SA Power Networks: "We are experiencing widespread power interruptions and advise there may be delays in restoring power. We apologise for the inconvenience".

Sitting in the dark, 30*C inside the house and the content of the freezer is melting away.
My aggressive guarddog is crouching in the w-i-r, shaking.


PS: Powerinterruption lasted for 18 hours.

I received a letter from 'Trees For Life' - an organization of which I'm a member:

"Dear Seed Collector,

Enclosed is your seed collection permit for the coming season.
...
I like to ensure that members who attend a seed collection workshop have a permit for more than a year.
..."
Okay, I attended a workshop in June. It was winter and freezing cold. The room where the introduction took place was not heated and I was not able to follow the lecturer. I only concentrated on my feet. How blue they may be and how they are slowly turning black. And when I will take off my shoes how the necrotic feet will fell off. It was a torture. So I left the (very good!) presentation an hour later - 5 hours earlier than expected. Now I have not really an idea how to collect seeds.
[Excerpt of the list of seeds needed for the seedbank:
Acacia argyrophylla, Acacia ligulata, Acacia nyssophylla, Acacia oswaldii, Acacia pygnantha, Acacia retinoides .... Senna artemisioides, Vittadinia blackii, cuneata or gracilis]

Whether there are animals more common than sheep then only one answer is possible: flies. They are not like the house flies in Europe. They are half the size and double annoying just fitting inside the ear and nose. I tried different repellents - natural and chemical based. Nothing worked. The only way to survive when working outside is wearing a fly net. Not fashionable but sufficient.