Well we did it. Centrals that is. We won our 8th Grand Final this Century having played in all Finals since 2000. That in itself, is a record. Mind you the competition is not quite the competition it was before the Australian Football League started. Still you can only beat who you play and win what is there to win. It was a good day. Scott and I were in a box owned by one of our friends. Well it is his companys' box. His company being the correct description. We were plentifully supplied with food and wine etc! Centrals won by 38 points pulling away after a hesitant start. Scott already has his Championship polo shirt. Mine will arrive for Christmas, at least I think it will. Our other sporting teams haven't fared so well Australia not doing so well in their 'One Day' series with India although there is a long way to go. South Australia started their season well but have been thumped (no other way to put it) in their last two 'One Dayers'. They have however, signed two of the best 20/20 cricketers for that part of the season. Adelaide United have also been up and down. They beat Sydney (top of the league) 2-1 despite being reduced to 10 men after 8 minutes. A fine performance. The following week we lost to Melbourne for the eighth successive time. Unlike Centrals not a record to be proud of. Losing to Melbourne, for we here in Adelaide, is akin to Scotland losing to England!

October has been an interesting month weather wise. The last week of it brought temperatures in the mid 30's. By the way, too soon and too much of a jump. It is not after all Summer. We like Spring to usher Summer in gently with time to acclimatise! Conversely, it has been wet enough to fill our reservoirs to 93% capacity. This compares with 70% at the same time last year! Because of this little water has needed to be pumped from the Murray which helps the river system. It also let the Government increase the water allocations to irrigators. They now have 46% of their allocation to use. For city dwellers the restrictions have been eased. At present watering can be done twice a week for three hours with hand held hoses. No sprinklers. Although the restrictions are to be eased they have not told us what will be allowed or told us when we will know!

Politics as usual have been interesting. Earlier in the month the Premier, Mike Rann, was assaulted at a Labor Party fund raising dinner. He was attacked by a man wielding a rolled up wine magazine - the dinner was after all in the Wine Centre! The alleged attacker was subdued by other guests and then arrested. Only one police officer was there as the Premier's security (it is South Australia after all)! The alleged was heard to shout about the Premier and his estranged wife. After the event the Premier said that he had been friends with the arrested man's wife when she worked in Parliaments bar as a waitress and he had continued the friendship after she left and his wife was aware of it! The matter then became more or less sub judice due to it becoming a legal matter. Questions were then raised in Parliament by the Opposition resulting in the Speaker suspending the sitting on the first day it was raised, due to the behaviour of the Members. The next day it was raised again, this time the result was the Speakers' threatened resignation due to his disgust at Members behaviour! Parliament then rose for the week. There are only about 7 sitting days before the next Election due in March (not a bad job as an aside eh?) The matter will surely be raised again!

Federally we are again seeing many many 'Asylum seekers' journeying to Australia by boat, the majority are Sri Lankan and Afghani. The boats are not always seaworthy and crewed by people smugglers who charge up to $15,000 for the journey. Most believe that if only they reach Australia or are picked up by an Australian ship they will be allowed to stay. This of course, is not always the case. A few months ago a boat was blown up by those on board just as the Royal Australian Navy approached. Five died!

Kevin is trying to steer a course between humanity and hardline. Actually failing in both! Some say "let them all in" some "let none in". There is of course all manner of differing opinions too. As a rationale for 'all in' the claim is made that thousands arrive in the Country legally each year on student's working holiday or family visit visas' and disapear and remain illegally. That they say is a greater problem. It's interseting that a legal flight (with visa) would cost about $1500! At the moment there are 78 'seekers' on an Australian customs vessel anchored off Indonesia. They were picked up as their boat was sinking. As 'rescued' under the law of the sea they should be landed at the nearest port. They are refusing to get off and threaten suicide if not brought here. The question that has to be resolved is this, 'Are the boat people political refugees whose lives are in danger in their homeland or are they economic refugees? The ability to pay $15000 may provide a clue. Many of the boats carry single young men, which raises another question, especially for those from Sri Lanka. Are they x Tamil Tigers? There are thousands of refugees in camps throughout Asia trying, legally to get visas to resettle in Australia. Should queue jumpers who have money be given preference? It has been proven also that some on the customs ship have been in Indonesia for up to 5 years Some have been shown to have tried befor and been paid by the Australian Government to go 'home' and not so to speak come back! Sums of over $5000 have been paid to them. The current Government, as the previous, is finding this a poisoned chalice.

The Fords have had a reasonably quiet social month.. Lauren has enjoyed her riding. She now rides with an endurance rider helping her train her horses. Rides up to 25 kilometres at a time. Returns sore but happy! She is doing well at school which pleases her mum and dad!. Her Maths teacher has progressed her to next years maths. Definitely not from her father that!

We had a weekend away at Carrickalinga with the dinner party group. Lauren stayed with her aunt while we were away. She is not to keen on spending the weekend with a bunch of adults! quite right too. Our departure was delayed though by an unexpected visitor. I was in the kitchen and looked onto our deck to see a Koala wander on to it. He then proceeded to try and scratch his way through the glass doors into the family room. I am not sure why. He failed, became I suppose, frustrated by that, he marked his territory while sitting on my Esky!!!! He then took exception to us trying to shoo him away and walked off the deck and climbed the nearest tree. We left him to it and headed to Carrickalinga.

To finish this month two stories, one of which involves 'marking' a la our visitor. A bus driver was suspended then dismissed after being reported for relieving himself at the side of his bus. Some would say harsh. It was however right outside a school and at 11.30 in the morning. The bus company stated that that was not the standard expected of its employees!

A man charged with drink driving, put forward the defence that he was set up by police. He claimed that the policeman (whom he knew) waited hidden with his lights off and followed him when he left the hotel! This he claimed was a setup! "I had been in the hotel from about 6pm unti l0.15pm. Only had 4 beers!' that is until he scolled two large ports - for medicinal purposes, they help his isomnia! He blew it by the way, his breathaliser test showed 0.156 while the legal limit is 0.05! The Magistrate was unsympathetic. Suspended him for 36 months! He had had at least one prior conviction!

As I leave the Coutry prepares for the Race that stops the Nation, The Melbourne Cup is run on the first Tuesday in November. The result next time

Eric

(Article by Eric Ford, Australia)