02/15 Rusty PMPS 125, +4.5 133

Yesterday

Good Morning, Everyone,

I got an early start on the board this morning, but then Rusty came over to schmooze and we both fell asleep. Good way to spend Sunday morning! Rusty had a good night, ate all his nighttime food, and had good breathing. This morning he has been grazing on his breakfast. I don't think he much cares for Newman's Own 95% Turkey, although he did eat a bit of it in the second sitting. But it can't hold a candle to the Fancy Feast T&G portion of his breakfast.

I'm getting apprehensive about our trip to the Burlington VT area on Thurs. for Rusty's ultrasound and consult with the IM specialist. Weather is expected to be bad, and COLD. We may try to postpone.

Today is the last day of Ice Carnival. The high is expected to be zero (snowstorm is coming, although the sun is out at the moment). Fireworks tonight over the Ice Palace--should be nice and cold at lakeside! Fortunately we can see them from our dining room window.

Sending vines and comfort to all in need, especially to Melissa and family. Turnup is is our thoughts,

Ella & Rusty

No fun traveling in that kind of weather. Good idea to postpone. I'm glad Rusty is having a good morning.
Liz

It sounds like you and Rusty had a good morning. If the weather is going to be that bad, it might be a good idea to postpone.

Morning Ella

Not too bad of a start today, a nice safe blue. Off to the lagoon later today Rusty? It is good to read there were no breathing problems last night. YAY!

I wish you luck with the pending visit to VT for Rusty's U/S. maybe it would be good to postpone? If there's no urgency to having it done? The weatehr reports we are hearing are so bad, the videos I've seen are downright scary. Good luck with your decision.

and stay warm! it is so great that you can see the wind up festivities, aka the fire works from your home. That would work for me. It sounds so bitterly cold there!

Have a great day today.

I, too, like the idea of postponing the trip to Burlington. No sense taking any chances. Especially with a kitty on board.

Yeah, I know it's a Winter Carnival. But 0 for the high! Should be much more comfortable in the dining room watching the fireworks through the window.

Have a great, albeit cold, day. Oh, Rusty. The Lagoon calls your name.

Marilyn and Polly

Really, waltzing Matilda too! That's our unofficial national anthem - much better than to official one! But it's so full of old Aussie slang, surely it just sounds like a load of nonsense to you guys!

Nice that Rusty will get to watch the fireworks tonight too

Fireworks are about to start. It is -10 degrees already with a high-wind warning. We're glad we're inside. Tonight is supposed to be the coldest night of the year. -25 F. is predicted for our village (and that's not including the "wind chill").

Rusty is having a low-key, rest day. Not much appetite. I had to break out a can of Wellness Chicken (which I had stopped feeding because of anecdotal evidence that it was causing some cats problems). He didn't much care for that, either, even though he used to eat it readily. So tonight I opened my last can of Wellness Core Turkey & Duck. He is now waiting on the couch for me to come to join him so he can eat his dinner.

Downton Abbey tonight. bbl,

Ella & Rusty

@Vyktors Mum : it's a good tune, so what does it matter if we foreigners can't understand the lyrics!

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled:
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me?"

Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled:
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."

Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong.
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee.
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag:
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."

Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me",
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag:
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."

Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred.
Down came the troopers, one, two, and three.
"Whose[N 1] is that [N 2] jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."

Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me",
"Whose is that jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me."

Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong.
"You'll never take me alive!" said he
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong:
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me?"

Waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me",
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong:
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me?"

Liz

This condo's been hijacked!

I hope Rusty's appetite picks up. Hope you get some good cuddling time in that cold weather.

I'm sorry you might have to reschedule but it's best if it's not safe to travel.

@Anne & Zener (GA) : Goodness, Liz! With footnotes and everything!! I wonder if Serryn knows all the verses?
@Vyktors Mum : ??

Rusty ate his dinner while watching Downton Abbey. He spent the whole day in the grotto--flat. It's only -13 at bedtime, so maybe it won't get as cold as they predicted.

Thanks for visiting, everyone.

Ella & Rusty

Paws crossed Rusty's appetite picks up tomorrow. I do hope the weather improves so you don't have to cancel the U/S.

Now Waltzing Matilda will be in my brain all night. I used to sing it in choir in elementary school.

I'm surprised Rusty doesn't have a better appetite considering all the kitties that were in the lagoon today!!

The LagoonMeister was busy watching all them kitties going out to the deep water and handing out waterwings!

Hope you have a quiet night with lots of warm kitty snuggles

There's a few different versions of the song floating around these days. Liz's version seems to have been Americanised (or Canadianised) with the use of the term 'troopers' which is hilarious, you'd think that any word changes would've been made to the ones that you wouldn't understand rather than those you would! Here's the original poem along with the Aussie translations:

Oh there once was a swagman camped in the billabong
Under the shade of a Coolabah tree
And he sang as he looked at the old billy boiling
Who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me
Down came a jumbuck to drink at the water hole
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him in glee
And he said as he put him away in the tucker bag
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me
Down came the squatter a riding on his thoroughbred
Down came policemen one, two and three
Where is the jumbuck you've got in the tucker bag
You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me
But the swagman he ups and he jumps in the water hole
Drowning himself by the Coolabah tree
And his ghost can be heard as it sings in the billabong
Who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me

What the words mean

• waltzing Matilda ~ to go walkabout carrying your swag
• walkabout ~ walking in the bush for an extended period of time
• swag ~ a pack or bundle containing the personal belongings of a swagman.
• swagman ~ a drifter (person without a permanent place to live) who carried his swag as he travelled the country on foot looking for work. He was a common sight during the depression of the 1890's and 1930's.
• squatter ~ a grazier or station (ranch) owner especially with a large landholding. Today squatter means a person illegally occupying a property.
• billy ~ a tin can with a wire handle or a pot. To make tea, water was boiled in it and handful of tea thrown in.
• tucker bag ~ bag to carry your tucker (food)
• jumbuck ~ sheep
• coolabah ~ E.coolabah is a species of gum or eucalyptus tree; coolibah is an alternate spelling.
• billabong ~ a dead-end channel extending from the main stream of a river filled with water only in the rainy season.

@Vyktors Mum : Well, I guess that shows us!!! silly foreigners! and we thought it was just a childrens' song. Now, how did a woman's name "Matilda" become associated with a walkabout? And what does "leading a tucker bag" mean??