Yesterday afternoon (Tuesday)Dougal went back home. Even after only two days I was a bit sad to see him go. Benji and Dougal got on so well together. Annabell was amazed. It was a lovely day and I was sitting on the garden swing, rocking it gently back and forth – Benji sitting at one side of me and Dougal sitting on the other side. Sadly, Annabell and a camera (any camera!!) do not get on well together, so no photographs. But, Benji and Dougal got on very well together. Yesterday, as I said, was a lovely day – warm and sunny with a temp of 30c, however, today (Wednesday) it is wild with winds up to 75 with gusts of 90 kph. Will not be surprised if there are trees down.
Thursday 12th. Be careful what you comment on because a tree that came down was one of mine – the one that was next on the list to be trimmed. Of course, the bulk of the major branch was in the neighbour garden so I spent the afternoon over there cutting it in bits and lobbing it over the fence. I am bruised, battered, cut, cleaned and bandaged ( thank you Annabell) but I got it cleared out of his yard. A part of it fell back on me and hit my shoulder as it caught on the fence and I do believed I uttered something along the lines of “Oh, the vagaries of inanimate objects” words to that effect. Antiseptic wash, Savlon
Cream and a bandaged hand that still hurts. Fortunately young Benji was not there to hear anything that might be considered untoward. Oh well, worse things happen at Flanders. However, now that everything is back in my garden, even if it is piled up at the fence, it’s my worry and I can take my time clearing it. There is, however, another branch that is a cause for concern but that will have to wait until I get back from Adelaide and call the tree people. Hopefully we wont have a mini-storm between now and then. What I would like is a quiet week. Just looking at my diary for this week it’s very busy which partly explains why I went into the tree cutting thing without being properly dressed and
ready. Had I been, I probably would not have acquired so many well placed cuts and bruises – and no, I do not have a chain saw. These
things are best left to people who understand and are familiar with them. Anyway, it was not the almond tree that caused the problem although since one branch heavily laden with almond pods is reaching over the fence, he (neighbour) is unhappy about that. Now me -I would have looked forward to lots of free almonds
After the sort of mini-storm, everything quietened down again. I decided that I will leave the cleaning up until I get back from Adelaide. This should be the last meeting of the West Terrace Committee. Now only one more meeting in Mount Gambier in early November and that will be me for the year. This is good because I have so much work to do around here and less travelling would be great.
Monday and in an hour I set off to Adelaide. The weather is good – sun all the way. Same tomorrow 34c I think. Her microwave gave up the ghost so I’ll be looking for a new one for her.
Edgar's Page 
Dougal looks like a sweetheart!
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He is. He and Benji got on so well, I would look after him any time.
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Does he want to make a side visit to the U.S.?
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Ugh, bad luck with the tree inflicted injuries! Hope the hand is better.
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Ah – my own fault really. I should have put on gloves and I didn’t
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how great that you had such a cute visitor who was a friend to all ;o) I hear you with the garden work… we feel like hit by a bus since two days but we have to go back today to cutting branches and woods…
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Yes, Dougal was very cute and I am so pleased that both dogs got on well together. I would look after him any time. Like you I have trees and branches to attend to, but they can wait for the moment. If he complains too much I will play him some soothing music – like the Massed Pipes and Drums of the Royal Scot Dragoon Guards.
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Awww, what a sweet face, no wonder Dougal and Benji got along so well. Sounds like lots going on in your neck of the woods. Bummer about the downed tree. Had a large silver maple that got hit with a wet snow storm a few years back that lost some major branches and had to cut it by hand (I’m terrified of chain saws myself). A kind neighbor took pity on me (probably because he couldn’t bear seeing me try to schlep it off the sidewalks by myself and lent a hand with a hand saw. Together we managed to remove everything in a couple days and my son who was still here at the time rebuilt the section of fence the branches took out. A couple years later, the city forced me to remove the tree all together. Sigh. I won’t live long enough to see the replacements fill in that once shady spot and it always makes me sad to lose a fully matured tree, with or without seed pods. Stay well and don’t work too hard. Extra ear scratches for Benji and good luck with finding a perfect replacement for the microwave.
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Oh believe me, I understand about the chain saws – not for me at all. I called the tree people and they are flat out at the moment and as it is not an emergency, I have to wait. Anyway, got a new microwave for Annabell when I was in Adelaide. Not being the person that will use it, I telephoned her from the store and described one to her and she seemed to think it would fit the bill, so I bought it. Turns out it was familiar to me because it is an upgraded model of the one we have ( that broke down) and her comment when I get it home was the classic, “Meet the new boss – same as the old boss”.
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Do you eat the almonds from the tree? It’s a shame at harvest time you don’t know someone who’d trim the tree on the neighbours side for you in return for all the almonds on that side :)
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Yes, I harvest them and scoff them when I want something to nibble on.The tree is heavy with Almonds so we are looking forward to a good crop.
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