The New Team Benji

Things are starting to settle down and I am attending to things I need to attend to – which at the moment – mainly – involves Benji. Benji has been very attentive these last few weeks and I look after him as he looks after me. We have been out in the mornings, but not all mornings. Some mornings it is cold and damp, so we just don’t go out. Once things have settled down and I am organized, we  drive to the Wetlands and spend several hours wandering about there. Still a bit on the cool side so not a lot of activity from the Swans. There have been a few but too far out in the pond to take any decent photographs.  The sun might have been out but so was her mate – the wind-  and at times the wind could be quite cutting and cold. Mind you it is winter.

Generally, in the morning we go out with Benji in the stroller. When we go round the Wetlands, he was also in his stroller, but he seems to be quite content to sit quietly and let the world go by and let “daddy” do the work. Benji will be 14 next month so he deserves a bit of pampering. The disadvantage with the wetlands is that once he is in the stroller, that’s him until the end of the walks. When we do the district walk here at home, we go three quarters of the walk in the stroller, which brings us back to the house – I cross over and  get him out of the stroller, attach a leash and we finish the walk together, but I think I mentioned that before :o)  This morning I had a visit from Barry and we sat for a few hours chatting and drinking coffee.

During the week I spent time with some good friends that were over from Canberra.  Although I write to them fairly regularly, I have not seen them for some time, so it was good

to catch up and have coffee with them.    They have their caravan parked at Port Augusta and  will  be heading to Quorn – Andrew is a steam train enthusiast and is a member of the Quorn Steam Train Group. Once things settle down and the weather improves, I’ll start going a bit further from the house. I have a small camp griller, so if I was  away for  hours, I could make coffee and something to eat for both of us.

I  photographed this little fellow the other day. Not quite sure what he/she is – some kind of wading bird I suppose. We have  two resident pelicans but  they alternate between the Foreshore and the Wetlands. Didn’t see either of them on the day we were at the wetlands so I assumed they were  “holding court” at the foreshore.  There was a time when we only had one Pelican and he was named “Percy” Now we seem to have two and since no  one seems to know which is which, they both get referred to as  “Percy”.

This weekend the boys, are doing their grading for their next Karate Belt.  Since it’s a regional thing it’s being held in Port Augusta and I said I would go through and be there to watch them.. I have already been watching some of the practice sessions here with them. I found these quite interesting. And yes, I was asked if I was interested in joining. I thought this was a joke, so I laughed – but I also said NO.   I don’t think that it really is my “style”.

As a follow up from yesterday I decided to take a wander around Ada Ryan Gardens. Not such a great move. Been ages since we had been there and   he was stopping every feet or so. It was  a frustrating walk so I cut it short and came home. By the time we cleared the Gardens it was starting to become quite cold and the wind was getting up.  The best place was in a warm room with a hot coffee  – which is where I am now. We had only just got home when it started raining. I have to mention that  this morning I had a hand delivered  lovely Sympathy Card from a former student. Her comments were very touching and I was much moved.