The Baynhams

It's been over 2 months since we arrived now, and we are still getting surprised by the bugs and other animals that are surroundng us every day. The cockroaches are something that always give us a fright but we've got some terrific poison spray that kills them on contact - extremely satisifying.

Other bugs include Christmas Beetles, which are about an inch-around and fly around bumping into things with a wallop; they are forever dropping into the pool and landing on the bbq when I'm cooking steaks - again a very satisfying way to get rid of 'em...

Mosquitoes are a complete nuisance, especially as we're close to water. Each night we have to spray ourselves with anti mozzy stuff that smells like cat wee, very conducive to romantic evenings out by the pool.

Each morning as I go into my office downstairs I do a quick sweep up of all the dead bugs that have died around my desk and chair overnight including hornets, flies, spiders, ants and cockroaches....nice.

Rhiannon had an eventful day in school recently. She kept trying to interrupt her teacher who kept telling her to be quiet and sit down. But, being like Gina, she couldn't keep quiet and eventually the teacher gave up and asked her what she wanted. "Miss, there's a snake hanging from the ceiling". Sure enough, the classroom had to be evacuated while somebody came in with a ladder and scooped the offending creature away. Ah, the safety of school......

I had a fright last weekend in the garden. I was doing my weekly chores, including checking the pool filter which is inside a cubby box and about 4 foot square. I opened the lid, reached into the darkness to open the filter cap and froze.......something was looking at me.......something big, coiled and long......a nice fat snake face was sizing me up and I reckoned it could probably move faster than me. Then it moved, slowly at first, then even slower. Hang on, it had legs, a snake with legs methinks? Nope, after it stuck its tongue out (which was bright blue) we all realised that my "snake" was a harmless blue-tongued lizard; a nice big beasty that eats poisonous spiders.














It's not all bad though. Seeing pelicans flying overhead and sitting on top of lamp posts is a great sight. Kukkaburras, Rainbow-Breasted Lorikeets and other parrots such as Rosellas and Gulahs are everywhere, not to mention Butcher Birds, huge Magpies and Cuckatoos. The picture at the top was taken in our garden.

By the way, did I mention the Hunstmen spider? Take a look at the following link, Rhiannon found a whopper in our bathroom: http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/huntsman_spiders.htm