Old Koreelah

…even in our hottest weather; far from ideal working conditions.

No forensic investigator would risk her hair contaminating the crime scene like that.

The northern end of that rift is below sea level, hot, dry and pretty much hell on earth, yet people survive there. That’s where it seems our species originated: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afar_Triangle

Fireworks are legal on “Territory Day” in Darwin. They are on sale for a few days beforehand. Human nature dictates that plenty of idiots break the rules; sudden whistles and bangs keep people awake during those few nights, but the dogs have a terrible time.

There’s a huge safety industry that could be replaced with just one sign:

Quite a few of us Old Farts are flummoxed by such an archaic word!

I mow our airport terminal area with a machine our club bought. A couple of hours every month is what it usually takes. After years of walking around spraying prickles, they’re under control. I carry a 600ml sprayer on the mower to attack the odd khaki weed or three-cornered jack brought in by visitors’ tyres. We are hosting the ASRA Nationals in a couple of weeks, so I’m giving the grounds plenty of attention.

Some of the older Pokolbin vines are as thick as tree trunks. They include rootstock that’s poorly guarded family treasure, prompting Murray Tyrrell’s famous “Midnight Leap” range. Our isolated continent has done a good job of preserving some foreign treasures. German linguists have come here to study Old German, preserved by pioneers of the Barossa. Australia is the only place in the world where wild camels still roam free.

Just like our Indig people, what you learn in childhood stamps you with your culture. Despite being raised a farm boy, I appeared a long-haired hippie student to my wife’s father. On one road trip together he started reciting Harry Dale the Drover and other bush verse, and was impressed when I could complete each poem.

Thanks for that link, OME. I’ve bookmarked it for later reference. A valuable resource. You’re right about the prodigious written output of our forebears, who had plenty to write about and fewer distractions than today. My cousin’s Pop (who we all called Granfather Smith) wrote so many bush ballads that they filled a large book. Long after he left us, I had a vague ambition to turn some of his poems into song. That project was stymied by my total lack of musical talent and was shelved in favour of fast motorcycles and even faster women. Hopefully those who come after us can still read and value these literary treasures.

Crickey, I’d better get started on all that maintenance!

If this gem hasn’t appeared here, its time it did:

Sensible countries don’t segregate the age groups. In Denmark older folks live in the same apartment blocks as young’uns with kids. They get to help single parents, the kids get time with old farts. Nobody has to be lonely. Meanwhile, in “The Clever Country”, we separate our aged into ghettos where they never see kids, have nothing constructive to do and must spend their kids’ inheritance to pay for it. Far away, in the cheaper suburbs, their kids struggle to pay for housing, commuting and childcare. Crazy.

I would have preferred the orange grove.

It’s cruel to watch, but our time is also coming. I now avoid visiting old mates in our local nursing home. No workshop, no dog, no garden, no life. My wife just walked down our creaky wooden stairs, reminding me that visitors often asked about them: “what will you do when you get older”. My standard response has been that while we have stairs to climb, we won’t get older. It’s motivation to make the best of our good health while we can.

Another great leader who didn’t seek the job was Harry S Truman, remembered now as one of America’s greatest presidents. He came from obscurity, did a far better job than anyone expected, then retired quietly, driving himself and his wife across the US to their modest home. Because he left office with no money; Congress created the Presidential Pension and insisted Hoover also got one so Harry would not be embarassed. https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/harry-s-truman/

Are you sure it’s safe?

The best arguement against conspiracy theories is to.look at the track record of governments, most of which couldn’t organise the proverbial, let alone keep anything secret!

Going back to spiders for a mo; even if they’re not venomous, big critters like huntsmen can still kill you. Like when you pull down you sunvisor while driving and a huge spider falls on your lap.

Too much like the dumb trumpists in America, who regularly vote against their own interests- then blame their misfortunes on “liberals” who haven’t been in power for yonks! Local farmers who actual realise what will happen have dumped the Nats big time. Gas has been sold as a less damaging interim fuel while we transition to renewables. Trouble is, Howard signed over most of Australia’s gas to foreigners, so Santos has to bugger up the land to frack gas for the local market.

The NSW Liberals’ brave stance against the gambling lobby almost got my vote, but they are carrying too much baggage: the Nationals. Is it my imagination, or are the Nat’s responsible for a disproportionate share of corruption and dirty tricks? Their traditional heartland is at last waking up to how much the Nats have sold them out; on Saturday quite a few well-known farmers were supporting Independent Mark Rodda, who is committed to preventing gas fracking from invading our farmland.