RFDS – Page 5 – Edgar's Page

RFDS, the Man and Orchids (Triffids)

22/05/201422/05/2014 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

I only found out very recently that there is a Royal Flying Doctor Service – Support Group, in Germany. They raise funds, just like we do – for the RFDS of Australia. To date the German Group have raised over $110,000. I thought this was pretty amazing. In order for the group to be legally established, the Australian Ambassador in Berlin had to write to the German Financial Authorities confirming that the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and thus the support group, is a non-profit organization. Amazing – The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia – German Division. :o)

Put the car in for servicing and repairs today. Glad to note only minor repair, and usual oil and coolant change. All ready for Adelaide on 26th. Once the Assembly is finished – probably late Wednesday – I will stay over and attend a training course to update my First Aid Certificate.I figured that since I was in Adelaide anyway, I might as well get that done at whilst I was there. All going well I should be heading home on the Friday.

My groomer informed me – reluctantly – that she would prefer not to groom the Man. Not that he is a “problem” dog but she is concerned about him. Because his back legs are a bit of a concern she is frightened that she might hurt him and that makes her nervous. She’s a young woman and I understand her concerns. So, I either try to find a new groomer who has experience in working with a dog that has

The Maltese Terrorist in "our"Chair — The Maltese Terrorist in “our”Chair

unstable back legs or I think about attempting to do it myself and really making a mess – and don’t say I wont because I know I will. I can leave him until I get back from Adelaide, by which time he will be just about ready for a groom again. He has some problems at time standing still to eat his dinner, so when that happens I stand behind him and support him with my hands underneath him. He’s only little, a slow eater and boy after a while it gets a bit painful on the back bending down., but we’ll think of something. The good news is that I have found another groomer and I have made an appointment with her when I get back from Adelaide. – Chienne is short-haired and does not need grooming – just a bath and I can do that :o)

Like the song says “All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go” and it is so. I did hope that I would be able to do some things in the city before the General Assembly begins, but I have been called to a meeting at Para Hills in the early afternoon. Anyway, first two days in North Adelaide then over to Norwood for the remainder. I have no idea what the Para Hills thing is all about – most unusual to say the least, to call such a meeting only hours before the General Assembly. Very strange!!

The back is still a disaster area and the lovely weeds are thriving. The two Bougainvillea are still surviving (sorry CDL) as are the three other flowers. I am pleased that the Native Hibiscus – which I really though had died, has sprung to life again and is growing like crazy. Have had salads – I know it’s nearly winter here but I like salad – and I am pleased to say that I have been using the lettuce leaves from the raised vegetable bed. In a day or so I should also start to use the parsley. But that’s no great feat – parsley will grow anywhere and good as I am, even I would have difficulty killing it. Brussels Sprouts -hmmmmm – early days. So everything is not quite a total disaster out back. Front – no movement from the Fir Trees – still at the height they were when I planted them – Sturt’s Desert Pea is going like wildfire. I want to take a few photographs of this and take it into the Arid Lands Botanic Garden on the way home – also the Sturt’s Desert Rose, which is also thriving. The weeds are too, but I am getting on top of them out there.. The big Shadehouse has been abandoned for the time being. With a limited access to a good

Gives me the creeps - like Orchids :o) — Gives me the creeps – like Orchids :o)

garden shop, I can’t get the shade plants that will survive. One “friend”suggested that I give it over to Orchids. I couldn’t do that – I would freak out every time I looked at them – Triffids – miniature Triffids..

Cyclones, Microchips and Black Thumb

16/04/2014 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

Romp in the long grass - "sigh" — Romp in the long grass – “sigh”

As I am writing a Severe Category 5 Cyclone is about to batter into North Queensland. Here in our little corner of the Commonwealth, the rain has finally stopped. I have been out doing some stuff for the RFDS and on the drive back to the house, I could actually see the stars – which means, no rain clouds. This weekend will be a very busy weekend between RFDS and the Church I probably wont sit down much before 4pm Sunday after we put the Moderator on the aircraft to return to Adelaide. I have a trailer load of stuff waiting to get taken down to the dump and it’s been waiting for the best part of a week now. I hope to be able to get it attended to on Monday morning. Herself is still loosing blood, still tired but she keeps going on. Nothing else for it, really. We are still waiting to see the specialist and I have a feeling I may have to take her to Adelaide for that.

In May I have to be in Adelaide for most of a week to attend the State Assembly, then I’m fairly free until early June. I should be there twice in June, but I have the suspicion that I could develop a bit of a cold for one of them. I had thought of going to the Andrea Bocelli concert in September and then I had a look at the ticket prices and by the time I pay transport and hotel bills I would not have a lot of change out of $1100 and I really cannot justify that. I’m not being a cheapskate but $1100 for a two and a half hour concert is really not justifiable. Yes I could get very cheap tickets and I suppose people will, but it seems pointless to me to go to a concert and be so far away from the stage that you need a telescope to see it.

It’s Australia! The Category 5 cyclone was downgraded to 4 -3-2-1 -severe tropical storm, which caused some damage, but, thankfully, not as much as was expected. There was damage to power lines, trees and some structural damage, but mostly heavy rain and flooding. Thankfully, also, the weekend is over and I can sit down. It was a hectic three days starting with an RFDS function on Friday, then all day Saturday – 10am – 8pm and from 9:30 Sunday until 3pm. And to round it all off, we had the entire clan for dinner on Sunday evening. This morning I did, finally, manage to get the trailer emptied, so it’s all ready for use again.

I telephoned my Vet this morning asked about the Microchip of my dogs and how long does it last – it remains active for as long as the dog is alive. The only time any changes

This is what rain looks like... — Sneaky things, clouds..

are made is if the dog changes ownership and the registration has to be changed. Other than that – it’s for life.

Next month I have to spend a week in Adelaide and have been looking for a hotel. Normally I stay in the same place, but on this particular occasion, it has been decided to divide the Assembly- two days at one venue, two days at another – stupid idea if you ask me!! So I was looking – on line – for a place somewhere between the two. Was asleep and just after midnight (00:22) I had a telephone call from a Holiday Inn who wanted to talk rates with me. I was not impressed and it took me a while before I settled down and got back to sleep. Guess where I wont be staying?? But after all that I would seem that the best course of action is to do nothing and go where I generally go and put up with the extra traveling for the two days. Still think it’s a silly idea and something we have never done before. I do hope it’s not setting a precedent.

I have two RFDS functions this week – one tomorrow (Wednesday ) and one on Saturday. Tomorrow should be a fine day but not so sure about the weekend. Thursday and Friday I hope to get some work done in the garden. I have not, as yet, ripped out the dead plants, but I will tomorrow. After that I think I really need to decide if it is worth continuing this struggle. – I think the “Black Thumb” has come back again. Sometimes all I have to do is look at a plant and it goes into self-destruct. I think it’s a talent !!

Barbecue, dogs and movies

06/03/2014 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

Saturday and I spent the morning helping to run a fundraising Barbecue for the RFDS. We were only there about three hours and managed to raise about $340, which is not bad. Herself had a good night last night and after I laid out her breakfast I set off to the BBQ. I did call a couple of times to make sure everything was ok. It’s not been all that bad of a week and we were able to relax for a bit as things calmed down. Monday we are at the hospital again and we’ll see how things go from there. I have been giving the Man a medication that was recommended to me and we have noticed that he is crying a lot less and is much more active. Well, yes, I still have to carry him for a bit, but just to get his wind back, you understand, not that he needs it, of course :o ) On the other hand, if he didn’t run around like a mad thing and expend all his energy in the first five or six minutes, it might be a tad different.

Not sure where I got this from, but it works for me.

Monday and we are back to the hospital again. This afternoon she goes to have an Echocardiograph, which is an ultrasound of her heart. They are, I believe, doing this because she failed the Stress Test last week. Well, she didn’t actually fail it, she couldn’t walk on the treadmill as fast as they wanted her to so they abandoned it. With this test the rules are that we MUST be there on time or the test will be cancelled. Should not be a problem. This will be our last appointment until Friday, so after today, provided all goes well, I should be able to wind down for a little. I don’t know – perhaps it’s just me but I really fail to see what these tests have to do with a blood loss, but I suppose they have to eliminate other possibilities. I am supposed to go to a meeting next Wednesday and I think I might just be able to fit it in. However, it means taking a coach to Adelaide and a coach home. I can get the 6am coach, go to the meeting then get the 6pm coach back home, ready to take her to the Specialist on Thursday. I really need to attend this meeting because I have to write a report and it would be better that I was there and talk to people rather than simply write the report from the information I have to hand – comprehensive thought it might be.

Interesting post recently with reference to the Oscars. The writer asked her followers to list their three favourite movies – mine being, Casablanca – The Man Who Would be King – A Man For all Seasons – these are the three I would take with me to a desert island, but I have to say that there are “Runners Up” that I like: Hatchi -55 Days at Peeking – The Day after Tomorrow ( yes I know the science leaves a lot to be desired, but I like it), Shadowlands – The Remains of the Day – On The Beach (with Fred Astaire not the remake) Braveheart – The Lion in Winter. I would quickly get fed up with the Lord of the Rings, but I would take the three Narnia Movies with me and one other probably surprising selection – Yankee Doodle Dandy – with James Cagney.

I have some worry about the Man and he is not only slowing down but there is a loss of strength and control in his back legs. He still runs about the house like a mad thing, but he does lose his balance a bit and falls. Still, he gets up and carries on. As soon as we get herself settled again, and whilst there does not seem to be any immediate concern, I will get him to the vet for advice. Other than that, this is a long weekend and Monday is a public holiday, so I have the weekend to sit down and contemplate the heavens – or something.

Medical Tests and another Road Trip

02/02/2014 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

Australia’s National Highway 1 was created in 1955 and is the longest National Highway in the world. It circumnavigates Australia, linking all the mainland Capital Cities together. It is some 14,500 klms. long, the nearest being the Trans-Siberian Highway followed by the Trans-Canada Highway. We are not part of the National Highway Grid. We join the Highway 60 klms Northeast of here and then travel along its route to Adelaide. I said once that I would like to drive the National Highway, going where I felt like going and stopping where we felt we had driven long enough for a day. Sadly that never happened and with the state of herself’s health, it probably never will.

The garden has not quite been abandoned and I still have to go out every few days to sweep up 6 million tons of leaves – well, ok, perhaps not quite that amount it just feel like it at times. There is no point in planting anything at this time because the ground is much too warm and besides, I think it’s much too hot to be spending hours out in the sun. All I am really doing is sweeping up and keeping up the watering as much as I can. I have already lost a number of plants, including the Hibiscus, despite watering and mulching.

20140201_133847 — The girls at the Barbecue

The RFDS simulator was set up in the Reserve from 9am – 4pm and we were fairly busy. However, I had to leave about 1pm to take herself to the hospital for tests. Likewise with Friday, busy, but I was with herself at the hospital – this time for a stress test – which was a failure. Not that she failed the stress test, but that she could not walk at even the slow speed that they wanted her to do on the treadmill. The test was abandoned. But we did go for chest x-rays. Saturday and I spent all day in the Woolworth Carpark with the simulator and a barbecue. Both areas were very busy and it being a hot day, Woolworth were good to us providing cool drinks and chilled watermelon.

Today the unit is down at the foreshore but I believe that due to the extreme heat it was closed down fairly early. Tomorrow ( Monday) it goes back to Adelaide. Four days and we were very luck to have it out of Adelaide for one day,let alone four. It is fully equipped and is a training unit for medical personnel new to the RFDS.

On Monday (Tomorrow) I take herself back to the doctor and see what happens next. In essence, nothing much can happen until the Specialist gives his report, but we’ll see what transpires tomorrow. On Friday morning I set off for Adelaide and will be away until late Saturday. I will have to keep an eye on the weather because I really don’t want to be driving 400 klms in a 43c heat. True the AC is pretty good, but that’s not really the point. It puts a fair strain on the engine. However, I will take an extra container of Coolant and a container of water, and if it is hot – no long sections – frequent stops. Of course I generally have two stops anyway, The Tin Man and Port Wakefield. From Port Wakefield into Adelaide it’s four land motorway all the way. But that’s good Adelaide only spends money on roads that benefit Adelaide – country roads generally get ignored. Oh well, election in five weeks.

Heat, Fires and the RFDS

17/01/201417/01/2014 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

It’s 4:35am and I am sitting here hot and sticky. The temperature has been hovering around the 46c mark for the last few days and will continue for the next few days with a cool change coming in at the weekend. I was in bed at 11pm last night so I guess five hours or so in this heat is fairly good. I do not have an AC in my bedroom, only overhead fans – which I find are only really effective in moving the warm are around, not really cooling it. Still, it’s better than nothing. The Man finally crept out from under my bed at 10pm last night. The dry thunderstorm (no rain) sparked off a number of fires (200) in South Australia, one of which is only about 50 klm. east of the city. Water bombers have been brought over from NSW and Victoria to assist. As the high temperatures continue the possibility for bushfires increases., but I have to say (although Chienne would not agree) the light show last night was quite spectacular.

This is not ours, but it gives you an example.

I bought three Pencil Pines when I was in Adelaide, but because of the heat I have not planted them. They should be safe enough remaining in their pots under cover and well watered until I can get them out. Normally I would do it at the weekend once the cool change comes in, but this weekend I am busy with the Royal Flying Doctors and fundraising. On the subject of the RFDS, we are bringing a 10 meter simulator into town at the end of the month. It’s coming from Central Operations and we will have it for four days, so we will make the best use of it we can. With 557 landings here in the last 12 months, I think many people would be interested to see what the inside of an RFDS aircraft looks like and what range of medical equipment it carries. We can’t take an aircraft out of service, so the simulator is the next best thing.

There are still fires burning out of control across parts of South Australia as the temperature shows no signs of letting up at the moment. Some places further north have recorded temperatures of 50c – and – would you believe – 11 incidents of people leaving children in a car and 4 of a dog left in a car. True one of my dogs will be in a car today, but the Man will be with me and you may be certain that the AC is on at full. We will only be driving for about ten minutes – to the groomer – and a further ten minutes when I collect him.

When I was a boy I went camping, fishing and hiking in the Scottish Highlands with my Dad. After my Dad died, I went off hiking on my own and an kept up the fishing. No. 3 GF came hiking with me but we are talking about the late 1960s in Scotland, so camping was out and we stayed in B&B – separate rooms, of course and if I went in to see her, the room door had to remain open. Even better – she liked Sinatra!! I get slightly amused with the term “relationships”because we never had “relationships” which seems to me to be a fairly modern term. You either had Boyfriend or you had a Girlfriend – there was no relationship – or what moderns would consider a relationship. Yeah, but what about the 60s, Woodstock, Hippie Generation, Free Love and all that – yes certainly in America, possibly even to a small extent in England, but in Presbyterian, Conservative Scotland – I think not!?! After herself and I were married we went back to the Highlands and the mountains for a few carefree years before the twin adventure dampeners of mortgage and family. After the first son was born we did spend some time in the North and my family looked after the child. When he was about four, we introduced him to Loch Earn. We even took him out to Rannoch Moor for a walk. Not really knowing much about Australia I assumed that I could go for long walks and to off fishing. The bulk of Australians fish from the Jetty and that really didn’t appeal to me. The nearest river was the Murray – about 100 miles away and the nearest trout fishing was in the Australian Grampians which are cold enough for trout. I didn’t get used to the flies and still have not, but I missed my highlands so at weekend for the first year or so we were here I very selfishly took off to the upper Flinders Ranges. It wasn’t too bad walking through the SA High Country because we seemed to be out of the way of flies. I don’t think I will ever get used to them.

House, Garden and Dogs

13/12/2013 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

The good thing today is that the Man finished his food and was looking for more – so I gave him more and he finished that as well. I hope this continues. I have decided to take a run through to the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens. I am looking for some native plants and I would much rather get them there that anyplace else. I will also check out the vet when I am here. In my last post, I do not know what happened but I did have tags and they seems to have vanished. Perhaps I didn’t save them as I should have. I also mentioned that December can be an interesting month with regard to weather, and according to the long range weather forecasts we look to be heading towards the mid to high 40+c starting next week. True I’m a

Northern Hemisphere person but I find the heat bearable, except when there is a North Wind along with the heat. When that happens a 44c day is more like a 48c day because the North Wind makes a hot day hotter. For a while I found this difficult to come to terms with because in the UK we had a little ditty “The North Wind doth blow and we shall have snow, and what will poor Robin do then?” Here the North Wind blows off the desert and it’s a hot wind not a cold wind. I suppose it sort of like the Wind Chill Factor – but in reverse…

This, in a round-a-bout way, leads me to say why I have not mentioned a lot about my garden of late. Well, since the storm and the falling down of trees and the subsequent clean up, the place has been a bit of a mess . The wind, to a greater or lesser degree, has never really let up much and as a result, I sweep up leaves on Monday morning and by Monday afternoon you would be hard pressed to measure the work done. Now with a 40+ heat and no wind, I can get a lot done. I can get the place cleaned up and the leaves swept away and I have an idea on how to stop the leaves and bits getting into the covered pergola – and no I don’t mean cutting down the trees (which is illegal anyway). There is a door at the pergola and it’s a wire security door, so yes, I can make sure that it is kept closed and no leaves. Problem – dogs. I don’t need a security door there so I can have that removed and an ordinary door put in its place. The difference here is that I can cut an ordinary door and install a dog door. Simple – problem solved – dogs have access and no leaves and bits.

I read in a post recently about blogging stats and the effect they seem to have on some people. I have sort of followed the old adage on this “There are lies, Damn Lies and Statistics” and to be truthful I have not the foggiest idea on how to use them. I am really not interested and don’t want to know anyway. People come – if they like what they see they will perhaps stay, or at least come again, if not, then they will go – what else is there to know? I think if you start to consider only what other people want then you are no longer doing what you want and as I see it that’s when it’s time to ask yourself if this is really why you started doing this in the first place.

Last week we put up the Christmas Tree in the church. This week – today in fact – we are about to put up the Christmas Tree at home. There is always a family dinner at Christmas – although, there is a Family Dinner every Sunday. John comes over and Andrew, Trish and the girls are here, so we have a full table each Sunday. Not quite sure what the arrangements are for Christmas but I know there will be no one here this Sunday, mainly because I will be on duty with the RFDS at the Carols in the Park. Close to midnight before I get back home. Finish at 10:30 but by the time we clean everything then pack and put everything away. Long afternoon – but fun.

Old dogs, Candles and Present Shopping

29/11/201329/11/2013 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

This is the "Younger" Man — This is the “Younger” Man

It’s getting to the close to publication time with the magazine and I have been very busy – well this is the Christmas Edition and there are 20 pages in this edition. Added to this is the fact that as I have been doing this I have also been setting up the first edition for 2014. I am aiming to have the Christmas Edition out by 10th December – after I get back from the Conference on the 7th December – a date, no doubt etched into many hearts.

The temperature has been wandering around the 38/39c mark these last few days and I believe it’s going to be around 39c again tomorrow. The dogs have been spending most of their time inside and enjoying the cool. I don’t have a swimming pool and I have always wondered how the dogs would take to the water. I have been trying to buy what’s called a clam-shell kiddies pool – just a little thing to see how they would take to it. Not as easy as it sounds as none of the toy shops stock this any more – have no idea why. Anyway, this is on my list for Adelaide.

On the subject of Adelaide I have booked into my second hotel out at Bolivar – about 20k. out of the city. I will drive right into the city and may well have to drive right out again. This particular week is the start of the Second Test Match between England and Australia, and the first day is Thursday 5th December. I haven’t even tried to book the hotel in town and if I did get a room, the place would be crowded anyway. Better to stay well out of town and avoid the crush. This means that I probably wont be shopping in town but will probably go out to Westlakes, Modbury and the big shopping center out there – either that or Elizabeth. The only trouble with that is that neither Modbury nor Elizabeth have a Swarovski and I want a few things there – that’s only in Rundle Mall. But the Test is not the only thing happening in Adelaide that weekend, there’s a Film Festival, several tours, including the Justin Bieber Tour, not that any of this was even considered – or probably known – when dates were set in February. Further to that I did talk to some friends who are also going to town on that same weekend and they did say that they had difficulty booking anywhere and they have also had to move out of town for accommodation. I hope to be able to do some Christmas shopping although trying to buy anything for Herself is a trial – no

19th Century Christmas Shopping - so much easier :o) — 19th Century Christmas Shopping – so much easier :o)

bags, no shoes, no perfume, no jewellery. no new mobile phone – doesn’t leave a whole lot to chose from – sometimes it’s just too difficult.

My son has bought a new house and we have been helping him and his partner move into it. That was fun using trailers and vans, although I did have to go and empty my trailer before it could be used. It’s a big house with lots of room to move about, so the girls are very happy. Before I leave for Adelaide I have two RFDS functions and two more, including the Carols in the Park between then and Christmas. After that we have several weeks free before our next big function, which is Australia Day on 26th January.

I have been taking the dogs out each night and The Man has certainly slowed down, but that’s ok. I’m not in any hurry and I am quite content to walk at his pace and give him a lift when he tires. The medication is really starting to kick in and he has finished his dinner these last few nights – which is very good.

Spys, Thunderstorms and Chienne

12/09/2013 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

It's warmer outside. — It’s warmer outside.

For quite a few years I have been “associated” with a group because of a mutual interest but I found that it was very much an “in-group” and if you were not accepted by the in group, well you were just not accepted. So I decided that I would give up talking in the group but still be a kind of a part of it because a lot of the content really did interest me. A few days ago I decided to “talk” I thought I would be like John le Carre “The Spy who came in from the cold”. However, here’s the thing, I discovered that it was colder in the inside than it was on the outside, which I found quite disappointing.

I am heading off to Adelaide on Sunday afternoon for a clinical appointment on Monday morning. Again it means an overnight stay but at least we will be home late Monday afternoon. I say late because depending on how long we are at the clinic, I would like to get some shopping done. I need some supplies for my Filofax – which I cannot get in this part of the world.

According to the weather forecasters this little burst of spring weather will soon be over as we head towards a winter throwback and rain. Actually, they said rain and thunderstorms and that’s a worry, particularly if they creep up on us unannounced. There are supposed to be storms today yet as I look out of the window, the sky is clear and it looks like a nice day – although it is only 6:40am and the day is yet young. Chienne is very – and I mean very – afraid in thunder. Her sensitive hearing stresses her out something fierce and if we know ahead of time that there is a thunderstorm on the way ( her hearing usually tells us long before it gets here) we can medicate her and keep her reasonably calm. 11am and it’s raining and heavy clouds. Will have to keep an eye on it – but I had words with her and she’s ok at the moment. However (now 7pm) it is raining heavily, there is a lot of lightening about, but not too much thunder as yet. I have given her some medication – half a tablet – and she is reasonably calm but I think it’s going to be a long night.

Samsung the noo 036 — Like the song, “Me and my Teddy Bear, got no worries, got no care”

This month is a very busy month for the FRDS Support and I will be involved in a number of the fundraising activities – thankfully not all. But then I will miss one of the Big Events at the start of the month because I have to be in Adelaide again – four trips in five weeks – 3124 klm. just to Adelaide. No wonder my poor Ford is feeling the strain.

Flowers, dogs and fundraising

10/09/2013 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

I Believe that the Native Hibiscus comes in a number of different colours and I would like to have a good look at that., something I will do when next I visit the Botanic Gardens. I would like a red and a yellow to go with the blue/purple I already have. I think these would make a nice addition. I know, but I am going with the things that I believe will survive rather than be adventurous

This is a snapshot of our electorate:

Grey is a vast electorate, covering 904,881 sq.km, or 91.8% of South Australia, an area larger than New South Wales. It includes the agricultural districts of the Eyre Peninsula and the fishing and port centre of Port Lincoln, the iron triangle cities of Whyalla, Port Augusta and Port Pirie, and since the 2003 redistribution, the whole of the Yorke Peninsula. The greater part of the electorate covers the arid semi-desert north of South Australia

So there it is – a crushing defeat for the incumbent government, so many seats lost, others reduced to marginal seats. A new government, a new direction, so let’s see where that leads. At least this government won’t have the added burden of stabbing each other in the back with the defeated leader and his supporters, undermining the the winning leader and her government. But the saddest thing of all was that even her own supporters turned on her in the end and we had the ” Et tu Brute?” as her so called friends delivered the final cutting strike. Yes it was a lacklustre campaign, populist on one side, controlled and disciplined on the other and in the end, the controlled and disciplined won handsomely. So, as some Americans would say ” Upwards and onwards – Confidence is High” Well, ok, I really don’t know if that’s what real Americans do say, but they do in the Movies :o)

The weather has started to warm up a bit so the dogs have been spending much of their time indoors. Once the weather really heats up and we start to get into the high 30 and 40 then they will spend most of their time inside where it’s cooler. Also, I would like to be able to get back out on my bike again and at least with the warm to hot weather, there is not the annoying wind. I had a look at the Pound and there are ten dogs in there – one Maltese, One Jack Russell and eight Pit Bulls. A worry..

Spent all day yesterday (Saturday) at a fundraising event for the RFDS. I think we

did pretty well for the day but I left before the end to pick up herself and go off to vote.

Hospitals,clinics and Sturt’s Desert Pea.

15/08/2013 by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

I do not have Wallabies and Kangaroos in my garden. I do have two dogs and the occasional wandering cat, which sits high on a fence and teases the dogs. I’m not a cat person, but she/he is a lovely creature.

This week I head back down to Adelaide again. This will be – at least – one overnight stay, however, there is a possibility that it could be two, depending on how the meeting goes on Saturday. At this time of the year I will not make the long drive back home in the dark. The further north you go the more chance there is of wildlife on the road. If you hit a Kangaroo the damage to an ordinary vehicle would be extensive – perhaps not quite so bad in a Jeep, but still cost a dollar or three to get the repairs done. I was told that there is a device you can fit on the front of the vehicle that will deter a kangaroo from coming near you – emits a high frequency noise – or something. Must look into that.

As expected the meeting went on until late in the afternoon and it was almost 5pm before I got back to the hotel. Fortunately they did have a room for me. There were some very contentious issues that were not entirely resolved and will have to be dealt with again at the next regular meeting in October. The space between will give people time to reflect on these issuses and, hopefully, come up with solutions. I arrived home Sunday afternoon and on Monday I was called into work – something I could really have done without. On Thursday I head off again to Royal Adelaide Hospital and take herself for tests. Not looking forward to this because she is not a good traveller and the tests will tire her, so even although the hotel is nice, she will be glad to get back home.

Once back home I have to organise a fundraising event for the RFDS this Saturday. I think I have rostered myself on for that one and provided everything is ok, it should not be a problem. If it were summer I would be back home tomorrow night, since it would have been light until about 9:30pm.

20130809_122208 — Always something new at David Jones

Anyway I kind of feel like John Denver ” All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go” and we take off shortly for the RAH. Her first appointment is not until 12:45 so that gives us enough time to get down there and get parked and make our way to the clinic. Depending on how she feels at the end of the day, we might have time to go into town for a little while. My son is staying here for a few days to look after the dogs.

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