Laptop – Edgar's Page

Wetlands; Stroller, Chestnuts and Lockdowns

02/07/2021 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

I have to admit that I have not been doing a lot of posts this while back. I think all the trips to and from Adelaide of late have kind of washed me out for a while. They were interesting and I did get my new Laptop, but at the same time they were tiring. I have gone back to walking at the Wetlands in the early morning. I had simply been going around the district but decided to return to the Wetlands. And apparently I was missed. Even in the early morning people were wondering where I was and if everything was ok with Benji, Annabell or even me. They actually stopped their walk to come and talk to me and make sure everything was ok. I was very touched. It was really very thoughtful of them. On the subject of Benji, he is not recovering as well nor as quickly as I thought he would. Ok, so he is 11 this year but he is still good and active. I think the initial attack has had a greater effect than we realised. I have tried walking him and he is very slow and ponderous but he is quite happy to be in the stroller and we are wondering if he is sort of looking on the stroller as a protection barrier between him and other dogs – it lets him feel safe. If that is the case, then I am fine with that and I am also fine with lifting him in and out of the car. The Fitbit then, becomes a semi-permanent feature strapped around my ankle

The weather of late had been fairly cold and overnight it has gone down to 1C. The day temperature is bout 15 – 17c and for us that is cool to cold. I think I said before that the one thing I really like about the winter in Australia is the fact that there are chestnuts in the shops, and I love roasted chestnuts. I think I did say before that one of my joys of

growing up in Glasgow was going into town with my dad in winter and going to the Hot Chestnut men and dad would buy two bags of fresh roasted chestnuts – one for me and one for himself. These days I use a microwave and I am really not sure if dad would approve. I could do them another way but it would mean buying a cast-iron frying pan and I don’t know if Annabell would approve. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place :o)

Took Benji out this evening for a walk around the block. We did part of the walk in the stroller and some walking, He did walk for a bit and he did well, but then he seemed to fade so I lifted him back into the stroller and he was fine for the rest of the way. Just thought I would mention that Benji is not just put into the stroller and that’s that. He is strapped in and he had a good blanket wrapped around him. Well, it is cold and he – unlike me – is not moving so he needs the blanket. Looks like we are surrounded by States in Lockdown. South Australia is not in lockdown but our borders are closed to just about everyone and we have gone to mask restrictions. Actually I have just been sent a new set or Covid-19 Restriction Rules for the church , so I’ll have to read them and print them off so they are available in the church. – That should be interesting;;; singing by congregants is not permitted under the new rules. These restrictions came into effect at Midnight and are to last for one week only but reviewed by the Gov. Medical Team on a daily basis. The week is, of course, flexible, but, provide it ends in a week ( Next Wednesday) it should only be an imposition for one Sunday. The last thing we want to do is go into lockdown, which is what the Premier is trying to avoid.

Adelaide and Back again.

19/06/2021 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

Years ago I used to drive down to Adelaide in the morning, do what I had to do then drive home. I don’t do that anymore. One time coming back from a conference I dozed off and I was fortunate that I simply wandered into the grass verge and woke. No harm done to either me or the car, but it gave me a right wake up call – forgive the pun – and since then I do not go down and back on the same day – at least not if I am driving. I will do that if I am on a coach because it’s a five and a half hour journey ( 11 hours there and back) and I can always have a quiet nap. That’s what I did yesterday ( Wednesday) . I was disappointed that I didn’t get the Laptop where I wanted to get it – in my preferred store – and I thought I was going to go home empty handed.. indeed, I felt that if I jumped in a taxi I could make the coach terminal in time for the 12:30 coach home. Then I decided to check out another store and behold, they did have the laptop I wanted at the price I wanted and a special in store 15% discount for the EOFY Sale ( End of Financial Year). How good is that? So, yes, I have a new laptop. I’ll have to set it up over the weekend.

Was “attacked” when I got home last night. You would think I had been away for a week the welcome Benji gave me. He is really looking well and he is

walking well. We went out at 6am this morning( Thursday 17th) and two thirds in the stroller and the last third walking and he has little blue and red lights on his collar, which I bought for him in Adelaide. Because of other things recently, although we have been walking, we have not been down to the wetlands. I will start taking him back there again after this weekend is over.

Annabell has been fairly well since we returned from Adelaide. I had to take her to the hospital once with a new infection but otherwise she has been pretty good. As I said last post new tests were done and we should have the results of those in a week or so. This will determine what happens next. She tends to feel the cold more so I bought her an electric throw blanket for her chair and that keeps her warm and comfortable. Otherwise she is good. Had there been any doubt I would not have gone to Adelaide.

On Friday morning my son picked me up and I drove with him to Adelaide. Quite a number of years ago, during a medical test it was discovered that he had a spot on his brain. At the time his specialist said he should not be too concerned and he told him that he, personally, had two spots on his brain. It could be something or it could be nothing but it has to be monitored. We shared the driving there

Well, that would depend on which one of them I choose.

and back. Going down we became part of the roadworks convoy on the Port Wakefield Road. That wasn’t too bad although after we had cleared the area it did slow down the driving somewhat. It is a 40 klm stretch of road and on the way back – late afternoon – the convoy was pretty big . There is a by-pass road but knowing me, if I took that I would probably end up somewhere in the Northern Territory. Still, we did get home about 7:30, so it wasn’t too bad. Before dropping me off we went and picked up Connor. Benji was glad to see me. I think Annabell said “Hello” but I couldn’t be sure :o) Anyway, an interesting two days to be sure and setting up the new laptop was much easier than I had anticipated. The SSD is smaller than I wanted but it will do for the moment and Solid State Drives are not very expensive.

Lazy Spring Days.

03/10/201803/10/2018 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

I have not written for a while, mainly because I was reluctant to do so until such time as I knew what was happening with this account. Well that can be summed up in a single word – nothing. I have written twice to WordPress without reply so I have – for the time being – decided to treat my spam folder as an alternate inbox. A sort of halfway house really since posts and comments do appear for a few seconds in the inbox and then dissapear

into the spam folder. Why is it so?? I have no idea!

A few weeks ago Benji and I went out to the garden. It was a lovely, warm spring day – about 28c -. I put up the umberella, brought out my laptop and my Filofax and intended to do some work. I had papers to sort out and a couple of emails to write for the RFDS. Benji plonked himself down on the padded bench until it became too warm for him so he slid under the table where the tablecloth and the umbrella protected him from the sun. It

was such a lovely day and I was sorry that spring and summer could not remain as this was. It will, however get hotter as the weeks go on, so I just enjoyed the day as it was. In the time since writing, we have been back to the Port, but, sadly, not the Arid Lands Botanic Garden, we have spent quite a few afternoons at the Wetlands and a couple of afternoons out at the lighthouse. I found some interesting birds at the Wetlands and put a photograph on line. I thought them to be pretty birds and at another part of the walk one of these birds approached me, then Benji moved and the bird walked away. I have since found out that these very pretty white birds are Feral Geese, and (so I am told) very aggresive. They seemed harmless enough to me. The Kiosk has been opened for an afternoon, selling coffee only and trying to get some feedback before official opening, which is the 10th. October. The above photograph of Benji was taken at what used to be a very popular beach on the way to the lighthouse. It was one of the areas we used to take all the children to fish and play – my sister’s children and my boys. Then it was decided that the point would be just right for the Santos Liquids Processing plant so much of the area was closed off for a long while. Now it is very rarely visited and even then only by people on the way to and from the lighthouse who see the expanse of white sand from the road, or people, like me, who remember it from ages past.

At the Wetlands the birds are slowly returning and we now have two pair of Black Swans. I hope the third pair will return. I did mention the Wild

(Feral) Geese and then there is this fellow and I have no idea who he is, but I have seen him a couple of times at different parts of the area.

I have also been doing some work in the garden. There is an area that has not been neglected but it seemed that whatever I planted there – died. I decided it must be the soil, so I dug it all out, removed it and replaced it with fresh soil toppoed by potting mis and fertilizer. Watered it all in and planted some flowers. They lasted for two days until the next door 87,000 cats dug them up. Kind of them, I thought.. I am not giving up and have bought new plants, posts and chicken wire. We’ll see how that does.

The Dark, the Ghost and the Rosebush

31/07/2016 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

Friday: The workmen came this morning to fill in the trench. That’s all they were contracted to do – they have no idea when the concrete work will be done. Still, at least I can get the car back into the driveway – I think – I haven’t tried it yet. —– I have just been told that the concreting will be done tomorrow, so it will probably be Sunday before I can use the driveway again. I am quite pleased that it is completed now because for the month of August Annabell will be hosting the Ladies Coffee – Tuesday evening and again on the Wednesday morning.

The other news is that I do not have to go to Adelaide to have the Laptop fixed. It has been done. I telephoned the Apple Shop to make an appointment with the Tec, and instead I ended up with one of the Senior Tecs and together we sorted the problem out over the phone. It took a while and I will expect to see a jump in the telephone bill because of it, but whatever it is it will be nowhere as much as going to Adelaide either by coach or driving. So the Laptop is now running El. Capitan the newest AppleMac OS. I am quite pleased about that.

Took BJ out for our walk this morning and by morning I mean 5:50am, and just as we passed a fence we were suddenly confronted by an apparition in white, scared BJ who started barking like crazy ( unusual) and set my heart off racing at a rate of knots. It was only for a few moments before it vanished behind the very large caravan in the driveway. No it was not a ghost, what is was, was the lady of the house out laying towels over her rose bushes to protect them from the cold. Admirable to be sure, but at 5:50 am – still dark, dressed in white ( white dressing gown carrying white cloths) reflected in the street light on the opposite side of the road – scared me half to death! Not quite what you expect at that time on a cold winter. morning. I told a lady in the church today and her comment was “that’s good, John, as long as it was not dressed in black carrying a scythe and an hour glass, you’ve nothing to worry about”.

All completed - just needs to cure — All completed – just needs to cure

The concrete is laid, the area blocked off and all the workmen gone. Looks good and the men have done a really good job. I can walk on it as from tomorrow but not drive on it until at least Tuesday. Busy week ahead – Wednesday I go to the Specialist and hope that he will organise the surgery for my collapsing right knee-cap in the not too distant future. Then I have a day off and of Friday I go see my Cardiologist. I only see him once every four months and there is a good chance that the visits may well be finalised since everything has been great for the last year.

In mid August I head off to Adelaide and will be away for two days. I am no sooner back than I set off again, but this time just for a day, at least that’s the plan. The second visit may also be for two days and that should be me (Officially) until November unless I decide to go down for the weekend and take the trailer with me to Bunnings. Having said that I probably will need the trailer for ten square meters of Synthetic Turf for my plan. I have already started on that and as the weeks progress I will add more to it until I have things the way I want them.

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: