Home and Work

My new psychology practice is up and running. Well, "ambling" might be more accurate. In fact, some days "completely stationary" would be a more accurate description. I have not so far been overwhelmed, let me say. Its OK, a nice slow start gives me time to get used to the idea of being in the workforce again. But we still seem to be spending money faster than it is coming in so a few more referrals would be welcome.

While I'm sloping off in my office at Hallidays Point, David spends most days doing things around the house and land. The block is slowly being tamed and tidied. Some of our plantings have been rabbitted off so we are suspending further planting until the 600 tree guards arrive from Queensland. It isn't what you'd call a garden yet, but there were enough flowers in the herb patch to pick the First Vase of Flowers. This feels like a significant milestone.

Who knew that tarragon had bright orange flowers?

The other area requiring taming and tidying is the landcare site at Diamond Beach that Chris (above) and David have been working on for about a year to restore the remnant littoral rainforest. It's looking better and better. But somebody took the tools that they had been leaving there, hidden under branches, to save lugging them back and forth each time. Disappointing.

Meanwhile, David is having a second go at being an adolescent boy. He's secured a motor cycle learner's permit and has bought a scooter. My Dad used to refer to motor cyclists as "temporary citizens". The roads around here are dreadful. Other drivers around this area tend to be a) elderly and unsafe to cyclists or b) P-Platers and unsafe to cyclists. None of this deters David in the least. In fact it spurs him on, in his nuovo-adolesco mindset. Sigh. Let me say, here and now, I am declining the offers to be a pillion passenger or rider.

I am sticking with nice, safe interior pursuits, such as sewing.

Sewing the bedroom curtains in fact. This is the spare room. Now when you come and stay, you can have some privacy. Although it was only Dude the horse who ever looked in. Once you are decent, the drapes can easily be swished back behind the bookcase to reveal that lovely view of the dam. I'm rather pleased with how they look. No curtains elsewhere in the house. A few blinds is all we have and only on some windows. The climate is so benign here you don't need the kind of insulating window treatments we used to have in Canberra.