David's birthday

Yesterday was David's birthday. He said it was "the best birthday ever" which is terribly reassuring, because I didn't actually buy him a present. Instead, we went out to dinner and then went to see Slava and Leonard Grigoryan in a lovely classical guitar concert at a church in Taree. http://www.facebook.com/GrigoryanBrothers Their minder Reuben told us they are touring regional NSW, eating seafood and playing golf everywhere they stop. Clearly suffering for their art, then. They are promoting their latest CD "The Seasons" a 12 part classical guitar work arranged for 2 guitars by their musician father, based on an original composition by Tchaikovski for piano. We bought it of course and it is sitting on the sound system, its cover autographed with "Happy Birthday David". Noice.

I also suggested David could look on the new ride on mower we have ordered as his birthday present. This seemed to be OK. My birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks - I guess I deserve a load of groceries as my gift...Thanks to everyone who called or visited or sent pressies. The silver fox has been looked after.

We have had our first and very welcome houseguests in the new house. Love having people to stay as they take my mind off upsetting things, and also they give me an excuse not to unpack any more boxes. Sarah and Grant stayed three days and inaugurated the other shower and guest bedroom, which were declared very comfortable. I was a bit worried the frog chorus emanating from the dam at night outside their window would keep them awake, but apparently that was not a problem. The frogs are very loud. I can hear them right now. With all these different frog mating calls, I expect the dam will be thick with tadpoles soon.

Guests also give a reason to go for lovely walks on the beach and so forth.

This is the landcare regeneration site David and Chris have been working on at Diamond Beach, now showing almost no prickly pear, bitou bush, lantana or asparagus fern. Not so much what you see, but what you don't see.

This is a rock pool and the sea cave at Black Head.

There are bits of huge kelp in the rockpools around there. Mighty big seas to account for that.

Back home, the grass is growing strongly on the top part of our land, the bit where the water treatment system pipes are laid just underground.  It was like the holding pen for Noah's Ark up there yesterday. There was a pair of rabbits, a pair of ducks and a pair of these - pretty faced wallabies.

In other news, I have just had the interesting 3-day experience of a colonoscopy. Two days prep in which one's interior is "cleansed". This is a tasteful euphemism for a process about which I will spare you the details. Then for the procedure, you are given " intravenous sedation". This includes the use of a medication called midazolam, surely a tool the Liberal party would like to employ on the general population from time to time. This stuff sedates you, takes away worry and wipes your memory of unpleasant events. For the rest of the day after my procedure, I felt fully awake, but my ability to lay down memory was compromised.  Things happened, conversations were held but I had no memory of most of it the following day, thought I had dreamed some of it. Seriously weird.

Tonight we attended another neighbourhood party. This time it was to welcome new arrivals in the street. But not us, we have already been welcomed. This event was for the young family who have moved in a couple of doors away. It was nice to be there as "residents", not "newcomers". They are a very inclusive, helpful and friendly mob around here.

Looking forward to the weekend, Mae and Nick coming to stay. Next week we are all off to Yarrahapinni, north of Kempsey, for a 3-day retreat for "people whose lives have been touched by cancer" I would say "ravaged" rather than "touched".