Five years on...

Tomorrow marks five years since I lost my best friend, my soul mate, my teacher, my lover... my whole world. Its been more than five years since I saw his beautiful face alive, heard his voice and laughed along with his big belly laugh that I loved so much. He was away, working overseas when he died. He died in what was said to me later to be the lonliest place on earth. He died away from me, away from his family and away from his friends.

I wanted to write something about what an amazing human he was, how he affected my life so positively. But all I can think right now is how much I miss him. I am who I am because he was in my life for 6 years, I am who I am because he died five years ago. I would give up everything I have just to see him again and have the chance to say goodbye. But I can't do that.

In life he gave me confidence in myself, knowledge and the thirst for further knowledge, experience and he showed me what true and unconditional love is. In death he gave me the strength and courage to deal with anything and endless determination to get what I want out of life.

I love you so much, a part of my heart is and will always be yours, I will never forget you but you no longer have to watch over me. Your spirit can rest now. Finally I can say I am at peace.

I have almost finished my work in the lab. I am trying to determine the origin of the Lord Howe Island masked owl and hopefully facilitate translocation of the population back to its presumed origin, Tasmania... a big hopfully. The short story is this beautiful bird has become a pest on the island after being introduced almost 100 years ago as a biological control agent for the black rat, also an introduced species. The rats are being eradicated in line with the islands World Heritage Listing and therefore the masked owl also must be removed to protect the biodiversity found on Lord Howe Island, much of which is not seen anywhere else in the world.

Lord Howe Island is located 760km east of Sydney and has been listed as a World Heritage site since the 1980's.

Photo: David Milledge, Landmark Ecological Services Pty Ltd.

The Lord Howe Island population of masked owl's are thought to originate from the Tasmanian masked owl (Tyto novaehollandiae castanops) however their appearence is more similar to the Australian masked owl (Tyto novaehollandiae) and there are some reports of at least one Australian masked owl having been introduced to the island in the 1930's. The Tasmanian masked owl is listed as endangered and so I am looking at the origin of the Lord Howe Island population in the hope that the birds can be translocated back to Tasmania and begin a captive breeding program.

Here are some photos of my work... 

 A sample sent across from Tassie.

The small amount I needed to extract the DNA.

The sample in an epi tube.

Some of my tissue samples ready to go.

My colourful selection of pipettes.

The samples in the centrifuge.

The little creature I tested the concentration of the DNA with, a Flurometer.

 

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine.

 

PCR samples in the wells ready for gel electrophoresis.

 

Gel electrophoresis in action.

 My gel.

The gels are ready on the computer screen. These pictures are printed for analysis. The bands show if the DNA has shown up and what size the fragments are. Success!
 

 

Never work with kids or animals... I can vouch for animals!

Good afternoon!

Last night after arriving home from a baby shower I decided, seeing as though I as all dressed up, to try and take a family portrait that I could send to a couple of friends and family that live interstate and overseas. So they dont forget me... you know how it is. Following are the snap shots I got with a ten second timer and a tripod. I think I will ask my cousin to help...

This one I love of Greta, she is perfect and that is all.

This one pretty much sums up our day to day lives, Greta is always putting her paws out to touch me and Boris always has his head in my face.

Poor Herbert, the dogs just will not leave him alone.

Look closely at what is happening here...Boris sniffing Herbert's butt and Greta is petrified at the look on Herbert's face. Sums up the three fur creatures relationship.

I look like I am holdong on to Boris lovingly but really I am trying to keep him stationary so he isnt blurry in the picture.

I'm still the only one looking.

Cute picture of the three of us interacting, shame none of us are looking at the camera.

Looks like this one is the winner, look out family and friends this picture might make it into your mailbox!

Just some pretty picures... that is all

The day after Anzac Day... for me is very sombre. Normally I would have attended at least one service and honoured my late partner and my Grandpa at our local RSL in Watsonia, where Grandpa marched every year. This year I had family commitments which together with airport delays took away my ability to reflect and honour two men I loved more than anything.

This morning I walked the dogs down to the RSL and held my own service in front of the many wreaths and flowers left from yesterday. We left our own note in memory of Capt Paul Lawton (1969-2006) and Lindsay Campbell (1921-2009). The dogs were very respectful, dropping at the little shrine and watching intently as I paid my respects.

I spent some time at the War Memorial in Canberra yesterday, I will endevour to copy the photos from my phone onto here (seems way beyond my technological prowess but I'll give it a go).

In Flanders’ Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders’ Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders’ Fields.

Lest we forget....

This last photo is of Paul's medals. He never bothered to collect them in life (too hard basket) so I was presented with them after his funeral, along with his Beret (which I had passed on for use during the service) and the Australian flag. I have these items placed on his ashes in the study... where he spent most of his spare time... so I can ask him for help when the computer gets the best of me (which it often does).

We will remember them...

 

Ok so I've been a little slack with this bloggin thing, I've been extremely busy with my research as well as having nothing much to say. I'm still busy and I still have not much to say but I did get a new camera and tried it out at the races the other night.

The horse is Black Caviar, just rated the greatest horse ever to be... pretty cool that we saw her run and win her 11th race from 11 starts. A little bit of history for my memory bank (just gotta remember it now). The people are me, my best mate Jac and an old friend Wade. It was a great night out and I would recommend the Moonee Valley races to anyone, its cheap and you get right down to the action on the fence... much better than Flemington.

Here are my babies... minus Herbert

There are three more that I also purchased however I had to take photographs of them all as I only had hard copies and I was unable to scan them, the other three haven't been photographed.

Not a lot to say today other than people confuse me and I am becoming more of a recluse day by day.