Party!

Beaver2

Party invites are out!  If you haven’t got yours yet, email me (everyone is invited) and I’ll resend.

P.S. I sent the email from Andrew’s account – but since he is moving and his internet account is being shut down, any replies will bounce. Please RSVP to ME, or to Andrew’s new address – thing AT duttcom DOT com

Sorry!

Another version of the house hippo

Here.

Not much to blog about at Merrylands Manor. Housewarming invitations should be out this week, and I am still struggling with trying to get the last of the house unpacked. Two things are impeding me, 1) we’ve run out of storage. Mark has just bought some new bookshelves, so I can finally unpack my books, many of which were put into boxes more than a decade ago. And I have to talk to builders about getting a built in wardrobe put in the bedroom, so we can put away the rest of the linen and clothes.

And 2) my complete lack of any drive whatsoever.

Ampersands blankie is nearly done, I am on the last row of plain before the cast off, but have run out of yarn. I think I can drag myself off to Spotlight this morning, and pick up a final ball.

Not quite a perfect day…

First, Bronwyn Bishop hands down a report recommending that children of drug addicted parents should be adopted out.

No counselling, harm minimisation, or even foster care. No. ADOPTION.

Moron.

And of course, this doesn’t cover alcoholics, because even though many more children are affected by alcohol, alcohol is LEGAL.

And that is pretty bad, because our current government is likely to follow the recommendations of the report. IF we re-elect the bastards, and don’t take control of the senate away from them.

But even worse.

Morris Iemma wants to kick you out of public housing if you break the law.

Great – imagine you don’t open your mail, don’t pay a parking fine, have your licence suspended, and get caught driving without a licence. Not only do you have to go to court, YOU LOSE YOUR HOME.

And let’s face it – a lot of people in public housing aren’t there because they like the luxury – more likely they aren’t living a life of luxury, privilege, and high end coping skills.

Chances are, if you don’t cope well with life, you might end up needing public housing. You might even try an illicit substance. And if you’ve got kids, you’ll be out of a house and out of a family – all because you’re the sort of person that Bronwyn Bishop doesn’t want to sit next to on the bus.

I suppose I should be glad I am breeding, so there is one more sane person to fight the good fight.

Alex the African Grey Parrot, Dies at 31

http://www.alexfoundation.org/

According to Dr. Pepperberg, the final time she saw Alex on Thursday September 6. They went through their goodnight routine in which she told him it was time to go in the cage. She recalls that Alex said “You be good. I love you.” She responded, “I love you, too.” He said “You’ll be in tomorrow,” and she responded, “Yes, I’ll be in tomorrow.”

Wikipedia Article here.

WA Birth Statistics

Read the blog entry here.

more than THREE IN EVERY FOUR births was profoundly interfered with

I’m becoming a bit opinionated about birth. I’ve read two books, I’m clearly an expert.

What I seem to be reading is that medical intervention will likely lead to more intervention, and a possible cascade effect. So while I’m a big believer in drugs (don’t complain about having a headache, take a bloody pill), I can see that there are valid arguments for avoiding intervention in childbirth.

And click here for an eye opening article about uterine parasites.