I've been meaning to post a few odds and ends for a while now - so here they are.

We were recently "featured" in the local newspaper in a story about the farm, and our plans, as well as what we're currently doing for "day jobs". This was the photo that we took of Adam "grafting" a tree - wish we'd thought to take photos of the actual grafting, but I suspect 400+ trees are all going to look a bit like the last one after, oh I don't know, the 200th.

One of the the things that Tim did like doing when he was here was helping with construction projects. He and Adam are building a moveable fence which is just the right size to go around the dug over plots once we move the larger of the chook tractors. That wire is obviously much easier to cut if you get your mouth set just right.

He's also rather partial to getting his photo taken, despite protestations to the contrary....

And just to prove that it does rain a little bit in these parts.

We had our first seriously big frost the other day - which needless to say precipitated a mad scramble to finish off the harvest.

Not a bad haul from 2 garden beds:

And your awwww moment - we've finally figured out a way of getting Jedda and Meg to get out from under a doona in the mornings:

Hot Dogs!

There's a battle to get the front spot.

It's amazing to see these two cuddling up - even if it's only as competition.

I've been trying to catch a photo of the two tiered duck baths in action, but as per usual, if I'm there with the camera - they aren't. No camera, and the splashing is furious.

So this will give you an idea anyway:

It's the funniest thing to see them sitting up in the air, two tiers of them, just quietly swimming around and around.

Then it's onto the new gathering of Claude, Corrinne and Chloe (named by their previous owners but I kinda like the names):

And because they are there:

A new house for Kevin and his girls. In a hurry last night so we could put Claude and his girls into the shed with the fully enclosed yard as we had to hose Claude off the roof last night to put them to bed.

There's another one of these ready to go up for Nelson and his girls and then a bigger one again for the Kingswood girls who absolutely and utterly refuse to respect fences and are driving us mildly nuts having to chase them back in all day long.

We're currently letting Nelson's group and Charles and Sophia out on a day about basis - once Nelson's in a bigger pen, which is a fully functioning chook tractor, then Charles will be able to rule his area on a daily basis.

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.