Wednesday, April 20, 2005

chicken stuff

Help save the Tasmanian Devil


Thursday I thought that one of Julie's chickens in my front hall was on his last legs. He looked so feeble that we took him out into the garden for some fresh air, hoping against hope that being outside in the sunshine might perk him up.

And, surprise surprise, it did.

After a few minutes he was standing up instead of just lying there. Even tonight he seemed more interested in his food than he was this morning.

Wonderful what a bit of Vitamin D can do for you.




Heard on television tonight: "Disneyland is celebrating its 50th birthday. That would make me feel old if I could remember it." Gee thanks -- I remember when Disneyland was something that was still new and the first episodes of the Disney television show we saw were all about the building of the (then) unique theme park.

When I was a schoolboy there was another boy at our school who was a minor celebrity. Other students would point him out and say disbelievingly "He's been to Disneyland!" At that time, overseas travel was still a novelty for Australian families and to know somebody whose family had been to California was quite a remarkable thing




Always interesting to observe the feline mind in action. Our two cats (well, they live in my house anyway) Paco and Jezebel came face to face as Paco entered the sitting room and found Jezebel sitting in front of the heater.

For a second they stared at each other. Then Jezebel glanced away and Paco too looked off in the other direction. He walked behind the heater and passed on the other side while Jezebel leaned over as though suddenly interested in washing a spot on her leg.

Not completely different from the behaviour of some of us so-called higher animals.




These are supposedly questions and answers posted on a tourism website. I don't believe that, but it's a nice demonstration of the Australian sense of humour [chuckle]...

Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the streets?A: Depends how much you've been drinking.

Q: Can you give me information about hippo racing in Australia?
A: Africa is the big triangle south of Europe. Australia is the big island in the Pacific... oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Sydney.

Q: Which direction is north in Australia?
A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you arrive and we'll give you the rest of the directions.

Q: Can doctors in Australia dispense rattlesnake venom?
A: Rattlesnakes live in America, which is where you come from. All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless and make good pets, especially the Taipan.

Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule?
A: Austria is the little country bordering Germany... oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir perform every Tuesday in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races.

Q: Are there supermarkets in Australia? Is milk available all year round?A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegetarians. Milk is illegal.




Most amusing show of the week on television that isn't a comedy? It would have to be Grumpy Old Men which presents a group of irascible baby-boomers who look at modern life and don't like what they see.

Computers, mobile phones, modern fashions, body piercing ... plenty of stuff that we can all agree on.




And isn't it a distressing thought that the last film actually released by the now-defunct MGM studio was the new version of The Amityville Horror?





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