Wednesday
Category: House, Garden and Dogs
Car Problems B
All of the foregoing on the previous post happened on the Thursday. On the Friday morning I went out and tried to start the car – and it did. It was running smoothly so I decided to go down to the shopping centre and get some things for Annabell. Got into the car, put it in reverse and slowly backed out. Got the car out onto the roadway when it died. Nothing I could do to restart it and it was blocking the road. Fortunately some neighbours came to help and with their aid we pushed the car back into the driveway I called out the RAA again and the usual hour later the mechanic arrived. By this time I was really convinced it was the battery. The mechanic arrived and the first thing he said was that there was nothing wrong with the battery. He checked the computer again and everything was fine. He ran a few more tests then went underneath the car and banged some area with a mallet ( all very technical) Turned on the engine and the car started right away. We left it running whilst he did some more tests then told me what the problem was – the fuel pump was malfunctioning. I need a new fuel pump. Okay, called the mechanic I use only to discover that he is presently in Adelaide and wont be back for a couple of days. So no car. Annabell had an appointment so I called Andrew and he came, took her to her appointment, waited and brought her home. It was also arranged that he will pick us up for Church on Sunday. John has a SUV and Annabell cannot get into that. So that’s it for the moment. It has been an interesting few days.
Took Benji out this morning as normal then took out again for a walk in the afternoon. Probably just as well since the evening erupted into a thunderstorm with the heaviest rain I have seen in a long time. Did try a walk on my own between rain storms – that didn’t work too well – got soaked. The cool change that was forecast for Friday never eventuated. Most of Saturday was nice and the sudden quick change and the thunderstorm took most by surprise. In next to no time, the main water tank was overflowing then the big blue waste bin that I use for overflow was itself, overflowing. With the thunder and lightening and the crash of the rain it was all very spectacular – and very noisy. We did loose power but only for a few minutes and it was back again. The steelworks lost power and Andrew and his team were called out to get the plant back up and running. When I spoke to him he told me they were at the plant from just after 5pm Saturday to almost 1am Sunday morning.
The car was repaired this morning (Monday) and a new fuel pump was put in. Car fired up nicely and we drove down to the church to collect my case
and our stuff left there after the service yesterday. Got the car out of the driveway and drove to the church. Got the cases into the boot and drove out the gates and stopped while I closed and locked the gates. Back to the car, which would not start. Anyway called out the RAA and a taxi to take Annabell home. I stayed with the car. Now it seems we have a major electrical fault so the car was towed to the Autoelectrical place and and we wait to see what will happen next. I might have it back in a day or two. Oh look – flying animals in the sky!!!
Car Problems A
There were a number of things that I wanted to do while I was in Adelaide. First and foremost was to get down to Central Station and confirm that there was a lift from the ground to the concourse I have never used it and I didn’t know. People said they thought there was, so I had to go and confirm that there is. Secondly I wanted to see for myself how long the train took to travel from Central to Flinders and lastly I wanted to know the distance from the train station at Flinders to the entrance to Flinders Medical. The train was going to sit at Flinders for ten minutes – without really rushing and walking at a normal pace I walked from the train to the Entrance to the Hospital and back to the train in eight minutes. Yes, it will take me a tad longer pushing a wheelchair, but it’s flat ground and doable. That was the first thing and finding all that out saves me the stress of driving to the Flinders Medical or the expense of taxi fare there and back ( $80). The other thing was to go to a camera shop and buy a new lens. I wanted an 18-55mm lens as the one I have is not
so good. I wanted the new version. I arrived at the shop and asked for the lens. The salesperson asked if the lens would fit my camera. I said it would since I already
have that lens. He wanted to know why I wanted a second lens – seemed odd. Fair comment so I explained that I wanted to replace the lens I had with a new up to date version. He then suggested I should ungraded to a better lens – larger and more expensive, and yet another lens, even more expensive. I thanked him for his time and trouble and left – no lens. I have since found the lens on line in a shop I have bought from before – and it was cheaper – despite the postage from the USA, so that’s on its way here.
The meeting on Saturday was interesting in that we still have not come to terms with Covid-19 so we did not have a full physical meeting but rather two meetings linked by a Zoom system and from what was said this is going to happen for some time to come. Back to the future indeed when we used to have two separate units. Now we call them “Hubs”
Sadly the present weather conditions mean that I cannot take Benji to the wetlands. I did go down – briefly – to check out the pavers and the bitumen and both were too hot to the touch for me so
too hot for wee paws. Apart from which, there is not really much shelter at the wetlands, except at the barbecue area just beyond the carpark and of course, at the kiosk. The beach being much the same, we went back to the gardens for a little while. Getting to the gardens was a problem in that the car started playing up. I only just made it into the carpark when it died. Pretty rotten parking, but not much I could do about that. I called out the RAA ( Royal Automobile Association) and they arrived about an hour later. The mechanic tested everything, the car started, he logged into the car’s computer and everything there said all was well. The car started again and ran fairly smoothly so I drove home with the RAA vehicle following me. It cut out once, but then started up again and we drove home. I just put the car in the drive with the intention of getting it under the carport later. That didn’t work too well and it’s still out there.
Wednesday
Saltire, Birds and strange “gifts”
I took Max home on Thursday morning after special arrangements were made. I did say that we used the garage and I did not come into contact with anyone in the process. Of course we talked over a distance. I have to admit that I kind of miss him although, to be fair, Benji does not. Friday morning, nice day and Benji and I went out on our morning walk. First time in four weeks we have done so. In was good to be able to get out and be able to walk at a reasonable pace.. In the past weeks with, rain, sun, heat, cold, rain, rain and then sun again, the weeds at the church have grown something shocking. Thankfully the gardener, who has been kept very busy, will be with us this morning. I’ll go down presently and open the gates for him to get in. The weeding will cover two days. Today he will spray weed killer on the area. In a day or so he will come back and check and clear up.
Strange thing happened the other day. I took Benji to the wetlands and had a good walk – also photographed the Black Swans and their young. Got back to the car and headed for home. On the main road I noticed something red on the windscreen, I thought it was just the Remembrance Day Poppy that I keep there, but that’s on the inside not the outside of the windscreen so no idea what it was.
Since it was not obstructing my view I didn’t bother with it until I got home. When I examined it I found that some unknown person had placed a large Kabana (Polish Sausage) under the windscreen wiper. I took it inside and discussed the issue with Annabell – where and when I discovered it. We believed that it was meant for Benji but with no indication from where and from whom it came, the safest course of action was simply to dump it in the bin – which we did. We also discovered that the package had been slightly opened so that was a concern. It had to have been done at the Wetlands, not here since Benji would have been barking and I would have investigated. Anyway, it’s done now.
We had a telephone call from Jim yesterday and we will not be having Yogi to look after. Jim is still going to Western Australia but he is now going for three months and he will be taking Yogi with him. Actually I am glad about that. Yogi is old, has medical problems, is deaf and partly blind. I hope to be proved wrong, but I don’t think Yogi will be with us for very much longer and I would hate for that to happen whilst he is in my care. Selfish – perhaps – but I have enough to do worrying about Annabell without also worrying about a visitor dog. However, in March, after the Flinders Medical visit, we will have Dougal staying with us for 10 days. Dougal is a very lively Maltese Terrorist and we can go out on walks as normal.
In the morning I head off to Adelaide for two days. This should be the AGM but with covid restrictions still in place and some people still using Video Conferencing – particularly those from the South East – it was decided to postpone the AGM until May when we hope all the restrictions will be lifted. At the moment we are meeting in two places, the south East people meeting in one location and the Adelaide and the North people meeting in another location, with the intention to re-join sometime in the future.. Although in my view I don’t think it will make a difference in the long run. We were two separate bodies before and I think that’s the way we are heading again – as the hymn says ” In this world of darkness, so we must shine, you in your small corner and I in mine”. Our weather is now heading in the general direction of 45c. That’s ok just as long as we do not have a North Wind – like last week. At the moment it’s 37c with not a breath of wind. That’s fairly tolerable.
Wednesday
Dogs, weather and former leaders.
Sunday and I am tired from very little sleep. Max is, as I have already said, very overweight and the problem with that is the noise he makes. He woke me up several times last night with loud snoring and other noises so, really, I am more exhausted than tired. It’s daylight and now he’s quiet. In three hours I have to be at church but when I get back home I will get changed and try and get some sleep.. I have not been out walking much as I would be with Benji so, as I said, my fitbit steps are way off. I didn’t even make half the standard yesterday. Go out without Max – just me and Benji – well yes, I tried that and Annabell suffered by having to listen to his complaining – he was not happy at us going out without him and made his feelings known. He’s a lovely, lovable dog, but he’s hard work. Took them to the lighthouse yesterday and this time I let Benji out of the car and closed the door before I let Max out. I have to lift him into the car – and he’s heavy!!! Was trying out a new lens yesterday – a wide angle lens – and I still haven’t got the setting quite right and ended up sending most of the shots I took yesterday to the trash – best place for them! Sometimes I get frustrated and slightly short with people who advocate all kinds on on-line courses. I have tried them and gave up. It just didn’t work for me. Yes I know, they work for most people but I am not most people.. We used to have short-term community courses for many things at the Tech. College here and although they still hold photography courses in Adelaide, they don’t here any more. Actually, they don’t do much here any more! – Yes I know – I am living in the past. Well, the music was better then!
I was thinking about a recently former President of the United States the other day. Why this should be, I have no idea, but for some very strange and odd reason the following came to mind –
“How many times can a man look up,
before he sees the sky?
And how many ears must one man have,
before he can hear people cry?
And how many deaths will it take ’til he knows
that too many people have died?
I check the Covid updates released by governments throughout the world every morning and I find it very sad to see that the USA will reach 500,000 deaths within a month. The UK as a whole is over 1600 deaths in the last 24 hours, which is the highest in Europe. People are dying in their thousands and how any rational person can say that this is fake news and that Covid is not real, beggars belief. And people outside of hospitals in England chanting that Covid is not real and harassing nurses trying to get in to attend to their duties, is just not acceptable.
This last week we had a heatwave from 33c up to a top of 46c. The top temperature was yesterday (Sunday) Today – Monday – the day started off quite well, humid but not too bad. I was out with the dogs and then shopping for Annabell. In the afternoon, the thunderstorm hit and the rain came crashing down. It is now 5pm and it’s still going and by the sound of things likely to go into the night. Sorry boys – no walk again tonight – same reason – different aspect. Had a look at the satellite and it might be clearing shortly but the Yorke Peninsula and then across to Adelaide could get a bit of a hit. Tomorrow, however looks nice. The rain stayed away and I took the dogs out – well I took Benji out. I started off with two dogs and had only gone about twenty odd feet when he started sitting down and wouldn’t move, so as soon as he did move I turned around back to the house put him inside, took off his harness and left with Benji and we had a good walk together. Annabell suggested that I just go out without him but that presents problems in that I take them out at 6am .If I go out without him ( as I did once) he whines, barks and makes a racket which will waken Annabell and that’s what I don’t want to happen, so I just take him with me in the morning. He should be going home this Thursday. He is a lovable big soul, but he is really not too much, but I have concerns about Benji. I mean yesterday Max came and sat down beside me. Benji got up and was making straight for him – and I got up and put myself between them, facing Benji. He stopped, then turned and went back to his mat. It’s a worry.
***UPDATE. The Western Australia / South Australia Border has been closed – Max may not be going home on Thursday ***
Wednesday
Wednesday
Hospital, Fires and Dog Problems.
Friends, Jennifer and Milan, have left to go to Western Australia (Perth) Because of the covid-19 and border restrictions, they have not seen their children and grandchildren since Christmas 2019. They asked me if we would look after Max – the Pug – for a couple of weeks and I reluctantly agreed. Max is a lovely, calm and very placid dog, but last time Max was here he and Benji did not get along too well. I was concerned for Max because all terriers can get very nasty if threatened, or think they are being threatened. It’s only been a few days but Benji is older and wiser and the dog-door helps because Max spends much of time wandering in and out of the house and just wandering around the back. I have been out walking with them and for the moment Max needs to stop and smell everything .That aside, they walk well together and they are getting along fairly well. However, and here I delve into history. Many moons ago in the UK there was a Ballroom Orchestra led by a man called “Victor Silvester” – you may remember (Galivanter) that he had a catch phrase associated to him – “slow, slow -quick, quick – slow” Well being out with Max is like – “Slow, slow – slow, slow – slow. At night Benji and I generally go on a : Block Walk: from the house to the end of town i.e. the end of the street. This distance takes Benji and me about 8/ 10 minutes about 20 mins there and back. With Max, it’s 20+ minutes just to get there- and that’s when he’s not stopping every three feet. He is the most unflappable , placid dog you could imagine. He’s a Pug – a very overweight Pug – calm, quiet and peaceful. Sort of reminds me of me, really – except for the overweight bit!! :o)
Annabell has not been too great this week and tiredness is only part of her problem but we are getting there. The Ultrasound should give us more information in what is happening. Annabell says it’s like being a teenager again only with the “Month” happening every few days. Poor thing! The Ladies Coffee Group starts back tomorrow (Tuesday) so she is quite looking forward to that. I have to remember to remove the dog seat cover tomorrow since I will be picking up two other ladies. I’ll give the car a clean out and a spray so it will be nice and fresh for the ladies.
With South Australia in the midst of a heatwave (37 – 43C) the dogs and I are out only in the morning (05:40) and even then it’s only for a short walk, Yesterday the temperature was 38c and today it is expected to be around 42c and the same again tomorrow. The fire ban across the State came into effect at midnight last night. We have one large fire in Tasmania – contained but not
controlled – and we had a fire at Salisbury. The Salisbury fire was believed to have been the work of an arsonist. Never mind, a severe look and a talking to by a Magistrate together with a good suspended sentence should sort things out – just like it did during the fire season last year. The favoured word by magistrates in South Australia is “naughty “, a term most people would not use in reference to a 18/19 year old male. Well, a week of heat and back to low to mid 20c for the next six days.
Annabell’s tests at the hospital here were completed without any problem, so that’s good. The results will be sent to the Clinic at Flinders Medical. At the moment she is taking things fairly easy. My frustration is that I cannot go anywhere – no – not because of Annabell – but because of having Max. Took a run out to the lighthouse on Sunday afternoon. Took four photographs and drove home. I got Benji out and got his harness on, then lifted Max out. I had foolishly left the front door open so Max moved to the door, jumped in plonked himself down in the seat well. and refused to move. I took a couple of photographs, got Benji back in the car and drove home, concerned about getting stopped by police and fined for having an unrestrained dog in the car. As for other things – I have just about given up making up the setps on my Fitbit and I don’t think I am going to get anywhere until Max goes home in two weeks.
