How did I find time for a job?

After my second retirement (there was no break between my retirement from ABS and taking up a job with Statistics Sweden) I found I was still very busy with 'things'. Talking aboiut this with colleagues I found the title of this post to be a common refrain.

Having now retired a further twice (from the UN and consulting) I find the saying still applies.  Today was a good example.

I had quite a busy time away from the block planned for the morning.  However while hanging out the washing I heard an "ooming" noise which made me think of the (currently unknown) location of our Frogmouth family.  I didn't find the Froggies but had the far less pleasing experience of finding a patch of Serrated Tussock (Nassella trichotoma: one of several; nasty invasive weed grasses from South America).

 Here are some better tussocks, after administration of a mattock.

 Here are some good tussocks, getting solarised on my pile prior to ignition on April  next year!

Having got that out of the way I headed off to town to go to:

• Woolies and Aldi for shopping;
• the library for a biography of Patti Smith; 
• Cosmorex for coffee beans; 
• Fill up the Jetta with diesel; and
• Kelly's Swamp for a walk.

The first goody seen was a female Freckled Duck.

 Then I found some more Freckles (note the female Shoveler doing a good scratch).

In Jerrabomberra Creek there were a heap of Australian Pelicans.

Getting back towards the swamp again I found my second ear-scratcher, in the form of a Crested Pigeon.

I am unsure if Long-necked tortoises scratch their ears: this one seemed to be happy to just hang out against a log in the middle of the swamp.

In the back of the swamp is an interesting woodland area.  It includes a lot of planted Grevillea (beloved of Honeyeaters) and self sown weeds including an early emergence of the ACT "Territory Botanic symbol" St Johns Wort.

I had hoped to find the mythical Grey Goshawk but failed so headed off to Cuumbeun Nature Reserve on top of the Queanbeyan Fault Escarpment.

There was a heap of Wahlenbergias there, but my snaps were craps, so no blue flowers for you today.  However Diuris pardina was cooperative ...

 .. as was D. sulphurea.

 I came across one of the best displays of Gompholobium huegelli in my memory.

 A few beans were evident.

 I can't imagine referring to Red-anther Wallaby Grass as anything except Joycea pallida.  When ever I look closely at grasses I realise why they have appeal, beyond the nutritional needs of livestock. Check out the details in this!

 Somewhere in the process I came across this grasshopper!

On the highest part of the circuit there was a lovely view to the Brindabellas, looking over beautiful (?) uptown Queanbeyan.

On the topic of which, when I got home I found a card from Australia Post saying a parcel was waiting for me at the PO there.  This was some wine from Bleasdale at Langhorne Creek: ordered before we loaded up the Pajero in the Limestone Coast and Rutherglen appellations last week.

After extracting that, with the small dog in my arms, I took the aforementioned canine for a stroll around the weir loop.  This goes by the Royal Queanbeyan golf course ...

 .. a platypus sculpture (which from some angles looks like a seal!) by the Monaro St bridge ...

 .. and the very attractive Ray Morton Park.

That is not a real frog!

Then home for a spell in the garden pulling out Vinca major and killing brambles.  Definitely no time in that day for any paid employment.