The Argus, aka my battery soldering building

The electronic shop where my bollard battery wires were soldered was within The Argus building. What is The Argus, you may ask. Well, The Argus operated out of this very handsome building, purpose built in 1926. 

In the late 90s or earlier 2000s it was abandoned, although obviously still owned. That is when my nephew and a couple of mates 'investigated' the building. One night they reached the top and took photos and perhaps put them out on whatever social media was around then. 

The Argus was a Melbourne morning newspaper, first published in 1846 and closed in 1957. It's main competitor was  the very conservative The Age. The Argus was less conservative and became quite liberal at some point in its life. You can read more about The Argus at Wikipedia. 

Who owns the building now? The Melbourne Institute of Technology is a private education company. Here is a snip from Wikipedia. We can be quite grateful to Mr Ghale for the renovations and recreating it as a viable and I assume profitable building. At street level there are many different businesses. I might just venture inside the main building one day, if I can. 

In 2004 La Trobe University bought the Argus Building for $8 million with the intention to redevelop the building to house its legal and business schools as well as a ground-floor shopping precinct.^[6] Owing to the high estimated cost of renovating the building, La Trobe University sold the site for $15 million in 2010 to Shesh Ghale, owner of the Melbourne Institute of Technology, who converted the site into its Melbourne campus which re-opened in October 2016. 

All links in this post were my work. While I was a little impressed by the Blogger's linking feature, you can't single click to remove the links. You have to do so link by link yourself. 

A fail

The bollard in my car parking space failed. The rechargeable lead acid battery had worn out. I just could not get my bollard up. As I mentioned to the company, it only lasted five years. As they mentioned to me, five years for the battery is a good innings. 

A replacement battery would cost about $85 including postage. I was mulling it over and then I received a generic email that the company would be closed until 12th January. This cost was a good bit more than we paid five years ago. But prices have risen with everything.

I went into town to Jaycar, where I know the staff are very helpful. They had the appropriate battery but without the wires to plug it in. The battery was only $30. If I could solder, I could connect the wires myself. I saw my father solder, and the first thing you need is a soldering iron, which I don't have. I think you brush the soldering area with spirits of something and then drop the molten solder onto where you want to join.

Jaycar man suggested a company called AMT, and it was short walk away in the old Argus building, where Fire Fighting Nephew once did some urban exploration when the building was abandoned. That company did not have the battery and suggested I visit Jaycar. I explained about the battery and staff said he could solder the wires onto the Jaycan battery, so back I went and bought the battery and returned to have the wires soldered to the battery. I thought it would cost $10-$20, and stupid old man did not ask the cost of soldering earlier. I forget the soldering cost, about $60 I think. Anyway the cost ended up being about the same as I had just ordered it originally online from the bollard company. 

I felt like such as stupid old man. Then it got worse. Phyllis' father is an electrical engineer and Phyllis said, Andrew, I know how to solder electronics. You could have bought the cheapest electric soldering iron and I could have soldered the wires. 

There you go. Me after a lifetime of being frugal with money tried to save some money with quite a bit of effort, and I absolutely failed. I could kick myself. 

This evening it is very cool out on the balcony, with a fair breeze and my arms have goosebumps, although the weather bureau says it it 18/65. It's hard to believe in two days time the temperature will be 41/106. I guess I won't be going out on that day.

Monday Mural

Along with Sami in Perth for Monday Mural, here is a repeat posting of this mural in Melbourne's Collins Street. It is a new and better photo and I decided to do some research this time.

I should have realised but I didn't, that it is a mosaic. It is based on a painting by a young man who had to learn how to paint with his left hand after his right hand was blown off while fighting in WWI.

The quote is by Puck in Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, referencing fast travel. 

The painter Napier Waller, also created this mosaic. I had not heard of him but he deserves great recognition for his various works around our city. Hels has mentioned him in various posts, including one of my favourites about Melbourne's coffee palaces. But I can't see that she has posted directly about Waller. 

Look up in our cities, folks. 

Sunday Selections

I hope I have the day right for Sunday Selections. I've become terribly confused about days towards the end of the week. I am joining with River, and perhaps she too became a little confused about days, peaking early for Sunday Selections. 

There are a few animal memes this week. I am a bit short on photos for SS.

We are fortunate that Jass has no interest in human food.

A peaceful sunset.

Jass thought she needed to keep a close eye on these new shoes sent by Kosov's parents, should something crawl out of them I suppose.

This was about three days after a notification by building management about the carpark door being  out of service for maintenance for a few hours. It is proof that people nowadays seldom check their letterboxes. I check if the lift is ten floors or more above the foyer, which gives me time to quickly check my normally empty letterbox. Did I read Denmark was ceasing standard mail delivery by post. 

I checked, and it is quite legal for B Double trucks to use Toorak Road where the truck has turned from, but should it be? 

Did I mention I dined at the Swiss Club restaurant Edelwyss with a friend just before Christmas? It was quite good and I would visit again. I blew my food budget by ordering an affogato with scotch poured over the top. It was worth it.

Phyllis asked me show my thumb. I am used to such things, but this time it was henna and took a few days to come off. 

Jass did not kill any decorations, just roughed them up a bit.

PS That funny edit symbol appariend to the right of where you compose your post, well I keep forgetting what it does. I clicked it and it inserted a couple of links into this post. It will be interesting to see what it turns up when I check once this is posted. I can't be bothered checking now. 

One day, I thought was Saturday but it wasn't

I went to bed early last night, and consequently I woke early. Not a sleepy wake where I could go back to sleep, but wide awake. At 6.03 just as the sun was rising, fourteen balloons arose at the same time. I think the most I've seen in the past were seven. Quite wondrous and they floated in my direction, but not too close by.

I was out early to meet my friend, formerly of Japan, for breakfast. Yes, too early to call it brunch. I was hungering for bacon and eggs, and that is what I had, on sourdough toast, that I am not so fond of. But our meals were nice.

Phyllis and Kosov had invited two lady friends to lunch at home, with Phyllis cooking. Phyllis was out early too, to Victoria Market to buy fresh food. I'll give them some space. I used the Franklin Street entrance to State Library Station, far simpler than the Latrobe Street entrance, and the train, a couple of minutes late, shot off like scalded cat towards Footscray Station where I alighted to catch a train to Altona. The Werribee bound train was travelling via the Altona Loop! If the trains are running the same way back, that could be interesting ona single track. The screens at Altona Station were only showing Werribee bound trains, not city bound trains for me to return to the city.

We are told to use Journey Planner in case of disruptions. It was effing useless. I drilled down and down and finally found there was a bus replacement back to Newport Station. There was signage to direct passengers to a bus stop at the northern side on the roadway but I was still unsure until I arrived at the bus replacement stop. It took forever for the bus to reach Newport Station, where I could catch a train to the city. But the train with passengers onboard had come from the Werribee direction. I just gave up trying to understand at that point. Apparently these shenanigans will continue until April. 

I left the train at Footscray to catch a Metro train home. 

At home the lady guests were still here, one obviously Indian and the other seemed to be a blonde Anglo. I tried to hear her voice, and I thought it sounded Indian. A game of Uno was underway at the lounge room coffee table. There was food aplenty, and enough for my dinner later. I retired to my quarters to eat my discounted near use by date supermarket sandwich until they departed. 

Once the mynah chicks were born on the balcony below, I ceased harassing the parents, but Jass hasn't. She and the parents are at war with each other. I saw the chicks today, and they are just on ready to fledge, so for Jass, the bird excitement will end.  

Meanwhile back in the real world, I correctly guessed that Janice at Jabblog would win the annual Laughing Horse best blog award, at a terrific ceremony on Little St James resort island, just off the US coast. It is well deserved award and congratulations to JB. 

Same same, but different

Getting rid of an unfinished post that was going nowhere. 

New South Wales. Dammed road potholes.

Victoria. Damned road potholes. 

Sydney tourist: Your public transport is wonderful. 

Sydney local: Twenty five damned minutes and no 333 bus, then three arrive.

Melbourne tourist: Your trams are just such a wonderful way to get around.

Melbourne local: (This might be me) A tram every 90 seconds at the stop, so why the hell is the next tram seven minutes away.

Sydney: Crime out of control. A machete attack in a western Sydney suburb. Police arrest two youths in a stolen car, repeat offenders who were already on bail for a home invasion. 

Melbourne: Crime out of control. A machete attack in a western Melbourne suburb. Police arrest two youths in a stolen car, repeat offenders who were already on bail for home invasion.

Sydney: Property prices are ridiculous and there is nothing to rent.

Melbourne:  Property prices are ridiculous and there is nothing to rent.

Then differences appear.

From a low base over ten years coffee in Sydney has much improved, and I generally found it fine now.

I noticed quite a number of Melbourne impersonators in Sydney during this visit, all walking around in black clothing.

That was the year that was

Aside from my step mother dying in September, it wasn't a bad year for me. A family outing was organised for the first anniversary of Ray's death in April where we all met at Werribee Plains Open Range Zoo, and that was a good and distracting outing.

The attempt to avoid any celebration for my birthday by visiting Sydney was a failure, with just delaying the inevitable. 

December 2024 was a couple nights at Sister's on the Bellarine for Christmas and Boxing Day taking the car on the ferry to the other side of the bay for more family celebrations.

January I picked up Sister's cats from a cattery and took them to her home and stayed several days to look after them.

In April I took Phyllis and Kesav for an overnight stay in Daylesford, with separate cabins. 

Come May it was an overnight stay in Ballarat with my age closest ABI brother for a family get together and see the Sound and Light Show at Sovereign Hill.

I was back on the Bellarine to look after Sister's cats again in July.

As I mentioned, I was in Sydney for two weeks in October, the highlight being my return journey by sleeper train. I so enjoyed that, even though much of the time was spent asleep.

More recently in November were two nights away in Marysville, sharing a two bedroom cabin with Phyllis and Kosov.

Other outings with Phyllis and Kosov were day trips to, one to Mount Macedon with a stop off at the Organ Pipes National Park, a trip to the Bellarine for Jo's 18th where Phyllis and Kosov met most of the family, the trip to Geelong to see Jo slay them is the aisles in Anything Goes. There was also the surprise for Kosov with a trip to the Dinosaur Park, and a trip to travel on The Eagle chairlift at Arthur's Seat. I may well remember something else later. I did, a family trip to Funky Farm.

I was spoilt for my birthday once I returned, especially by being taken out for a surprise lunch by Phyllis and Kosov where we ate at a cafe in a train carriage (I want to say teetering, but that would be a lie) atop a three story building.

And who could forget the arrival into my home of Jass.

I can't take any pride in Phyllis graduating with a Master's degree in Food Science and Technology, but I sure as hell will take pride in teaching him to drive and obtaining his driving license. Once I realised he was at a level to pass a test, I worked hard on making him a better driver, smoother, more economical with fuel and reading other motorists' actions in advance. 

There was great sadness when the lovely Sue in Canberra unexpectedly died. She will be remembered by many of us forever. At times I return to her last blogpost, a Sunday Selections, which if her numbering is correct, they were over sixteen years. Just a week or so before, while weakened by treatment, she made the Out of the Shadows walk for suicide prevention. She has been posthumously honoured for her service at Lifeline over many years.

The world has seemed like a terribly messy place the year past, certainly not helped by the instability in the US and discontent in the UK. The year ended so badly in Australia with a horrific mass shooting, killing 15 people. We can make our own small efforts to make the world a better place, but we can't take the weight of world issues on our shoulders.

My evening was spent at home, declining an invitation from HH to watch the fireworks from her apartment with her city views. Instead being antisocial, I will watch the 9.30 fireworks from the tramstop below. By midnight I will be sound I was almost asleep, as Sister and her family prepare to party on for Hogmanay in Edinburgh. I warned Phyllis that I would probably drink too much and cry at some point, but he wasn't around to see that. Kosov was at work.

All in all, not a bad year for me. To all my blogmates, those of you who I know personally, and readers, my sincere best wishes for 2026. 

Happy New Year.