Tag: Civic Park

Beds, flowers and Kangaroos.

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs
Daddy wasn’t using it so I was protecting it for him…

There have been a few days over the last two weeks when it has not been cold, wet and windy – always windy!  Yesterday was no exception with 70kph winds causing  concern with dust storms and damage to powerlines and trees in Adelaide. I had concern for two trees but they survived – again. They cause me concern every time the wind blows stronger than usual but they have always survived – for which I am most thankful. The few days I did get out and about we were able to get down to the wetlands and sample the coffee at the new Kiosk. I actually went back down to the wetlands recently but the kiosk was crowded but then it was a nice day with only a limited amount of wind i.e. it was not blowing a gale. The only blessing – if you can call it that – of the wind right at the moment is that it keeps the flies away.

I have been busy with RFDS things this last few weeks. The major thing being organising  the catering with the Model Railway Club. This year is their 50th Anniversary and they have organised a big  Model Railway Exhibition to celebrate,  with clubs and displays coming in from inter-state for the two days. Two funerals and  guests at a wedding and I have had myself removed from  the RFDS Social Media page.  Benji has not been neglected. We still go out for our walks. There is a bit of progress with Benji. I did mention some time ago that  for some reason being lifted on to a shoulder drove him crazy and he fought to get down, even to the extent of risking injury. I have never had a dog that didn’t like being carried on the shoulder at times. Annabell and I discussed this and since we really know nothing of his background before I adopted him, we surmised that perhaps he had been abused when in that  position. Anyway, I worked on it – and treats helped.

We catered for a function yesterday at Civic Park and I was called from the people working  that some forms had been handed to them by the Council and  could I come down and collect them. I decided to take Benji with me. This  Civic Park function is the culmination of a week in which we celebrate pride in our community and in the park all sorts of things happen with activities for the  children. Anyway, what I didn’t know was that this year there was to be a demonstration  by the Dog Obedience Group – lots of dogs. Benji was not a happy  boy. He gets on well with dogs that come into the house – dogs that I look after –  although where the WaWa was concerned that was a sort of armed neutrality. However, back to the park and he started

Early morning walk.
I have a flower – a Rose, no less.

getting anxious and he jumped up on me, and I bent down and lifted him up onto my shoulder and he stayed, quite happily. Definitely progress.

Yesterday the Pride in the Park function was  held in a warm and sunny 26c. I  took Benji down to the Wetlands and had a good walk round. I was going to have coffee at the kiosk, but it was crowded and busy – which is good, so I gave it a miss this time.   Today when I took him out at 6:16 am there was not a breeze and not a cloud in the sky, which wont last. The expected temperature for today is 34c with wind, -as I said in the first line – always with the wind.. I realise that I am probably a pain in the butt with this wind thing, but in all the years I have been here I have never known it to be like this. Yes we have had a bit of wild weather and high winds from time to time, but this constant wind  was never a feature of past years.

This coming weekend we are out again catering at the Model Railway Exhibition. his is over two days and I can help at one but not at the second since we have a Special Service at Church and  I will be there for much of the day – lunch afterwards for members and guests.

A welcome break but hard work.

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

I know, hard to believe, but it’s raining again. By this time I expect your thoughts are along the lines of “I wish he would just shut up about that rain” Well, I just wish it would stop raining for a while – I’m getting waterlogged.   To add insult to injury it’s  cold – freezing really. This is not surprising because the  fiction writers that forecast the weather have said cold, wet with the possibility of snow in the Adelaide hills this weekend. In Scotland it rains from time to time and one of my most loved definitions of Scottish  weather comes from a Ken McClure book

Summer in Scotland
Summer in Scotland

“Fenton’s Winter” where the two main characters are in Edinburgh sheltering from the rain in a doorway. One says to his mate “All this rain – do you think maybe God has something against Scotland?” His friend’s reply “No – I think it’s a character development agreement  He has with John Knox. I mean, lets face it, if we were enjoying ourselves we’d feel guilty!”

But if it rains so much how can we tell the difference between winter and summer ?  Oh that’s easy – in Summer the rain is actually quite warm – wet, but warm,  whereas in winter the rain is very cold, and we have a special name for it – Snow.. I know, Scottish people joke about the weather all the time, but what else can we do ?

The seriousness of the weather is such that the Adelaide central bus station has said that it will stay open all night during the  extreme weather. It will provide a place of warmth and shelter for the elderly and the homeless. There will also be food and hot drinks provided. I have to say that the Bus Station has gone up in my estimation of it.  There is flooding in most areas in Adelaide, expected flooding in the Adelaide Hills and still looks like snow in the wee small hours. But we have been told to  brace for wild weather over the next few days. Like the weather we have had thus far has not been wild enough?

Tomorrow (Friday) we have been asked – at very short notice I might add – to organise catering for  part of the army group that has taken over parts of the town.  Presently there are about 4000 Military Personnel, soldiers and admin. here in town. No we are not catering for  all that lot – but we are catering for about 200+ who have organised a “Show and Tell” day at Civic Park . The bulk of the Army Group are stationed at Cultana – which is the military playpen of about 2090 square km. and that’s only part of it. Anyway it’s part of the main training area for the 1st. Brigade, 7th Battalion  Royal Australian Regiment (7 RAR) as well as units of the Australian Light Horse – so a lot of soldiers wandering around the town. Annabell has medical appointments tomorrow so I can’t help out until later in the day. On the Sunday, we have organised a Cake Stall so that should be interesting. I wont be at that! This is being held in the Stratco (hardware company) carpark.  Oh Annabell is making

Attack Helicopter
Attack Helicopter
Mr. Spananberg considers adding a new tool to Student Behaviour Management
Mr. Spanenberg considers  a new addition to Student Behaviour Management

cakes and biscuits (cookies) for

Some of the group ) my photograph)
Some of the group  ( my photograph)

this,  but I wont be there other than first thing in the morning to take her things down to the RFDS stall.

Next weekend ( 1st. 2nd. 3rd. July) we are catering for a big diving course being held out at Point Lowly – about 30 km from here. I am there on the Saturday and I have to pick up a couple of people and take them out there. We are three groups, one Friday, one Saturday and one Sunday. I have the Saturday group. Our contribution to Central Operations will be $45,000 this year – which is  pretty good for a small band of people.  It’s been a lot of work at times but we have the highest number of  RFDS landings in Australia – 573 this year. It’s not that we have a lot of sick people here but if there is an accident or an emergency in a community hospital  further north, the RFDS will pick up the patient and bring them to the nearest major hospital – us. It may well be that all we can do is stabilize , call back the RFDS and get the patient off to  the Flinders Medical Center or the Royal Adelaide Hospital for specalised treatment that we cannot provide. So a lot of that accounts for the large number of landings.

Storms, trees and a clean up.

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs
A Man and His(?) Offic
A Man and His(?) Office

Some 10  months ago we had a storm which caused a lot of damage and a very high repair bill – mainly trees down , damaged wires, roads and houses. I was lucky in that we eacaped the damage out here. Well, we had another storm the other night and this time I was not quite so lucky.  Three trees or parts of trees came down and the place is a mess. The gum tree at the rear of the property came down and was on my Aviary and the neighbour’s garden – another one out back dropped several big branches and the tree in the front just simply broke in half. Rain, high winds and gusts of over 115kph. Most of the damage was done in the last storm so other places were not too badly off. I got it –  well probably because it was my turn :o).  I have done what I can and the boys are coming over at the weekend with a small tipping truck, gloves and muscle and between the three of us, we should get it down. Once we get it away from the neighbouring property, even if it is still on the aviary, I can cut it at leisure.storm

Anyway, the place is a mess and although I have managed to stack all the branches I can’t clean nor sweep up because although it’s not quite gusts of 110kph, it’s still a high wind and sweeping anything is pointless. I’m heading off to Adelaide in the morning, but I will be back Friday  evening so we should be ready to go on Saturday.

Had an excellent day in Adelaide on Thursday, although I did have to stop at the Tin Man for a while to give my hand a rest. It really has been bothering me this while back. I should go and see about it, and I will – in the fullness of time. I visited my usual haunts in the city and then headed out to one of the major shopping areas in the outskirts of Adelaide – Tea Tree Plaza. I bought a package of paddle-pop sticks for herself to use as stirrers. Can’t think why, she does very well without them  :o) Anyway,  there is a big Fair at Civic Park next Saturday 12th. and along with the paddle-pop sticks I also bought 300 paper coffee cups to go with the 200 she already has. The church Ladies Group will be providing coffee, tea and cakes for sale. And here’s the thing, I can’t help because—- well of course I’ll be in Adelaide, where else would I be?? I have the agenda for the conference and it looks like a lodgevery long meeting and they are already making arrangements for Lunch and Afternoon Tea,  at 3:40, which means I’ll be staying overnight  – at the  Lodge again – coming home Sunday instead of Saturday.