Wednesday
Month: August 2016
The Bridge, the Hill and a Starship
Other than church, I am having a day of rest. Tomorrow at noon I go into the hospital. All being well I should be home tomorrow evening. Yesterday I took Benji down to the wetlands, mainly because I wanted to do a nosy at the progress of the footbridge. I swear the Forth Bridge was built in less time. The footbridge saga seems to be going on forever. It’s close to seven months and I still think it will be elaborate and expensive rather than just a simple footbridge. The two sides have been extended into the pond, then the large concrete supports have been partly sunk which have further reduced the gap, so by the time the bridge eventually goes into place it will only reach across about nine/ten feet. I understand that it will have people
walking on it and people pushing prams or strollers and people walking dogs, but are such large concrete supports really necessary? I mean these things are about fourteen feet tall, filled with concrete and sunk down into the pond. It will be interesting to see how this develops and how elaborate this structure will be in comparison to the back area footbridge. Yes I understand the safety aspects but I still wonder if such preparations are just a tad over the top.
I know I said a day of rest but, Benji and I drove out to the Wild Dog Hill Conservation Park. Managed to save that from being taken over by the Army like everything else in the entire surrounding area. It’s nice that they have a Playpen bigger than some countries. Anyway, we drove out there and I was not all that happy with the drive out there. It is popular and I can understand that – wilderness within easy reach.
However, the road is in a poor state of repair and if they want to retain Wild Dog Hill as a family picnic area they really have to do something about that road. We rattled and skidded and bumped all the way in. Don’t know who suffered the most me or Benji. The place was deserted but the Benji and I climbed to the top of the hill. It was blowing quite a bit so we had to stay away from the edge, thus I was unable to take photographs looking down which would give an idea of the height. I did manage to take some photographs from the top but only when I could get a break in the wind – and some of them I deleted. It was a ‘spur of the moment’ sort of decision to go out there and I could have chosen a better day rather than a high wind day. It has been many years since I was last there and it has not changed any. I remember we used to have evening movie nights and we brought chairs, sandwiches, flasks and blankets – but that was a long time ago.
I did not have the operation today as planned. I got as far as the Theater and it was terminated for safety – my safety. The fluctuations of my heart were just too erratic to allow the operation to proceed. Apparently I had misunderstood the instructions regarding medication before the operation, so now I am home and will take medications and the surgeon can work around that since the procedure will only take about twenty minutes. However, I have to go
for an ECG on Wednesday and depending on the results of that the operation will take place on Thursday afternoon. I had things planned for this weekend but not now by the sound of things. Oh well, worse things happen on a Starship.
Here, There and Home
MustafaAdelaide;
The drive down from home was uneventful and quite pleasant until I reached the Tin Man. I still had the best part of half a tank of fuel but I wanted coffee as well as fuel. Fortunately I went into the service station before I did anything or I would have really been in strife. Their computer system was down
and they could only take cash for fuel and food and I didn’t have more than $10 on me. It is over 150k to Port Wakefield but I felt I had enough fuel to get there. Besides there were a couple of fuel stations between the Tin Man and Pt. Wakefield if I should feel it was not going too well. As it happened, I had more than enough to make the distance so I was able to fill up with food and fuel.
Up until then the drive was pleasant enough but after Wakefield the rain started, a few light to medium showers with a couple of heavy showers in between. Nothing too difficult but it made for an interesting drive to Bolivar. I did some wandering around Adelaide and visited several camera shops looking for an item that I discovered in the very first stop ( Camera House ) is no longer made by Sony and thus no longer in stock. My old Sony camera will probably be put out to grass because the memory card is falling apart and I cannot find a replacement. Probably find something on line – ebay – but I feel when you have to do that and get something sent from China, it’s time to move on. Of course I have my Canon Canon but that’s too big to just shove into my laptop bag and wander around with, so I need a camera to replace the Sony. I did have a look at a couple of Nikon models in Adelaide and I will have a think about
them. I could, of course, stay with Canon, but I want an alternative and Nikon will probably fill that bill. Adelaide in between showers was not my favourite place to be over the weekend and I was glad to get out to Para Hills, attend the meeting, and then head home. I was home for two days and
then drove back down to Adelaide for another meeting – and these should be the last until November. This was the West Terrace Committee Meeting, which only occurs twice a year and unfortunately it occurred when it did.
Home: (Finally)
In the last ten days I have been away for five of them and to say My Man is not happy is something of an understatement. From the time I arrived home yesterday right up until this morning he has hardly ever left my side. At the moment he is not in his bed but underneath the desk at my feet. Perhaps he thinks I am going to take off and leave him again. We did go out for a walk last night so that kind of settled him down a bit. I think he might have some sort of separation anxiety but not knowing his background we can never really be sure. He was five years old when I adopted him last year so what happened to him in these years is unknown. We still have no idea what will happen regards the WaWa in October, and we have heard nothing from Sooah. I feel in a bit of a bind because in all conscience we cannot just get rid of her. Apart from being wrong it would be unconscionably cruel just to dump her somewhere, either with someone or with the RSPCA for Adoption. When Mustafa, our vet returns from Turkey (his mother has been ill) I’l have a good talk with him and see if we can come up with a solution. I haven’t really did anything because it was only until October, but I think that’s a bit of a dream now. The Arrium problems and the State Unemployment problems make it unlikely that they will be back in October – or, indeed, any time soon.
Wednesday
Thursday Thoughts
I was not going to do another post until I got back from Adelaide. I leave in the morning and will be out of touch for a few days. However, it’s a grand old day – the wind is blowing fit to burst and I sit here with the very loud sound of chainsaws in my ears. The house next door has had two of the gum trees blows down over the footpath so they are presently being cut up. Meanwhile – as the wind blows – today is bin day – recycle bins – do I need to elaborate. It was not blowing when the bins were put out last night and there is rubbish blowing all over the street – mainly papers and wrappings because it’s the recycle bins and they are the lightest. Not a great day :o) And just before I close – it’s chucking it down ( Sorry (Denver!!)
Wednesday.
Hospital, Benji and assorted hackers
The weather over the last few days has been fairly mild – 19c – 21c which means that I have been able to get down to the wetlands. We normally do two circuits of the wetlands before we head for home. The foundations of the new bridge across the main pond have been constructed and if the foundations are anything to go by the bridge may well be unnecessarily elaborate and enormously expensive. But then again perhaps the two concrete structures are for something different and not for the bridge at all. Photographs when it’s finally built. Anyway, the wetlands was fairly quiet today.
I have been waiting for it to happen and today it did – Benji turned on the WaWa and she went screaming off in fright. Since then she has stayed away from him. I don’t want harm to come to either of them but I hope this stand off continues for a while. The WaWa has adopted Annabell and she just sees everyone as a potential threat to her and it is unlikely that she will abandon that. This means that the respite is probably only a temporary thing.
I will be going into hospital on Monday 29th August and back home by Wednesday 31st August. Probably spend a few days with my feet up and relaxing, do a few exercises and then start to get back out again. I should be driving within three days. I just don’t know how I’ll manage! Me and Benji, dinosaurs and lions, lying on the bed watching the television. It will be a hard couple of days, but we will certainly try our best. I will be taking a break from all fundraising and other work for the RFDS for a few weeks until the repairs to my knee have settled down and I’m walking easily again.
It’s amazing ; a mere 19 million people trying to get on to the web site and it crashed – how unexpected! Who would have thought that would happen? Now the Government are blaming the crash of the Census Web Site on over-seas hackers. But it’s like everything else this government does to save a few dollars. Go murder someone, plead guilty and you can get up to a 40% reduction in sentence for pleading guilty and saving the government the cost of a trial. And this, by the way, overrides the mandatory life sentence for murder and if you look contrite and even cry and say how sorry you are, there is every chance that a good part of your sentence will be suspended – you might even be home in time for dinner. It used to be that you could be fined for making comments that would bring the law into disrepute, but the judges and lawyers are doing a very good job of that on their own without any assistance from members of the public. Man found guilty of abusing an elderly patient in a nursing home. Judge did not apply a heavy custodial sentence because he felt the young man had been punished enough by having his details in public and having lost his job and reputation, so he sentenced him to six months – five months suspended and the remainder
subject to time served in custody, so he was about ten days to two weeks in jail. This is justice, South Australia. The Attorney General has the legal right to challenge a sentence, but rarely does, and even when he does, nothing much comes of it.
Anyway, back to the census – it is believed that hackers disrupted the web site and denied access. Was unable to get on line last night nor again this morning (Wednesday) The whole thing was a shamble. Whoever came up with the idea of trying to get the entire population of Australia on line in the one night and on a single web site, really needs talking to. Oh and BTW, we have a government with a single seat majority – could be an interesting period. The leader of the party and Primer Minister, is detested by a number of his party so it remains to be seen if they can get over that or if their dislike is so great they will bring down the government. I’m betting on the latter.
Wednesday
Adelaide, Trusts and Operation.
Wednesday: Well the good(?) news is that there is damage to the right knee that will require some surgery – generally overnight stay. On Friday I have to go for an ECG then go round to the Pre-Anaesthetic Clinic to do some things and fill out some forms and have some discussions with the Anaesthetist. What this means is that the operation will be carried out fairly soon – more than likely timed to coincide with my Adelaide week. Ho well these things happen. I was able to get the clinic stuff done on Friday because my Cardiologist has been called to Adelaide and has changed the date of my appointment. So that worked out very well. Of course I want this done as soon as possible but after Adelaide would be kind of neat.
Still having problems with the WaWa but managing to control them a little better and I do tend to take Benji out with me as often as I can. In this cooler weather, it’s ok to have him in the car with a window partly open whilst I go into the hardware store. Don’t know what I will do if the WaWa is still with us during summer and too hot in the car, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. But then I should be able to get out back to the Wetlands area. The army are all gone and the place seems sort of quiet without them. Operation Hamel was a great success and having 8000+
military here was a breeze. They enjoyed being here – they were well treated and looked after by the local people who, in turn, enjoyed them being here.
Friday: Had the ECG this morning and everything is ok. I am still able to walk in the land of the living. I had a discussion with the clinic doctor, answered his questions – everything is well and I am fit and healthy, which is nice to know. From there Annabell and I went over to the Specialist/Surgeon’s room and discussed with his Associate the possibility of dates. My best date was Monday 29th August, which is just over three weeks away. I had already decided that I would take whatever date was given and as it happens, I can still go to Adelaide and have the procedure when I get back. It’s all worked out well. I did not attend the Mount Gambier Presbytery because of car trouble so I really needed to be at Para Hills. Then the week after I go back down for the Trust Committee, then back and hospital. So, as I said, it all works in very well.
There’s a Dog Wash tomorrow at the Vet Clinic to raise funds for the RSPCA. I was thinking of taking Benji down and get him a bath and a Bandanna. Our Craft and Fabric shop closed down last week, which means no place here to get any material for anything and I have a garden umbrella that needs repairing. I may well have a look for some canvas when I’m in Adelaide. Years ago we had a few small country craft shops around the town, but then a major chain shop moved in and we lost all the little craft shops. Now the chain is in trouble so it has closed down and moved out after about ten years – there is nothing to replace it. The nearest member of the chain is in Rundle Mall, Adelaide.
Wednesday
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