Spiderwoman gets out of a jam

People who say, 'There's nothing to fear from spiders' have clearly never been to Australia.

Cate Blanchett

The price of "free" homemade jam this week included a trip to the ER at RHH, some antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and antihistamines for Kym.  Whilst collecting Blackberries and Plums in our orchard she was attacked not once but twice! The first one she didn't really feel or see (although it was diagnosed most likely to be a spider), but the second was one of Tasmania's infamous Jack Jumpers, so feared as to warrant an entire section at RHH for the little monsters. The worry was that it was able to inject through her jeans!

Kym's leg swelled up around the "spider" bite site and a pancake sized (17cm diameter) welt that was red and raised and very sore appeared! So off to the hospital which looked a little like Dante's inferno, so then alternatively we ventured out to a more sedate clinic for the scripts and reassurances that no anaphylaxis was immediately likely.

Rest, ice, lots of drugs and several legitimately venomous looks at the "mastermind" of the lovely Blackberry and Plum Jam idea seemed to work as therapy over the following few days.

OUCH! 7 days later and after many medications

Worth it? Mmmm - time will tell

Jess looks very concerned about Kym's reaction

Our neighbours are now wondering if we shouldn't pack up and head for suburbia to mitigate the likelihood of further medical disasters - but where's the fun in that?

Incidentally Anthony also had a (scheduled) trip to RHH this week. The orthopaedic clinic, after gazing upon the latest x-ray of the snapped ankle, gave the go ahead for phasing out the moon boot over the next couple of weeks. Some physiotherapy awaits, but then all should return more or less to normal - whatever the hell that might be!

Take care and watch out for spiders and ants - nasty!

Perception and Reality

“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” 

Albert Einstein

Another day, another Einstein quote - strong scientific credibility backing Richard Bach's influential work "Illusions", which gives all of us a licence to change our own reality. We've always wondered why it is that people, and therefore cultures and countries, find themselves at odds over the most inane matters. Could it be that their perceptions and their realities are so fundamentally mismatched as to create an ongoing and crippling existential crisis? And if that is the case, what is the cure for those so loyally bound to their perceptions that reality has no home?

What of those who are stuck in the same conversation loop about matters which, given a liberal dose of reality, might resolve themselves almost instantly? How to crack that particular delicate crystal without catastrophic shattering is the domain of the skilled psychologist, assuming that they have been welcomed to even gaze upon its fragile surface.

We've pretty much let go of alternate realities as touted by those who cling to persistent (and near universal) illusions such as the aim of infinite economic growth on a finite planet. How does one discuss the application of simple mathematical concepts such as exponential growth when that particular layer of abstraction is buried or missing?

Anyhoo, "Perception and Reality" is also the name of the sculpture outside the imposing glass edifice of the Canberra airport.  Here is Kym trying to emulate 3.8 tonnes of bronze - and doing a fair job of it (the pose, not the weight).

Friday night shenanigans in Canberra

Also in Canberra last weekend to meet weird uncle Anthony was niece Imogen and her papa Christopher, and the Delaney-Leeches who made a heroic journey from Qld to Canberra in order to see their family at a time of celebration. Intersections, even fleeting, can be so interesting don't you think?

Totally natural poses from the Sunshine State

More beer and chips please!

Bonne journée! (and lace your boots)

Watch in this space

We lost our way and allowed greed and excess to become the twin pillars of too much of the financial culture. We became a society utterly absorbed in consumption and dismissive of moderation.

Tom Brokaw

As the world stock markets thaw a little this week (let's not say meltdown), it might be timely to point out that conspicuous consumption and our craving for colourful baubles has not historically ended well for us as a species. Bitcoin anyone?

Speaking of timely, we've decided to do our bit for a simpler lifestyle and trade in the rolex for a more practical chronometer. It's not much we know, but every little bit helps.

Definitely a "dork alert", but for which picture?

Anthony's ankle continues to heal well, and in fact the boot gets the boot when it's hometime, and slowly the gait to the gate is improving. We have had an extraordinary run of great weather, and the garden is throwing food at us at the moment; the tough part is finding time to catch all the vittles and use them wisely. The jam cupboard is brimming and perhaps our favourite "Plum and Blackberry" combination might in the offing this weekend, closely followed by Crab Apple Jelly sometime soon.

More visitors also this week, and what a great time to sign up for a few days in the deep down under! Take care (and lace your boots).

Just another boring day in paradise

One month crammed into a week

"Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity."

Albert Einstein

It's been quite the week with a dash off to Canberra to celebrate the ascension of Australia's newest Artillery Officer, Lieutenant Mitchell Peck. We caught up with mates, and while we were away our talented house sitter Ruby drew pictures of our hounds. Amazing.

Proud parents

Won't they make beautiful children (too early??)

He gets his military bearing from his mum

The amazing Ruby captures Oskar's pathos