Something in the Distance

Sitting at a roadworks red light out in the middle of nowhere on the Castlereagh Highway last December, we noticed a strange object a way over in the paddock.

It wasn't until we checked the photo taken out of the car window with Simon's telephoto magnification that we could tell what it was. Remarkably, there didn't seem to be any sign that the fire that destroyed the header had caused a grass fire. In the hot dry conditions of the Australian bush, a piece of farm machinery catching fire can lead to widespread disaster if a fire reaches the trees.

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Ile de Ré Reflections: Harvesting oysters.

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Chapelle de Tous-les-Saints News: According to the latest Preuilly council minutes posted on the town noticeboard the Société d'Archaeologique de Preuilly has submitted a request that the commune create a dossier for the chapel with a view to undertaking the necessary repairs. The situation was discussed at the council meeting and it was agreed to spend €10 000. The SAP has been asked to approach organisations who may provide grants. I'm not sure if the council has agreed to spend its own money, or has simply agreed to allow the work to a certain value to go ahead if it is funded by someone else. The total emergency repair work needed has been estimated at €30 000, so I hope the council is aiming to fund match or better, rather than limit the spend. Eleven members of the council voted for the repairs and two abstained. It may be that the two abstentions are tradesmen who might be approached to do the work and therefore have a conflict of interest. If not, I'd be interested to know on what grounds they abstained.

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Weather and Car News: We spent yesterday afternoon in Chateauroux as Célestine was having one of her door handles fixed and some new clunks investigated. All afternoon the radio weather reports were warning of storms and flash flooding. We drove home through a deluge. The emergency services were out and visibility was dismal. Not the most fun conditions to drive an old car in.