And Then It Rained Again.

But yesterday afternoon was clear, and this morning -- this morning was one of those exquisitely clear spring mornings that only ever seem to happen in Tasmania, after the rain. The world was green and gorgeous, the sun was bright, the sky was blue... bloody spectacular.

I got my two new hazelnut trees in with a minimum of fuss. And I put the two little tea-bushes inside a very well fenced enclosure. There will be no goddam tea-munching wallabies on my watch, the rotten little macropodic barstewards.

The Younger Son has been shedding teeth at a ferocious rate. In keeping with his metabolism, he's lost all four bottom incisors in the space of a month or so, and two replacements are already sizzling their way upwards. Elder Son took about six months to lose all four, and it seemed like forever before he got his grinning gear back in order. But... yeah, it seems likely both boys will need braces. There's a history of it from both parents.

I absolutely hated my braces. Only had 'em for six months before everything was back in order. Natalie, though - she got the braces and the bumper-bar too, apparently. Says at least one of her brothers was a right horror-show as well. Blah.

I wanted to take advantage of the sunshine this morning -- run the chainsaw, cut some deadfalls for firewood, knock down a few wattles that have sprung up in inconvenient locations. Unfortunately, two of the very necessary tools associated with the chainsaw have gone walkabout. Did I loan them to someone? I can't recall. The chainsaw is there. The fuel is there. The bar lube is there. But the big screwdriver to open the fuel and the oil tanks -- that's not. And the rat-tail file with the sharpening guide on it -- that's not, either.

Not in the top shed. Not in the garage. Not in the laundry. Not in the hallway cupboard with miscellaneous hardware. Not in the back of the car. Not in the big toolchest on the front of the trailer. Just... not there.

I really, really fucking hate that.

So. I got out an axe, put a nice edge on the bastard thing with a stone, and cut down a couple of the more annoying wattles the hard way. It was more about exercise than utility, I admit, but I was pissed off. I really wanted to get through the chainsaw work while the sun was here -- for lo and behold, by the time I'd Paul Bunyanized my second tree, the clouds had rolled over the mountains, and the rain was chundering down once more.

I'm headed into Launceston tomorrow. I'll get another goddam big screwdriver, and another couple of files with guides to sharpen the chainsaw. But who the fuck knows when I'll get another sunny day with Natalie home to keep the kids out from underfoot?