Category: The Life of Lara

It’s all here. Adventures in extreme knitting, the house of poop, and suburban permaculture. You may also find rants about politics, ecology, humanitarianism, responsible living, toe floss, and other topics not covered here. Expect profanity and irreverence. You have been warned.

What a Delightful Way to Spend a Day!

There are three by-elections in NSW today. Maroubra, vacated because of Bob Carr’s resignation, Marrickville because of Andrew Refshauge, and Macquarie Fields, because of another resignation.

Marrickville and Maroubra both have a strong Greens presence, but not so in Macquarie Fields. Last state election Labour won by a huge margin, the Libs were second, and Greens a distant third at about 4% of the primary vote.

So Mark and I are off to hand out how to votes at Hoxton Park Primary School, and hopefully increase the Green vote by a small margin.

In knitting news, the lace scarf is about as long as my arm, and though I can see two mistakes, they are so far back that I refuse to frog. I admire perfectionism in others, but in me it only leads to procrastination, and I have enough of that already, thank you.

The Lace Progresseth….

OK – I won’t win awards for the language, but hell, I don’t care ! My lace scarf now has 6 pattern repeats, and I think I am getting the hang of it 🙂

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!

Because I guess this means I can be a real knitter. I haven’t gone far beyond the dreaded garter stitch scarf, but now I have finally got the courage to prove to myself that I can 🙂

Tyler Models His Surprise Jacket

This is a picture of Tyler, (my cousin Katie’s little one) wearing the Elizabeth Zimmerman Jacket I made while my grandmother was dying. Although I had intended for it to be for another baby, this one was knitted during a time that was very emotional, and I felt that it should go to the first of a new generation of our family, as the last generation fades away.
How Did She Do Those Stripes ?
Underneath Tyler you can see the blankie that I also made for him That was made from one 200gm ball of Bendigo wool/cotton/lycra in a stocking stitch and reverse stocking stitch chequerboard pattern. It is finished with an i-cord loop for attaching to strollers etc…

Something Horrible

Anyone who knows me, knows I love my bunnies. And anyone that lives in Australia, and not under a rock, knows that we’ve just had one of the worst cruelty cases ever exposed a few weeks ago.

I haven’t mentioned it on the blog, because I have been pretty much unable to be polite and not R rated. But now, I realise that to do justice to the victims of this awful crime, I have to speak out.

I have read the poilce report, and while I won’t go in to detail, I will say that it is far worse than what has been mentioned in the media.

He has been charged with multiple offences, and I believe that there are more charges pending. Despite that, there is a strong suggestion that the perpetrator will receive a light sentence, possibly even a non-custodial sentence.

It is common for first offenders to receive consideration for not coming before the courts prior to the first offence, and in general, I would agree that an isolated incident shouldn’t be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Unfortunately, this man isn’t a “first offender”. This is just the first time he’s been caught. The number of animals that he has abused is in the hundreds, if not thousands.

The torture that these animals endured was extended and brutal. When he was apprehended, the RSPCA had to euthenase two animals that he had “finished with”, but were still enduring the agonies he had inflicted, and they were likely to die slowly.

So, I have to do something. Most trials of violent criminals allow a “victim’s impact statement”, but there is no-one to speak for thes animals. A rabbit in a safe environment with a good diet and decent medical care could expect to live for 10 years – a commensurate lifespan to a cat or a dog. They have every bit as much personality as a cat or a dog. They are as intelligent. They have as much capacity to feel pain, to interact and show affection, to play, to run, to love.

Please join me in writing to your local paper, your daily paper, your national paper. Write to current affairs programs, call talkback radio, write to the judge, the prosecutor, your local member.

Please make some noise for those that have no voice.