Yoo Hoo

No I haven't died

Maybe I can die before I have to move again. Surely it's not as hard to move to the grave. Certainly wouldn't be so much baggage and possibly plenty of friends to share the load. In some respects moving, especially in latter age, is like a rehearsal for death. It's always to a smaller place (my parents two level grave has left a lasting impression on me) and that always entails a carefully considered reduction in baggage.

It was fortunate that my children so heartily welcomed the bequeath of my favourite oversized Miami Cocaine Pink Leather lounge in spite of its ever grubby appearance. Stephens bed did not fare so well, rejected by all markets, bar the salvos, as over the top and out of time. It seemed that those in the market for king size were into new and had enough stress in their lives without taking on more in the timber of their bed.

Not even the Salvos were interested in the Freedom couch that I with my assistant pall bearer Walter, graciously removed from Lavender bay. It ended its fruitful life on the nature strip opposite 44 Gordon Crescent along with mattresses and assorted smegma no longer required or accommodated. Good fortune saw Jane take simultaneous possession of her new abode in Katoomba so she and Alice shared books and book cases leaving me at only one third capacity.

So now at the expense only of a week's life, detail of which now escapes me, I am very happily ensconced at Abercrombie Street Darlington. Furniture arranged including new, Freedom Furniture lounge bed convertible, pictures hung, wires laid for sound and vision. computer up and phone connected (ah yes there's a paragraph or more in that) I must concede to a great delight in my environment. The antithesis of a grave. The discovery of a mounted Budda head on a throw out during one of my first early morning walks I take as a spiritual welcome that sort of bookended the simulated Stonehenge farewell I received at Stanmore.

I'm probably preaching to the converted but in case there are those out there who can benefit, here are some insights into modern telephone and electrical connections. Pleased with my TPG ADSL2+ internet and mobile experience for some five years now I decided to take up their home line internet package that would save me a considerable $20 per month. Now I was use to Telstra with whom it was a simple matter to transfer an existing; or create a new account and be connected same day. TPG on the other hand offered a connection in ten to twenty working days and demanded that I waive the customer service guarantee. Always one for a dare I took them up and exactly ten working days was given an appointment between 8am and 12 to await a technician from 'Telstra' to connect me. No one came and nothing happened. It's worth explaining here that all this time the phone had a dial tone and a recorded message in response to any attempt to use it explaining that it was not in service but if one wanted instant service to call I Primus by pressing 9. I took this option ,more than once, merely for the pleasure of being connected and to an Aussie, no Philippinas or Indians here. But he didn't have the secret, or more likely he wasn't letting on.

Eventually after more calls and further appointments I was connected by a TPG tek in his second week of employ who only rolled his eyes to my queries but he did a good job of it and I have almost double the previous internet speed so I am mostly satisfied with this additional $99 service. In five months I will be in the black. To sum up it appears that the availability of competition from I Primus, TPG, Optus and who knows how many other telcos has benefited us with better deals at the expense of costly and laborious connections and as the prophets all said you must take the bad with the good.

Oh yes, electrically I fared little better and I'll try to be brief. I connected with Energy Australia online but after a couple of days was cut off by um, Energy Australia at the request of Integral Energy? I dun'no who owned the connection. A couple of days and many menu selections later it was sorted and so far persists. Tell me competition in the market place doesn't work for someone.

Part of my found Budda which bears some resemblance to Jack

My stonehenge like farewell to 44 Gordon St