Category Archives: Modern Life

An Engineer’s daughter

A personal reflection on Clough Engineering

If your mum or dad is an engineer then so much of your childhood is about the built environment.

For one thing you have to wade through photo after photo of bridges and buildings to find the one photo of you as a two year old. 

Forget it if you’re the youngest.

As kids we went to the openings of bridges as often as our friends went to the zoo.

Clip of film dad took of the construction of Stirling Bridge. This is most of an 8mm film which ends with a couple of minutes at the Perth Zoo and includes the only film of my brother as a child.

At the opening of the Stirling Bridge in 1974 for example, we got to walk through the hollow centre.  Wearing matching tracksuits we ate sausages in bread and had the railing pointed out to us.

My sister Cath and I at the opening of Stirling Bridge 1974

Have you noticed the railing ‘disappears’ as you drive past it so you can see the river?

My dad was the Project Engineer.  It was his first big project and it was not without it’s challenges.  Like the day driving down Stirling Highway he noticed the crane at an alarming angle.

It might be Stirling Bridge to you, but to me it is “Dad’s bridge”, and to my children “Grandad’s bridge”.  And yes, they will point out the cool railing.

Dad worked for Clough Engineering which this week went into insolvency having been sold by the family a decade ago. I’m feeling sentimental.

Clough built this city.

Not just Stirling Bridge, but the Narrows, and Mt Henry Bridge.

I was too young for the Narrows but I can tell you they had a hot air balloon at the Opening of Mount Henry in 1982.  Dad was Director of Engineering for that one.

See the balloon in the background? Yep that’s the family photo at the opening of Mt Henry.

They built Cinema City – remember that?  Okay perhaps not one of their more notable projects.

They built Prix d’Armour – that folly of Lang and Rosa Hancock in Mosman Park, now demolished.

And Clough built the Polly Pipe.  The Graeme Farmer Freeway tunnel under Northbridge (which always flows well in both directions).  I took my kids to the opening of that one and we walked through with thousands of others in both directions.

Walking through the Polly Pipe
And you got a certificate to prove it.

I grew up with Clough.  I worked in the library one summer. Photocopying mostly.  I even went on a date with Bill Clough, the youngest son.  My dad worked for Clough for the majority of his career, ending up as Chairman, so the company feels like family which is why I feel sad about today’s news.

But the thing about the construction industry is that you build things.  Things that last even if the company is no more so I’ll still be driving around the city that “dad built”.

And you can too.

Oh and remember to check out the disappearing railing next time you’re in Freo.

Big Mother

Despite previous accusations I’m not a helicopter parent.

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Yes I take an active interest in what my two adult children are doing.

Yes I regularly ask my daughter where she is, but she does live with us and usually I’m either asking if she is joining us for dinner or if she’s seen a piece of clothing I can’t find…

But I don’t ask to track them.

Maybe it wasn’t a thing when they were in their early 20s but I was shocked when a young 21 year old told me recently that his mother insists he shares his location.

And then a fellow mother said she too insists her 19 year old share location. For peace of mind.

On my soapbox I got and declared that they were adults and shouldn’t have to share their location with anyone!

Flash forward to a couple of weeks ago. Hugo (27) left to travel from Perth to Cairns in his little hybrid Honda. He offered to share his location with his parents (and grandparents).

Did I say yes? Of course I did.

Did I stalk him as he traveled across the country? Of course I did.

Following the journey

Did it bring me peace of mind? Kind of. I must say there was a moment when I could see the car had been driven off the main highway and I conjured up a scenario where he was bogged, or maybe the car had been stolen and dumped. But I didn’t voice those concerns to anyone and was quietly relieved when the next time I checked he’d moved on. A mother thing?

Hugo arrived safely in Cairns and is due to start his Masters in
Tropical Biology and Conservation in the next week or so.

But I wonder, where do you draw the line at sharing YOUR location?

Moonlighting

A moody moony Monday evening on the water with my pair partner Orla. Photo: Steve Yanev

So yeah I’ve been writing for someone else. About rowing. And not even my employer (although I did get permission).

My sister-in-law Lara, she of The Junk Map fame, has started a new website to help us navigate life after kids. It’s called You After Kids.
It is basically EXACTLY what it says on the tin and she asked me to write about my experience taking up rowing as a (nearly) empty nester and how it has led to firm friendships and fabulous FOMO induced fun.

Here’s the article: Could Rowing be Your Path to Fitness, Friends (and Dolphins!)

I would like to share some of the lovely comments I’ve received on Facebook since it was published from rowers all over the world and here in Perth.

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And this lovely DM:
Hi Sarah, i row at FRC and having read your article felt compelled to send you a message. Something I wouldn’t normally do. But what you wrote is exactly how I feel about rowing and to know that others feel the same too was really quite lovely. I’ve had a smile on my face since.

I’m so chuffed that my little article was so well received. I hope you check out Lara’s website. Maybe you’ll be inspired to write something too in which case post a link below so I can check it out! Here’s some guidelines.

Or… you could come rowing?

morning light on a perfectly still river, the clouds reflecting in the water.
You cannot get the smile off my face when I show up and the water is like this. November 2021

Overflow

this is a photo of my board game shelf
My shelfie

73 games

So when I stopped playing bridge regularly – it was too hard with rowing – all that gamey energy had to go somewhere and happily it coincided with a boom in board games.

I’ve always loved board games (and card games hence bridge) and these days they are so gorgeous and so diverse and so thinky that it is very easy to get addicted.

The game that really got me started was 7 Wonders which I think Rory found. Kind of funny because he really doesn’t enjoy board games. (you like party games Rory – wordy ones)

The shelf itself

So by 2018 I was really struggling for space for my growing collection (I had about 20 by then) so I asked my dad to ‘help’ me make a display shelf. I say help but what I really mean is make with my help.

Me and my dad next to the newly finished shelf
April 2018 – Dad, me and shelf

The drawers are those ones where you push them in and they pop out. The floating top has dad’s signature finish. And the capacity is about 60 games.

We made it over three days down in his Dunsborough shed and it was such a lovely satisfying experience to make something this beautiful from old planks of wood with my dad who has all the tools and expertise. Just hanging out with him in his shed is a time I will treasure.

The new tradition

That year Imogen started a new tradition. On Mothers’ Day (and on my birthday) she and Hugo would vow to come over for the day and play back to back board games of my choice.

A priceless gift. Time with my two kids especially as when they move out, is precious.

May 2018 – Mothers’ Day game selection

Which games to get

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One of the things I love about board games is browsing for board games, and researching them.

So many board games.

Hugo is a great source for ideas as he and his mates are also into the hobby and find some great ones.

Recently he’s given me It’s a Wonderful World (2019) (for my birthday), we really love it, and for Christmas Lost Ruins of Arnak (2020), which is also becoming a firm favourite.

Imogen and I love playing Legacy Games together. A Legacy game is one where the game changes forever as you play it. You change the board, change the components based on the decisions you make.

It’s kind of like a choose-your-own-adventure book but you can’t go back. For Christmas she gave me Pandemic Legacy Season 2 (2017) and I’m really looking forward to playing it out this year with her. (We’ve played Season 1 (2015) and Season 0 (2020))

I enjoy watching review youtube videos and are often inspired to make a sneaky online purchase. One of those was for Gentle Rain (2021). And I don’t even remember where I saw that… maybe on a Facebook group… I love this little solo game which you can play cooperatively. It’s er… gentle?

Kickstarter is also a source of my games (among other things). I currently have two games in development. Canvas Reflections (2022), and Chili Mafia (2021). Always fun to get a package in the mail.

And I have play-tested games. Well. A game. Chai (2019) which was made by a couple of Canadian designers on Kickstarter. Such a thrill to see our names on the box when it finally arrived. Play testing made me appreciate the amount of work and time and people that goes into making a game. The components are beautiful in Chai and I love the market mechanic. It’s a real collaborative effort.

Can’t resist a sale

You know that the local shop is going to have a sale on Boxing Day so of course you go in there. This year I stopped at Wingspan (2019) and the Oceania Expansion (2020). I even got Rory to the table to have a go. Now that is love.

December 2021 – Wingspan on the table

Last year my indulgent Boxing Day purchase was Oceans (2020). It is gorgeous and one of Imogen’s favourites.

All this to say that my shelf is now overflowing. The solution?

Of course. Get a new shelf.

The All Consuming Life

Sunrise at UWA Boatclub

This my friends was the day that the world found out that little Cleo Smith had been found alive. Some good news after a week reeling from some of the worst.

It was such a beautiful sunrise, full of hope and promise.

I thought after my last post that I would be back every day… well at least once a week… but it is harder than I thought to get back into the habit and well, life has been distracting consuming every second of brainspace.

Remember Brain Space with Tim and Debbie? I used to do a fair impersonation of Debbie when I was 14. I digress…

I have been educated in Jewish funerals since we last met. And I’m impressed. I like the fact that the coffins are basic and everyone gets the same. Fancy shiny coffins that cost thousands of dollars make me feel slightly ill. What a waste. I like the fact that people are given mandated space to grieve. I like the thought of carrying a square of cloth for a week so that you are carrying your beloved with you. I appreciated the beautiful singing of the rabbi and the message that we carry the legacy of the passed by acting as he would have acted. There were eulogies but no flowers, no photos, no video montages, no sometimes dodgy music selections.

I don’t want to be buried but I liked the way the congregation was invited to help fill in the grave. Three shovelfuls. Put the spade back in the earth between people. Standing in the dirt, it felt real.

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Vale Russell. You will be missed.

Selfie corner

So this could become a regular segment. Last time I added a selfie with Elizabeth, today I bring you Jen who I caught up with for the first time since school back in 1983. Yes we had what I call school back in those days before the internet.

Me and Jen

My memory of Jen was that she was one of the cool and a bit naughty day girls. Way more cool than me. She remembers me as brainy. Not sure where she got that from. Oh wait. She must have heard my Debbie impersonation.

I’m afraid she couldn’t tell any of my work colleagues any incriminating stories. I mean my nickname was Doris Day and you can’t get straighter than that. Very boring for them, and me.

But it was lovely catching up and finding out about nearly 40 years of each other’s lives and how they intersected.

Putting the red in redsultana

Meeting Elizabeth
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Oh yeah. You noticed the hair?

Well my friends my hair has been on a journey. From long, dark brown, round-brush-curled locks, to light-brown shoulder length bob, to fully grey, you find me now, a ranga. Fully ginge. A matchhead. Red.

I’ve always loved red hair but never really thought about it for me but we were in lockdown and the day it lifted I had a hair appointment.

But I can’t blame the one week lockdown (yes, I’m in Perth, Western Australia).

Really it was a combination of sustained lobbying by my husband (who really didn’t like the grey) and seeing myself in videos and photos.

The day I changed my hair


At my greyist

Reaction has been mixed. The husband says he likes it. The parents are wondering when I’m going to change it. I’m also not sure. Some days I love it. Some days it’s too much. Those days I avoid mirrors.

Mostly I forget that it’s red.

Elizabeth

You might also be wondering why I’m posting when my last post was 2017. You might be wondering why I bother renewing the hosting. I know I do.

Well last week I was at a function in Midland and Elizabeth came up to me and rather than talking about work, said she had enjoyed reading my blog!

This has NEVER. HAPPENED. BEFORE.

Sure back in the heyday of 2008 I’d get the occasional lovely message. At the blogging conference in 2010 sure people said nice things. But an out of the blue complement at a non-blogging event. Nope. Never happens.

Elizabeth you might be my only reader these days and I thank you for it and for reminding me why I used to love this space.

A new season, old friends and rubbish

So it’s been a while… More than two years so what’s changed?

Well I have a new job. Now captaining the good ship ABC Radio Perth.

Still rowing.

Not playing bridge so much.

stretching to a view
stretching to a view

The rowing season started this week officially, not that the training ever stops. Not when you’re planning a trip to New Zealand to compete in the World Masters Games. (squee!)

I’m up early most mornings either rowing, ergoing (rowing machine) or doing strength work.

And it’s been a busy week at work.  A new website.  Lots of colleagues from other parts in town.  Including this gal.

So if you can't take your HR manager with you when you go out on the town, really, what is the point of it all?
So if you can’t take your HR manager with you when you go out on the town, really, what is the point of it all?

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Last week I discovered the game CATAN.

What a great game. I played it four times over the weekend and since then have been dying to get back to it. Sadly I’ve been too busy.

Also because I’m currently reading this. And by reading I mean walking and reading, reading whenever I can, trying not to read at work or at rowing. Well it’s not my book and I wouldn’t want to get it wet… that’s the only reason.

Although I did look up from my book on the way to the train station the other day to see this…

advertising advertising advertising - state election - rubbish!
advertising advertising advertising – state election – rubbish!

Seriously it’s been three weeks since the election. Take the bleeding sign down already.

The same applies to election hoardings. We are now firmly in “undies” territory.

Am I right?

Surprise Tea

During the show Extended Play Stories – part of Fringeworld – I heard tell of something new.  Something delightful.  Something I immediately resolved to do.

I love a cup of tea and drink at least 2-3 cups a day.  I always have English Breakfast.  Twinings. Which I buy only when on special, in large quantities.  No milk.  No sugar.

English Breakfast Tea

So when the storyteller started telling us about Surprise Tea I was immediately intrigued.

Surprise Tea is when you’re asked “Do you want a cuppa?”  And you say “yes”.  And then they say “What kind?” You say “Surprise Tea”.

Sometimes people will say “How about English Breakfast?” and then you say… “No… it’s not a surprise anymore.” And you might pout a little.

Sometimes people get completely freaked out.  What will their choice say about what they think about you?  Will they reveal how little they know about you?  Or how much?

How delicious!

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As Shona was telling her story I started to wonder how that would work at my place.  I really only have the one type of tea.

It won’t be a surprise to anyone to get English Breakfast.

So today I went out and bought some more teas.

tea collection

So go on.  I dare you.  I double dare you.

Ask me for Surprise Tea.

I’m ready.

Coffee lesson

decaf mac half topped up

I thought I knew my coffee.

I did.

I live in Perth.  We know our coffee.  We just do.

Long black, long mac topped up, cappuccino, latte, flat white… yeah we’ve seen it all.

So what’s that?

That, I was reliably informed on Saturday,  is a long mac half topped up.  Decaf.
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Not heard of it?

Long mac = double shot.  Usually with milk added to the top of the glass = topped up.

But that’s too milky according to my friend.

Half topped up.

Still.

What is the point of a double shot of decaf coffee?

Hip to the Groove

Hip to the Groove

This story begins in Bali in 2011.

We were walking along the road with my teenagers and Abi’s teens and we were discussing (I think) how “up with it” Abi and I were.

I said.. “C’mon, I’m hip to the groove…”

Thereby proving I wasn’t and they all fell about laughing.

Fast forward to 2014 and Imogen has been heard using the phrase in conversation to mean “trendy”.

Which is why at a screenprinting course I decided to immortalise Hip to the Groove in ink.

I went to the day long session with my brother Michael (an artist) and the aforementioned Abi who, in her spare time, themes events.

Both fair to say, artistic.
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Me, I’m in radio, not a visual medium, unless you count spoken word pictures.

To say I felt a bit intimidated is an understatement.

Anyhow I was pretty happy with my freeform Hip to the Groove design and very happy when the teacher showed me how to do a rainbow print.

Until.

Until I showed this photo on my phone to a colleague.

“What’s Kip to the Groove?”

Sigh.