Go toHOMEBottom of PageGo toThe Motley ExpeditionsViews from the Other SideStrolls in the BushTravels round my FamilyMy Life as an EngineerBarraba Red HattersGo on the Web toEco-Camping AustraliaThe Highway Wanderers Chapter of the CMCAThe Australian SkepticsMy Daughter's Blog |
December 2012Another wonderful family dinnerMonday, 31st December 2012Last night all of the family who were still in Barraba went to dinner at the Barraba Motel and each of us appreciated what they provided. I congratulated the lady who does the cooking there and we were all pleased to get various good drinks. A wonderful family gatheringSaturday , 29th December 2012Last Thursday we were very happy when our children and their spouses and our grand children came to Barraba from cities in Australia, Sydney and Brisbane, and in America, San Francisco. We were so pleased to have a complete family gathering including those who live in Barraba, that we arranged a celebratory dinned at the Play House Hotel where some of our family were staying. We all had a wornedful meal and most of us drank some of our favourite wine, Banrock Station White Shiraz which we took to the dinner. We congratulated Andrew Sharp and Haddon Witten on the marvelous food they provided. Our family was very communicative with one another. We normally communicate on email and on blogs but the conversations were very pleasing. Some new info about Chico the cat Chico had got out of the Marretts' house and he was missing since boxing day. This morning he was outside our front door again after two days away from where he is suposed to live now, so I took him back to their house and he is now inside that house. An amazing thing about Chico the catSunday , 23rd December 2012I was amazed this morning after seeing Chico living happily at Sarah's place yesterday. When I went out of our front door this morning Chico was there and cried to me to get me to take him indoors and back on the back deck where he used to live.. I was very surprised that he came by himself from their place to our place walking about a kilometer for perhaps the first time. I didn't want to let him into our place so I took him back home to their place and Sarah told me that she thought that he hadn't been eating at their place so he might have come to our place to go to his food bowl which of course is not here any more , it is at their place now, he might not have known that. Chico the cat is really happy living with the MarrettsSaturday , 22nd December 2012Jean and I went to Sarahs house for an evening snack last night and we were impressed that Chico the cat was showing himself to be very happy in his new place. I was sitting by myself on a lounge and Chico came up and sat next to me. He was very pleased when I caressed his head and his neck. It was obvious that he recognised me but he is very happy to be living with the Marretts in a very suitable way. The problems he had had when he was living with us were because we didn't let him be in our house because he had been causing us difficulities with all of his burrs and fleas. I'm sure that Sarrah and the kids are doing everything he needs doing to him. He is very nice and vety happy. Solution to the cat problemFriday , 21st December 2012The last complaint from the next door neighbour was that Chico had knocked over their bird cage and had injured their Budgerigar. I had decided to get the vet to put him down. Sarah argued that that would be very bad and unnecessary and she offered to take over Chico as another of her cats. I was convinced that that would be very good so I put Chico in a cage in her car before she left here to go home. Not good weatherSunday, 16th December 2012Our weather is not being very pleasing. We are still suffering from a drought. Thre rain in the local area which we see on the radar displays on the internet moving towards Barraba doesnt arive and we are still hoping to get rain to fil the rain water tank. The day temperatures are mostly too hot now. I have to keep putting more water in the bird bath because the sunny days evaporate lots of the water and the birds have a problem when the water is low level. Of course we have lots of birds in our garden because Barraba is a famous bird area. I won a trophy from a magazine because I reported that I have recorded 38 species of birds in our garden. The night temperatures are not cool and we have to operate the fans on both sides of our bed to make us feel better. We were most impressed with Barraba weather when we moved in here in May 2005. Happily the weather on our market days has improved from the autumn and winter with mostly no rain, no chilly breeze, and some sunshine to make people come to our Artisans' and Farmers' Market which was introduced to promote Barraba to visitors from other towns. On the 17th November I quoted my record of the out of town visitors. Another cat problemFriday , 14th December 2012I blogged on Sunday 9th December that the next door neighbours had complained about the behaviour of our cat Chico. When I was in Tamworth recently I went into the most practical Pet Shop to buy a new bell ringing collar. I told the salesman that I had bought one before but Chico had managed to remove it somewhere were I couldn't find it. The salsman offered me a more reliable collar which I bought. I set it up on Chico's neck and felt that he probably couldn't take it off. I have checked him every day to discover that he hasn't got it off. Phil from next door was impressed when I told him what I had done. Garden WorkSunday, 9th December 2012Even though we have been suffering from a drought which caused our rain water tank to go empty. We got the Barraba Plumber to make some change so that town water would re[place the tank water in the kitchen and bathroom. Because we don't want to drink town water I have to buy big bottles of Peats Ridge Spring Water which we are impressed about because we use that to make up our tea and coffee drinks and we sometimes use it to work on our tooth brushing in the bathroom. Peats Ridge is a place on our list of towns we visited or passed when we were grey nomads. Today I had to mow all the lawns in our place. The drought reduceed to growth of the grass but lots of the weeds in the lawns were producing flowers during the spring and summer. I have had to clip some of them but the mowing today got rid of all the weed flowers and seeds in the lawns. The mowing was done with my Parklander mower which puts all the cut grass in it's collection box which I have to empty in special places. The lawns are not left with loose cut grass all around which might get moved into the house on our boots and shoes. The mowing took me over an hour and a half and because the weather was very warn I got very sweaty and needed a shower which now uses town water but works pretty well. Sadly our next door neighbours demanded that we control our cat Chico because he was seen by the kids in their place killing three of their favourite birds. Chico used to live with our friends many metres from here but Chico often came into our garden and I think other peoples gardens. When our friend Mark was suffering a major brain blood problem and was away lots of time, we took over looking after Chico, I don't think we can stop Chico killing birds, He did eat one under our double bed and he also brought a galah into the house one day and I made him take it outside. One day I saw Chico killing a magpie in the next door garden but I saw and heard about seven other magpies in a tree just over Chico and the other magpie. They were screamimg at Chico because of what he was doing to one of their friends. I will try and get a collar with bells on it to try and save the birds from his predatory activity. |
BackMar 2014Feb 2014Jan 2014Dec 2013Nov 2013Oct 2013Sept 2013Aug 2013Jul 2013Jun 2013May 2013Apr 2013Mar 2013Feb 2013Jan 2013Nov 2012Oct 2012Sep 2012Aug 2012Jul 2012Jun 2012May 2012Apr 2012Mar 2012Feb 2012Jan 2012Dec 2011Nov 2011Oct 2011Sep 2011Aug 2011Jul 2011Jun 2011May 2011Apr 2011Mar 2011Feb 2011Jan 2011Dec 2010Nov 2010Oct 2010Sep 2010Aug 2010Jul 2010Jun 2010May 2010Apr 2010Mar 2010Feb 2010Jan 2010Dec 2009Nov 2009Oct 2009Sep 2009Aug 2009Jul 2009Jun 2009May 2009Apr 2009Mar 2009Feb 2009Jan 2009Dec 2008Nov 2008Oct 2008Sep 2008Aug 2008Jul 2008Jun 2008May 2008Apr 2008 |