December 14, 2013

After the deluge, bandicoots.  Look it up on the net.  They are like large mother fucking rats.  I first saw their scat but didn't know what was doing it.  Then after 3 days, I found a huge hole had been dug in my upper garden right along the fence line.  I filled the hole in just to have it redug the next night.  Veenitha identified it as a bandicoot.  At first she thought it is was porcupine, which I have seen in the neighbourhood, but there was no damage to any vegetation which is the surest sign of porcupine, so it is the big MFing rats.  Oh joy!

Yesterday it was all out war.  We filled in the hole putting moth balls down it first and then sprinkled the area with moth balls.  No bandicoot signs this morning.  The same is not true for the bats however.  They continue to come and feast on their jack fruit.  I took down the Mylar decorations as they were not working and were ugly.  I put up paper bags with moth balls in them.  This is supposed to work, but no luck.  The bats I don't mind so much.  It is a pain to have to clean up every morning, but as least they bring jack seeds that make a great devilled snack.

My early morning exercise routine has been rewarded with some lovely bird sightings.  Kingfisher, honey birds, two lovely little coconut green birds, seven sisters, mynas, egrets flying down the river, morning doves, and a sweet small crested couple that always stay together and preen each other.  The squirrels also put on quite a show in the morning.  Yesterday I saw one running down the spine of a coconut frond.  Never missed a step and stayed perfectly straight on the spine going a hundred miles an hour.

These days it has been quite foggy in the mornings.  This often means a stinking hot day when the fog burns off.  Not complaining, but it was sure hot taking down those decorations yesterday.  I have even got over some of my fear of heights, having made it up to the fifth rung of the ladder to do what was needed.  Who needs handymen?  I am a handy woman.

Here is a typical morning from the bike.

Went over to my friends the Kawasakis yesterday.  They have moved into their new house which is quite close to where my flat used to be and very close to Sonali's.  Great place.  Perfect for their needs and a huge garden.  Sometimes when bad things happen, good things come out of them.  That certainly is the case with them.  Good karma for good Buddhists.