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  • Paul Bunyan…

    2011 - 03.23

    Earlier this year you may remember a somewhat wild Thursday night which caused substantial damage across the state. I had a tree up the North Eastern corner of my block come down that night. Mostly due to the water in the ground the previous few weeks and the high winds that night. Basically it just lent over and went to sleep on the shed roof of my neighbour over the back fence.

    Old Man Gum Sleeping

    Old Man Gum Sleeping

    This is the first time I’ve had to document the lumberjack activities of the weekend a fortnight ago. One could call it a “family” outing. My Father, Uncle and myself (with a brief cameo from Patriko) made a morning of it with assorted ropes and a couple of chainsaws. The results was:

    A Sad but necessary situation

    A Sad but necessary situation

    Fortunately no damage done to fence or shed.

    As good as before

    As good as before

    Hopefully a fence that will last some years yet, and probably the shed too!

    Facelift…

    2011 - 03.06

    First coat is done and if you look carefully, you can see the couple of areas that got a second coat with the last of the paint at about 20:30 in the evening. It was bigger job than I thought. I did however get a second coat on the rear support posts and cross bar, so that’s done now.

    First coat

    Even though I finished this at 20:30 last night, this morning wildlife was returning.

    After a second coat all over, it should be good for some years. I’ll be putting some mesh along the back of it (out of sight in these) to train the Honey Suckle & Jasmine up for next summer.

    Year 3 time to improve…

    2011 - 03.05

    It’s now my third year in this house, and I’ve started to get the urge to change or improve things that I’ve decided aren’t quite how I’d like them now. When I bought this house one of the criteria was that I didn’t need to do any serious maintenance for at least 2 years. This idea was partially based on suggestions from a couple of friends who said “…take some time to decide what works for you and what doesn’t work for you.”

    Well Last weekend I started on the Pergola.

    Painting the Pergola

    I’ve also got to complete the staining of the windows on the far side of the house. Last summer I started, but since I wasn’t sure how it was going to look, I didn’t buy a large quantity of stain. I’ve since bought more and will hopefully finish this by next weekend.

    Partial corner showing difference

    And the bigger view

    How it's shaping up

    As you can see it lifts the old wood up quite a bit.

    There’s also a few other tasks on the list at this stage. For most I’m hoping they’ll be finished before the Equinox.

    Drip, Drop, Pitter, Patter (and NOT little feet)…

    2011 - 02.18

    I’m yet to fully discern what lies behind my adoration / obsession with rain, listening to the rain: basically doing anything in the rain. All I know is that I rarely feel so at peace with the Cosmos as when listening to rain or being in the rain. There are two earliest recollections of rain of which I’m aware at this stage.

    I have  one of lying in my bed at night when young listening to the rain in the dark for what seemed like hours, floating away on the sound, merging with the rain. Somehow I feel a sense of innocence and purity when I recall this experience.

    The other is of sitting under a Willow Tree by the lake near my home on an afternoon, simply watching the rain fall onto the surface of the lake, listening to the symphony of tiny splashes, eventually building up to a fair crescendo as the rain got heavier. I remember the light breeze and fresh smell I’ve come to appreciate like few others. I was to have an early sexual experience in that same spot a few years later, in the rain, partially chosen because of the sense of safety I’d felt there on several occasions, and because we both liked the area. It was one of my few early experiences where I felt some emotional connection to the girl I was with, making it something more than just “getting it”…Not so innocent, but still something potent.

    30 Days & 30 Nights…

    2011 - 02.14

    Well with a slight “blip”, I’ve made 30 days without a JB purchase, which is a significant landmark for me.

    Not since the store first opened here have I gone a month without a purchase! Can’t say I’ve really saved any money yet, but have spent it on more “productive” things with regard to working on the house.

    There will begin changes ever so slowly…

    Inside the White Whale

    2011 - 02.14

    Amusing anecdote from work for a change.

    I needed to take the work van out on some rounds today. There was not much in the rear compartment, and without a “cargo net” to hold things in place things seemed to be sliding about too much. So I pulled up out the front of work, got out and climbed into the back of the van to shuffle things about to not roll about. In those few seconds, the back door shut and I realised that I was shut in the back. NO problem you would think, I had the key. Unfortunately you can’t open the rear doors from the inside. The Side door to the van was apparently jammed, and I remember it being so some time before. I’d thought that had been repaired on it’s last trip to fleet. Apparently not!

    So although I had the keys, and could unlock the van I still couldn’t exit because of said issue. No problem, I’ll just ring someone to come and let me out you would think. Well, I’d left the Blackberry in the front console of the van, and we have a cage across the back of the cargo bay to prevent whatever’s in the rear from making it’s way to the front uninvited!@! No joy there.

    Fortunately I had the iPhone in my pocket. First 2 people I rang didn’t answer (argh!), third person did…luckily (phew, getting warm in the back by now).

    Escape realized, but obviously at my expense 🙂

    Echoes from a Not So Distant Past…

    2011 - 02.14

    It would seem that I’d not dealt with the dregs of a previous relationship as well as I’d thought: apparently there’s more to resolve within myself! Despite no contact for several years now, there’s apparently still some anger and pain. Work to be done for sure…

    And Then There Were Two…

    2011 - 02.13

    It’s Two Years today that I settled on this house, so it’s a day of reflection and fun. I’m just starting to make a few changes now, as I didn’t want to do anything drastic until I’d been in the house for at least a year. I’d also not wanted or needed to do anything major to the house for these two years, but now I’ve got the “bug” to start.

    Upcoming tasks:

    • Paint the facia boards, and pergola.
    • Finish staining the spare bedroom, bathroom and study windows.
    • Try and get some new trees in to replace the ones that are dying due to the extended drought.
    • There’s also a need to cut down a few dead trees too.
    • Get a kitten!

    *sigh* money…

    Of Sheep & Babies…

    2011 - 02.12

    I was just introduced to a game for PS3 called “Catherine”. Dreams of Sheep, Killer babies, apparently mummified corpses and Women in short skirts & stockings. The Japanese really whack it all in don’t they!

    Chairman of the Board(games)…

    2011 - 02.07

    Just how many games can I fit in my cupboard? More still it seems. Part of Furbag’s xmas present for me arrived on Friday. Horus Heresy is on the table being play tested in the study at present: photos soon. Meanwhile, Dust Tactics is still to arrive, being on back order it seems.