Road Trips, Lighthouse, and WaWa thoughts.

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs
Just chillin’ Man..

For the last ten days or so I have been sick. It was brought home to me in no uncertain terms that I am not invincible and like everyone else, I can get laid down with the Flu. I have not had the Flu for a very long time and since I do eat a lot of fruit and veg – too many Oranges!! –  I figured I had built up a natural immunity. Yes, well, that clever idea went out the window. Actually, I felt so bad at one stage I thought of throwing myself out of the window, but seeing as how we don’t have a window that is more than two feel off the ground, it seemed like a wasted effort for no return – apart from which, it was raining again.

Benji has hardly been out and there have been a couple of accidents, but that’s ok, I know he has been a little  neglected due to my lack of attention, but we are almost back to normal so we can start getting out and about again. Not that he was abandoned since a lot of the time he jumped up and curled up on the bed beside me. I received notification that I have to be in Adelaide in a few weeks time and when I am down there I want to go and check out the new pet shop – well not a “pet” shop but rather a pet supply shop. It was only just opening last time I went down and I really didn’t get a lot of time to wander around but I did get a collapsible  silicon bowl that I can take with me and always have a water bowl that I can use when Benji and me are out and it’s a warm day and he needs a cool drink. I want to go back to that shop and have a good look around and see what they have in the way of accessories and toys.

The Lower Flinders Ranges from Matthew Flinders Lookout ( Arid Lands)
Warning Matthew Flinders Lookout

Tomorrow should be the Church Mini-Fete but due to illness it has had to be cancelled. I am supposed to be running a fundraising function for the Royal Flying Doctors next week, but that’s still a way off so we will see how things progress. There is no let up on this Flu Bug in South Australia.

This morning I picked up young John and we drove out to  Better Home Supplies, did some shopping for garden things and had lunch at the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens. The weather was warm and, sadly, just a tad too warm to have Benji sitting in the car whilst we went shopping – and,  of course,  no dogs allowed at the Arid Lands. It would have been a nice trip for him. If it’s a nice day tomorrow  I’ll take him for a

Benji at the lighthouse

run out to the lighthouse and then the beach.

I wanted to take him a bit further and perhaps go away for the day and to that end I  looked for “Pet Friendly” places in South Australia, particularly the Eyre Peninsula. I found one but their idea of “pet friendly”was to supply  a lockable  dog house that can be placed outside the accommodation. So, I can sit in the cool comfort of the accommodation whilst Benji stays outside in the heat in a dog kennel —— I don’t think so!!  We did take a run out to the lighthouse and had a good afternoon. Two very nice ladies approached Benji and made a fuss of him, rubs and ear scratches and, of course, he lapped it all up. They also asked a lot of questions about him. Photograph of him at the lighthouse, but he kind of tends to blend in with the surrounding stones. At least the WaWa stood out against the stones. I often wonder how the WaWa is and how she is settling in to her new environment. I miss her a bit but I do not think Benji does. I don’t even have an address for Sooah so I can’t find out. Anyway, perhaps the best thing is simply to let it go.

From the Breakwater down from the lighthouse area.

Elsa, the Ninja is celebrating her first Anniversary and we send her, Sam and the family our very best wishes.

Cool Benji washing the Lighthouse !!

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs
Not quite, but close

Been a

The Entrance to the A L B G

good week – really. Annabell is hosting the ladies coffee on a Tuesday evening and the ladies coffee morning on the Wednesday morning.  That said, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this month, are tied up:  Monday and Tuesday I help her clean, polish and set things up – Wednesday afternoon I help her put things away. This week – of course – is her last week. I think I have mentioned this before that they each pay a small fee, some of which is used for tea, coffee and so forth, but the bulk of it – other than a couple of dollars,  (to keep the account open) goes to charity and last year they gave three thousand dollars – a thousand of which went, via me, to the RFDS. The other two thousand went to two other support groups.

Now, I wanted some more native plants so I decided that on Thursday I would take a run through to the Arid Lands Botanic Garden (ALBG) and take Benji with me.  I expect you have heard the saying, “The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley (often go astray)” and that’s what happened here. Decided to help Annabell with the washing before I left. Got the washing in the machine, it filled up with water – then died. It’s been acting strange for a while now ;  we decided there and then to get rid of it and buy a new machine. So we went out to look for a new machine, but she has this thing about front loaders because she can’t reach down into a top loading machine to get the washing out at the bottom. Anyway, bought the machine, they delivered and installed it and took away the old machine that same afternoon, and by the time they did that, it was much to late to go to the ALBG. Might try again for this coming Thursday :o)

On our way.

Today (Sunday) was a bit cool. Sun was shining and it looked nice outside. The reality is that you can’t see the wind, but we took a drive out to the

The Lighthouse

lighthouse (30 klm away)  and had a wander  around – back to town and then a trip to the beach before driving home. Benji loves being in the car but he is not a “stick your head out of the window” dog and he is happy to curl up on the front seat. I have never been able to take a photograph of Benji sitting at the lighthouse. He will sit down no

This is so true.

bother, but as soon as I move away, he follows. I tell him to “stay” but he wont. However, not knowing his background before I adopted him, perhaps there is some abandonment issues there somewhere. He is much the same in the house – I move, he follows and if I really have to leave him and go out, I get a look that haunts me  right up until I get home again. However, to be fair I do take him with me most times and he so loves going out in the car.

Friday sees the Official First Day of Spring. The weather over the last few days has been fairly good, so if this keeps up and I get away, it should be a nice day for me and my Associate to drive to the ALBG and Better Homes and Gardens. If I do get to go over to the ALBG I will see how close I can get to the main buildings and decide if I can leave the man in the car or if it’s too warm to do so even with the windows open.

It’s been a long week.

This weekend – or at least part of it – will be a busy time for the RFDS. On Friday we will be involved in the “Meet and Greet” Barbecue for the new owner of Arrium and on Saturday we have a Barbecue at Stratco Hardware Store.  I’ve had “fun” this week organising teams for both functions – a double team for Friday since this is expected to be big and busy, and the usual four team for Stratco on the Saturday. Since the AGM in June and the handing over of our cheque for $37,000 to Central Operations, we have been fairly busy and have accumulated a healthy balance.

Road Trip, Benji and Baby

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs
My Almond tree in blossom
Some Wetland Birds

I have just returned from two days in Adelaide. Conference this time was at Para Hills. The drive down was uneventful and the weather was excellent. The most frustrating part of the journey was the Main North Road and the roadworks that had the traffic banked up. Anyway, that was not so bad but I think watching snails overtake us was a bit depressing. Got cleared of that and was going well until King William Street and the roadworks outside the Festival Center, then more road works on the way to Bunnings at Parabanks. This is good because I know why there is never enough money to upgrade and repair country roads when everything is being spent in Adelaide. But as our Socialist Government keeps telling us “It’s good for South Australia” although how all this development in Adelaide and the million being spent on upgraded tram lines – in Adelaide – benefits a country town one thousand kilometers away from Adelaide in the far north of the state, is way beyond my comprehension. But then, not living in Adelaide, I don’t understand these things. But even at this conference – the first since the sale of Arrium –  and people asking me how things are in town now that Arrium is sold.  “Things will  be better and there will be more confidence in the community, you’ll be doing well now” – but what they think about is a sort of instant gratification and that’s not how it works. Many jobs were lost, those who survived had to accept 10 – 15% pay cuts, Westlands, the largest undercover  shopping area outside Adelaide still has over 30% of the shops empty and we still have over 600 houses up for sale and some of these are homes that were taken over by the banks when people could not pay their mortgage. Yes things will change, but it’s not going to happen overnight. Recovery will take time and the new owner will have to do something that helps to increase

Hello peeple..

the returning confidence, because, it is presently fragile and I believe it wont take a lot to damage it.  On 1st September there is a “Meet and Greet”rally to be held in the Ada Ryan Gardens. The RFDS will be doing the catering as part of our fundraising.  We hope to have the opportunity to meet the new owner, talk to him and have a photo opportunity.

Annabell kept telling me every time I called her that Benji was not a happy puppy. He hardly left my room except to go outside and come for his food. If the doorbell rang he would come charging through, stand looking at the door until it was open. Annabell said you could almost feel the disappointment  when he saw it wasn’t his daddy, so he turned and went back to the room. He really misses me when I am away from him. But it’s a two-way street and I miss him too.

Four Hours Old

On  2nd June of this year, our grandson (Connor Logan)  was born. I no longer feel quite as isolated from certain conversations as I did. However, it’s not all solved in that my grandson is a mere  three months old whereas most of the people in the church have grandchildren that are married, have children, or are out in the world carving out a life for themselves, some are serving in the armed forces. However, my grandson may still be a babe at his mother’s breast, but he has life ahead of him;   a world with all its new technology and wonders waiting for him to discover. In spite of the crazy people and events, the world is still an exciting and wonderful place. The chaos and events taking place in this era,  will, I believe, pass and by the time he is ready to go out into the world, it will be an even better place than it is now.

Part of the shopping center has been blocked off and a large new shop is under construction. I understand it will be a new variety store. I’m not really fussed but if it is big enough it will create employment and perhaps it will signal the  rebirth of the shopping center and fill many of the empty shops.  This is a development that I look forward to seeing.

Wild, Wet, Winter.

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

Well, there you are, Benji is back home to his own bed in the living room again. He almost has free run of the house. Still a bit concerned about my room door when it’s open, but other than that he is  adjusting  well. Although we all get on with Yogi, we wont be looking after him  for the time being,  so everything is his for the foreseeable future.  There was a RFDS fundraising event on over the weekend (29/7) and although I wasn’t  on duty, I went down anyway  to give a hand if required. It was fairly quiet but I stayed and  had a chat and a coffee. There’s going to be a fair amount of walking and mini-road trips this month as well as a conference in Adelaide. The mini road trips —– well, for the month of August Annabell is hosting the ladies Coffee Evening on a Tuesday and the Ladies Coffee morning on a Wednesday, so a fun month. On the bright side – a scone month!! This week, however, I’ll be home all week at least and because  it’s been a while since she was the hostess,  I help her to get everything organised.

The  dry warm(ish) winter weather we have had up here in the  north of the  state came to an end with cold, wet and positively winter conditions today. I don’t think there will be many ladies here this morning. I did my good deeds for the week. As I said, it’s raining so I went out to the carport with an umbrella and when the ladies drove up I went out with the umbrella to  shelter them from the rain as they came in. Next week I start to get ready  for the Conference, which, at least, is in Adelaide

Today is Friday and there has been no word from Annabell’s doctor, so we assume that everything is ok and the report was good. Of course, he still could call, but it is less than likely now – a week and more,  after the ultra-sounds.

This morning (Saturday 5/8 ) the RFDS are running the football canteen and a BBQ for the Junior Football. I will go up and see what’s going on. I did the last one so I am not involved this one, however, I do attend when I can so I can take some photographs for the Newsletter and perhaps the Web Page.

All day there has been this state-wide warning about a wild winter storm about to hit South Australia – heavy rain, which will cause flooding, and wind up to 125 kph. It is now 9:15 pm on Saturday

Wee bit storm

and I have just came back from a walk with Benji and whilst it is cold, there is not a lot of rain nor wind to talk about. Perhaps it will sneak quietly through when no one is looking. Sunday and still nothing here, and nothing on the news server. Either the  severe weather front has died and not coming or it’s still to come – not sure which. Not that it is going to effect us anyway. However, we are getting a little bit of the rain – just a few moderate showers nothing wildly exciting. As long as it stays like that I will be quite happy.  The “wild weather”is supposed to be over by Tuesday, which, I hope, means fairly calm weather for driving to Adelaide and back.  Monday 7th. and there is not a word about any storm on the News Server. Well, yes we had nothing up here but there is nothing in the news about any wild/extreme weather  elsewhere. Yes there are  stories on the evening news about trees being blown down, but that’s not unusual in winter. I mean, in Adelaide if you sneeze too hard either a branch or a whole gum tree falls down.  There may well be  some news as the day progresses, but nothing at the moment.

Scone gone!!

I am thinking of disowning my son – the younger – The Systems Engineer. How could he do this to me?? After all I’ve done for him, he ups and pinches my scones!! Of course he was not alone in this – someone had to help him carry out this dastardly deed- some female who will remain  anonymous. Can you believe it?  I mean, stealing a fellow’s money is one thing, but his scones?!?  – well, that’s just beyond the pale.