Visiting Cockburn for a grandsons party. 5 years old and just started ‘ big school’. Díaz , his brother, doesn’t like all the noise and people running around or cooing over him , trying to remove him from his Mums hip . He is firmly ensconced on that hip and wailing loudly.

So here I am outside the 🎈 party 🎈 room with all the climbing frames and play stuff , with a protesting Díaz .

And here I am blogging again. ( Time, no book, a critical frame of mind and/or caring= blogging) . First thoughts and some of them possibly biased, Fremantle yuppified, dated. But here they are : signalled in the header .

Here there are all the things we say we need ; shops, car parking , train and bus food ,dental and medical , chid health, fitness …. List goes on. Pavements are clean and straight, shops invite in with signage and air conditioning , modern finishes , houses all in a row and apartments facing the street straight and white and clean .The requisite open green spaces and trees interspersed .

It’s just so new, so boringly designed , so bereft of soul . Square upon square, Large blocks on either side of this road as I walk to the Cockburn station, cake over and kids and parents dispersing , Díaz returned to his mums hip

In defence of my critique, I have to say there are lots of young families walking around shops , bringing their children to the pools , visiting the gym or play center. Also a range of colours and dress. Cockburn is more affordable for young families , has more easily reached facilities. Probably it’s cleanliness and the lack of street sleepers and yelling also attracts .

But …. Please let’s keep Fremantle with some of its rough edges.Rough edges and imperfections add life.Hold tight .

( This was written a few months ago and I have just discovered it lurking in drafts . Maybe it should stay there , but I’m putting it up ) .