J MacQueen

Sadly, I suspect that I’d revert to the basics, because the way I’m doing things skews to reading, rather than writing or listening, let alone speaking, along with a certain lack of confidence.

French. I had to break a much shorter streak when my father died in 2019, but when I got going again, well, this is the result.

Orange rectangular image, containing an image of a fiery owl, and the words “I’m on a 2200 day learning streak!”.

Another hundred days. Think that I think that if I keep going some grammatical blind spots might become known. Doubt it though.

Rain with occasional sunlight, when everything is suddenly dripping like falling diamonds. The dogs have no interest in such comparisons. There is sleeping to be done. Best on a human’s lap, of course.

Picture of a light-coloured dog sitting on a wood-look laminate floor.

Some of us prefer Cavoodle. This is Bailey.

It is. Just don’t mistake Gymea lilies for waratahs, as I used to.

If you’re not already doing the test when I post this, good luck.

Thank you. Her lungs have been mucked up enough by pneumonia & bronchitis, without adding to it.

Mum got a sort of all-clear on the possible bad news in hospital. A scan had suggested lung cancer, but other scans did not. Her lung specialist noted the nodule he’s been monitoring for nearly 10 years, but it’s slow-growing & unlikely to be a problem in her lifetime. Mum can live with that.

Must work out a time to take Jasper to the vet for checkup. His medications are due for review, but there’s other things too. So much poo, for instance…

I don’t want to blame the New England area for the chill in the Lower Hunter today, but look at it. It’s too wet for the usual suspect in the Upper Hunter to have snow on it, so maybe one has to look further afield.

Since I last posted, the weather caused a televised rugby league match to be temporarily suspended to prevent lightning striking the players. The rain continues to pour, & the women are obviously consummate professionals, but please let them come off the field. This is mean rain.

The rain, oh the rain. They said there’d be heavy falls, and that’s happening right now. I’d tell you it has eased a bit, if that wasn’t going to invite more water to fall all at once. But, yes, a good day to stay inside.

YouTube video by KateBushMusic Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights - Official Music Video - Version 2

So, it’s 30 July here, and as a birthday treat here is Kate Bush, and Wuthering Heights, as it’s Emily Brontë’s birthday too.

I think anything with “seriously chocolatey” printed on the packaging is hard to ignore.

While it’s winter here in Australia & therefore they can get away with it through Christmas in July-type things, a supermarket near me was selling fruit mince pies yesterday. Might be another piece of data to add, might not.

Excellent. I think we all hoped that would happen. And I like the description “Murderbot household”.

Ah, yeah, our first dog was a beagle and if Mum knitted him a coat or a jumper he would eat it. Don’t like to think of him eating a cape.

Barnsey alert. Does that mean a Farnsey alert is coming soon?

At least we can be thankful it isn’t another possible Slim Dusty earworm (no, brain, if you try to bring the name Duncan to my attention I will slap you silly).

Oh hell, I’ve just been earwormed by The Seekers!

Definitely Angelmaker.And when you tell us it’s available for pre-order we’ll be happy, both for you & for ourselves.

The forecast for the Barringtons says snow possible again. So that’s why I was lying in bed between 7.30 & 8 this morning, trying to make myself get up & failing for quite so time due to the cold air. And why, now that the sun’s gone down, the wind is finding ways to creep in & chill the house.

I was wondering about whether there was a rights issue, but I’m aware you have no power over that. And I’ll have to take your word about the audiobook. If I was an audiobook person I’d be preordering as fast as I could but, alas, I’m not.

Kobo Australia only knows about the audiobook as well. Even worse, Amazon Australia doesn’t know about any format. Drat them. If ever there was a “Shut up and take my money” opportunity…

Everyone is home, & Bailey keeps wanting to jump on Mum’s lap when he isn’t on mine.

This is why I bought the ebooks, so I didn’t have to wait & so I could reread whenever I chose. I know it doesn’t work that way for everyone, but I had to.

Picture of a very fluffy pale-coloured cavoodle, not long back at home from his bath, on a wood-like floor.

Have a fluffy puppy, should you need to see one today.

Mum is being released from hospital tomorrow. She’s heartily sick of having been sick. Also of feeling cold & needing extra blankets. Sleeping in your own bed helps mightily there.

I think I've found our elderly dog's feline kindred spirit. Jasper has been known to chew the plaster in the walls where they've been exposed accidentally by Mum's wheelchair. The one's he can reach have had cardboard taped over them to discourage him.