Hop, hop, hopping along.

Last post I mentioned seeing a lot of kangaroos seen on the way back to school from Geraldton. On Tuesday as I was heading in to Mullewa to pick up the WM's boys from footie practice I noticed a big red in the paddock to my left. I stopped the car, wound down the window and managed to get a few photos. I apologiese for the quality of the following photos as it was dusk when I got the 2nd and 3rd shots and I was taking them through the front windscreen.

This is the big red. I have found if you stop and park, the kangaroos will usually stop and check you out too. While I was parked in the middle of the road, utterly oblivious to anything other than getting a couple of photos to send to No 1 grandson, I finally became aware of another car coming the other way. They passed me on the wrong side of the car, windows were wound down, and who should it be but the Principal, the DP and one of the students on the way back from town. Luckily yon fella was not disturbed by all this, ( he was a distance away, small genuflection at the 20x zoom lens again) so got another photo and then carried on. Picked the boys up and at the very same spot as we came round the corner on the way back, HELLO, it was the whole mob out on the road.
There are five here for those playing at home, and there were another two in the bushes (5 on the road beats two in the bushes, lol). I stopped the car, and as you can see, they stopped. We looked, they looked, and then as I drove closer, the group started going in all directions, bounding off back into the paddocks either side of the road.

Just before they all took off, the last, a joey sat there as I had stopped again and another he looked, we looked moment went by (enough to get three photos,) and then he too disappeared following the others. I have to say I felt very intrepid, David Attenboroughish (without the good National Geographic quality photos, lol

If this was not enough, yesterday while going to Mullewa for a coffee, (I know, who knew) with a neighbour and her two small children, I spotted what I am sure was a more grown up eagle/hawk of previous photos. This one had black around its eye, same curved beak and more feathery looking feathers rather than birdling fluff that young birds start off with. (spot the clue that it is late at night when I am writing this, lol) Unfortunately, as it was a spur of the moment outing, I did not take my camera and could have kicked myself missing the opportunity to get a photo of the aforementioned, unidentified bird, to add to my growing collection of flora and fauna on WA.

My cup then runneth over today, when on the way back from the actual footie games the boys were playing at, we spotted EMUS. Again taken at some distance from the car window. It was so exciting as there were 8 in all with this one, we thought this was the female and mother of the mob. They were alongside the road and just ahead of us when we first saw them and being more flighty (heh, heh), they took off pretty much as soon as we came upon them. Most of them managed to leap the fence or push their way through, except one young one who ran some way in front of us, throwing itself at the fence numerous times before one bit gave way and it was off. These birds can run for some distance and indeed would have covered over a mile before disappearing into scrubby bush.

We went a bit further up the road and came across another group of 4 or 5 but they lit off as soon as they saw us and as they were on plowed paddocks we did not give chase. The boys manged to pick some feathers off the fence where the birds had thrown themselves through.

Last, but not least, the boys found this the other day near some wood - and as you can see by the picture it is much the same size as a skink at home. It was liberated back into the garden as we went up to dinner.

Last week seems to have passed in a blur. I spent two days minding one of the girls who had been put into quarantine (as much as you can in a boarding school!!!) having come down with the flu. She has had similar bouts numerous times before but with one primary school closed because of swine flu in Geraldton, I guess the Dr was taking no chances. We had more rain Thursday and Friday, just as the seeding was finished for the season and on Friday it was docking day for a mob of lambs. I understand there are roughly 2500 sheep on the property and the docking is taking place over two or three days.

Still have no idea what is happening next term, it is definite there will be no girls coming back so that kind of leaves the WM and I in limbo until some of the honchos come back and decide what next.

Have got back into my cross stitch since getting one of the staff started on a small project and am enjoying the start of a new project. (I know there are still several unfinished symphonies going, but it's always the new project that beckons, lol). There is something about stitching when you are cosy and warm with the heater and or a roaring fire going depending which habitation I am located at.

The weather remains cool - so have my thermals on today and have the heater going flat tack as I am at my place. I took a hot water bottle to bed last night but I realise it is nowhere near as cold as NZ at the moment. Was talking to sister Kay on Skype, who was giving me a bit of a running commentary on the All Blacks versus France game in the freezing Wellington weather last night. Did not feel envious one little bit, lol.

There has been the first confirmed death of swine flu in WA - a 26 yr old indigenous man who had other health problems and lived in a remote community. Other major news is that Jodie Gordon who plays "Martha" in Home and Away has been cut loose by her billionaire boyfriend after being found in some gangster's home allegedly after taking drugs and ringing the Police to say there were armed intruders breaking in. (lead story in "Woman's Day" this week.

There was a huge furore last week when Gordon Ramsey, over here to promote a new restaurant and his shows on TV, made very derogatory remarks of a personal nature to TV host Tracy Grimshaw. It made national and international news when she gave him a serve on her show which eventually led to an apology of sorts from GR himself. There has been a groundswell of support for the TV host and Ramsey's already precarious reputation has taken a huge hit with public opinion turning like the tide upon him.

Have just finished reading 'Exit Music' by Ian Rankin. As mentioned before, he writes the novels with Rebus as his main protagonist (some of you will know this character from the TV series of the same name). Ian Rankin has aged Rhebus as his novels have gone on and this one is written as Rhebus retires from the force with the usual twists and turns of a good detective novel.

The massage chair is beckoning so will call it a night for now. A new week beckons.