So tired I can hardly write - and I'm purposely writing slowly to avoid mistakes (after crossing out two paragraphs and having to start over).  Very little sleep last night from the worst and longest lasting episode of 'restless legs' I've ever experienced.  All due to running home (about 2km?) from where I found a female, a pregnant female, flying fox hung up on a barbed wire fence - about 30' west of where Helen Keller, the deaf and blind and starving wallaby was discovered.

By the time Peter arrived (neither Richard or I are vaccinated against the deadly lyssavirus), it was dark so we worked by the headlights and a torch.  The female was so entangled on the barbs Peter had to pass her in a circle 3 or 4 times around the fence wire and even then had to cut it in order to free her. 

Brought her home for a drink of water, some Aspro Clear (one tablet in 30ml) and to finally disentangle her soft brown skin from the barb.  There was no blood save for what was on Peter's fingers after she bit him.  And who could blame her?  The pain must have been excruciating.  She was hyperventilating and whimpering continuously.  I haven't heard anything so tragic since working at the vets.

The bat hadn't broken her teeth, her bones or punctured her palate, something they often do when biting the barbs.  Peter thought her chances were pretty good.  The wing flesh wan't dry or papery - she'd been on the fence during a cloudy day - but even with all these things in her favour she died overnight, her and her unborn baby.

We tried.  Then there are all those bats and birds and animals that die unknown and unlamented somewhere in the bush - or in a bush fire, but I won't go there again, have already had my rant.

Took Balthazar up to the Secret or Hidden Valley which is neither secret or hidden anymore.  John's burned it, luckily he burned very little of the bush but of course every burn encroaches just a tiny bit further into the hitherto untouched bush.  Besides that he's had a dozer clear the track.  The dozer cut a huge swathe up the sides of the ravine.  It's a great clear riding track now but at what cost?  The earth and rock overflow now clogs the seasonal creek, and the waterfalls that appear after heavy rain will mean blocked water gouging out new channels and causing more erosion.

Said to Richard yesterday how much I love this house.  And I do.  It's going to have to be a very special property to get me to move.  Now that I've calmed down after the fires have finished I lose that keen edge to move.  But if it needs to happen it will happen.  I leave myself in the hands of the god.