The Bank and The Port

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs
The Flinders Hotel/ Pt. Augusta

Today (Wednesday) after the ladies had gone, I drove Annabell  to Port Augusta. Since we were both going to be away for quite a few hours, I decided that we should take Benji with us. I felt he would enjoy the trip. Difficult to tell, really, since he curls up and goes to sleep. The

Not the greatest photograph, but best I could do.

reason for the journey was that Annabell needed to go to the bank and sort some things out.  Unfortunately, the nearest branch to us is 80 klms away in the Port. Whilst she attended to what she needed to do in the bank, I took Benji for a walk around the main street. Yes it was a bit warm but not too bad and he did his bit for the environment by watering a few trees. Annabell wanted to transfer money to Scotland but she had been having difficulty on line, so we came here to sort it out. Back at the car Benji and I had a drink of cold water and then shared a Hot Dog – not my first choice but easy to get fairly quickly.  Annabell came back and we headed off to Better Homes and the garden center. I was able to get some plants to replace the plants burned.  I actually wanted to go to the Arid Lands B.G. but with Benji that was not possible. The drive home was quiet and we did take note  that the long promised passing lanes on the Eyre Highway are finally under construction.

Well there you are, I survived another week of the ladies being here. Only six weeks to go!! It’s not too bad and I get out in the evening with Benji and in the morning- if I remember to get the car out of the driveway in time – we go to the wetlands. If not, we just go for a district walk.

Our Grandson at 8 months

At the weekend we had the State Election. Australia has compulsory voting, so, if you do not exercise your democratic right to vote, you get fined. Of course, once your name is marked off on the roll, how you vote, or spoil the paper, is your business. I do know some people who have put  1 in every box, effectively, spoiling the paper – which is legal. Some time after the election the Electoral Commission will  announce the final voting figures including the number of spoiled papers. Anyway, that’s all over and we have a change of government. The Socialist Government had been defeated   and left behind $8 Billion in state assets, which it has sold off and spent as well as a $14 Billion State debt – and that’s interesting for a State that is bigger than most countries in Europe but  has a population of less than 2 million.. The new government is a majority government and will govern in its own right. The last term of the Socialists only happened because they bought off several of the independents- offering them a ministerial portfolio to support them and the independents sold out and sided with the socialists – keeping them in power for the last four years. To be honest the state is not a basket case case – far from it – but it does have a lot of problems and concerns, which the new government will have to address fairly quickly – particularly the loss of young people.

Our New RFDS Pens

Young people are leaving the state because they feel that there is a lack of opportunity here. That’s a worry.

A new fundraising venture by the Royal Flying Doctor service is that we have organized for pens to be created with the RFDS Logo and the quality is fairly good. I have bought a number and I intend to send them out to people. Not for sale but as a gift ( they are already paid for)

Tomorrow I will go through to the Port again for a similar reason we went through last week – it’s the nearest branch of our bank – 100 miles round trip for a bank visit. I have decided not to take Benji this time, which means that I can go to the Arid Lands B.G. I will just be going on my own this time – no Annabell. Some shopping and get back to help Annabell get things ready for the ladies tomorrow evening. Wednesday and Yogi goes home so Benji will be back on his own again.

Out and about

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs
This is so true.
The Spencer Gulf (Beach)

It’s now into Autumn (Fall) and the days are still warm to very warm ( 28 – 37C) but it’s not too bad and we can still get out and about – just have to make sure the ground is not too hot. Message last week  suggested that I should be in Adelaide this weekend and I did try and comply – honestly. However, I did send a message and tendered an apology. I will not be going to Adelaide this weekend for several reasons 1) the Adelaide Fringe Festival – 2) Womadelaide – 3) the Adelaide Cup – 4) It’s a long weekend and 5) I really  am not going to pay the  inflated Adelaide accommodation prices this weekend. However, I am not alone in this in that the people from the South East ( Keith to Mount Gambier) will have a similar problem. Anyway, I can think of lots to do here rather than drive back and forth to Adelaide this long weekend.

It’s starting to get quite cold in the mornings and soon I will have to change from a middle weight jacket to a heavier jacket. In the summer the hot  north wind comes off the desert and pushes the temperature up. In winter the wind blows in off the  Spencer Gulf bringing cool to cold air from the Indian Ocean and right at the moment the wind is from the Gulf in the early morning and the late evenings. At the end of this month, the clocks go forward ( I think!)  and that will make a change. We will still go out at the same time – that doesn’t change. I had intended to take a run through to the Arid Lands Gardens to get plants to replace the plants the sun kindly burned to death for me. Annabell does not go out into the garden – too many hazards there for her –  fine for  us but not for her, so when I am away, I try to make sure that the plants are watered before I leave – but 47C was just too much and I was away for four days. Anyway, it’s not a total loss and I still have one single Mandevilla  remaining. Still, look on the bright side in that we have managed through the heat of summer without  any major bushfire. Oh, we have had a few fires  that were attended to, but nothing too major.

At the moment Annabell is hosting the Ladies Coffee evening and morning.  She (we) were only to do it for this month but she suggested that she (we) do it for the next two months –

Benji and his Hi Vis. Vest

March and April. This would mean that she (we) would not have to host it again for the remainder of this year  (barring emergencies/Illness) Why the (we) well, she cannot  carry the things – extra chairs, sort out the tables and set out the chairs and put everything away on the Wednesday afternoon- so in essence, she gets the credit, but it’s a joint effort given that there things she cannot do. Actually, I’m not altogether sure that she knows where the garage is  :o)  Benji does well and  he gets well petted by everyone, but I generally have him in the room with me. Barring emergencies or Special Purpose Meetings, I  should not be leaving for Mount Gambier until mid May.

When the ladies were here this morning I took Benji for a wander round the wetlands. Still a bit on the sticky side, but not too bad. I think the temperature today was about 32C but the ground was cool,  so he was ok. It being a week day I was able to talk to the workmen down

Main Pond – Wetlands

at the Wetlands and I was correct in my assumption that they are preparing the foundations for a Kiosk/Cafe at the entry to the Wetlands. This will be a good move and will certainly attract more people to the area and that in turn will lead to the upgrade and development of the Wetlands. Sadly though, Benji is not good with other dogs – other than those he already knows, like Yogi and Dougal, so this means that once the kiosk is up and running and it attracts more people to the area, it could restrict our visits to the Wetlands. But for all that, it’s a good development.

Not my best days.

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

Every so often “one of those mornings” comes along. This morning was that morning. We went down to the church yesterday to photocopy the minutes of the Management Meeting ( Annabell is the Secretary)  and the Church Newsletter. Part of the way through that Annabell started feeling a bit unwell, so I took her home. I decided that I would go down  tomorrow (Saturday/Today) and finish off the photocopy.  So, today, I finished off her things and then started on the Newsletter (12 pages) only there was not sufficient A3 pape to complete the job. It being Saturday the two major stationery shops are closed but after running around I finally got a ream of A3 and started work on the newsletter. Halfway through doing this the toner

Things happen!

light came on and the machine ground to a halt. Too easy I thought, there’s toner in  the stationery cupboard. Well yes, there was a cardboard box and inside the cardboard box was a toner container, only problem was that the toner container inside the cardboard box in the cupboard – was also empty. No one, it seems,  had thought to order a replacement or even let me know that we needed one. When I got home and related all this to Annabell, her comment was “I did notice we were short on A3 and I meant to tell you” Oh well, these things happen!!

As we approach the official end of summer and the start of Autumn ( Fall), the temperatures, although still warm to warmer ( 28C – 37C)  at times,  have started to calm down. I really do hope that we are finished with the 46/47C. On the subject to heat, you may remember that I wrote some weeks ago about how the heat had burned up my plants and how the people at the garden center suggested that I keep on watering them because the  exposed  sections of the plants may be destroyed but the main plant  may still be alive and watering it could help to bring it out again. The dead leaves would act as a sort of umbrella for the new shoots —— well it didn’t work, the plants are well and truly dead. I had great expectations for the Mandevilla, expecting it to grow over the trellis, but now I’m not sure what to replace them with. I had a look at the Japanese Wisteria and I may take a run out to the Arid Lands garden tomorrow and see if they have a native Wisteria. The Bougainvillea was recommended but I think that has too many problems associated with it.

Ah! The Good Old Days —- not!

Monday and I took the toner box up to the stationery shop and they will have to order  from the manufacturer. Ah, there are times when I think the ladies of the early church with their Gestetner  Machines had it easy:::::  Well, no, that’s a silly thought, but it’s amazing the thoughts that run through your mind at times,  and all I can say is that this was in my mind when I walked out of the stationery shop   “Hmm I bet they  never had this problem when they were using gestetners”.

So much for my trip out to the Arid Lands Garden. I have been asked to drive out to Iron Knob to the tourist office and then to the Post Office. Both of those places have RFDS Donation Units and both are full. John Taylor, who normally does this is away,  and,  since no one else is available, I’m it. Still it’s  to be a pleasant day and since it’s  going to be reasonably cool, I’ll take Benji with me. He will enjoy the drive. Don’t see how really, since he simply curls up on the front seat and goes to sleep. Annabell says that doesn’t matter, he’s with his daddy and that’s all that’s important.

Benji and I had a nice, quiet drive through to Iron Knob to collect some donations for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. We went to the Tourist Center

RFDS Aircraft

and then to the Post Office. I bought some Postcards. First time in years I have been out there – it has changed. It’s 90 years since a Minister from the Presbyterian Church of South Australia had a vision to create a service that would provide a Mantle of Safety for people who worked, lived and traveled in the Outback. He was the Rev. John Flynn — Flynn of the inland — and the vision of 90 years ago is the Royal Flying Doctor Service of today.

 

Home – Feet up.

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

It was a very hectic time with meetings not only every day but several meetings per day in one instance. Added to this was the fact that on the Thursday when I left the temperature was hitting a  a hot 46c. On Wednesday we had 44c and I was out  doing things for the RFDS. On Thursday I drove down to Adelaide and thankful that the car A/C was working well. I paid a visit to the Wine cellar,  then headed off to Bunnings. At least at Bunnings I was able to use the  gift cards that the boys bought me for Christmas.  On Friday the  temperature was again 44c and I had a meeting at West Terrace and spent several hours in the sunshine since this particular meeting was  to determine the state of disrepair of several places and the work needed to restore and repair the structures. On Saturday the temperature was a mere 30c  and I had three meetings. However, I got away as quickly as I was able and headed for home to get there before it got really dark. I hate driving north when it’s dark in hot weather – Kangaroos become a problem. I normally would have spent another night in Adelaide and headed home in the morning but we

The lower Flinders Ranges.

had a special service at church on the Sunday and I needed to be home for that.

The Wetlands

It took me days to catch up on everything and I think I managed to do just that. There was 87 thousand emails  but I figured sleep was for wimps and got through them. Part of the week was also spent  with Benji  the beach – the lighthouse and the wetlands. He got a bit upset when I went out without him several times,  but I was going shopping and I don’t want to leave him in the car. Monday after I came back I picked up Jim and Fay from the airport – home from their two week holiday with family in Perth (Western Australia). On Tuesday afternoon they came over and collected Yogi. It was mixed feelings really – glad he was going home with his family, but sad that I’ll miss him. He is a friendly little character and he and Benji get on well, so I’m always happy to look after him..

The beach wasn’t  so good this week – less of a beach with sand and more of an area covered in seaweed and seagrass. We do get a beach with sand from time

The Jim Pollock Memorial
The Foreshore

to time, but this wasn’t that time. Certainly it has been a little while since I have taken the dogs down to the Wetlands – not in the extreme heat that we had. I was amazed at the loss of water from the area and it showed. I was also disappointed  that the black swans had gone, but not only that, most of the bird life had  gone. There were, generally, a lot of ducks and I have taken photographs of them in the past,  but there was none. All that was there was seagulls. I did  photograph the new memorial to Jim Pollock, the Mayor who died a year or so ago.  He was a mayor – he was always well turned out, well liked and respected be everyone he look good and inspired confidence.  His death was sudden and he is well missed.  I also noticed that there was an area under construction a there had been talk of  building a cafe at the Wetland to make the area more family and tourist friendly. This could be it, but there was nothing to indicate what it is.

Anyway, barring any emergency, I wont be traveling again

Fine Winter day (Last Year)

until early May. This will be to  Naracoorte. Not quite Mount Gambier but at least through much of the Limestone Coast, Coonawarra  and Padthaway — not complaining  0:) However, we are moving from Mount Gambier to Naracoorte for the May Conference to accommodate the Adelaide people who are concerned about driving through winter  misty conditions on the way to Mount Gambier. I shall do my very best to think kindly of them as I drive through winter  mist and fog on the Eyre Highway on my way down to Adelaide.