Jon Orwant wants me to write another TPJ article. Got to get a draft to him by the end of this week.

Lazy Days
Had Fri, Sat, Sun and Tues off work. My goodness it's been fabulous. I've been spending my time cycling around what must be some of the most beautiful parts of Melbourne, learning how to do fun things with power tools at the new house, and generally having a very relaxing time. I really don't want to go back to work -- I want to be a student again with those endless summer holidays.

Play By Mail
For some reason I've had an incredible urge to play a very old PBM game I used to play back in my youth. The game was run by Peter Read of Dynamic Games, and I can't remember the name, except that it involved robots and a hexagonal map and bases and tunnels and a sensor net and stuff. Different robots had different powers -- some could build new sensors, some were good at fighting, some were fast, some could build tunnels, some could sense tunnels being built, and some very special ones could even make use of Satellite Orbital Lasers at blat things from a distance.

Unfortunately, after a fair bit of searching, I couldn't find anything that looked like the game, nor do I know where my old rule-booklets are. I could try re-writing it based upon my memories of it from about 10 years ago, and wait until either (a) I get a cease-and-desist from some laywers, in which case I've found the original game, or (b) I finish it and go looking for players.

I don't suppose anyone else can remember the game at all? If you do, please drop me a mail (pjf at CPANdotORG), I'd very much appreciate hearing from you.

House
Going to play with power-tools this weekend. I hope I don't lose any body parts.

Work
Stupidly busy. I'm looking forward to the Xmas holidays.

Yup, the house was still there and much as we left it. Spent about 90 minutes in the sogging rain doing things in the garden, and decided that it was getting a bit dark and started to head home.

Being wet and dark, and the roads a bit slippery, I decided to take the Merri Creek trail -- a very scenic and relaxing ride. Lots of signs up saying "WARNING - Path subject to flooding", but no actual signs of flood. Sure, the water was high, but it wasn't covering the path.

Nearing St Georges Road, which I would cut through to get home, I passed a cyclist coming the other way. She asked if the path ahead of flooded. I told her that no, it was fine, and we went our seperate ways. Once I got around the corner, I realised that she was telling me that the path was flooded, as the creek had broken its banks and completely covered the path.

"Doesn't look very deep," I think to myself as I cycle into the water. Sure enough, it's only a couple of inches, although it seems to go on for a long way. "I'm surprised that ducks can swim in water this shallow," I think to myself just before I hit the dip in the path and find the water level above the top of my wheels.

I had ducks swimming on either side of me as I continued to cycle, with most of my bicycle underwater. The ducks didn't quite know what to think of me. :)

The rest of the trip home went without mishap, although my bike now has a "high water mark" which makes it quite obvious how deeply it was underwater.

Haven't seen much rain today, so if all goes well I'll check on the house tonight to make sure it's still standing. Our first few things (mainly gardening equipment) will be moved this weekend.

House
Settlement is taking place right this very moment, and I hope to pick up the keys in the next hour or so. I was hoping to lie in the sun at the new house, read a book, plan the garden a bit, and plant some seeds so we'll have something cropping for when we move in. If I felt energetic enough I was also planning on getting some materials to build the chicken coop/run.

Unfortunately, after a beautiful weekend, today's turned out to be very wet and rainy. It was raining when I woke up at 8am this morning (yay for sleeping in), and it's still raining now 5 hours later. No sign of it stopping, either. As such, I think I'll have a very wet ride to pick up the keys, and then spend time wishing I could lie in the sun and read a book.

Over the next month we'll be moving things across to the new house. Passionfruit vines, rhubarb plants, many pots of sunroot, seeds and tools, an avagato^W avacado tree and eventually even furniture. I've got enough friends and family wanting to see the new place that I should be able to get most of the fiddly things over before the big move. Somehow I don't think most removalists have much experience with transporting an 18-month old passionfruit vine. (Mind you, neither do I.)

Chickens
The council is sending me out a big set of local regulations regarding the keeping of chooks. Interestingly enough, the maximum allowed without a permit is five, but I already have six people expecting to have chickens named after them.

I guess I'll worry more about this as I get more chickens. To start with I'm planning on getting two bantam australorp hens, both named "Ian".

House
Settlement on Monday. Yay!