The photos that go with the housesitting.

Cousin of the bee that bit me. 22nd January 2012.





















 The last egg? Since that one chook disappeared, there have been no new eggs. 23rd January 2012

Picnic in Fitzroy Gardens. 24th January 2012.

Sunflowers. 25th January 2012

Glut of zucchini. 26th January 2012

 arcadia on Gertrude Street, catching up with a travel friend. 27th January 2012

Morning sky. 28th January 2012.

Comedy squash. 28th January 2012.

More sunflowers. 29th January 2012.

Where I want to live when I grow up. 30th January 2012.

House sitting, day nine.

The overlanding people got back to me with a form for the tour guide job. I feel a little overwhelmed, by the form and by the fact that they want $2,500 up front towards flights and training (they pay it back to you, $1,000 at the end of the first year and $1,500 at the end of the second).

I have been checking my email obsessively ALL DAY for the reply on the diving job. I should probably cut myself off from the internet.

I heard the chook again this morning. I went again and had a search for her. Then this evening, I spoke to the neighbour-over-the-back and he thinks he heard her, too. I might go back tomorrow and leave a trail of feed from the dense brambles where I think I heard her to the hole in the fence where I think she got through.

It has been an excessively delightful day (apart from the slight obsession problem). Soft, persistent rain all morning. Glorious, gentle sunshine all afternoon.

Housesitting, day eight

Uncle Rob tried to put a comment on the blog, yesterday. The blog wouldn't let him, so he emailed it to me.

" ... Enjoyed reading your Blog this morning … which brings me to the reason for this email. The next Farmer’s Market is Sat next (4/2/12) 9 am – 1 pm. Would suggest possible barter of excess Zucchinis for 1 Chook (replacement) !?!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Keep well,

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Uncle Rob.

"

I went hunting for the chook today, couldn't find her. I have more than 30 squash/zucchini sitting on the bench (I really can't eat more than two a day, though I am trying - they *are* delicious, if repetitive). I wonder if someone would take 30 zucchini in exchange for one chook.

It was rather warm here today, but the house was a champion and didn't heat up at all.

The dog has sent me to Coventry. I shouted at her this morning (for the first time), as she went to go into my room, and grabbed her collar. She dropped to the floor and wee-d herself and then went and put herself to bed and hasn't spoken to me since.

I took her with me for a walk when I went to look for the chook and she cheered up, tearing about in the long grass, but hasn't forgiven me.

Housesitting, day seven

The dog has been banned from my room while I'm not in there because this morning I caught her stealing my bra out of my dirty laundry bag. I don't know what that's all about, but I'm having none of it.

The house is still cool, in spite of the heat. I have opened the windows to let the night breezes through.

I tried two new zucchini recipes today, and there are still 32 squash/zucchinis sitting on the kitchen bench. There are two comedy squash. One is the size of my head, the other looks like the 'my first Cthulhu' plush toy.

I thought I heard the lost chook this morning.

House sitting, day six.

Another marvellous day.

I caught up with a friend I made while travelling and we exchanged gossip and were generally raucous and lacking in couth.

I spoke to a chap in Montreal this morning about potentially publishing my book and my mind is abuzz with possibilities.

And then tonight I thought I would have a look on Seek to see what is out there and found two jobs. One that is ideal if I am in a diving frame of mind and one that is ideal if I am in a travelling along the Silkroad frame of mind. I have applied for both of them. They were posted a while ago, though, so I suspect I am too late.

The day was warm and sunny, there is still only one chook, the dog was making smells so noxious that I banished her early to bed.

House sitting Day five

The wind is wild tonight and I feel very all alone in the house.

There is more zucchini than any ten people can consume.

I dried more chamomile for tea.

I found some zucchini recipies on the net, but they are all 'serves 8' which will leave me in a similar situation to now, but with cooked zucchini.

The lost chook has not come home, but the not lost chook is safe and sound.

House sitting, Day 4

I think I have to concede that one of the chooks is missing. I was hoping she had just laid an egg somewhere and was being broody on it, but I haven't seen her all day and she wasn't in the hutch tonight when I put the other one to bed.

I have had a good look around and haven't seen any feathers or other evidence of avine demise. Maybe she will come home tomorrow.

The dog is looking at me. She knows I am about to put her out for the night. She has been like a shadow. Where I go, she goes. She is rarely more than 3 metres away.

Today, I picked chamomile flowers to dry for tea. There are now more zucchini than are manageable. I was keeping ahead of them, but there were five new ones today, and I just can't eat zucchini that fast.

Housesitting, day three. Or, so happy, it's not decent.

I just ripped my bed sheet with my toenail. Tomorrow I will tend to those.

I went to town today for a taskie feminist knitting picnic. It was marvellous. Then I caught up with a friend from school and a friend from travel.

Not even sunburnt shoulders and a 4 hour delay on the train have deflated me.

Housesitting, Day Two. Or 35 is the new 25.

Last night the dog went berserk at something out the window and then realised that it was her own reflection. I have never seen a dog look so embarrassed.

Central Asia has reset my tolerance for heat. Enduring several weeks of temperatures around 50ºC will do that to a girl. Where once I wilted like a delicate flower in any temperature over 25ºC, I gambolled around all day today, delighting in the 35ºC weather. Imagine me in a long white dress, drifting around the garden picking fresh produce, smelling herbs and not stepping on bees.

The dog and I have reached a new accord. I have only lost her once, today.

Housesitting, Day One

I am house sitting for friends for a fortnight. I will let them know what is going on in their absence so they know I haven't burnt their house down (failure to post on any given day does not indicate I accidentally set fire to their house).

Today there were people filming a footy clinic on the oval. There was an amusing juxtaposition of boys in black skinny jeans with ironic, slim-fitting flannel shirts and men in baggy red shirts and blue footy shorts. Running around at knee level were kids dressed in their team colours. Preponderance of Hawthorn and Carlton.

I trod on a bee.

I lost the dog once last night and once this morning. I turned my back on her for half a second, picking zucchini, and she was gone.

I found the dog, twice. I figure I am fine, as long as I keep finding her the same number of times as I lose her.

I cooked some of the sorrel with dinner. It was like baby spinach with a drizzle of lemon.

Dangers

Port Fairy

I like candles. No one else in the family does.
















 The roof of what used to be my room before my parents renovated.

 I am going to miss this little guy. I named the two magpies after our Drago drivers. Even though I am pretty sure one of them is a girl. One of the magpies, that is.

Childish? Why, yes.

Port Fairy is my happy place. 

I have always wanted a dress in those blues and pinks.

The boys. They hunger.

One evening.





















Dealing with the ham bone so that it will fit in the pot for pea and ham soup.

Singing for their supper.

I've always loved these door knobs.

The dog wants to chase the kangaroo, but only if it will run away. It is a bit big for a dog if it stands its ground.

Traipsing about

 Sky.

















 A dragon in the cornflowers.

 Me and my little mate.

Since none of my friends will drink maté with me, I have started corrupting the next generation. I also accidentally taught him a rude hand gesture while trying to express frustration to his parents without saying a Very Bad Word and I also accidentally taught him to test the toxicity of something by putting it in your mouth.

I am a fabulous aunty. 

 I see you...

Delights.

 Did I mention I am doing the photo a day thing? I should probably put which days are which on these.

















 I would put up more, but iPhoto makes it too hard to put photos up the way that it works now and I don't have consistent access to the internet, so I am just putting the same ones up as I am on facebook.

 It is probably just as well, really. Some days I am taking way more than one photo a day, and you probably don't need all those as well.

 I probably don't need to say that I am loving living down in Port Fairy at the moment. My days are filled with cooking, cleaning, writing and getting adequate vitamin D, as well as the odd dip in the ocean and quite a bit of reading.

 And walking on the beach everyday. I am feeling ridiculously healthy and happy.

And I have a rather delightful new tea pot for Christmas.

One of the groynes at Port Fairy

















Summer sky

 Sleeping dog.

I've been away for a few days, so I have missed a few mornings. 

I showed my dad and his only comment was that they were all the same. I love how different each one is.

Apparently, once you start feeding magpies, they never go away. Someone has already been feeding these guys because the come right up to you and take food out of your hand.

The other garden magpies.

How to dry your hair - Port Fairy edition.

Home

This was the view up the beach on Christmas morning. I took the same shot on Boxing Day morning by accident, and then I have been taking the same view every morning. I love how different each one is.
















 Someone has been feeding the magpies, they are tame enough to come and eat out of your hand.

We have been going for walks each morning.

There are lots of happy dogs and walkers on the beach.

Also some poseurs. No, seriously. After this photo shoot, they took the board back up to the car and went home.

We saw two little boys fishing each day.

At our end of the beach, we have more sand than we know what to do with. At the other end, the dunes are falling into the sea, exposing the old tip and the old sewage dump. (It is where they used to dump the waste from the night carts before there was a central sewerage system that dumped it all out to sea. They don't dump it out to sea any more and the stuff in the dunes is super old.)

We got these two as puppies one Christmas (nine years ago?). 

One morning we went for a walk NOT on our beach, we headed over to the south beach. I know! A shocking departure from the routine.