Almost Wordless Wednesday
Category: House, Garden and Dogs
Raining Still (2)
There has been some flooding but the rain seems have stopped for the moment. The RFDS function at Mitre 10 was a loss and our function at the church was reasonable. Not well attended but in the rain I never expected it to be and the fact that the carpark was closed off didn’t help. At the moment I have not seen any reports of property damage only road flooding and the town cut off for a while. Both of my water tanks are overflowing so that’s good. * Diversion* There used to be a saying “if you ever hear that the world is going to end come to South Australia – everything takes 50 years to get here”. Well not quite fifty years but three months at any rate – the time until Father’s Day in South Australia. Sorry if I seem to have neglected to say anything but since Father’s Day does not happen here until September, I forgot.
There is a doctor who writes an interesting blog and in a recent post she said that she is a terrible
single parent – the children go to bed when they feel like it, pizza every night, heaps of movies, no bath, no dishes done and sleep in street clothes. I thought I would mention that I was available for adoption, but everyone seemed so serious in their comments and it was a tribute to her husband, that I decided just to select “like”and leave it at that. I thought my frivolous comment would be out of place. I felt like the Joker from Batman “Why so Serious?” or at the very least Frank Sinatra “I tried being serious once, all I could get was construction work”. But the interesting thing was that it was only in reading that post that I discovered that today in Father’s Day in The United States. Yes, other posts came in too but that was the first. I understand holidays and special days that are specific to the USA — 4th July or Thanksgiving — it’s the days we “share”that confuse me at times — Father’s Day and Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day in particular because you have a day in the USA, which is different from the Day in the United Kingdom, which is different from Australia. It’s all very confusing – I feel like Paddington “I am a bear of very little brain and long words confuse me”.
Most of the flooding has subsided and the rain has finally stopped. The sun is shining and the ground is starting to dry out. The forecast is for no rain at least for most of this week, but then I believe weather forecasters make things up :o) If the new concrete path at the church is to be done, the concreter will have to clean out the channel and get rid of the water before anything can be done and once it is done it will take at least a week to cure.
The WaWa is still attacking Benji and I believe that none of what is currently happening was ever taken into consideration. With BJ being such a placid and lovable dog we made the assumption that he and the WaWa would get on well together. On that premise I made the promise that I would look after the WaWa for Sooah until she returned. However, the WaWa has been a one girl dog was treated her like a baby, who has now bonded herself to Annabell and sees Benji as a threat. Bj is paying a high prise for my promise.
I have started to put my ideas for the back garden onto paper and I still think they will work. I don’t accept John’s comment that some of my ideas are too big for the available space and I wont accept that until such time as I get to Bunnings and see the things I want for myself.
And as I leave I have to say that it is Tuesday and it is raining again. If people want the rain, please come and collect it. We’ll give it to you free of charge. I would be delighted to swap you for some of your snow, but people in this area would probably kill me if I did :o) By the time summer gets around we shall all be nice and brown – not suntan – rust!!
Raining Still.
Well, we survived the first really Major rain storm of the season. Sadly, however, so did that blooming stringy bark gum tree. I felt sure it would fall down – it’s half dead and hanging over the road – but no, it’s still there. If they work the same way as Adelaide we’ll have to wait until it falls down and kills or injures someone before anything gets done. The reason for that is simply if councils decide a tree is dangerous or dead and causing a hazard and decide to remove it, you can bet with certainty that there will be a protest group and demonstrations against the council and the workmen. Just about two years ago when we did feel the brunt of a serious storm, which caused some flooding and widespread damage, trees came down all over the town. Once the place had been cleared up and regenerated the question arose on which trees to replace the removed trees. The council looked over Australia and decided that it would plant Illawarra Flame Trees, ( from New South Wales) which were colorful and more suited to an urban environment than the Gum trees. Two of our council members organised a protest again the council using “exotic” trees instead of the trees that were native to this area. Thankfully we got the Flame Trees. The storm Damage photograph shows part of the main road through town – Nicolson Avenue – both sides of the Avenue were blocked to traffic for a while. The good thing about the Flame Trees is that they will allow other things – like grass – to
grow alongside them. They don’t kill off everything around them the way Eucalyptus Trees do.
Taking the back down to the bare earth had a few problems – it became a sea of mud during the rain storm, so everything is halted until the ground dries out. That means not moving the second shed for the time being. Perhaps by the weekend things will dry out. However, there are two functions one church and one RFDS. I have to attend the Church function but son John is helping to run the RFDS function. The new concrete pathway is being laid out and the cars will no longer be able to access the church grounds for at least a week. That should be fun! Been raining off and on for most of the day. Managed to get out with Benji for a little while between rain showers. It was still raining but kind of spot raining rather than real rain so it wasn’t too bad.
Saturday: Yes, well, so much for drying out at the weekend. If this rain keeps up I’ll go fishing or swimming out back. Yes it is Saturday and yes it is still raining. Not quite sure if this is merely a continuation of the original rain storm, or new rain. Just before it started to get really dark yesterday ( about 3:30) I took Benji out in the car and we went driving to various parts of the area and took photographs of the town shrouded in rain and mist. I also took a photograph of the storm drainage area, which is pretty full at the moment and probably today is in need of its own drainage area. I dare say the developer intends to finish off the drainage area and extend it to the pipeline for the wetlands – in the fullness of time.
Have concerns that both functions for today might be canceled – well the Barbecue for the RFDS at any rate mainly because there is no shelter at Mitre 10 and although the function at the church is under cover ( in the hall) this continual heavy rain will probably deter a fair few people
considering that they will have to walk in all the rain to get into the church since the grounds are blocked off to cars. Nipped down to see how the group were doing at the Barbecue at Mitre 10. Not all that good from what I saw. Just John and the team – no people despite the fact that Mitre 10 have a big sale on.
Winter rain cometh!
It would appear that the “Parcel”thing may well have been some sort of scam. What the purpose of it is or was, we have no idea but it
would seem several people across the town received such an email. Anyway, it has been deleted but it seems such a strange thing without any definable purpose. After we dropped Andrew back at his place yesterday, he apparently continued to work on the cleanup after we left. Andrew’s house is an older house – actually it is two houses joined together – professionally done – and he has rooms everywhere inside and sheds and garages out the back, a cubby house and what used to be a home office – similar to mine. There are trees and bushes planted out front and they have been allowed to become overgrown. To the right of the house (left of the main garage) there is a water outlet, which feeds water into a “river” that runs along the front of the house, under a bridge and ends in a pond at the left side of the house. Over the years the bushes have become overgrown, the river is clogged up and the pond is full of leaves and branches. We discovered solar lights and gnomes fishing there. Andrew has not really done much since it’s only in the last seven months or so that he stopped running back and forth to Roxby Downs – the big South Australia Mining Area – ( he’s a Systems Engineer) and settled in to home. So he has this project of cleaning everything up and getting it all back together again. He says he has reservations about getting the water flowing again, but he does want the “riverbed” cleaned up. Me? I would go all out to get the water flowing again, but that’s just me. I had a waterfall here and it grieved me when we discovered that it had deteriorated too much to be put back into use. But I did work on it and turned it into a sort of rock-raised flower bed. But these things are not uncommon here – many people built water features in the days when water was water and plentiful. Most of them would have been turned off forever when water ceased to be water and became a major source of State Government Revenue – and South Australia has the highest water costs in Australia. We also have the highest gas prices, the highest power prices and the highest State Government charges. We are in the process of building the third most costly building in the world- the Money Pit known as the New Royal Adelaide Hospital. But we have a spendthrift government – and I believe Arrium is merely an example of a system, which might not quite be broken, but has bits falling off it. It’s a borrow and spend culture.
I have started to do some work on the back garden. Shared my ideas with No. 1 son and he was not too impressed. He thought my ideas were good but some parts were too big for the available
space. Anyway, I’m working on it. I have emptied and moved the first of the two sheds and I hope to have the second one moved to its new location sometime today. (didn’t happen)
Thursday 16th: That was yesterday and today the rain is pounding down outside and the lightening is lighting up the sky. Rain was definitely on the weather forecast for today. At the moment I can only hear – it is still too dark to see anything yet. And yes, you may assume that we did not go out for our morning walk. Call me a wimp if you will, but walking dogs in the middle of a rain storm, with the accompanying thunder and lightening, does not fit into my definition of a good morning’s exercise :o) However, I will go and check up on the WaWa – Benji is curled up asleep. – as is the WaWa.
To add to the gloom of the place, our Mayor – Mr. Jim Pollock – died and his funeral is this coming Monday.
Wordless Wednesday
OK. I know this will seem like a silly / odd thing to ask. Has anyone sent me a parcel? I have had an email from the parcel delivery service to state that they have tried to derliver a package to me over the last few days and if I do not respond within 24 hours, it will be sent back to the person who sent it. To my knowledge I have not ordered anything so it’s a puzzle. If you have not just ingore this, but it you have, please let me know because tomorrow is a public holiday here and I will have to get to the depot on Tuesday if I can.
Thank you.
Benji, WaWa, Dump and Sons
First an update on Benji. We have only recently realised that the WaWa does not attack Benji when they are outside. They wander around the place together, they find good spots in the early winter sun and sit down together. They actually play together outside. However, when they are back in the house all bets are off. The WaWa – as far as we can ascertain – is the defender of Annabell against everyone. When anyone comes near her the WaWa positions herself in the front and sits on Annabell’s foot – ready to attack anyone who threatens. Take that a step further and the WaWa is the protector of the house – her mission if life is to protect the house and protect Annabell – even against me. If I go into the kitchen to talk, the WaWa will rush in, position herself between me and Annabell, with her back paws on Annabell’s foot. If I go to Annabell’s room, the WaWa will come racing up the hall – barking all the way – run into the room and position herself between us. Thus, the WaWa sees Benji as a threat to her mistress. The difference between the inside and the outside WaWa is amazing. And we have only just cottoned on to this.
The workmen came yesterday (Tuesday) and worked for a couple of hours. The reason it took so long was the “hidden obstacles”. I knew there was a concrete slab at the back but what I didn’t know was how far it extended since the previous owners had covered up that area with topsoil and gravel. It took a fair chunk of time to remove that. However, even the workmen were pleased with the result and I now have a “workable”area. I did say that I don’t have plans, but I do have ideas – whether they work or not is a moot point – but I think they are good ideas. However, the next task is to have the back fence repaired and I am not certain when that’s getting done.
My son wanted to borrow my trailer, which meant a trip to the dump to get it emptied then take it over to his place. On the way I picked up my other son who was going to help me. Well we did
that and drove to Andrew’s place to pass over the trailer. Instead we stayed there and helped him clean up. John and I loaded the trailer with all the green waste ( tree and bush cuttings) and was in the process of trying to tie it down when Andrew decided to tell us that he has a portable green waste shredder in the garage. We will draw a curtain on the next ten minutes but I understand a shearer passed by and blushed. We emptied the trailer and
used the shredder – much better. Took the trailer to the dump and guess who had not brought any money with him?? Guess who paid the dump fee?? Well I suppose fathers have to be useful for something :o)
Sunday 12th: Benji was in a strange mood this morning. Don’t know what happened but he was covered in tattoos, smelled like a distillery and was reluctant to get out of bed. Finally got him out and the morning walk took twice as long because he kept stopping and was determined to water every tuft of grass. He’s a worry.
Oh a quick PS. I think we might have the WaWa for a tad “longer than the “few months”. In the current economic climate it may take Sooah and her husband longer to get back to Australia.
Wednesday
Benji aka BJ
As promised my concerns about Benji. Benji, as you may know, is a rescue dog. The sudden death of my girl, Chienne, really floored me. I loved her so much and I wandered around not really bothering about things. Annabell decided that I needed another dog. She said that she could not bear to see me so unhappy – so I started looking. I did look locally but they all seemed to be big dogs and I didn’t want a big dog. I looked on line, confining my search to South Australia. I finally found one that I liked the look of so I asked for more information from the rescue group. I was given information regarding the current location of the dog and a little bit about him, temperament, size and age, desexed and micro chipped. Also clearance from the local Vet. The thing was his location was some 950 klm away. If I wanted this dog it would mean a thousand miles round trip. Well, I liked the look of the dog, his size and temperament, so a road trip it was. He was currently in foster care so I had to wait with the rescue people until the dog arrived. On October 10th 2015 I took the dog into the car and started the drive home. On that return journey I did something I promised myself I would never do – drive the steep descent from Crafers at the top of the Adelaide hills, down to Adelaide — In The Dark! This is the scene of so many accidents that I find it uneasy during the day even – but at night! Well here I am writing this so I guess you can take it I survived the journey. We got home and Benji soon became part of the family. We even had to look after another dog – Yogi – and he and Benji got on famously together – a little bit of early settling out borders – but they get on really well. It was fun taking both dogs out walking. We had a lot of trouble getting his microchip registration changed but we worked through that and this was finalised in late April this year. Of course he was registered with the Council and introduced to the Vet, who gave him a clean bill of health. Since then he has put on a little weight and filled out.
Benji settled in well with all the members of the family – everyone loves him and he is a quiet lovable, Staffy-Jack Russell Cross, quite settled and I believe, quite happy. That was until recently. Yogi – as I said – was no problem, the problem is the WaWa. She is causing Benji untold strife, grief and stress. Yes I have shown photographs of them together and seeming friends, however, photographs can be deceiving and the only reason I was able to take that photograph was simply that I had food they both wanted so they were “close” rather than “together”. The WaWa attacks Benji and nips his back legs. He will not defend himself and at times he has leaped from the floor up into my arms to escape from her. He is more than twice her height. weight and probably three times her strength but he is scared of her. It worried me and last night it scared me. I went outside and as usual Benji followed me. He was slow so I turned round and bent down to pick him up – he cringed and wet himself. To say that I was stunned is an understatement. I feel that all the work I have done with him since I brought him home is being undone. I am at a loss and don’t know what to do. People have said that the solution is simple – get rid of the WaWa. I cannot do that! I made a promise and I have to keep it. I am also told that he will not defend himself nor will he attack the WaWa unless put under extreme pressure because domestic male dogs wont attack a female. We did not go out for our walk this morning. I got up, got dressed and ready to go, but he would not come – he refused to move and after last night I had no intentions of trying to make him go out, so I just left him where he feels safe – on my bed. I have no idea what his life was like before me – well before the foster care – but he was five when I adopted him last year and that’s a long time if he had a hard life. It’s a worry, a real worry.
Disappointment, hospital and garden disasters
Emails are the strangest things. If you send a nasty message to an address you will have a reply with in the hour. If, however, you send an email that requires a 10 second “yes ” or “no ” response to the same address, the chances of a reply are fairly remote. Strange that!! I was waiting for an email that never came and I fear is unlikely to come now. Oh well, things happen – or in this case, don’t! Disappointment aside, it has been a busy week visiting people in hospital and one in Palliative Care. Accident in town and elderly lady killed in a car collision. Actually as a passenger she survived the collision but died in hospital. Car accidents and rushed to hospital are not great for an 85 year old. Don’t know if anything happened yesterday but the Royal Flying Doctor Service flew in late at night. There is still an air of – depression is too strong a word – but more a feeling of unease about the future. Many people, despite the assurances in the press, don’t really trust what they are being told and although there seems to be more orders, four and a half billion dollars, is a lot to try and pay back. Also the company is up for sale and the fact that the good Arrium is be sold off first leaving the steelworks and the South Australian Mining Operations – which are the loss makers in the business – to bring up the rear and whoever thinks about buying the steelworks and the mining operations will have to consider the massive debt that goes with it. The administrator believes that the company will be on the market in July and that the steelmaker could have a new owner by Christmas. There are interested parties – so we are told – but six months before we know anything.
For a number of reasons the back garden is not a place to wander in the dark. It is so overgrown now that I fear for my safety. I think there might be lions in there hiding in the undergrowth. Between a whole host of things I have let it become very neglected. I would show you photographs but I wont because it is so bad I am ashamed to let anyone see it. Even when I brought in the
workman to give me a quote to clear it and I explained to him what I wanted done. Anyway he did give me a quote which I found quite reasonable, so, he is coming with his equipment to clear the place and take everything back down to the bare earth. Once that’s done I will then decide what I want done with the area. I have plans – well ideas more than plans – but it will mean a trip to Adelaide (Bunnings) to get the things I want. Why not shop locally, after all we have three big hardware stores here? Very simply they don’t have what I want, whereas I know Bunnings do. Ho yes they can order it but it takes ages and costs more and then they slap on a delivery charge. Much better to empty the trailer and go to Bunnings – yes, it’s a 370 mile round trip, but worth it.
I have another funeral to prepare for but at least I have enough time to get things set up, printed and collated. It will all have to be done on my printer again and I will have to charge for the ink – it’s too much otherwise. With any reasonable luck we should have the church photocopier repaired and returned by the end of this week. But once again almost an entire ream – 400 – printed sheets and there was some wastage this time – I printed some sheets in the wrong sequence – oops. Busy few days with the workmen coming on the Tuesday and the funeral on the Wednesday. The photograph is the Whyalla shore taken from the Lookout on the Hill. I think it was taken only a few days ago when we had some sun between the rain. I took some photographs down at the wetlands of the birds and the ducks. Haven’t sorted them out yet. Benji is having a hard time at the moment. We have not been out for a walk this morning. I will detail this in another post.
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