Tuesday, February 19th .....

I’m home alone today: Marilyn is baby-sitting Freya and Jamie is in hospital having several hernias repaired.  I’m not particularly motivated to work and there’s not really very much I can do anyway.  I’ve spent the morning researching details for my trip to Scotland – trains, accommodation etc – but, again, there’s not much I can do at this stage.  I leave on April 7^th and will arrive back in Australia on May 9^th.  So much to do and so little time!

The birds outside the window are fighting over the seeds which Jamie throws out each day.  We had an encounter with some wildlife last night.  Occasionally, we see a wallaby feeding  on the grass around the house.  It’s been very dry lately but we try to keep a little bit of green and have had the sprinklers on.  I think the animals are attracted to the green grass.

I was outside after dark, trying to catch sight of the Lunar Occlusion of Jupiter when I became aware of a wallaby grazing just a few feet away.  I gently opened the door of the caravan to get Marilyn to have a look.  By the time she popped her head out the creature was snuffling my leg and then made a bound into the caravan.  Marilyn let out a shriek, I bounded in after it to shoo it out but it shot down the side of the bed.  It looked just like a giant rat, which is why Marilyn had the vapours.

Eventually, I herded it out but it hung around the door looking for a handout.  It took a biscuit from my fingers, ate it, and then wandered off to find some more grass.  I’ll bet it comes back tonight so It looks like I’ve got another scrounger to feed!

I managed to catch Q&A today but I’m getting more irritated by it.  It was another Christian v Atheist debate, and more sophistry from the token liberal talking about the Carbon Tax.  I really get annoyed when the Christian spokesperson talks about Christian ethics as if they have a monopoly on morality.  How can they overlook the dreadful damage that’s been done in the name of Christianity for the past 2000 years and we’re still hearing more and more incidences of abuse of children by Christian priests.  And, surely, the Carbon Tax debate has run its course. Move on!  We want to know what the Liberals will do about the crisis in our state schools, and supporting our local farmers and so on.  One comment which did disturb me was that at least one state school in Queensland is apparently teaching Creation Science as an alternative to evolution.  You’d better get on top of that, Mr Newman, if it’s true.