I never thought it would happen... (again)

Actually, I'm almost encouraged by this.

Thing is, last time I upgraded my mobile phone, I swapped over the SIM card myself, and promptly lost all the contacts that I thought had been saved to it. So this time, I asked the nice lady in the phone shop to do it for me.

Turns out my new phone is too cool for SIM cards, but she said it would happen automagically when she just did this, and this, and so...

So actually of course it didn't, so: if you have my cellphone number, do us both a favour and text me, with your name in the message? Then I will know who you are, and can restore you to my little list of contacts...

(Alternatively, if you think you should have my cellphone number and do not, leave a comment here and you never know, something might happen...)

Plumbing, fishing, camping - all before lunch

It is probable that any day which begins with a plumbing emergency before coffee is never going to make my favourite twenty-five.

However, redemption is possible. I took my new phone for a walk, and ten minutes from here is a creek that I suspect these days functions more as storm drain than natural waterway. Nevertheless, it's not all concrete, it holds water even in these days of drought, and its water holds life. As witness, I saw this great white bird and took a really bad photo of it...



...and then when I tried to get closer it flew away - with its friend or shadowsoul, a grey bird of equal size that is in fact in the photo too, I had just totally failed to notice it.

Then I went to a hardware store and decided what to spend my Xmas giftcard on; and then I went to Fry's and didn't find a case for my new phone, so we're back to Amazon for that; and then I walked home.

Hereabouts we like to tent our houses and fumigate them against the depredations of termites (well, we didn't, we bathed all their tunnels in orange oil instead, which has the same effect but is much less disruptive and makes the house smell like marmalade; but people do). Apparently, we do it to churches too.





I've heard of mission tents - indeed, I've written a book that featured one - but this is a bit ridiculous.