Fixing Things

Have you ever had a kitchen sink that just didn’t drain properly?  I had one in Sydney where the draining board drained away from the sink and if I wasn’t careful it sometimes drained off the edge of the cupboard!  It was so annoying!  When I had this kitchen made I presumed I wouldn’t have a problem, but to my disappointment there was a similar problem with the draining board.  Although it wasn’t as bad as the one in Sydney, the water still pooled on the edge of the draining board, not totally running back into the sink.  Having lived here now for 4 years, I have finally found the cause of the problem and a solution: the tap was leaking at the base, possibly due to the seal.  The leaking water has been running along a ridge of the sink to the draining board where it pools just at the edge without running off into the sink. To solve this problem I have tied a small piece of string around the base of the tap letting it hang into the sink.  Hey presto, the water now drains straight into the sink.  Yes I could get the tap fixed but till then, this is an easier solution and less costly.  Now to solve the problem of the water on the draining board pooling on the edge of the sink.

Mid-July there was a bit of an incident at the units.  While relaxing watching TV one evening, I realised the racket I could hear wasn’t coming from the TV program, but from the neighbour across from me.  When I came outside, I saw him menacingly following a young woman down our driveway.  His tone of voice was very threatening.  As I watched from my carport, my neighbour, whose home they were outside, offered refuge to the lady, while the guy continued to shout abuse at her. By this time another neighbour returned in his car and honked the horn to alert them of his arrival. He was asked by the aggressor “Who are you?” Mind your own business!”  As soon as I knew the woman was safe with my neighbour, I retreated inside.   The police later arrived to sort out the problem and take statements from the woman.  Because we are quite a close-knit community, there were many discussions around the event later, trying to understand why all the agro.  This guy is our most recent tenant in the block of units and lives alone, except for occasional visits by his eighteen-month old daughter.  We found out the woman had visited him to present a summons from his ex-wife, and had not been greeted cordially but threatened and chased down the driveway and allegedly assaulted.  We had all been shocked by the behaviour, presuming he most likely had a history of domestic abuse and thought he could do with a course on anger management. 

The guy started making soup for my next door neighbour and even offered some to me but I declined.  He then took me aside one day to try to tell me how bad the other neighbour was, as she had given the police a statement, which meant he now had to go to court.  I told him I was sorry, I didn’t want to be part of this and if he had a disagreement with the neighbour, it was between him and her.

The police later returned to take statements from all four of my neighbours who had witnessed the event, although the one who had been accepting soup said she hadn’t really seen anything, which wasn’t quite correct as she had come out around the same time as me.  Fortunately the police were aware of this, as her statement was very uninformative.  I was glad the neighbour who was under scrutiny was not home at the time as I didn’t want to explain my situation.

On their third visit, unfortunately he was home.  Three officers came into my home.  It turned out that one had lived in Thailand.  I was very impressed with the amount of Thai he knew.  He said it had come in handy while in the police force one day when some Thai’s were making an accusation against a guy down on the beach.  This policeman had previously been in the Navy; I thought becoming a policeman was a good transition back into civilian life.  When the police left my home, my neighbour came over and asked what the police had wanted and why had I called them? He then tried to tell me I wasn’t even there the day the altercation occurred!  Thank God I had asked the police what to do if he came over to harass me. They had instructed me not to give any information and if there were any threats, he could be officially charged with tampering with a witness

Although I was behind my locked screen door while being grilled, I was quite shaken with the encounter.  I tried several time to say I didn’t want to discuss the matter and eventually had to close the door in his face to get rid of him.  I decided to report him, just in case there were any further encounters.  I tried calling the police station but because it was after hours, I was left on the non-important call line for over half an hour.  I rang back the next morning, leaving a message for the officer in charge of this case to call me when next on duty.  He did call and explained that my neighbour had seen them leaving my place and had confronted them, as they were getting into the squad car, to try and tell them how to do their job!  It was after this he had come to question me.  The officer said he would take note of my concerns but would not take things any further, but if I felt threatened in any way, I could take out a harassment order.  I didn’t want to take it that far and really didn’t want to stir up trouble more than it was already.  I see this neighbour frequently and have been pleasant towards him, even offering him some of the bread I pick up from the bakery.  I just don’t want to get involved with his personal life and conflicts.

Later in the month, it seems this neighbour had accused me of putting a note in his mail box saying ‘You’re not welcome here’.  Of course it wasn’t me.  His landlady, our strata manager, mentioned he hadn’t kept the note, so there was no proof and on asking around, it appeared that no one else had left the note, so possibly he had made it all up just to have an excuse to break his rental lease, as he later said he wanted to move out.  I personally think we could all do without the extra drama and would be pleased to see him go, as many of us seem to be treading lightly, trying not to offend him.

My garden continues to be a source of pleasure and entertainment.  Dorothy, who has been a great help sewing my beanies together, joined me as we drove about an hour south to collect the Leptospermum Sericeum I had put on order at the Australian Native Nursery in Oakford. On the way, we stopped off for lunch at one of my favourite restaurants, the Copper Chimney for masala dosa and mango lassi.  Then we drove through all the back streets to the nursery.  The owner had put aside two larger pots plus two small seed stock.  I asked her why some of my plants, although over a metre high, were dying.  When she realised where I had bought them from, she said “Well there’s your answer!  Their pots are root-bound!”  She then gave me planting instructions and grilled me over how I had been over-pampering them.  “They are natives” she said “they don’t like to be over-watered or given fertilizer”.  Hmm, a little difficult in my garden as they are amongst other plants that do like extra water and fertilizer!  Oh well, I took heart as some of the bushes (obviously those not root-bound) were over 3 years old and nearly 2 metres high.   I’ll have to see how things go.

Our return journey was by a quicker route along the freeway, but the traffic at 3pm was busy, with a section where we slowed right down due to road works.  I dropped Dorothy off on route to pick up her car, which had been in for a service.  It had been a lovely afternoon out.

The next day I dug up the two Leptospermum that had died, and sure enough they were both root-bound.  Into these spaces I dug (not such a big or deep hole as I had no room) and put in some soil improver.  The sandy soil here needs lots of added extra to help plants survive.  The smaller two I also planted, hoping they will help to make this front area more protected from the strong southerly winds.

I’m still hoping I will be able to strike a few of these tea trees from cuttings.  I have also taken some cuttings from the Lagerfeld and Mum’s climbing rose so we will see what eventuates.

Last month, I wanted to sharpen a few of my tools, including a tree saw.  I went on line and learnt a lot of new terms, such as the difference between a rip and cross cut saw, the heel and toe of a saw, the PPI of a saw, which means the distance between the teeth on the saw.  Then on the triangular file, I learnt about the slope, fleam and rake.  Unfortunately, I still haven’t sharpened my saws, as the triangular files were the wrong size!  Oh well there’s always another time.

Something else I have been wanting to learn is how to make bonsai plants from trees I already have.  I’m not into making beautiful small trees, I want to make small productive fruit or nut trees.  Two years ago I bought a pecan sapling on special for $10.00 and then decided I didn’t have room for a 20 mt tree.  The first year I hadn’t put a saucer under the pot and the tap root grew into the earth.  This is a deciduous tree and because it was covered in leaves I decided the best thing to do was to pull out the root and just put the pot inside another pot with soil.  Due to procrastination I didn’t get around to bonsaiing it that winter, which was probably a good thing, as last year, due to the very strange autumn we had, the tree dropped its leaves, then started shooting again in the warmer weather, just before winter.  I wasn’t sure if it had survived, as I had to wait for the spring to see if it was going to shoot again.  Praise God it did.  So this year I took advantage of the dormant period to repot it.

Firstly I viewed some online video clips about repotting bonsais, how to make bonsais from trees and how to trim the roots of bonsais. The clips were very different, but all very useful for the job at hand.  I didn’t want a small bonsai pot that is commonly used with shallow root systems so I reused the original pot after trimming off all the roots that had grown out of the bottom, as well as most of the tap root.  I then put fresh potting mix, not bonsai gravel, back into my regular plant pot, giving the pecan a little room to regrow its roots.  I learnt that the main thing with bonsais is not to let them dry out, as having a smaller root system, they need to be watered daily.  This new potting mix should last another 2-3 years before needing to be replaced and the roots once again trimmed.  Now I will have to be patient for the arrival of spring and God-willing, new growth.

My newly purchased Lagerfeld rose had three beautiful highly-scented blooms before I pruned it ready for its new home.  I dug a huge hole under my lounge window between the other two rose bushes, which were now covered with new growth.  Into this I dug in cow manure and special rose soil mix. All the leaves with aphid and black spot went into the bin.  I was glad to be able to get rid of these pests.  There was only one more rose to plant, the one that had grown from seed.  First, I dug a deep hole for a new worm farm, so that I could remove the old one where the little rose was to be planted.  All the poor soil/sand I bagged up, advertising on Gumtree for free.  With all this digging and bagging of sand, by the end of the day my back was complaining of over-use.  I was very happy with all these little jobs done.

I recently found out that not only do bobtails have live young, up to three per season, but they mate for life, which is very sweet.  Having caught the couple together on my garden path, I Can know tell them apart.  The female has a copper head, which is very distinctive; the male is all one colour.  I’m not sure if the copper head is typical of all females.  The babies are one of each colour and seem to have their own particular patch in my garden.  I often find them sunning themselves in their favourite spots.  Last year, when my strawberries were disappearing I had suspected it was the bobtails.  I’ve since heard they are renowned for stealing strawberries.  If I find slugs in my garden I cut off their heads and leave them where I know one of the babies will find them.  I’ve also found they like apples, mango skins and pomegranate seeds. It’s lovely having a little family living in my garden, especially as there are no pets allowed here.  I’d love to have a couple of quail, but alas there are also cats in the district.  I know this as I’ve seen a black and white and a fluffy grey one wandering through my garden.  There have been cat fights outside my back door at 2am, waking me up and even worse, I have found a dead bird.  When I picked the bird up, it didn’t seem to have much wrong with it, which seems to indicate maybe a cat was just playing with it.  I think there should be a law that people keep cats indoors.  I have such a lovely range of wild birds that access my garden, it’s such a joy to listen to and watch them.

I’d like to share something I read recently, which really rang true to me.  It was written by Ps Peter Randell, speaking about being deceived and relating it back to the deception in the Garden of Eden.  In order for us to listen to deception and “words against God, he (Satan) makes sure he’s just familiar enough to be approachable and, secondly, something that they (Adam and Eve) think they have dominion over.”  Adam, had named all the animals and knew he had dominion over them so a snake was no threat to him.  Ps Peter goes on to say “How many people’s lives are shipwrecked because they were fooled out of elevating God’s Word above all other thoughts and opinions, by stuff that looked familiar and controllable?” … “Truth, on the other hand, … is completely unfamiliar to the unspiritual mind – because it comes from God. That is why the truth shall set us free.  So, in this cultural moment we find ourselves in, if you’re wrestling and dissatisfied with the easy answers – keep going.”  The Advocate Aug 2020.  What witnessed to my heart was the: something familiar enough to be approachable and something we think we have dominion over.  This is what often traps us or tricks us into making wrong and potentially fatal decisions.  The good news is that God knows our weakness and like the solution to Adam’s first sin, He has and will make a way out when we look to Him for the solution. 

Putting this Blog together today has made me peckish; is it the weather or is it cos I know there’s cheese and gherkins in the fridge?

Ending on a bright note, I have just received a letter from the travel agent who booked my flights to Phuket. They have not yet received a refund for my flights from Qantas, but promise: “As soon as we receive your funds we will pass them back to your original form of payment.”  Praise the Lord.  I’m looking forward to seeing if I receive the full refund or not.  I’d love to use the refund to visit the place of my birth, Christmas Island, but it seems that this might now be a place where they might put violent prisoners during this time of Covid.

My apologies is the photos are a little skewiff it seems this is a recent problem with the program which I don’t know how to rectify!

Photos:   1. My Lagerfeld rose in flower   2. Geraldton Wax is also in flower

Prayer & Praise Points:
Praise the Lord for watching over us, for His peace and wisdom in times of trouble.  I continue to give thanks that WA has been free from Covid and pray it remains that way.  Pray with me for the rest of Australia, NZ and the world as we look to science to provide a vaccine that will work against this virus.

Please continue to pray for all the health care workers, the scientists.

Pray for those without hope to come to the knowledge of peace and love that can only be found in Christ.

Please pray with me for a dear friend, Emma, who has recently been diagnosed with Leukaemia.  Pray that the chemo and therapy given will see speedy results and for the Lord’s healing.

Pray the Lord will help industries and businesses that are suffering from the lockdowns for the economic situation here in Australia and throughout the world.

I praise God for all our supportive friends and prayer partners as we help each other through these difficult times.  We all need each another in different ways and it’s reassuring and encouraging to know friends are not too far away, thanks to technology and prayer.