Badger Galore
Staying ‘Up Over’ for a while.
Here's Hecate.
So...Hecate is still with us since her ordeal in the fox attack almost a fortnight ago. We were very worried about her the other day as her breathing was very laboured and we feared she had a lung infection. She seemed like she was on her last legs but we gave her garlic and honey water and her breathing has improved since. She has been venturing out but has not wandered too far from the pen like the others. Arke has completely abandoned the chicks now has even started laying again. The chicks have been sticking close to Hecate and all ten roost with her in one of the nesting boxes though she seems to pay them little attention.She is not her old self. She is very slow, makes strange head movements and stands very still with her eyes closed for much of the time. We suspect she might be blind in one eye and slightly brain damaged but perhaps she is still fighting infection from her wounds. Time will tell.
Australia says 'Yes'!
So...earlier this year the Australian Government decided to hold a plebiscite to ask the Australian people if same sex couples should be allowed to marry. It was always a non binding poll and it is estimated that the cost of this was $122 million.Voting papers started to be sent out to every registered Australian Citizen on the 13th September this year and had to be returned by November 7th.I was unable to vote even though I am a permanent resident as I am not a Citizen.As you would expect many of the people I know and encounter regularly were all firmly on the 'Yes' side of the debate but social media was full of people against it and quite a lot of the 'No' campaign clouded the issue by linking it to Safe Schools and gender issues.Since 'Brexit' and 'President Trump' I dare not hope anymore or trust in people to see sense but the results were finally announced today.62% voted 'Yes'. (7.82 million responses)38% voted 'No'. (4.87 million responses)79.5 % of eligible voters took part, over 12.7 million people.In Queensland 61% of the votes received were 'Yes' and 39% 'No'. The Australian Capital Territory had the highest 'Yes' vote at 74% and 26% 'No'. New South Wales had the lowest percentage 'Yes' vote at '58%' and 42% 'No'.Our electorate here in Queensland is Maranoa and it is one of the biggest electorates in the country. 44% of the votes in our region were 'Yes' and 56% were 'No'. It is no surprise. It was the tenth lowest 'Yes' vote in the country. The lowest was Blaxland in New South Wales where 26% of votes were 'Yes' and 74% were 'No'.The Prime Minister has promised to act on the vote by Christmas. He said the vote was a " yes for fairness, yes for commitment, yes for love."
Women in Voice #25
So...last night we were at the Powerhouse in Brisbane for the 25th Women in Voice show. It is always a great night out and so it was last night. The overall theme appeared to be 'Love'. It is always a treat to listen to another bunch of talented ladies singing familiar songs and ones that you have never heard before and that you now want to hunt out and hear again. Ellen Reed's set was my favourite bit and particularly her version of George Michael's 'Fastlove'. I have never seen her before but apparently she was on 'The Voice' here in Australia. She has an amazing voice and is definitely someone to look out for. The MC Bridget Boyle as her alter ego 'Anna Slack' from Rockhampton was very funny as was Carita Farrer Spencer as 'The Fabulous Dame Farrer' who ended up marrying the audience. I can't wait for Women in Voice #26.
Remembering.
So...we are in Brisbane this weekend for the 25th Women in Voice.Yesterday we went to Ikea for a few things and to check out some ideas for Blue Moon House. Halfway through the maze that is the Ikea experience a voice on the tannoy asked everyone to observe a minutes silence at 11.00 am. The store was very busy and everyone stopped what they were doing and the place was silent for a full minute. It was the most moving and memorable one minute's silence I think I have ever been part of.