Scrambling Up From The Rubble

Almost a week has passed since moving day, and it’s only today that I managed to get my regular Internet up and running. In the meantime I have been using a dongle that I had forethought to purchase on Ebay, which came with a free prepaid Optus SIM.  It worked a treat most of the time, but it’s a relief to have my old ADSL 2 connection back all the same.

The delay in connecting was not due to slackness on IINET’s part, but rather the lack of a viable telephone point near the computer. This was fixed today by an electrician who also attended to various other electronic irritations such as a television connection point in the living room. It’s not as if the house was devoid of television connections, they were in practically every room, but not where one wanted them to connect to a TV.

It has been stressful and exhausting this move and I certainly don’t recommend it to anyone. Unpacking is definitely more tiresome than packing.

I wouldn’t say I’ve settled in, but the cats have, and have shown no inclination to run away back to Northcote.

Unlike them I’d love to run away back to the old house, but I know that is impossible. I’m home sick for the old street.

My 37 boxes of books still remain unpacked, while we consider where to put them. This house lacks wall space on which to place bookshelves. I had to leave my biggest bookshelf behind as it was virtually built in and dismantling it was too hard.

The large bookshelf in Northcote

So all the books that lived there will have to be accommodated somehow with new shelving.

Public transport, as anticipated is not anywhere near as convenient as it was in Northcote. The station is a 15 minute walk away, but I ventured out last Saturday to the races at Moonee Valley and caught the train to Alphington Station, from where I could take a bus to Moonee Ponds.

It was a pleasant day for the races and the events themselves were of great interest - the four I witnessed anyway.

The McEwen Stakes, field wise, made for an exciting competition with Russian Revolution, Houtzen and Heatherly pitted against each other. Russian Revolution was the outstanding winner, overtaking Heatherly near the finish line to win by 1¼ lengths with Houtzen a couple of lengths back making third place.

Russian Revolution overtakes Heatherly near the finish line

Russian Revolution returns to scale

Heatherly on her way to the barriers

Houtzen strolls back to scale

The feature race was the so called “Cox Plate Qualifier”, the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes, a race over 1600 metres. The winner of the race gains exemption from the Cox Plate Ballot.

It was full of drama, with race favourite Star Exhibit rearing at the start and losing his rider. He joined in the race riderless and actually finished first. It must have been quite unnerving for the others in the race, but there were no mishaps, thank goodness.

Star Exhibit crosses the line ahead of the rest

The real winner was New Zealand mare Bonneval who beat fellow mare Abbey Marie to the prize with Rhythm To Spare running a distant third.

Bonneval is the first mare since Sunline in 2000 to win the Dato Tan.

Bonneval wins the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes

Bonneval on her way to the barriers

I was delighted to witness Bonneval win, and look forward to her next start. Perhaps she will win the Caulfield Cup - she has the class.

Next Saturday the racing is at Flemington, the feature race being the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes. In Sydney Winx will be gunning for her 20th win in succession, and we all fervently hope that she will succeed.