(Please Note: Leonie's photographs are now included, just click on the image above. Enjoy, Nita)

Saturday-   I forgot to tell you last week that we have a goose that was mauled by a dog, or run over or something.  I cannot be more precise because the first I knew of it was a white lump over the road in a paddock opposite our place.

 

He/she/it is currently resting in the aviary, short of fuse and long on hiss.  The goose seems to be progressing well. 

 

Monday-  I have taken a photo of the goose, who has moved itself from the inner part of the aviary to the outer.  I don't think we will be letting it out with the others yet, as I don't want it attacked, it still can't move properly.

 

Mum leaves for Adelaide tomorrow, and I am entirely concerned about her health and lifestyle, but there is not much I can do to alter either.  She loves her coffee, and yet does not sleep well and has a dry mouth, constantly trying to salivate.  She has a dowager's hump, the same as her mother, who did not live to Mum's age, but then, Nanna smoked like a chimney, and believed that food wasn't worth frying if it wasn't swimming in fat.  Nanna was short, fat and had a temper like a spooked goose.  At 5'2", I used to be the second tallest female in the family, but my nieces have long since surpassed me (we have a saying that they probably were kicked up the rear more than patted on the head, which is why they are taller than me).  We are heading down to Melbourne to see her onto the 'plane, and I guess we'll just have to have lunch there, won't we, and there is a possibility that this will be the last lunch we share with Mum (you never know, do you?), we should really treat her to a great lunch, and as we all love Yum Cha and the Dragon Boat restaurant has such fabulous food... well, let's not draw too complete a picture.  Any excuse will do, tra la...

 

A gentleman dropped in on Sunday to ask if we would sell him our adult sow.  Brian said no, but showed him our piglets.  He is the bloke who bought Porky, our first boar.  He says that he will take all of them, bar the two that we are keeping for the freezer (one for Rose and Russell, Aaron's bosses, because they have been so good to us, and one for our own pig-out), and will pick them up in a fortnights time, paying us $50 each for the six little darlings.  I just hope that I am doing something else at the time, because Brian will then have to catch them, and even if he and I are both here, we do not work well together, so perhaps I will be blessed, and Aaron, the gentleman and Brian can play catch piglet.

 

The pictures show Bessie wondering if I have some food, and Porgy enjoying the sunshine in his playground.  Poor, hard-done-by pigs!  We are now regularly filling four domestic-sized garbage bins with dead fruit and vegetables to tide them over until the next day.  It's a wonder they can walk!

 

There is are lovely pictures Brian has taken of a Christmas beetle-type of bug, but nowhere near the size.  Like it's anorexic or something.  The photos, Brian believes, do not do it justice, but I am happy with them.

 

Oh, the pictures of the geese: I will attempt to get better ones of the Goose Mafia, particularly of the little beggars that have daubed themselves with motor oil (why do they do that?), who look even more menacing than usual.  They wish.  One in particular looks entirely nasty.  I'll try and get a good shot of him, photographically speaking.

 

There is a shot of Ugly Ol' Rufous.  He lifts up his feather comb when he is upset, just like a cocky.  Sorry, cockatoo.  Stupid bird.  One of the ducks is sitting on I don't know how many eggs, and she seems nervous, perhaps her first clutch.  I've warned everyone off the area, so that she gets as little disturbed as possible.

 

Brian says the ute is nearly finished.  For all you revheads out there (good ol' boys?), I'll try and enclose pictures of that, too, so that you can either salivate or laugh loudly, whatever is your pleasure.

 

There is an interesting picture of Beau minus his massive fan of tail feathers.  No, I did not pull them out, but what is cute is that one of the tail feathers somehow ended up in the broody hens nest, poking out like some esoteric decoration.

 

Tuesday - Well, Mum is safe in Adelaide, we lost the Cricket Trophy (rather, I should say, we World beaters let India keep it one more year.  We were pitiful, we really were.  Those who can, do, those who can't criticise. lol).

 

Mum really enjoyed her time here, and loved the photos Brian had printed off the computer of Porgy and Bess.  I forgot to include one of Beau's feathers.  There is a really beautiful one that I had saved for her. 

 

It's stone fruit season here, and my, they are delicious!  Still can't seem to get anything but cardboard apricots, though, so I may have to advertise.  They are my favourite fruit.  I'll just have to help some concerned landowner in eating his or her crop.  I will bravely sacrifice my tastebuds (overwhelmed with yummy apricot flavour) and burgeoning stomach (who cares, who cares?) just to help out.  Now, isn't that wonderful of me?

 

Is it just us, or do you poor people out there have Easter Eggs already in the supermarkets too?  I think they're getting a bit previous, don't you?

 

The invalid goose is getting better.  Rufous is very wary around us all.  Probably due to being chased and stuffed in a sack and suffering the indignities of a ride in a vehicle that has more vibrations than the woofers at a Rolling Stones concert.  Poor fellow.  But it was a bit far to walk.

 

Caution is still on heat, so I am not taking her on walks.  Because she is head dog after the humans, I cannot therefore take Mowgli for a walk.  She growls at him, not wanting him to mate with her.  Which is fine with me.  She shouldn't have any more puppies, and certainly not by her son.  She's coping, just asking for extra attention from me, which I give her, 'cause she's a sweetie and I want her relationship with Mowgli to stay just as it is.

 

Peter turned up with more bread for us tonight.  Bless him.  A lot of it is mouldy, but what the flock won't eat the flying mice (sparrows) will, so that's cool.  I am thinking of doing what they used to do in Renaissance gardens, and have bird netting over the water so that we can trap starlings and sparrows, quickly and painlessly put them to death, and give extra food to the pigs.  I know it sounds horrible, but these birds are becoming a pest.  There is no way known I would want them to suffer, but at the same time, they eat our animals' food, spread diseases, and are imports who do not belong here.

 

Wednesday - Apparently the price of Australian beef in Japan has gone up by 40%.  But the good news is that you incredibly clever people in the US will be back in the market very shortly. I'm all for that - we can only supply so much, after all, and if the price overseas goes up, so will the domestic price, and I like the occasional bit of cow to fang on.

 

We have had some furious showers of rain today, and the wind has been incredible.  Driving the van in it is akin to Dorothy's experience in her Kansas to Oz sojourne.  The worst of it is that I have a bit of a sleep problem, and I really have a difficulty staying awake when I have to be concentrating over long periods of time.  Driving is one of those times.  It makes for interesting travelling!

 

Thursday - Beau died.  Naturally, he left a beautiful carcass, and Belle is very distraught.  Brian is not a happy man.  We don't know why our peacock decided to up tail feathers, but I found him all rigored out in the peafowl enclosure this morning.  I will have to get a replacement, I can't leave Belle mourning, nor Brian.  I must get around to plucking him.  The body will go to Bess and the piglets.  No sense in wasting good meat.

 

Have just 'phoned Cudgee Wildlife Park (where we buy our peafowl) and Ken said that he had a peacock for only $15.  Couldn't get the "Yes" out fast enough.  He'll try and capture him for me, and will let me know.  It's a surprise for Brian.

 

I was silly enough to buy the first season of "Soap", the satire on soap operas from the 70s.  Three (count them, 3) DVDs.  I have been watching them and the housework is not houseworking.  Still, Alice has learned to do a very fussy job on the dishes, and her room is reasonably tidy.  God is good.  Now, if only her Mother can get to the rest of the house. 

 

How thick can an author with a supposedly high IQ be?  It's alright, folks, that was definitely a rhetorical question.  I have finally, after nearly three years here, worked out that it would be a good idea to use the sunroom as a sunroom and put a drying rack for clothes in there.  Altogether now, folks, let's hear it - "Duhhh."  Thankyou.  It works, especially if I use it early enough in the morning, as it faces east only.  Next place where I actually have some input into the design will definitely have a lonnnnggg breezeway, just for drying clothes.  And maybe fruit and vegetables.  And seeds.  And herbs.  Well, you just never know how handy such a place might be, do you? 

 

 

Friday - Those wonderful people at Swinton's Supermarket go out of their way to help me.  Today, the gentleman in charge of the forklift made sure that the pallett with its wooden box of dead veg. was at exactly the right height for me, and just behind the van, so that I didn't even have to haul the bins from the box to the van.  How wonderful is that?  And Materia's are just as good, as I have lost count of the number of times that their young gentlemen have grabbed the bin and hauled it out for me.  Or perhaps I just look an old 44, and they are taking pity on me.

 

Saw the house mouse yesterday, with its tail poking out of the rat poison box.  So I bought some more poison.  Can't stand having pests in the house (other than Brian and Alice, and I chose them, so I shouldn't complain), especially ones that widdle on your food.  I am super careful about where the boxes are sited, though, as an errant daschie may well find itself at its own last supper.  Speaking of which, Caution is STILL on heat, which has to be a record for her and a nuisance for us all.  I can no longer take her or Mowgli out on walks, or even in the car.  And certainly not in the house.  Poor ol' thing.

 

Saturday - Finally finished watching the DVDs today.  And because it's first season, it's been left with a few cliffhangers.  Typical.  And serves me right.

 

We were really blessed today - picked up Beau Mk.ll, and was given fourteen ducks.  I loves me ducks.  They have such nice smiles (yes, I know I'm anthropomorphising, but doesn't everyone about something?), and usually such nice natures.  Some of them are only ducklings, but we grabbed what we could, anyway.

 

I've just looked up an Internet site about "Soap", and found that because it was dropped so quickly by the Network involved (naming no names, but the guilty will please hang their heads in their hands in shame), the last ever episode ended on cliffhangers.  Well, now, isn't that just like life.  Only Jesus truly got to say, "It is finished."

 

Mind you, I received a shock when looking at the individual bios.  A couple of favourites (the people who played Burt and Mary) have actually died in real life.  Both of cancer.

 

Went out to dinner tonight to celebrate the birthday of a friend of our sons'.  We all had a marvellous time, but I nearly forgot a New Years Resolution - the chocolate mousse was so inviting.  So I had sticky date pudding instead, another favourite.

 

Oh, that reminds me,  I know you people over in North America and Europe (and the UK if you must differentiate) have probably seen enough squirrels to take them for granted, but picture if you will the first time you actually saw a koala in the flesh.  Did you go all googly-eyed?  Well, the Cudgee Wildlife Park has a family of squirrels.  Only small ones, mind you, but ultra-cute.  Naturally, there have to be permits for these sorts of exotica, wouldn't want just anyone owning them and then letting them go to wreak havoc in our country, like our cats, dogs, rabbits and carp have done.  All our own fault.  I don't even want to talk about foxes.  So the squirrels are very nice and pretty in their cage at Cudgee (pronounced Cud-gee, where the "g" almost takes on a "ch" sound), and that's where they can stay.  Alice wanted monkeys, but was persuaded otherwise.

 

When I was a child, I remember asking my Father why we didn't have seagulls in our aviary at home.  He told me they required a permit, and hence could not be kept.  What a quick thinking Dad!

 

When I asked my Mum why we couldn't keep a lion ("Leonie" means "lion"), she told me they stank.  She's right, which is probably why I use perfume.

 

So today, nothing has croaked it, except my voice, and my brain is only near-comatose from lack of sleep (Brian is back at work, always a joy to my sleep patterns, the man is amazing, does it all with very little complaint).  And we have a new peacock and several new ducks.  What happiness!

 

Sunday - Well, God is really blessing us!  I took delivery today of a new Indian Runner drake.  Such a sweetie.  I put him in the pen with the new ducks and ducklings and he should do just fine.

 

Swinton's went over the top with me again!  The gentleman there, on hearing from me that the dead fruit and veg. outside really was dead (phew!), took out a box full of new stuff, opening up the back rollerdoor and carting it out after taking the trouble to unhook his hand directed fork lift from where it was charging.  How wonderful is that?!  Three garbage bins and one large bucket later, I had all of the watermelon, lettuce, stone fruits, potatoes, celery, pumpkin, tomatoes and other green and multi-hued miscellenia for which anyone could ask.  And so fresh it almost slapped my face as I picked it up!

 

So there you go, a rather typical, atypical week for us.

 

We now have even more chooks, free of course, and although they are second-year-birds, the new girls are laying a treat in a wonderful little house Brian built for them within the Feathers Pen.

 

I was delighted today to get free commercial food for them.  I asked at the local grain merchant in Warrnambool, and they are happy for me to sweep up whatever has spilled and takes my fancy.  Notably, I was careful to make sure that there were no rat/mouse baits included in the food.  The feathers were delighted with their mix, and the girls (chooks) were having a great time checking out the possibilities of munchies in their floor straw.  Which straw Brian has cut and baled himself.  Oh, I am so chuffed with that!

 

Brian has now finished with next door's paddock, and we have over 200 bales!  A lot of it is rubbish stuff, but it will stop Muppet's stools from being too loose over Winter, once he gets stuck into the greenery in his paddock.

 

I have been for some time a member of http://www.frugalvillage.com  Please go and visit - if you are homesteading, dumpster diving, quilting or crafting, after friends, homeschooling or, as the name suggests, into frugality in a big way,  - you will find a second home here.  They are nice people there, and have been kind enough to agree with my assessment of Nita and her PhancyPages - wonderful!

 

If you do decide to join, please let them know I sent you.  Not only will I get some credit (always like a pat on the back, no matter how it comes!), but it helps the good folks at Frugal Village understand where the flood of new enquiries originated.  If you love Nita's PhancyPages, you'll equally love the Frugal Village.

 

Zzzzzzzzzzzz

 

I'm sitting in front of the computer

and my brain is playing tricks

 

I don't know if I should leave

my head feels full of bricks

 

Each time I think "Now what to write?"

my mind is shutting down

 

Dreams are flitting past me now

oh my, how tired I've grown

 

Can you hear the snoring?

A chunk of me is heading south

 

Seems just like I'm back in school

Am I drooling at the mouth?

 

Focus!  Come on, concentrate!

Stop drifting in and out!

 

Finish what you were doing, girl

Or do I have to shout?

 

I know you'd rather be in bed

you're asleep in the chair

 

grab some juice, try to think

go out for some air!

 

You're on the home stretch, now

I see, type faster if you can

 

remember the computer was invented

by a sadistic man!

 

 

 

Aussie English by John O'Grady

 

BAG OF FRUIT

A suit.  An abomination which, with a tie, is still worn in Australia, even in summer.  But the further up north you go, the fewer will you see.  And right up 'the top end', it would be difficult to find a man who owns one.

 

BARBECUE

Steak, chops and sausages cooked in the open air 'when the weather's right'.  What Americans call a 'cook out'.

   Sunday is the favoured day for barbecues, and provided there is enough beer it doesn't matter whether the meat is eaten semi-raw, or charred black.  There is always enough beer.

   Some people drink tea when they have a barbecue.  But this practice is considered eccentric.