The Horrors of the Brisbane Train Network

Somehow, I think it is time that Queensland Rail updated its train system somewhat. Having spent the best part of three or so hours today trying to accomplish what normally takes one hour on the train, I am less than happy at our public rail network.

Though to be honest, with the recent spate of people throwing themselves in front of trains this week, plus the two cars that went through boom gates this morning (one accidental, one on purpose) up this way, it is probably fair to say that Queensland Rail are doing their best, considering the circumstances. Add to that, the (also recent) couple of accidents with the long distance trains, up north, including the south-bound Tilt Train today which had to stop at Caboolture to transfer some passengers to hospital via ambulance (reason unknown as yet), and because they had to wait for the Queensland Ambulance Service to turn up, Queensland Rail requisitioned a local domestic city train and turned it into a makeshift express long distance train so that the passengers would get to Brisbane SOMETIME today....it's been a pretty awful start to the new year all round really.

Oh and did I mention also that due to our current heat wave, the older domestic trains (known to those who care or are aware as E.M.U's, not to be confused with the S.M.U's or the newer I.M.U's) tend to overheat when they reach a certain temperature, and simply stop on the lines where they stand. Given I was on one such train for part of my journey today, I know this to be true.

As it was, I sat at my local station and waited for a train that was supposed to arrive a few minutes after I got there, only....it took an hour to actually make it to us. After that, we didn't even get as far as the next station (about 15 minutes south of me by train), before we had to stop and wait for the train to cool down, before we could continue. The whole way we kept being given updates on the various accidents south of us, including the grissly details of the family that went through the boom gates on purpose and apparently smiled at the train driver while doing so.

This happened an hour or so after another car went through the boom gates at a station just north of that one (but still south of me), which caused my train and the one after it to be cancelled. Which is why I had to wait an hour for a train today.

It took me over two hours to get to Brisbane today. I left home at 10am. I got to town at 12.30pm. By the time I got what I had to get done today, it was 1.30pm, and they were cancelling south-bound trains and north-bound trains all over the place, so my visit to a family member on the south-side had to be cancelled (again). Needless to say - she isn't very happy with me currently.

It took me until 4pm to get back home. That means two hours - again.

This little chook is a bit peeved with Queensland Rail, but more so with twits who decide they want to kill themselves by jumping or driving in front of oncoming trains. Surely there are better, less messy, less intrusive ways of doing yourself in? Now that sounds callous, I know, but I've had enough of death this year - AND IT'S ONLY JANUARY...

My ONLY modes of transport are by train, bus, ferry and foot. When something happens to any of those, it means I am unable to get about, and in the process, I make other people who I promised to come visit, very unhappy.

Please, people - use a little common sense. Life is never so terribly bad that the ONLY answer is death. There's always - ALWAYS - another option, if you are just willing to go look!

Revenge of the Giant Loaf?

This is the giant loaf of bread I made yesterday in the breadmaker. It measures about 18cm long, by about 12cm wide at the base. It tastes rather good, and each slice is about the size of a large bread and butter plate.

The first few slices I had with marmite - just to make certain people happy :)

My Marmite Experience....

Here is proof that I had vegemite and marmite toast for breakfast this morning....

The dark one is good old vegemite, the light one is marmite.

While both have basically the same ingredients, the smell, texture and flavour are decidedly different. Marmite also has the added benefit of being REALLY good for clearing your lungs and sinuses.

I will be having it again, but only on weekends, I think :-)

Time to try something new (to me!)

Looksie what turned up in the mail today? All the way from jolly old England too! I'll admit, it's been a few years since I last tasted the stuff, so tomorrow's breakfast will be an experience, that's for sure....

However, in order to keep certain people happy (you know who you are!), I will try a spoonful in a little bit. Just wanted to take a pic of it in its virgin (unopened) state.

Here's hoping I like it as much as my British counterpart likes Vegemite! :-)

Thank you, once again, for your little British Care Package....

Raise your glasses in a toast....

Raise your glasses in a toast to celebrate the life of a good man, and pause for a moment, to remember him....

My uncle's funeral was yesterday. It was a good day in all. Not a sad event, but rather a celebration of the life of a great and wonderful man.

There were various speakers, and as is typical in our family, a lot of laughs (and a few tears), but it wasn't a morbid affair. A lot of funerals are. I don't think our family knows how to do "morbid" though. It was, instead, a time to reflect, to cherish, to reminisce over his life, and what he meant to all of us. A time to catch up with family and friends not seen in a while.

He would have loved that. Knowing we didn't cry over him, or rather, didn't cry over his passing. We cried over him, sure. But mostly we remembered him. He will never ever be forgotten, because we don't do "forget" in our family either. We do "joy", and "laughter", we do heartfelt "sorrow" and "heartbreak", but we don't do "forget".

So here's to him that's passed, and to never forgetting him. Raise your glasses, and say a cheer to him next time you're at the pub, ok?

And Now For Something Completely Different....

This is today's sunset. And actually, it got better after this pic was taken. Given the week I've had, it was nice to find a bit of beauty in this world, and to be able to recognise it as such. Maybe life will be okay afterall?

That said, I've been so lucky to have such wonderful people around me in my hour of need. You know who you are, and you know I love you dearly. Thank you. xxx

Once More Unto The Breach Dear Friends.....

It never rains, but it pours, it seems.

I got news tonight that we have lost another loved one today. So another funeral to attend in the next week. Another loss. Another soul removed from us.

Frog In A Sock posted about it on her blog:

http://froginasock.blogspot.com/2009/01/my-favourite-uncle-died-today-in.html

He might not have been related to me by blood, but he's been a fixture in my life...all my life. All my Dad's life too, for that matter.

He will be missed greatly, as he was adored greatly. And loved greatly, too.

I don't know what else to say about it all just at the moment. I'm too numb from my own uncle's death, to totally comprehend this added loss just yet.

Perhaps in a day or so....

Permission to say C*ck?

References to Top Gear and James May notwithstanding...it's been a fairly difficult week, and actually it hasn't even been a week yet. Not since my uncle died, no....

We're still in the middle of the funeral arrangements, so the phone calls are constant, and the stress levels are higher than usual, but it's understandable. Family members not seen from one year to the next are resurfacing from the woodwork (so to speak, or paraphrase, or whatever), and in some contexts, that's a good thing, in others it's complete 'shite' (as the British say). But families are families, and like most others, when in times of pain and anguish, we band together for the common good of the people - or person, in this case. Namely my uncle.

I'll be very glad when this week is over, and the new year can start to be just that - a brand new beginning. Granted, I will NEVER forget New Years Day, 2009. Nor any New Years Day to follow. But perhaps, just perhaps, from these ashes a new day will dawn? A new day of understanding and love and above all, compassion. One of friendship and thoughtfulness for our fellow family members, of joy over the small things. The ability to laugh at oneself, and not bitch at everyone around you. These are the things that my uncle held dearest of all, and these are the things that he passed onto my sister and myself at the very least.

Each time we lose a loved one, we promise ourselves that we will never forget them. And for the most part, my family is such that we don't. For us, there is a constant chatter about those who have gone before us. Gone but never forgotten. We, in some respects, treat them like they are very much still alive and kicking. We talk about them, we talk TO them, we reminisce, we think of them often, but we never forget. We keep them alive in our memories, for ourselves and for the generations that come after us.

As family historian, I feel it is my job in some respects, to make sure that that history is there for all the family to see - now and forever. As a writer, I also feel that it is my duty to record history for those that follow. But it is hard in some ways, for me, especially with those I knew personally.

However, it is important enough, that it is one of my New Years Resolutions this year. To go out in search of family and record our history. To write it up for our family annals.

To REMEMBER. And never to forget.

Memories

For most, today is a happy day - the start to a brand new year.

And for me, it started off that way too.

Until I got a phone call from my sister this morning to tell me one of my dad's brothers had died around 8.30am.

And so now, New Years isn't so happy, and isn't so great, and all the joy I was feeling has kind of faded away.

To me, my uncle was great. I loved him dearly, and I shall miss him.

Strange how, not even 10 hours after he died and I'm already talking about him in past tense. Somehow that seems a little callous to me, but it seems that that is how humanity is.

Either way, he had a very large impact on my life, and as I sit here now I wonder how I will get through the rest of the day, let alone the rest of my life without his wisdom and his love, his laughter and joy at life itself. Also his wonderful grumpy moods.

My sister will be the first one to agree that he always reminded us of Santa Claus when we were girls because of his white fluffy beard he had at times, and his cheeky (and somewhat cheesy) grin. But he was great, and I miss him already with all my heart.

RIP Uncle dearest. You are gone but not forgotten. Loved and never lost.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all
and here's hoping
that it's the best
year yet!

Here's to 2009

:-)