Beer Bottles, Boofheads, Bulldozers and Boots

A bittersweet walk today as I took the dogs down the street on what can only be described as a perfect winters day. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, temp around 22.

Although it was clear within a couple of metres of my driveway that partygoers on their way home last night had littered the entire roadside with bottles, cans, Macdonald's wrappers. I've just been up and down the street with a garbage bag and filled it with other people's rubbish. I hate that . . . then, about 100 metres at the side of the road . . .this . . . .I wonder why they left their rather expensive looking red metallic football boots? There is nothing at all wrong with them . . .I would have pinched them but they were a size 12 and I can't play soccer! So they're going to the Smith Family! Clearly there is too much affluence around here! I heard the bastards who woke me at 3:30am and I've been awake ever since.


Not much further to the end of our street and I can no longer traverse a narrow path through to the lake due to the building of high density luxury town houses now all protected by cyclone fencing . . .instead I have to clamour over the grass moguls left by various dumpings of fill, and now overgrown with weeds, dodge the puddles in between and crawl belly down underneath a barbed wire and pig wire fence (pretty sight I can tell you) in order to get to the lake . . .


At the top end of the street, second block to the left the bulldozers have moved in, leaving only one palm as evidence there was ever a home there. It's worth a small fortune so I guess will be excavated and sold. The balance of the trees have ALL been knocked down . . . every single one.


Only 2 months ago, there was a luxury home on the top left of our street where Mr Ryan once lived with his blue heeler that did amazing tricks. It was sold after he died a couple of months ago. Within three days, the house, tennis court and swimming pool had been levelled . . .within one week, the bulldozers are in and mapping out the roadways for the first development in my street.

And this is the sort of thing they're building . . . defies definition really. I'm' sure it's beautiful inside with aluminium stairways, terrazzo tiles and bland grey walls with state of art granite benched stainless steel kitchens and an 'outdoor' room with lap pool . . .all cold and bland and designer label. At first I thought they were building an office block on a residential site but nope, this will soon be a house. This three and a half storey monster is being erected on a 700sq metre block! I imagine eventually it will be rendered in Egyptian White and stand sentinel on the hill like an ugly tribute to it's architect who clearly has taste in his arse . .


It's sad. Much as I want to move, get on with my life, have money in my pocket I can't but lament at the poor quality of town planning and development that's happening around me and feel a pang of guilt that as soon as that suited man with the briefcase full of cash knocks on my door I'll hypocritically say "Yes please!" and let the same fate fall my father's beloved property.

Once completed, the closest six houses will enjoy a view of the 7th at Castle Hill Country club and will never be built out . . Babybro's already thinking of buying one!

Fortunately, if you look hard . . just stay quiet and still, there are still some natural wonders to be found . . .This is a silky ibis, new visitors to the back yard . . .

Huge Herony cormoranty thing . . come on Anonybird? What is it he was bout a metre and a half tail to tip and a huge wingspan. He looked as if he'd lost a couple of feathers on that right wing, or maybe they just haven't dried out but was swimming moments later.

And there's always something very comical about a duck quacking 30 feet up a gum tree!