It's only a jacket ... But it's MY jacket ...

I'm not happy ... My beloved leather jacket is looking a bit, well, mouldy ... I bought it in 1993 during my first stint at Camp Kuratli, for $99 from Wilsons in Clackamas Mall. It went back to America twice with me, and was my jacket of choice for my time working for NLD Sound and Lighting. It's nicely battered, that only 15 years of wear can do to a leather jacket, and I've had people offer to buy it from me because of it's look. And in the little pocket on the front, still resides my silver 1991 quarter ... But now hanging up in a damp garage for the best part of the year has got to it, and it's in need of some tender loving care. Unfortunately Mia can't stand it, so it's down to me to rescue it - yes I've probably not worn it in a year, and chances are I won't wear it for awhile yet, but it's my favourite item of clothing and has many good memories associated with it. It's not going without a fight! (Incidentally, the photo was from 1995, and 'Grease Night' at Camp Kuratli)

We were talking last week about Epping Forest Country Club, which if you know your dodgy nightclubs, was the 'Faces' of it's day. I used to spend my Friday evenings in the club called 'The Jungle' manning the lighting desk, whilst 100's of drugged people danced to a monotanous beat made by people in their bedrooms .. But depending on the DJ, I quite enjoyed it .. Some DJ's would treat you with disdain, so that would be when you leave the desk on automatic and wander round the club and chat with the bouncers or Terry the cook (Before he got busted for drug dealing!),but there were DJ's who would want you to help them put on a show. These fellers knew that the lights looked better if there was someone controlling them manually, and if you were nice to the lighting jockey then you both would have fun, and it was those times when I quite enjoyed being the only sober person in the building .. I was CS-gassed in the club (Thanks to some over-zealous bouncers letting off a canister through the air conditioning to try and clear the place), saw someone die from a drugs overdose, watched numerous fights, saw Sid Owen get barred pretty much every week, and learnt an interesting array of swear words ... 15 years later, I wonder how I made it out alive!

4 year old Bethany and I took the dogs for a 2 mile walk on Sunday .. She wanted to try out her new 'Charlie and Lola' wellies, so off we went. I really enjoyed the walk, as the weather was nice (Had to wear my sunglasses), and B was in a talkative mood.

At one point we were in a field with a few sheep .. Now B has a thing about sheep, so after much pleading I said she could go over and have a look at couple of sheep standing in the corner of the field, whilst I stayed with the dogs. B made her way over, and had a conversation with these 3 bemused looking sheep, then came back and told me she wanted a pet sheep! I asked where she planned on keeping it, and was told (as if I was plainly stupid) that she'd keep it in a cage in her bedroom ... After explaining that sheep prefer living outside to cages in little girls bedrooms, and promising that we'd come back and visit, I managed to get her out of the field. Thought I got away with it, until I realised on the way back that she was looking for rabbit holes, as rabbits like to live in cages in little girls rooms ...

Still as we were making the final push for home, B came running back from one of her excursions for rabbit holes, grabbed my hand and said "We're on an adventure aren't we? I like having adventures with you Dad!" And I like having adventures with you B also ...