Bush Shopping

Been getting up around dawn when it's only about 32 degrees, and taking the bus out on nature-ransacking trips to get desert plants, as well as doing a bit of rambling & exploring around Peace Gorge. I carry handfuls of little rocks with me & throw them in front of us while calling out "OK snakes, coming your way, do not be alarmed" which so far seems to work well. I also carry my phone so that if I do get gnawed by an angry tiger snake I can phone for help ("Hi! I'm near a rock near a bunch of other big rocks! Send help!").

I've also discovered that there is a scrap metal stash somewhere near the racecourse, will definitely be checking that out (this is what passes for exciting fun in Meeka). Hopefully it is not near the alien cow offal disposal site.

Onslaught of helpful blokes this morning: Cameron the fire brigade captain is the latest contender for promising to come and angle grind the archway out (no sign of Bjorn, MIA). Kevin and Ray, two crusty oldtimers, came and measured up for my front fence & gave me list of Bunnings shopping to do over the phone, then Brian turned up with my gigantor freeze-yer-ass-off air conditioners. Now all I have to do is find someone qualified to install them...ha ha ha...there is so much work up here and not enough tradies, so any of you WT fans looking for trade work should just come on up, it's insane.

Everyone is paranoid about home security, and I have come up with an ingenious solution for the times that I'm out of the house with Honey (she is a great watchdog; the aboriginals won't come near the place if she's out front barking). My home security system is a thing that Polly and I came up with years ago, called "Ambient Husband" (reg trademark, pat. pending etc). I downloaded a bunch of sound effects of men making noise - talking, shouting, drilling, jackhammering etc - and looped it on the nano, so at full blast it actually does sound like there are guys working in the house. If there's anyone around when I'm leaving the house, I wave and shout something nagging at Ambient Husband from the footpath.

Back to sanding & plastering. Will post photos tonight.