Bonne Chance: and the Day Late Christmas Miracle

Long time readers will remember that Bonne Chance first arrived on my patch last January. He was completely feral, and I could not bring myself to take him into the local animal pound as they would have immediately euthanized him. Who was I to decide who should live or die? It certainly wasn't his fault that he was living rough.

With time he began to trust me. Sadly, no matter how well we got on, my two housecats could find no room in their hearts to share me. Bonne Chance would have to remain an outdoor cat until he was socialized enough to have a chance at being re-homed.

But he kept getting sick. And on tuesday the 22nd, his condition suggested that even if he could pull through, that there was likely an infectious element. I had no choice but to try to bring him in to the professionals.

Once at the shelter, disaster. Inside, the office staff was being rude to me, while outside, a man assigned to do a preliminary check on Bonne Chance made what was later described as "...an honest mistake...".

He opened the cat carrier, while he was still outside.

Bonne Chance did what any self respecting cat would do. He took off like a shot, and disappeared into the distance. I had brought him to his doom.

Yes, I did give the staff a big serve. And then I walked the grounds searching for him, before returning to the office to have another go. I was devastated. The point of this whole - nearly a year long - exercise was to HELP him, not make things exponentially WORSE.

I tried to come to terms with it, tried to convince myself it wasn't really my fault. But it was. It just was. He would have been far better off dying a long slow death in his own territory, than essentially dumped in the unknown.

I went back each day and called and searched. I prayed to "If There Are Any Cat Gods Out There", I cried and then went back and looked again. When they were closed I stood at the gates and called. I could not assuage my guilt.

Its seven and a half kilometers from here to the pound, and nearly all of that is over major roads, a rail line and industrial estates. I hoped he would just show up back here at home, but I didn't fancy my chances much.

But today he did! He just walked up the path like any other day, until he saw me in the window...then he meowed and ran the rest of the way. We are very happy to be reunited, and he appears to be none the worse for wear!

He is my cat now. Wonder if I will be able to get him in a box again for his vet appointment, (snip and chip, LOL!)

Mixed shells

Battered hull

Abalone 2

Abalone 1

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Still cant talk, sorry folks.

Urchin 2

Urchin 1

Barnacle 2

Barnacle 1

Poppy season

Had the first visit with the new doctor friday. Guess what? He changed my meds. Have decided this: if these arent what I need, Im done trying to find pharmaceutical assistance. More words as they come.

Near sunset, urban plight

Will try for words soon, maybe tommorrow?

Broody, moody cloud at sunrise

Sunset out the back

Sunrise from the front garden

I have a backlog of sunrise/sunset/skyline shots, so I might make a week of them.
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Im in a funk and cant really face writing about it, so I wont. Lets just say that the sedation is easing, and I expect it to get much better as soon as the old med is finally discontinued in two days, leaving me just on the new-new one. Egads.

A quiet, blushing Thanks to KJ

You Make My Day


Beam of Sunlight


Perfect Blend of Friendship


Ive really got to pull my thumb out and make an award of my own to hand out, there are some people out there who mean alot more to me than my recent 'radio silence' would convey. In the meantime, I have to hope you each know who you are. Meow.

More Kooky Stuff

Hey BetteJo, he is 15-16 inches long (40cm).
What a weapon the beak is!

No laughing matter

We had a quick tour of the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park the other day. The weather was awful, but still we could not resist setting down to make a cup of coffee from our on-board facilities. We found a nice spot at Bobbin Head, and immediately we spotted a potential new friend.

While The Most DH got the water boiling, I introduced myself to this Laughing Kookaburra. He was in no mood for laughter as he was cold and wet, and certain that there would be no warm lizard for his lunch.

He was rather hoping we were planning on sizzling some sausages, and was a bit disgruntled to learn that there was nothing of the sort with us this trip. But still he did allow me to take plenty of photos, nice Chap!

Shadows of myself, and Little Wattle Birds

Yesterday I started a new med, and its so sedating that I am too confused to talk further today. Lets see if tomorrow I will be clearer...yeah, that sounds like a plan. Ciao for now!

Aechmea again

I still marvel at how I can have flowers in the garden through the winter. Also Im surprised at how 'tender' Ive become. I used to be able to withstand much more severe winters than we get here, but today its about 12c and I am completely frozen through. Which makes me curious - lets do some math! Hmmmmm, thats 53f! If in my country-of-origin you got a 53 degree day in mid-winter, it would seem positively tropical! Funny that.

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Beyond this, its all complaining. Ciao for now!

Interesting, boring, and kinda gross

That is the interesting bit above. See, I want to experiment with infra-red photography - without doing surgery on my camera.

I could spend $60 for a filter which will give near-infra-red effects...$60 bucks!...they're dreamin'! And they want about that much for the fabled 'neutral density filter' that I would use alot more, and covet hotly.

All of which explains why the other day there was the shot with the red cellophane over the lens (just held on with a rubber band), and now today: this is a combo of red and dark blue cellophane, its getting there, dont 'cha think? Curiosity may also be a mother of invention.

All that could also constitute the 'boring' content too, depending on which way you are inclined.

Whatever.

Check out the colours of the bricks and sky - no post-processing here.

And for the gore lovers out there, heres my incision. It is nearly two inches long, keyhole surgery is for wimps! Beats me why they just steri-stripped it back together instead of tying a few stiches, (probably a cost cutting measure).

Bed and Breakfast, Bonne Chance

Returning to me after a 2 day absence-without-leave. Where have you been Mate? Dont you know I get worried when you dont show up for several meals in a row? Take pity on your poor furless friend, and let me know if you wont be in for tea.
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So the surgeon I like wasnt able to do my carpal tunnel release last week, and her stand in did it. Which was OK with me on the day, because, as you all know, it needed doing. But today was the post op check, and no, the thumb is not supposed to still be numb, nor the hand in general weaker than before I went in. So we are going to give it another week, and hope it resolves itself by then.

Its always something, eh? On the bright side, I am weaning off the 'hed-meds' and so any day now I might stop looking for a fight everywhere I go.

Trash+Wind+Tree = Photo

Well at least this is pretty trash. Unlike that plastic grocery bag that has been stuck in the jacaranda for about a year now. It can stay till I am bored with it too.

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We decided yesterday that this new med is a bust. Although it has kept me on a more even keel regarding lows and highs; it has also made me very short fused and not able to be nice to my fellow human beings. Its got to go, you cant bite the hand that feeds you, literally.

BORED!!!

Limited to what one can do with one hand, one finds oneself BORED OUT OF THE GOURD! So I shot these chilles through a piece of red cellophane, then digitally tortured the image, untill I realized that I was still so blooming BORED...off to make a nuisance of myself elsewhere. Ciao!

Aurora in her fave window

A month or so ago, I got this shot of Aurora in her favourite window. I like how her dark fur allows the reflection of the iris to show.
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Hand less painful today, but Im having some numbness I dont care for. A lovely bruise is beginning to show above the wrapping. Stitches come out on the 27th, and I can hardly wait. It is so weird to be suddenly dependent on someone else for your own basic care (hair, shower etc). The Most DH deserves some sort of prize.

Owie! Owie! Owie! Owie! Owie!

The nerve block wore off yesterday afternoon, and its been killing me since. But it cant last long - theres only enough pain meds to last today. LOL

Look Ma, one hand!

The pain isnt too bad and Im feeling otherwise well. Most likely there will be more tommorrow - But I snagged this shot this morning! Awkward as, but how to resist trying? A Little wattle bird against my fave acacia (cultriformis). Ciao! Ciao for now!

In the meantime, heres Aurora!

Volunteering to keep you company untill I return, here is Aurora, Goddess of the Dawn.

Remember the Gymea Lily?

Last year I chronicled the blooming of our backyard Gymea Lily. Here she is in all her faded glory, covered in open seed pods. Still lovely to my eyes.

Roses and Rosehips

Regular readers will remember, that I am pruning my rose bushes a tad early this year. From that, Ive gleaned some lovely rosehips and even roses to bring inside. The micro-climate in my garden keeps them blooming, albeit on mostly bare branches, right untill winters bitter end.
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I seem to be sailing at a more even keel on this new med. Iam looking forward to seeing the actual psychiatrist in September - I want a qualified opinion on what flavour of impairment I am experiencing. Pity you have to be in such bad shape before they let you get that. (((diatribe deleted)))

So, tuesday the 18th is the big day for Carpal Tunnel surgery #1, knock on wood it isnt cancelled again. I have been practicing doing things left handed for a couple weeks now, and I hope I will be able to post through the week. However, if I should go missing, dont worry. Keep safe out there!

Further on down the road

Got that blues tune in my head now...ah well. I find if a song sticks in my head I have to put it on and listen to it. Otherwise they just go on for days and days and days untill I do. Most times though, they are little messages. Doubt thats the case here...but I must cease my digression.




Why have I brought you to a toilet block? Cause it was such a groovy one! We both admired the simple, industrial beauty of the thing. Built obviously to withstand vandal attack, salty winds off the nearby beach, AND thermo-nuclear war. It was also the cleanest public facilty on the whole trip, which is saying alot seeing as how it is a pit toilet. I am going to learn to do what I gotta do: standing up, I swear.

So because it was so dreadfully windy and cold and grey, we didnt venture out from the car much after this stop. Which we were planning to do, as we were hanging for a good coffee, and had our travelling facilites for such with us. But, Brrrrrrr!

Still, I cant resist shooting pics, even when it is clearly time to put the camera to bed. Having said that, I am experimenting with night photos - sans flash - I will share some more sometime, but heres a two for now.




Tommorrow we are on the road again, this time to leave our Rover in for a timing belt replacement - an EXPENSIVE but important bit of maintenance. We are supposed to be getting a fully tricked out 4WD as a loaner for the day, and we cant wait to experiment with options we have been thinking about adding to our Disco. Ive got the camera gear all ready - heres hoping its a nice sunny day to make mischief in.

Young Xanthorrhoeas in bloom

Lucky me! Usually when we see grass trees (Xanthorrhoea) we are speeding by, and cant stop for a shot, But on this day, I got to take my time with this nice specimen.




This last shot shows that the plant deploys its blossom in a sort of spiral, one row is open now, and indeed, there were a few bees working them despite it being a very cold and grey day. But you can also see a second spiral of flowers still in bud. Now thats one smart plant to spread its resources out over a period of time, as opposed to all at once. After all, what if you bloomed when there were no pollinators out and about? You'd be stuffed, Mate!

(I need my eyes examined again, I could swear this was a crisp shot when I took it. Harumph!)

These next shots I took in Perth, 2005. First, a mature specimen shows you why they are called 'grass tree'.



And here is a cross section of ones trunk, it had been blown off in a storm.



We had one of these once, in a pot. It lived very happily, untill we bought the house and sunk it into the garden. Was dead in a week! LOL