family

it’s hot again. I’m swimming alot. I’m reading ‘Granny Made Me an Anarchist; General Franco, The Angry Brigade and Me’ by Stuart Christie. this is typical of my mum, who would take great pleasure in placing a homemade bomb under most of the politicians you care to mention. she orders these books in. the newsagent in town scratches his head at her choices, but obliges. though he might have reported her to the government. lucky for them she is kept very busy teaching the children to play music.

I have been staying at my sisters, with her house full of boys and her menagerie; chooks, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, pigs, cows, cats and goannas. she used to have goats too. and theres lots of fat wallabies.

the goanna was HUGE. and it was trying to eat some baby ducks. mick caught it. I looked at it. it bared its teeth.



after waking In the night I got to thinking about the noises. something moved over by the cupboard, and it wasn’t a possum or a cat. a snake? a bat? and once awake with those sort of thoughts, there is a lot to listen for, living near the rainforest. wild pigs and dingos and birds and crickets and well... I couldn't sleep so went out on the deck and stared at the stars. there are lots of them here. but I think I woke up the roosters. and I swear she must have about ten, which was kind of confirmed when I asked her in the morning and she replied, ‘too fucking many’. we laughed for about half an hour, which got them going again, the roosters, and in no time her five men had woken too. at 5:30 in the morning. I was left minding valentine all day while she went to school. great fun when you’ve had NO sleep. he’s two. and truly entertaining. truly exhausting.

phoebe says it’s nice to have another female around. surrounded by her boys and her roosters. the only other female on the farm is a big fat pig, and she’s the angry one that tries to bite you when you feed them.

some more animal observations.

cows like to look at you. you can walk past and they will stare at you every step. when you’ve passed, they will run up ahead then look back at you til you pass again.

heres a photo to give you an impression.

see. looking.

horses and cows look real nice just standing around. and if I were a stylist I’d recommend a few to anybody with a little space to spare, just for the pleasure of looking at them.



BUT. animals are noisy. and they wake up early or, are up all night... making spooky noises.

BUT STILL. young children are noisier. notably ones who play the trumpet, the drums, & like to fight and also the one's who have doting parents to cater to their every whim.

i am about to be inundated by more family. my brother arrives tomorow. it'll be the first time i've seen my six nephews together. aunts uncles cousins and various other relatives are drifting together. mostly north queenslanders. it should be entertaining. and fun. my grandma turns 75 today. happy birthday grandma dell!

i made macadamia nut baklava tonight. it is delicious.