The Final Reckoning.

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It's the last day of the year. Time to figure out what I did with my time over the past 364 days...

In 2024 I, along with Roger, cared for a total of 7 dogs, 5 cats, and 1 snake* in 8 houses in Goolwa, McClarenvale, Victor Harbor, and various suburbs around Adelaide.

Pet Selection.
 

We had short stays in Air Bnbs, motels, and caravan park cabins in Mt Barker, Goolwa, Milang, and all around Adelaide. The pick of them all was the old butcher shop in Milang. Plus a whole heap in Tasmania but that was on holiday so it's different.

Pick of the bunch.

 I went on two bicycle tours and pedaled a shade under 2800km for the year.

 

We had one wallet and one bicycle stolen.

Roger got off to a late start on the bicycle front but managed one bicycle tour and clocked up an impressive 1500ish km in just the last 6 months of the year. And that was despite the stolen bicycle so imagine what he could have done otherwise!

And he's off!

We caught planes to Tasmania (both of us), Sydney (Roger) and Brisbane/Roma (Catherine).  There was one exciting upgrade to business class in there.

 

We rode the extra railway line and stop that SA Metro added to the network, just  so that we could still say we'd ridden the entire thing.  It was underwhelming.  There are no photos.

So what did I learn from all of this jaunting around in other people's houses? Here's my takeaways:

1. Everyone keeps cutlery in the top drawer. Everyone. No exceptions so far.

2. Effective vacuum cleaners are few and far between. Ineffective vacuum cleaners are a blight on the surface of carpets.

3. Turn on the light when you get up at night in a new place. You can't walk through walls. Also, walking into walls hurts.

4. Collecting motel soaps is a bad habit. They breed in the dark corners of your bag.

5. If a home owner compliments you on your garden care, don't tell them you hired a gardener. Just smile and take the credit.  Make sure to cancel the gardener before the owner comes home.

Alrighty, I'm off to watch some fireworks now.  That's assuming I can stay awake until 9pm of course, which is questionable.  

Happy New Year.

Gardens,

and glass.

 

* The snake doesn't count. It was hibernating and could have been a rock for all the effort we had to put in to care for it.

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