used for a film to be presented at the Sundance Film Festival. Can you imagine?
With undiluted pleasure this old geezer faces each day, considering the alternative. Having no shame, MOI sits with cuppa in bed clothes and ponders this day.
Clueless as to how this day will turn out but very much wanting to see how it unfolds and what new stories are heard and what wondrous sights are seen.
Will tell you true, the water cooler makes for interesting tool in promoting conversation and do so love getting folks to draw near and chat...

TALES OF WOE?

One of my more avid readers told in a post that he found 'happiness' in my tales of woe.  Fancy that...

I will allow the above snap speak for me.

Truth be told, in telling of my adventures, there be some who feel it is 'woe'.  Rather think of it as a colourful walk through life, full of rain as well as sunshine.....

MOI ADORES 'THE DAILY MAIL'

This post comes with 'The Daily Mail Song'...

They call the Daily Mail, The Housewives Rag in UK.  Whatever.  This old geezer adores the newspaper.  Where else is MOI going to get so much news?  Drama??  Giggles??

Not the only newspaper read, but as these things go, it gives much to think on. Mind, it also provides a different slant on life in America.  Truly.

Like the song says, 'if it is in the Daily Mail, it must be true'...

LEAVE IT TO BEAVER

Barbara Billingsley, the actress who played "June Cleaver" died recently at 94. It got me to give a think on one of the telly programmes of youth that held so large an impact on me as a child.
We never got to watch much telly in the orphanage but "Leave It To Beaver" was one programme much approved by the good nuns and we watch quite a few shows. Seems a bit odd now, we children locked away in an orphanage getting to watch a programme that showed what we would never know.
Or was it? Looking back, I tend to think now that this show made me want to be a part of the American Dream. I wanted to know all of the delights that 'The Beaver' enjoyed. It also was a blueprint of what I was so desperate to believe life could be like.
Four specific themes - education, marriage, occupation and family;
Education - getting one was the ticket to the good life - most important.
Marriage - conerstone of successful middle class life. While the view on 'marriage' in show was dated to the 1950's, having a successful and rewarding relationship with a partner - in whatever form of relationship that defines that love and devotion, is still important to family life.
Occupation - One has to do something in life. Paid or volunteer - one should have a place to go and do something during the day.
Family - Loyality to family values. Being conscientious parents, serving as examples in word and deed to children. Children being responsible members of the family unit.
Deep down inside, I think I knew that the programme watched was too good to be true. I wanted to believe that there was a different sort of life than the one that played out for me behind the walls of the orphanage. I knew I was never going to be as lucky as "Beaver" but I could sure dream. In dreaming, I could make some of the themes of the show come to life for me. I tried to pretend that my parents had given me up because the had no other choice. Someday the would return - they never did - it was a good dream to believe in, that there were loving parents 'out there' missing me.
Believing in the power of a good education turned out to be spot on. As did having a purpose in life.
As unconventional as my 'family' unit was in later life, my years spent with John made a a better person and very happy. It is good to share one's life.
"Leave It To Beaver" was pure Hollywood. Or was it a programme showing how we wanted life to be in 'real time'. The lasting impression left on this old geezer is one of just how 'naive' we all were in the 1950's and wondering if being a little 'naive' now would not be better than the 'in your face' attitude of the present.
The "Cleavers" may never have been real, but it would be a lovely world if families would try a little harder to do ther job and stay together.
Mind, all of these thoughts come from an old geezer who still believes in fairies, Father Christmas and the Easter Bunny...

"flamboyant" MOI??

"Rob, you are flamboyant". So said a mate to MOI in a long chat we had yesterday. MOI is gutted, will have to take to his bed, he will, to recover the arrow shot through me heart................... Cue the violins, make ready the camera for my 'Camille'.


The dastardly wicked utterance came to be as he asked MOI to critique an article he was writing. A bit like asking Nero to describe the burning of Rome.

Flamboyant..........it is the same in French. The dictionary defines as; 'strikingly bold or brilliant, 'to flame' or 'attract attention'. It also says a lot of other bits, but we will get to them.......patient, you must be patient.......

To be true, MOI has a rather colourful style of writing, more to catch the attention of the reader. What purpose would be serve to bang out post in a dull manner? One has to hook the limited attention span from GO or all is lost.

It is the opinion of this old geezer, and one shared by many who read, that MOI writes much as he speaks. Were you to meet in person, you wold see that the written word is as one with the spoken. MOI is colourful 24/7. Mind, a bit too colourful for some.  Rather refreshing to meet lovely folks who are in on the colourful bit and run with it.  Not all are full of selves, and see the value of a giggle or two.


Let us get back to the matter at hand. Flamboyant.............

'Conspicuously dashing and colourful'................as in 'the flamboyant idol of international society', mmmmmmmmmm do so love that take. Mind, it can also bring to fore; 'bombastic', 'camp', 'chichi' and 'gassy'. MOI like to think of self as 'calm', ,modest', 'restrained' and 'tasteful'.

My dears, being 'au fait' with, you do know that MOI is having a giggle here.  MOI does go out of way to catch folks right off, and that would be, in the eyes of SOME, flamboyant. MOI likes to think of it as panache................but then he would.

$64,000.00 question. Do you think that if MOI had landed on the road lived and tried to be quiet in his effort to make the road brilliant, it would  come to pass?  I think not.

While there be some who will always be of the opinion that this old geezer is just a 'headline' grabber, there be others who know that the attention is not personal, just important to getting the message across.  Bloody hell, first clue that MOI was a bit much was to find a blog with name and a bleeden YOUTUBE channel.

Truth be told, matters not if some find this old geezer LOUD.  Being a bit hard of hearing, am prone to chat on the loud side and do tend to bang on a bit of matters that concern.  That will just have to be the way of it.

SALUTE TO A GOOD FRIEND

I suddenly realized that ... this man... this man...
No one every made me feel like someone
'Til him
Life was really nothing but a glum one
'Til him 
My existence bordered on the tragic
Always timid, never took a chance
Then I felt his magic
And my heart began to dance 
I was always frightened, fraught with worry...
'Til him
I was going nowhere in a hurry
'Til him
He filled up my empty life
Filled it to the brim
There could never ever be
Another one...like him 

And there is more.....

I like him, I really like him. 
Tear out my fingernails one by one, I like him! 
I don't have a very good reason, 
Since I've been with him, 
Cuckoo-nuts have been in season... 
But there's nothing I can do, 
Chop me up for onion stew, 
Still I'll yell to the sky 
Though I can't tell you why, 
That I like him! 

 I like him, I really like him. 
Pluck me naked as a scalded chicken, 
I like him! 
Don't ask me for why or wherefore, 
'Cause I don't have a single good 
"Because" or "therefore!" 
You can barbecue my nose. 
Make a giblet of my toes, 
Make me freeze, make me fry. 
Make me sigh, make me cry. 
Still I'll yell to the sky, 
Though I can't tell you why. 
That I like him

TRUE FRIEND STABS YOU IN THE FRONT

MOI has always loathed folks who tell one story in front of a 'friend' and quite a different tale behind back.  One never knows where they stand, and they seem offended when found out.  Even this late in life, the old geezer makes mistakes in trusting some folks.

Friendship is not a life long love fest.  Like anything of value, a friendship has times when it is tested.  That is what makes it special.

How horrid it would be if one never voiced true feeling.  Does not mean that the friend has to agree, but be civil enough to hear one out.

This old geezer does not always get his way.  Truth be told, MOI can be quite stubborn at times. Just wish that true mates would understand that not liking something does not mean that it is a breaking point in a friendship.

Enough said...

OLD GEEZER HOLDS SMART DINNER PARTY





 MOI thought it was time to have a smart dinner party.  Having come to enjoy the company of Paul and Alan, it seemed like a clever bonding experience...

Gave plenty of notice to, and hoped that it would be an eventful evening...

With pot and kettle sorted out, all that was required was a trip  to market to get the fixing for meal planned.  One so much wanted to impress invited guests.

Being the world traveller, the old geezer thought to serve up clever finger food.  SPAM, sliced and diced up on crackers.  There was also egg salad on crackers.  Dressed up with olives.  Not one to spare expense, the old geezer had lovely Havarti cheese as well.  Quite grand.  So Continental...

The salad was a pure delight to the eye.  There were tomatoes, radishes and 3 different colours of bell peppers.  Tossed and allowing for guests to dress as they wished.

Main course was bangers and mash.   Yummy.  Very British.

Afters was a creation from heaven.  Would have wished for the above, since was really putting on the dog, but me guests had to settle for a Strawberry and Cream Cake.

The evening was ended with watching a British film.

What made the evening a huge hit was the very enjoyable company.  Sitting at table and making an event of the meal.  Without the telly or a mad dash to finish meal.

MOI sort of picked, but could see that Paul and Alan tucked into their meal with delight.  Lovely to see so much joy at eating.

DIAMOND JUBILEE - QUEEN ELIZABETH II

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN

The $1,000 ice cream sundae made with 23-carat gold and the world's rarest chocolate

Drizzled with the world's most expensive chocolate, Amedei Porcelana, and topped with chunks of rarest Venezuelan Chuao chocolate, it is no wonder that Executive Chef Joe Calderone calls it 'iconic'.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2142399/The-1-000-ice-cream-sundae-23-carat-gold-worlds-rarest-chocolate--youll-need-order-days-advance.html#ixzz1uV3GoYsL


How lucky the old geezer be that the price is so dear for this treat...

since arrival back have been running around like the proberbial "nympho in a frat house"

DATELINE - HILO, HAWAII

I have been up since 4 prepping the breakfast for the 32 students from Canada.  It is not the usual Hostel continental shit either.  They are getting orange juice (okay Sunny Delight with a convincing sliced orange floating around in it) boiled eggs.  Bagels/cream cheese, tinned fruit, lots of toast! Little  muffins, coffee, tea, cocoa and oatmeal!

This update comes from the Big Kahuna, back from one of his many trips.  The headline is pure 'more colourful language'.  Is there any other kind?  The old geezer misses the chin wags had with the Big Kahuna, the real treat was to chat with one who was not afraid to be colourful...  Mind, the Big Kahuna also goes on to say; "....Been thinking about you lots of late (Jesus! starting to sound like you ).  MOI has that effect on folks, right funny how me sayings do crop up in the language of folks exposed to the old geezer.

Gentlemen of the orchestra, a little music for the folks from Canada.

Truth be told, the Hilo Bay Hostel adores hosting groups from round the world.  The Big Kahuna and staff go all out to make groups feel special.  Well remember groups from NZ, Japan, Australia and parts of US arriving and being very surprised at the welcome laid on for.

Rather think that when The Big Kahuna was finished with the table it might well have looked like the snap above.   Mind, The Big Kahuna being ever so straight, would never use doilies...

When so large a group arrives at hostel, there is much prep to be done.  32 in a group means that the folks from Canada have taken up much of the space, there are but 58 beds total.

The old geezer truly misses being 'Tea & Tidy", what grand fun it was.  More the reason to heal self and see if there be a space for a deaf, lame old geezer to meet and greet folks from round the world in the future.

Some 32% of visitors to me blog come from outside of the United States.  Folks who are planning a trip to Hawaii need to know that Hilo is a perfect place to see the real Hawaii AND have a real experience of Hawaiian hospitality.   Allow MOI to remind folks of what lies in store for a visitor to Hilo Bay Hostel.

My dears, if you have the great good fortune to book accommodations at the Hilo Bay Hostel, the stairs shown in this snap are but the first step to experiencing a true ALOHA welcome to Hilo and all of Hawaii.

It may not be the grand staircase of the Titanic, but then the Hilo Bay Hostel is far from a sinking experience...

As you climb the 100 year old stairs, taking in all of the lovingly restored wood, you begin to feel that there is something special awaiting you at the top. Chances are that you will be greeted by Terry or Pam or if lucky, Scott, the owner himself. Beautiful wood floors, singing birds and the many interesting pictures on the wall will surely draw you in, making you want to drop luggage and just absorb all of the comfort that awaits you.

The hostel has private rooms, as well as the ubiquitous bunk beds in the dorm. There is ever a premier private room with private shower and loo. Fancy that...

Fresh coffee and tea is always available and complimentary. There is a rather smart kitchen area, where guests can place things in the icebox and cupboard to use for a light snack after touring or to make up one of the many brilliant smart dinner parties guests prepare among selves. Truth be told, there is many a day that the smell of wondrous meals being prepared waif through the hostel.

You never know who will ascend the staircase, what friendships will develop or the adventures that will be planned or shared with others staying in the hostel.

This old geezer likes to think that the Hilo Bay Hostel is the 'Ritz Carlton' of hostels and most assuredly the only hotel in Hilo that envelopes all of its guests with the true spirit of ALOHA. Rather like to think that Scott, Terry & Pam daily make each and every guest feel the 'ohana' of the Hilo Bay Hostel.