Mayor4Unley

On her blog Councillor Jennie Boisvert voices her displeasure with the gender imbalance of Unley Council. Further, she talks of the ageing men on Council. Quite an astute observation. Yes, there is a gender imbalance and the women and men are mostly ageing. I agree with her that Council would be richer for having younger women and men; and more women. 50:50 would be ideal. At the next election in 2018 I am prepared to encourage and mentor younger female and male candidates. Here's what Jennie wrote ...

When Dr Karl makes a statement, we sit up and listen and accept it as the gospel. We accept it as fact. He explains the complexities in nature so simply and in an entertaining manner. Recently Dr Karl Kruszelnicki proposed that the magic of coffee and chocolate could prove the existence of God. He claimed that the very similar chemical properties of coffee and chocolate and the way they complement each other, is proof that God exists. “Caffeine is remarkably similar to the stuff that makes chocolate so wonderful,” he says. “It’s led to a deep and philosophical insight.” He explained that the chemical in caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, which closes your blood vessels; whereas the chemical in chocolate is a vasodilator that opens up the blood vessels. So if you're worried about the harm of drinking too much coffee, have a few pieces of chocolate. If you're a purist, then ensure it's an espresso and dark chocolate. Read more here ...

I've had a bit of a rough week or so. My home espresso coffee machine had to go in for repair; it had a bit of a leak. It had done just over 3 years, making about 10 coffees a day; that's about 11,000 coffees. That's about 220,000 beans I ground. Fortunately I had a backup Nespresso capsule machine (used when I travel). That was better than instant coffee, but even the top quality capsules only rate a maximum of 6/10 compared with 10/10 for an espresso using quality coffee beans. I collected the machine today and life is back to normal. I'm just a bit twitchy from the quick succession of a few short blacks whilst I calibrated and reset the settings to my preferences. ☕️☕️☕️

Recently I attended the launch of sculptural art at Resthaven @ Wayville. Absolutely fantastic. Unley Mayor Lachlan Clyne was there. We sat on the bench to enjoy the morning sun, contemplate the artwork and to reflect on the future.

Unley Council has a dilemma when considering replacement of footpaths; as seen at the recent Council Meeting. In 2011 Council endorsed a program to replace the bitumen footpaths with 1.2m wide brick paving. This reduced width was a significant cost saving measure. In 2015 Council endorsed its Active Ageing Strategy to ensure accessibility for everyone. In September 2016 Council endorsed its Environmental Sustainability Strategy which in part seeks to ensure that there is an increase in the tree canopy of the street trees. In October 2016 Council considered what to do in 7 streets that are scheduled for new brick paving. The dilemma is whether or not to remove some trees and widen the footpath or retain trees and leave existing squeeze points. Consideration was given to a desired width of 1.8 with a minimum width of 1.5m. A modern gopher/scooter requires a gap 78cm (most are 75cm wide). The idea of having room for 2 gophers to pass was considered unreasonable; as was 2 prams and

The number of people who drown each year is totally unacceptable; especially very young kids in home pools. Years ago, kids were taught how to swim at school. It was part of our culture; learning to swim. That culture needs to be restored. So, get your kids booked in a learn to swim program this summer. In Adelaide, the SA Water VACSWIM PROGRAM runs from December 2016 to January 2017. Kids will learn water awareness, safety, confidence and skills. For more information and bookings visit vacswimsa.com.au It's a must for every kid.

I was shopping at my local favourite Indian grocer, buying rice and papadams. The owner is actually Pakastani; a lovely woman. We chat about recipes, ingredients and share cooking experiences. I spotted some long green mangoes and asked what to do with them; why do people buy green mangoes? She explained that they are best used to make a green mango chutney called 'Kairi Ki'. I asked for the recipe and she explained in detail and I asked her to write it down. Her mother (out here on holiday for 6 months) was delighted by my interest and helped with describing the ingredients and qualitities; there was lots of gesturing to help me understand. Both women were delighted by my enthusiasm to create a Pakistani dish. I went home and made the Kairi Ki chutney to have with the curry I had planned. Here's the recipe ... Green Mango Chutney (Kairi Ki) 3 green mangoes a big handful of fresh mint (just the leaves) a few hot green chillies (optional, but a must for me) 1

Here's a letter to the editor, published on 07 October 2016 ... The recent power outage took us back to basics. It was candles and cardigans and board-games with the family. Now there is a political witch-hunt. That must cease and we need to urgently progress an upgrade of the SA power supply and network.

What a fantastic interview with Sue Dewing, CEO of Sturt Football Club. She was the driving force behind the glorious Double Blues SANFL Premiership in 2016. Well done Sue !! A fantastic turn-around for the club. Here's the interview ... http://online.isentialink.com/adelaidenow.com.au/2016/10/02/203091cd-af51-4a75-ab4f-c85198e8fd05.html