Hot July Night [ with a wink to Neil Diamond]

It is July. The coolest [ note- NOT coldest] month of the year...........or it used to be. A time when Darwinians could gloat, just a little, at southerners, as the night temperature dropped below 20C, usually consistently, along with clear sky and warm but not too hot days. And a nice cool E / SE wind during the day. No doonas, nor even a light blanket, but at least a sheet on top and mostly not even an overhead fan going.

One expects a hot August night in the northern summer, but it should be a cool July night here!
BUT..........

It just ain't so.......

The past three nights have seen three of the hottest July nights on record for Darwin. Friday night equalled the previous hottest minimum for July of 25C, followed by Saturday night with a new record of 25.8C as the hottest minimum for July. But wait, that is not all.........last night was an even hotter night with a minimum temperature of 26.6C. Yes............that is the mimimum temperature, not yesterdays maximum.

It was 29C in the office as I opened the door this morning around 0800.

At least we have been sitting up at night watching the Tour de France on TV, not getting off to bed. But last night it was around 30C at 0100 this morning, and we decided...............the air conditioner got a run, after really crappy sleeping nights over the past few nights!

So we had a resonable sleep.

But an air conditioner for night time use in July????? That is crazy!

Sexy High Heels?

Nothing like a great pair of womens' legs, accentuated in a nice pair of high heeled shoes.

Just ask any leg man!

However, it is not all good, health wise, according to recent research work, explored further here:

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/07/19/2957864.htm?site=science&topic=health

In essence, wearing high heels too much shortens the calf muscles and increases the thickness of the Achilles tendon, leading to further leg and ankle problems. Remedies are discussed in the article, but it means less good legs to look at.

Hardly likely to be replaced by this, though.........

The Dry Season Is Here and Frogs Are on the Move

Sounds like a conundrum.........but it seems to be true.

Trouble is, the move has been to come inside the house.......into the toilet bowl, and other damper places.

Anyone who has lived in the tropics will know that frogs in strange places are inevitable. BUT.....that is usually when the weather is wet, and frogs are common. At the present time although we have been away for 8 days, we have found frogs inside the closed house on returning.

I know we had cracker night [fireworks] and some dogs and cats get frightened..........could that have caused the frogs to hide inside too? Or have they just sought out a nice quiet dark place, not quite as dry as outside, where the humidity is very low [not so good for frog skin]?

Whatever.............too many frogs in the loo, too many on the tiled floors inside the house, not to mention the few also jumping around on the outside tiled terrace area. Those on the floor definitely a bit on the dry side, although the toilet bowl dwellers were having a great time!

Clammy frog fingers are not a pleasant experience when visiting the loo, however! Had to go...... all of them!

Red Bull Art of Can

Red Bull is a well known sports drink, and they sponsor a very exiciting aeroplane race at locations around the world too.

And they also sponsor an art prize............ for art made from aluminium cans. Darwin is well known for the Beer Can Regatta where the boats are made from cans, and a local from Darwin also constructed and sailed a beer can boat from Darwin to Singapore in the 1980s. But an art prize for cans???



In 2010 it is in Singapore and the art work is truly spectacular. The on line catalogue does not do the art work justice - photos I think are a little washed out, and slightly over exposed, for what are shining examples of creativity by Singaporean artists.


Have a look at : http://www.redbullartofcan.sg/ [not - .com.sg!!] for more information. Links to earlier exhibitions too.


Art show closes 11 July.......at *Scape in Singapore............but the web site will remain.

The top photo is titled - Samurai, but it is not listed in the catalogue. Definitely my favourite. Lower photo - title is "Very Happy'.

More photos being posted shortly at http://www.flickr.com/ at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/surfie999/4795292361/in/photostream/?rotated=1&cb=1279182337843