So there will be no photographs of the 100's of micro-bats (not sure what species) I saw while riding through the water gardens on Thursday, no photos of the black cockatoos that have been ambling slowly across the blustery dry season skies and no shots of the huge green tree frogs that came out to enjoy the sprinkler while we were dining at a friends place last night.
These early dry season days are fantastic. There's so much energy in the air and the cooler weather and blue skies are inspiring me to get on with some projects I'd been procrastinating over the past few months.
Yesterday we managed to get the coupling for the Alleycat attached to a bike so hopefuly that will see some use over the next few months.
I finally decided to buy some panniers for my bike but as always after about 3 years worth of hesitation to spend the money I found that the $70 panniers I had my eyes on had sold out and the only other panniers available where $140! So this has set me up for a new mission! I have hatched a plan to construct my own panniers! It may be a bit ambitious but at this point I am determined to do it and won't be discouraged by my lack of experience working with textiles or sewing machines or anything else that will accomplish my plan.
If I can come up with a workable template and materials I may end up outsourcing the work to my mum, who has had some experience with these matters. Besides I reckon she ows me for sending me to school in girls jeans artfully adorned with hand made patches! (just kidding mum)
This plan has given me all the excuse I needed to get back into surfing obscure cycling websites ande scrounging the tip and op-shops for useful ideas and material.
I really get a buzz out of salvaging stuff from the scrap heap! It is infinitely more satisfying to me than the market driven macro economic conspiracy of mainstream retail therapy but in a funny way fills that same niche for me.
Rickshaws
Our friends Steve and Lisa have recently returned from Singapore and brought back some great photos of rickshaws. I haven't mentioned the interest I have in rickshaws in my blog but if I am able to get it together enough to write something I would like to use this blog to discuss what I think are the significant vurtues of rickshaws as a functional mode of transport, artform, vehicle for social interaction, environmentaly friendly alternative to the automobile (in city environments) and healthy means of liveleyhood for unskilled workers, bohemian dreamers and others hoping to escape the race of the rats.This may be all I ever write about rickshaws but not all I'd like to say, so be warned I have some really disjointed ranting to add to this subject. My views may not be practical, popular or relevant to contemporary values but it makes me feel good to contemplate a life that is guided by the Bohemian ideals of Truth, Beauty, Freedom and Love (as quoted in the film Moulin Rouge). This utopian perspective may not seem very practical but I suppose it all depends on what results you expect from your efforts. I'd like to see more peddals and less fuel burning. (:
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