Wow. Posted something about this yesterday. But it really went pear-shaped for Freo last night, the Tigs just too good. Nobody woulda picked it. Richmond burst out of the blocks early, piling on 8 goals in the first quarter to stun a previously undefeated Fremantle in the west. And they never looked like catching up (by the look of the score-line). Out at a mate’s place last night, I didn’t even look at this game – assuming a foregone conclusion. How wrong was that! (click the pic below for game highlights at the AFL site)

Fires out.

Ooooh a big one for the Doggies this weekend. Everybody talking about em after last weekend’s surprise win against GWS. Saturday night in Adelaide against Port Adelaide. Just got back from the pub – and the tipping vibe is not good for the Bulldogs. Can they do it? Dunno, but this is when they typically shine – backs to the wall. There are some big games to look forward to this round. I reckon the Bombers & Cats, also on Saturday, could be a corker. Nth Melb & West Coast might be a surprise thriller for Sunday. Tonight’s game – Tigers & Freo – I’d like to think will be closer than pundits are currently tipping. But the Dockers are all-conquering at this stage, even though Richmond are on the march. Another riveting round  to come on this Queen’s Birthday long weekend (round 10). Congrats to Plugger Lockett – one of the great full-forwards of my life-time – inducted as a legend in the AFL Hall of Fame this week.

Fires out.

As Melbourne gives us an early start to a keep-your-brass-monkeys-indoor style winter, it pays to give a thought to how this season plays out on other parts of the planet. During a winter tour of Poland & Slovakia in 2010, the temp never got above minus 5 the entire time (Jan/Feb), frequently ducking below minus 20 at night. It was a beautiful thing. Doesn’t make us feel any warmer. Maybe just slightly grateful…

Fires out.

Rare footage from Vox Bar, Wuhan China, 2011. Without live.

Fires out.

Big weekend working. Flew by in a flash. Couple of bar shits at Collingwood Spiegeltent, including a long one Saturday night after working all day on the venue. Made easier by the Bulldogs upset win against GWS Saturday arvo at Etihad Stadium. The Doggies unexpectedly controlled the game from the outset, finishing with a massive 33 scoring shots to 13. It was an important win against the vastly-improved Giants, also putting an end to 3 weeks of losses. The return of Will Minson didn’t go unnoticed either – a huge effect on the game.

Took it easy Sunday. Sore body from digging, concreting & lugging slabs of beer around. Slowish start this morning.

Fires out.

Just hours before it looked almost nice. But me and Plumber Stu, in the hunt for offending water pipe leak, turned the beer garden walkway into a trench & dirt pile. One of those episodes where you think you’re starting a small job & end up replacing 10 metres of underground pipework. Still haven’t back-filled yet (& relaid the turf cover). Gotta pour chlorine along the ditch. Stu reckons the wall & ground directly below has endured decades of urination by human and animal alike – hence the smell in the soil. Nice. But tomorrow hopefully that’ll be a thing of the past, when chemicals decontaminate the area.

Beer garden walkway a few minutes ago.

Round 9, AFL Season this weekend. A make-or-break game for the Bulldogs who’ve now slipped to 4 and 4, and 3rd to 11th on the ladder. It’ll be a tough game against GWS who sit deservedly in the top 4. Interestingly, ruck-man Wil Minson might return for tomorrow’s clash – the Dogs not winning a game since he was dropped over a month ago. The Bulldogs are in desperate need of height & strength – the lack of which they were terribly exposed for last weekend against Melbourne. Hopefully the enigmatic Minnow will re-inject some much needed physicality.

Fires out.

Crazy busy at the moment. Still working on the venue room. Today, massive water leak problem down the walkway to beer garden. Trench digging & so on. Located badly busted pipe. Got fixed eventually, thanks to mate Stu’s awesome plumbing skills. Leak may have been causing musty smell in a downstairs room – damp & moldy sub-floor. That’s the theory anyway. The smell problem has puzzled me here from day one. Hopefully moving in the right direction now.

Room where musty smell might soon be gone.

No news from council yet on stage one of planning application for venue. Hopefully that’s a good thing and approval arrives in the mail soon. Then onto stage two.

Fires out.

Went to the MCG yesterday to watch the Bulldogs get rolled by a much-improved Melbourne. Looks like the Dogs have been found out. Couldn’t go with a bigger-bodied Demon side, trapped in their back line too often & unable to get out. Made worse by a shellacking in the middle, terrible kicking at goal (3.9 at half time), and the kind of fumbling & dropping of easy marks that took us all back to the Bulldogs of old. Not the best way to wind up the weekend. Had a couple of guests at the game, including one from OS – his first time at an Aussie Rules game. I think he liked it. At least it was kind of exciting til midway through the final quarter.

More work on the venue coming this week…

Fires out.

Quick break from construction in the venue space. Cold today. Still going with temporary fit-out. Shop-fitting kinda thing for temporary rent as studio, office or shop. Liquid nails truly one of human kind’s finest inventions.

Standing on the stage platform a few minutes ago, looking back at venue room.

Fire out.

Taking a quick break from working in the venue room to post today. While we’re waiting on council approval for the first round of plans & paperwork, we’re looking at renting the venue out short term as a pop-up shop, studio or office space. Started banging up partition walls & fixing stuff over the weekend. Probably be a couple of weeks before it’s ready to go. Feeling knackered today.

Venue room a few minutes ago, 19th May 2015.

Still working through design ideas for the final venue layout. Then we’ll draft detailed plans accordingly & submit to council. No doubt, that’ll be another long episode of swimming through red tape to get final approval. It’s a long road – getting a good idea why it takes so long for a bar to open around here. Can’t officially start building & fit-out til we get the all-clear. We’ll keep pluggin’ away…

Fires out.