Chienne – Page 4 – Edgar's Page

Trees, terrorists and Puppy Food

31/10/2013 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

Some may remember this photograph I took some time ago. It was one of two eucalyptus trees outside. Part of this came down in the severe wind we had a week or so ago. This one came down over the road and part of the street was blocked off until the emergency services and the council were able to clear the area. In the background you can see another tree and this has been examined and found wanting – it’s not in good shape and may have to be cut down.

The medication seems to be working for the Man and he is eating a lot better now. I also find that he is a lot more active – when he is not sleeping that is. What I have been doing is feeding him smaller meals but more of them. It means having to isolate him from Chienne from time to time. However, she doesn’t miss out too much and she gets her share of the treats. I have started the little man on Puppy Food and that seems to be working, and the interesting thing is that it is mainly chicken and rice. Don’t really mind as long as he keeps eating and starts to put on a little weight.

The NSW Bushfires are finally under control although they are still the subject of a watching brief. It would be good to say that the fires were all caused by nature – lightening strikes – but sadly that’s not the case. Some of them were deliberately lit, and even sadder is that some were lit by children who are under age to be charged. Well, that may well be the case, but their parents are not!! If a dog attacks and seriously injures a person, we can charge the owner of the dog, so why don’t we charge the parents of the arsonists for failing in their parental duty of care. We talked a lot about charging people who deliberately light fires in bushfire areas with “Domestic Terrorism” but nothing much happened.

I started with a tree and I will finish with the same tree. This is what is left of the tree today. Now, all we have to do is wait and in the fullness of time, the council truck will arrive, cut out the roots and clean up the area. The trouble with being on the periphery – everything takes so long to get here. Not a great photograph. The tree was much bigger than it would appear here.

Flame Trees and Andrew’s Girl.

22/09/2013 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

When people come to the house, my two associates bark. But with mine there is little or no aggression there it’s more of a “hello, why are you not over here talking to us. We are important and you should be paying attention to us”. Once the visitor acknowledges the canine masters in the appropriate manner, stroking or scratching, then peace is restored. We have had Chienne since she was seven weeks old and it is believed that she is my dog. Not a bit of it – she is “Andrew’s Girl” and always has been. When we came back from Adelaide on Monday and came into the house, she made directly for Andrew. It was “Andrew’s here! – Andrew’s here!, Andrew!! Andrew!! – Oh Hello Daddy” at least herself was glad to see me and made us coffee. From the minute we arrived until he went home, Chienne never left his side. Neither John (the oldest son) or I are ever the subject of such adulation. When he did go home, she remembered I was here and came over to me. Of course, I made a fuss of her but at the same time realising that I only come second in my own dog’s affections. In all of this, the little man slept – he’s very good at that. Although, in all fairness, he did lift his head up once or twice. I remember reading somewhere that ” Some of our greatest treasurers we place in museums and art galleries, others we take for walks”

Bit of a shock to the system really. I mean winter wandered off and spring came rushing in with warm sunny weather- great!! Then old man winter decided he was not quite finished with us yet, pushed spring aside and belted us with rain, thunder and blasts of cold wind this last week. Not very friendly.

The Council are going ahead with their beautifying of the approaches and the town centre. They have decided not to plant Eucalyptus Trees but Flame Trees and other “exotic” trees. Exotic means not native to this particular area – but you knew that :0) The Flame Trees are still native Australian trees, just not South Australian. Because of the idiotic insistence of planting eucalyptus trees everywhere, the place was really looking dull and drab – not inviting at all. I’ve nothing against gum trees in context – out in the bush – but I object to them in an urban setting. The Flame trees will add colour and brightness to the place and at least things will be able to grow around them. I look forward to seeing the end results of this new development.

The Tin Man and Native Plants

05/09/2013 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

Halfway between here and Adelaide is “The Tin Man” an institution in this part of the world. The Tin Man is a BP Service Station, Motel, Rest Stop, but it’s more than just that, it’s a crossroad for travellers in this region. Almost everyone stops there for fuel, comfort, food. It’s one of these things where no explanation is necessary – everyone knows what you are referring to. I remember one time when the older son and I were coming back from Adelaide and we stopped at the Tin Man only to meet the younger son and friends travelling to Adelaide for a concert. People wanted to know if this was a family reunion :o) What’s this got to do with anything, you ask?? Well simply this – I have been travelling back and forth to Adelaide so often recently that some friends have suggested that the only way they can get in touch with me is to leave a message at the “Tin Man”

About six or seven months ago I planted a Native Hibiscus that I bought at the Arid Lands Botanic Garden. Since then it, like the Desert Pea, has taken root and grown like wildfire. I have had to trim it back somewhat since it was spreading branches over the pathway and Herself was having to push through it to hang out a washing. The Seedling is very tiny but it certainly grows high enough. I am particularly happy with that and the other Arid Lands plants. Some of them are still on the small side but they are supposed to grow to a reasonable height. I am impressed with the Hibiscus but even less so with the Sturt’s Desert Rose, which does not seem to have taken at all. When I get the opportunity to go through to the Arid Lands BG I will buy two more of the Hibiscus plants and replace the desert roses, which have done nothing. I don’t mind waiting for results if I feel that I am going to get results but the desert roses have not progressed in any way, shape or form since they were planted and they were planted before the Desert Pea.

This morning I had to step in quickly and break up a nasty fight between my

This is my Main Man - the MalteseTerrorist! — This is my Main Man – the MalteseTerrorist!

Associates. Actually, the little man is very lucky he still has his head on after what he did . Just picture a dog sleeping peacefully on her bed, not a care in the world, stretched out and completely relaxed. Suddenly there is this white blur as the little man goes charging past my legs, takes a flying leap, lands right on top of Chienna and bounces off on the other side of the bed. Struth did she go ballistic!! I mean, I can’t blame her, poor thing, and there’s me trying to keep them apart while laughing. I know, it probably hurt her a bit as well as scaring the living daylights out of her, but it was so funny. Talk about living dangerously!!

Elections, Clowns and back to Adelaide.

01/09/2013 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

Just under two weeks left in campaigning for the Federal General Election. We have compulsory voting in Australia and I have to say that I have found the campaigning to be very underwheleming. All the parties have been very luck-luster and I think most people are fed up and just want the election to be over. Already we are $300 Billion in debt and one side are concerned whilst the other side are claiming that it’s nothing and a debt we can handle, so they keep adding to it. It’s like drug addicts ” It’s ok man, I can handle it” I dare say all the countries of Europe that are begging for a bail out said pretty much the same thing, – Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus and the British Economy is not in such great shape either – although it is starting to recover slowly. It was not so very long ago that Ireland was referred to as “The Celtic Tiger” because of the strength of its economy and did like they all did, borrow and spend. I think the barrel they rolled out is missing quite a few staves. The best definiton of a politician that I like is “A politician is a person who sees the light at the end of the tunnel and goes out and buys more tunnel”

We have a nice new addition to our hospital – two new wings – and very impressive they are. This was all paid for by federal money, but here’s the thing – our State Government (Socialist) is also up to its eyes in debt and they haven’t got the money to staff the place. No idea what’s going to happen but I expect, now that it’s finished, they will have people come and open the place with great fanfare. It’s like something from ” Yes Minister” In fact, now that I think of it, a British person reading this will probably think I have stolen it from “Yes Minister” but be assured I most certainly have not.

Tomorrow I head off to Adelaide again. We have to be at a clinic in North Adelaide. However my younger son will drive back home and the main reason for driving down and back is that we have a funeral to attend on Friday. Edwin was 100 years of age when he passed away last week – and he received his letter from the Queen.

We all have a special friend – someone we love dearly but can be a bit of a clown. You know the one – he/she is the friend who, when you take what you think is the perfect shot with a camera – stick his/her tongue out. I have a friend like that – she’s called Chienne.

Less than a week to go and already there are predictions of a landslide against the present (caretaker) government, so, by this time next week we could well have a new government and a new Prime Minister.

Spies, Cakes and Scones

28/07/201328/07/2013 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

Some people call them 'Top-Notch" pigeons. — Ok so it hasn’t got a stool, but still…..

A recent comment sent me off on a strange thought pattern ( well, yes, it doesn’t take much!) and I started to speculate on whether or not the Federal Government have a Secret Police (K9 Division) because it was only after I wrote the piece about Federal Bullies that The Man tried to trip me up and send me crashing down the stairs ( both of them) I could have landed badly on the brickwork and required medical attention – perhaps even an ambulance and once inside that, well it would have been all over. I’ve read an expert on this – Ian Fleming knows these things. A lot of things fall into place. I’ve seen police cars drive past the house and head towards the end of the road – which is the very last road in the town. There’s nothing out there but— this is where I take the dogs for walks and I am beginning to suspect that there is some sort of drop point. I have often wondered why The Man sometimes stops and just stands still staring into empty space. It could be that this is how they program him and perhaps the long “sleeps” are really the Secret Police downloading information to their data base – information on everything including the visitors and the conversations.. It is very possible that so called “Microchip” is really a receiver/transceiver. I think we’ll have to keep a very close eye on him. I may not have enemies, but some of my friends need watching.

Herself has had a very busy week. The different Ladies Groups throughout the town (and there area number of them) all met together on Thursday. All up there were about sixty of them and they had a special service. Herself not only organised and conducted the service, she and the committee arranged the guest speakers. At home she spent much of the week in the kitchen making cakes and biscuits. And yes, I was there (the only male!!) because I had to drive her there. I was involved because I designed and printed the covers and nicked out to the shop when necessary – more eggs or butter or flour. I have my uses!! Besides, there was the promise of cake at the end. The photograph only shows some of the cakes — and — one of the ladies brought scones. Life is good :o)

3am this morning and we had an unexpected (nothing in the weather report) 40 minute storm. Heavy, no thunder that I could hear, but enough noise to upset Chienne. Poor thing. But as I said, 40 minutes and it was all over as suddenly as it started and everyone (sort of) settled down again. Four/Five hours a night – I probably sleep too much anyway. I just love those early morning sudden heavy storms, almost as much as Chienne.

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