What happened to August?

 

Wow – that’s scary.  August has disappeared so fast, I’m not sure where it went.  It’s not like we have been so busy, but I guess if you add up all the various visits to here, there and everywhere, plus moving into Bonney’s Water Ski Park for 3 weeks and then looking after a property here in Baldivis for some acquaintances, it all adds up.  Then of course there is all the relaxing, and ‘doona’ days caused by the rain.  16 days straight.  More than enough I think.

Bonney’s was quite good the first week, then it started to rain.  Muddy just doesn’t cover it.  It’s just a large grassed area, and doesn’t drain well.  At one stage, we had to step out of the van into 2” of water.  Started to feel a little like a duck (you know – webbed feet).  Nice people there, quite a lot of long stayers.  It’s really the only park in the Perth area where you can park with a Big Rig, or with dogs.  And only $120 / week.

The property here at Baldivis is great.  It’s 14 acres, with the house at the top of the property, well away from the dead-end road.  This means very little road noise.  GREAT!  We’re looking after the large house (which feels really strange after 2 1/2 years in a van), a fat 8 year old Jack Russell Terrier (Gemma), 17 chooks and 7 caged birds.  A fair amount of the property is bush, so the job is really not very difficult.  The chooks lay 8 or 9 eggs a day, and we are giving heaps away.

Over the last month, Rick has been to the psych once a week.  The guy is really nice, and really, really different.  He is half Japanese, owns 10 purebred collies, 10 cats, 1 purebred Toy Poodle (who is a real cutie), and 1 ‘pound’ bitser.  He brings one of the collies and the poodle into work with him, and they really rule the roost.  Malcolm is really easy to talk to, and is quite happy for me to come into the meetings with Rick.  We’ve got another two appointments next week, and then Malcolm will begin to write the report.

OK, what else have we done?  Drove down to Australind to meet with a friend of a friend who needs a house-sitter in December.  Lovely house, and lovely, lovely lady – Cheryl.  She made afternoon tea for us – scones & biccies, and introduced us to the cat.  Moggy is 19 years old, and very doddery, but still hanging in there.  Spends most of his time asleep in the warmth.  Cheryl has invited us to come for a BBQ and stay overnight after we leave here – probably about the 28th of September, after the HF Radio Club gathering at Yarloop, which is not far from Australind.

At the moment, we have Geoff & Robyn Rilling staying with us for a few days.  We’ve known them for a long time, but haven’t seen them since the last time we visited Adelaide, 6 years ago.  They are on their way home from a six month tour of the Northern Territory and Western Australia.  Really good to catch up with them again.