Amys Cottage Clydesdale Victoria

An old friend of mine has opened a Bed and Breakfast at Clydesdale in Victoria. Clydesdale is 15 minutes north of Daylesford and about the same to Maldon and Castlemaine. I thought I would give it a bit of a plug here.

If you want a quite, luxurious getaway on your own private 12 acres have a look at the website and give them a call Bob or Andrea the phone number is on the site.

John Sculli Fruit Centre Strathmore is a Poorly Run Business with no idea of How To Treat Customers

For over twenty five years I have shopped at the 'John Sculli Fruit Centre' in York Street Strathmore. It's only around the corner from where I live. The store began as a fruit shop in Napier Street Strathmore and I used to buy my fruit and vegies there in the early 1980's. About 10 to 15 years ago the owner built a larger building in adjacent York Street and expanded his range to that of a small local supermarket. I have continued to buy our fruit and vegies there as well as other items that are not worth going to a major supermarket for. Our family probably spends about $50 to $75 a week there on average.

About a month ago I ran out of shaving cream and went to Scullis' to buy some, they had a new brand on the shelf which was on special for $6.00 which bought. When I went to shave the next morning the bottle was faulty and the cream would not come out, both my wife and myself tried and agreed the bottle was faulty. So a day or so later when had the chance I went back to Scullis' to exchange the bottle, when I got there I approached the boss (who I assume to be John Sculli) and explained the faulty bottle problem, before I could say anymore he said "Do you have your receipt?" I said I didn't and he said "No receipt no refund", I explained that I didn't want a refund just to exchange it for a working bottle. He said "No exchanges without a receipt". I was shocked at this shoddy treatment and I said "You're kidding aren't you?" he said no and so I left the store.

I let the issue go for a week or so and went back to the store and again approached the owner (or manager I'm not sure what he is). The conversation went as follows.

Me - " Do you remember me?"
Him - "Yes"
Me - "Do you know me or my face at all?"
Him - "No"

I then explained how I had shopped there for over twenty five years and was a regular customer who spent about $2500 to $4000 a year in the store and that I was disappointed that he had know idea who I was and didn't care. I explained that after all my patronage for so many years that he would not exchange a $6 bottle of shaving cream without a receipt.

Him - "We have lots of people come in here trying to rip us off"
Me - "I'm honest I spend a lot of money here most of the checkout girls know me all want is to be treated properly and get what I paid for"
Him - " Well I don't know you and you can leave the store"

So what can I say? Here I am a loyal customer who has spent reasonable sums of money each year with this company, suddenly accused of trying to rip them off over a $6 can of shaving cream. All can think is the the proprietor has an extremely poor memory for faces and people and really doesn't have any idea of customer service and cares little or nothing about his long established customers.

I now travel another 1km to the Coles Supermarket in Bulla Rd Essendon for most of my shopping and do the rest at the Victoria Market. Scullis' has lost a lifelong loyal customer and nobody is happy.

All I can hope for is that the Manager/Owners poor customer relations will cause his business to suffer and eventually fail and that new owners will come in and restore what was once a great thriving business, until then I will not set foot in their door.

The Purple Noons' Transparent Might - Arthur Streeton

If I ever became an art thief, this would be first on my list. Arthur Streetons 'The Purple Noons' Transparent Might'. I have loved this painting since I first saw it at about 11 years old. He has a number of other great paintings but to me this is his best.

RGV250 Anyone?

I was given this by a customer who owed me some money as he was short of cash at the time. I had half a plan to strip it down and go racing again, however it's been in the garage for six months now and I don't have the time so it's on ebay at the moment. If anyone wants a RGV250 complete unregistered but goes well have a look. Bidding starts at $1500 and there is no reserve.

Pity it would have been a lot of fun but I'll save my money to get a Yamaha TZ250 A model one day.

Nice Leopard Skin Printed Sheet

I am not fond of leopard skin prints but for some reason this one is ok.

Old Time Advice

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you." - Old saying origin unknown.

Great Photo

No reason for this, it's just a good photo

Civility as seen by Mark Twain

Mark Twain. (Via Maggies Farm)

Flinders Rangers - Hans Heysen 1877 - 1968

I love the work of Hans Heysen wish I could afford one.

I've seen a lot of places but I would really like to see Jordan

Mt Bogong Highest in Victoria 1986 Metres

This is a photo of Mt Bogong the highest mountain in Victoria, it's about 6508 ft not much by world standards but it's the biggest we have here in Victoria. I have been lucky enough to get hold of 17 acres with river frontage not far from where this was taken. I would love to build and move there in the next few years. You never know.

A Brunette a Gun and Shoes

I pinched this from Theo Spark he is always worth a visit and it's a great photo.

Nothing better than good Stillettos

God I love good Stillettos on a woman

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Jennifer Lopez is Sexy because of her Big Bum

They say that Jennifer Lopez is sexy because she has a big bum......well my wife is twice as sexy as her.

Great Shoes though

These are very Good

I've been using one of these lately (Legally) and they are very good to use and a lot of fun.

Smith and Wesson K Frame

GT 380 Update

The frame is down to bare bones and the engine is being pulled apart, unfortunately it seems that someone else has had the engine out and has just bolted it back together without doing propely so it could take sometime before I get it back in the frame.

In the meantime I picked up an RGV250 Suzuki 1989 model from a bloke who owed me some money. It hasn't been started for 5 years but has been stored in his shed, I don't know what to do with it yet, I'll probably sell it after I get it rideable, anyone interested?

NZ 2009?

I'm hoping to get over to NZ again this winter, airfares are cheap and their dollar is stuffed you couldn't get a better time. I just have to find out when I can get leave but they can't tell me for another week or so. Here's hoping.

One of my Favourites - Sophia Loren

Tania Zaetta They don't come much better than her

Isn't she gorgeous??

Winston Churchill, Maggie Thatcher when will the next Great One Arise??

"Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities, but the influence of the religion paralyzes the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step". Sir Winston Churchill circa 1899. THE great man who saved Western Civilisation.

They say that in the darkest hour the great avenger is being born. Well civilisation is crumbling before our eyes. Britain is gone, Blair was a fool but Brown is a knave and will almost (but not quite) destroy the country. Obama just went on a world tour to kowtow to Saudi Arabia, and then debase himself and his country to Turkey and elsewhere (don't forget being extremely disrespectful to the Queen) and RUDD!! that smarmy, hypocritical, two faced, obnoxious, rude, twerp demonstrates that on nearly every level he is incapable of decent behavior and will sell his country and compromise the office of the Governor General in an effort to suck up to a body dominated by despots and dictators - the UN. Virtually nothing good comes from the UN and yet this vile creature RUDD will prostrate himself and the country to get himself the Secretary Generals position. Fortunately RUDDS crawling won't work but his efforts just slowly erode the best parts of our nation and encourage the worst sections to multiply.

Lucky Lucky Horse

I wish I was a horse.

GT380 Frame Stripped Down

I've stripped the frame right down will be starting today on putting it back together. I have said before I am not doing a restoration job on this bike rather I am just rebuilding it and making sure everything works and is safe to use on the road. There are a couple of reasons for this one is a full restoration to as new condition would be very costly and I don't have the time or money to do that, I estimate that it would cost at least $2000 and hundreds of hours for a good job. Two I like the look of older bkes that have done a bit of work and that's exactly what this will look like.

Anyway I've the frame stripped down and the swingarm and steering yoke out. The steering head needs a little work as can be seen in the photos attached. The steel stopper for the steering stops is broken off on the right hand side. I will cut one out of steel, file it to shape and weld it onto the spot where it should be and give it a touch of paint. As for the rest of the frame I am going to clean it up and use rust converter on any surface rust there is no serious rust in the frame. I will replace the swingarm bushes and the steering bearings and seats then put that together and then start on the forks.

GT380 Frame

I am almost down to a bare frame

I've started working on the rest of the bike as my dad was bored and he has started on the engine. Most of the bikes I've owned or worked on before have been TZ Yamahas and as they are pure racing bikes there isn't a lot of extraneous bits and pieces. I am a little taken aback by the amount of bits and pieces that have to have work done that you just don't get on a racing bike. I guess I should have expected this bit I just didn't realise how much work there would be in all the little bits. For example in the headlight there seems to be an annular gap between the actual headlight and the nacelle, this gap will let in the elements and as all the wiring connectors are in the headlight body they will get wet. I am sure it shouldn't be like this but it appears to be the way it was built, guess I will just have to find out what it should be like. Anyway it's all good fun.

GT380 Engine Removal

Here are a few shots of the engine coming out.

GT380 Oil Pump

You can see the frozen carbys quite clearly here, just below the rubber airbox connecting hose is where the oil pump should be, as it is missing I need one if anybody knows where I can get one please let me know.

Stage One Dismantling GT380

I am beginning the first stage of getting the GT380 going again today. I am not going to restore this bike I want to get it into a rideable roadworthy condition but in fairly original condition ie minimal repainting (if any) and generally just cleaning and polishing what is there. There are a couple of parts that I have to think about, for example the sidecovers are not the original ones and have been painted a crappy blue colour sometime and the seat has had a very ordinary repair job. I'll work it out as I go.

So this morning I'm taking the engine out, I don't know if it is seized or what condition it is in as there is no chain or kickstart on the bike, but the carbys are frozen so I anticipate a fair bit of work. I have a rebuild kit on hand and hope to get the engine internally into very good order. I am not going to polish the external surfaces just clean them up. As I am doing a very demanding training course for the next couple of months my father is going to start on the engine for me, he is a qualified experienced mechanic and has a fair bit of spare time since he retired. He wants to do the whole bike but I want some fun too.

Anyway here are a couple of shots prior to engine removal.

Suzuki GT380 Restoration

I haven't used this particular blog for a while for personal reasons and I didn't know whether I should delete it or keep it going. So what I am going to do is use it as a progress report on a motorcycle restoration. When I was 19 I had a Suzuki GT380 which at the time I thought was fantastic. Over the years since I have raced and owned many sorts of motorcycles including road racing sidecars and the quickest of all was a TZ750 Yamaha.

Anyway I came a cross a GT380 about a year and a half ago, it is a 1976 model with a disc brake, I would have preferred a drum brake model but this all I could get at the time, the drum brake models are far and few between nowadays. So I have finally have a garage and some time to play with it, so I have put a couple of pictures of the bike here and as I go I will put on updates of how things are going and what I have done.

Paddy looks good on the bike as well.

So here it is - Unrestored 1976 GT380 Suzuki.

Glenn Stevens = Reserve Bank DICKHEAD!!!!

Well after the Reserve Bank kept jacking up interest rates we decided to sell as the mortgage payments became crippling, I remember 17% rates and was scared. So we sold, and sure enough they have dropped rates dramatically, but it's too late for us so we move from a house I built myself with seven bedrooms, three living areas and pool etc to a three bedroom old 70's style dump up the road. I know seven bedrooms sounds a lot but I have seven kids who all live at home and I like having them around so now the older ones are moving out and I have a power of work to do on the new place (it's pretty bad). So thanks to the morons on the Reserve Bank Board my family is breaking up. Good on you Glenn Stevens - DICKHEAD!!!

THE OLYMPICS - Give me my money back

In todays Herald Sun - each gold medal won by Australia so far has cost $17,000,000 that’s right seventeen million dollars. Why does our state and federal governments take our hard earned money and use it to send a bunch of primping sport people on holiday? That money comes out of all our pockets, from pensioners to big corporations. It’s not the governments money it’s ours, yet they force the money out of us and spend it on sporting holidays for a select few. If people and sporting organisations wish to compete at these competitions why don’t they raise the funds themselves and see what people will really spend their money on if given the choice. Another dimension of the absurdity of this whole taxpayer funded junketing is the size of the team. If every other country sent the same number of athletes per size of population there would be something in the vicinity of 850,000 competitors in Beijing. At least most other countries do not waste their citizens money on holidays for athletes and officials.

How about the state and federal governments stop giving out arts and sports grants and let those who have a love of or interest in a particular sport or pastime spend their own money supporting it? I fail to see why the money I work so hard for should be forcibly taken from me and given to some so called sportsperson or artist. Let them seek their own patrons and let me spend my money as I see fit.