Epilogue (Sep 26)
I fell into the billabong last week. Tripped on a wire, a remnant of an old fence that ran over the rise and into the water. It was probably in use to control stock before the river reserve was claimed by the Council and a walking track installed along the river, thereby raising the level of the billabong overflow and the water in it. This killed a number of trees I’d say that were previously happy to have wet feet regularly but couldn’t take permanent waterlog. This seems a logical explanation to me for the dead standing trunks of trees in the billabong that were dead long before we came to live in McCracken and became involved with the Friend’s group.
I was walking along the water’s edge to get to a seven foot high African daisy plant to cut it off at the base and dab the cut with herbicide, to prevent it setting seed. As I lost balance I fell downhill with a twisting momentum and landed in the water, on my back fortunately, as my mobile phone was in my shirt pocket and didn’t get wet. I stood up in water about a foot deep and collected myself before reaching to the edge to cut the daisy plant. Then it was a most uncomfortable walk home with water and mud over me and squelching in my boots. I saw not one person on the way and went into the back yard and stripped off to hose down my clothes and boots. Light was fading and it was a very cold evening. The long hot bath that followed was enjoyed fully.
The next day I made a potato and leek soup, using some stingy looking potatos I’d dug up a while back and a few leeks I had growing in the garden. I used stock I made from a lamb roast and with a bit of onion that was all there was to it. I had it for lunch for a few days with toast and I reckon it was the best soup I’ve ever made. Delicious! From me who loves homemade soup and has made many types over many years that’s saying something!
Both those events of the past week or so has me now recording it here. The fact the AFL Grand Final is today is also a factor. We will watch it with friends up the road as has become a bit of a ritual. Fremantle v Brisbane is a good for me, a Brisbane victory would make it a Fagan threepeat and I like the guy. Fremantle winning would be their first AFL Premiership and they have three ex Demon players in their team. I would also be pleased to see Andy Brayshaw become a premiership player given that his brother Angus was that for Melbourne five years ago.
I think Freo will win after a ripper game with no tension or angst for me with the result.
