The Funny Farm

No, actually Funky Farm.

My former Tradie Brother, now working in a caring position, had two tenants, one in the self contained granny flat at the back of house and another who had a bedroom in the house. The latter, Keiran, died suddenly in his bed. My brother found him the next morning, very dead, at the age of 62. Brother was shattered. For him it was nearly like losing a partner. We all knew Keiran, and he helped out at family events, but always stayed in the background.

He left his superannuation to my brother. Kieran's ex wife disputed the will, and was paid I think $10,000 'fuck off' money. Separately Kieran stipulated that a certain percentage of funds from his estate was to go to animal charities. My brother has distributed the money, and an amount went to Funky Farm. The owner said, Mate; come any time for one year and bring along your family. 

You have to book and I was invited, along with my other brother, who forgot and was a no show, Hippie Niece, her partner and their four children. My brother had already taken two other family groups.

It was one hour's drive away and I left home at 8.30 Sunday morning past. I planned to stop off on the way and eat one of my meals on wheels sandwiches and find coffee. There was no where along the way to stop for coffee and to relax, so I was a bit early at the venue. Brother arrived soon after with Dog in tow. Then at the last minute, but they made it, so did Hippie Niece and her crew. 

My arthritic pain was at its worst, as it usually is in the morning, but nevertheless, I really enjoyed the guided tour that lasted about 1.40. 

Mein host and guide is a former horse jockey. The history of the park, his connection with horses, and the early history when there was and still is a focus on people with disabilities can be found on the website I linked to above. I learnt a bit I didn't know about wombats. Most of the animals and birds have come from zoos and people who no longer wanted troublesome pets. 

This doesn't look like a dingo I know about, but apparently it is an alpine dingo, with thick fur to keep it warm. I learnt that there is little connection between dingos and dogs. They are physically very different and the dingo more closely related to the Asian wolf. Quite fascinating. 

This is closer to the dingo I know, but it has a long coat too.

A young freshwater crocodile. They are much smaller than salt water crocodiles, and less aggressive, but there is not a reason to feel safe in their company. 

A rosella? 

I believe this is a horny dragon. We saw water dragons too.

Feeding a wallaby.

Kangaroos, wallabies and emu roam freely. 

The cassowary is the most dangerous bird in the world. If you come across one, flee! They are only found in the northern tropical areas of Australia.

Look at the size of its feet. They can rip you to shreds. 

This particular emu was amusing. 

A young fresh water crocodile. Many of the animals at the park are rescue animal from idiots who got drunk one night and ordered a creature to be delivered to their home, only to discover their choice was troublesome. 

A blue tongue lizard, friendly lizards. 

Maybe this is a frill necked lizard. 

After the tour I visited the nearest shopping area, Hastings, which is also a working port and a mooring for pleasure craft. I found a cafe for sustenance and bought a couple of things at the supermarket. Then I was homeward bound, arriving about 1.30. 

  

Feline Friday

You are all dying to know how Jass has settled in. No? The girl likes the boys, with Phyllis being second in line, after Kosov. I am third on the tree. 

Official portrait photo of the High Rise Queen Jass wearing her regal purple hat. 

Haz I settled in and feeling relaxed? She keeps sitting on the warm chair that I have left. I can change lounge chairs, but not my computer chair. I metaphorically kick her off. 

What tv show is this, wonders Jass.

I'm a girl cat and I need to feed my kittens. This interests me.

Food, close by.

I can catch food.

"I don't like the boiled and cooled water from my bowl. I like the chlorinated and fluoridated water straight from the tap best." That the rule that she isn't allowed on kitchen benches seems to be ignored. No one told Jass this important hygiene point. I pick her up and put her down, but no one else does. 

Oldest Niece's cat Trixie, rather like Jass. 

One week has passed and today Jass will visit a vet nurse to check that her spey wound has healed nicely. It has, and that she is thriving. She is due a flu vax too, so I hope that can be done at the time.

The shelter suggested Jass could come down with a cold once she left the shelter. She has. Kosov thinks she is dying and must be rushed to a vet hospital. She has sneezed a few times and made coughing noises.

Ondrewww, she is lethargic during the day and sleeps a lot. 

Yes, Kosov, that is what cats do, and she just jumped up onto the bench, so that doesn't indicate lethargy. 

Ondrewwww, she is unsettled and awake at night.

Yes Kosov, that's because she has been sleeping during the day and cats are nocturnal animals. 

Ondrewwww, there is muck running from her eye. 

Yes Kosov. I know the experience well. She has a cold and that is to be expected.

Ondrewwww, her poo smells bad. 

Yes Kosov. Cat poo smells bad.

Ondrewwww, I am worried about her health. I've never had responsibility for a living creature.

I hugged Kosov and told him not to be a silly duffer and not to worry, and to stop being a hypochondriac on behalf of Jass. He lightened up then.

I talked on. We had three cats, one uncontrollable and killed by a car, the other two dying of old age. I kind of know about cats. Trust me Kosov. If I judge she needs medical treatment, I will take her straight away. 

Apparently a cat harness with a pretty pink bow has been ordered from Temu. Jass may then visit 'the outside world'. 

I wouldn't be dead for quids. 

Holidays

I am away today to The Bellarine to look after Sister's, Bone Doctor's and Jo's cats. I will pick them up from a cattery (yes I know they aren't called that now. I can't think of the right name) along the way where they have been for two days. 

Bone Doctor's grandmother will turn 101. Her daughter, BD's mother, has MS and doesn't have too long to live. The last time BD was in northern Queensland was for her grandma's 100th. Her grandmother is a little doolally but still recognises family. It is sad about BD's mother. She was a nurse and travelled the world in weird places, like Mongolia, Russia but none of the big cities, deepest and darkest Africa, staying in favelas in South America, and Antarctica. 

Somehow, I sent my dead in bed neighbour an sms this morning that went to Bone Doctor. I quickly deleted it but it was later revealed, I was too slow to delete and she saw it and replied to me who said, I didn't know where Sister was visiting. 

I've finally worked out the difference between Sunshine and Sunbury, not yet Whittlesea and Winchelsea, and not quite Toowoomba and Townsville. The latter is where BD's grandmother lives and the former has pretty gardens with lots of flowers and sits upon an escarpment. From gay media, I remember Townsville as being very homophobic in the 1990s.

Two nights before I leave Sister's place after cat sitting, Phyllis and Kosov will come down by train and I'll pick them up from the station and they'll stay two nights. I don't normally take the car out at night at home, as I like to have a drink or two, but with dark arriving at 5pm, I will give Phyllis some night time driving experience. My headlights dim automatically, but I wonder if he needs to know how to dim lights by his left foot pushing a floor button, or operating a steering wheel stalk. 

In theory, I will have plenty of time to blog and comment, which I don't normally do when I am away from my desktop. My excuse was that it was unfair to Ray when away to be too focused on the matters of the internet. But maybe I will try a little bit during this break. 

I try to make the best of my life and I adore having the very loving Phyllis and Kosov in my life, but I feel so lost and purposeless without Ray. Nevertheless, I remind myself that I am a very privileged person in this world, mostly by luck of birth and the country I live in. See ya whenever. 

Revisiting

I'd forgotten the name of this animal during our visit to Werribee Zoo and it is an oryx. Sami wrote that the Arabian oryx is Qatar's national animal.

The Buddhist cafe my neighbour and I visited today was busy, full of white middle class people, in East Brighton. The staff were a mix of south east Asian and white staff. It was vegetarian, which will please my Friend in Japan who is now....I am not sure what to call her now...., Wombat will do. The food was nice but nothing special. I ate my Middle Eastern meal but I felt like a sweet after, so we both had a small and delicious passionfruit cheesecake. Cafe Bliss is in a suburban street, with a Buddhist meditation centre and gift shop next door, opposite a lovely park. 

After lunch once I was home, at about 4.30 my phone rang, displaying HH's son's name. He lives in Queensland and although I had seen her a couple of hours ago, I was worried. 

We spoke on the phone for a minute or so, and created a plan. He was in Melbourne. I let him up to my floor and met him. I called HH and said there was a delivery guy in the foyer and he has a parcel for her, but didn't have the right apartment number. She said she would go down to collect the parcel, but in the meantime I let her son down in the lift to her front door, and as she was opening her front door, there was her son with a huge bunch of flowers for an early Mother's Day gift.

Oh dear, this morning I took my evening medications in the morning, which meant I also took my lunchtime medication that is in with my evening medication. This evening I took my morning medication. Some are the same, but a couple are not. I need to concentrate.

It must be fifteen years since I first hear the phrase 'plating a meal', and when the mushroom lady trial began, it is without dispute that she plated up meals, perhaps full of death cap mushrooms. But one reporter let it slip, and I am not sure how a young reporter would know, but food used to be dished up onto plates. "Dinner is nearly ready. I am dishing up." Phyllis plates up meals. I would just dish them up.

Remember the Arts Centre tour I recently took with HH? I could not remember the name of this painting.

My immediate research revealed nothing. Guugle was not helpful. A few days later, I had another crack using the normal easy search methods, but nothing. 

Two days ago, I was annoyed with myself for not finding it and tried again and I found it on the Arts Centre website. It is called Gloria Swanston's Last Silent Movie. I love it. 

The artist who painted the work is Noel Tunks, and I've never heard of him but my goodness, what a diverse artist he was. He lived in country Victoria and was just an amazing artist. Look at some of his works here. How have I lived so long and not known about him and his art? How come Hels has never written about him? 

The Bellarine 1/2

The first full day stay at my Sister's to look after her cats was quite weird. I had my phone, my tablet and my Kindle, everything I needed for relaxing week away, yet I felt so unsettled, like pacing around, looking for things to do, and realising it was impossible for me to make much of a tidying or cleaning impact on Sister's house. With some reflection, while I still read your blog posts, I didn't comment as it is too hard without my keyboard. I was pining my desktop computer. 

One cat was immediately friendly, the other much more cautious. The first time Ray and I looked after them, they were real scaredy cats, so this time they clearly remembered me. Of course when it came to food time, such caution was abandoned in the haste of starving cats getting food. 

Around noon, the more forward cat tried meowing at me in a attempt to convince me that he normally has lunch. No no. That is not on the list Sister left for me. 

When you are carrying the cat food in bowls to where they eat, why do the creatures walk in front of you and entangle your feet instead of walking behind? I sorted that for the breakfast by putting their food in place before letting them out from the night stays in the car garage. Not so easy in the evening. I know they will jump up onto the kitchen bench as I am serving their food into bowls, so I set up a physical barrier with my cereal box and a couple of bottles, and that worked. 

Here are some photos from my stay.

Is this a fire on the horizon? 

No, it is just public transport, carrying passengers. 

  

Public transport is good. There is no shame at being on a train, tram or bus.

It's time to turn the video recording phone system on. 

There is marvellous little cafe at the Queenscliff Beach car park, but alas, it is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, or maybe Monday/Tuesday. Whatever, I brunched at the very nice Willow Tree Cafe. I am doubtful about the name. I think it may have changed. Next door is a very traditional butcher, selling quality meat and it has a fly wire door to enter. It didn't seem to be a self closing door, so you must take responsibility for the door, and everyone did, closing the door behind them. 

To be fair, this is the worst room in Sister's house. When it all starts coming out along the floor from the walls, you have a problem. To be crude, so much shit!

The blacker cat Oreo is the more friendly than Athena. As I have always thought, a male pet cat, and a female pet dog are best. 

Making the best photo of Sister's front garden. Let me describe it as a dry woodland garden, with a sparse but roaming underplanting, complimented by a strawberries growing in a purposely designed pot. Well, something was growing in the strawberry pot, so perhaps I gave some weeds some flourishing water. 

The nearby town of Drysdale has a new library, which I saw when I was there a few days before my stay at Sister's. We took a look inside and it was being well used, and I really liked the design. The town is worthy of further investigation. 

Creatures of the deep and not so deep

Fire Fighting Nephew, his wife and their five year old daughter asked if would like to join them for a birthday outing for their twin two year old boys. Ex Sis in Law who is FFN's mother and her husband joined us. Everyone met here and the eight of us trammed to the aquarium. I need to add this was a few weeks ago. Here are some photos from the outing. We managed to miss the penguins. 

I was so annoyed at the awful wayfinding and signage, I lodged a complaint on the company's website. 

Coral I guess. Ever so pretty. 

This was a massive crocodile, and I mean massive.

From the aquarium terrace.

God knows what this creature is. An eel?

WTF?

Just think of Jaws music.