Thursday 23 September 2010

Neighbours and Stars

I can't get the hang of my beloved Bear chatting on Facebook to our next door neighbour. Wheelie Manor is a 'semi'. Shout loud enough - sorted.

I've just looked over her shoulder, and the conversation was going something like "I'm just going to make myself a cup of tea, you having one?" "Same here, be right back". A couple of minutes later and cuppa in hand, "That's nice - where were we?"

(scratches head) Must be a girl thing.....

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Blimey, that was fast. Bear was explaining over the fence to the neighbours on the other side about Trixie-bell the pup consuming various pieces of underwear, my 13 year old's favourite shoes and soft toys, my travel pass, and other bits and bobs. In one night.

Her daughter in law, visiting, overheard and volunteered she'd have her. I thought I'd misheard, so I repeated what Bear had said. She explained they'd had a Rottweiler pup stolen a few weeks back, her kids were pining for a dog, and they were quite used to 'a chewer'. And promptly offered to give us the money for the vets fees we'd incurred.

Trixie is a Heinz 57 variety, mostly greyhound, and I was pretty keen to rehouse her to someone with a lot of space. It seems they live close to Derwent Dam, no sheep for her to bother, and the family love to go on long country walks.

Magic :)

Meanwhile, my dog (Bear would disagree, she walks him :) ) who is from the same litter, but looks like a Staffy, has cottoned on to my 'foraging' habit. He's started bringing in young dandelion leaves, rose bay herb, nettles, half a ton of hawthorne and blackberry branches and leaves with fruit. All edible - usually, and dumping them at my feet, all wagging tail and big brown eyes. Awwww...

Can't use most of it. Dog spit Yuk! Though some of the Hawthorne and Willow I can one-handed whittle into Faerie Wands to sell. He's a Good Boy. :)

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I may have mentioned this before, but I'm a keen, but equipment impoverished amateur astronomer, so free is good. I came across a free astronomy program that rivals a lot of commercial offerings. If you're into astrology (and they're much more closely linked in history than you may realise) It will display a massive (millions of stars - ask me how if you get it), and even overlay constellations as pictures. If you have a telescope you can plug into a computer, it will direct that telescope to your chosen point. There's so many options, their help file is out of date.

Worth a look - Stellarium. Free Program.

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