How unlucky can a person be? Think my perfume must be some sort of snake attractant ! With 8 people living here I am starting to get a bit of a "why me"complex ...
We were lucky to have some friends from Sydney pop in for the afternoon 2 days before Christmas. Feeling very countryfied and brave, we went for a walk to show our friends our property. We went through lots of long grass, and at times I even took the lead (which is a bit scary with all the slimy creatures around). Not a snake to be seen even though a beautiful hot day.
On return Dylan calls out that there is a Tiger snake (second dealiest in the world) under my car. Of course we can not find it anywhere until our friend commented that they heard a "hiss"coming from my engine. You've probably can imagine where this is going and yes thats correct- it was curled up in my engine. Worse still it had come from the veranda of Mum's house and Dylan had almost trodden on it.
Greg, my hero forever, turned on and reversed the car and the snake slid itself out from underneath and took off into the garden (so not ever gardening again!).
Chrstmas eve we go to get some chooks from a farmer and he recalls to us many a scary story of tiger snakes and their dealiness. Of course then I can't sleep as my mind plays tricks on me imagining that there is a snake in the bed, but I try and stop myself from paranoia and eventually drift off for a few hours before dawn.
The boys have a rubber life sized snake that they have been known to leave on the grass to freak me out (gotta love boys don't ya!), and Christmas morning whilst talking on the phone I walk out the door and across the front of my shed and and here is the bloody rubber snake beside my foot. I stop to double check only to realise this one has a different colour belly and I once again absolutely crap myself (sorry for the graphic language but terrifying scene here) and scream holy murder and run like a ,no doubt very graceful and fast athelete back into the shed. My scream caused the snake to head towards me, which freaked me even more as I only had sandals on. I spent the rest of the day in gumboots, inside and out, and think I will forever.
I hope this is just a spot of bad luck but by the time Greg and Dylan came to look for it, it was long gone. However as it was right next to my shed, which has a hole at the bottom wich can lead to inside, I am now even more paranoid its in my bed! Do you think I can buy anti venom on ebay to keep here???
Friday, December 26, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Christmas
Gosh is it that time already? Really? I cannot believe as I sit here in my shed that it is the 22nd December. Probably has somehing to do with the fact that my mind and body doesn't know its December at all.
Is it because I sit here shivering in my shed house and I know December is Summer and I am used to being STINKING hot in Sydney? God I have only had ONE day here where I did not have a jacket on! Is it because it doesn't feel like that time of year yet?
Or do you think it could be due to the fact that we arrived here to start a new life at the end of September, so I feel like it is the beginning of the year? I am wondering why everyone is so burnt out and ready or a break where as I feel like its about March .
Perhaps its because half my stuff is still in boxes and I have no Christmas tree or many decorations.......
Lastly it could be that I am in denial as last December was without doubt the worst period I can remember with the loss of 2 very special people and the near loss of a complete stranger before me
Either way I am not ready for Christmas in any way but want to wish you all a fantastic Christmas and to let you know I am thinking of each and every one of you. I do very much look forward to seeing many of you next month when Dylan competes in Sydney at the Youth Olympics.
Sorry about not sending a card but by my calendar expect it about September 2009 - should feel like its Christmas time about then :)
Is it because I sit here shivering in my shed house and I know December is Summer and I am used to being STINKING hot in Sydney? God I have only had ONE day here where I did not have a jacket on! Is it because it doesn't feel like that time of year yet?
Or do you think it could be due to the fact that we arrived here to start a new life at the end of September, so I feel like it is the beginning of the year? I am wondering why everyone is so burnt out and ready or a break where as I feel like its about March .
Perhaps its because half my stuff is still in boxes and I have no Christmas tree or many decorations.......
Lastly it could be that I am in denial as last December was without doubt the worst period I can remember with the loss of 2 very special people and the near loss of a complete stranger before me
Either way I am not ready for Christmas in any way but want to wish you all a fantastic Christmas and to let you know I am thinking of each and every one of you. I do very much look forward to seeing many of you next month when Dylan competes in Sydney at the Youth Olympics.
Sorry about not sending a card but by my calendar expect it about September 2009 - should feel like its Christmas time about then :)
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Sheep rescue
For gods sake I don't even like sheep. I mean I love all animals - truly I do but some more than others and sheep.........well they are pretty much down the bottom of my pecking order. Koalas, possums, ducks, galahs and bunnies - and of course the devine cuteness of the platypus are of the highest order with the Paccas. I digress........
Anyway the boys had been down the creek area and found a sheep on its back and unable to get up. Either had fallen down the hill or been biten by a snake (lower in pecking order than sheep). We contacted the adjoining property owner , who leases his land to the sheep owner (Boo Hiss) who did apparently go looking and couldn't find it. Either he is blind or total dickhead (maybe both). He told owner of property sheep has gotten up and is ok so we are all happy :)
Connor, late in the afternoon, finds it still there and we can not do anything as it is dark and cold and dangerous. I racked my brains as to how I could fix this (did I mention I have a God complex?) and after much debate with self, decide best option is to ask different neighbour to bring quad bike and come have a look. Greg disappears at this point as later tells me I needed to do this myself (nice guy!).
So here I am on the back of a quad bike for the first time and trying to be cool and farm competent, so we ride on the bike and I hold on to the side bars - did not want to hang onto his waist and appear too girly! We get to the sheep and he stands her up and she eventually bears her own weight and we guess perhaps just got stuck and once she is back on her feet she will be ok. We put her (now called "DAISY") on the back of the quad lying down and I sit in front of her with her back legs in one hand and front in the other. Oh crap now I have to get close to stinky sheep and ride quad with no hands to hold on. Still I do it fine and do not complain and get a sore butt trying to hold on with my thighs ! I digress again....
Basically we nursed this sheep for 8 days. We hand fed her, covered her in a blanket, forced water down her thraot and even took her to the vet on day 6 and paid $107 , which now in Vic this is about 5 hours pay, but my higher self tells me I have the means to save her so I must. Day 8 after calls to 3 gatherer type neighbours (not hunters!) poor Daisy Doo Doo (new name) had to be shot. Cam and I in tears and a total mess, and now she has a lovely grave on the hill.
Moral of the story....don't rescue sheep! And yes everyone told me this .
Anyway the boys had been down the creek area and found a sheep on its back and unable to get up. Either had fallen down the hill or been biten by a snake (lower in pecking order than sheep). We contacted the adjoining property owner , who leases his land to the sheep owner (Boo Hiss) who did apparently go looking and couldn't find it. Either he is blind or total dickhead (maybe both). He told owner of property sheep has gotten up and is ok so we are all happy :)
Connor, late in the afternoon, finds it still there and we can not do anything as it is dark and cold and dangerous. I racked my brains as to how I could fix this (did I mention I have a God complex?) and after much debate with self, decide best option is to ask different neighbour to bring quad bike and come have a look. Greg disappears at this point as later tells me I needed to do this myself (nice guy!).
So here I am on the back of a quad bike for the first time and trying to be cool and farm competent, so we ride on the bike and I hold on to the side bars - did not want to hang onto his waist and appear too girly! We get to the sheep and he stands her up and she eventually bears her own weight and we guess perhaps just got stuck and once she is back on her feet she will be ok. We put her (now called "DAISY") on the back of the quad lying down and I sit in front of her with her back legs in one hand and front in the other. Oh crap now I have to get close to stinky sheep and ride quad with no hands to hold on. Still I do it fine and do not complain and get a sore butt trying to hold on with my thighs ! I digress again....
Basically we nursed this sheep for 8 days. We hand fed her, covered her in a blanket, forced water down her thraot and even took her to the vet on day 6 and paid $107 , which now in Vic this is about 5 hours pay, but my higher self tells me I have the means to save her so I must. Day 8 after calls to 3 gatherer type neighbours (not hunters!) poor Daisy Doo Doo (new name) had to be shot. Cam and I in tears and a total mess, and now she has a lovely grave on the hill.
Moral of the story....don't rescue sheep! And yes everyone told me this .
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Pacca's
We should have called them Kerry and Jamie (Packer) but they are Reddy and Benji, Lachie's beloved Alpaccas.
They look like a rastafasian sheep crossed with a camel somehow but really are pretty cute and are starting to let Lachie hand feed them!
Just like 2 curious old ladies who stop and stare at anything that is going on. You know where ever you are her,e there will be 2 sets of eyes looking at you. The other night we had a wallaby in the driveway and it bounded into a paddock- we knew where to look for it as the Paccas were staring as usual!
Echidna
Did I mention the weekend before last we had an echidna walking down our driveway?
A cathartic experience for me, whose eyes glistened with tears at the majesty of such a creature in my yard!
Excitedly I went to work on Monday an announced my discovery to my colleagues who looked at me like I had just announced I had seen an indian minor or a sparrow. I looked back at them in amazement, at their lack of amazement, only to hear a reply that "yeah they're everywhere here, a bit early in the season to to spot one yet". WTF???
Oh well exciting to me and hopefully to you and if I can coerce Dylan to upload some pics here of it I will do shortly I promise. Very , very cute!
A cathartic experience for me, whose eyes glistened with tears at the majesty of such a creature in my yard!
Excitedly I went to work on Monday an announced my discovery to my colleagues who looked at me like I had just announced I had seen an indian minor or a sparrow. I looked back at them in amazement, at their lack of amazement, only to hear a reply that "yeah they're everywhere here, a bit early in the season to to spot one yet". WTF???
Oh well exciting to me and hopefully to you and if I can coerce Dylan to upload some pics here of it I will do shortly I promise. Very , very cute!
Landcare
Well I am finally a country woman. I have attended my first local landcare meeting where local residents formally meet and discuss weeds basically.
Connor and I went and diligently sat through a lengthy meeting and the President mentioned that he and his wife had eliminated a few different species (something in latin) throughout the area. He mentions the first species and indicates it was found up the top of the hill on the corner (shit thats mine!) , then mentions another species (again in latin or hebrew) and yep mine again! As he talks I slip further into my chair and try and suppress my girly giggles with Connor (yes girly as am the youngest there apart from Connor and another Mum) . (I must also note these are some of the nicest people I have ever met)
A guest speaker then talks for over an hour on how to prepare your home for a bush fire. OMG now I've got to worry about snakes and bloody bush fires!!! Far out before the only wildlife I had to worry about were the local vagrants and natural disasters consisted of a crash on the M4! Oh well as he talks I hold onto the thought that we can flee and bugger the prpoerty. He talks about what to salvage eg wills, insurance docs and photos. I am thinknig that I could not give a shit about this who friggin cares! How the f*#K am I getting out with 8 people, an hysterical galah, a cranky bunny, python, 2 blue tongues, axilotyl and 2 flippin aplacas let alone my container load of photos ! I am bought back to earth by his reminder that fleeing may not be an option. Got to look at the roads out and frankly we don't have many.
Off home from work now to talk to Greg about building an underground home instead / bunker.....lol
Connor and I went and diligently sat through a lengthy meeting and the President mentioned that he and his wife had eliminated a few different species (something in latin) throughout the area. He mentions the first species and indicates it was found up the top of the hill on the corner (shit thats mine!) , then mentions another species (again in latin or hebrew) and yep mine again! As he talks I slip further into my chair and try and suppress my girly giggles with Connor (yes girly as am the youngest there apart from Connor and another Mum) . (I must also note these are some of the nicest people I have ever met)
A guest speaker then talks for over an hour on how to prepare your home for a bush fire. OMG now I've got to worry about snakes and bloody bush fires!!! Far out before the only wildlife I had to worry about were the local vagrants and natural disasters consisted of a crash on the M4! Oh well as he talks I hold onto the thought that we can flee and bugger the prpoerty. He talks about what to salvage eg wills, insurance docs and photos. I am thinknig that I could not give a shit about this who friggin cares! How the f*#K am I getting out with 8 people, an hysterical galah, a cranky bunny, python, 2 blue tongues, axilotyl and 2 flippin aplacas let alone my container load of photos ! I am bought back to earth by his reminder that fleeing may not be an option. Got to look at the roads out and frankly we don't have many.
Off home from work now to talk to Greg about building an underground home instead / bunker.....lol
Friday, October 10, 2008
Where am I?
After meeting few people there seems to be 2 main types. Hunters and Gatherers.
The hunters are farmers who view the earth and its creatures as something they can use. The hunters obviously have guns and can be known to display their catches as wall mounts. They do not like the gatherers efforts to replant trees and block their view.
The gatherers are those that only gather what they need, do not waste and believe in rejuventaing the earth . These people may / may not be vegetarian but certainly would not hunt food, and if they eat meat they respect it.
Some people are a mix of both. They farm for money but do not hunt. They replenish also and care for wildlife. I think the owner of the property before us, was a bit of both but did swing towards gatherer.
I am a gatherer.
There is so much wildlife here and there are so many wombats and each day I see at least one that has come off the wrong end of a vehicle. We have been stopping to check if its a female with a baby, but so far all male. The hunters tell me if I see one with the mange I need to call for someone to shoot it. As I have no degree in vetenary health I am scared to diagnose and bring an early end to a creatures life but I am going to have to harden the ---- up ! LOL
The hunters are farmers who view the earth and its creatures as something they can use. The hunters obviously have guns and can be known to display their catches as wall mounts. They do not like the gatherers efforts to replant trees and block their view.
The gatherers are those that only gather what they need, do not waste and believe in rejuventaing the earth . These people may / may not be vegetarian but certainly would not hunt food, and if they eat meat they respect it.
Some people are a mix of both. They farm for money but do not hunt. They replenish also and care for wildlife. I think the owner of the property before us, was a bit of both but did swing towards gatherer.
I am a gatherer.
There is so much wildlife here and there are so many wombats and each day I see at least one that has come off the wrong end of a vehicle. We have been stopping to check if its a female with a baby, but so far all male. The hunters tell me if I see one with the mange I need to call for someone to shoot it. As I have no degree in vetenary health I am scared to diagnose and bring an early end to a creatures life but I am going to have to harden the ---- up ! LOL
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Snakes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Needed to add this as a seperate post.
We are fortunate enough to have some vege patches ready to use so Mum and I decided to get some seedlings and plant a variety of veges. So here we were hoeing and raking the weeds and my job was to peel back the plastic on 2 of the beds which had been covered and left to rest .
Happy, happy me enjoying the life of a farmer when i peel back the plastic and there is a red belly baby black snake coiled up starting at me. Much to my families delight I managed to jump 2 garden beds, scream near wet my pants and run in mid air.
I still dont see the humour in it and am double checking the loo, garbage and even too nervous to collect firewood! I am sure i will get over it but bloody hell!
By the way we bought lachie 2 alpacas!
We are fortunate enough to have some vege patches ready to use so Mum and I decided to get some seedlings and plant a variety of veges. So here we were hoeing and raking the weeds and my job was to peel back the plastic on 2 of the beds which had been covered and left to rest .
Happy, happy me enjoying the life of a farmer when i peel back the plastic and there is a red belly baby black snake coiled up starting at me. Much to my families delight I managed to jump 2 garden beds, scream near wet my pants and run in mid air.
I still dont see the humour in it and am double checking the loo, garbage and even too nervous to collect firewood! I am sure i will get over it but bloody hell!
By the way we bought lachie 2 alpacas!
Here at last
Hooray i am back on the net and can add more to our journey. My god where do I start? Big thanks to Helen for journalling some of our trip this has been a great help (see comments section).
Its gorgeous here - well the scenery and Mum's house is. Funny enough our first days here Greg was SOOO happy (still is) and I mentioned this to him . His reply was "of course I am" and I then realised the reason it was so noticeable is that I don't think I have actually seen him happy lol!
Needless to say in the 10 days we have been here its definately been a culture change. I am still reeling from the shock of the hardware store accepting a personal cheque (can you believe it?).
First day here and eager to sweep out the shed ready for when our things arrive so we can move straight in (some of us at least rest will stay in Mum's house) . On wlaking into the shed there was some sort of contraption that looked like a wooden cage linked to a pulley system (a bit sus I thought) then adjacent was a machine contraption with a long probe attached (clearly this shed had been used by aliens to probe humans I think) and the place smeeled of animal poo. I am reassured by our friends later that this is a wool baler and a sheep shearing machine later (still not convinced). About one third of the shed is covered in pallets where sheep have pooed in between. The last week has been spent by Greg claening it out before he can fix the walls and roof but I assure you the smell is all but gone.
I have spent loads of time in Melbourne watching Dylan swim but he is home with us now. On return from one recent visit i find the verahndah of the house covered in toilet paper. The septic has blocked and now there is human poo everywhere (you think working in childcare for all those years would render me immune to this smell). Thank goodness i came in at the end and greg and Mum had to deal with it and as children do - all needed to go to the bathroom once the toilet was unavailable so back in the car for another 8km trip to the local town toilets.
Today the friggin toilet is leaking again but I am trying to see the humour.
Other than that my Galah seems sick and I tried to take him to the vet yesterday (Sat midday) but the only vet who would be available after many calls advised me it would cost $120 for after hours (for gods sake its mid day Saturday not frigging 11pm at night) and that I must be there by 1.15pm (by now its almost 1pm). Aftewr 15 minutes trying to bribe, force, conjole and beg a stubborn bird its 1.15pm and its a 20 minute trip so i had to cancel , as I then realised its the AFL grandfinal day thats why the time limit! So here sit with the wood oven on the bird in front of this to keep him warm with a pot of water on the stove to keep the air moist. Will keep you posted. Keep checkin in !
Its gorgeous here - well the scenery and Mum's house is. Funny enough our first days here Greg was SOOO happy (still is) and I mentioned this to him . His reply was "of course I am" and I then realised the reason it was so noticeable is that I don't think I have actually seen him happy lol!
Needless to say in the 10 days we have been here its definately been a culture change. I am still reeling from the shock of the hardware store accepting a personal cheque (can you believe it?).
First day here and eager to sweep out the shed ready for when our things arrive so we can move straight in (some of us at least rest will stay in Mum's house) . On wlaking into the shed there was some sort of contraption that looked like a wooden cage linked to a pulley system (a bit sus I thought) then adjacent was a machine contraption with a long probe attached (clearly this shed had been used by aliens to probe humans I think) and the place smeeled of animal poo. I am reassured by our friends later that this is a wool baler and a sheep shearing machine later (still not convinced). About one third of the shed is covered in pallets where sheep have pooed in between. The last week has been spent by Greg claening it out before he can fix the walls and roof but I assure you the smell is all but gone.
I have spent loads of time in Melbourne watching Dylan swim but he is home with us now. On return from one recent visit i find the verahndah of the house covered in toilet paper. The septic has blocked and now there is human poo everywhere (you think working in childcare for all those years would render me immune to this smell). Thank goodness i came in at the end and greg and Mum had to deal with it and as children do - all needed to go to the bathroom once the toilet was unavailable so back in the car for another 8km trip to the local town toilets.
Today the friggin toilet is leaking again but I am trying to see the humour.
Other than that my Galah seems sick and I tried to take him to the vet yesterday (Sat midday) but the only vet who would be available after many calls advised me it would cost $120 for after hours (for gods sake its mid day Saturday not frigging 11pm at night) and that I must be there by 1.15pm (by now its almost 1pm). Aftewr 15 minutes trying to bribe, force, conjole and beg a stubborn bird its 1.15pm and its a 20 minute trip so i had to cancel , as I then realised its the AFL grandfinal day thats why the time limit! So here sit with the wood oven on the bird in front of this to keep him warm with a pot of water on the stove to keep the air moist. Will keep you posted. Keep checkin in !
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
The Property
I've called this a property but really to me its a farm.
After my cousin Mark's wedding to the gorgeous Heidi on her parents farm in Yarragon (March 2008) , I felt forever changed. Suddenly I found myself in my ideal location, in awe of how amazingly beautiful the area is. When it was time to leave I honestly felt like I was being dragged kicking and screaming from here, I did not want to leave and it haunted me day and night from then on.
A month of real estate internet searching (the equivalent of porn for women!) we found 2 places to "have a look at". All the boys agreed to the move so Greg and I took the trip to have a look, after all perhaps the wedding had made me romanticise it all. First property ended up no where near where we wanted to be , too far out from Mebourne and in Greg's words "you would need to be a mountain goat to enjoy it". Back to Yarragon South and my god once again I am overwhelmed by its beauty and I am sold. A little mud brick cottage for Mum and we can build. Amazingly Council approves this and I know then its our fate.
Five months later and here we are packing to leave our homes, leaving a job I have worked SO hard to get (another story) and our friends.............
After my cousin Mark's wedding to the gorgeous Heidi on her parents farm in Yarragon (March 2008) , I felt forever changed. Suddenly I found myself in my ideal location, in awe of how amazingly beautiful the area is. When it was time to leave I honestly felt like I was being dragged kicking and screaming from here, I did not want to leave and it haunted me day and night from then on.
A month of real estate internet searching (the equivalent of porn for women!) we found 2 places to "have a look at". All the boys agreed to the move so Greg and I took the trip to have a look, after all perhaps the wedding had made me romanticise it all. First property ended up no where near where we wanted to be , too far out from Mebourne and in Greg's words "you would need to be a mountain goat to enjoy it". Back to Yarragon South and my god once again I am overwhelmed by its beauty and I am sold. A little mud brick cottage for Mum and we can build. Amazingly Council approves this and I know then its our fate.
Five months later and here we are packing to leave our homes, leaving a job I have worked SO hard to get (another story) and our friends.............
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