A week in the country

At the moment I am spending most of every second week in Canberra, enjoying time with Mae, Nick and their furries. But it's nice to come home too and get a few new-house things done. Drove back to Diamond Beach via Hornsby on Thursday.

David had been staying with Peter and Elaine at Hornsby for a couple of days while he got himself thoroughly assessed by the multidisciplinary team at the Royal North Shore Hospital Pain clinic. Nothing conclusive emerged about the cause of his neuropathic pain, except for the clear opinion that this was a physiological, not psychological problem. So it's back to the neurologist for more investigations. Meanwhile, he is managing the pain with more grace and forbearance than I could ever muster. It would be good to know what on earth this is, though, because it's not getting any better. At least, I think it would be good to know...

P and E gave us a great housewarming present of a beetle-shaped device that you use to lever your gum boots off. This came from Germany where they have just been on a grandparent tour which amazingly  involved actually assisting in the unexpected home birth of Anna-Louise-in-a-hurry. Congratulations Kathryn, Florin and Lorenz! She looks beautiful. On the subject of family overseas, Linda and Phil flew back from Thailand on the same day that Lian and Matt left for Japan. The impecunious Glenn-Humes are unlikely to need passports any time soon, but we do vicariously enjoy other peoples' travel stories!

Meanwhile back at the ranch, we have installed a stair handrail (above) and lots more paintings. Also, a little floating shelf to the left of the stairs for Rapunzel, the family heirloom pot plant. Indestructible Rapunzel began life in Lian's bedroom many years ago and has been propagated and passed around many times since, even surviving a stint with the tenants while we travelled.

David's artist/musician studio has been set up, ready for the Diamond Beach Art Commune to reconvene. But he's been too busy working outside to actually do any artwork inside, so far.

This (above) is the new drainage system for the dam overflow. It goes under a new little land bridge that links to the dam, so you can promenade around the dam wall. Which might involve wading through ducks, cormorants, herons and so forth. They love the dam promenade.

Above is one of the areas of newly mown existing natural grass, looking almost civilised from this distance. The un-mown bit in the background is a bit wild, weedy and swampy. It is part of the creek/dam outflow area. The plan is to restore that area to a natural looking rainforest creek bed. We are soon to have a consultation visit from a watercourse preservation person from the council who will hopefully have lots of advice as to how to do this.

Sunday, the local markets yielded lots of great cheap plants. Plus we have been given several beautiful plants as housewarming gifts by our lovely neighbours and by some friends also. Yesterday evening was the Vincent Close Christmas party up at The Manor (Anna and Richard's house on the hill). We had had guests for lunch too, so I was a bit champagne befuddled this morning and slow to register what was going on in the lounge room (below). That peewee sitting on top of that pot is not a model.  I held my breath as it launched off the frail ceramic top of this treasured sculptural piece of art, and flung itself at the clerestory windows again and again.

Eventually it found its way out.

Leaving just a few panicky poops for me to clean up. Stoopid peewee. Probably so busy fighting itself in the windows that it didn't realise it was inside the house. And you should have heard the language it flung over its shoulder as it finally flew out the open door.

Swimming season has started again - this is me at Black Head beach laughing at David as he tries to take a photo without his finger hanging over the lens. This is take 2.