Month: May 2009

Now their branches are bare – all the leaves gone with the help of high winds last weekend

Its suprisimg how different they look minus their foliage – a bit like us when we’ve got a new hairstyle

Roll on summer

I love memes like this ‘cose you get to find out little things about other bloggers.

This one has been around for a while now but seems to have resurfaced so when I saw it recently as a new post on a blog I thought I’d have another go – also being nosy wanted to see what others have close at hand as well

This is how it works:

Pick up the nearest book to you.

Turn to page 56

Post the text of the 5th sentence and then pass this meme on to who ever you like.
………………………………………

The book beside my bed is Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) – one that once more is proving to be hard going for me (again) I found it at a fabulous price (50c) in an op shop and thought I’d give it another go.

Now I did actually pass English Lit but when I tried to read it in High School nothing seemed to stay in my head. I thought it would be easier this time being an adult and having a better knowledge of the spoken word – old english style that is – but its still baffling me and once again I’m getting really lost.

I think part of the problem is my head has been filled with so many other things the whole time I’ve been trying to read it so it going to be put to one side and picked up again at a late date.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

But back to the meme…………………………

Page 56 is in the middle of Chapter 12 where Elizabeth (Lizzy) who is staying at Netherfield to keep her sick sister Jane company had suggested going home. Some wanted them to stay but Mr Darcy for various reasons seemed to think it was a good idea.

5th Sentence – well actually its 4th and 5th ‘cose I like the way it sounds and is revealing

A duck walks into a pub and orders a pint of beer and a ham sandwich.

The barman looks at him and says, ‘Hang on! You’re a duck.’

‘I see your eyes are working,’ replies the duck.

‘And you can talk!’ exclaims the barman.

‘I see your ears are working, too,’ says the duck.

‘Now if you don’t mind, can I have my beer and my sandwich please?’

‘Certainly, sorry about that,’ says the barman as he pulls the duck’s pint.

‘It’s just we don’t get many ducks in this pub. What are you doing round this way?’

‘I’m working on the building site across the road,’ explains the duck. ‘I’m a plasterer.’

The flabbergasted barman cannot believe the duck and wants to learn more, but takes the hint when the duck pulls out a newspaper from his bag and proceeds to read it.

So, the duck reads his paper, drinks his beer, eats his sandwich, bids the barman good day and leaves.

The same thing happens for two weeks.

Then one day the circus comes to town.

The ringmaster comes into the pub for a pint and the barman says to him,

‘You’re with the circus, aren’t you?’

‘ Well, I know this duck that could be just brilliant in your circus. He talks, drinks beer, eats sandwiches, reads the newspaper and everything!’

‘Sounds marvellous,’ says the ringmaster, handing over his business card. ‘Get him to give me a call.’

So the next day when the duck comes into the pub the barman says, ‘Hey Mr. Duck, I reckon I can line you up with a top job, paying really good money.’

‘I’m always looking for the next job,’ says the duck. ‘Where is it?’

‘At the circus,’ says the barman.

‘The circus?’ repeats the duck. ‘

That’s right,’ replies the barman.

‘The circus?’ the duck asks again.

‘That place with the big tent?’ ‘

Yeah,’ the barman replies.

‘With all the animals who live in cages, and performers who live in caravans?’ says the duck.

‘Of course,’ the barman replies.

‘And the tent has canvas sides and a big canvas roof with a hole in the middle?’ persists the duck.

‘That’s right!’ says the barman.

The duck shakes his head in amazement, and says ……………

‘Why the h……would they need a plasterer?’

Have had a busy week so haven’t been able to come and play or visit others ‘cose as well as my usual commitments to family and charity I have been busy in other ways: –

No rain and reasonable temperatures early on in the week meant I could get out in the moist garden (courtesy of some rain last week) and do some more tidying and weeding and then follow on with newspaper covering and mulching. so much done and so much more to do 🙂 and 😦

With the breezy days I was able to get loads of washing done and dried – ‘cept for the day it did actually rain and then it dried under the covered deck

I seem to have spent an extraordinary amount of time at my Aunt’s place emptying out cupboards, packing up some things to go elsewhere (like everyday linen, crockery and pots and pans) or washing it for when the chap from the auction house came to have a look. From the amount of things she has you wouldn’t believe she actually scaled down her belongings two years ago to move to this very small two-bedroom unit.

Settlement is a week Friday – May 22nd – so by then most of this will be a thing of the past, I have to say I feel quite guilty selling out from under her – well I’m not actually doing it, that ‘foul deed doer’ is her son and my other cousin here in Melbourne.

The thing is even tho she will never be able to live at home, she isn’t aware that all this is happening (the other two have POA so dealt with the paper work) and she hasn’t said anything when bits and pieces from her home have turned up in her room.

We are selling her life away and its sad, she had some beautiful things in her home and apart from those few bits and pieces and the few things family have asked for, her life and belongings will now belong to strangers.

I know we can’t take it with us but I do wish she had been mentally capable and able to understand what was happing and then having the chance to give it away herself.

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day here in Australia – this year I wont be lying in bed waiting for the cup of tea Dh brings on behalf of our children – this year I’ll be out in the cool morning air walking in the Mother’s Day Classic helping to raise money that will go towards Breast Cancer Research.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mums here and around the world

Did you ever wonder why there are no dead penguins on the ice in Antarctica- where do they go?

Wonder no more!!!

It is a known fact that the penguin is a very ritualistic bird which lives an extremely ordered and complex life.

The penguin is very committed to its family and will mate for life, as well as maintaining a form of compassionate contact with its offspring throughout its life.

If a penguin is found dead on the ice surface, other members of the family and social circle have been known to dig holes in the ice using their vestigial wings and beaks until the hole is deep enough for the dead bird to be rolled into and buried.

The male penguins then gather in a circle around the fresh grave and sing:

“freeze a jolly good fellow.”