The pen is more mobile than the sword

I think I may have to kill the sparrows. I've been planting behind the chicken tractor, with varying success. The one thing that really has done well are cereals - wheat and barley and the peas - which a by-product from messy feeding chooks on new ground. The wheat and barley even out-competed the couch grass which is saying something. I thought chookfood and maybe even sprout some barley and malt it, just to prove I can. Grind a few handfuls of wheat, just to taste... But the dratted sparrows (and it's them - there are around 30 of them) pick off the grains just as soon as they start to ripen.

I went into the Post Office today to send some books and post other stuff. If you're a fantasy reader now is the time for letters from Australia - beaut stamps with fantasy creatures. I had to fill in the usual form declaring that the books weren't explosive. The postmistress's daughter (the PO is the bank too, in the other half) was busy so gave me my stamps took herself off to the cube where she was sorting stuff. I walked out with the letters and the pen... it looked like mine. But then had I brought a pen with me... so I took it back and asked. You know you're getting accepted when you get a "ha, have to watch you with the pens!"
The bank half wanted ten minutes to opening so I went to visit Bill -who was off at work, but I saw the new sparky and had a coffee with him and Bill's better half, before heading back to the bank to try and find out about US$ denominated account so I can sell my books directly from Amazon myself as e-books (Amazon will now, it seems deal with us dirty furrin types) In the bank the pen is secured with fishing line. "I just came to see if you had any more pens," I said. "But I see you've tied them down.
"huh. We were warned about you!" :-)

We don't spend much on food...

Well the poor people had leftover crayfish and some other seafood in a fragrant coconut cream sauce (with chili and ginger and...) Cost,68 cents for the half can of our bulk supply of coconut cream. Maybe 15 cents of rice, and a splash of other ingredients. Call it a dollar and a bit of electricity. With fresh sugar snap peas, red onions and spinach out of the garden and crayfish, squid tentacles and fresh flathead - all immersed for just long enough to cook.

Fit for kings. I wonder what they had for their tea. Bet it wasn't as fresh or tasty

Sunset rain.

I took some sunset pictures - with the sunlight through the cloud catching the rain, that, as MataPam pointed out would make a great start to book covers. I'll use them one day, I hope. The final CUTTLEFISH was sent off to agent and editor at 5.15 pm. Haven't heard from either yet. Don't they get up at 5 AM on Sundays to work? I know I do...

Wish you were here

(the season opened today, and that is a tiddler - 1.7Kg. But I caught it. And we had it for our tea.

THE END

I just wrote the most wonderful words to CUTTLEFISH

Well from a tired author's point of view

THE END

End of book side-effects...

"I'm concerned about Dave Freer. The author. He's... behaving strangely."
"Oh writer's do ma'am. And I hear he's nearly at the end of the second edit he had to do."
"But he's playing... music. And singing."
"Ah. he must be happy then. Is he too loud? I could have a word."
"Well, no. But you don't understand. It's Gaelic!"
"Oh MY! Have you called the police?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZWgJpsVYEU&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=AVGxdCwVVULXd7-2WBH3OzT9SoKEvx7k5A

plumbing

Hmm. The more I try to focus on work the more Finagle's gnomes try to make sure I don't. This morning it was a burst pipe. I COULD have made it my landlord's problem but he was in Hobart, and I am an ex-fish farmer. Of course they have 'improved' plumbing since then (which means it doesn't work as well) Anyway, in my expeditions to turn off the mains (at the far side of the cow-filled paddock) I found where the large (as thick as my wrist) copperhead is living. He's under a concrete slab, which makes getting to him... interesting. Any ideas on how to get him out of there, alive or dead (I want him far from my dogs and cats) much appreciated.