The blind men have been

Viennese sunset

The blinds in the studies are upstairs are falling apart.  These are important as we have five large skylights which allow in large amounts of Viennese sunlight – and the rooms get very hot indeed.

So hot that in our first year we had to buy and install portable air conditioners as this was the only way we could use the rooms in summer. But some of the blinds have been falling to pieces for some time. I have tried patching them up with gaffer tape but this gets so hot it just peels off.

We thought we would try and get new blinds.

Those of you who are regular readers know that there is a vast chasm in this apartment between wanting and getting.

The blind men first came to look at the problem about six months ago – and nothing happened.

Just recently two more blinds turned up their toes and develop tears and holes – I am not surprised they seem to be made of some sort of papery substance - so we had another go.

After being harassed by Rozalin – and missing two appointments – the blind men came again last week. They looked at the problem and asked  if we would like new blinds.

I said that would be nice.

One of the blinds had been pulled right out and could not be rewound – this happened while we were away – perhaps the cats did it. I asked the blind men if they could do something about this and they said sure - and reached up and tore it off. Not exactly what I had in mind.

I have had to cut up an old sheet and stick this is over the skylight to stop the blazing sun from melting me. It’s an interesting aesthetic effect.

We are not anticipating an early result.

But on a happy note - the air conditioning men came last week – unexpectedly – and beavered away putting new woggles in all the units. The last of the cardboard has now been removed and we now have a cardboard-free system.

And – miraculously – everything is working just fine – even on the hottest days. It took us four years to get to this happy state.

Almost an Olympian

Practicing for the Synchronized Cats event

I have been a bit quiet for the last few days as Cate has been away in Beirut and I have been catching up on some chores – and watching a bit of the Olympics.

I have not been able to come to grips with most of what has been happening but I have watched a little bit of the Sailing, Swimming, Cycling and Fencing.

I don’t understand Badminton. They hammer the shit out of that little feathery thing and it goes about two inches. I would bring some technology to bear on that problem – get rid of the feathers to start with.

It is a little known fact about the Badger that he is a former Fencer and was – many moons ago – President of the Sydney Fencing Club - and junior club champion.

My potential Olympic career was stymied by shoulder problems and I always like to kid myself that without these I would have been picked for the 1964 Olympic Fencing Team.

So I retain an interest in this sport – but so little of it is shown on regular Olympic coverage in Australia that it is pointless even trying to catch it.

However – this time we have 24 Olympic channels on BBC so we get to see everything – and without advertisements. Bliss.

It is especially good being away from Channel 9 in Sydney which has a long and sordid history of completely massacring major sporting events with an overwhelming amount of advertising – and brain dead commentators.

The British have not being going to well so far and – as expected – are starting to turn on the unfortunates who have missed out on medals.  They are renowned for eating their young.

The athletes are apparently not trying hard enough – despite the crowds giving them 100% support. “We are trying our best – why aren’t you?”

An interesting incident was a young man who sent offensive tweets to British diver Tom Daley – who failed to live up to expectations.  

The Twitterer was arrested and released with a harassment warning but was bailed to return pending investigations.

Is this a bit weird? How many offensive tweets are posted each day – perhaps a million? How interested would the police be if it was an average Joe who complained?

This is a slippery slope indeed. 

The lambs travel business class

I am pleased to report that Cate once again has a notebook computer and an iPad thanks to some heroic efforts from Rozalin.

No the original ones did not turn up – they are gone forever – but Rozalin is good at foraging and getting replacements quickly for the very many things that Cate loses or breaks.

I could tell you about when she dropped her iPhone into the toilet but that would be indelicate. (It still works).  

When Cate does not have online communications with her far flung empire she is like a caged Lion. And being in the same place as her is like being in the lion’s cage.

Incidentally - Apple has released a new versions of its Mac software. It is called OS X Mountain Lion and does 200 new things.

I have looked at the list of new features and don’t understand most of them – I probably use about 10% of the features of my iMac and Mac Air – but will probably get the software because if you get out of date you find inevitably that things stop working properly.

And anyway Apple needs the money because sales of the iPhone had plummeted as people wait for the new one in October.

On Tuesday I made my very first Lamb Biryani. We don’t eat a lot of lamb because it is simply so expensive. The lamb I bought on Tuesday was €46 per kilo. Holy Toledo!

I think that there may be a lamb quota is Austria and the whole country is only allowed about a dozen each year. I have never seen sheep in Austria - perhaps they are imported from Australia - and travel business class on Austrian Airlines. 

I used a Bill Granger recipe and it was adequate but not exciting. There was something – as yet undefined – that was missing in order to give it some oomph. I will need to do more research.