Australian Talk.

[Old_man_emu]

another big drop of rain overnight NOT. 2.5 mls. been from this to 4 mls the past four days. Keeping it green but we need more than that and some hot weather. We have plenty of good water as we always do. We are to about 29 inches for the year, average should be 36.

ditto!
Our average according to weather zone is 36 and our total so far is 31, most of which fell before mid June. At that point we were actually too wet. Since the end of June we have had 160mm, prior to that we were on 628, and infact of the 628, 422 was on February and March.
Looking back at the records I would say the distribution is more even. It's not uncommon to have a couple of months each year stand out but not usually to the extent Feb and March did this year.
Thanks to the dry I am watering a paddock I just worked and if all goes well I will plant millet next week. I had a look at a friends crop that went in about 6 weeks ago and its getting towards knee high already. Knowing the way things usually go around here by the time mine is ready to graze it will have rained and I wont need the feed and it would be nice to think that I can make silage instead.

 

[wbvs58]

I know what you mean Colin, although we have been lucky here with showers and storms compared to very close by, just a couple of dry hot days and everything just wilts. There is no hard feed growing yet. We need that 150mm or so from a decent weather system some time early in the new year.
Well Dale should have arrived in the district by now, probably up checking out his house.
I had the satellite NBN installed today, it is faster but not as fast as I had imagined. I use Voip for my home phone and spent over 2 hours this afternoon talking to a little Indian girl trying to get it working, she had no idea, in the end she is going to refer it to a higher source and they will get back to me. Just a bluddy waste of time and mentally very tiring.
Ken

 

[melking]

Hey Ken, The gators just congregate in the water that remains. We never see gators on the property in the rainy season, they spend all their time moving around but now in the dry season we frequently have multiple gators take up residence in one of our ponds.

 

[burglar]

Ken, we arrived yesterday morning, ended up spending the day with family and will be driving up to Stanthorpe today. Looking forward to you meeting you mate. I will send you a message with my mobile details.

 

[Australian]

Ken I know what you mean about talking to foreign speaking call centres. If I get a person that speaks in broken English I ask can I speak to firstly to an Australian and one that has full grasp of the English language and no accent. I recently called a phone company and had difficulty understanding the call centre gent, I asked him to speak without an accent so that I could comprehend him. I asked how long had he been doing this job when he couldn't speak clearly. he said that he had been there for two years and in the next two months " I will be a supervisor" I told him for heavens sake and I would ring back when I could speak to an English speaking person. Whats our beautiful county coming too. All persons who come to our country should be able to speak fluent English. I would expect that if I went to another country I would have to speak their language.

 

[Suzie Q]

When Skymesh set up our satellite, a guy came out to install it and made sure it was working on the computer before he left.

 

[diana55]

Same story here Ken- new NBN satellite not as fast as I had hoped, but makes the gigs last longer I guess. As for call centres, arrrrrggghhhhhh.... must be Mumbai calling. Fluent English would be great Australian but can't see that happening unfortunately. The way our 'immigration' is going, we have have to learn another language.......

So dry here that the trees are chasing the dogs. No sign of rain in near future so still doing 'meals on wheels'. Cows soon get a welfare mentality and wait at the gate instead of scrounging around their paddocks.

Welcome home Burglar, bet you can't wait to see the house.
Went to a great Christmas party a couple days ago hosted by our grain dealer. Lots hot finger foods and unlimited drinks and a happy 115 clients. Each family received a bottle of bubbles to take home.
Most of the local business houses have cut out Christmas drinks etc, as times are a bit tough for them financially. Pity, as we used to be out nearly every night in the 2 weeks prior to Christmas. Great fun as I didn't have to cook.

 

[Old_man_emu]

Diana, is Dawn Wilson the lady who judge the Angus at Sydney 2 or 3 years ago when J&C Evidence won the Supreme title and the N Bar cow beat KO's Mongarra cow? I just happened to be looking at their facebook pictures and thought she looked familiar.

 

[diana55]

Yes, Dawn was the judge. Dawn and Lee have a great herd of cows- good footed, lovely udders, quiet disposition, plenty of length, depth, capacity. Very nice people as well.

 

[Old_man_emu]

Once we worked out how she was arranging her animals it was great to watch her work and hear her comments.

 

[diana55]

We missed RAS in 2011 as were cruising around Hawaiian islands. My niece was away for 4 months on a beef study scholarship so the showing went on hold. Did visit DMM twice in 2010 and caught up with Dawn again at Denver last January. The Canadian and US ringcraft and placing of animals is different to Oz but works OK. Bit strange to see it the first time though. So, why are you inside on the computer? Please don't tell me its raining. My excuse is its 36C outside and the cattle were all fed by 11am. I should be working on the BAS but this is more interesting.

 

[wbvs58]

You sound like a bit of a party animal Diana.
Suzie the internet is working fine, they have to have it going and checked and tested and many photos of the installation before they leave otherwise they don't get paid by Activ8. It is just my phone is not working which has to activated by the call centre, but it seems to be beyond their capability.
Dale, I was driving along Sugarloaf Rd this arvo when I passed a low loader semi going in the opposite direction with a couple of brand spanking new green John Deere tractors on it, one wasn't dropped off to you was it?
I'm off to another auction tomorrow, hopefully there is a 5 ton silo with my name on it.
Ken

 

[burglar]

Thanks Diana, it is great to be back and the weather here in Stanthorpe is superb.
That wasn't my Tractor Ken, ours arrives 10.30 Monday.

 

[Suzie Q]

Burglar my hubby and I did an exercise when he had to think of the one moment which was the happiest moment of our life - our wedding? Nope. He picked the day his new tractor arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I do not pay for the fastest broad band with skymesh. I pay $24.95 a month and I have 100 mbs. Yes mbs not mps. How much is the NBN broadband and how fast is it?

Thursday night my friend and I went to the Chrsistmas parade in Town. She wanted some bags for her vaccum. I didn't get what I want as the party shop wasn't open just a few things out the front for the kids. So I will get my fruit and nut mix this morning, as there is a half price sale at the Salvos and Santa will be there for an hour as well!

We had fun although all we did was wander around some shops and have something to eat. I was chuffed when what I bought at Toys Music and More was given to me in a Christmas Bag instead of a plastic bag.

While we were wandering around doing nothing, hubby baled. Last night after work we went down and he picked up a trailer load. Which is around 180 bales. There is still some down there that we will go down with the ute today and pick up. It is cattle hay not really good enough to be sold to horses, but it will mean we can feed that instead of the good hay.

We have to go into town today to pick up a motorized scooter for Mum.

 

[burglar]

Hi Suzie, I am definitely excited about getting the tractor, but not as brave as your husband to say how happy .

 

[wbvs58]

Well I picked up a silo today, no real bargain but it will do the job for me, holds about 5 ton. It cost $1100, I had set myself a limit of $1500 so under budget. I have a little repair to do, I did not realise that it still had about half a ton of pellets in it and when picked up by the lift points it squeezed it a bit and one post has dug into the fibreglass a bit, should have used a spreader bar on it. The old fellow I got to lift it with his crane truck was next to useless, wouldn't do it how I wanted to put it on my truck but beggars can't be chooses we got it on in the end and I got it home ok, luckily fibreglass is easy to repair and the repair is as good as the original. The sale was at the Westbrook jail that Campbell closed down early this year and got a bit of criticism, all I can say is that the place is very run down, mostly temporary portable cells and would have needed a lot spent on it to bring it up to scratch as a modern prison. The auction was very expensive, about 700 registered bidders, the auctioneers were smart asses and bullied the bids. They are well known in the district and everyone you talk to hates them, but the buyers allowed themselves to be bullied and paid the big prices, fortunately there was not much competition for the silos. Just got to get it off the truck now and stand it up without dropping it.
Ken
Ken

 

[Suzie Q]

What a shame about the Auctioneers, Ken. The ones we have been to, the auctioneers are part of the Community and know and get along with those that are regulars.

We were when we started. Now they just annoy me as I don't have the time. I prefer to go into a shop, get what I want and go home. The one they have at Kalbar just takes too long. You could wait all day for the one thing you want and then they sometimes start bidding at more than you are prepared to pay so it is just a waste of time, and now that I am working Time is one of the most precious things to me.

 

[Old_man_emu]

I wish it was raining Diana! I was in and out of the office a bit on Friday and I just left CT open.
I have been irrigating prior to sowing a paddock this week. I have only been putting on about 13mm per run and it's going to take about 7 runs to cover the paddock. The biggest problem I face is that I am pulling water of the dam faster than I can put it back with the bore pump. The same dam and pump also supplies water for the cattle and for the garden. And now with the new gardener being so enthusiastic, he is trying to make the place look like a golf course.
Welcome home Burglar, I hope you continue to enjoy the weather.

 

[wbvs58]

I spent most of the day getting the silo off the truck. I had to do it very slowly, the actual fibreglass tub can't take the weight, it has to be blocked up and supported by the legs even though lying down. I managed to get it off without even the slightest mishap, I was very pleased.

And Jed hanging out for any left overs from Bo's rabbit.

Ken

 

[Suzie Q]

LOL at a vet calling it a rabbit. Are you sure it wasn't a hare, Ken. Supposedly no rabbits in Queensland but of course we know different.

Great pics of the silo. How much does it hold?

If that is a real problem OME then speak to your gardener. The only grass you are interested in is grass for the cattle. No other grass is a priority and if it is not bright green you don't care one iota!!!

A weekend off. Saturday I spend the day wrapping presents and went into the Salvos 50% off sale. I bought some clothes and went down with the baler to bale what hubby had missed and baled another 4 bales, so 195 all up. Only cattle hay but that is what we need and are happy with it.

Sunday we had our lesson and I rode Jewel. Such a grand old lady and needs a lot of respect. She was wonderful for me and suits my leg better so I didn't ride with my heels right up and lose my stirrups. Hubby rode Ken and got along a lot better with him. Things are starting to sink into his brain a lot better. The horses go out for a 2 week break now, so no riding for us for a fortnight.

Mum was pleased with her scooter. She has to get a medical certificate and go down to Queensland Motorways to register it in her name before she is allowed to drive it.

Into Crazy Clarks but alas the 50% off sale that Jan and Papa had attended on Thursday with lovely solar lights that look like leaves on plants had gone, so I picked up a prezzie for hubby and a shirt for me that glows in the dark.

Back to Mum's and I had a shower and went to Papas to watch a movie. I slept through a bit of it, but woke to see the end. It was really a bit violent for me to enjoy it and on to a BBQ with our friends. That was a lovely evening and we were back and in bed by 8.30pm and up late this morning!!!