When we left off last month it was 01.30am and we'd just got to bed in Kapunda after a great Jimmy Barnes concert. The day got better. Kim and I had a leisurely drive home admittedly with some trepidation. Lauren-Jane had had a wee "hissy fit" at the stables while we were away. We had heard most of it via mobile on the Saturday, so knew we would cope with the fallout. We arrived home to "I'm never going back there". The explanation was simple. A little issue over a lesson. A 13 year old girl and hormomes! It took a few days and some parental soft words and the matter resolved. Lauren was back at stables following Saturday and has enjoyed them since. One small rideer-oops no pun intended! Millie, Lauren's friend was kicked by a horse, last week, and her leg broken. This upset Lauren quite a bit as she saw and heard it happen. Millie is getting better in hospital.

So it had been music on Saturday and was about to become music for Kim and I on Sunday also. Eric Bogle, from Peebles, but living in Australia almost as long as I, was filming a music DVD Eric is known around the world as a folksinger song writer. He in fact wrote Tony Blair's favourite anti war song. Eric is never sure if that is a good or bad thing. Anyway the DVD was filmed on the Sunday night at Stoneyfell Winery in Adelaide before an "Invited audience" which we were part of. It was an interesting ex[perience. Four cameras on rails and the usual paraphenalia of a film. Clapper boards, shouts of action and cut and more importantly twenty one of Eric's songs, all of which survived the "cut" to be in the actual DVD. Eric is not sure when it will be released as yet. He has also just made a CD for later release. In fact they may both be released in Britian and Canada before Australia. He sets out on a 90 gig tour in July covering the UK, Canada and Ireland.

It was a really good night. I don't think though, that if you buy the video you will catch a glimpse of us, that may be a blessing! As a final bit on Eric, I interviewed him and played tracks from the CD on my programme which goes to air on April 1st. here in Adelaide.

There was more music during the month. The Adelaide Fringe Festival has been on all month. It is second in size only to the Ediburgh Fringe. You knew I was going to say that didn't you? I went along to see Chris While and Julie Mathews (English) David Francey (Canadian, but born in Ayrshire) and Peter Rowan (American). In fact I picked Peter up at the airport when he arrived. I had never met him and I had been told he was a little "different". Very laid back!. He was. We had just left the terminal building when an omission struck me. "Shouldn't you have a guitar" I asked. "Oh" he said and hurried (I mean hurried) back to the baggage carousel to retrieve it! This from a man who has travelled the world for 40 plus years singing and playing bluegrass. He in fact was once a member of the legendary Bill Monroe's band in the sixties. The month in music has been wonderful.

Also this month saw the three day Adelaide World Music festival adjacent to the Botanic Gardens. 50,000 plus in attendance from all over Australia. The Festival started as a Bi-annual event but has become so popular that it is now annual.

Weather wise it has remained mainly hot and sunny. We have had a few good rainy days, but still quite below the average for the month. We did have an incident where the weir on Torrens lake (in the centre of the city) managed to open and no one could close it except manually. This of course took time (can you imagine all those men straining on the windlass at each side?) with the result that the lake drained as if someone had pulled the plug in the bath. On reflection that's really what happened. Adelaide was left with an expanse of mud, smack bang in the centre, during its busiest time of year. It has gradually filled up, the recriminations however continue!

Sport has been to the fore also this month, with the WomAdelaide Cup (horserace), Clipsal 500 (V8 car race) and the start of the footy season. We went with the Dinner Party Group to the Red Cross day on the Saturday of the Cup weekend. This is of course a charity event. We went last year and enjoyed it so much we went back. The weather was very kind the horses looked resplendant, as did the ladies and we even had a fashion parade. Unusually for me I placed a few bets as we all did. I was the only winner amongst us I finished $60 up. It has not left me with the need to continue betting.

The Clipsal, which wins the Events section of Australia's tourism awards, was two weeks later. It is a street circuit which obviously leads to traffic disruption and complaints. Although I do not attend and can be inconvenienced, I think it is a wonderful event for our City. That not with standing what the Greens say. 270,000 people attended over the four days. There are major music concerts in the circuit each night also.

The footy season started with a bang for both Adelaide teams. The Crows beat Collingwood at the MCG in what was probably an upset but even more welcome, for that! and Port beat Essendon here at AAMI stadium. Long may they continue in this fashion. Until that is, we meet Port then only the Crows' winning should continue! As an aside on sport. Last month I omitted that Adelaide United won through to the Grand Final again. They played Melbourne Victory in Melbourne. Once again unfortunately they lost 1-0. They were unlucky. United's main striker, Christiano, was sent off after ten minutes. The review panel after the game rescinded the "card' too late of course. To compound the situation, Melbourne's striker was dismissed in sixty fifth minute and again the decision was overturned by the panel. Who knows what would have happened? If only!

Politically it has been interesting The Government is at "war" with Bikie gangs, bringing in legislation to ban them associating with each other. Making them in effect 'proscribed organisations' with severe penalties. The gangs are accused of being involved with all sorts of criminal activities including drugs manufacturing and distribution, prostitution, loan sharking etc. I am sure you get the picture. The bikies themselves claim to be almost purer than snow! One of the gangs has an annual "poker run", to which the normaly feuding other gangs, are invited (Gypsy Jokers', Finks Rebels and of course Hells Angel's) 700 or 800 bikies ride up through the Barossa stopping at pubs along the way where each member receives a playing card resulting in a hand for them and a game at the end. As you will imagine the run is heavily policed with the riders frequently being stopped and their bikes and licenses being checked. Drug dogs check them also. The bikies have taken such exception to this ploice presence and the new laws that they have formed the Freedom Party and will be standing candidates in the next State election!

Just last week a bikie was beaten to death in Sydney airport in front of horrified bystanders, he was 29. A few days after his funeral his 32 year old brother was shot, he is stil in hospital and two bikies were shot dead in Canberra. That shooting though, is thought to be part of a "love triangle"! The more humourous, or should that be stupid side of politics, was also evident in Souther Australia. The financial morass obviously affects here in Adelade. To help cut costs our treasurer, Kevin Foley, announced the sale of a major office block in Parliament, despite his statement "trust me I will not sell anything we do not own". That is exactly what he was doing, or trying to do. The building is only leased although the Government owns the land. Very red faced for Mr.Foley, and making hay times for the Opposition. We must be doing something right here in Adelaide. Every so often a Victorian politician has to have a go at us. The previous Premier said we were a backwater some years ago, he is now an X politician! This month the Melbourne Lord Mayor (himself the X leader of the Opposition in Victoria) said that we were so backward that we should be shutdown!!! This in the month of WomAdelaide, The fringe and The Clipsal 500. Some people should keep quiet and let us only think they are fools. It is nice though when they prove it!!!!

A much nicer thing happened this month, as I have said, I am from Drylaw in Edinburgh. Through Friends Reunited, I have had contact with a lady in Vancouver who lived in the same street as we did and we have "chatted' on Email for the last few years. Jean has family in Adelaide and came to Australia to see them. We managed to meet for a beer on my deck one day, just before she returned home. It was a very nice few hours. Seeing Jean was nice, however the best is yet to come. Well for the Fords here in Adelaide it is. Tracey my daughter, who lives in Edinburgh, arrives for three weeks with us on the 2nd. We have not seen each other since August 2007. At the moment she and my son in law are in Perth, Western Australia at her aunts.. Scott is over there also. We are all so looking forward to seeing each other again. The last time she was here of course, was because her mother was very ill and passed away. It will be an emotional meeting at the airport on Thursday with I'm sure the odd (!!!) tear or two! The Sparkling is chilling nicely! More on their visit next month.

On that. Until next time, Take care

Eric

(article by Eric Ford, Adelaide, Australia)