The Lair of the Emerald Serpent

From 4 weeks to 4 days. The last time I went near this infernal machine was Tuesday and here I am back again. A glutton for punishment. Not so many beach balls today but it's still snailish and sluggish. Sufficiently so to suck out any enthusiasm for squiggling a proper post and catching up on comments. So many interesting things to reply to but hunting and pecking for keys on the Tweet stone is just too frustrating.

Apparently it is possible to post comments and even DW entries using email but I have never tried it. I find that technology is becoming more of a struggle for this ancient luddite serpent of late. Remembering passwords and that sort of thing. Especially for accounts that I access on 2 different devices which means that any passport manager suggestion on the phone will not work on the desk top. On the rare occasion that I have let the android phone do the wacko password thing with a string of 20 characters and it told me it was saving the password, when I went back to the site, there was no such option available so I ended up having to reset the stupid thing anyway. What's the point of using such a feature when it doesn't work when you need it? And as the phone has this strange habit of logging me out of sites even when I ask to stay logged in, being able to remember a bunch of passwords is rather a big deal.


Today was the last day of the school holidays and also the Zoo evenings. I have been 7 times in 2 weeks. Last week it was pretty quiet most of the time but by this Wednesday word had gotten around. The place was constantly packed and the rug rats were staying up later and longer. I had to resort to buying a pair of earplugs otherwise it would be just unbearable. But while at least I no longer had to listen to the critters jammering and squealing, earplugs don't stop the monsters from running around like headless chooks and being totally unpredictable. I will definitely make a habit of visiting the zoo more often in spring.


Last time I did not go for pretty much the whole year. My annual pass was one of the things nicked when my wallet was stolen in January 2020 and I had to give priority to stuff like library cards. Then Covid came and the zoo was closed for more than 4 months anyway and it was not until some festival this January that I finally got around to renewing my annual pass which I have had since 1996 when it was $36 for the year and a one time visit was $6. Now the pass is $99 for an individual. I get a 10% discount as a resident of the zoo's local government area (we call them councils here in the Wild West) Now it costs $34 for an adult ticket. I was amazed at the number of people turning up at 5pm paying full price for the Zoo nights. I guess most of them are using credit cards or Afterpay. I never did get to see either of the new baby giraffes nor their parents for that matter. I guess I will have to come in the morning to catch them.

It’s hard to believe that it is exactly 5 years since the collapse of the Lehmann Brothers bank which ushered in the end of the financial world as we know it. Well sort of. A couple of minnows like Bernie Madoff got tossed on the frying pan while the sharks, giant squid and other big fishy goblins just continued with business as usual

In the interests of nostalgia, had every intention of visiting Kings Park, Hale House and the old astronomy tower on the hill like back in September 2008. Monday 15th September was a full moon that year and Kings Park was the perfect place for watching it while glued to the radio listening to the unfolding goblin drama over on Wall Street.

But Hale House has been converted to a new role as an Imperial residence for the State Premier. So its status as a serpent sacred site has been trashed as it is no longer accessible to the general public.

The other two locations are still as beautiful as ever but not when storms are brewing and it is pouring rain like it has been for much of today and most of the month so far. That makes two seriously wet Septembers in a row
These days you can plant seeds and they will drown rather than die of thirst which had been the usual fate at this time of year

So resorted to plan B - a visit to the zoo. That’s where the annual zoo pass comes in handy. At that stage it was not yet raining but it was well on the way. But that was actually an advantage. When you want to visit the nocturnal house, the less lurkers the better. As the posters outside proclaim “The quieter you are, the more you see”

( Creatures of the Night )

After a day at the mad house yesterday figured it was time for a bit of rest and relaxation. Nothing like a mug of coffee and some munchies to recover from the crazies. But the best medicine of all is a trip to the zoo for an hour or two. Had intended to visit last week but had to change plans.

Been a Zoo Friend for almost as long as being in Oz. Back in 1996 the adult entry price was $6 and the annual pass was $36. Now the respective prices are $22 and $80 but Izzie gets a discount for being a local. At one stage that literally meant living at the end of the side street directly opposite the entrance. Izzie's lurking ground back then was a first floor flat with a balcony being the only connection to the great outdoors so the zoo was the perfect garden spot. Would often just slink over with a book and sit under a tree or in the sunshine watching the squirrels and assorted wildlife that have adopted the place as their home.

Visiting for a couple of hours and looking at only a couple of critters instead of feeling the need to ‘Do the Zoo’ makes a massive difference to the experience of the place.
Izzie’s preference is for the little critters far from the maddening crowd rather than the usual suspects such as lions, giraffes and elephants. It is sad that humans have trashed the planet so much that it is not safe for the megafauna to lurk in their usual habitat but a zoo especially one so small as the local one is not much more than a prison in spite of the attempts to make the place look like home with all the plants, rocks and stuff. At least the little critters do not have the lack of space infringing on their usual behaviour in the wild.

Made it to the nocturnal house and that was for the first time in nearly a year. Could not believe just how much has changed in there. The big attraction is the spooky beautiful and very graceful ghost bats but then there are other cuties such as cane toads, assorted ratty furry things and the giant cockroach, centipedes, tarantulas and the frogs in the toilet. But the toilet was gone as well as the cockroach. In their place was a very pretty creature that could only be described as a Hufflepuff python. Stunningly beautiful with its black and yellow patterned scales which were so rough that even without touching you could see that it could not possibly be slimy.
One of the ghost bats was munching on a very tiny dead mouse while another just flapped around before landing and wrapping its wings around itself like some oversized pale white cloak. Was hoping there’d be some ghostie babies but no luck this time.

No visit to the zoo would be complete without a visit to the reptile house. There are tiny baby radiated tortoises sunning themselves under little heat lamps, a very vivid green iguana that almost looks fake and the Pilbara death adder with its wormy glow in the dark tail. The biggest and fattest of the bunch is the reticulated python who is looking the worst for wear lately. Rather like a large lump of rubber tyre. Her scales are now a dull shade of blobbish black grey and there are big wrinkle marks on the first third of her body. She’ll be dumping that old coat any day now and it will be wonderful to watch the amazing transformation. No yawns today just the odd hiss and flick of that forked tongue. Got to love a zoo where the reticulated python is called Cuddles and a koala is called Medusa

The two tiger snakes were rather less laid back. They were entwined and doing what could only be described as some sort of tango. It looked suspiciously like it could be a session of snake baby making.

Even the big cats were putting on a bit of a show. Two male lions standing side by side like best of mates while the lady lion looked rather bored with the pair of them. The cheetah had come out of hiding and even the hyenas were strutting about instead of slinking off into corners where they could remain unseen

Guess word gets around very quick one the witching hour of 3pm has passed and most of the wee human beasties have left the premises. The zoo is like a most peaceful garden of Eden in the middle of the city at that time of day.
Last visit two weeks ago was around 2pm and it was much busier. Kept away from the crowds and paid a visit to the cassowary and tree kangaroos in a quiet corner. Hardly anyone seems aware of them or interested in their existence. Tree kangaroos are adorably gorgeous and look rather like teddy bears with tails or like oversized brown and gold possums.

Next week is the school holidays so resisted the temptation of returning to the Lair on the two hour bus ticket. Was so so glad to have gone to the zoo instead. It is such a relaxing and magical way to switch from work mode to play.

Aside from the occasional special visit to the reptile house for the 11am keeper talks where they let people pat the snakes, normally zoo visits are reserved for afternoons after work.
Next time will want to check on the reticulated python’s new technicolour dream coat and the very cranky Tassie devils. Izzie has a rather unorthodox view of what is cute and cuddly which is just as well because it is nearly always quiet in the corners we choose to visit.

Izzie slinks in from a spot of moon watching. Been a busy serpent today. At this moment Privet Drive is engulfed in the aroma of freshly baked bread barely out of the oven. Most delicious with a glass or two of red, brie cheese sprinkled with zaatar and a very fat juicy moon.
Did this for the last full moon and might just make a habit of our little moon bread ritual. Funny thing – apart from measuring 500ml or so of water and the teaspoon or two of yeast to match, the rest is pure guess work. We toss in whatever is around which usually includes olive oil and sesame seeds. Today – decided to use up the rest of our rye flour. Silly really rye with pesto rather than the usual caraway seeds.

Our enjoyment was enhanced by having 3 days off until Saturday and the big day – today and tomorrow is crisp and crunchy and very sunny. Izzie loves really cold winter nights as long as it's clear skies, lots of stars and no rain.

Finished work at 1.30pm today and resisted the tempation to go snoozies. It's a gorgeous sunny day, you have all tonight when it's dark after 6pm to do that plus Thursday which is supposed to be raining all day. So instead, we scrubbed our scales and sat out in the garden toasting to the golden ball of sunshine around 2.40 or so as that was supposed to be the official time where the sun reaches its most southerly point. Not sure how they work all these things out but since when does Izzie need an excuse to party?
And anyway – there's a sunset to be seen (it hid behind the clouds but it's the thought that counts)

After many months, decided that today was just perfect for visiting the zoo. Not too far from home, lovely weather and there's lots and lots of new babies. The latest is an orangutang, a most gorgeous Gollumish Hamydras baboon – all pink and fluffy with big Dobby ears, a face to die for and a very pink little body covered in black hair, a baby Rhino and a pregnant cheetah.

There's been some shuffling of the deckchairs in the reptile house where the turtle babies have gotten very big since we last seen them, the death adder finally got her lease renewed after being evicted for a while and there is a new addition to the happy family. Baby blue tongued skinks and the most spectacularly gorgeous glow in the dark green Fiji Iguana.
Izzie gets a Friends of the Zoo card every year which costs just over 55 silver sickles or so and entitles us to free entry for 12 months. Since normal entry is $$16 or half price on Wednesdays, it does not take too many visits to pay for itself but bestest of all – you don't get that horrid compulsion to 'do the zoo' and see 500 animals in 20 minutes.
Izzie often only visits one area – such as the reptile or nocturnal house, Australian bushwalk, wetlands or African Savannah and stays for about two – three hours.

Was originally going to visit on Monday enroute to work – the bus that goes to the zoo goes directly to the Izzie day job. But we had a book due back at the library and decided to go today instead since the zoo is a better place for moonwatching or seeing sunsets than dreary downtown Dursleyville.

Tomorrow it's off to our favorite lunatic asylum with a copy of “Order of the Phoenix” and a nice moonshine picnic. Izzie hardly needs an excuse to read it again – but this is the last chance to look for clues before we get to see everything in 20/20 hindsight

Will save the latest tasty gossip concerning Dolores and the elf rebellion for another day. Suffice to say that in just the last week, 3 rats are abandoning the sinking ship. Dolores is just too damned arrogant and up herself to read the signs. Soon she will realise that telling the elves 'Do it my way or hit the highway” is no longer a threat but an invitation. Once folks are so pissed off that they start resigning – she has lost her one and only weapon.
But will save her sneering snarkiness for another post. But if she refuses to understand that there's just an itsy bitsy possibility that you will upset some one if you slash their take home pay by 15 hours a fortnight, then she's got a lot of learning to do.