The Murrumbidgee River is a significant part of our landscape here. But it’s only in the summer that we really get to play with it.
Charles and his cousins Will and Alex had intended to go out in our old Canadian canoe. I was doubtful it would hold three large young men. However, it filled up with water for a different reason. It turned out I’d forgotten they’d put a hole in it last summer and not fixed it. Last time that happened I spent hours cursing, trying to find a shady, cool place to do the repair in 34 degree (Celsius) heat, covering myself in gloopy runaway resin and trying to decipher the instructions which were written for “dudes” fixing “dings” on the “rails” of their surfboards.
Luckily this time the Leonards came to our rescue with the loan of three kayaks. They’re made of plastic which is heavier, but much more resilient to the “dings” of a rocky river. 
They guys had been chopping invasive black willow thickets with pruning saws and were exhausted by the effort.
They found a kangaroo skeleton but didn’t bring it home to add to their childhood collections of skulls and bones. 
They looked at me strangely when I asked them why they didn’t carry it back in the kayaks.
“It smelled.”
I guess it’s a long time now since I was taken on rather creepy tours of their “museum” under the cypress tree, with special booby traps to keep out anyone who might want to make off with their bony treasures. They had a horse, lots of sheep, a fox and a turtle shell. But never a kangaroo.
Since they went home there’s been a lot of rain and the river is running high.
I need to remember that we only get about six more weeks before the weather will be too cold until the end of the year.
I might even remember to get a fibreglass repair kit for the Canadian and go boating. 
One Bend In The River 