Diary Days, Crops and technical measurements. (Bean)

When I was a lad at my first boarding school I used to keep a diary. Every year, although I think it might have been every term, I would get a 'Letts Schoolboy Diary'. It was very useful since I was indeed a schoolboy. I would mark out all the important things that would aid my education. Things like, holidays, half-terms, my, what I deemed as too few, exeats. The very rare film nights and finally birthdays. (Well, my own as it seemed the most important). Then I would carefully put the little pencil in the spine where it belonged ( the diary, not mine) and put it back in my tuck box. There it would sit being not written in forever. I would promise myself each time that I would be more organised or even just organised. Promises that I would write wise thoughts and useful notes to help me through my school days.

Now you may think Im going to say that that never happened. Well, you'd be right because it didn't.

These days we have things like blogs ( no you don't get points for seeing where this is going ... you do get some for persevering though) and like diaries I tend to ... well not do them very well.

That's a long way of saying 'My blog posts are further apart'. Luckily for me I can make simple things appear to be quite complicated. Lucky I say Because I hope it will keep my mind ... er...whatsit... you know...thingy... that complicated word ...

Focused - that's it.

So what's been happening? Well, I'm glad I asked because I've just taken some photos in 40 degree heat.

Tomatoes. Yes, we now have some. They aren't vines as such but sprawling 'look like I'm dying' variation.



(The bowl is put out each morning so they can jump in when they feel they are ripe enough. It works rather well).

We have sweet potatoes that I think may take over the world:



Also I am trying some seeds. Surprisingly they do better outside in the extreme heat than they do inside. Inside there doesn't appear to be enough light for them and they just go " Oh whats the point" and stop growing. They don't really die. Just do nothing on purpose. Outside, well, look:



What are they? Aha, well I have some little marker cards which I haven't used so it's pretty much guess work. Pak choi and radishes or beetroot ... maybe.

We have a new fig tree which is still alive after four weeks.

The Sturt Desert Pea is also still alive:



The eromophelia or aeromoffalla depending on how it's spelt is coming back after it's severe trim:



We have had a bit of rain so with the heat etc everything is growing extra fast. Which brings me neatly to the cattery build, which is growing at a slower rate. :



So far I have learnt that I should have done parts of it in a completely different way. Oh well. What you can't see here are the forty to fifty thousand flies that try to help out by crawling into my eyes and ears. (Well, four or five maybe) Still that's Outback 'Stralia for you. There be flies and heat and if you can't deal with it well tough! Actually going inside to the air con and a cold drink is usually a good idea.

So Pixel went to the vet. I went with him since he can't drive yet. Once I got him out of his carrier (oh we had fun with that process. The vet didn't look too impressed) he had his injection etc. He was pretty well behaved although he did act a bit annoyed later in the day. His microchip works and we noticed it had his date of birth on it. ( Well the paperwork not the actual chip) He's actually only five months old.

I'm sure he's bloody huge to be only five months. I mean how big will he get? We have a future panther here. I decided to try and measure him:

It was a little difficult since he can stretch himself out to forty times his normal size ... or not. He reminds me of one of those squeeze musical instruments. What are they called? Timpani - that's a drum I think. You know, piano keys and a squeezy box. Sound like an asthmatic duck. Harpsichord? No. Zucchini? No.

Accordion!? Yes that's it. Or Concertina? What's the difference? I've lost all sense of direction. Note to self: don't add lib when typing.

Oh yes. Stretchy cats.



...plus attacking the tape measure didn't help.

Anyway we will soon see how big he gets. Maybe he'll be like the seeds when indoors and just stop growing.

Not much else really ( well, lots, but not for increasing the boredom factor).

Oh, latest LEGO cards.

Sleep and suicidal fauna. (Bean)

Another blog pretty much still about Pixel as he gets used to sharing our lives. (Or are we sharing his?)

So he continues to settle into his new environment. He’s not as scared of flushing toilets, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, mop, fridge, car noises, gravel ‘crunch’ noises, anyone entering the house even if after 5 minutes, as he was. Which is good. As Al continues to work hard Pixel does a good job of sharing her tired state.

Draped over her...


Sleeping but still in contact ...


Sleeping close by and taking up as much room as possible ...


Meanwhile the cattery has turned out to be a success too:


For some strange reason though the native fauna seem fascinated by this ... well, let’s face it, a ‘cage of certain death’ for them if they were to enter it ... and it was full of killer kitten. I mean seriously, do I have to put up warning signs? Let’s face it that no one reads those anyway really.

Here’s a pic of a stupid wren ( part of the Mr Blue mob)


Here is a beardy (Aka ‘Bearded Dragon wanting to get slowly deathed’) Admittedly he cant actually get in but if he had wire clippers he could. Luckily I’ve hidden them. 

So apart from the suicidal fauna, Pixel pretends to help me unpack the grocery shopping:


We also got him a cat tower to climb/ scratch/ attack. Was he interested in it as it was being built? Hmmm:


I think the answer is a yes. Interested in it now it’s been built and isn’t new? Well have to see.

The posts are in for the extended cattery area. Now it’s just getting some timber to brace them into a square type thingy. Yes, I know no carpentry terms whatsoever. It’s not really important as long as it stands upright ... or at least 80% of it. Al and I were looking for timber in the chook pen this morning - it’s something we like to do occasionally although often we have no reason to. This time we did - it’s an incredibly action orientated lifestyle we have here.  We found a piece but then unfortunately Urma (one of our ancient chooks) got freaked out and escaped. (Not so much as ‘escaped’ but more ‘Quick! Run that way outofthedoor!’) She’s never been out before so it was quite an experience for her. Getting her back in was was very strange and confusing plus it also caused quite a lot of stress. I think Urma felt a little bit that way too.

After what seemed like half an hour but in actual fact was more like 26 minutes she was back in the chook pen.

Oh, and the piece of timber was too short anyway.

Still, you know what they say, “Never keep your timber in pen with chooks that have possibly poor eyesight”. At least I’m pretty sure I’ve heard that although I may be mistaken.

Er what else? Well, it’s hot and humid which tells me rain is coming. There’s just that ominous ‘wet feeling’ which is probably a very bad way of saying that.  ( Note to self: scratch the term ‘wet feeling’ when discussing the weather ... or food for that matter).

Plus the forecast says so.