Can't Top The Konotopskys: Balls,Dolls and Beds

It's all here! It is finally all here!

Last week our things arrived and were unloaded by three good-humoured blokes. They worked hard and had unloaded the trucks within a couple hours; unpacking them was another story! So far we have the rooms completed, more or less, and the kitchen, the linens and most of the toys organized and put away. We still have several more boxes that require investigating but until we can figure out shelves and such, many items will remain as they are or piled in a corner.

We have a small storage room attached on the backside of the house, that opens and closes with a key only. We have gone crazy with those adhesive hooks and put a couple shelves in there to create a fantastic toy room for the kids. Because I am the one with the key, they can only access it once it has been opened in the morning; then it also ensures that everything as been picked up and put away before we go in for the evening. It is proving to be a good system for every one, and it also helps remove places where creepy crawly's can find a place to hide and then be frightened if discovered accidentally whilst someone is turning over a truck or something.

The first week we were here I had to 'really encourage' a large hairy spider out of the yard with a stick. It wasn't frightened nor could be frightened by me what so ever. I had to keep pushing it in the direction that I wanted it to go; later I learned it was a trap-door spider. On our fridge we have a classification sheet depicting the dangerous spiders in real size, and categorizing them from highly dangerous to mildly dangerous. It has quick descriptions of where they like to live and what their bite is like. We have it at kids level and I remind them regularly to study and memorize these spiders. Also, my neighbour was so kind as to lend us a very large book containing pictures and vivid stories regarding Ausralia's most dangerous animals (Thanks Ross!) He did warn me it may cause me to loose some sleep at night.

Here are a few questions for you;

1.How long can a snake still bite after he has been beheaded? 1 min. 1hr 1 day or 3 days?

2.What is a large group of Kangaroos called?

3.What is the leader of the group of Kangaroos called?

4.What is more dangerous, a wild dog or a dingo?

5. What is a common find in a loo at the park? (it isn't a snake)

Anwsers:

1.It depends on whether or not the snake was cut above or below it's heart. If it was cut below the heart then the snake can continue living (and biting) for up to or around 36 hours. If it was severed above the heart, even directly behind the head, it can still bite and inject venom for up to an entire hour afterwards. (Yikes!)

2.A mob - that's comforting!

3. The old man... I always picture a grumpy man with a cane and a scowly face.. ready for a fight.

4. The dingo is clever and stealthy, but usually only attacks for food. The wild dog likes to be a menace and will attack just to inflict pain. Both animals have their issues, it is actually when they interbreed that you have a real problem because then you have the stealthiness of the dingo and the lack of fear and desire to mangle everything all in one. (Certainly hope we don't have these close to where we live.)

A tree frog we 'rescued' from a loo at a park by our house

5.Yes a large tree frog is a common find in the toilet at parks and outdoor facilities. We often find them in our back yard as well. That is one of the boys favourite thing right now. After supper they will head out with flashlights and try to collect as many as they can.

There are loads more animals we have to learn about yet, especially in the sea. I am certainly nervous about this summer (Canada's winter time) when the sea is littered with poisonous spiny creatures, different types of stingers (jellyfish) and the remote (so they say) possibility of sharks. Did you know they have special suits that you can buy that cover and protect about 95% of your body from the stingers? What a way to swim!

Well, there are still boxes to go through and the office to tackle. Here are some pictures from the last few weeks.