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Second wave holiday
  • Janette and John
Jul – Nov 2020

Second wave holiday

Just when it looked like the CoViD19 situation was relaxing a little, cases in
Victoria spiked... Read more
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  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    Back to painting the windows.
    Making the hole in the fence is the easy bit.Dropping the post in.Sure beats digging by hand.First Lily in Spring.

    A clayton's restriction easing.

    September 7, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    We've all been waiting and hoping for some relaxation in our stage three CoViD restrictions. For many of us it was the hope that we would be able to go out with friends to a restaurant. The only change is that we can have up to five visitors as long as they are from only one household.
    Janette has returned to re-staining the windows. It's a bit like the fencing - it needs to be done in bite size bits.
    I started on the new gateway by cutting the wire - that's the easy bit. I ended up with a post in the ground and the stay in place. Still to be done - reattach the wire and hang the gate...
    The replacement brake callipers for the Hi-Lux came this afternoon. Kevin Ryan is coming tomorrow morning to fit them.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    Out shopping.
    Bailey, Candice and Hugo obeying the rules.All done!Up on Tiger Hill.View across the Tatong Valley.

    One more calf - two to go.

    September 8, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Nice surprise this morning when we saw a new calf.
    Kevin Ryan came and fitted the new callipers on the trusted old Hilux. We then jacked up the left hand side. When we took the wheel off we saw that the brake disc was very badly scored. So, a phone call to Repco to confirm they had one in stock. Janette and I were going into town after lunch, so we organised to pick it up. Looks like Kevin's back again tomorrow.
    Finished off the gateway in time to have lunch, shower and head into town.
    The reason we were heading to town was my GP appointment at 3.30pm. He took a biopsy from my scalp from something he didn't like the look of. He also took a barnacle from my back. I'm booked in next Tuesday to get the results.
    We have to remind ourselves to don our masks when we go to town. The family need to wear them at Mt Buller also. We called in to the local furniture store to order some comfortable chairs. With all our aches and pains we have struggled to find something comfortable, good for backs, and that we like. Fingers crossed they will look ok in situ - we should have them by the end of the month.
    While I was in the docs, Janette went to buy more calf milk. As we're now feeding two calves, we will use a lot of milk powder.
    Speaking of calves, Omen is now known as Minnie, as in Skinny Minnie. She's still a little hesitant to come to the bottle but is getting better. We let mum in with her overnight.
    We received an email from one of 'our' hunters to which he attached some photos taken earlier this year. They show views over the Tatong Valley.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    Sycamore flowers

    Wednesday, Sept 9th.

    September 9, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Kevin didn't make it today so the Hi-Lux is still three legged.
    Plodded on with the fence. Ran two plain and one barb to complete the six wires. Tomorrow, I'll twitch the barb to the steel posts and insert the droppers.Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    Turn up your volume.
    First asparagus of the season.Minnie and mum.

    Spring is definately here.

    September 10, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    At last, lovely spring days and mild nights. The asparagus is jumping up, the birds sound like they're having a party and the frogs are calling for mates.
    Good news and bad news. The good news is that the fence is finished. The bad news is that we have had to order another part for the Hi-Lux.
    We let Minnie's mum into the yards after Minnie's tea time bottle so they spend the night together. Mum goes out again before the breakfast bottle - she seems OK with this routine. Minnie still tries to get a drink off mum, but there's no milk to be had.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    Aggy rip line
    Beats digging.

    A ripper day.

    September 12, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Missed writing yesterday as not much happened really. Janette had a hairdressers appointment in the morning, so we went into Benalla. I bought some petrol (3 jerry cans), and fittings for the compressor hose.
    Then home for lunch and to feed Minnie.
    After lunch we went into Wangaratta looking for a long handled garden fork. There are none anywhere - they must come in from overseas. If they are from China, I don't want one.
    When the septic went in at Lex's, we taped off the area where the outlet pipes run as we don,t want people driving over them. Janette had the great idea to use our excess of aggies to make a border around the area.
    To facilitate the planting I put the ripper on to the tractor and ripped where they will go. I then took the aggies across so they are there ready and waiting. We've got some rain coming, so they'll be planted sometime next week.
    Most of the afternoon I sat on the ride-on trying to make out I was working.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    Doing the tax.
    1Twitching gismo in place.

    Nemo's had a better offer.

    September 13, 2020 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    When we went to feed the babies this morning, Nemo wouldn't come to the bottle. He certainly looked as though he'd had a feed. We had been hoping that one of the cows would 'adopt' him, and it looks like that might have happened. We'll watch closely in case he doesn't get enough milk.
    Also this morning, we let Minnie mix with the others in the yards.
    It was a bit wet today, so Janette decided this would be a good time to start 'doing the tax'.
    After I fed Minnie tonight, I noticed Nemo watching me walk back to the house. He licked his lips as if to say “where's mine?”
    Janette went back with a couple of bottles and he drank most of it. He's obviously going to need bottles to top him up.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    1And the winner is...
    Now that's a sponge!Minnie's mum in too.

    Stage 3 relaxation step 1

    September 14, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    As of 12.00am this morning, Regional Victoria's Stage 3 restrictions eased a little - just a little.
    The two cows in the hospital paddock have been pushing on the fence to get at the grass in the garden. We let the two cows and four calves into the garden this morning. The calves kicked up their heels and had a good run around.
    The only Stage 3 relaxation that affects us is that we can gather outside in groups of up to five with people from one family group. That meant an afternoon tea picnic at Kathy and Pete's.
    At feed time this evening, we let Minnie's mum in as well - home paddock family is now three cows and four calves.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    Just like mums everywhere.

    More relaxations already - step 3.

    September 15, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Had an appointment with my GP this morning to get the results of the biopsy taken last Tuesday. We decided that we would do several things while in town.
    While I was in the doc's, Janette went to the supermarket. We're still not allowed to have more than one person from a household in the supermarket, so I wouldn't be able to shop with her anyway.
    The nurse took the stitch out. The doc then told me the biopsy result showed I had a squamous cell carcinoma. He organised a referral to the surgeon in Wangaratta who had removed a melanoma from my temple a few years ago. While waiting for Janette, I made an appointment to see him next Wednesday.
    We then went to Benalla Timber to order some timber for the front fence. We've decided to get the fence posts first. Once they're in place, we'll order the rails. We use treated pine sleepers, 200 x 75, for the posts. Janette usually likes to paint the timber first, but I've convinced her that erecting and then spray painting will be OK.
    As we often do, we bought fish and two potato cakes each for lunch to eat on the way home.
    Nearly home, we realised we had forgotten something that we were going to do.
    Some time ago, the Moly Tat Landcare Group offered to subsidise the purchase of tree guards for members and asked for expressions of interest. They cost $50 each. The first five are free, the second five are half price and any others are $50. We said we'd have ten - $125. We sent our cheque.
    An email this morning told us they were ready to be picked up in Benalla. It will take several trips with the ute to pick up all ten. We were in town and we forgot!
    More relaxation of the CoViD restrictions were announced today. They come in at midnight, Wednesday. It's a little confusing and lacks some detail yet. There will be more clarification tomorrow. One thing we do know is that people can travel and stay away. Very timely for Leigh who is booked into the cottage from Thursday.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    Two at a time please.
    Planting aggies.Janette on the shovel.They're getting cheekier.The tree guards.Breakfast.

    Planting and prepping.

    September 16, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    When I woke this morning, our little 'house mob' were just in front of the house. So, it was early breakfast today. I left Janette in bed and made up the bottles. While I was feeding them, Janette to some sneaky photos.
    Main job for the day was to plant the aggies at the cottage. I went first and started chopping up the clumps into single plants which were then laid out along the rip line for planting. All were planted by lunchtime. There were three clumps left which have been left under a tree to develop into a mass planting.
    The fire trailer got an early start to the fire season this year - we used it to water in the aggies.
    After lunch I went into Benalla and picked up the tree guards. I had to take the spray tank off the ute to ensure there was enough room for the guards. I put it back on when I got home.
    This means that tomorrow the five umbrella pines should get a tree guard each.
    Janette went over to the cottage and started prepping for the people booked in tomorrow. It's been quite a while since anyone has been able to stay. We need to get back into that routine again (hopefully).
    Candice will visit tomorrow which, cryptically means that I will use the tractor to carry everything. Two teenage grandsons are coming too. That means they'll be very keen to drive the ute.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    Having a drink.
    Watering the aggies.Tree guards done.Hugo, Candice and Bailey.

    The great escape.

    September 17, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    We've been leaving a gate near the shed open so we can drive in and out without opening and closing a gate - bit lazy really.
    I fed the babies early again out the front. Then off to water the aggies again. Not long after, I noticed Minnie was out. She was down the bottom of the drive and her mum was still inside the garden. I headed off to get her back in. It was then I realised that the others were out too. I let Minnie's mum out and we put them all in with the two cows still to calve. (Sounds easy when you write it down!)
    Candice, Bailey and Hugo arrived early. They had dropped off their puppy at the vet in Mansfield for spaying. They will pick her up about 4.00pm.
    Candice worked from here and the boys did some homework in between taking turns at driving Janette around in the ute.
    I busied myself with erecting the tree guards around the umbrella pines.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    KevinRyan with friend Julie at the little falls.
    Boronia - shame you can't smell the fragrance in a photo.

    A lot of not much at all.

    September 19, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Yesterday and today had a bit of this, a bit of that and a lot of not much at all.
    We pfaffed around till lunch time. Janette went to Benalla to take her sister, Bev, to the dentist for an extraction.
    Kevin Ryan came yesterday and finished the work on the Hi-Lux. It's good to have it back on four wheels. He came back today with Julie to take her to the waterfalls while there's still a bit of water in the creek - it's getting lower very quickly. Even though we have rain forecast for the next two days, it probably won't be enough to rescue the creek.
    Rusty, the mobile butcher, came this afternoon. He and Darren 'collected' Darren's two sheep. Looks like lamb chops on the barbie soon.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    An escape route.
    Foiled? - time will tell.Another escape route.

    Another breakout.

    September 21, 2020 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    The weather has been a bit inclement for the last few days, so we've had a bit of a bludge.
    Janette relaxed in the study with a book and took the opportunity to light the fire.
    We had a hunter in the cottage over the weekend, here with his six year old son. He 'got' a deer. Originally, he was to stay a few more days and overlap with a friend who would then stay on after he left. With the uncertainty caused by the CoViD mess, his plans changed. Leigh came in Thursday night and left on Sunday. His friend and his family are coming in on Thursday and staying till Sunday.
    Went to feed the calves this morning and two were on the wrong side of the fence. They had walked under the fence where it crosses the creek. The solution to them doing this is to hang some old corrugated iron from the bottom wire. This is a job I've been meaning to do but...
    Anyway, this delinquent calf behaviour spurred me to action - it's done!    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    I parked there three hours ago.
    At least it didn't go over the fence.Cut up ready to move away.

    Why do they call them widow makers?

    September 22, 2020 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    7.30am I fed the calves. To get into their paddock, I parked in front of the gate, opened it and drove through. After feeding them, I drove out, parked, walked back and shut the gate.
    10.30am I saw that a huge limb had come off a red gum. It landed across my parking spot.
    Perhaps I should buy a lottery ticket.
    I can now reveal that, during last weekend, Janette and I were a bit under the weather. Janette had a headache and I had a sore throat. We have heard over and over for the last few months, “if you have any symptoms, get tested for CoViD-19.”
    So we did. We got the results today - negative.
    Janette still has a headache, so we need to check that out further if it doesn't ease off.    Read more

    See translation
  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John

    Wednesday, 23rd September.

    September 23, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Janette managed to get a phone consultation with her GP this morning to discus her headache. The result was a scan and blood test in Wang this afternoon. That suits as I have an appointment with a surgeon this afternoon, also in Wang.
    Janette should get a call from her GP when the results are in.
    The surgeon booked me in for my excision next Thursday.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    Flat pack fence.
    Terry and co at the falls.Wildflowers are appearing.

    Fence flat pack.

    September 24, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    A pack of thirty sleepers (fence posts) arrived today. Janette says she wants to paint them before they are planted, so I'll set them up in the carport for her. I was going to do that today, but things got in the way.
    A call from Kathy Z brought bad news - Peter was working in the shearing shed. It seems that he lost his balance and toppled over. Looks like he's got a broken leg. He's in Wang Hospital.
    Another call - the October edition of the Tatong Tattler is printed and ready to be picked up. After lunch, we drove over to Tatong, picked up the Tattlers and did the delivery run.
    As we arrived home a vehicle arrived - neighbours from Upper Ryans Creek, Jan and Terry Ring, one of their sons and his two boys came to visit the waterfalls. Just in time really as the creek is like me - slowing down. We said we'd show them the way. We drove in and they followed. We left them to it, they later drove up to the top of the falls and then to the little falls.
    The sleepers will have to wait till tomorrow.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    'Our' koala.
    Set up for painting.

    Save the Koala Day.

    September 25, 2020 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    Today is Save the Koala Day so we've featured a photo of 'our' koala. We think she has a large territory in the gum trees along Little Sam's Creek. We only see koalas here every couple of years. Having said that, we tend not to look into the treetops much, so we probably miss a bit.
    Moved the fence posts to the carport ready for painting.
    Update on Peter - he has broken his leg just below his hip replacement. He will need an operation to repair the break with a metal plate. The operation should be tomorrow.
    This weekend's visitors to the cottage arrived today- shame the weather has turned wet and wintry. It's nice to have people staying - we often look across at night and say, “there's a light at the lodge”, as we would when Lex was still alive.
    Nemo has refused the bottle both morning and evening today. He doesn't look hollow so we assume he's being fed. Minnie is ravenous and gulps down four litres at each feed. No sign of the last two calves yet.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    GST papers and photo album of the house build.
    They look fine from here.

    Back to Winter.

    September 26, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Too wet and cold to do much today apart from feeding the calves and checking the cows.
    Nemo wouldn't have any milk this morning, but he did this evening - that will help keep him warm tonight.
    Our neighbours, Catherine and Darren, are away for a couple of days so we're checking on their cattle each day to make sure they're where they should be.
    Because it was an indoor day, Janette did the GST and I got out the photo album of when we built the house. I'm photographing some of the photos with the iPad with a view to putting them into a blog. That will then enable us to print a book of the process.
    Peter had his op this morning. All went well. He had a spinal block and, apparently, was bright and chirpy by lunchtime.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    Minnie first, Nemo second.

    Remembering when it snowed.

    September 26, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    While going through the old photos, there were some of one of the best snowfalls we've had. It hasn't snowed here for quite a few years. The reason for that is for discussion some other time.
    Today's photos show a good covering. It's very confusing for the cows to have their grass suddenly disappear.
    Nemo might have decided that an evening meal is all he needs as that is what he did again today. He's probably sneaking a drink off a cow as we hoped he would. To do this he will probably 'sneak in' when her own calf is feeding.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    In hiding.
    If I can't see you then surely you can't see me either.He really doesn't want to come out.Painting posts for the new section of fence.

    A new family member?

    September 29, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    It looks like a young echidna is checking us out with a view to moving in. He's very timid and extremely camera shy.
    Went to the physio yesterday. She doesn't want to see me any more - the story of my life!
    Went to my back surgeon this morning. He doesn't want to see me again either. It's enough to give a bloke a complex.
    After the visit, I had a covid test in preparation for my scalp surgery on Thursday. Now I'm in isolation till then.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    Hers.
    His - because there's a pint of Guinness next to it!

    Positive and negative.

    September 30, 2020 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    The two chairs arrived today. Positively very comfortable and will make a nice change from what we've been using.
    Got the results of my covid test today - negative. That means I have to front up at the hospital at 10.30am tomorrow. In the meantime I have to continue to be anti-social - easy for me.Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John

    Good news and ???? news.

    October 2, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Had my operation yesterday. Anaesthesia has come a long way. I could chat to everyone during the entire process. The cancer was cut out, a skin graft taken from the side of my neck and a dressing stitched over the top. Next is back in 5 - 10 days for stitch removal.
    Kevin - next door - is coming for lamb roast dinner tonight as Sharryn is away for a few days with her sister. He sold some steers today and topped the market so he'll be very happy with that.
    Kevin Ryan phoned and so he's coming for dinner also.
    The last two cows still haven't calved. We've been waiting till they do calve to organise calf marking. We've decided not to wait any longer - we'll see when we can get some help and book it in. The herd is confined in the calving paddock, so they are handy for the yards.
    The news came through today that Trump has covid. Several thoughts ran through my mind:-
    * it's fake news
    * he's after the sympathy vote
    * he doesn't want to take part in the next 'debates'
    * he can test his stupid home remedies on himself.
    Glenn and a mate from Wodonga are staying this weekend. He wants us to go to the Tatong Tavern for a meal tomorrow (Saturday) night. We're booked in for the first sitting at 6.00pm.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John
    Minnie with her pierced ears.
    These four are marked.Hard to see, but Nemo is sneaking a drink while the other calf is drinking.Still waiting - they're just not in a hurry to calve.Banksia rose coming into bloom - shame it will only last a couple of weeks.

    Ear piercing time.

    October 3, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    We moved the three cows and four calves back to the yards. This left the two mothers to be in the calving paddock. As we're going to organise marking, and we need to keep these cows and calves separate, we decided to mark them now.
    For the three girls it means a numbered tag in the left ear and an electronic tag in the right ear. We use different coloured tags each year for five years and then start the colours again. This makes finding an animal in the paddock a little easier. The boys always get a blue tag as they all get sold whereas we keep four or five heifers each year as replacements for culled cows.
    The electronic tag contains our property details. It means that, as the breeder, the animal/meat can always be traced back through the food chain to us.
    As Nemo is a little bull calf, it also means putting him 'out of action'. He will then be referred to as a steer. The girls are heifers - once they've had a calf, they are then cows. Darren and Lonnie came down to lend a hand to push them down the race and get them in the head bale.
    Hayden, our stock agent, wants to help with marking the rest of the calves so we'll call him next week and organise a day.
    Went to the Tavern. It's very strange to be in there with only three tables occupied. Still, a nice meal and nice company.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John

    Monday 5th Oct

    October 5, 2020 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    Rain is forecast for a few days so Janette did some mowing. I did a bit of cleaning up which is always a good excuse to light a fire.
    Calf marking is organised for Friday afternoon. The two still-to-calve cows might not have calved by then. Even if they do, their calves would still be too small to mark. If they both have a heifer, it would make things a bit easier as they would only need to be ear-tagged.Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John

    Tuesday 6th Oct

    October 6, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Didn't get much rain - 3mm only - but a lot forecast for Wed and Thurs. Took the opportunity to have another fire - any excuse - and do some more mowing. Janette bought another 40 litres of fence paint, so is on track to finish painting the fence posts. That means, depending on the weather, I can start the fence next week.
    Janette did some baking this afternoon as she had to attend a meeting of the Molyullah Hall committee tonight. She took a cake and a chocolate slice.
    Bronwyn and Geoff live in 'Molyullah Village'. They have sold their house and will move to WA. They settle at the end of October. Bronwyn is president of the hall committee and Geoff is the fire captain of the Molyullah Brigade. They will be missed.
    I have an appointment with my surgeon in the morning. I want to hear him say “pathology report shows that the margins were big enough”.
    Paul commented about using sheep/goats as mowers. Not as much fun as a ride-on but, ultimately, probably tastier. Years ago friends of ours had a sheep to keep the grass down. She was on a chain attached to a metal spike in the ground. They lived quite close to Camberwell Junction. One day a phone call informed them the sheep was down at the shops. She had pulled the spike out of the ground and dragged the chain and spike down the road.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnSecond wave holidayJanette and John

    All clear.

    October 7, 2020 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Went to the surgeon this morning. The graft looks as though it's taking well. The decision was made to leave the stitches in the graft site on my neck until Monday. The pathology report confirmed that it was cancer and, even though the margin at it's base was small, there was sufficient margin all around it - no further treatment required.
    Popped into the Linger-a-While Nursery on the way and bought some vegie seedlings. I bought some tomatoes, even though, traditionally, we don't plant tomatoes here till Melbourne Cup Day (the frosts should be finished then). Also bought chilli, pumpkin and lettuce. Vegie beds were ready, so planted them this afternoon.
    Kathy Z wanted some bananas, so went to Woolies. Dropped them in on the way home and had a coffee with them. The physio had been, watched Peter negotiate the stairs and gave him the OK to go down anytime. He's looking forward to not having to eat in bed.    Read more

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