Trust

A couple of years ago Steve and I went to a place called Watt's Bridge just outside of Brisbane. There was a get together of fellow pilots for something I can't remember what. Steve was going to do his 210 endorsement meaning retractable under carriage. On take off out of Archerfield his instructor said I can smell smoke and then turned to me and asked if I could see smoke. On picking up my tummy from the floor and my heart from the ceiling of the plane I looked to Steve and saw his calmness and just knew we would be alright why I don't know I just did.

We landed safely and loaded up another plane and flew out to Watt's Bridge for a great night. The next day we flew back to Archerfield in the worst turbulence I have ever experienced to the point where when we landed Steve said he had hit his head and he was the the pilot. Another fellow pilot flew back in a smaller aircraft and the turbulence turned him upside down.

During all this I felt safe. Why because of the trust I have in Steve as a pilot. I thank him for keeping me safe.

The reason behind this blog entry is because in a couple of days we will be flying to England and I don't know the pilots they had better be safe. I don't know them but on flying with Steve on lots of occasions I hope they will be good, steadfast and reliable like my hubby.

Christmas Time

Almost Christmas how tired am I, in answer to that question lots and lots. These last couple of days have been so full on and I still have to go to work tomorrow OH BOY. I have not felt the Christmas spirit for a long time I wonder if it is an age thing or what. How bah humbug do I sound. I love this time of year but it has become so commercial. It comes down to time and money these days instead of family time and the other supposedly true meaning of Christmas the birth of Jesus. Don't get me wrong with a name like mine you have to realise I am Catholic (just not a practising one).

The best thing about Christmas is the light that comes on in a childs eye when they open a present or you tell them a story about Christmas. Maybe I need some grand kids to get my spirit back. But heaven help me if I say that to my girls.

The other day I was saying to my youngest daughter who just turned 21 that at 20 I was married and that at 22 I had my first child. Her response well I can't print that but it was not very complimentary. Times have changed so much.

Oh well.

I hope everyone out there has an excellent Christmas and a very safe New year. Drive carefully.

Not long now

The count down is on, only 11 days to go and we fly out to Singapore then onto England. I just checked the weather in England and Scotland very cold, we will be going from 27 - 30 degrees Celsius to 3 degrees in England and 1 and minus1 in Scotland. The winter woolies will definitely be coming out. I am getting really excited.

Lucky

Here are some new photos of lucky in his drey. He is looking so much better and he now weighs 940grams. He is just waking up for his dinner. He has nearly destroyed his drey there is not much left of it but he loves his blanket and gets most upset when he loses it.

Nearly all of his fur has grown back.

He has made a skylight above and below he now loves licking and kissing instead of hissing.

No time to do everything

The days are racing past and soon Steve and I go on our trip to England and through Europe. Can't wait but before that happens we have my parents 55th wedding anniversary, my youngest daughter Sarah's 21st birthday and Christmas. Three days after Christmas we leave.

So next week on the 20th my parents celebrate 55 years of marriage. Congratulations and all my love to them both.

Then on the 21st Sarah turns 21 and her present is a swim with the dolphins at Seaworld with five friends. We are hoping it will be a fine day.

I still have not done any Christmas shopping or sent any Christmas cards, I am finding it hard to get motivated in that direction with so much else to think about. Also next week I am handing in my resignation at the vet surgery (which I am dreading) as when Steve and I get back from our trip I start full time at Tafe. I don't know where to start first shopping, packing,writing out my letter of resignation etc. I need to get myself organised and soon. Oh for a magic wand. I am getting tired just thinking about it all.

Also before we leave we have to release our possum Lucky and our injured Lorikeet. We tried him out this morning but his wing is still injured and he cannot fly yet, at least he is over his concussion.

To much to do and not enough time.

Breast Screening

Maybe not a good subject but yesterday I underwent my two yearly mammogram.

The position you have to get into to have this done is quite comical. You stand in front of this big machine (topless), place your breast on a large plate and then the fun begins. You have to lean forward put your arm in a chicken wing position, tilt your head to one side, push out your butt, lean your shoulder in, and get your breast clamped and then they tell you not to breathe.
Needless to say describing this to Steve, he suggested that I put a link to the chicken dance.

Despite the discomfort it is worthwhile having it done for peace of mind. It is very well published that women over the age of fifty can have this done for free but what is not advertised is that women over the age of forty can also have the same thing done for free. If not for my doctor I would not have known this.

Election Day

I forgot to mention tomorrow is election day. How can I put this, great fantastic, if and only if people actually have taken into account the last five years, I don't normally take party sides I am usually very closed mouth on the political front but I can but hope there is a change in the government one I think that will be for the better of all the Australian people.

Money

Who out there does not worry about finances. How are we going to pay the bills? Will we be able to survive in our retirement and so on and so on. Since I was born my family has never had much money but we have always been happy and survived on what we have had. The reasoning behind this entry is because I have always wanted to be an ordinary mother and housewife taking care of the family. But I have found lately that since I have given up my steady part-time position of 32 hours a week that I am looking for hours to work because of my fear of not having enough money to pay the bills. I ask myself why. I know we can survive. So why am I working five days a week at two jobs?

I have found I can not sit at home and not earn a wage. I worry constantly about how we will meet our debts again I ask myself why, Steve assures me we are fine financially. But the nagging in my mind says find work to help out.

I wish I could relax and take each day as it comes but I can't. I feel if I am not helping in the money side of things I will lose some part of me. I have to contribute.

From the early age of I think I was 11 I started my work life. My first job was mowing my neighbours lawn to pay for my dogs food. My second job was peeling prawns in a factory (smelly and very sore cut hands) third job newsagent, fourth job travel agent, fifth job government, sixth job mother and wife. I had six years off to have my two girls then when my youngest turned two I went back into the work force as a night filler in a supermarket very tiring. I always made sure the girls were bathed and fed and my husbands dinner was ready before he came home. I have spent the last eighteen and a half years with the same company working my way up in the positions now to find myself in need of a life jacket as I now have no permanent position.

I have self doubt as to whether I can survive in the academic world learning new things I hope I can and maybe get a better job, one that I will truly enjoy waking up to go to.

Meanwhile I will still get as many possible hours working so I feel I am contributing to the everyday running of the house.

Generations put at risk

Several weeks ago in the news and in some magazine articles there was an issue raised about the use of sun beds as in solarium treatment where you go in and get a tan with out going out into the sun. It was a story about getting a tan that was to suppose to be safe. Wrong a young person has died as the result of this and this week another a young woman died. She was the mother of a very young child (under one year) she was the daughter of a fellow worker and friend. For her family I feel great sorrow, and for her child that will never know her mother and her mother's love.

I question society as it is now. I have two daughters who I worry about all the time. My youngest daughter is always dying, tinting and having foils put in her hair maybe this will not cause great harm but I am thinking when she is my age she will probably be bald.

I look back on the things that have been supposedly great things like diethylstilboestrol (Des) which in the 1950's was a drug many doctors gave to women to prevent miscarriage. But years down the track the daughters of these women have an increased risk of breast, vaginal and cervical cancer. I don't know if it has any risk in the male generation.

There have been many new drugs and new things put out there for people to use and I ask how safe are they. So yes I worry when my children have children what will they be offered. I will say try natural before prescription drugs. Don't get me wrong I don't not take medication but I am starting to question the necessity.

So what new drug or treatment out now are the professionals going to sell and the not so professionals going to push and what harm are they going to cause in future generations.

Men and Sickness

When I first met Steve I had glandular fever I was feeling pretty low, he said and "I Quote" if you are sick the worst thing you can do is lie around feeling sorry for yourself. You just feel worse. I agree when you get moving you get better quicker, it seems to take your mind off how bad you are actually feeling.

I love my husband very much, but at the moment he is sick, " O my god". I know he is sick and so does Sarah and the dog and the cat and the chooks and the possum. I rest my case. He is not complaining, (not much) he is just sick. Instead of going to bed he is in the living room, again I rest my case. You really can't do much when you have a sick husband who is in the living room, for example watch T.V. , listen to music, laugh and please don't talk loudly if at all. I know he is sick. BUT GO TO BED. Love you baby I hope you feel better real soon and I mean real soon.

P.S I know he feels the same way. He would love to be better and back at work.

Baby Mogwai

My farewell to Mogwai

Mogwai My Boy

My big boy is moving on tomorrow he moves on to his next stage, I honestly didn't think I would be very affected by this I have lost lots of little ones lately but he is my first success baby even though we didn't have him from day dot. He has to have been the most affectionate little creature to have to care for. I will miss him heaps. Farewell my big boy give the ladies heaps at Mount Tamborine.

Another Week Gone By

This week is going so quick I seriously think that as you get older time passes so much faster. I have one more day of work this week and then I have a three day weekend YAHOO. But on saying that I have five days next week juggling my two jobs and that is tiring in itself. You finish one and then head on to the next. On Sunday just past we had a little baby pee wee (a bird) come into our care (our success rate on animals has not been great lately) so I thought after assessing its injuries that it would be dead pretty quickly I was wrong it is hanging in there sadly though I think it will have to put down because it has had it eyes pecked out by other birds. So we have a blind bird that is surviving maybe because it can't see us and can't be frightened to death (by us). How ironic is that.

On a brighter note we leave for overseas in seven weeks and am counting down in both days and money. Since becoming casual I am not earning what I used to and am hunting down all the work I can so we can actually afford our trip without coming home with nothing in the bank. I have been saying what if I hadn't quit my part-time job, but if I hadn't we wouldn't be going away because I think they would have taken me away in a straight jacket months ago sad to say.

Lucky Update

Lucky has been moved into his teenage room and I received pay back in full on Sunday night, (stupid stupid) me decided to spend some time with him in his new environment bad move on my part he cornered me, he jumped on my shoulder and peed all down my back then he proceeded to mark his territory not once but three times consequently I have two bite marks on my arm and back (he made me bleed) and three huge bruises and a couple of big scratches. He actually scared me at the time but I have had time to assess what he did and why (what a learning experience).

So my advice for all new carers if you have a possum that suffers from stress and you are mad enough to bath them and put cream on them (basically care for them as some people will tell you to do I am talking about the bathing etc.) DON'T. They will seek their revenge when you least expect it and scare you into having nightmares. Don't get me wrong maybe I am just a glutton for punishment but I have got back in his cage to feed and care for him because bottom line I care and I think that is what caring for our wildlife needs someone who is maybe hurt proof or just plain stupid whatever I won't stop what I am doing I love it. On the same note you really have to assess each animal and gauge what is right for them that will only come with experience.

Mogwai Update

My Boy is just getting bigger and bigger he will move on soon sad to say. I again was pretty stupid the other night thinking he has gone from having lots of exercise to hardly none at all so I got him out to have a bit of exercise on the clothes line (and he had jumped on my head leaving extra holes again) WRONG he had his run and when I went to put him in his cage he jumped onto the top of his cage and proceeded to run up the side of our house (we have a high set house). So I have this teenage possum twenty feet from the ground and wondering how on earth I was going to get him down my immediate thought was his favourite thing of course (food). It worked but I will not do it again.

I know I rave on about my animals but I do get a lot of enjoyment out of what we do and am hoping when we return from England we will have lots more. Our co-ordinator would like us to take a few adult possums before we go to fatten them up for release but I don't want to. Who ever we get to house sit will basically be lumbered with animals they don't know how to care for and or don't want to care for.

No More Complaining

Last night I posted a blog entry and this morning I deleted it. I was not happy with how it sounded. I have had a sad week and my entry last night showed that and I don't want my entries to either be sad or full of complaints all the time (and my last couple have been). So I am going to attempt a more up beat one. How I am not sure. Especially as this is my day off and I get to do the ironing. But I am one of those people who actually enjoys ironing (once I get started that is, getting started is the hard thing). I sort all the clothes put on some nice music and switch off.

On a happier note Steve and I leave for England in eight and a half weeks I am so excited. We have to go to the travel agents this weekend and book our two tours that we are going to do. One tour is up through Scotland and the other one is down through Paris and on to Rome after that we have Eurorail passes so we will be doing our own thing from then on. We have to make the most of it because I doubt we will be able to afford to do it again. Steve was told yesterday that he may only have about nine more months of work and then there maybe redundancy packages offered. Scary but he has not been happy in his job for a long time hence the fact he is doing a science degree in the hope of finding a job he will enjoy. The future is definitely looking different. But I am feeling positive about everything.

Lucky Update

Lucky has actually started to partly trust us again. He is licking and sniffing us again with only little hisses now and then. He came out of his cage the other night for a little cuddle and a hiss so we took the opportunity to weigh him. He now weighs 800 grams which is good but he is still feels under weight. Maybe because he doesn't have much fur but I can feel a lot of his bones which is not good. We will be moving him into his teenage room hopefully this weekend and that will be a telling point because we have to watch him and see if his stress and rash reappear.

Mogwai Update

What can I say he is getting bigger and will be moved onto his next stage in the next couple of weeks which is called a soft release. He will be moved out on to an acreage that a couple of carers own and they will release him slowly. He will still have his drey to sleep in during the day but at night he will be let do his own thing on their acreage like find his own food. We would love to do it but he is to close to us. Steve won't get in his cage anymore because Mogwai has a habit of jumping on his head and running up and down his back and legs and when you wear shorts this can be very painful.
So I have to get in the cage to change his water and foliage. Mogwai loves that because I let him groom my hair (he thinks I am his mum). I got lots of licks last night and a hair full of knots.

Rufus Update

Sadly Rufus died on Monday morning we introduced two mates for him on Sunday night and he was so overwhelmed he died from stress during the night. Sadly the two we introduced also died. Our luck with ringtails has not been good. If one gets sick because of their closeness they will both die. But they are a communal animal so they have to have family around them. We just have to learn how to do it without them all dying from stress and sickness.

Better get back to the ironing.

My Animals and the departed

A picture of Rusty who has left us. It was hard disposing of his remains. I was so careful. God he was cute.

Rufus after feeding.

Lucky in his poodle costume. Doesn't he look cute with his gloves and face mask. His hair is growing back. He is still one angry possum. Never Never bath a possum they have long long memories. He has issues poor thing but he is still adorable.

I love all my animals I will take photos of my actual house pets to post next time. I think they might be feeling a little bit put out at the moment. Not really they know they are loved. (They get fed and brushed and cuddled.) They are definitely not forgotten they are too noisy.

Household Chores

Seriously who out there enjoys cooking and cleaning. I don't but I seem to spend most of time doing it. I have an issue at the moment. Nobody in my house can cook or clean. I come home from job number one and do the dishes from the night before and then when I return from job number two I get to feed all the animals and clean their cages, then I get to dry and put away all the dishes and cook for everyone and the next day is the same, and I swear nobody in my house showers or uses the bathroom except me because I am the only one who will clean it. I am really over it. Enough of my complaining.

This week has been a busy and sad week ringtail number two Rusty died on the 24th Oct at 6.06am in my hands I tried everything to save him but he just gave up. Our other ringtail Rufus got drowned in tears. I have yet to learn to harden my heart a bit but not to much. (if you can) I doubt it will ever get easy. But as I have said before I won't give up. I have a very stubborn nature. Don't give up unless you absoultely have to. I learn't that through my first marriage. If I wasn't so stubborn our marriage would have ended ten years earlier.

Lucky Update

Well lucky seems to be improving touch wood we will see. I have hopes for him but he still has problems. I don't think he will ever be released but he could become a stud somewhere. Keep the fingers crossed.

Mogwai Update

Mogwai what can you say he is going from strength to strength and I hope he continues down that path. He is eating everything in sight. We may have to move him on soon. ( I can see more tears from me).

Rufus Update

What a cutie loves his milk but he has UTI at the moment have to give him oranges and mandarin to get rid of it and it seems to be working. He is starting to pee normally so we can but hope. I get up to feed him at five and or six in the morning and he is great depends when he starts to cry so to speak possums have their own language . He will move into his next cage soon the preschool room and hopefully he will do well. He will also get a new mate to play with tomorrow. (I hope it survives our rate is not to good at the moment).

Rufus and Steve

Steve with our new addition. Rufus is so tiny. By the way Steve is the one with the grey beard.
Rufus is the brown haired one.

Steve feeding our new addition Rufus.

Henry and Mumma ringtail

It has been a sad week, yesterday we lost Henry and Mumma Ringtail. Life as a carer is harder than what you think. You tend to hope for the best, but it doesn't always work out the way you want. I am having doubts as to my ability and tend to wonder was there something else I could have done. I know there wasn't but it still makes you have doubts. Not that I am going to stop I know there will be a lot more losses but there will be a lot we hopefully will give the chance of survival in their natural environment's.

Mumma Ringtail

The night before she died she got her baby out so that we knew she had a baby and that it was alive. Her baby Rufus is so far doing well he had his milk before and is now asleep in his basket. He weighs 60grams and fits into the palm of my hand. He will be moving on tomorrow as they are an animal that should be kept with his kind so he is off to join another 60gram baby that is with another carer. The picture below is another one of Henry he was pretty tiny as well. My daughter Sarah named them by the way.

Mogwai

Mogwai in his new teenage room. See the cheeky look in his eyes.

Mogwai determined to not let go while he eats. I am trying to tie some new access sticks in his cage. This one lasted about an hour before he knocked it down. He really is a bit of a hooligan.

Mogwai doing what he does best eating.

Animals Everywhere

Well this week I have worked at the vets for three shifts. Last night Steve got home before me and he had cleaned out Lucky's cage and got all of the feed bowls ready, he had fed the cat and the dog and was just about to get some native branches when I arrived home. And guess what I had an injured ringtail possum (a mum with a joey) a car had ran over her tail (we think), it isn't broken but very bloody and sore and she is in shock. So by the time Steve and I had settled her and finished all the other animals we were happy to sit and have a drink.

But today I went to work at the vets again and I have just bought home an abandoned noisy minor baby. So I now have to go and get a cage for it as all the ones we have are to big. I am going to have to try to restrain myself from taking all the injured native animals home as I don't think our house will be big enough. Our menagerie at the moment consists of a dog, cat, cockatiel, four chooks, a pond full of fish, snake, blue tongue, two baby brushtail possums, a ringtail and her joey and a noisy minor.

Lucky Update

Lucky is doing better but still has a long road ahead of him, his scabs are nearly all gone and he really looks like a poodle. He is also getting out of his drey more which means he is feeling better so I hope he keeps improving but the next hurdle will be when he has to moved into his teenage room (the big bird aviary). That can be stressful and that is not what he needs. We will have to keep our fingers crossed it all goes smoothly.

Mogwai Update

On the other hand mogwai is doing really well and making lots of noise in his teenage room. He has a habit now of when you go near the cage at night of launching himself on to the mesh in front of your face and scaring the hell out of you. I think he quiet enjoys scaring us. He most probably sits in his drey the next day and has a good laugh. He is missing the attention though, we are weaning him off us but we have to get in his cage to clean it and feed him and he just has to get out of his drey for a cuddle, he got me again the other night but this time on the cheek (roughly a two inch scratch) which he tried to make up for by grooming my hair. He is one cheeky possum.


All our animals are great, I have one more shift this week at the vets I hope no injured wildlife comes in because if I say yes again I think Steve might lose it. Not really he loves them all to.

New Second Job

Well it has been an interesting couple of weeks I have now a second job at a vet's so trying to juggle two jobs and a home and our wildlife and our domestic animals is great.

This week I did three shifts at the vets, talk about full on trying to learn everything and deal with all the clients pretty mind boggling. My first shift I got to bring home a baby pee wee abandoned by it parents (being a wildlife carer has it advantages for both me and the vet). Second shift they had an injured snake but it was pretty badly injured so the best thing for it was to put it into a deep sleep (which was sad). My next shift was so busy and heaps of animals I am so loving it (even the smells Maybe) one poor dog had a tick anybody dealing with an animal with a tick you have to keep it quiet but the poor thing had lost its bodily functions due to paralysis but hopefully he will make a full recovery ( I got to clean his cage boy did it smell). At one stage this week I went to the vet's and then on to my other job and the adrenalin was pumping (stuff getting high etc who needs that when you enjoy what you are doing). Maybe if some of the young people of today went out of their way to find something they enjoy doing we wouldn't have the problem with the young society they could get high on their jobs or their hobbies. I could say Ha Ha, but it is no laughing matter.

I have obviously made some sort of impression on the vet job as after only two and half shifts they want me to fly solo (scary).

On a different note I am so looking forward to our trip to England, Steve and I have been looking at all the brochures and on the net lots to see and not much time but I think it will be great. We were going to book big tours like 12 day ones but all our trips that we have taken recently we have flown by the seat of our pants so to speak just see where we land next and hope for the best. We have had some great holidays like that, arrive in a town and find somewhere to sleep and then explore so I think that is what we will do again (too much planning and you have no freedom to explore what you want to do).

Lucky Update

Lucky is not doing well. We will see. I don't think he will survive in the wild but I am not giving up yet he is still eating but he looks like he has done 10 rounds in a boxing ring poor baby. He still hates us.

Mogwai update

I may not have mentioned our other little brushtail but he is doing so well to the point he has moved into his teenage room. Boy is he enjoying the freedom. I got into the big cage last night with him to make sure he was settling in (and because he is so cute) I shouldn't say that though as a carer, and got a face full of a brushtail. I now have an extra hole in my nose (very painfull) and tonight while changing his water etc he got out of his drey and started to groom my hair all things we have to make him not do as now he needs to become feral for the wild.


Life in my Forties just fantastic.

Back To Work

Well I have gone back to work on a casual basis and it has been quite tiring and sore I am not used to being on my feet for eight hours at a time so all in all it has been a bloody tiring week and trying to remember all I was taught in such a short period of time (yeah I am over it). My first day back I had just reached almost knock off time and I had a code blue ( the place I work that means someone is hurt or something) so if you have a senior first aid certificate, which I have you go running. There in the aisle was an elderly woman who was determined to continue what she started and wanting no help but on further investigation we found out she had chemo that morning and had no help. She has six months to live and was so frail, makes you appreciate life. She still bought her ciggies though. I suppose she thinks I have nothing to lose I am already dying. I feel for her, she was one feisty lady given her condition.

On a happier note this week was my wedding anniversary. I often ask Steve when does the honeymoon stage finish maybe because we have only been married for three years it might take a while. It was a good day and an even better night. Being married to Steve has taught me so much and it gets better each day I look forward to every day being with him. He is my husband and partner something you don't always find in this day and age.

Lucky Update

Well our little fellow is doing better so far we just have to try to alleviate his stress a bit more so we need to move him into a quiet area hopefully that will help him. He still hisses and carries on but he is showing improvement.

Other news on the wildlife front was we went and had our one on one with our wildlife co-ordinator and that was very informative, she is a very educated person when it comes to wildlife. While there I got to hold a baby magpie and see all her animals that she has in care. On arriving we pulled up out front and in her front yard was a baby kangaroo not something you see in the suburbs very often (we knew we were in the right place). While there she had another baby kangaroo in the living room a smaller version of the one outside. I am loving looking after the animals and am now looking at doing maybe a course in animal husbandry next year. I may also have another job as receptionist at the local vet which will help my career if that is what I am looking to doing.

I am starting to realise you never know what is around the corner. Hopefully something even more exciting.

Up Up and Away

One thing I have done in my forties that I have never done before was go overseas. Last year we went to the south island of New Zealand and this year we went to Hanoi Vietnam. Just lately I have been saying to Steve I would love to go to England in the next couple of years so what did he do today he went and booked us on flights to England on the 28th December this year so we will see the new year in in England. Which is interesting because not long after I met Steve I was talked into going to have my cards read tarot cards that is (I don't usually believe that sort of thing) but I was told the person I met recently would take me traveling and that he would be my partner for the rest of my life. As I had just separated and was going through my divorce and I had never been out of Australia I thought that unlikely as I was a bit anti men and commitment at that time. I was proven wrong we got married and have traveled. Doesn't mean it made me a believer though just less skeptical.

So now I have to get as much casual work as I can to save up some money for spending which won't be to hard at this time of year. Work has offered me about 7 weeks work starting next week which will bring me to mid November. Then it will be Christmas and then we leave and I still have four weeks long service leave up my sleeve so I might take them. I think it will all come around pretty quickly. At least I won't be bored.

Update on Lucky

Well two days ago we took lucky the possum to the vet with his rash and he is now on a new cream instead of bathing him (thank god) as he was becoming quite distressed not that the cream is any better he still hates us. He proved that by climbing up on my shoulder after putting the cream on him and reversing up to my neck and peed all down my shoulder and in my hair and then he poohed all down my back ( he is just a charming little fellow). The cream must be starting to work on him though as the third dose he laid on his back in my lap and went to sleep (now that was cute). I would just like our healthy happy little possum back and not the one at the moment that hisses, scratches, bites, pees and poohs all over us. (I am sure he would like to be back to).

By the way anyone know of someone who would like to house and animal sit for 5 weeks while we are overseas???

Getting Started

Where to start hopefully this will be the hardest bit and the rest will get easier. I am in my forties hence the heading. I decided to start a blog because my husband has one (the desk in the corner) and I have found it interesting watching his take shape so I thought I would give it a go. I doubt anyone but him will read it so I should be fine.

They say life begins in your forties. I know mine has diffidently changed.

So far in my forties I have gotten divorced, remarried, flown in a light aircraft, ridden on a motorbike and I have quit my job of 18 years and am now wondering what to do with my life. Although work has let me stay working casually so I will have a little bit of work in the next couple of months.

I am looking at going back to study which should prove interesting as I haven't been in a classroom for a long long time. What appeals at this point is something outside. The courses I am looking at doing are land management and conservation or animal husbandry. I have spent the last seven years not knowing if it was raining, cold or sunny outside. I have been stuck in an office with no windows (It was starting to feel like a prison) not a nice feeling at all. I am now sitting at home wondering what to do with myself as the courses I wish to do don't start till February.

One thing I have recently become is a wildlife carer and have two baby brush tails possums, a snake (Carpet Python) and a blue tongue all of which except the blue tongue will hopefully survive and be returned to their natural habitat. The blue tongue as she is to tame can not go back into the wild but hopefully will go to a good home. Hopefully they will keep me busy for a while but I can't see that happening as they sleep all day so all I have to do is clean their cages and feed them. I also have a 10 year old beagle named Xena, a cat named Dizzy, a bird named Samson and four chickens named after the four divas.

Today though one of the possums is sick his name is Lucky (He is named lucky because his mum was hit by a car and she was so mangled they didn't know she had baby at first) he was in the care of my eldest daughter but she has had to give up caring for a short time as she is in between homes. He is suffering from possum mange/dermatitus which can kill him if not treated only thing is the treatment is so stressful for him he wont come out of his dray (his bed) we have to bath him, possums hate to be bathed and my husband and myself have the scratches to prove it. So Lucky is off to the vets tonight yet again to hopefully get something to make him better.