Entertaining

Entertaining at the moment. So bit busy.

But this morning took guests down to main beach for some kayaking, had some nice light going. Unlike now, now is overcast, cold and rainy. Wonder how girls are going out at sea..?


Hrm. Just started pouring down. Here in Byron, it never rains. It POURS.

Might pack some jackets for the girls and go and pick them up.

In Case of Rain - and Difficulty in Getting to Know People

Bit of a slow afternoon... Have finished getting house sorted for arrival of guests. Only, not sure if guests arriving any moment, tonight - or indeed - tomorrow. So don't want to start some project and create a mess, now that have just finished cleaning. You know.

Also started doing some sweeping of driveway, weeding etcetera - but gave up as started to rain. If this is "mostly sunny" (forecast for today) - then am not looking forward to "showers" (forecast for week). Hmm. What to do with guests in case of rain?

Should make a list. Things to do in and around Byron, in case of rain.
1. Ehm... drink?
2. Nothing else comes to mind.


Anyway, will be good to have some people round. Some interaction, with others. When this is lacking, one can easily become socially awkward. Like shift-workers.

Suspect am not all that popular in street. You see, neighbours had party the other night, to which suspect entire world was invited. Except us. Cannot imagine why!

Unless... there was the time Angry Anna asked local children to get the (...) off driveway. And sort of kept to selves for a while when first moved in (on purpose). But a few weeks ago made the effort to go over and say hello, chat for a bit, as you do. Or should I say - as other people do. When I do it, it comes off weird.

Am not at all mad that was not invited - that is not what am saying! They don't know us from a bar of soap. Am merely wondering - how DO people get to know each other??? Becasue I can't seem to get to know anybody.

Apart from Louise. Good old Louise!

Dragons and Gardens

What we had lunch with a few days ago when coming back from Sydney:

Dragons... very cool.

In other news neighbour on one side is positively IN LOVE with his grass-trimmer. When might be the best time to use grass-trimmer, you ask? Well, why not at 8 am on a Saturday morning? Every freaking week!!

They probably are of the opinion that myself and hubby could invest slightly more time into our garden (the jungle), which is bordering theirs. But am not sure.
No, I hesitate. Do not want to go up there pulling weeds and manicuring things to perfection. That is where red-belly lives, refer to previous post.

It is instead time to get house ready for visitors. Going to have people here for the next three weeks.

Wait. Maybe should meditate instead..?

Flu-Like Symptoms ...

Struck down by awful case of flu. Do not remember last time felt this ill from a cold, fever and everything. Feel like I am 14 again. I used to be sick a lot. But have not been for atleast... dare I say 3 years? Not happy. Not happy at all. Bloody "fresh" air in Sydney...

Was also sick yesterday. That made yesterday a bit tough, as had concert to go to in evening. Hubby gifted me tickets to Kate Miller-Heidke for my birthday (hubby always gifts me tickets, these ones were a lovely surprise though - am huge fan of Kate Miller-Heidke).

Loved it!! Was awesome, she is such a great talent.

Though did feel, especially towards the end, like crippled 85-year-old having to hold on to hubby in order to not fall down. Also become more sensitive to everything when am ill.
Observed that large crowds of people always, for unfathomable reason, start to smell like row of Portaloos in afternoon sun. Also dude in front of me had clearly bought tickets for the wrong concert. He hated it. He actually ended up leaving right before I geared up, leaned over, and asked him to close his yapper (in an unkind fashion). Lucky him.

So anyway, Kate is wonderful mixture of lovely voice, opera (!) and quirkiness.

Example...

Sydney Celebrations

Have been absent for a few days - drove down to Sydney for a little bit of debauchery. And no, do not have iphone or whatever you call those things, so have not been able to update blog on the run. Am old-fashioned. Retro, one might say.

Sydney was... Sydney.

Awesome time celebrating St Patrick's Day, and an engagement party, with some mad Irish people and got to catch up with all my besties.

Back home again after quick stop at auntie Mia's in Bellingen, where we indulged in some cinnamon rolls.

That will be all for now, have got some very urgent gardening to attend to.

Busy Beach

What is this - Bondi Beach???

Very busy beach this weekend. And no, it is not Bondi - although you could have thought so! It is of course Main Beach, Byron Bay...

Have discovered virtues of going to beach late in afternoon and staying until dusk. A time habitually referred to as "Shark Feeding Time" by me. This undoubtedly makes the swimming experience more exiting.

We all like to believe that sharks never swim between the flags. Between the flags is people-area. It is, however, unlikely that the sharks are aware of the flags. If they are, they most likely refer to it as "the buffet."

Hubby always says sharks are non-aggressive. Sort of like black-snakes.

Sure.

New Snake!

Highly exiting animal spotted no less than three (3!) times around house! She has moved in. Check her out.

FYI - Red Bellied Black Snake. Venomous, but shy.

Garden Waste People

Because we live in a jungle; we have a monthly service entitled "Garden Waste Collection." Without this, we would go under.

This basically means we have two huge "baskets" (approximately two times two metres each) for depositing weeds and, you know, assorted branches, leaves, vines and so on - that regularly need removing unless house is to be swallowed whole by nature.

Anyway, it has been a long-standing joke between myself and hubby that these "Garden Waste People" do not actually exist.

Yes, the baskets have been collected each month, no problems there. But for well over a year - we have never SEEN them. Several theories have included:

- They don't exist (I said that one already)
- They are aliens that collect green waste using super-silent and fast spaceship
- They are invisible
- We have seen them several times and even had coffee together, but simply forgotten (unlikely)


BUT today, coming back from beach, I have SEEN THEM! Was so excited had to rip out camera and snap photo. See!!!

That is the truck parked below driveway; one of our basket-thingys next to it. Also could observe a dude (from Earth) pushing them down drive-way using trolley.

So you see, everything has a natural explanation.

Another War?

According to Wikipedia (authority on everything, which you may these days use as a source for school-essays - yes really):

"Jumper ants cause more deaths in Tasmania than spiders, snakes, wasps, and sharks combined."

Jumper Ants... Not Jumping Ants like I said.

But am assuming they are the very same species now confirmed to have atleast one nest in garden. Possibly two.

Last thing we need after whole bush-turkey debacle last year. Seems assorted wildlife feel that our garden is fair game. Sanctuary of sorts. Suppose previous resident has put out this vibe. Her opinion was
"everything goes - except cats".

We would like to modify this somewhat, to, say - something like
"everything living on property will be expected to pay rent, if failing to do so, will be violently evicted using any means necessary - also cats still not welcome".

Things Ants do not like:
- Hot Water
- Vinegar
- Lemon
- Hubby

Sunrise and Ant-bites

Beautiful sunrise viewed from balcony...

Hear rest of state is experiencing torrential rain and floods - for once we are spared, having beautiful weather! Decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather by doing some well needed gardening - so now covered in what hope is ant-bites (as opposed to spider bites). If was bite from poisonous spider would most likely be already dead, so am not too worried about it.

Hi mom.

Discovered ant-nest in garden. Large ants which according to Swedish Neighbour are called "Jumping Ants." This is because they are very malicious and will aggressively jump at you in order to bite you. They have been harassing us and Neighbours for months. So it's payback time. Hubby is going... hrm... sort them out.