Episode 2: Driver’s licence renewal for the elderly

17 February 2016

Having come to terms with the fact that my incredible age renders me ineligible for a 10 year driver’s licence, I venture into Services NSW to complete the (rather short 5 year) renewal. The quick and friendly service are an unexpected joy. It is only at the picture taking stage that the cold hand of reality taps on my shoulder. When I wittily quip to the helpful service person that I hope he has taken a good picture (this is probably the 305^th time he has heard this today, but he retains his composure and smile) he assures me that it is and offers to show me on the screen. The face that greets me surely belongs to 1. A serial killer and  2. A person of such advanced age that they couldn’t be trusted to live much beyond 6 months…leaving me reluctantly to agree with the policy of 5 year maximum licence. If I manage, against the odds, to survive to the next licence renewal, I might ask if it’s possible to have the ID picture taken while wearing very large and very dark glasses.. and possibly a paper bag.

Advanced years

16 February 2016

Filling out my driver's licence renewal and see that the 10 year option that I was going to take up is only available for sprightly folk under 44 years of age......sigh....feeling very old.

Yes, it would appear that, according to Roads and Maritime, the likelihood of living, or being capable of driving, past 54 is questionable at best. The questions about riding offences also had me a little confused about the correct answers because, if my dressage scores are anything to go by, I am a serial offender, and probably should not be issued with a licence of any kind. Off now to check out deals on local nursing homes that will accept the odd house rabbit and exceptionally large 4 legged friends, and exceptionally feathery two legged ones.

Next stop The Block!

15 January 2015

After 56 years on the planet I have finally learnt how successfully to replace a tap washer (thanks YouTube!)……ridiculously pleased with this accomplishment.

The Chicken Diaries goes arty - opening night!

The opening night of the Fresh Arts Chicken Diaries Art Exhibition was a wonderland of chickens, rabbits and other sundry Joyfalleeans, artists and audience woven into the exhibition hall of Dundullimal Homestead. With people viewing the art, reading the stories, and  letting fly with their artistic flair at the colouring-in table, it was a warm and joyous evening.

During our visit to Dubbo, Chocolate Bunny and I had the privilege of meeting some of the artists, who are as lovely as their artworks (and these are VERY lovely!). From the beginning to its fruition, the Fresh Arts exhibition has been an inspiring combination of talent and goodwill, with the artist joining wholeheartedly into the spirit of collaboration and fun that originally sprang from the Chicken Diaries posts and Facebook friends’ comments.

The walls of the exhibition hall are now home to a beautiful melange of artworks depicting the residents of Joyfallee in mediums and styles as colourful and quirky as the residents themselves.

The exhibition will be on display until 8 September….so there is still time to see it and to become the proud owner of one or more virtual chickens before they flap out the door.

A 2016 Chicken Diaries calendar has been produced from artworks and stories in the exhibition. These can be purchased for AU$29 plus postage, with profits to the Royal Flying Doctor Service. To order copies, email manoah3@gmail.com (thankfully Chocolate Bunny does not have access to this email in-box, as his enthusiasm is not matched by his reliability). 

My Morning

23 April 2014

Driving to work, spot lorikeet in the middle of the road. Stop to investigate, expecting to see a squashed body. Relieved to find a dazed and disoriented but otherwise undamaged little fellow. Pick him up and wrap him in a T-Shirt. Look up nearby vet hospital. Congratulate self on being able to do this on the Joyfallee iphone (borrowed for the day from Chocolate Bunny). Arrive at destination and unable to locate said vet hospital. Resort to phoning vet hospital for directions(again congratulating self on use of up-to-the-minute phone-number-finding technology). Arrive at vet hospital, that I have passed at least twice, with large sign outside saying “VET” (self-congratulations now not so forthcoming on ability to navigate in the modern world). Attempt to pick up Lorrie who, until this moment has been lying still and quiet, upon which Lorrie bursts into life, squawking and flapping and escapes inside the car. Spend next 10 minutes sideways, upside down and in other various ungainly positions trying to catch Lorrie, who manages to make his way up into small lorikeet-only accessible crevice amongst wires under the console. In attempt to catch Lorrie and not hurt him, manage to pull out tail feathers. Cry. Catch disgruntled Lorrie. Take Lorrie into vet hospital and explain that he did in fact, until quite recently, have a full complement of tail feathers and is not a “runner”. It is agreed he is probably dazed from flying into a car and is likely to make a full recovery and be released. Continue on to work…late…sigh. 

Rare and unusual creatures

24 December 2013

The Christmas reindeer has made his annual and colourful pilgrimage to Joyfallee - hooray!!

Christmas decorations

24 November 2014

In a shock of red and green, like Christmas sentinels, or decorations on a Christmas tree, a pair of king parrots arrive, alight and abseil down the branches to the holy grail of the seed assortment laid out for their pleasure. 

Irrigation - tick

8 October 2013

Paddock sprinklers fixed and working – and it only took 5 hours of wrangling pipes and ridiculous joiny things that are clearly not designed to be able to be put in or disconnected by any mere mortal ( or at least the mere mortal kind who are totally un-handy and clueless about anything vaguely mechanical). That’s only 2 ½ hours per sprinkler… and I would still be there had it not been for my very kind farmer neighbour who took pity on me and insisted on fixing / replacing sprinkler heads, connections and stands – thanks Bill!!!