Where's the Bludger?

This is my plan for Thursday

• Breakfast In Brissy
• Lunch in Limbo
• Snack in the Sky
• Dinner in Manila

Which probably needs a bit more explanationBreakfast in Brissy refers to the fact that I will wake up at a normal time in Brisbane, eat my breakfast and head off to work, almost as normal.
Lunch in Limbo refers to the event that by this time I should be at the Airport in the international departures lounge waiting for my flight to Manila. Once you have passed Immigration you are in a legal limbo land, you are physically in Australia but have passed into International space.
Snack in the sky is the recognition that I will need a light meal during the flight but I will be saving myself for Dinner with friends in Manila.
Of course all of this is subject to a threatened strike by Qantas Engineers that could easily ruin many travellers plans over Easter.
The Bludger is procrastinating instead of throwing a couple of t-shirts and a toothbrush into a bag.

Onion & Potato Soup = Antisocial Behaviour.

Note: read this post at your own peril it contains offensive smells.
What to do with BBQ leftovers? I ended up with a large pile of raw sliced onion after a BBQ and a few baked potatoes. After a couple of days I thought that I mite (might?) (neither look correct) make some French Onion soup, but add in the Potatoes and make something a bit heartier.
I started by sautéing the Onions on gentle heat for about 30 minutes. A couple of table spoons of Flour to thicken and then poured on Chicken Stock (home made) and topped up with water. I sliced the potatoes into the soup and simmered for about 40 minutes. A tablespoon of sugar, melted in a serving spoon over the gas until it caramelised was added to the mix. I got this trick from a recipe, not sure if it added to the soup but a novel experience. I let the soup cool and skimmed off the oil on the surface then used a hand blender to make a smoother soup.
The soup was great, not restaurant quality by any means but flavoursome and filling.
The problem came the next day. Which fortunately was a non working day.
I woke up in the morning to a bedroom smelling of Onion. Strange I thought, and then a release of "wind" provided the reason why. The onion had worked its way through my system and was making it's presence known. I guess that it is fortunate I live alone
The Bludger is smelly today.

Online dating - Scamming? Still?

Several years ago I contributed to exposing the machinations of online scammers who prey on single men. The basic idea is that you get an online contact. Typically an attractive woman, single, young. You follow it up and before you can type her e-mail address she has fallen madly in love with you and has booked a flight to come and see you. But oops she needs some money for the ticket. And so it goes. The ones that I dealt with were Russian.
To be honest it was a bit nerve racking taking on the Russian backers of these scams. You didn't know how long there reach was. Maybe they had associates in Oz, maybe they could reach out and give you a hard time.
I have recently been approached again. So I thought "what the hell, let's do it all over again". Below is the first approach from Catwoman (name has been changed in case she is genuine...."
First and foremost, you have a very wonderful name and that's what attracted me to you....My name is Catwoman and am 27, i work as a sales assistant.. i live with my mom in the UK.I was born in Denver Colorado In US but we relocated due to the demise of my father who died when i was only 3 years old. My mom was very unhappy and we really had to move out to make and put our lives back on track so we moved here from the us when i was 10. i studied in the university of plymouth and i just graduated. Am a God fearing person, loving, kind, jovial, hard-working, respectful, caring, honest, loyal and trustworthy person. I have dated lots of guys and they have all broken my heart and am trying to follow a friend's advice now to try internet dating and see what would happen. Maybe i could find true love. I really hope to hear from you soon. Catwoman.
Lets have a quick look at her approach.
Firstly she grew up in UK but refers to "mom". This is an American spelling. Possibly explainable by her heritage, but the first hint of not being genuine.
Item 2, she is in UK and conversing with someone in Oz to find true love.
Come on be real!
Thirdly she is young and female, the photo that she provided shows an attractive woman, what the American Cop Shows refer to as "Latino" and she is blowing a kiss.
Hell the only way that I could not be attracted is if my heart has stopped beating.
Mmm not yet.
Next pointer, she likes my name. Well there is a first I have an interesting time. The one and only time in 40 plus years.
Finally a fair bit of pathos to pull at the heart strings, broken home, loves her mother, god fearing. She has dated lots of men, obviously the wrong type as they have broken her heart. The message is that she is vulnerable. It is so obvious that she needs a strong man or alternately is open to advances from a predator.
So the contact was via MySpace, I have invited her to be a friend. Stay tuned for the next instalment.