This one, however, is a big one compared with our last life changing decision - to go bush and get our lives back. Unfortunately I have a sneaking suspicion we may not have made the most of those twelve months, and freedom and independence may be a long way off again.

You've probably noticed from recent photographs Adam's younger brother has been visiting for a while. Just before Christmas their mother had a heavy fall which broke her collarbone, and Tim needed somewhere to spend Christmas and wait for his mother's injuries to heal.

Since then we've been forced to consider the difficult question of what happens to a disabled sibling when their mother needs to be relieved of the responsibility. However you look at it, Eileen has done her 42 years of looking after Timothy, and she cannot and should not be expected to do it until the day she drops dead. That's not fair on her, and it sure as hell isn't fair on Tim. As is the way of these things, the decisions that need to be made at these times have to take a lot of factors into consideration.

Firstly there's the level at which Tim can perform. We are acutely aware that his behaviour and level of achievement have gone downhill alarmingly in recent years - not really all that surprising as Tim will normally fit into whatever scenario is set up for him. Being a Mummy's boy is kind of his comfort zone, and he has undoubtedly and undeniably become childish and overly dependent in recent years. Since he's come to stay we've had a lot of talking to do about that - and let's be frank - a fair amount of yelling as well, because Tim needs (and is starting to) take more responsibility for himself. Obviously within the limitations of his physical and intellectual capacity - but his future situation needs to take into account a need for adult interaction, brain stimulation, considerably more physical activity and something to give him a sense of involvement in the real world in which he lives.

Secondly, there's the emotional needs of both Tim and Eileen, and of paramount importance - Adam and I. Neither Adam and I were comfortable with expecting Eileen to take up the reins again after she heals physically - that 42 year stint thing is on both of our minds. Adam is able, and quite used to dealing with Tim, having grown up with him, and having a close brotherly bond that works for both of them. It's considerably harder for me - I'm not a maternal person, I have very little patience at all with dependence, sooking and childish behaviour, and I struggle with Tim's behaviour on a number of levels. We never had children on purpose, and frankly I am very distressed at the loss of my independence and freedom.

But I share Adam's concern over his mother's wellbeing, and neither of us believe that the default position should be that he is pushed straight into Government care without at least looking for another way. That's not fair on Tim (he does have a large extended family and he is saddened that nobody wants him around), and it's not fair on Eileen who also should be able to expect that somebody else in her huge family would feel a responsibility for one of their own.

So Tim is coming to stay full time.

We certainly want Tim's mother to stay in touch, involved and spend as much time here with Tim as she wants, and we've been gratified and extremely sustained by the support and understanding we have received from people in the local area, as well as our friends and my cousin (thanks for the yak the other day Jude - needed that!) and we are confident that we will be able to call on a few shoulders and some practical help if we need it. We also intend beating the system that is "Government Services" and winning some concessions in terms of support, programs, accommodation (hopefully a granny flat type arrangement), so that Tim can have some independence and we can get (at least) our bloody bathroom and spare bed back.

Now we are now teetering on the edge of that never-ending stupidity that is Government Service provision (somebody is going to have to convince me that their utter lack of action and guidance is something other than a money saving exercise). Tim is now "out of one system" and not, it seems, able to be incorporated into another system without months of waiting time, so I guess they see that as a win.

How on earth that's acceptable on any level I have NO idea - what would be happening about now if Tim's mother had died suddenly doesn't bear thinking about.

So obviously "advocacy" on his behalf is going to require a lot of effort. We are - let's be honest about this - going to need some assistance to make this work... did I mention no kids. Therefore absolutely no previous need for involvement with the horror that is DHS and Centrelink and all that other bullshit. Frankly if somebody doesn't provide me with clear details on the expected process soon - I will go ballistic and start getting very very very pointed.

They maintain that you can tell a lot about a society from the way that it treats its most disadvantaged - families too for that matter. We're kind of lucky in one way as Eileen is still alive and able to assist with some of the details and the methodologies that you need to use. What the bloody hell happens if the parent is dead one can't help but shudder. Given the shambles that is this alleged support system, the chances of a moments thought for carers who have effectively been dumped into this mess... well I'm not expecting much.

Either way I am fully expecting a lot of tears before, after and during bedtime in the months to come. This isn't going to be fun. And this country sucks big time at dealing with the issues involved with Disability, Disability Support and Aging Parents (and a bloody lot of other things....)

For a while now we've been contemplating moving the Ducks Bath a little as the area it was in is about to undergo some garden bed development (we need to put up a more extensive shade house for the summer heat)... But anyway.

Andrew / Fiona - as promised the garden beds you helped fill are going gang busters:

And then the ducks bath - which is now on an above ground frame with a ramp up. Which the chooks like. Still trying to encourage (okay well bribe) more than two of the ducks to go more than halfway up the ramp to find the bath. sigh.

We're slowly getting things sorted out, although there is a virus running through the flock at the moment that's causing a few deaths - some of the older and very younger stock have died, which has again added a bit more complication to the "excess rooster" question. As per usual roosters seem to survive everything (although Aunty Jack lost his voice for a few days and is currently sneezing still).

But still - a new house was built for Nelson and two of the younger silkie girls (who still haven't come out from under the housing bit). Little twee sure - but flat pack / bought on the Internet, delivered in under a week, plenty big enough for 3 small chooks. Perfect!

After a bit of mucking around - the "boys" have been moved off to a separate pen on their own as we moved the new girls (6 of them) in on Sunday and they promptly all hide behind the nesting boxes and wouldn't come out. I think they need a little settling in time, as they are only 12 weeks old.

But they are absolutely gorgeous:

Sophia is in there as well, so there are 2 white, 2 silver, 1 brownish, 2 blackish.

6 new girls names required... this is getting complicated.

We posted a while ago about 3 lovely little silkie hens, and one cross-breed rooster that we bought from Talbot - Charles and the Courtesans.

Well, it turns out that we've got Charles, Neil and Kevin and the poor single courtesan Sophia. A bad set of circumstances as the roosters are huffing and puffing at each other a little, but not really getting into fighting - they are all too busy ganging up on Sophia. Which is most definitely not good.

We're off to Talbot again tomorrow so we'll bring home some more hens if the normal seller is there, but we also needed to rework the housing.

Which is tricky as Adam's done his back in badly and is limited in what he can and cannot do.

Enter Tim - who helped out tremendously with the task at hand!

Oh - with his little shadow of course:

With Tim doing the lifting and bending, and Adam doing the squatting:

We've now got a secure house and a run that will be okay for the days when we're around.

We'll move two of the roosters in there tomorrow when we get the new hens, and I'm ordering a couple more mobile / smaller pens in flat pack mode so that we've got some fall back positions for these little problems in life.