Kangaroos in the paddock and all that . . .

It has been some time since I last wrote in this blog. I guess it has been a lack of inspiration that has been responsible.

Over the Easter break from work nothing exciting has been happening besides the visit of the VWs. They arrived on Canberra's birthday and at a time when exciting events were happening in the new Parliament house. The sittings were over for the time being but there was always the tragedy/comedy of the State Treasurers having a meaningful discussion with the National Treasurer about taxes and how they could benefit by receiving some 300+ million dollars from the National Treasury if only they would give up some state taxes that manage to bring in billions of dollars. I am of course not surprised that this did not work. It was not meant to. All it was meant to do was to deflect attention from the fact that the Commonwealth government is at present the highest taxing government ever and the blame for the pain in the hip pocket nerve could effectively be transferred to the responsibility of the states because it was they, after all who had been given the chance to reduce taxes and had failed.

Good on you Mr Costello - together with the recent events surrounding your colleague Mr Abbott your combined acts now have the same sort of significance that the original Abbott and Costello had in the USA when they were providing the world with their comic routines.

Meanwhile, the VWs were taken to see the local kangaroos which try hopping up and down the main streets of Canberra - unfortunately for them with some devastating results. They usually hurl themselves in front of speeding motorists and end up being either hood ornaments or road kill.

Not satisfied with the variety which could be seen off our main roads we also took them to the Tidbinbilla Reserve where they were able to get up close and personal to the Koalas, Brush Tailed Wallabies, Emus as well as Kangaroos.

Now they believe that there is wild life in Canberra - besides what the politicians can provide.

Being from the Old Country, they of course were amazed at the possibility that they could also sample the wild life from another aspect and were simply agog that Australians could eat their national symbols. So when presented with the reality that there was a game shop at the Fyshwick markets and that they could get some kangaroo to eat they leapt at the chance.

Later, when the meat was sizzling in front of them their appetites were less than they thought it would be. Perhaps I should have brought the Crocodile steaks instead?