Hangman.

(I know...I got the date wrong. Wishing my life away.)

Half way there.

So...I am halfway through my fortnight of, practically, full time work. It has been a bit of a shock to the system and I cannot wait to get back to my more leisurely weekly routine.Two more three hour shifts at the Book Cave and four more days in school to go before I can frolic freely about Frogknot.I was at the photocopier today and the Principal of the school I have been at all week greeted me with a smile,"Nick, you know that you have been with us four days this week and you are back again for four days with us next week, well, how about you come and work here for a full term next term?"I did give it some thought and was very flattered to be asked but I have declined the offer as I have commitments to the Book Cave, plus if four days wears me out a whole ten weeks would kill me!I will just leave this here....

Back in the swing of things.

 

So...I spotted this fellow outside when I woke up this morning.Will was up at 4.00am to head off for his first day back at the cheese factory. I got up with him just in case Sky Blue did not start and I would need to take him in in Roxy but Sky Blue started first time. We noticed that we had forgotten to close up the chook pen the yesterday evening and I had heard a fox calling as I went to bed but luckily they were all safe in the coop.My ankle is feeling much better and with the help of ibuprofen you would hardly notice my limp. No one at the library today mentioned it.After working at the library I drove to the cheese factory to pick up Will and we headed off to check out Rhonda the Honda who will shortly be joining us as we retire Roxy. We had a quick drive in her and all seemed well so we now need to get everything sorted to bring her home to us.Rhonda currently lives in a menagerie of alpacas, guinea fowl, goats and donkeys...This little fellow was a recent addition to the family.

Not such a good day!

So...at least, last night, we slept without too much interuption, though we did get up on a wild kangaroo hunt at 2.00 am after I thought I heard one in the garden.While we have been away something has been in the garden and eaten most of the leaves on the young fruit trees. We went to a lot of effort before leaving to raise up the net fence around the garden to keep the wildlife out but it has not been successful.We have had over 40 mls of rain and have one full tank by the shed and one half full by the new house.We set about today getting the washing done and Will planted some seeds. I began putting wire netting to protect what was left on our fruit trees from the variety of hungry marsupial vegetarians we have to live with. I had just finished my first one and stepped down from the garden bed onto the steps and the ankle I went over on in Glasgow gave way again and I tumbled to the floor in agony. Will rushed over as I lay there crying 'My ankle! My ankle!' I must admit I thought I had broken it this time. It swelled up immediately. I managed to get up and get inside before we decided to head to the hospital to get it checked.There was no one in the Emergency Department so we rang the bell and a nurse came. I explained what had happened and she almost shrugged and said 'Well have you strapped it and iced it?'We had put a cold compress on it for a while but had not strapped it.' Well,' she said, ' there is no one to x-ray it today. I'll strap it for you and then just go home and rest it and keep it elevated.' She came out and bandaged it for me and then I hobbled out.'That's a good sign if you can walk on it,' were her final helpful words.Back at Frogknot I lay like Cleopatra on the couch with my foot raised on soft pillows nibbling dry roasted peanuts. Will discovered that Sky Blue also had a flat battery and set about trying to get it started....all to no avail. It just seemed dead. I was up off my couch at one point pushing the damn thing to jump start it but still nothing. Will suspected it was the starter motor.He starts back at the cheese factory tomorrow. I have already worked at the library on Saturday but am also in again tomorrow. I was looking at an early start of getting up at 5.00am to run him to the factory but thankfully, after putting Sky Blue's battery on charge for a few hours, he was finally able to start her.My ankle is still sore but I can almost walk without a lump so I don't think it is broken. I will just have to be careful for I have a busy fortnight ahead with three days at the library and eight days in school.I am thinking only of the money to get me through it.

Just let us sleep!

So... we always suffer most from jetlag flying back here from the UK rather than the other way round. Our first nights sleep on Thursday was a bit hit and miss with us waking at odd hours. Yesterday, Friday, I felt fine but suddenly in the late afternoon started flagging and fell asleep sitting upright in my chair.Last night was our first back in Blue Moon and it was good to be back in our own bed but we were woken at three in the morning by a thunderstorm and again this morning at about six with yet another bout of thunder and rain. Once that was over  we tried to get our heads down again but were prevented by a loud Kookaburra in the tree right outside the bedroom window!