Test Match with Gary

Stevo and Thomo have a Day 1 tradition. They dine at Star of Siam with friends. The restaurant knows, and puts up with them regularly. Folks come and go to greet them including James on his way to therapy.

This year, Adelaide hosts the first of tour Test match series. Indian and Australia warm-up.

This year because of COVI,D the allocation of cricket tickets at the Oval is extremely different. There is no members area. Because of reduced capacity, there is balloting for access to the match .Everyone must be in an assigned seat and seating is restricted to every other seat. If you want to seat next to a mate or mates, everyone's details must be provided to a single individual who then applies for seats together.

CJ manages tickets for Day 1, Day 3, and Day 4. Day 5 did not require balloting. He has arranged to sit with Stevo and Thomo on Day 3. He will attempt to get together with the young lads on Day 4.

For this first day, he's contacted the same friend he went to his first day of his first Ashes with. Back in 2013, along with Gary's wife Linda and two Pom (English) friends, they stood in line from 0500 to get first crack at seats for that match. CJ made the evening television news as one of the first 50 people through the gates of the new Adelaide Oval Riverside Stand.

CJ and Gary enjoy a good day of cricket in the area of Gary's favorite seats.

There is a test match Village Green outdoor dining area but it is subdued, has capacity restrictions and a a reduced number of vendors.

It warms up in the afternoon.

CJ gets lucky. Gary can't use his Day 2 ticket so he gives it to CJ. He will begin Day 2 in a nearby seat and end it in the bar with Stevo and Thomo.

Patio Umbrella

What happened to the umbrella?

Neil and Bronwyn can't remember it and we don't remember if it came with the place or we purchased one. We also can't remember if we sold it when we returned to the US in 2010.

No matter. We are going to need one. The next time we have a large vehicle, we purchase one. With an umbrella one also needs a weighted base. We will try two quadrants of weight and hope it is enough.

It is large enough to shade the entire table from direct sun.

Atrium Refurb

When we lived at Tomsey the first time, we had a garden sculpture in the atrium. Back in the day, the planter box was planted with tall bamboo.  It has looked so bare since we moved in.

The transformation from bland to enjoyable will take over a month. The project started when CJ saw a gorgeous chili plant in the back of Bronwyn's vehicle and the next day she rocked up with a duplicate for him. Then CJ remarked how bare the atrium looked. 

The next thing he knew we were off purchasing pots and plants and Carol had a major reno underway.

Eventually Carol nears the end with the final planting tasks being adding tomato plants in the stainless steel built-in box.

It is not long before we have signs of our first red tomato.

After a lot of work, a lot of scrubbing, and experimenting with final positioning, we get what we want; or at least we hope so. Now we have items of interest and color in the atrium.

Brunch with the Boys

When it comes to cricket matches, CJ calls on friends and acquaintances to join him. On the 4th day of the Test with India, CJ was seated alone but likely to join up with the mates who allow him to enter the time machine.

As it turns out, the match ends the morning of the third day. There is no 4th day. However, the previously scheduled pre-match brunch goes on.

2KW is a downtown rooftop bar/restaurant at the corner of King William St. and North Terrace. In other words it is at the center north of the CBD overlooking the government buildings. Directly below is Government House, home to the Premier of South Australia. 

Front and center is Parliament House. Behind with the construction is the Festival Centre and Opera House. The tall structures are the Intercontinental IHG hotel on the left and the new SkyCity hotel in the middle.

Louis, Tom, Niran, and Nick (not pictured) make it. Josh and a friend must cancel due a death in the family.

The brunch is touted as having endless food and bottomless grog. The drinks are served sparingly and the food comes served on tiny plates and also sparingly. The brunch is a ripoff and CJ's Trip Advisor review pours it on them.

The lads decide to move across the street to the new rooftop bar at SkyCity. The bar has a great view of the Torrens River pedestrian bridge, Adelaide Tennis Centre, and Adelaide Oval looking toward North Adelaide.

It is another place for 20/30 year olds to see and be seen. What is the old man doing here?

Tom departs early. CJ should have accepted his invitation for a ride home. Nick and Louis are still at it, when CJ realizes when departing the men's room that he a bit 'under the weather'.

The next day he can't remember how he got home. He was at least sober enough to call Uber and take these pictures. It takes an Uber receipt and these pictures to convince him. After four events together, the lads have finally done in CJ. Or did he do in himself?

Post Rain Strikers Match

It is still raining when CJ arrives at the gates of the Oval. In the Bodyline Bar, he saves Neil a seat. Neil messages that the rain is a problem for him and CJ agrees. Carol and Meredith exchange notes. She is finishing dinner and departs to take the seat.

Will there be a game this evening. CJ arrives and there is still rain. The wicket remains covered and the ground crew is working to clear the water. Watching them is fascinating entertainment. Eventually they remove the cover leaving a large pond of water on the near side of the wicket.

In the picture below the pond has disappeared. 3 men and a woman pushing lawn rollers force the water into the grass. Adelaide Oval is known for its drainage. CJ is convinced. Over an inch of rain and it is gone.

The crew rolls up the covers.

The teams come out to warm up while the grounds crew crank up blowers that sound like jet engines.

Meredith arrives without a second person. No sooner has CJ picked up the stuff he laid down to save the extra seat, Nick messages CJ. Now he is again saving two seats even though seats are not allowed to be saved, unofficially unless you are a regular and well known to the staff. Nick eventually arrives with a girlfriend.

As for the game, the Strikers bat horribly, bowl horribly and lose badly failing to clinch as playoff berth.

Cherry Gardens Bushfire - 24 Jan 2021

So much for 2021 beginning better. Some nutter has set fires on a 106F day in South Australia. Exiting Adelaide Oval after the cricket, CJ misinterprets the smoke plum as an unusual cloud.

Across town, our neighbor takes a picture of the sky, lit by the fire. Our house is the tall one across the street and to the left of the light post.

The fire is south of the city. We have friends who live in that red shape. They have evacuated and are staying with friends near Port Adelaide.

A Bodyline Bar mate, Meredith, gives us a lift home. She and her friend request to see the rooftop deck. There is a good view of the smoke from there.

When CJ takes out the recycling bin in the morning, he can hardly see the block to Victoria Park. Smoke has enveloped the city. We can hardly see the city.

We can hardly see the next block.

The rains come in mid afternoon. Hopefully they will help. Hopefully, they will end before this evening's Strikers match.

Oyster Dinner with Hahn

It is nearly impossible to purchase unshucked oysters in Australia. It seems to be something in the culture. That said, a place called Pristine Oysters far out of Adelaide on the Eyre Peninsula sells and delivers oysters to Adelaide and we have finally gotten around to ordering. 

At 0800, the doorbell rings with our delivery. Ten dozen oysters are delivered wonderfully packaged in a Styrofoam cooler

CJ and James commence to shuck the oysters. 

The oysters are gorgeous. They are clean, easy to shuck, fresh, and plumb.

Fresh oysters, good bread, wine and good friends. Doesn't get any better.