Trip to Canberra? So give the dog a bone.

Lena was one beneficiary of my guilty conscience, this evening. I had been forced to leave her at home today, while I went to Canberra.
Leon, Bernie, Gavan and Ray
Bernie and I lead a Delegation, to make our presentation to the Department of Environment and Water Resources. We went with Leon Hall, representing REPS, Jonathan Bell, representing the NSW Farmers Ass'n, Professor Gavan McDonell, and Consultant Hydrologist, Ray Evans. Jonathan had left before we took these photos.
Leon, DJW, Gavan and Ray
We have done our best to persuade the policy makers in the Department that the SCA's Kangaloon Borefield Proposal poses a risk to matters of National Ecological Significance. Much of the discussion was of a technical nature, to do with hydrology of the sandstone-based Aquifer at Kangaloon, and the connection between the sandstone and the basalt hills in the local area, particularly Mt Butler.
Vegetation in Butler's Swamp
5 February 2007
We also discussed the improbability that Butler's Swamp is dependent upon rainfall for its source of water, as the SCA has claimed. This issue is not rocket science. The SCA's claim is self-evident nonsense! How on earth can the SCA continue to claim that the vegetation of Butler's Swamp not only survived, but thrived, over a period of some 10 years of drought. How, you might ask, if this swamp is supposedly only supplied with water by rainfall. Use your own eyes, and tell me these plants are not vibrant, healthy plants. This was at the end of a 10 year drought, don't forget.

This photo was taken on 5 February, one week prior to the "significant rainfall event" of February, when 322 mm of rain fell in 36 hours.

Anyway, we will not know for a little while whether or not we have been successful in persuading the Department.
Lena with a
Rib Rack bone
Meanwhile Lena was a winner, in the evening - perhaps owing to my guilty conscience for leaving her stuck at home.

Mind you, she was well fed and watered before I left, and there was a heater on, very gently, in the bedroom, where she sleeps. So, I didn't feel too badly about her welfare. But she was very glad to see me arrive back home, as you can imagine.


Lena and big rib steak
Still, she was also lucky enough to find that, when I went to the Robbo Pub for dinner tonight, I ordered what turned out to be a huge Rib Rack. These beef ribs are roasted, and then individual "chops" are cut. I happened to get the "end piece" which was almost double the normal width. Far more than I could eat.

So, although I had intended to keep the spare meat till lunch tomorrow, I weakened, and let Lena enjoy a special treat. She was very happy to get stuck in, and stripped the bone bare. I will find out tomorrow if she buried the bone - she usually does. She came in with a dirty face, and has curled up at my toes, under the computer desk, being gently basked by the new radiant heater, which is gently scanning back and forth to warm her and my toes.