Christmas with Lib

Lib and I were married early in 1981. Christmas 1980 I'm sure we had it with Lib's parents in Wangaratta. I was still working there, we lived in a house in Ryley St, which doubled as the Hume Hwy, trucks running past day and night about thirty metres from our bedroom. It was an older style house, probably 1920/30's build. It's no longer there. A few years after we left Wang the freeway diversion around Wang was built. The house, which was owned by Mrs Yuen in the takeaway Chinese cafe up the road, was bulldozed, as part of the K Mart construction. Where we ate, slept and made love in the front bedroom (the earth literally shook with the trucks), and extracted honey in a back room, has been a car park for nearly four decades.

Every Christmas since then has been a family affair. Initially, back in Wang with Lib's family. For some years Lib worked Monday to Friday so there were years when she could swap with someone who wanted the triple pay. There were some years later we had Christmas at Gembrook, after our kids were born and the house was extended, Lib's parents and sisters and families coming too. That was usually if Lib had to work on the day, and it would be an evening bash. On those days me and the boys would lunch with my family at the farm. Margaret and Phil had a popup van and one year Pat and Michael put a tent up, as did Marg's girls. This was the norm for a while after Moll and Bill got a bit old for it in Wang. There was a Christmas at Bairnsdale at Marg and Phil's, and one or two in Bendigo at Pat and Michaels, who usually alternated having every second with Michael's family. After Molly and Bill died, if P and M were with Michael's fam, Marg and Phil maybe with one of their daughters, it was lunch at the farm, then dinner at home with our boys.

The most memorable for me was the day Gordon was born. That year was just Molly and Bill in the morning, Marg and Phil and kids came in the afternoon. We were opening our presents at about 11am. Lib, heavily pregnant, was due on January 7, coincidentally Molly's birthday, started to get signs of labour. We loaded into my ute and drove to Dandenong hospital. After some trauma during the birthing, during which they sent me out and I could hear Lib's agony from outside, the nature of the complication I was not informed, Gord was born a couple of hours after we got there. Lib's doctor had not made it in time. They bought Lib a hospital Christmas dinner after she recovered, but she had no appetite, and gave it to me.

I went home to Gembrook, a little dazed. I put on Handel's Messiah and played it loud. For unto us a child is born. It gripped my soul. I was floating. 

Moll and Bill and Lib's sister Margaret, husband Phil their three kids had a standard Christmas dinner with me that evening. Lib missed that one.

Today, it's just Lib and me. Gord has gone back to Victoria to do it with my family. It would be the first Christmas since I met Lib that we have spent it alone together. She's playing Nick Cave. I'll put on the Messiah before we go out to our picnic lunch at the Bluff, or the little nearby beach. I'm not tired this Christmas. Nice.

Happy Christmas blog readers.

Echidna Award

 We had our Christmas party today at the Nangawooka Flora Reserve, for the Hindmarsh River Estuary Group. I was chuffed to be one of two recipients of the Echidna Award. I have pictures of the day on my phone but it takes some effort and head scratching for me to get them to this blog, maybe I'll add them later, it's too late now. But one came through from one of the coordinators, of me receiving the award from another coordinator. I put it on desktop and can easily put it here.

The award is a coffee mug with an echidna picture on it. It will be well used daily.

A Fizzer

We went to Adelaide today. The idea was to go to a book signing for Nick Cave's new book. Lib said it was at Dymock's in the Rundle Mall. I didn't like the idea of Gord and Lib going there without their trusty chauffeur, so I went too. Besides, I had a gift voucher from Dymock's Meredith gave me last Christmas that I hadn't used.

As anyone reading this would know Lib was at school at Wangaratta High with Nick Cave. He was her school boyfriend for a while, she even cracked a mention in his first book. I would have liked to meet him anyway but as it turned out there was no event at Dymock's, they knew nothing about it. Lib was disappointed but thankful I made the effort to go with her. She must have got wires crossed. I missed a working bee on the river reserve that I would have liked to have attended but that's OK, there'll be plenty more. The Group's Christmas do is next Sunday. 

It wasn't a wasted day. We enjoyed a change of scenery. I bought Tom Keneally's Fanatic Heart with my voucher, and we did a reconnoiter of our hotel we are staying at next Wednesday night when we go to Nick Cave's concert. A violent wind and rainstorm swept through Adelaide while we were walking back to our car park. We had to take cover. I felt very sorry for the few vagrants we had seen before the rain, one sleeping on concrete, another trying to dry a wet blanket. It's very sad that in an affluent society with all these flash buildings and eateries there's people sleeping on concrete with blankets and coats pulled around them huddled in doorways. 

I heard Noel Pearson's Boyer lecture today on Radio National before we left. He speaks brilliantly.

Heat Pump

 We had a fairly new gas hot water service in this house when we moved here 19 months ago. I don't know when it was installed, the agent said fairly recently, I guessed that could mean anything from 2 years to 8 years. The previous owners had been here 8 years and had done some renovations.

The fuel was bottled gas, piped gas not being in our street, but is a couple of streets away. I paid for two bottles when we moved in, otherwise we'd have no hot water. Having two bottles meant that when one emptied, you switched to the other bottle and ordered a new one. The new bottle was delivered in a few days, so there was a full bottle in reserve. Cost was $106 per bottle. A bottle was supposed to last for 10-12 weeks I was told, and that was the case for us for nearly all the first year, towards the end of which the price went to $116 per bottle. It quickly went to $137 for the next purchase. I wasn't greatly concerned at the price rise; we'd been softened up by all the talk about the war in the Ukraine and gas shortages in Australia due to political mismanagement of resources and bad contracts with gas companies.

What did worry me was that the last few bottles were only lasting 5-6 weeks. This was mid- winter. Could it be that the water going into device was so much colder and needed more gas to heat? Unlikely I thought. Could it be that we were using more water? Unlikely, we each bathed once a day, and had the same habit since we moved in. There was no gas appliance of any other type, just the hot water. Could it be that there was a leak in the unit, the connections, the pipeline. Possible. Could it be that they were not putting as much gas in the bottles? Possible I thought. 

After buying 3 bottles in quick succession, I rang a company that deals in electric heat pumps for some info. They sent me some options and quotes after they asked for and I sent photos of the existing HWS and meter box. We chose the more expensive of the three, an Istore 270 litre capacity which is popular because of its quietness of operation. It was installed within a week of making the choice. The cost of $3100 (with state and fed government rebates), should be recouped in a few years as it runs on the solar power during daytime. It gives us ample hot water for our evening baths and showers, hotter than the gas one we had. The water is still warm in the morning, but the unit has a complicated setting system of timers and modes and can be adjusted to whatever. Frankly I haven't mastered it yet, haven't needed to, but this morning I did manage to turn on the booster early to get hot water before the thing turns itself on at 10am. Rob is here staying with us and likes to shower in the morning.

Apparently heat pumps are an energy efficient way of heating water, and the energy going into that hot water is better than being paid a miserly 5cents a kw for our excess solar electricity produced. I'm happy not having to buy gas bottles, except the little one for the barbie.

The Health Shop

A couple of weeks ago I went to the health shop in the mall here to look for something that may help Lib. She hadn't been feeling well for weeks. Nauseous, tired, mild headache more pressure than ache, she described it. This affected her mood. You could say it was like she was in a mild depression.

We suspected it was long Covid symptoms. Lib had Covid in June, as me and Gord had too. I had offered a few times to go to the health shop and ask for something that may help but Lib was not keen on this. She expected it would pass. It lingered. She relented. I'm a good customer at the health shop, I buy my vitamins and eggs and other stuff there. For a fee of about $20p.a. you get membership and 20% discount of most things.

I was at the desk talking to the son of the elderly couple that own it, asking about some saffron tablets that were said to be good to lift mood. He said yes that might help after I explained a little of the Covid suspicion and Lib's history with the breast cancer, chemo and radiation, hormone drug, painkillers etc. He agreed it would be worth a try and suggested a thing called 'Zeolife'. Micronized zeolite, it's said to aid removal of heavy metals and toxins, balances pH and promotes a healthy gut and boost the immune system.

As he said this a big, tall bloke walked from behind me to my side and held up a container of Zeolife and said to me with a big friendly smile, "That's exactly what I came in looking for." He went back over to the display. He reminded me of someone immediately. I thought he was a bit like Doc Roet who played In Melbourne's 1964 premiership team, who later became a friend of mine. But Doc Roet is in his eighties, and lives in England, this chap would have been half that age. Nevertheless, I thought, footballer. I got some Zeolife and paid for that too with the Saffron capsules. The big guy was over looking at stuff on the shelves, so I went over to him and apologized for intruding, asking. "Did you play football? You would have been a ruckman." 

"Yes, I did." He looked hesitant to continue.

"Who for, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Pt Adelaide, Carlton."

"What's your name?"

"Barnaby French"

"I remember you well, I somehow knew you were a footballer. Are you still involved?"

"No, I'm a fireman now." I think he said at Goolwa. He said he was shopping to help his daughter who had lingering virus trouble. A very nice bloke he was. I thanked him for his help and wished him well.

Lib has been on the saffron and the Zeolife for a couple of weeks and has definitely improved. She went to the doctor, he said it's long Covid, her symptoms are exactly like those of so many. I'm taking it myself too. A third of a teaspoon in liquid two or three times a day. We are exposed to so much pollution and crap in daily life, it's worth a trial, not that I have symptoms. I do feel fit and well.

Saturday Market

 As is my habit I went to the market yesterday. I go most Saturdays; it sort of makes the weekend different to every other day, now I'm retired. Lib came with me, she wanted to go to the chemist to get some medication, so I dropped her off in the main street and we agreed to meet later at the market. I had a few things to buy in Woolworths and the health food shop, so I parked in the Woolworth's car park, did my purchasing there, then walked across the road to the market. 

It's a small market, not a lot of stalls, but each week I usually buy a bar of coffee chocolate from Kate the chocolate lady, a tub of eggplant dip and/or cheese and spinach rolls from the Greek ladies, and a jar of Kimchi when the Kimchi Club is there once a month. other times I might buy a jar of honey when he's there, or a plant or two, maybe a few vegies. It's fun. As a regular the people know me and greet me warmly.

I went straight to Kate as there were no other customers there. She saw me coming and picked up my coffee bar ready for me. We exchanged pleasantries. I said I was looking for Lib, we were to meet, she should have been there by then. "Have you seen her?" 

"I have met your wife but I'm not sure I'd recognize her, what's she wearing?" she said, as she looked around.

"I can't remember, maybe red cardigan. I dropped her at the chemist in Ocean St. She tends to go walk about."

"Tell me about it," she said. "Marriage is like that. I've been married four times".

This surprised me. I've been buying chocolate from Kate at the market for over twelve months. I've met her husband Charlie and a daughter. It would never have occurred to me she'd had three previous marriages. There were no customers approaching, so I stood wondering where Lib got to and asked Kate was it her or the husband that made her marriages not last, tongue in cheek, adding that I didn't want to be intrusive. She laughed. I'd say she'd be in her forties, maybe near fifty.

She said she didn't mind talking about it and proceeded to give a rundown of her history, in the space of a couple of minutes. She bought an apartment when she was 18, after starting work young. Her parents wouldn't let her move into the apartment with her boyfriend as she wasn't married. So, she married him. Never should have, it didn't last one year, they were too young. A couple of years later she married again. He pulled a gun on a policeman and got six years jail, but the marriage was already falling apart. This was in England where she grew up. She migrated to Australia and married an Aussie. He turned out to be an alcoholic and violent. She had him locked up and divorced him. She has been married to Charlie only a couple of years and got into the chocolate making through him. I asked her what she worked in before chocolate and she said for most of her life she worked for oil companies, that's why she came to Australia. She was a business development officer for Exon Mobil after previously working for Total.

"That would have been a male dominated industry," was my comment.

"Was it ever. The last place I worked my boss was a Greek guy. He'd yell at me every day and just about bring me to tears. But I could take it. I was unmercifully bullied as a kid at school, so it was not something new to me. I knew I could take it. The boss did too, so he vented on me."

In answer to my question as to why she was bullied at school, she was telling me how her parents were much older than the other kids', and she was extremely shy and introverted, which made her a target, when Lib turned up saying I was a terrible chatterbox and apologized to Kate for me. We left Kate and went over to Minky who sells the Kimchi. Lib said she'd already explained to Minky that she'd the other day bought a big bottle of Kimchi at the supermarket, so we didn't need any. Minky is a lovely Korean lady I enjoy seeing when she comes once a month. With Lib in a hurry to get home and get the food ready for our grand final lunch we left quickly, I even forgot to go to the Greek ladies stall to get my eggplant and garlic dip. Oh well, looks like peanut butter or cheese on my Vitawheat biscuits this week.

The Cats were so good in the granny, a masterful performance. Can't say I'm sorry to see Lance Franklin get his arse kicked.

 

Arkaroola

 We had a lovely trip to Arkaroola. Stayed at Rawnsley Park about half an hour out of Hawker on the first night. Nice little cabin.

Rawnsley Park Caravan Park

Then on to Arkaroola after a picnic lunch at Jubilee Creek. 

Ridge top tour to Stiller's lookout Lib's birthday

Spectacular

Morning tea

Next day- Stubbs waterhole Barraranna gorge

Home safe and sound. Spring is here.

Lagoon at home- Hindmarsh river

Note the poisoned watsonia centre front. I did a lot of "tongs of death" treating watsonia July August.

Weird Night Sky Show

It was early morning a week ago, Friday 15 July. I woke and needed a pee. That done, I poured an inch of apple cider into a glass from the fridge to fix the dry mouth. I then went to the kitchen window, as is my routine, to look at the brilliant morning star (maybe Venus) that rises in the eastern sky over my neighbour's roof.

There was a bright star, too low I thought to be my bright one, which I thought should have been much higher. But I had no real idea of the time, so I checked on the mobile phone which was on the kitchen bench, where I leave it every night for exactly that purpose. Even in the dark I know where it is, and I can illuminate the face with a touch on the side. 5.26 it showed.

Before returning to bed I thought I'll have another quick look at the star through the window. It shone brightly and seemed to flicker and it held my attention for a moment. Then, the weird show began. A little higher, and a bit to the north, a quickly moving star appeared, trajectory upwards, followed by another one, then another and another. Six or eight at time moving across the sky in a straight line. As they reached a certain point they disappeared at the high point in the line, to be replaced by another coming in at the start of the line. Totally freaky I thought. The show stopped when the last one disappeared, after they stopped entering at the beginning of the line.

I had no idea what I had just seen, definitely a first in my lifetime. I checked my phone again, 5.29, so the thing only was visible to me for a couple of minutes. I went back to bed and lay awake for a while wondering what the hell.

Next day I posted on the Facebook Victor Harbor community site, describing what I'd seen and asking if anyone else had seen it, and did anyone have a clue to what it was. There were numerous answers posted. Only one other said they had seen it, and that it freaked them out. Several others knew what it was, apparently a series of satellites launched at the same time, 46 in all, an Elon Musk communication system (Starline or something). They are launched one after the other, must be in a straight line, till they reach a certain point then they disperse to their allotted location in space. One person said there's a launch every week for a while. Apparently this is to improve communications world wide. Someone said they are being used to greatly assist strategy in the current war in Europe. Someone else said that's a hell of a lot of future space junk.

I was relieved to have an explanation, and that it was not an alien invasion or foreign drone force preparing to attack. The average Joe really has no idea what could be going on in space. The mind boggles really if you think too hard. Let's hope whatever is happening is used for peaceful purposes not warfare for example targeting missile attacks. Certainly war will never be like the old days.

July Already

Here we are 7 days into July and the idea of "Dry July" has not been a consideration until I sat here to write just now. Alcohol beverage has not passed my lips since September 25 last year, when I imbibed red wine during the AFL Grand Final, then drank another bottle by myself, slowly, watching the replay late at night in quiet solitude and celebration. Prior to that night I had taken alcohol in small quantity on 4 occasions in the preceding 21 months, since January 5 2020, when I embarked on the goal of alcohol free existence. This will be my third dry July in succession. No longer is it difficult to abstain. It's normal. There are fleeting moments when the wine witch calls, or the idea of a dry sherry appeals on a cold evening, but these are easily dismissed. It's freeing to know that alcohol is not necessary to relax or celebrate, and that life in general for me has no need of it.

The day after I had that wine on Grand Final Day I set myself to go the next 12 months without alcohol. A 12 month streak. The thing is, I did enjoy it, the taste, and the warm buzz. But next day I felt no need to repeat it, nor had any desire to. I knew that if I started to have a few now and again no worries, I would slowly, or quickly, slip back into the old lifestyle of relying on that relaxing drink. Better I stay off it. Life is great without it.

Until tonight, I had it in the back of my mind, that if Melbourne made the 2022 Grand Final I'd enjoy another bottle of red for the occasion. Tonight I watched Geelong defeat Melbourne by five goals and displace them on top of the AFL ladder. The Cats look the goods and would now be favourites to win the premiership. So be it if they do, they'll have deserved it, if they can win three finals matches away from their dunghill home ground advantage. Melbourne have lost 4 of their last 6 games and have a hard run home. I doubt they are a serious threat to win another premiership this year. That does not concern me. The win last year breaking a 57 year drought brought huge satisfaction that remains and cannot be taken from me. No matter who's playing this year in the GF, I'll not be drinking alcohol.

2021 was a big year for us. Lib and I retired and moved interstate, starting a new life. There were challenges and excitement. It worked well. Fortune favours the brave. 

2022 has been interesting. Carey started with shingles in the eye in January, no fun at all. February and March were frustrating, waiting for our roof restoration that didn't happen. We found another roof guy April, the job done within two weeks of contact. The first company threatened us with legal action, saying we had a binding contract with them. I replied the contract was voided by their unreliability. Fortunately we've heard no more from them. Carey turned 70 in April, and we took a trip to the Eyre Peninsula. May was memorable for the federal election. After an excruciating campaign the result was glorious, the riddance of that dreadful government we endured for so long being a joy almost as good as that of the Demons breaking the drought in '21. We had visitors from Victoria for a few days in the week leading up to the election. They had colds which turned out to be Covid (so we learnt the next week) and consequently Lib, Carey and Gordon in turn one after the other had Covid into June.

Last Saturday Carey decided he'd replace a washer in the tap in the back yard. It had been dripping for some time from the end of the hose. He'd put it off for weeks, tweaking the tap off very tight to stop it leaking, but knowing it needed attention. Every time someone else used the hose they didn't tweak it off hard, leaving a soggy patch on the grass. This annoyed him, so on this Saturday after a trip to the market to by his chocolate, and cheese and spinach rolls from the Greek ladies, and other normal chores, he turned off the water at the meter in front of the house and went to the offending tap with spanner in hand and new washer. Such a task, simple as it seems, always gave gave him a slight nervous edge. Experience over a lifetime, working with pumps and foot valves and irrigation fittings at the farm, and various mishaps with burst pipes and blocked drains, toilets, downpipes, septic tanks, in domestic situation, had prepared him to expect the unexpected. Plumbing was not really his go, he knew well.

All good. The tap came apart no problem, new washer inserted, tap back together, all very easy. He wondered why he hadn't done it sooner. Back out to the meter to turn the water on. Turned the lever and it came away in his hand as a fountain of water shot 30 feet into the air under great pressure. Saturated, he ran inside and rang a local plumber he'd used a few times. No Go. A Sth Aus Water job he said. He fumbled around to find the phone number. Recorded message, all sorts of useless information, your call will be answered shortly. Message repeated over and over suggesting account can be paid online etc etc. Finally a lady answered, asking for details of the property and the problem. "Is there any water coming into the house?" No, it's running down the street. "Do you have water in the house at the taps?" Carey checked. No, "That means it's broken in the off position." She then said a repair person would come and they would endeavour to be there within 5 hours. 

He tried to ignore the fact a fountain was shooting out of the front garden, not easy because people kept stopping their cars and coming to the door to ask did he know there was a fountain in his yard. A bite of lunch, a cup of coffee, watch a horse race or two on TV. He might as well go down the river and pull come weeds. About 3pm now, on the way down he checked his phone, saw there was a message from Adam from SA Water. Rang Adam, message bank said he was calling to see how urgent was the job, he was going to another job but could rearrange if mine was urgent. Carey replied on message that it was not for him to say how urgent it was, compared to other jobs that may have houses flooding, but that the water was shooting high into the air and the wastage is enormous. Adam rang quarter an hour later saying if he'd known it was urgent he could have come earlier. As it was he was 45 minutes away. Carey weeded for a while and when he got back Adam was busy at work. Job finished in fading light, Adam apologized he took so long to come, said he was told it was only a leak not a gusher.

Carey scratched his head and wondered WTF is the matter with the woman he spoke to on the phone. Maybe they all get time and a half for Saturday. He hoped he wasn't to pay for that huge amount of water that went down the street. He didn't think so. If there was no water going to the house, it can't have been going through the meter. Or could it? Next water bill will tell.

A Terrible Experience - Beware The Viper

Today I decided to cut up some chillies I had drying in my office, with a view to pulverizing them and making chillie pepper. When I cut into them they were unfortunately going mouldy inside and I realized I should have cut them into small pieces before leaving them to dry spread out on paper.

So I discarded them and and went out to the bush in the backyard and picked those remaining. Red crinkly little buggers, triangular ugly things. There was enough to fill a small saucepan. I took them inside and cut them up quite finely and spread them out on paper towel. I went off to do something else. I've been home in "Isolation" having been tested for positive Covid on Monday. After a short while I started feeling heat on my eyelids and surrounds and realized I must have rubbed my eyes and touched my face with chillie residue on my hands. This quickly escalated into the worst pain I have ever experienced. Off the charts agonizing burning. Ice packs, or cold running water, gave slight relief for a few seconds then bang it was back excruciating. I had to keep changing tactics. The running water got in my eyes and they started to burn. I closed them and was not game to open them fearing blindness. Lib was trying to help me, we tried bathing my face in milk, then raw eggs, then back to ice, running water, it was thirty minutes of hell till it slowly began to subside in intensity. 

I would not wish such a thing on my worst enemy. It was like a hundred European wasps stinging your face at the same time and not being able to stop them. That's ridiculous because that many wasp stings would kill you, but during my ordeal I thought I might have a heart attack, it was that bad.

This chillie was a single bush I bought as a small plant at the vegie shop in spring. I planted it in a planter box with capsicums. The capsicums, 4 plants, were a huge success producing many delicious fruit we've been enjoying for months, right up till now. One morning when neighbour Helen was visiting my phone rang. It was my mate Ralphie and we had quite a long chat. Helen went outside, I watched her through the window. She picked some silverbeet leaves, a sprig of basil, some parsley. That OK I often give her stuff, she's never shown interest in the capsicums so I assumed she didn't like them. She saw all the red orange little chillies and picked one. I was still on the phone when she came back in, so she waved goodbye and left. That night about 7.30 there was a knock on the door. Helen. Said she put the chillie in her dinner and it ruined it. Couldn't eat it. Burned her.

I looked at the bush the next day and found the tag. It was named 'The Viper'

Should be banned from sale. Beware The Viper.

This photo was after the pain had subsided a good while later.

The Month of May

It's four weeks nearly since I last posted. My my, a lot happens in four weeks. I thought I'd better write it up before it all melts away in my distant memory. It's raining and cold outside and in about 48 hours time we'll be officially in winter.

Libby has Covid. She came down with a bad cold about last Tuesday. We didn't think much of it, until she got an SMS from Anne Oberg saying her and husband Steve had tested positive. Anne and Steve, old neighbours from Gembrook, had stayed with us for three days last week, from Wednesday to Saturday. Steve had a bad cold when they arrived, he coughed regularly the whole time he was here. He said he caught the cold from a friend they stayed with in Ballarat. By the time they left us, Anne had come down with it too. After we got the SMS we did the test thing and Lib's was positive. Gord and I were negative and we've had no symptoms till today although I'm now a little concerned as I have developed a runny nose and am a bit sneezy. I'll do another test in the morning, not that knowing it's Covid means much, as it seems it's no more than a cold for most people. But you are required to isolate for 7 days and I don't relish that.

That was a tough week leading up to the election. We had visitors staying and Lib had an old nursing friend and her partner in town also. We had lunch with them on the Friday and they came for coffee on the Saturday. Grace did her training with Lib, 3 years at the Wangaratta Base hospital, in the mid 1970's. She married and moved to Perth soon after. Lib and two other nurses visited them in the late 70's, and apart from a brief visit to Gembrook some thirty years ago when her 3 kids were young, Lib and Grace had not met up since. So it was a good catch up. Grace was divorced some twenty years ago and now has a female partner Sue. They were travelling back to WA after a trip to Vic to see Grace's dad at Mt Beauty. They had a caravan and stayed five nights at Pt Elliot. Grace lost a son about ten years ago. He was aged 23, out in a boat at sea fishing with two others when a king wave hit the boat and it sank. One survived after treading water for 19 hours and finally being spotted by the Channel 7 helicopter after a massive search. One body was recovered but Grace's son was never found. The survivor helped him stay above water until exhaustion caused him to let him go. A sad story. Grace and and Sue searched the coastline for years looking for some sign of him but never did.

In some ways having visitors was a distraction from the mad media in the last days of the election campaign. So now we have a new government and a restructured parliament with some real people. Let's hope for better than what we've had for the last decade. The well heeled have prospered certainly, but it seems it has been at the cost of huge social and environmental issues that have suffered neglect. I was amazed and horrified at the blatant bias shown by the Adelaide Advertiser. That factor, Australia wide, may have worked in 2019, but not this time. All praise to the Independents is my view.

Hot on the heels of the election was news of another school mass murder in Texas. And the ongoing war in Ukraine. The news was full of rape trials and murders here in Australia, Adelaide too, and if you are not careful you could end up in total despair at the apparent downward spiral of humankind. History tells us it is not new. Evil and atrocity have always been with us.

On a happier note, I have been enjoying pulling weeds down by the river for half an hour or so when I take Pip for a walk. Slowly, slowly, section at a time, I'm making good progress. It's a real joy to be there in the quiet of the trees and do something to help. The Friend's Group, which has two working bees a month now there's no heat or snake season, does a mighty job. It's great to be part of. I'll copy and paste below an email one of our conveners sent to The Deputy Premier who is also the Minister for the Environment relating to pollution the river.

The Friends of Hindmarsh River Estuary (FoHRE) wish to bring to your attention and seek your respective office assistance regarding pollution event(s) which has impacted the Hindmarsh River.  

The source is not a natural phenomenon, but perhaps a loss of containment - intentional or otherwise.

We and other local residents are extremely concerned with the pollution - being observed as an extensive slug of creamy grey discolouration of water and associated foul pungent smell.

A predominantly white residual sludge remains in places on the river bed. A sample has been collected.

The pollution resulted in an extensive 'kill' of small native fish and we believe negative impacts on the diverse aquatic ecosystems of native fish, frogs, and macroinvertebrate communities, many of which are deemed rare and sensitive. Since the event, there is a noticeable reduction in visual evidence of fish and water insects normally observed.
There appears to be a corresponding reduction in bird numbers, that rely on the river for food (fish, insects, plants).

The community has a deep love for the river, with local residents and the Friends of the Hindmarsh River Estuary contributing many hundreds of volunteer hours applying biodiversity conservation concepts to control emerging threats (i.e. invasive feral plants/animal pests), maintain intact (viable) landscapes, reversing decline/reinstating ecosystems/habitats and recover threatened species.

The significance of the river is well documented having been listed on the Register of National Estate, the Victor Harbor Community plan, environmental management plan and deemed a ‘biodiversity hotspot due to its high species richness & high number of threatened species (Southern Fleurieu Coastal Action Plan & Conservation Priority Study 2007).

The Friends of Hindmarsh River Estuary and the broader local community respectively request your assistance in identifying the source of the pollution and implementing strategies to prevent its reoccurance.  Working together we can enshrine environmental values,  protecting and maintaining the aquatic ecosystems of the much loved Hindmarsh River.

Kind regards

Mark Richards

Co-convenor

Friends of Hindmarsh River Estuary

Also on a happier note, I was listening to ABC radio a couple of weeks ago. They have a nature guy on every few weeks or so. Apparently there's huge colony of tree martins moved into the Adelaide Parks where they roost at night. This has been good news for the city birds of prey like the Peregrine Falcon, I think was the one he mentioned. There's been sighting of two Canada Geese on Kangaroo Island. This is not good, apparently they are a problem in New Zealand, and the worry here is they may compete and displace our Cape Barren Geese  which are native on these shores. Aren't birds amazing the distances they can fly.

Winter will be over before we know it. We need more rain in these parts. 

PS Edit. Also good news. Two southern right whales seen the other day locally.

Edit 2 My test this morning negative. Gord's too.

 

 

Holiday

 Our Roof Reno finished on Thursday 7th April with a coat of paint applied. The tiles are now monument grey in colour, and the house looks nice from the street when we come home, helped also by the paint job we did on the bricks on the south side of the house to match the render colour on the front. 

We then made plans to do our trip to the Eyre Peninsula. The plan was to drive to Ceduna by the main highway then return along the coast. Accommodation (pet friendly) was difficult to book as it was school holidays, but I manged arrange a motel at Port Augusta for our first night, thinking it would be too far to Ceduna in one hit. We left Monday 18 April. I'd found a cabin for two nights in Ceduna at a caravan for the Tuesday and Wednesday but couldn't find anything in Streaky Bay for the next night so we packed a little tent and sleeping bags and mats in case we were caught out somewhere. Most caravan parks have tent space even if their cabins/van sites are booked.

The overnight stay in Port Augusta was uneventful. We had pizza for tea from a few doors up the road. Pip woke me during the night so I took her for a wee walk, then again early in the morning. We planned to stop at Kimba for lunch. I didn't fuel up, thinking I would down the road a bit, but the servos were behind us so I kept going thinking there'd be one along the way. Mile after mile of no settlement I looked at the fuel range it said 130 km. The sign said Kimba 110km so I thought well if there's none on the way I know I can get to Kimba. There's an iron ore mine town at Iron Knob but you have to deviate off the highway. We didn't, in case fuel was not available there, and kept going. The km posts noting Kimba were spaced at 5k intervals, as was the range dial on the dash. As we went the difference between the two kept reducing. The fuel warning light had been on for a long time when we reached the 5k Kimba post, and the range clicked to 5k before the roadside 5k post. As it turned out we made it. We fueled up and after a dog walk we were on our way again.  We lunched at Wudinna on bananas, boiled eggs and cheese on bread that we'd packed, and got to Ceduna on time to the cabin at the Shelly Beach caravan park. The cabin/cottage was great, split in two with shower and toilet one side and separate bedroom and kitchen the other, with an enclosed space dividing the two which was handy for Pip to sleep. We left the door to our section open so she could wake us up for the wee walk. I took her for an early morning walk at the Ceduna racecourse which was across the road.

We went for a drive west on our full day there. We came across some ruins with a plaque saying it was the site of the homestead of Bill(?) McKenzie going right back to the 1880's. An early pioneer, he was gifted thousands of acres not far from Denial Bay. There were remnant brick wells there he filled with water which he condensed from sea water and piped to his wells. It struck me that there was someone desalinating water way back then probably using the same principle used by modern desal plants but of course on a rudimentary and small scale. Denial Bay was the original settlement for the area and Ceduna started later with the coming of the railway and Denial Bay as a commercial precinct was finished by 1946. Without going out of my way visiting museums (for another time), it was evident from info at Jetties and towns that the coast has a rich history as nearly all transport to towns with goods for farms was by ship from Adelaide, there being no road system back then.

I tried again to find a cabin in Streaky Bay for the next night in Streaky Bay using google then phone and this time managed one for one night, in the Foreshore Caravan Park.We bought fish and oysters at Baldy's Seafood which we enjoyed after an evening walk along the beach. It was an easy run to Streaky Bay the next day, only an hour or so. Streaky Bay is a popular holiday spot for Adelaide people so it was quite busy for the school holidays.We only brought one fishing rod with us so I found another in an opp shop. We tried fishing off the jetty with no luck. That evening at Lib's urging we went for a walk a few hundred metres from the park and fished from the bank. Lib caught a little whiting (too small to eat we released it) which gave her a buzz and a taste for more fishing in the days ahead. 

Streaky Bay low tide sunrise

Cape Bauer

Tahlia Cave

We left next morning, our destination Port Kenny for two nights, already booked from home. We took a tourist drive along the coast to Cape Bauer where the scenery is stunning from the clifftop. Another stop at whistling rocks and the blowhole, then Murphy's Haystacks (an ancient rock formation), also intriguing. Lunch at Baird Bay, a fairly isolated quiet holiday/fishing place with a camping ground. The cabin at Port Kenny in the caravan park was half the price of those at Ceduna and Streaky Bay so I expected it to be down market and I was right. It was tired and grotty. I went to put something in the rubbish bin in the bathroom to find it hadn't been emptied and contained what looked like pink ladies underwear. The walls and floor were grubby and dusty. We put a load of washing on in the laundry and I went to the shop at the office to buy pegs. I went to the back door as it had an old sign "Milk and Bread for sale" visible, and  walk around to the front meant going over a wire fence or walking around a few hundred metres. I opened the gate and went to the door and rang the bell and instantaneously a bloody dog had me by the trousers at ankle level, growling and snarling like a nutter. It let go when a bloke came to the door and yelled at it, then me, saying don't come to this door, this is private, go to the front. Which I did. 

Murphy's Haystacks

When we'd arrived I paid for one night, even though we'd booked for two. We decided one was enough. I rang the caravan park at Elliston, our next destination, to see if our booking could be moved forward, but no it wasn't possible. The helpful young bloke I talked to said there were tent sites so we said we'd do that tomorrow. As it turned out we enjoyed our overnight stay in Port Kenny. The cabin at least had a good electric frypan, good fridge, and a comfortable bed. And it was quiet, only a few vans and tents in the whole park. It had a TV and we watched St Kilda v GWS. There's little in Port Kenny, just the caravan park and a jetty and some houses. 

The drive to Elliston included a stop at Venus Bay where the rugged scenery was spectacular. There's not much there but it seemed newish with quality holiday homes and good boatramp etc. Then to  was Tahlia Caves, Further down the track was Walker's Rock which we deviated a few k's to for our picnic lunch. There's just a camping ground there with a toilet facility but the beach and bay were pristine beauty. By this time we were almost overawed by the magnificent expansive coastline of the Eyre Peninsula.

Walker's Rock

On the highway before Walker's Rock there was a sign "Colston Bread 1km." I would have stopped and bought some but as it was on the right, at a self serve roadside stall, I kept going as there was a car up my ginger. The knowledge of it was to come in handy later. Elliston is a smallish town with one IGA supermarket, a couple of caravan parks, a pub, a roadhouse, a cop shop, and not a lot else. A grouse long jetty and cliff top walks/drives both sides of the town and a beach, it's no doubt a popular holiday spot. When we got to our caravan park mid afternoon, at reception I told the bloke we'd like a tent site. It was Saturday, of a long weekend as ANZAC day was Monday. I said we had a cabin booked for Sunday and Monday nights but had rung yesterday and there was nothing available to move our booking forward. He said, "I can do a budget cabin for you for $75."  I consulted with Lib she said yes take it, as a tent site was going to cost $35 anyway. As I was paying a young bloke came in, the son of the bloke at the counter. He overheard the father say "it's cabin 3" as he gave me the keys. " Cabin 3?" he said a little startled. I twigged it was he who told me on the phone yesterday there were no cabins available Saturday night. "Yes" said the old fellow with a bit of grin. The young bloke shrugged his shoulders, turned and walked away throwing his arms out in a silent show of disagreement/dismay/dissent, I couldn't be sure.

Cabin 3 looked like a tool shed from the outside. We went in. It stank almost overpoweringly of carpet deodoriser. We opened the windows and left the door open to air it while we went to the supermarket. Lib was hanging out for a steak, to cook in the community kitchen that night. Cabin 3 still stank when we got back, but not so much. We had a cuppa and talked about the cabin. Why had the young bloke told me there was no cabin, and then be so strange when his father said there was? Curiosity with some anxiety got the better of me. I thought, maybe it's been recently fumigated and not had sufficient withholding period. So I went the desk to find the young bloke there and asked him to level with me. "Is there something wrong with cabin 3? The smell? Fumigated? Chemicals? Bed Bugs? Why your father's grin and your show of surprise? He assured me all was OK. He liked to keep that cabin for a workman who often came to town and had made a tentative booking. I accepted his explanation but we left the doors and windows open the whole time we were in there. It wasn't too bad, we watched the footy as it had a TV, Freo Carlton I think, Lib cooked a good dinner and we slept well. We were glad there was AFL reception as the next night in our upmarket cabin, Sunday ANZAC eve, Melbourne was playing Richmond and we didn't want to miss that one.

We left Cabin 3 and went to the IGA to buy some things. It was closed. I went to the baker next door to get some bread. "Sorry, no bread till Tuesday." Things are a bit different in Sth Australia. We drove back to 'Colston Bread' about 15k's back and bought delicious fresh break and sticky date buns. The rest of that day we fished at Loch's Well about 20k out of town. The stairs down were 273 steps (I counted on the way back, with numerous stops). It was a spectacular place to fish off the beach. Southern Ocean in front, misty spray, cliffs behind. Isolated. I hoped there was no-one watching us from the top with a mind to ransack our fully laden car. Lib caught a nice whiting which we shared for entree, and we had a meal of spaghetti with a tin of meat sauce bought at the roadhouse for dinner, interrupted by a massive thunderstorm which spooked Pip and disrupted the TV reception. Heavy rain pelted and sheets of water were through the park. The people who moved into cabin 3 we saw evacuated after the storm so it must have leaked. The TV reception cut in and out for a bit but we were able to watch Melbourne beat Richmond.

We'd decided that 2 nights at Elliston was enough, and only took the second cabin one night. I had no success on the phone finding pet friendly accommodation at Port Lincoln for next night, but I did find a cabin at Arno Bay about an hour past PL. The guy said he had nothing really because of school holidays but after I said we'd pitch a tent he said he did have one budget cabin that was not really good enough, just a step up from camping, so I said yes we'll take it. It was a lovely drive to Port Lincoln, an impressive city, after a quick visit to Coffin Bay which was crowded. We stopped in PL to shop, and will be back to spend some time there. The Arno Bay cabin was a bit of a dump, the screen door fell off when I went in, the fridge didn't work, the little sink drained very slowly, but it had a kettle and a TV and was close to the community barbecue and shower block. The park had a nice relaxed ambiance. Nice bay and beach. Late afternoon we took a walk along the nearby mangrove boardwalk along the creek and saw big flounder fish swimming in the shallows so Lib said let's fish here tomorrow and stay two nights. So we did. Didn't catch anything. Arno Bay we really liked and we'll be back there for sure before too long. 

Arno Bay

Mangrove boardwalk Arno Bay

We did the long drive home the next day, leaving at 7.30am and getting home at 4pm after a picnic lunch at Crystal Brook. All in all a great trip. Magnificent coastal scenery. Sorry if my recount of our trip is a bit boring. I went through it again remembering what I could for my own record on this blog.

The day after we got back we had a phone call from the first roof restore company (the one I cancelled as I was tired of waiting). They said I had a binding contract with them and their lawyers would be in touch to seek payment for materials they had prepared for me and their costs to that point. Ha! If they follow through with that I'll promise them I'll give them bad publicity at every chance in the neighbourhood citing their unreliability. I'm watching the mail box.

 

The Roof Restoration

 As I write there's scraping noise on the roof above my office. A young man named Mat is working on the capping with his trowel, repointing. He will also today replace broken and cracked tiles. Yesterday he pressure cleaned the tiles, tomorrow the plan is to paint the roof Monument Grey, the colour Lib selected, sealing it against the elements, we hope, for the next decade or two.

This roof job has been quite a saga. On December 2 last year a salesman from a large SA company knocked on our door. He said he was working in the area, his company, which advertises regularly on TV, was offering a 30% discount for jobs signed up in that time period. I had known our roof at some point would need attention, being 27 years since build, and having seen cracked tiles here and there patched with silicon glue when I cleaned the spouting. There were no leaks obvious in the ceiling inside, but I was aware that small leaks can be soaked up by the insulation and not be an issue. Until that is, a rain bomb or severe storm dumps down and water can build up inside. A ceiling collapse can occur without prior warning at worst, or water dripping all over the place. With all these rainstorms happening round Australia I thought it was only a matter of time till we had one here in McCracken. I visited the Eyre Peninsula with Rick in January and a week later they had floods, so it can happen anywhere.

Our job we were told, was scheduled for late January, after the Christmas break, or early February. Someone would call us to arrange the start date. A call did come late January, saying Covid had caused delay, and our job would be done late Feb, early March. This was OK, Lib and I planned to do a trip away for a couple of weeks around mid March so the roof would be done beforehand. In February there was another knock on the door, and a salesman from a different company said our roof needed attention. I told him I had signed with the other company. He offered to give me a quote anyway, and said the paperwork I had signed with the other was not legally binding. His quote came out $3500 more than the one I'd signed for, which seemed about right considering the 30% discount, if that was fair dinkum. He said the other mob would do a lousy job, his company's work would be more thorough, a better job. I spare you all the details he explained re the work.

I decided to stick with the first company, not only because it was a big saving on company 2's quote, but also because I had agreed for them to do the job. I rang them, told them of the development, and asked for assurance the job would be done well. Yes, I was told, they are a big company with decades of industry experience, the work would be done with all assurance of excellence and guarantee. February went, we waited patiently into March. Mid March I rang the company and asked when was our start date. They told me the contractor allotted to me would ring me directly, I was next on his list, his paint machine had broken down, he was sourcing a new one. Late March I rang back, asking again for a start date so I could organize our trip away. I was told the contractor had not yet got his new paint machine so they couldn't give me a start date.

I googled and found a number to ring. I spoke to the bloke who is now on my roof. He said yes he can do my roof within two weeks. He said he can come today and give me a quote. He said he'd probably save me thousands, and do a better job. He came that afternoon. I said I'm not looking for rock bottom price, I want a good job. His quote was $1000 more than the first company's discount price. I liked him, and thought, here goes, no more mucking around. He reckoned those who employ salesmen to drive around looking for work are just out to make a killing, paying contractors peanuts, and taking the cream. He said they get young blokes and give them a six week training course, and send them out. He said he's a roofer, experienced in all aspects of roofing, a one man band small business, local, with reputation to build and protect. I believed him.

I rang the the first company and said I didn't need them, please cancel. The next day Friday 1 April, an officious person from the "contract department" rang to tell me their contractor was coming next Wednesday to start the work, and apologized for the delay. I said, "Sorry you're too late, I've made other arrangements." I said in my opinion his company had let me down. The work order (contract?) I signed, dated 2 December, had ASAP as start date. I had signed that on the understanding that the work would be done late January, early Feb. I said I rang on March 28 looking for a start in April, only to be told they couldn't give me one. He said, "OK, I'll cancel." He apologized on behalf of the company that they hadn't done the job by now. I apologized, if it appeared I was impatient. I hope I don't get a legal letter in the mail chasing some compensation. 

I rang the the bloke who is now on my roof and told him I'd cancelled the other. He said, "I'll be there Monday."

   

A Good Laugh

When Rickyralph visited last January he brought a few books with him that he thought I might like to read. I'm about 50 pages into Bill Bryson's 'Down Under' and I'm finding it humourous, as Ralphie said I would. It was published in 2000. Bryson, an American, talks about his experiences visiting Australia, and his research into its history, culture and customs. He doesn't hide his admiration for the uniqueness of our flora and fauna, the harshness of our geography, and the contrasts and oddities. He brings a comedic tone while giving so much information at the same time. Most entertaining. I've lived here for almost seventy years, did Australian history at school, and have traveled quite widely, yet I feel almost like it's new to me because he has a different slant on so much, from our discovery, settlement and exploration to our development to wealthy nation. From the first penal colony, established where Circular Quay now stands, to modern Sydney with skyscrapers looking out to the opera house across the harbour, the two sides connected by a massive steel arched bridge, in not much more than a couple of hundred years.

What's prompted this post was a paragraph relating to the Sydney Opera House. I'm not permitted to copy from the book (copyright law) so I'll tell you by my recollection. The concept of the Opera House was pushed by a chap called Sir Eugene Goossens, who was then the head of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. A competition was held to find a suitable design but after assessing many entries no winner was decided. A famous American architect was consulted to choose a winner. He sifted through all the entries and selected one by Danish designer Jorn Utzon that had been previously discarded by the judges. 

It took 15 years to build. It cost 14 times the initial estimate. When the book was written, 2000,  Utzon had never seen the finished product. He was sacked from the project in 1966 when a change of NSW government came at election.

Curiously, Goossens never saw the finished product either. He was discovered, in 1956 at Sydney airport while passing through customs, with a large quantity of pornographic material and was invited to take his sleezy continental habits elsewhere. He was, in one of life's small ironies, unable to enjoy, Bryson says, his own finest erection.

You do have to laugh.

 

Observations

The raging floods in Queensland and northern NSW, as far down as Sydney now, fill the bulletins, along with war in Ukraine. The floods are as devastating as bushfires almost to property and infrastructure, and comparable in numbers of lost life, human and animal. And war is war wherever it is. What disturbs me most is the destruction of residential areas and the killing of civilians. Total madness.

I almost feel guilty living here in SA, no rain, no drama. We missed the big storms back home in Victoria in June. Last winter was very mild. We had very little hot weather the summer just gone. Maybe our turn will come and the next lot of disasters will be close. I certainly hope war never comes to our part of the world. I guess nuclear war in Europe could erupt any minute and missiles from anywhere could destroy us all, but I have lived with that possibility all my life. I'm lucky to have lived as long as I have. I didn't think I would outlive Shane Warne.

We have a state election March 19. There are similar issues here as in other states, with controversy on traffic congestion, ambulance ramping and inadequate emergency beds, over development, the environment and climate change, the economy and housing affordability. The electorate Finnis, where we live, is a safe Liberal seat, the incumbent will most likely be returned. I haven't actively sought information yet but the Labour leader Malinouskis has impressed me when I've heard him talk on radio. I'll probably vote for an independent candidate,and preference Labour but there's still over a week yet to make up my mind.

The roof restore people who are booked to do our roof haven't fronted yet, despite the work being programmed for February. We did get a phone call late January saying they ere a bit behind due to COVID and they expected to get to us late Feb or early March. I'm getting a bit anxious because I know there's broken tiles here and there and I'd like it done before serious rain comes. If we had a deluge I think we'd be in bother, and it could happen; although this is a fairly low rainfall area storms are possible anywhere and the two words CLIMATE CHANGE are front and centre daily. We're looking forward to going away touring for a couple of weeks after the roof's done.

We've put a new vegie bed outside my office window. This faces north, is protected from the south wind by the house and will get all the winter sun. I sowed silver beet into pots in January and transplanted the seedlings into this bed a week or so ago. It's a wicking bed, sealed underneath with plastic sheet as it's on concrete, and watered from the top by a pipe taking the water down to reservoir of scoria screenings. The moisture then comes up by capillary action to the plants roots. That's the plan. It's my first experience with this so I'm treating it as an experiment. Come spring, after we've had plenty of silverbeet to eat through the winter hopefully, I'll put climbing tomatoes in which should thrive in this hotspot and grow right up to the eaves and give shade to my office next summer. 

Because this spot is warm from the concrete and bricks of the house I've also put Zuchinnis, sown in January, into large pots there. They are already producing fruit. The idea was that being new young plants they should produce longer into the colder weather long after the older plants out more in the open have finished. These have produced prolifically but are starting to wane. I even sowed some basil seed on March 1st, and lettuce and coriander, into pots with the same thing in mind, to get them up and strong in March and April, so that we have late harvest as the older stuff finishes. The lettuce I'll plant out in the beds where the basil and zucchinis have been in the original beds. 

I put broccolini seed in in January and I have planted the seedlings outside in the gully area among the pumpkins which are finishing. They are thriving. For the first time I think I've observed a benefit from European wasps. They hunt around the broccolini and mint out there and eat the the cabbage moth grubs. Jury still out but looks like that is so. Another observation is the very small numbers of mosquitoes around. I would have expected masses of them here where we live near a river and lagoon but there's hardly any. Back in Gembrook any water left in buckets would soon be crawling with wrigglers but not so here. None.

Yesterday I noticed two black cockies flying over. They haven't been around for months. Neighbour Mark, a keen birder, told me they gather here in the autumn in big numbers and stay for a while, there were large flocks of scores of them after we came late last March, then they leave to breed elsewhere, not far away on the Fleurieu where there are heaps of pine trees that provide seed for feed. While here they feed on she-oak seeds. The New Holland honey-eaters have been sparse also but were here in big numbers in large groups before pairing off for mating.

Another observation I made to Lib the other day was there's absence of slugs and snails here in our garden. I don't know why but I've not seen a one in the time we've been gardening here, and no damage. A blessing, considering the rats and birds have tested us.

  

Can You Hear Me Harry

My mate Dave from Queensland rang me yesterday morning, 19 Feb 2022. I first met Dave in 1974, when I went from Victoria to attend the Queensland Agricultural College at Gatton, about and hour west of Brisbane. I was 21 years old, approaching 22. Dave was 17. I remember he turned 18 during the year as he obtained his driving licence, satisfying a long held ambition, one that most of us have had, and achieved. I’m approaching 70 years old now, so Dave would be 66 this year.

Dave rings me quite regularly about every 6 months. I’m always pleased to hear from him, but this time I felt quite chuffed. I had been thinking of him, mindful that I am somewhat negligent, in that Dave rings me, not the other way around usually. I have a number of good friends, most of whom I rarely see these days, but when I think of them I realize that my life would have been so much less interesting, less meaningful, less rewarding without them. After our initial exchange of pleasant enquiry into health and well being, Dave said. “Will (he always called me Will), did you ever write that book you once told me you were going to write?” I replied that I did write a book, about an old friend who had an interesting life, including being captured by the Germans on Crete and spending four years on a POW camp in Germany. It never made it to publishing.

“No not that,” he said. “You said you used to put things away, letters, and write things down, because you said one day you’d like to write a book. You always had a good turn of words. The reason I ask, is because I wanted to send you a book to read, but I don’t know your new address, and that made me think about what you said.”

He told me about the book he wanted to send, ‘The Northern Territory’, but said he couldn’t send it now, as he’d lent it to a friend from grammar school in Longreach whom he hadn’t seen for 50 years, but caught up with recently, and it was like 50 years just disappeared and they talked and talked as if it was yesterday. He’ll send it when he gets it back. We talked for 15 minutes or so and I finished by saying,

“Dave, thanks for ringing. Makes me feel so good. I’ve been thinking over my life quite a bit lately, as you do approaching old age. I cringe a little at times, at the mistakes I’ve made, the boozing, there’s a lot I’m not happy about in the past. I’ve been alcohol free for two years and I see life differently. But you ringing me shows that you don’t hold it against me, the wild stupidity, the bravado, the foolishness. And if you don’t, I shouldn’t feel bad about it either.”

He said, “Isn’t that what they say about good dogs, they always stay your mate.”

I had to laugh, but there and then I decided. “Yes, Dave, It’s time to write that book. I will do it.”

How I do it, or the format it will take, I don’t know. It will take some mind mapping. Dave and other friends will be part of the story. They are interesting people with good stories of themselves. The title that springs to mind is ‘Can You Hear Me Harry’. I’ll probably start there, to get me going.

 

 

Twelve Months Back

 A year ago Lib and I were still working, living in a rental in Gembrook, and preparing for our shift to Sth Australia. Looking back to last year on this blog I notice I didn't do a post for Feb, probably because my mind was occupied with preparation and anxiety over the move. Moving house is no fun.

The removalists busted a glass cabinet, on loading. About $1200 to replace, but worse than that, it was Lib's mum's, so of sentimental value. I didn't claim restitution from the company, the worker told me they'd take it out of his hide. Accidents happen, and haggling over money is not going to restore the lost sentimental value. Our Gembrook land lord ripped us off our bond money, another$1000, not returning it and cutting off all communication. We were in the place only five months, I installed broadband and a new TV aerial at our cost, and left it clean, and he, a bloke I played a few games of footy with at Gembrook, a supposed friend, still ripped me off. Again, the hurt is more than the money. He's a wealthy man, a plumber with property, but a big mouth braggart, overly matey buddy buddy. I should have been guarded, and had a bond agreement in writing, then I'd have recourse, but with verbal agreement only, it's best to move on and hope the karma bus does it's thing. 

It seems such a long time ago now. We're well settled here. It hasn't been all plain sailing or without problems. We like our house. But we discovered things after moving in, like blocked and buried storm water drains, crap roof tiles which I'm not game to walk on for fear of breakage, roller shutters that didn't work, leaks developing in taps, garden infestation of native rats, that have kept us on our toes. With that, I reckon we paid overs for the house, which does not grieve me because unless we took this house when it was available, we would not have been able to shift last March, and with all the Covid crap and restrictions getting to SA we still might be in Gembrook or have bought somewhere in Victoria and retired there. Who knows? I'm glad we're here, and have had nearly 12 months of effective retirement.

We've had, Gord too, troubles with our teeth, and it seems one of us is always dealing with expensive dental work. There's been some medical issues. Lib needs ongoing meds following the cancer thing, I had my shingle episode in January, which included more visits to hospital/ doctor/ optometrist than I care to recall. It took the best part of 9 months to get our finances consolidated and purchase a self funded income stream, which, barring collapse of financial markets, should see us out. Due to the medical and pharmaceutical requirements we've applied for a low income health card (federal), and in my case a seniors health card, which will give us a concession on prescription medicine and maybe on utilities. No joy yet. I spent many hours gathering financial details after two visits to Centrelink, then 5.5 hours a couple of weeks ago in the C/link office working on one of their computers in effort to get the form done on line. Agonizing, is the only way to describe that day. I'll be happy if I never have to step into a C/link office again. I'm hoping we get the card without further agony. It took 10 days to get a text message telling me they're working on my application. How long it will take, yay or nay, I'm wondering.

Having spent almost 12 months here I think I have a fair hand on the climate. Autumn was lovely, probably the best, as it is in most places. Winter was a lot milder than we are used too. A few degrees warmer, a bit more sun perhaps. Pleasant really. Spring was windy, plus plus. Warmer again than we are used to, if out of the wind. Summer was also windy. Christmas day we went the foreshore at Victor Harbor for a picnic lunch and were nearly blown away. No sugar coating it, Victor H and the coast generally, has a lot of wind. Lib loves the beach, and to sit reading there, but many days she doesn't go saying, "It's too windy." I can imagine the day when every house has a wind generator on it, as well as a solar system and battery storage. We had few hot days, and there's no doubt that VH is a good deal cooler than Adelaide in summer, thankfully. To sum up, pleasant, mostly mild climate, good for herbs and vegies, which are sheltered from the wind pretty much in our suburban backyard situation.

We have good neighbours. It's a quiet area. The thing we like most about our situation is the proximity to the ocean, the rural surrounds, the river reserve at our doorstep, and the good facilities close at hand. And the general peace and quiet that we crave after so many years of demonic hustle and bustle back in the mainstream of life in Victoria. A couple of times a week on average I pull weeds in the river reserve where I feel useful. Ienjoy the solitude, working by myself, with the trees and the birds bringing peace to my soul.

Yes. We are happy here. There are numerous people I miss seeing, but they are still my family and friends, and they are often in my thoughts. I haven't lost them. I just don't physically see them regularly. 

As Ralphie said when he visited recently, "You've come far pilgrim."