CYCLONE DEBBIE DIARY # lll

MORE  SKY  DISPLAYS /  STUNNED , CONFUSED  INSECTS / SAHARA DAYS  AHEAD ?

From far away Aurukun on the Gulf side of Cape York Peninsula came this captivating photograph of a  non-laughing  Kookaburra  studying  the ominous  black  clouds .

Meanwhile , in Townsville  , where  residents  have   been praying for  rain over  the  catchment  area  of  the  city's evaporating  dam ,  it seems  that while it  will not  be battered by  the cyclone , neither  will  it  get  a  deluge  and  continue to  be  dubbed  Brownsville   due  to  water  restrictions . One  is reminded  of  a  certain  poem  recited by a  bug eyed ,  thirsty mariner   who spoke of  water , water, everywhere (on  the Queensland coast ) -but not a  drop   for  the  Queen city  of  the North .  

The  view   south , above , towards the cyclone threatened areas , from  Picnic Bay  on  nearby Magnetic Island , which  received  six  spits  of  rain  overnight ,  shows  the  high tide  and   heavy, low  clouds .  More obviously  dehydrated  butterflies  were   spotted in the garden , including   the one below ,  seemingly  confused  by  the  weather , who  did not move when  approached  by   this  blogger  armed  with  a  camera and allowed itself  be snapped   from  various  angles . 

Another  insect seen  hovering  for lengthy periods  , despite the  gusty  wind,  was  a  Dragonfly. This  is a  bad  omen   for  Townsville because   in  the Northern Territory  Dragonflies  are  a  sign  of   the  start  of  the  Dry Season . 

CYCLONE DEBBIE DIARY # ll

Sky   Displays  / Tie  Me  Emu  Down , Sport / More  passengers  for   Noah's Ark /Gone with  the  Wind .

Fiery sunset over Magnetic Island .

Rain  sweeping in over Atherton Tableland.

Another call was made to  the residence of the  Queen of the Jungle to see how she was continuing to  batten  down   against  the  blow .  There  was  a   similar zoo situation  to  the  previous  day's removal of the heavy  concrete Rhinoceros  which  had to  be hauled to a  safer place on the island veldt . It involved a  concrete  Emu with  strong  steel   legs ( Reo reinforcing rods ).  Could it  be   tied   to  a  nearby post ? No , the post was  loose . Solution : Emu  tipped  on  its side , an  ungainly position , below .   



Importantly ,  the  Queen's prized  car was  wrapped up   like a  Christmas plum pudding  to  prevent it  from being scratched , for  which  she rewarded the  head wrapper   with   a   carrot  cake , near  its  use  by  date , the  price  reduced .  

For our services during  the lead up to the   cyclone  , her gracious  majesty presented   this  blog  with a dusty  , framed  print, under   glass ,  of  colourful  South American  birds , monkeys and  a  frog , bearing the   name of a Californian   gallery , bought  at  a  garage sale  many  moons  ago . If any more animals  surface  Noah's  Ark  will  surely sink  or  begin  to  list .

 

PROMINENT    TERRITORY   ACTOR   BLOWS   IN

 

An indication of  the  strength of the  winds on Magnetic Island  is indicated  in this   exclusive  (dubious )  photograph . 

 



CYCLONE DEBBIE DIARY

A cross between  a  noisy Noah's Ark  Boarding Party , a  Hard  Day's Night and a  Book Fair  

Having  been through  Cyclone Tracy  in 1974  in which  our  house   was  badly damaged , the  roof  torn off  , and  had  to be  demolished , our children  evacuated   to  Sydney ,  we are  now  awaiting  the  approach  of  Cyclone Debbie   hovering  off  the  Queensland  coast  in  the Coral Sea   with the  threat  of  destructive  winds  equal  to  Tracy .

In  preparing for  the  coming  event , time  was spent yesterday  packing  things away , removing  and  storing   objects  which  could  become  missiles . Along  the  way  there  were  unusual  and  unexpected  diversions .

On helping  the   nearby Germanic   Queen of the Jungle to clear  her  veranda, which included  two  cases of   Kiwi  wine ,  a  wildlife  carer  friend   arrived   bearing  a   limping   Curlew   seeking   the  royal  person's   opinion  on  what  to  do .

Assorted   items  were  stored in  a  large , empty  Torres Strait Pigeon  aviary which  the  Queen  used  for  research  some  years  ago .  Placed  in a  safe  place  was a  large  pot   containing  the   remains of   Beep-Beep , a  pet  Lorikeet ,  the Queen had   for  22 years .  A stream of green ants  was noticed  moving to  the heights . 

Due   to  a  prior  arrangement , there was a  quick   trip  to see  a woman with an exciting  65  boxes  of  books   and   returned  to  Little  Darwin  with   four ,  which included  an  extensive run  of the  ABC  magazine  24 Hours , Australian National  Library  journals , Australian state of  the art magazines , crime  novels , classics  and even a photocopy of  a  Dad and Dave cartoon which  had appeared in the Sydney Bulletin . No  time to  peruse  the  treasure  trove  because of   the  cyclone threat , but a   quick peek  raised  great  expectations. 

 While moving  objects  about   our  backyard   Kookaburras  were   giving  voice  and  darting  about , at times  dive bombing our resident  Curlews . Crows were also heard  making  a racket . 

Beaks  of  Sunbird  twins  visible . 

Then , noticed missing  was  the Sunbird  nest  blowing in  the  wind, above,   near  the front  door, with two babies inside , from  the  light  cord  to which it was artistically  attached .  On  investigating , the nest was  found   on  the   ground  and  , fearing  the  worst , picked  up  and  once more attached  to the cord . On close examination with  a  torch, the poor chicks  appeared  head  down  inside  , their  backsides up in the air .  Carefully moving them  one  by one  and examining , they  appeared  to  be  okay   and  were  placed  right  way up .  Poor little  birds probably thought I was an  awful creature  from another planet  carrying out  an  anal  examination , which happens to so many Americans whisked  away  in   UFOs.   No sign of  any  parent Sunbird .

It is possible  a Kookaburra  cut the  nest down as  they  are known to do so  and  one had been   seen   darting  nearby.  Fortunately , a  parent  ,  not eaten by  a  Kookaburra, was  later seen  at  the nest .  This morning  it was seen sitting in the nest with the chicks . Now the  worry  is   how will the  birds and    the nest  fare  in  the  winds   which could  be  up  to  250kph  if  we  experience the   full force . 

In  preparation for   Cyclone  Tracy , I  specially stored away  in a   cupboard   a  two volume   set  of  the 1880s  Picturesque  Atlas  of  Australasia , hoping  it would  survive ; it ended  up in a pile of  debris in  the  yard . In  the bottle  collection   packed  away  yesterday were   some  dug  up at  Pine Creek  in  the Northern Territory , including sensual   Dutch case  gins ,  Chinese  Samsu jars  and   hotel   soda  siphons   from  New Zealand and  Australia .  An essay on  Miss  Olive  Pink of Alice Springs  in   an edition   of     the  anthropology  journal   Oceania , recently obtained at a garage sale on Magnetic Island ,  was   tucked  away  in  the  hope  that  it  will  survive the   cyclone  and make an entertaining   read  in  the aftermath . 

A second  visit to  the Queen  of the  Jungle  involved  moving  a large concrete  Rhinoceros, which  had  survived  Cyclone Yasi ,  to protect its   ears,   valuable horns  and  tail  from being  damaged  in   the  tempest .  A  large  Curlew, above ,   rushed  in  and   took  up  a  position near the  Rhino, demanding  a  feed  . 

Then  a   Curlew , made  from driftwood , was  found in pieces , and assembled    for  the  above  photograph  before  being stowed away in another   aviary .  What  to move next  ? Scores of  horseshoes   used for  artistic purposes in a  basket , a   rock containing   fossils , Cinderella's  dainty  shoe  (another garage sale find )  and  surprise , surprise...a multiple amputee    John   Lennon  figure (bought at a garage sale years ago)  with a  dismembered  crocodile , a terracotta   clown's  face  and   a  Cockatoo .    

 

Several wonderful  birdwing butterflies   have been seen fluttering lazily  about the garden this morning and if they are  caught  up  in  the cyclone could find themselves  flying  faster  than  the  speed  of  sound . 



PANDA WITH A DASH OF SOY

Another  in  our  Hong  Kong  series  by  ace photographer Michael .

 

PRESIDENT PULLS GREASY WOOL OVER EYES OF THE WORLD

Sporting  a  stunning new hairstyle ,  angry  President Donald  Trump  is shown in the White House rose and prickle  garden , warning his press secretary , Sean "The Sheep "  Spicer ,  he  will  be  fired  and   replaced  with a  smart  Australian Merino  if  he cannot stop  the  media  from  writing  factual  stories about the  chaos  and cock ups in the  Trump Circus .   Our exclusive photograph, taken  by an FBI  spy camera inside  an Abe Lincoln   garden  gnome , was  received  when  the  microwave  oven was  switched on  to  heat  up  a genuine, imported, duty free   Chinese  spring roll  in the Little Darwin  greasy  spoon  canteen.



HONG KONG STUDY BY WANDERING CORRESPONDENT : SERIES

 

 

TOP :  Pedestrians . Followed  by two shots  of  sign makers in the open  with examples of their handiwork  and   assorted  stencils   on display  next  to heavy traffic . Photos by Michael .

HOSPITAL DELIVERS NEW LEAD ON FASCINATING CHINESE BOXER

When you  are at  the age of  this  blogger  you   try  to    dodge  the  Grim Reaper's  knockout   blow ,  roll  with  his  punches ,  so  end  up  on  a  seemingly  never  ending  medical  treadmill  with  bits cut out , blood tests , pants  dropping ,  CT  scans , ultrasound  probes, a variety of  pills , etc .    In  this  writer's   case , it   involves occasional   trips  to  the   Townsville   Hospital  where  the  packed waiting   rooms  usually  feature  a   mind  numbing   commercial  TV  channel   polluting  the  freezing   air , the screen  spewing   godawful  adverts  for  exercise gadgets,  weight reducing  offers ,   idiotic   interviews  and   utterings .   

There  is , however,   one positive side  of  such  ordeals  - the  chance to  peruse  two  trolleys  of   books   on  the  ground    floor  of the  building, said to have been  designed in  Canada, capable of  withstanding  a   record snowstorm , which is good to know ,  and  also  protection  from   marauding   polar  bears . Only  joking  re  the  bears  -  dingoes  have  been sighted   in  the  parking  area .   

 While  most  of  the  books  for  sale   are  ubiquitous  crime  paperbacks ,  some   delightful non-fiction  hardbacks  have  been  unearthed...the  Barry Humphries  autobiography , More Please , in a  silver fished  dustjacket , the  opening  piece  headed  Alzheimer Remembers ;  a  large , lavishly illustrated  tome on the  world's mythology (subsequently presented to the  artistic  Queen of the Jungle  ) ; most  recently ,   a real treasure, Blood and Tinsel , The Miegunyah Press,  Melbourne, 2008,   a memoir   of  the  Australian  director of plays, musicals, films  and  operas  here  and  overseas ,  Jim Sharman . The    very   sighting  of   his  name on  the  dustjacket  sent  my  blood  pressure  up  with  the  strong belief   that   it  would   contain     information   about  a  number of  subjects  of   interest . 

 

In particular , I hoped it would  contain something  about  boxer    Rud Key ,  the  subject   of  a post  in  this blog    on  December  1  last , headed  CHINESE  BOXING CHAMPION  OF  THE   AUSTRALIAN  UNDERWORLD  .

 

That yarn  told how  in a  slim booklet , Ravenswood Remembered , by  Mary Crow , born 1915,  there  was  mention  of   a Chinese family which   ran  Lee Gow's bakery in the Queensland  mining  town  . One  child ,  "Choonga ", keen on boxing , had joined   the  famous touring  Sharman Boxing Troupe , fighting under the name  Rud Key  ,  his  ashes  supposedly   returned   and   scattered  about  the   town   by   his  brother . 



Following up  this  intriguing  story  , a search of the  Chinese  section of the Ravenswood Cemetery  listed  storekeeper  Key Jung , 56, who had died   in  1927, a possible  relative ?  

 Further  research  in Trove and  boxing   books  provided  additional  information, unfortunately not very extensive ,   about  Rud  Key / Kee , even billed as the  Champion  of  All  China , fighting   in  numerous  places  in  Australia , including Tasmania . He  had  been with the  Sharman Boxing Troupe  for  35  years  , in various roles , including beating  the  drum  to  attract  people  to   the   fight  tent  at  shows  and  ticket  seller .

On taking   the  Sharman  memoir  home   from  the  hospital , I  stretched out on the bed and began to  read  . On  reaching   page 9 , I  gave a yell , which  caused   my wife   to  ask  what was  wrong . It  was  a cry of exultation , not agony ,  nor  my last gasp  ,  for there  was mention  of   "  Rud  Kee" , described as  the Sharman  ticket seller  and  troupe manager ,  in  print.     It went on to  affectionately  call  him " Old  Rud, " who had been with the organisation   since  1911, through two wars and the Depression ,  his  little  known real   name   Cheong  Lee.  


 Later on  in the  book  , the author   said his  paternal grandmother  may have made an unexpected  cruise on  the Mariposa  to  Hong  Kong and  Japan     due to "wise old Rud Kee  ".   She came back   with  lots  of watches strapped to her body , under  her  corsets .  It  is  a  wonder  brilliant  Jim Sharman  did  not turn Rud  into  a fabulous stage  show  or  musical .      There  is  clearly a  bigger story   to   be   dug   up  about  this   character  Rud  ;  the  hunt goes on .  

Building  from  early  days  of  Ravenswood  where  the  boxer's ashes  could still be blowing in the wind . Stepped  up   mining  in  the   town  will  require removal of  old  chimney  stacks  in   the  area . 

The   palpitations   caused  by   the  Rud  Kee  revelations  in  the book were  minor   compared  to   the  surprise  on  reading  further   that   Sharman's   father   had  sent packing  a  crooked  cop -Terry Lewis -who  became the   Queensland  Commissioner  of   Police ,  eventually   jailed  , stripped  of   his  knighthood.