Latest news with #Christine
The Age
2 days ago
- General
- The Age
From friend to foe: The possum in my driveway has become a problem
At this point, I should've said something like, 'OK, the possum has gone to sleep now!' aware that to feed a possum once is to encourage it forever. Instead, I said: 'Should we go and get another carrot?' And so we did. Night after night, this became a ritual. I would return from work with a bag of carrots, and we would wedge one in the tree for our new friend (a young male common brushtail possum, thank you, Google) and wait for him to surface – a wholesome exchange between man and marsupial. According to the Reddit thread R/Possums, this was absolutely the wrong thing to do because possums are very territorial and shouldn't be tamed. Admittedly, I had experienced this firsthand growing up: a family of wild, shrieking possums setting up shop inside our roof, much to the frustration of my parents, who spent thousands of dollars having them 'rehomed' (dumped miles away in a park). But our possum wasn't like that, he seemed loveable and charming, cuddly even, the kind of possum Mem Fox had in mind when writing Possum Magic. And anyway, given the possum was already in his own home, there was nothing to worry about; we were dropping off groceries. For a while, the system worked well. I felt confident that a strong bond had been established, and people in the building called me 'the possum guy', a nickname I quite enjoyed. But things took a turn when my son decided to eat the carrot one night rather than share it. Have you ever seen a possum hiss and growl at a two-year-old? It's unpleasant, but not as unpleasant as being stalked down your own driveway by a possum you once considered a friend. The following night, the possum returned, this time with two buddies. Word had clearly spread, and being outnumbered changed the whole dynamic of the agreement; it became less like a brush with nature and more like a debt to be paid. On the advice of every person I spoke to and every possum forum I visited, I stopped feeding them immediately, which only appeared to anger the group. Leaving the house meant wondering if a gang of rightfully upset possums would be waiting for me, my Safe! Reliable! Predictable! suburb now a prison of my own making. Eventually, the only option was to call WIRES and admit what I'd done, which led to a polite-but-firm lecture from a lady named Christine, who had clearly had this conversation too many times to count. 'Firstly, stop feeding them. Secondly, buy some floodlights and possum-repellent spray; that should do the trick. Are you close to a Bunnings?' Of course, I am Christine; I live in the suburbs.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
From friend to foe: The possum in my driveway has become a problem
At this point, I should've said something like, 'OK, the possum has gone to sleep now!' aware that to feed a possum once is to encourage it forever. Instead, I said: 'Should we go and get another carrot?' And so we did. Night after night, this became a ritual. I would return from work with a bag of carrots, and we would wedge one in the tree for our new friend (a young male common brushtail possum, thank you, Google) and wait for him to surface – a wholesome exchange between man and marsupial. According to the Reddit thread R/Possums, this was absolutely the wrong thing to do because possums are very territorial and shouldn't be tamed. Admittedly, I had experienced this firsthand growing up: a family of wild, shrieking possums setting up shop inside our roof, much to the frustration of my parents, who spent thousands of dollars having them 'rehomed' (dumped miles away in a park). But our possum wasn't like that, he seemed loveable and charming, cuddly even, the kind of possum Mem Fox had in mind when writing Possum Magic. And anyway, given the possum was already in his own home, there was nothing to worry about; we were dropping off groceries. For a while, the system worked well. I felt confident that a strong bond had been established, and people in the building called me 'the possum guy', a nickname I quite enjoyed. But things took a turn when my son decided to eat the carrot one night rather than share it. Have you ever seen a possum hiss and growl at a two-year-old? It's unpleasant, but not as unpleasant as being stalked down your own driveway by a possum you once considered a friend. The following night, the possum returned, this time with two buddies. Word had clearly spread, and being outnumbered changed the whole dynamic of the agreement; it became less like a brush with nature and more like a debt to be paid. On the advice of every person I spoke to and every possum forum I visited, I stopped feeding them immediately, which only appeared to anger the group. Leaving the house meant wondering if a gang of rightfully upset possums would be waiting for me, my Safe! Reliable! Predictable! suburb now a prison of my own making. Eventually, the only option was to call WIRES and admit what I'd done, which led to a polite-but-firm lecture from a lady named Christine, who had clearly had this conversation too many times to count. 'Firstly, stop feeding them. Secondly, buy some floodlights and possum-repellent spray; that should do the trick. Are you close to a Bunnings?' Of course, I am Christine; I live in the suburbs.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Gourock artist sets out to get people on their bikes after Inverclyde Bothy closes
A GOUROCK artist has spoken about her mission to get people across Inverclyde out on their bikes after the closure of a lifeline local project. Fine arts creator Christine Allan was a volunteer leader with the Inverclyde Bothy until the project's funder, Cycling UK, pulled the plug on its financial support for the initiative earlier this year. Christine admitted she was 'gutted' when Cycling UK axed its funding for the Bothy – but now she is setting up her own venture in a bid to keep cycling on track in the area. (Image: George Munro) Christine, a cross country mountain biker and member of various clubs, said: "I first joined the Inverclyde Bothy when I moved to Gourock with my partner. "It was a great way of meeting people. I have been involved in cycling most of my life, I have taken part in cross country and triathlon. She said: "I started volunteering as a leader, taking groups out on the road from our base at Gourock railway station. It was great and we had so many people involved. Read more Inverclyde Bothy health walks saved by Lyle Gateway Fun for all the family as Inverclyde eco group hosts seaside picnic this weekend Inverclyde pupils soak up the sun on the sea with cruise on the Waverley "It was a shame to lose the the Inverclyde Bothy. I think people were really disappointed to lose it." The Inverclyde Bothy was set up in May 2018 and had established a popular network of health walks as well as its cycling project. The cycling side of the Bothy's programme saw people taken out on safe routes with team leaders, including Christine, giving others the chance to learn to cycle. Christine Allan hopes to save cycling in Inverclyde (Image: George Munro) The Tele recently reported that the Lyle Gateway community hub had taken on the walks element of the Bothy project. But until now, nobody has stepped up with a plan to keep the Bothy's cycling legacy alive. Christine has already come up with a plan of action to bring back the cycling side of the Bothy's work, and has spoken to Community Tracks, the bike recycling and refurbishment project run by the Inverclyde Community Development Trust, about making use of their stock of bikes and equipment. Christine Allan hopes to start up a cycling venture (Image: George Munro) Christine is also now a Bikeability instructor and is visiting local schools to put pupils through a cycling proficiency course. The 49-year-old added: "We have all this cycling infrastructure in Inverclyde, and we also have all these bikes. 'I want to make sure that people can make use of it. Christine Allan's artwork and gifts are sold at the Wyllieum (Image: contributed) "I am determined to find a way to keep it going. There are such lovely routes here. I love cycling to Lunderston Bay." Christine, whose prints and giftware are on sale at the Wyllieum gallery in Greenock, was shortlisted for the 'tourism' prize at the ICON Awards, run by the Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce, last year. Cycling UK confirmed in March that funding for its 'connecting communities' programme had not been renewed, and that six project locations – Inverclyde, Dunoon, Helensburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, East Sutherland, and Caithness – would close by the end of that month. The Bothy was left out of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport's 'People and Places Programme' for this year, which replaced the previous funding model that provided cash to active travel groups such as Cycling UK.
Global News
3 days ago
- Business
- Global News
‘I have to sell my house': Widow says ICBC death benefits left her in financial distress
A Surrey widow says she has gone into financial distress following a tragic incident in Boston Bar and must sell her house because ICBC's death benefits were so minimal. On July 11, 2022, Kelly and Christine O'Reilly were enjoying a ride on their motorbike. Suddenly, a truck travelling in the opposite direction lost its load of bricks. 'The whole thing just collapsed almost on top of us,' she told Global News. 'I could feel my husband gearing down and trying to steer, and it was really bumpy … I guess I was going through the air, and then I hit the pavement and felt the air get knocked out of me.' 4:46 B.C. physiotherapists on the impact of ICBC policy changes Christine survived with several broken bones. Her 63-year-old husband suffered catastrophic injuries and died at the scene. Story continues below advertisement Christine's death benefit was minimal, as Kelly was unemployed at the time of his death: about $69,000. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We have provided the family with coverage for funeral expenses, grief counselling and death benefits as well, since the passing of Mr. O'Reilly,' ICBC Spokesperson Greg Harper said. 'Ms. O'Reilly suffered some injuries in that crash, and we've been working with her on that to help her recover.' Christine said she's been left financially devastated. 'I've been living on a line of credit, and it just hit $90(000),' she said. 'I have to sell my house, and I am going to downsize.' The fatality did not fall within any of the exceptions under B.C.'s no-fault system. And since no criminal charges were laid, she's unable to pursue legal action against the truck driver. 2:18 B.C. family's lawsuit against ICBC challenging the insurers no-fault system The province has promised a five-year review of no-fault, which it calls 'enhanced care.' Story continues below advertisement 'So what we're reviewing in basic terms is how well are we doing, which I should say is a constant process within the corporation,' B.C. Public Safety Minister Gary Begg said. Lawyer Jesse Kendall with Rice Harbut Elliott LLP said the case shows where the system needs work. 'If this review is going to take place in the next year, this seems to be an area that is ripe for amendment and change to give people the right to pursue claims,' he said. Christine said she believes change is needed now, so that others don't face financial hardship.
Metro
3 days ago
- Health
- Metro
Woman suffers seven year infection after boyfriend farted in her face
An Australian woman was plagued with sinus infections for years until doctors found an unlikely reason behind them – her boyfriend's fart. Christine Connell suffered facial pain for seven years until doctors took a sample of her nose and found she had been suffering from E. coli in her sinuses. The reason? Her ex-boyfriend farting in front of her in a hotel room years earlier. She told The Sun: 'I realised that my ex-boyfriend got the best possible break-up revenge that anyone could ever get. 'I've had a persistent sinus infection ever since he and I stayed in a hotel one night after I had surgery and he farted terribly. I couldn't breathe. 'There's not anything that even compares to that.' She did say her ex-boyfriend didn't intend to fart in her face, but wasn't clothed and farted towards her as she was laying in bed, recovering from surgery. After sharing her ordeal on TikTok, doctors came back with test results, and Christine alerted her followers: 'I wish I were joking. 'It is E. coli. You usually don't get E. coli in your sinuses because E. coli is from poop. How does that get in your sinuses unless you have a boyfriend who farts disgustingly and you are forced to inhale it because you are immobile after ankle surgery?' Chrstine is now undergoing treatment to kick the infection for good, but added that she thinks her compromised immune system at the time of the fart likely had something to do with the infection. 'Also, when I say it was the worst fart I have ever smelled in my life, I truly mean that. So, I think there were just a lot of factors combined that made this possible.' E. coli, short for Escherichia coli, is a type of bacteria that can, in some cases, cause severe illness, often through food poisoning. One type of E. coli lives in the gut of people and animals. This strain is usually harmless, and even beneficial, helping to digest your food. However, other, harmful, strains, can lead to infections in the digestive system which can, occasionally, be fatal. All of the cases in the current outbreak involve the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O145 (Stec). While different strains of E. coli can cause infections, the most common symptoms of each are: Diarrhoea, ranging from mild and watery to severe and bloody Stomach cramps, or abdominal pain and tenderness Nausea and vomiting Patients may also have a fever. More Trending Most people will suffer symptoms three to four days after being infected, but E coli food poisoning can strike any time between one and 14 days after exposure. The E. coli, once in the body, releases a toxin which causes the symptoms. In some cases, it can lead to a condition known as haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which causes blood clots that can damage the kidneys – and is potentially fatal. Signs of HUS included peeing less, tiredness, swelling and bruising. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Teachers lock the school loos and only let us go once a day — even on our periods MORE: People aren't ready to let robots and AI decide on euthanasia, study finds MORE: Rare Cadbury chocolate bar spotted in UK and fans say it's 'delightful'
