we don’t get to ballast point park often enough; it’s just that bit further than a regular after-school jaunt. also, it’s not quite your regular park in the traditional sense of the word, with trees and grass and playground. what there is, on the site of the former caltex fuel depot, is a lot of architectural history — isolated walls from where buildings used to be; enormous tanks still standing proud like monuments to fuel storage; boundary walls made of broken-down rock and tile from the old structures, contained within a frame of thick steel wire…
i don’t know how or when it began, but those of the romantic persuasion have been attaching engraved padlocks to the metalwork. two of the ones i found yesterday must have been added only minutes (or y’know, hours) before we got there, their dates freshly etched. the one from last year has already corroded in the salty air.
we picnicked up on the hill overlooking the harbour — an apple and an orange to share, and an iced donut each from the discounted supermarket selection we had bought earlier in the day. and we explored the many complex levels and hidden pockets of grass that make up the site. the kid had dressed up as supergirl for the occasion, and valiantly defended us against the gulls.
there’s a little bunker built over the edge of the water, with three tiny portholes addressing various vistas. just shy of sunset, the sky over the bridge was the softest pink. all this i will miss, one day.
7 Comments
superkid can kick high like a cheerleader. brr! it’s cold in here! there must be some toros in the atmosphere… etc.
if only it were *totoros*! she can also do a “half-cartwheel”. hngh.
i don’t know what it is, but it looks like there is soft serve ice cream coming out of maeve’s kicking foot. most definitely a supergirl!
alas, just one of those ugly buildings in north sydney catching the light in a deceptive and pleasing way. how good would it be to have a soft serve dispenser in her foot! each foot a different flavour. let’s start with salty caramel, and peach. 🙂
That kid of yours is quite the supergirl and yes it looks like gelato or yoghurt even…maybe she’s raging some yoghurt ; )
What’s with the wistful close, the beauty of the moment or are you planning a move?
hi flip! thanks for leaving your mark. 😉 wistful for all sorts of reasons: beauty, fleeting youth, and yes, new cities on the horizon. stay tuned!
Ah, thank you… I’m with you on the combo of beauty, memories and evaporating youth, gets me every time *sigh*. For some reason the movie Across the Universe is provoking major bouts of wistfulness, I feel so nostalgic and yes, early middle aged. As for the future cities – sounds exciting AND intriguing! ; )