We have a very old car. It used to belong to our son, and we bought it second hand for him,when he was 17. He is now 34.Lately it has been running like 'a hairy goat'. My husband has tried to find out what the problem is. (I must say, it has done a power of work, and is probably just looking for a rest!) Neville took the head off last week, and replaced it and the gasket, to no avail. Today, he put a different carburator on, and it is running like a clock. It still has water being forced into one of the pistons, but now, I don't feel as though it is going to conk out, miles from anywhere.
I mentioned in a recent posting, that the council workers were putting kerbing along our street. They laid the kerbing on Tuesday, and it was fascinating to watch. We had to park the car on the front verge for a few days, but now have a new driveway, and can put the car in the yard again.It is a bit 'sudden' when we drive out, and one would not want to drive out too quickly, or you would damage the front end. They have to finish filling in the ditch and leveling the rubble, but it looks quite good.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Strange weather and other stuff.
My friend, Sue and I, thravvelled to Naracoorte on Tuesday, to do some shopping and have a day out. About lunch time, there was a thunder storm approaching, and it did rain, just a bit. There was more lightning and thunder than rain, and the fire siren sounded, just as we were getting lunch. On our way out of town, a CFS (Country Fire Service) unit passed us, and we were surprised to see it was from a neighbouring small town. It was heading the same way we were. They must have been called out because the Naracoorte units were already on their way to the other fire. We could smell burnt grass, and see the smoke, but no fire. There were 90 fires lit by lightning that day, in this state alone. They are still battling fires in other states. We have had a thick pall of smoke over the town most of today. It is drifting in from the west, but we have not heard where the fire was/is. I hope the idiots who light fires for 'fun' , think again, as they put everybody's life at risk, and we are in for a long hot summer.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Haydn's Birthday Lunch.
Yesterday, Neville, his brother Peter and I travelled in Peter's car, to Naracoorte, to join his and Neville's elder brother Haydn, for his 70th birthday celebrations. It turned out that Haydn had no idea that we were coming, so was surprised to see us. There were many family and friends there, but some I expected to see were absent. His elder daughter and her family, to mention one. His youngeer daughter was there from Victoria, minus her husband. I did not expect to see her. She had come over the night before, and had to leave immediately after lunch to travel home, as she has to work.
We were asked to pay for our meals, as they had stipulated NO gifts. I ordered roast chicken sans gravy. When it arrived, and I started to eat it, I discovered that it was not cooked properly, as it was still pink in the bones. I said I would not eat it, just fill up on vegetables. Neville said I should take it back, but I could not be bothered. He could have done that for me. He compensated by telling the waitress when she brought more meals to our table. She apologised and took it away, and brought me another meal, this time it was the breast and was properly cooked. She apologised once more.
It was quite warm yesterday, and more so where we were seated, as it was in the atrium at the back of the hotel, which has been enclosed with clear plastic blinds. My sister-in-law, Irene, asked if the blinds could be pulled up, to let the breeze in. This was done, and it was much better.
After lunch, we drove to our farm and Neville and Pete climbed the frnce and walked to the sheds, where they picked the strawberries, and Pete took them home. As we were leving to go to the farm, Haydn said, 'Hey, Sue. Will you tell this young lady what my nickname is. She won't believe me?' I said it was Tom. The girl in question looked sceptical, and I said, pointing to Pete, that he was called Chink, as his father said he looked like a Chinaman. She said, 'Why did he call him that?' I said she would have to ask him, but as he has been dead for 38 years, it would be a bit difficult. Then Haydn told her that Neville was his brother also. She wanted to know what his nickname was, but I refused to divulge that information. She asked me where I fitted in, and I said, "Anywhere I can!" Haydn told her I am Neville's wife.
Wehile we were at the farm, my grandson from Perth rang me on the moblie. He was having a great ime, as my sister and her husband were with him and my son, and they were showing them some of the sights, as they had not been to Perth before.
We went to Haydn and Irene's house for a cuppa before we came home. This young girl was there, and she was very precocious and 'forward for her age'. She informed me she had discovered Neville's nickname, and proceeded to call him by it. It did not cut any ice with Neville, as he ignored her. She misunderstood the meaning of it, and I was nor about to disabuse her. She wanted to know what mine was, and did not believe me when I said I did not have one.
She is sixteen, and I thought she was about 12. When I put atrificial sweetener in my tea, she asked point blank, 'Are you a Diabetic?' "No, I'm not". Then why are you using that stuff?" "Because I can." I was getting just a tad irritated with her inquiitiveness, by the time we left. Her mother was seated next to me, and did not check her at all.
All in all, we had a great day out, though I was exhausted.
We were asked to pay for our meals, as they had stipulated NO gifts. I ordered roast chicken sans gravy. When it arrived, and I started to eat it, I discovered that it was not cooked properly, as it was still pink in the bones. I said I would not eat it, just fill up on vegetables. Neville said I should take it back, but I could not be bothered. He could have done that for me. He compensated by telling the waitress when she brought more meals to our table. She apologised and took it away, and brought me another meal, this time it was the breast and was properly cooked. She apologised once more.
It was quite warm yesterday, and more so where we were seated, as it was in the atrium at the back of the hotel, which has been enclosed with clear plastic blinds. My sister-in-law, Irene, asked if the blinds could be pulled up, to let the breeze in. This was done, and it was much better.
After lunch, we drove to our farm and Neville and Pete climbed the frnce and walked to the sheds, where they picked the strawberries, and Pete took them home. As we were leving to go to the farm, Haydn said, 'Hey, Sue. Will you tell this young lady what my nickname is. She won't believe me?' I said it was Tom. The girl in question looked sceptical, and I said, pointing to Pete, that he was called Chink, as his father said he looked like a Chinaman. She said, 'Why did he call him that?' I said she would have to ask him, but as he has been dead for 38 years, it would be a bit difficult. Then Haydn told her that Neville was his brother also. She wanted to know what his nickname was, but I refused to divulge that information. She asked me where I fitted in, and I said, "Anywhere I can!" Haydn told her I am Neville's wife.
Wehile we were at the farm, my grandson from Perth rang me on the moblie. He was having a great ime, as my sister and her husband were with him and my son, and they were showing them some of the sights, as they had not been to Perth before.
We went to Haydn and Irene's house for a cuppa before we came home. This young girl was there, and she was very precocious and 'forward for her age'. She informed me she had discovered Neville's nickname, and proceeded to call him by it. It did not cut any ice with Neville, as he ignored her. She misunderstood the meaning of it, and I was nor about to disabuse her. She wanted to know what mine was, and did not believe me when I said I did not have one.
She is sixteen, and I thought she was about 12. When I put atrificial sweetener in my tea, she asked point blank, 'Are you a Diabetic?' "No, I'm not". Then why are you using that stuff?" "Because I can." I was getting just a tad irritated with her inquiitiveness, by the time we left. Her mother was seated next to me, and did not check her at all.
All in all, we had a great day out, though I was exhausted.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Road Works
Monday, local council employees started making lots of noise and dust outside our house. We have a 'no through road' at the end of our street, and they were laying rubble along it. We were curious to know why. It would appear it is so people can walk through. It seems pointless, as we have been able to do that all the time. A few years ago, they made that end of the street a cul-de-sac,when they did the kerbong , so I can't see that they will allow cars to drive through. Now for some clarification on the above. The council employees have been measuring and marking along the street, as they are about to finish doing the kerbing they started about four years ago. They are doing the kerbing on the other side of the street first. They are removing the culvert pipes, and putting new ones under ground. When they did that on our side, all the rain water runoff seeped into the pit in our shed, as it's natural path had been blocked. It will be interesting to see what happens now.
Yesterday, when Sue and I came back from our coffee morning, there were two council employees standing at the stobie pole on the other side of the street. Well, one was standing, the other was digging a hole. I remarked to Sue, that the one standing was a proper employee, as he was leaning on his shovel! He had obviously received the correct 'training'.For all you non aussies, it is a standard joke, that to be employed by the council as outside staff, you must lean of your shovel a lot, as they are not deemed to be very diligent workers.I hope they don't take too long to complete the work.I have enough trouble with allergies and Asthma, without the added dust they will be kicking up.
Yesterday, when Sue and I came back from our coffee morning, there were two council employees standing at the stobie pole on the other side of the street. Well, one was standing, the other was digging a hole. I remarked to Sue, that the one standing was a proper employee, as he was leaning on his shovel! He had obviously received the correct 'training'.For all you non aussies, it is a standard joke, that to be employed by the council as outside staff, you must lean of your shovel a lot, as they are not deemed to be very diligent workers.I hope they don't take too long to complete the work.I have enough trouble with allergies and Asthma, without the added dust they will be kicking up.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Guy Fawkes night
When I was young, many, many moons ago, on this night we would light bonfires and burn a 'guy', and let off crackers and rockets, and other fireworks. It has been fazed out, for the most part in this country, as it is at the wrong time of the year. It is essentially an English practice, and much safer over there, as they are coming into Winter. I believe it is still widely practiced in Britain. I just looked at the date on my computer, and realised this fact.
Today, we travelled to Keith, to pick up my single bed, as I had loaned it to Deb for her mother-in-law to sleep on, before she moved into her new house/flat. We were invited to have lunch with them, which made a nice change, and we could spend time with the children. We don't get to do that with Lachlan much.
We had roast chicken and veg, and gravy. I was not quick enough to say not to put gravy on mine, but, hey, it is only one time. I doubt that it will make much difference to my weight loss efforts.
Deb is far from well. She has had a very nasty chest infection, and now she has a sinus infection. As she is 18 weeks pregnant, the doctor is loath to give her Antibiotics. She looks as 'miserable as a Bandicoot'.
We had a pleasant time with them, and came home about 2pm. I am now doing the washing. It doesn't matter if it is not hung out today, I can finish doing that tomorrow.
Today, we travelled to Keith, to pick up my single bed, as I had loaned it to Deb for her mother-in-law to sleep on, before she moved into her new house/flat. We were invited to have lunch with them, which made a nice change, and we could spend time with the children. We don't get to do that with Lachlan much.
We had roast chicken and veg, and gravy. I was not quick enough to say not to put gravy on mine, but, hey, it is only one time. I doubt that it will make much difference to my weight loss efforts.
Deb is far from well. She has had a very nasty chest infection, and now she has a sinus infection. As she is 18 weeks pregnant, the doctor is loath to give her Antibiotics. She looks as 'miserable as a Bandicoot'.
We had a pleasant time with them, and came home about 2pm. I am now doing the washing. It doesn't matter if it is not hung out today, I can finish doing that tomorrow.
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