I spent a couple of pleasant hours today with my sister Jo, re-introducing her to the internet and showing her how to manage her web site through WordPress.

A few weeks ago I wrote about helping Jo find her new notebook computer; today after helping Dad run a 20 metre Cat-5 cable from the main house to Jo’s adjacent flat, we had her new notebook connected to broadband.

It’s been two months since we created Jo’s web site, and today is the first time she’s seen it on her own computer! Initially I showed her how to navigate the site and create new content. We’ll go over more advanced subjects as required – for example, adding pictures to posts, managing posts into categories etc.

Her confidence with using her new notebook has grown and I am so pleased that she has enthusiasm for managing her own web site; a natural step since she has a keen interest in writing and publishing.

Sometimes in the evening where we live we hear a strange whistling sound. We’ve wondered what type of bird was making the sound. Apparently it isn’t a bird, it is the echidna.

The information comes from an Aboriginal colleague of my husband’s. The subject arose when H showed her a strange rock he’d found in the garden. It was unlike any of the other rocks around and appeared to have bits chipped off it. He wondered if it was an old Aboriginal implement.

The jury is out on whether the rock was some sort of digging tool, or just a rock. But apparently the land where we live was once part of a walking track used by the Aborigines in old times as they traversed down to Boonah and the Gold Coast hinterland.

And this is how the subject of echidnas came up, H’s colleague mentioned the echidnas around these parts whistling at night, “talking” to one another.

I’ve been reading up on the echidna since hearing this, and found no other reports of whistling. But we know echidnas do live around here (since we rescued one after it had been hit by a car, later released). I wonder if it is just something the white fellas have missed.

Very late, was watching the end of My Fair Lady on TV and it was time to let our dogs out for their final loo break before bed. I’m out there encouraging them to “go” and hear movement in the trees, then a great THUD, then the sound of possums squawking.

It’s very dark but Kelsie dashes out and returns with a baby possum in her mouth. I thought the poor little thing was dead at first, it wasn’t moving.

Its bright eyes wide were wide open and I’m trying to find a pulse on its warm little body. Suddenly the little fellow moved and I was so relieved, but I fear he’s in pretty bad shape – not sure how far he fell.

So now he’s sleeping in a covered box in the little room under our stairs, wrapped warmly in towels. I hope he makes it through the night

Found this on one of my favourite women’s forums, I think it was probably one of those email lists that do the rounds:

All those who believe in psychokinesis, raise my hand.

Early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

OK, so what’s the speed of dark?

How do you tell when you run out of invisible ink?

If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.

Support bacteria – they’re the only culture some people have.

Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

When everything’s coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.

Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy.

Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.

Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don’t have film.

Shin: a device for finding furniture in the dark.

Many people quit looking for work when they find a job.

I intend to live forever – so far, so good.

Join the Army, meet interesting people, kill them.

If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?

If I worked as much as others, I would do as little as they.

When I’m not in my right mind, my left mind gets pretty crowded.

I used to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out.

If at first you don’t succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.

If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving definitely isn’t for you.

A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.

Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.

For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.

No one is listening until you make a mistake.

Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.

The hardness of the butter is proportional to the softness of the bread.

The severity of the itch is proportional to the reach.

To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.

Two wrongs are only the beginning.

You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.

The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.

Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life.

The sooner you fall behind, the more time you’ll have to catch up.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you’ve never tried before.

Change is inevitable… except from vending machines.

A fool and his money are soon partying.

Plan to be spontaneous tomorrow.

If you think nobody cares about you, try missing a couple of payments.

Borrow money from pessimists – they don’t expect it back.

Half the people you know are below average.

42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.