The Australian Open is finished for 2011, yay....

Today the fun began for the Good Ol' Valiant Crew. Melbourne provided a beautiful sunny day, top of 39c, for the start of the big bump out. A wonderful day to be lugging desks, tables, bookcases, credenzas, lounges, ottomans, all kinds of other weird furniture and chairs. More chairs that you can poke a stick at and believe me I would love to beat the shit out of all of them chairs with a big stick. Another fun part of today was hanging in the back of the many trucks packing all that wonderful furniture. Luckily I work with Alan, Al Packer master of the tie, the pad and the furniture. Tetris in that mans blood.

I lucked it today and started at 6am, there were some who started at 3.30am. And the reult was 15 full trucks returned home locked and loaded. Eleven of us and we got to knck off at 3.30pm. Nice day, now I'm eagerly looking foward to the rest of the week for more of the same.

Action Comics #1 Superman

The Rot-Crotch Conspiracy and other Disasters

The Rot-Crotch Conspiracy and other Disasters, Yeah, it's been a while since last I blogged. Since the New Year Thingy a while back, all I've been doing is hanging out at the Tennis lugging furniture. There has been some super steamy weather and you haven't been able to blink without sweating. Low clouds, rain every now and then and heat. It's been like some sort of joke, a conspiracy, a plan to knock out the work force with the horror known as Rot-Crotch. Nuff said.

"Help.... the Rot Crotch, I'm melting, Aargh, my legs I can't breathe..."


Well at least we have finished with the Tennis until the whole tournment is over on the 30th. Then the real madness begins as Olympic Parks Melbourne, demand that Tennis Australia hand over Rod Laver and Hisence Arena within 3 days of the tournemnt finishing. That's hundreds of contractors trying to dismantle, load and get out. We have something like 600 typist chairs alone to pick up. I'm not sure of the actual item count , I'm trying to find out. There are famous people at the Tennis



Other disasters, a bit of rain up North, Hang in there folks. Jason, Thinkin' of you.

Bring on the New Year.

All that Christmas malarky is now over, it's time to get back into the regular things, like being silly when the opportunity arises. Prime example, I found a giant tennis raquet while loading in for the Australian Open.. You'd be mad not to have some fun.

Merry Christmas, a couple of days late, but what the heck!!

Happy Jesus' Birthday, Merry Christmas.

Christmas once again, how fast they swing by. I should back track a little, and fill you all in on a few details of events past. The work lunchtime Christmas party was held on the 21st. The Valiant crew took up most of one entire Tram, three Restaurant Trams ran at the same time. Food was great, expertly cooked on board, alcohol flowed and a damn fine time was had by all, it's just a shame they only had Johnny Walker Whiskey and Slate Bourbon, Alas, Jameson triple distilled Irish Whiskey was not there. Lucky for me there was some at home for later...

The next few days were spent dealing with furniture for Chanel 7 and the worlds media at the Aust Open. The plan was to knock off around mid day on Christmas eve, but alas due to someones bungling, we Valiant workers didn't get to finish until 4.30pm, then I had an after hours job at 6pm, yay, the overtime.

Christmas day, pigged out on smoked salmon, bacon and eggs for breakfast, Chili Prawn Pasta for me and a Super Prawn Cocktail for my Lovely at lunch time, and for dinner, Salmon Steaks, Japanese style vegies with a Soy Ginger reduction that I worked out how to make after having it on the Tram Resturant. During the day I had made a Fruity Cobbler and a good portion of this was devoured with custard as our evening desert. Fat and Full. And to make sure we had plenty of treats, I also made another Lemon and Lime Cheese Cake. Boxing Day rolls around and I have a 6.30am delivery job at Melbourne Central in the city and a 9am pick up at the Myer Music Bowl. My Lovely comes along to offer her support and give a helping hand. First job goes in like a dream, job done in 30 minutes. A small amount of loitering and then we rock up early for the bump out at MMB. Easy, finished by 8.50am. And the best thing is it's Triple Time. 12 hours pay for less than an hour of actual work. Definitely a favorite thing. Home for more smoked salmon, aka Gravlax, a few BBQ'd prawns for lunch, then a whole Snapper stuffed with lemon and Chinese vegies, wrapped in foil and BBQ'd, served with BBQ'd marinated Peach and Nectarine slices. Reheated Fruity Cobbler drowned in custard for desert.

And finally here we are at Monday, today. Nothing happening today, no plans, no commitments. Up at em and starting the day with the Works Omelets. Then I turn our home grown plums into 8 jars of plum jam. This activity takes up most of the morning. For lunch, more prawns are cooked on the BBQ. Garlic, Basil and Cracked Pepper for my Lovely and Japanese Soy, Hot Chili and Sweet Chili Prawns for me. Oh yum, these were divine. Later on after a beer or two and a splash of Jamesons Irish Whiskey. Dinner was Chicken Breast Strips with Mango Salsa on Lettuce and Crutons... Fuck yeah.. And to finish it all off I'm about to have some French Vanila Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce. Food, food and more food, lazy days and getting fat. That's what the Christmas break is all about, and oh yeah... Happy birthday baby Jesus.

Australian Open 2011, has started..

As the title and picture above sorta explains the Australian Open 2011, has started for Me and the rest of the Truck Drivin', Furniture Luggin', Hard Workin' and not to be forgetting the Backpackin' Good Folk who work and toil for Valiant Hire of Melbourne.


Two of Them----------->>>>>>>>




Over the last couple of weeks we have been sneaking stuff in and setting up some of the people who run Tennis Australia, with desks, chairs, etc, etc. Being my third year of doing this, the Open feels like an old friend, yeahh!!

It will actually be not to bad, I know where all the little zones and the factions that will be getting furniture are located and for the next four weeks we'll be bringing in truck after truck of, Office, Media, Player, Corporate, Sponsor, Event and who knows what else kind of whatever. We'll be there, Sunrise to Sunset. I'll see if I can get a snap or two. Stay tuned, you'll get more, after all this Event consumes us Valiant Folk.Some more of them


I'm not really a tennis fan, and I hardly know who's playing, I just enjoy the being consumed and getting it right, working plenty of overtime hours and then getting paid for them. So Bring it Tennis Australia, hassle me not you dumb Security guys and for Christ sake you paranoid work safe guys ease up a little, no, actually they do a marvelous job. I'm deadly serious. Catch up with yo soon, take care ya all..

Sunday Dinner with Mark - Chicken with Mango Salsa

Mango Chicken with Croutons and Bacon.

It's Sunday evening and tonight for dinner the Lovely and I are about to eat Mango Chicken.... Yum.

To Start with I turn 2 slices of stale white bread into Croutons. Cubed and sprinkled with dried herbs crisped off in a pan with Olive Oil. Set aside.



Next, I chop 2 Rashes of Middle Bacon into small pieces and fry off without oil in the same pan the croutons were cooked in, cook well and make crunchy, this also works really well if you do the bacon first then the croutons. The result is bacony flavoured croutons, real special. Set aside.









Then I cut into small cubes, Red and Green Capsicum, Shallots, Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes and Mango. Mix them all together in a bowl, add juice of Lemon and Lime, add a splash of Maple Syrup, a Splash of Balsamic Vinegar and A Splash of Olive Oil. Mix well.











Slice One or Two Chicken Breasts into strips, place in a bowl, scrape whatever Mango is left on the Mango skin and mix with the Chicken, add a splash of Olive Oil, a sprinkle of Sweet Paprika, a sprinkle of Cinnamon, a sprinkle of dried Ginger and a sprinkle of Black Pepper. Mix Well

Fry up the Chicken Strips on a Griddle Pan, when done place on a bed of Lettuce, Croutons and Bacon, if you so desire add slices of Avocado. Add the Mango Salsa by scooping it over the Chicken and Lettuce. Eat and enjoy. We did..


As an extra I blacken some dried Chilli pieces in a small amount of oil to sprinkle over the top of the complete dish. This is just for me as my Lovely is not the Chilli freak that I am.



And for dessert I had previously made an unbaked Lemon and Lime Cheesecake with a two biscuit crust and Passion Fruit splashed on top.

Fuck it all, a fabulous Sunday dinner devoured and desired. It will happen again, and as it's summer, sooner rather than later I'd say....