The Dawn of a New Era - Nixon Street Revitalised May 2025

 As it came to pass, whilst the new season moved from winter, to spring, to summer, to autumn 2025, the mind brought reflections from the Narcissus River.  How do we look? Is my bum big in black?

But with time also comes change, and with this reflection, the words of Count Leo Tolstoy and Charles Dickens (or is it Dikkens, the famous Dutch author?) spring to mind.

Tolstoy in the sad tale of Anna Karenina divulged the reality - 

"Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."

So select which you are. Our is by definition 'happy' otherwise it would not be a family.

Then we turn to Tale of Two Cities:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way–"

We have had the times together and the love and peace, and the angst and complaint, the help and isolation, the getting of wisdom through hard times, the light and dark, the spring, but most of all we have had the happiness.

We will reflect on the joy of compatriotism only gained by being in such close proximity. The collaboration, and the time when attending to oneself alone was essential to mental health (not in the medical sense, just in the criminal sense - avoiding killing someone, or unlike Dylan Thomas "someone is boring me, and I think it's me" , we have had the Alexander Fleming syndrome: "One sometimes finds what one is not looking for".

As explained to me, this quote means that unexpected discoveries or opportunities can arise when we least expect them. It highlights the idea that serendipitous moments or valuable insights can occur when we are not actively searching for them. It reminds us to remain open-minded and receptive to new experiences, as they may lead us to unexpected and beneficial outcomes. The quote encourages embracing the unknown and being aware that life often surprises us in ways we would have never anticipated.

To expansive? Too deep? Unnecessarily philosophical? Well philosophical means, to me, lover of wisdom. Surely there is scope for that in our human condition....

We have had so many changes, current, actual and impending.

The continuing growth of Huxley Hogan has been a great blessing in our home. As he wrangles with being 1.1 years old, stands now tall at half a metre, and has a comb over for his light coloured hair, a smile and clutching of his hand in welcome in the morning - a young lad to be a friend within our family.

To watch Harper (approaching 6 years old) being so courteous, helpful, loving and laughing with Huxley - another blessing.

As the Mothership the Younger (Nell) gives her all to their growth and happiness, to the detriment (nearly) of herself and Alex, the lesson is there -happy families are all alike.

Now what great fortune to have Alex build across the road and create out of the old Rex and Morrie Lansdell 7 Nixon St a new home for a new family - for Justin Black-o-my-Heart, and Sarah Ragwort, and their impending birth of new Boy Child #1 (due October 2025). Poor sod, he will have to learn to live in comfort on his own whilst his parents go out selling pins and coming home disheveled in order to keep the mortgage interest paid.

'Poor sod' took my mind back to Aqualung, Jethro Tull, and these lyrics:

Feeling alone, the army's up the road

Salvation a la mode and a cup of tea

Aqualung, my friend, don't you start away uneasy

You poor old sod, you see it's only me

I don't know how this fits in with this current discourse, but let's try: Aqualung was a lonely old man, disheveled, and vile, people turned away from him. His respite, the Salvos (not the second hand shop in Elizabeth St, but the last refuge for old lonely men) - told to stay, and be comfortable, recognised as a 'poor old sod' - told not to worry, 'it's only me' here to comfort you. 

Perhaps we can see ourselves in that graphic lyrical image? [Notice how I use the Royal plural to deflect from it being a statement about me].

I suppose it is that sometimes we feel alone, whether vile and grubby or doing our best, but family is the place in which we are always welcome. I'm not pointing to Justin or Alex, or even myself there. Just saying...

But it is the big new of the day, the new Boy Child on the way. Who would have thought that a bumless boy like Justin had enough hammer for the lead pencil! Where there is a willy there is way.

In case this soliloquy is missing the point, in summary

• After a year and a quarter of living together as 10 people and 2 large dogs, at 8 Nixon St, no one has been murdered
• The home at 7 Nixon St has been recreated in God's image, and at the same time as Pope Francis has chosen his departure from this mortal coil
• The young kids are growing and are lovely good soldiers to embrace, especially in this week of ANZAC day
• Sarah and Justin welcome the prospect of their first child, a boy, en ventre sa mere 
• Phillip and Rosie are preparing to relieve the Hobart mob of their presence and take a tour to Churchill, Manitoba, above the 62nd parallel, in the next month or so

It needs be mentioned that as we all find youth gaining presence, we also see elderly getting less agile. As I recall the speeches at Dawn Service on ANZAC day - think and hold in your heart the elderly, those in the nursing homes and hospitals of our city, our family less able to participate in all the joys of life.

We currently have in rehabilitation and under doctors' orders, Roger Kimber (with heart palpitations demonstrating that a healthy fit life is only partly to do with undertaking exercise), Rosa Elena Crosby - Rosie's mother, currently undergoing hospitalisation in Vancouver. Both dealing stoically and with good humour with great personal risk. Send them a blessing.

Let's go back to the dogs. I've always said (not constantly, but consistently) wouldn't it be good if people were like dogs, so loving and friendly. But we forget they too have a pecking order and heirarchy. And if you aren't top dog, you get bitten on the testicles - or worse (is there a 'worse than being bitten on the testicles'? 300 words, on my desk by Tuesday morning...).

Moose has not lost his bark. Indeed, he can't even hide or restrict it. He is losing his mind, and finds woofing at people his moment to gain attention. What the Dalai Lama said "I love him, he teaches me many things" - speaking of the Muslim priests who put a fatwa (sentence of death) on him. So, perhaps we can strike with two things at the Moose: a sentence of death and a declaration of love? (300 words, on my desk by Wednesday morning...).

And what of the other Big Dog - Bonnie Black-o-my-Heart? As a slow thinker she reminds us of the loving nature of the unsophisticated, should they be held close in family and loved, they give more than they take. Except at the food bowl.

Images of reflection: 

Notice the Peugeot 403, 1957 model

A Bonnie dog, still wondering what it all means Not dissimilar to his owners, in that regard

Justin, as he likes to think of himself: Alpha Male, strong forceful and in control. Yet there is 'another truth', another reality - 

A reminder: when considering whether to let a sneaky one out, don't follow through

A serious warning: don't let your home become your prison. Justin looking at the court notices, Libby, Matt, Sarah, Danielle and Simon reflecting on the state of the Chilean Aquaculture Industry Association application to bring fish into Australia

Huxley Hogan: under notice to perform and not rock the boat. I blame his mother

The Harper, after a successful piano lesson, before loss of front tooth, and on the way up in the world

And finally, to absent friends:

My dad, at work.