Day 61, Level 1: The Racing Crew, Tuna Curry, Gibbous Orange Moon and Harry Styles

 Ten seasons in one morning. Again!

Sun, squall, sun, squall ...

Didn't chance a beach walk as I was sure I'd get caught in a downpour. And would have.
So here's a photo from yesterday's walk.

After a productive but leisurely-pleasurely morning of housework, washing, sorting and a bit of work work, as well as putting a spray primer coat on my little step stool (mask on!), I headed to Matakana in the afternoon to get some supplies. I was too late for the market but the rain coming and going put me off racing to get there as it's largely outside. 

Called into the TAB where the usual Saturday afternoon racing crew was amassing - a small bunch of local guys of all ages and stages who regularly spend their Saturday afternoons at the sports bar watching racing. And every so often I call in when in the neighbourhood on race day! It's a bizarre and fun coming together of the unlikely. All eyes to the screen as we indulge in our passion for horseracing. It's a great racing fix when I can't get on track.

I don't know most of their names but the tall one with a craggy face, expressive eyes and no teeth is Jim. He's one of the sweetest guys you could meet. Has a sharp eye for an outsider too. The short dapper one is called Red, he has a place at Omaha.

The guy who used to own the local butchery but is now retired in Leigh is a helluva nice chap who I've got to know quite well over Saturdays since Covid, but I can't recall his name. He's had a few family dramas recently and not afraid to share. He's fairly hands-on with grandchildren and the Saturday escape to the TAB is his solace. Good yarns.

There were two others there today who I haven't met before. Introductions aren't required, we're more interested in the horses and get stuck straight in on that level! Banter comes easily as we exchange tips and info, acknowledge those astute enough to pick a winner and lament the bad luck of those not! 

Red had offered his tip of the day when he'd arrived - an $80 shot which I rather liked but hadn't intended to back. Called Regent Street, I had to back it after his thumbs up - form not bad and I've worked both in it and near the street, and walked it's length many times in my life. It wasn't running until later in the day, but I took the early odds. Good job, as it won easily. Boom. The odds had dropped to $40 by the time of the race. Double boom! I think everyone got a piece of it. We were all beaming. Happiness and high-fives all round!

Such a jolly time was being had that I stayed way longer than intended. Good racing, good company, good fun. Not many there, just our small racing crew, although it was starting to fill up when I left. People may look askance at me in a sports bar with a bunch of betting males - but it's one of my many happy places. 

It was a stunning evening, the sky laced with pale pink around its fringes. Brett was going to come up after golf in town, but he finished late and was keen to watch various sports on tv - and as we're not equipped to watch sports on TV at Omaha, he thought he'd stay put.

I decided I'd get a takeaway from the local Asian restaurant rather than cooking. I chose their daily special - Tuna Panang curry. It was delicious. I don't recall having had a tuna curry before. Melt in your mouth just-the-right-amount-of-spice and plenty-of-curry-sauce yum.

A waning gibbous moon rose into the starry sky just after 10pm - it was orange as, and quite beautiful. An odd and somewhat ungainly shape, the gibbous variety i.e. tonight's moon - see shape below, the white bit being the orange bit. Becomes whiter the higher in the sky it gets.

As I went out to look at the moon, I realised I had Neil Young's Harvest Moon playing. How apt!

I was a bit gutted to miss seeing this month's fab August winter full moon from Omaha. There's something extra special about the moon rising from the horizon - but it was a sight to behold in the city all the same. 

NB: Gibbous means in between full and half - kind of bulbous looking. Waning means getting smaller. 

SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:

Harry Styles ...

Mock me if you will, but I rather like Harry!

Not so much One Direction (although I actually quite like some of their songs too) - but I do like Harry's solo stuff.

Love his debut single "Sign of the Times". But not the video so much.
Love "Adore You". Love "Watermelon Sugar". 

I think he's quirky and adorable. He has the right mix of self-assuredness, suave style and raw talent. 

My fave is when he sings Sign of the Times live on Graham Norton (3 years ago). Love that most of his band is female. Cool pants too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8R-zl7SDUU

As he ages, he's become like a cross between Ronan Keating and Mick Jagger. He's 26 - was born Feb 1994, seven months after our Sam!

I do like Billy Eilish's "Ocean Eyes" too! Laid back loveliness.