The Random thought thread

[nomadpete]

He's trying to look young..... hiding the wrinkles.

[facthunter]

You start from scratch (ing).  Nev

[red750]

Where is everybody?   I feel lonely.   21:04 Thursday.

[nomadpete]

Hello Peter.

I'm still here.

[nomadpete]

My wife has had a difficult week so we adjourned to the 'bus stop' that I built halfway down the driveway, for therapy.  I lit a comfort fire and opened a bottle of therapeutic wine . I brought dinner down and lit the candles and we watched the wildlife going to bed while the full moon rose through the trees...

Sometimes we need  chill out a bit.

[nomadpete]

Our bus stop. It is a couple of hundred metres down our driveway. Since this pic, there have been shrubs planted around it and a raised fireplace built facing the lounge seat. Simple, and a lovely spot to simply 'be' with our surroundings...

[pmccarthy]

We walked back from the pub in the dark and had to out stare about a dozen kangaroos who think they own our place. Now 10.43 pm.

[onetrack]

I'm in the middle of massive upheaval and disturbance. SWMBO decided the house needed painting from top to bottom, along with general renovation and interior renewal - from mid-March.

However, on 18th March, the landlady who owns my workshop/factory unit blew me right out of the water with a note saying all of the 12 adjoining factory units she owns will be demolished, and the land sold off for redevelopment - and we had just under 6 weeks to get out. On top of that, she's wiping out the truck parking depot which is all part of the same business. There's about 100 truckies that will now need to find new truck parking areas.

 

I've been in this factory unit for 25 years this year, and my landlord was a decent easy-going bloke who never bothered any of us, and we all got cheap rent with no outgoings apart from power used - but he got about 2 or 3 cancers about 7-8 years ago and slowly deteriorated until he died late last year. I was concerned about some changes after he died, but I thought the worst would be a rent rise.

 

But No, she's simply dropped a bomb on all of us, and about 9 lessees in the 12 factory units are now running around madly trying to find new premises and pack up 25-30 years of accumulated junk and collections - which includes me.

I'm fortunate, I have an industrial block in a small country town about 130 kms out - which I've been using for storage for the last 4-1/2 years - but now I have to go out there, any time I need to do some repair or restoration. I'm selling as much surplus items as I don't need, and moving all the rest. Fortunately, it's a great drive on 2 major highways, with no interruptions to the drive.

 

So the house renovation has been left to SWMBO and I'm going like a cut cat to clean everything out by 30th April. The worst part for many of the evictees is that factory units are in short supply around Perth, and rents are ballistic. I saw one factory unit, a tin shed of 200 sq m, on offer for $5200 a month, PLUS outgoings!! I don't know how people can afford this sort of monthly outlay.

[old man emu]

10 hours ago, pmccarthy said:

We walked back from the pub in the dark and had to out stare about a dozen kangaroos who think they own our place. Now 10.43 pm.

Actually, there were only six kangaroos.

[facthunter]

The skippy's are NOT staring at you. They are planning to kill you by holding your head below water level in the nearest creek. .  Nev

[onetrack]

I think Nev's been watching too many Zombie apocalypse movies. Although, if I was a dog, I'd be worried about a 'roo stare.

I can recall the brother telling me, when we had the dairy farm about 11 miles N of Perth in the 1950's - and the whole area was littered with water-filled swamps - about the time he spotted a big buck 'roo being chased by a pack of wild dogs, when he was on his horse minding our dairy herd (we had grazing rights over a big area of crown land around the farm).

 

This big old buck 'roo simply went for the nearest swamp, waded out up to his chest, and then turned around and faced the dogs (about 5 of them, I think the brother said).

Of course, the dogs swam out to the 'roo, baying for blood - but the 'roo was an old hand at this dealing with dogs. As each dog came within reach, he just held them under until they drowned.

He drowned about 3 dogs, and the other 2, who must have been quick learners, took to their heels. After about 1/2 hr, the big old 'roo just waded back out of the swamp, and casually took off.

[old man emu]

23 minutes ago, onetrack said:

As each dog came within reach, he just held them under until they drowned.

Since there didn't seem to be predators that would prey on large animals like roos before dingoes and then dogs came along, you have to wonder why and how roos learned that technique. Is it an application of a fighting method used between bucks?

[onetrack]

I think a lot of animals are a bit smarter than we give them credit for, and they don't take long to figure out new techniques that are needed for new threats.

[Jerry_Atrick]

 

Ya' know, there's something on the internet about everything

Edited March 29 by Jerry_Atrick

[Jerry_Atrick]

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

It's the long weekend.. And, y'know.. where I live - I don't like it too much.. We live in the South West of England wedged between the north coast of Somerset and the south coast of Devon and Somerset. And despie the weather being ordinary, the grockles (locals word fgor tourists) are out and about. I can't really complain as the little detached cottage we have is rented out for the weekend.. but went to the pub at a normally quiet time to pick up a tonic water (partner likes G&T and we were out of T), and it was packed.. OK.. the pub does OK, but as a grumpy old man, I like it quieter when it should be. Bah Humbug! Let's get rid of public holidays!

[nomadpete]

Tut tut, old mate. Decorum please!

This is NOT the gripes thread.

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

It was the random thought of cancellign all public holidays.. so I could have a drink in peace and quiet! This eve, had to invite Wolfie and a couple of friends around.

[Marty_d]

I don't like that thought.  I quite like public holidays!

[old man emu]

What's the point of Public Holidays when you are retired?

[nomadpete]

1 hour ago, Jerry_Atrick said:

 had to invite Wolfie and a couple of friends around.

Who?

Wolfie, Penfold, Grant Burge ... .

[Marty_d]

2 hours ago, old man emu said:

What's the point of Public Holidays when you are retired?

Some of us aren't!

[facthunter]

I'd say the roos would have been drowning their enemies for ever. . They are quite a dangerous animal. They wouldn't have much trouble ripping your entrails out either with their "hopping capable" legs with engine sump penetrating bones

 For you l wine charged lunches enthusiasts there's a glut of red wine here and some will have to be dumped. I'm surprised they don't distill it for Brandy or Cognac . THAT 200% duty the Chinese imposed did a heap of damage. Aging of wines IS NOT necessary or advised  Now The CEO of wines Australia outlined that this morning but that's been the case for 30 years with things like Malolactic Fermentation. HE also acknowledged the French and Chilean Wines are good but OUR shiraz's can be world class if that's variety you like (as I do).  Also know as SYRAH and Hermitaqe in some places. Durif  is an earlier favorite less complex style you can sometimes get if you want to broaden your experience . Older growers know about it.  The colour is in the skins.  Don't buy "Pressings" No one should be that desperate.  Nev

[facthunter]

I've always been "shy and retiring".  Unless you become a "Couch Potato" you'll always find jobs to do.  Nev

[gareth lacey]

2 hours ago, old man emu said:

What's the point of Public Holidays when you are retired?

Every day is a public holiday for me lol