 The build-up time in the Kimberleys is warm or should I say extremely bloody hot. No rain yet but loads of heat and exhaustion. I managed to over-cook myself after a single morning in the sun gardening which was not much fun. I had to lie down to recuperate from unpleasant nausea and a mild headache that lasted all afternoon. The Pindan earth seems to get redder each week as we all wait for the Wet. We decided to buy a tiny toddlers wading pool in order to keep our body temperatures down and our brains less gooey. Yes air conditioned living is one answer and it certainly works but not that smart for the environment nor for the wallet as that will melt rapidly due the high costs of lovely cool, cold, icy air. A mini pond on the verandah is our best hope. There is only a 150 cm x 150 cm x 30 cm area to splash about in but when we luxuriate in our new large puddle we do feel some what refreshed as we wallow and utter pleasing noises automatically released due to our temporary freedom from the personal cocoons we make with our body sweat. In the puddle we act exactly like the odd off-spring of a tropical union between a Water-buffalo and a Sloth. You can watch the ultra slow movement of our limbs and hear bovine snorting grunts. It is a beautiful feeling slugging in the water like baby elephant seals. Whether our slow motion aquatic antics look and sound beautiful is another matter.  The extreme heat makes us confused one day then discombobulated the next day and I sometimes wonder where the icebergs have gone as I day dream of Polar climes. To keep my spirits up I have been devouring mangos just like a raucous starving fruit bat at an “all you can eat “ fruitarian smorgasbord restaurant and then it is time for a little siesta or a frosty mango beer. Possibly a lot of mango beer as it is very hot and rehydration is needed and its hot and its hot and I am hot and bothered and a bit hotty, hot, hotted-out. A sweaty drunk man on a bicycle crashed into me the other day. I was trying to avoid his erratic movements but sadly he swerved into me at the last moment due to total loss of coordination and possibly a lack of braincells. He crushed my right pointer finger which made sipping on mango beer difficult with my right hand for many days. Thanks for that Mr Uncoordinated CactusDrunkSloshedFool. Xmas I think will happen soon or perhaps it did and we missed it. Not too sure about that as the build-up season heat makes dates and detailed calendar study rather difficult.  In the kitchen I have been experimenting with my Ikan Bilis snack (Recipe no.11. Ingredients - dried anchovy fish, sambal, garlic, onions, tomato paste, roasted peanuts and sesame oil) while in the bathroom I chase a large green frog around. Carolina and I are house-minding in an area that has been referred to as “Diamond Alley” due to the amount of shiny, crushed and smashed beer bottles to be found scattered across the road. Looking like glittering precious gems or twinkling stars but actually just the remnants of ongoing sad booze fuelled stories. We try to stay cool under a sticky and sometime prickly tropical climate but the heat can frazzle many things. When the sun finally drops below the horizon and the temperature slops down a few degrees I enjoy watching flock after flock of fruit bats flapping their leathery wings in the starry sky. They search for the location of that last mango tree that still holds delicious ripe fruit. I watch which way they fly and take notes.  I have plans and works fermenting in the studio but it is also a period of reflection and slow motion. In this climate that seems like the best plan. Slow is vvvvvery good. A selection of works on paper from my Indian Ocean voyage awhile back is soon to be up on a wall at the West Australian Maritime Museum. The Museum presents this small exhibition of works created at sea on the CMA CGM ROSSINI alongside the documentary film by Malcolm McKinnon - UNANCHORED WORLD.  UNANCHORED WORLD. WA Maritime Museum Balustrade Gallery, Victoria Quay, Peter Hughes Dr. Fremantle. WA 6160 Australia Sat 21 Dec 2019 – Sun 1 Mar 2020 9:30am – 5:00pm http://museum.wa.gov.au/museums/wa-maritime-museum/unanchored-world Finally I recall my time in L.A and occasionally I get a hankering for a delightful Mescal cocktail. I say loudly - “Bye bye silly 2019 and Salud to 2020!"  Comments are closed.
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