The last bit of the essential work on the house was completed when the blind man came calling. Not the blind Pugh type of blind man who taps his way along the highway on his way to Treasure Island (I know he didn’t make it as he met an unfortunate end outside the Admiral Benbow but I know if I didn’t mention the book ----) well anyhow the blind man cometh and lo he fixeth the blinds to the windoweth. That was exciting wasn’t it?
Bird of the day has got into deep and sticky waters as most of the easy ones are now used up though the dogs have helped when they flushed a painted button-quail when we out and about. I suppose it means going further abroad to the seaside or hoping to get the odd ones that are possible in cycling range. That’s about two kilometers, give or take a kilometer. On reflection I have had some good birds like the Square-tailed Kite over the house, Common Sandpiper at Lake Wendouree and a weebill in the forest at Invermay. To say it’s a quiet time of year is an understatement and I have bombed out on two consecutive days so I guess I owe my fellow competitor, Big Bad Birdy Birgitta, dinner, at least I think that was the bet. However I shall continue to battle away and the bombed out days are likely to become more frequent at least I still get the exercise.
When we went to Robe there was a fascinating story of the Chinese workers coming into the Australian goldfield via South Australia as the Victorian government imposed a 10 pound tax on them, the whole journey from Shanghai only cost 8. Well there is a connection between walking the dog, bird a day and the Chinese workers of back in the day. Well when I was walking the dogs the other day I went, as usual past the new cemetery, and I met two ladies walking their dog. After a brief natter they went through an ornate gate and disappeared. Now I have walked past this place lots of times and never even glance at it but now I’m intrigued so I waited until the ladies were well away and I popped in. There in all their Feng shui glory were some of the workers of the goldfields who had walked here from Robe all those years ago. Most who died here were shipped home but these remained. And it also contributed White-naped Honeyeater and it’s a good place for Eastern Rosella, but the most surprising thing is there is a small reservoir that they use to feed a stream, which Feng shui demands, and trotting around the edge was a Black-fronted Dotterel. Only the third wader on my list, the second was Masked Lapwing whoopy do. So anyway the Chinese cemetery is a fascinating place and is being restored to some of its former glory.
And finally especially for Holly’s’ mum SPORT. My teams in almost all sports done good both forms of Rugby won though they were a bit squeaky bum victories, exciting but I wish they would win easier. Australian Rools was excellent with West Coast mashing the Queenslanders and I sat up most of Saturday watching Derby lose to Reading and although Ipswich lost they still got into the play offs. I hope they beat NNNNN no I cannot type that word but again it will be a bit of a yoyo for them if they get promoted. Then there was the England cricket team, I won’t watch them play against the Australians or the Kiwis as I hate to see suffering.