14 March.  Copied from journal.  

Lionel still missing - forever more I suspect.  He would've returned if he was able - or alive.  Miss him.  Grieve for him.  Or would if I knew.  Went through this before when he went missing.  But he returned after a day.  Nothing I can do.  I loved him, tried to give him the best life, best opportunities, health and strength to best fit him for life in the wild.  Unfortunately because of his attachment to me he kept himself aloof from other galahs, except in 'warning call' emergency when he would launch himself in flight and beat retreat with the others.  He would've done that no matter where he was so what happened?  Why can't he come home?

Matisse - a changed cat.  Haven't had to clean up a spray or puddle of urine for 3 days now.  He's sitting beside the notebook as I write.  The prozac doesn't make him dopey or sluggish, it just takes that edge off his OCD.  When I clean the kitty boxes and there are 3, sometimes 4 wet spots, I am overjoyed - well, maybe not overjoyed - but happy.  Means it's okay.

He looks me in the eye again - not for long but at least he can (he's quietly purring, has shifted position so his head is very near mine).  BTW, he weighs 7kg or 15.4 lbs.  Also, have changed my mind about CRF - too fat and glossy.

Don't know if I'm repeating myself but - since Cornelius flew out the opening during the remains of Cyclone Oswald when the screen blew in, Tony has stopped speaking.  He makes budgie noises but no longer says Pretty Bird, The Regurgitator, Tony, etc.  I miss his little tinny tiny voice.

Have been working on a pastel drawing inspired in part by a photo in Baroque Horse magazine.  Was beavering away at it then got stuck.  Ground to a halt actually.  I think I ran out of puff because I was copying.  Tried to view it strictly as an exercise - maybe I became unstuck because of having trouble duplicating it.  At any rate, looking at it, and looking at it and finally,while on the yoga mat and seeing it from an oblique angle, I saw what I could do so it's on again.  I like it but don't love it - yet.  I live in hope.

Waiting for Lee (the farrier).  Have rugged the horses because the biting flies are so bad.  Spray their legs with insect repellant once daily to give them some relief.  Have never seen them this bad.  Something to do with the rain coming so late in the season?

Speaking of which - the ants feel we'll get much more rain.  Until the earth moving equipment, which came to repair the flood damaged road, flattened them, the ants were building tall spires, towers and fat levees.  There's a cyclone in the far north which they expect to follow the path of Sandy and head east then south well away from us.  The ants suspect otherwise.