and AGAIN!

Yes thats right ...I adopted another orphaned lamb this one also named Daisy and is Cameron's birthday wish.

Daisy whilst given to us free has cost a fortune as we nurse her back to health. Although she has an identity crisis as not sure if is a dog or human, she is delightful and loves a cuddle . She alo needs to wear clothes to keep warm at the moment so was great fun finally buying baby girl clothes!

We no longer wake for night feeds but she does try and jump onto our beds at night which is ok now but when full grown will be like having a living blanket! She does come on trips to the football with us and walks on her lead and rides easy in the car.

We have also adopted 2 puppies called Maddie and Max and recenly took on 2 newborn goats which also passed away but at least died warm and comfy. I don't think I will ever get used to the sadness of creatures dying but hoping we can save those that can be saved.

I can't believe I did it AGAIN!

You would think I would learn from my last encounter trying to save a sick sheep. After the heartbreak of losing Daisy I swore I would not do it again....until a ewe found its way onto our property and delivered a little baby girl lamb named Flossy....

Flossy's Mum was thin and in poor condition and had not one drop if milk to feeb her baby. We tried to get her to suck and the little bub tried hard to get some milk, so we went and got some bottles and lamb formula and set to raising her. She soon followed us around the house and would cry if we put her back in the stable with Mum, so quickly became our house pet.

Last night I held her like a baby and fed her a bottle and she fell asleep in my arms. I placed her in front of the fire in a laundry basket, all rugged up with a nappy on. She didn't wake to feed and I saw at 2am she was asleeep but moving about. Greg woke at 4.30am and I heard him sigh...Flossy was dead. She was still warm so we tried massaging her chest a little but she was gone and once again we are heartbroken.

It seems that 80% of lambs die if not fed by their mother, no matter what you do. The good news is Mum is still alive and the other sheep we also found half dead has stood up today but I know better than to get my hopes up. I just wish owners of livestock would at least keep watch over and care for their animals. As we discovered next door 4 more dead lambs and a heap more dead sheep. Its not on.

On a brighter note I also saved 9 ducks from the chop as their owner didn't want them. Now we have 11 ducks , 8 chickens and an unwanted rooster but at least they are thriving here. Needless to say I have become vegetarian as I can no longer bear to eat meat when I have so many furry and feathered friends..who knows perhaps I will grow out of it.

The local paper

Since Dylan was born I have not watched the news or read a newspaper as I find it way too alarming and depressing. Plus I don't really believe what they tell me, thanks to Year 11 Modern History WWII propaganda stories, and I always feel everything is sensationalised and we are only told what the powers that be want us to know.


I have however, always said that I would like to watch the "Good "News" (no, not as in the bible) but a current affairs program that told the good suff going on. My husband , Greg, says no one would watch it and I never have believed him until now..... thats it until I read my local paper, country style.

I have to admit it is really entertaining to see top stories featuring public concern over the gridlock at the town roundabout (you have got to be kidding I hardly even need to slow down to enter it!), or the enormous turnip a local farmer grew or even the local classifieds featuring sheep drenching utensils (whatever that is) and livestock sales. I paticularly love the local stories of weddings and births (written assuming everyone surely knows the featured couples) but my particular fav is the local political stories over small , tiny stuff like the library relocation causing unrest in the entire community or the outrage over roadworks causing traffic .

I guess its nice to not read about murders, rapes and suicides and to hear some of the happy sides of freakish farming ability and local happenings for a change, but I think its going to take a LOOONG time before I can take it seriously.

Country Drivers

I can see you nodding before I begin as no doubt you know I am about to vent my frustration at having to share the road with the delightful country driver. Yes I know I live in the county so should have seen it coming but honestly I never gave it a thought!

I have taken up a job where 3 days a week I drive 100km to work whick takes about 75minutes. Unfortunately I am forced to share the road with country drivers, who for some reason think its a sin to actually drive the speed limit, or for that matter even to drive anywhere near the allowed speed. If you are thinking "whats the rush?", my reply is to re read the first sentence in this paragraph! 75 minutes has turned into 90 minutes which is a long time to get to work ! Whats more its a one lane road the WHOLE way ! I am going to develop an ulcer if I have do this much longer!

If I am not in a rush (remember I am from Sydney so of course am in a rush) I do find myself bemused as I navigate local towns and find all of a sudden the car in front either does a complete U turn without so much as a slight indication, or out of nowhere a car pulls out in front of me, the driver obviously oblivious of the reason why cars have rear vision mirrors. Then they usually continue to drive on at about 20km an hour on a ONE lane road! Almost as good as the country pedestrian that randomly decides to step onto the road regardless of oncoming traffic (PS traffic here means more than 2 cars on a road - gridlock is when more than 3 cars are waiting at an intersection facing different directions)

The other day on a main road coming home from work a van pulled out from a left side road, right in front of me, forcing me to stop literally right under the driver side window. I sat stunned (and grateful I was able to stop) with my palms upturned in an exasperated, questioning gesture and stared intently at the driver waiting for his shock at our near collision. He continued to drive, gazing above the height of my car, oblivious of my presence right under his nose! Imagine if he was in the city and did that?

I guess the upshot is, if you have read my earlier blogs, they are helping me avoid more speeding fines but they may cause me to perform other illegal actions lol ! I will keep you posted x

FIRE!!!

Oh lord where do I begin?

Record temperatures scorched Melbourne yesterday and we awoke to a breeze coming through the tiny shed window , which unusually didn't give that cool waft we are used to. Instead I can only describe it as... hot.

Throughout the morning the breeze turned to almost gale force, and really hot. We had fires on either side of us but each about maybe 30km away but hard to tell. There had been a big fire about 20km away last week but somehow with the freakish wind and branches falling everywhere this felt more ominous.

At this point I can not tell you how beautiful the people are here. Although I do mention ealirer how over excited these Victorians get over sport (I say this in fun) the country folk here are just wonderful and so grounded in a crisis. By midday two neighbours had visited to check on the "newbies"and make sure we are prepared with good advice for what to look out for. Another two phone calls come with offers to come to their place , who are more fire prepared than us. I am so thankful to be with these generous people; they are kind and thoughtful and nothing is too much trouble. (Although I must admit to calling my cousin Mark from the UK, who migrated here 18 months ago and living nearby, and ask what the "f#@*" have we done to our lives moving here mate? He laughs!)

At this point Greg and I decide to get fire ready as the real threat is embers flying from the fire and starting another spot fire, as the fire comes closer, perhaps 12km away. The sun goes red and the smoke gets thick and there is black ash falling. My eyes sting from the smoke and my throat hurts and we sweat under the heavy clothing you need to wear should fire break out (although counting the calories I am burning by running around in 40 degree temperature in denim jeans and praying my thighs will get thinner). We can hear the fire choppers in the distance as the wind drops and an eery silence envelops the gully

I'm not scared as there is no great threat but you have to be ready to go in a moment (I am still trying to figure out how we would get 8 people, 2 bunnies, a galah, an axolotyl, a snake , two lizards and our 2 alpacas into the van but you haven't seen me pack a suitcase!) We clear the veranda, flood the gutters with water and keep a vigilant eye on the gully , one ember and the whole place would be up in a flash.

For every 10 degrees of slope uphill the fire speed doubles and ours is a bloody steep slope. I am apprehensive and cautious. I am also muttering and cursing my real estate agent for his comments about "never having a bushfire here in at least 80 years" , oh and my favourite "it doesn't get too hot here, especially on top of the hill like you are" my arse! If I had of known it gets this hot I'd have bought a house with a pool!

I don't want to be overly dramatic here as so many have lost their lives, and many more their homes, and many more again needed evacuation and saw the horror first hand. Our only view of the fires was from the top of the property, ironically where we hope to build our home, and as the sun dropped, in the darkness the glow in the distance was unmistakable.

The Ulladulla factor

You might be wondering what on earth is Sue on about now, what is an Ulladulla factor? I'll enlighten you...

My brother, Robert, lives on the south coast of NSW in a rural town called Ulladulla. He coined this term and now I will steal it from him and embellish it a little

He has often spoken of people in his small town getting very excited about their children's accomplishments in sport (nothing wrong with that to a degree), with the belief that their child is destined for sporting fame, if they are successful in their country town. He often speaks of how kids from Sydney might visit his town , say for a tennis comp, and the country child prodigy then gets smashed by the city sider, and everone is left perplexed and heart broken.

My kids are swimmers and coming from Sydney they, and I, know what sort of competition is out there, so we are lucky . However, I can't help but feel sorry for all these great kids doing well at their sport, here in country Victoria, and bewildered when the family and friends get over excited about it. Perhaps it has something to do with the enormous celebrations and chanting before the swim meet begins? I feel like I am a rebel breakaway in a scientology cult.

Its a big, big world out there and I see other parents looking at Greg and I, perplexed at our lack of excitement at our kids recent achievements at the Country Swim Championships, when they are in tears when their child medals in a relay. Don't get me wrong, any kid participating in sport is fantastic in my view, but I refer to the sporting parent who believes their child will be the next Michael Phelps for winning gold at a local meet and booking their tickets for the London 2012 games....The Ulladulla factor.

Its not just us avoiding the Ulladulla factor but a cultural difference .You see here they are mad AFL fans (yes I know I am too) but the mad cheering you see on the TV isn't just reserved for the AFL but for basically anything! Yep, anything. Even the smallest of achievements gets a grandstand full of parents screaming and cheering like its the AFL grandfinal. I am convinced if there were 2 flies walking up a handrail the crowd would start baracking and cheering on one or the other to make it to the top first. Some even had mega phones,no lie, to cheer their child on from the bleechers! This is nice... I think?... In fact to be honest I am not sure. I dont know if I am just the big city reserved type or if I am just more realistic and aware of the big world out there so reluctant to get too excited.

Anyway I can finally relate to what my brother has been bewidered about for ages. You defiantly see the world as much bigger when you move from city to country. I just hope the bubbles don't burst too soon and they enjoy it while it lasts.

My god its hot here!

Have I mentioned how cold it gets here? Well please remind me next time I complain about it. Good lord its 40 plus degrees here and I live in a tin shed! Worse still its going to be hotter tomorrow.

Now I understand we all have our weather extremes but at least in Sydney we were equiped for the heat. Two split system air conditioners and a 9 metre pool. Here even the dam has dried up (not that you would swim in it) and there is absolutely nothing except a couple of fans to cool us down. Still many before us have endured a lot worse without even refrigeration, so I should stop complaining, but that doesnt make me feel any cooler lol! And out come the snakes!

The grass has gone yellow and the lush green landscape has been replaced with the type of dry, brittle harshness that really is unique to the Australian countryside. From sunrise to sunset now you can hear the seed pods in the trees splitting and bursting in the heat. Still its paradise here .... If only I had a pool !

A New Year beginning

Wow its 2009 already ... Happy New Year to you.

The New Year has not bought the type of hot weather we may have experienced in Sydney but I am told its coming...we'll see but I am happy to not feel the heat. It is odd though to have 5 degree temps in the evening to us and even needing to light the fire! Good Lord imagine what winter is going to be like!!!

The mail arrived the other day and I find myself assulted with not one but two speeding fines! Jesus ! One was only 8 km over the limit and both on the same stretch of freeway! I don't really know what else to say, but I am inclined to justify my speed as there is still alot of Sydney Girl in me and, well yes, I still feel like a busy woman and rushing everywhere. I do admit to thinking how slow the Victorians drive here, and they do, especially the country folk. I am a city, lane switching, freeway peak hour driving expert compared, so need to change or risk my licence! Time to slow down and kick back more.

When we first arrived here Connor and I were in Melbourne for the afternoon and I was dashing about as you do in the city. He pulled on my handag and said "slow down you look silly"and sure enough, even the city Victorians don't rush and dash about as frantically as we do in Sydney. I am trying really hard now to walk slower and try to relax :)

A book I have been reading about an Englishman who moved to rural Spain has reminded me of my quest to live simply and more off the land. He mentions how he still found himself being enslaved to modernism and found himself still buying and wanting lots of things. I thought again about this and realised I am still living very much the same, working to afford the items we need or do we? Thus my quest begins...

Mum pulled some (what we thought were) shallots from the garden and left them by the side of the vege patch. I have since discovered these to realise they are garlic bulbs! In the spirit of my new quest I decided would no longer buy garlic but ultilise the fruits of my land and set about peeling half a bucket of garlic cloves with Cameron. My fingers ache and smell horrid but I now have a jar of frozen garlic cloves and a bottle of garlic oil in the fridge and feel much more like a farmer and saved us... mmmm probably a whole $2 or $3 ! Thinking I need to evaluate effort vs output principles a bit more lol!

Anyway lets hope 2009 brings Gippsland a drought and fire free Summer and a prosperous year ahead. The same to you where ever you are...