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On a vey hot day here in Melbourne this is all I have the energy to do – pass on a joke that found its way to our inbox this morning.

The Redhead

A gorgeous redhead goes into the doctor’s surgery and says her body hurts wherever she touches it.

‘Impossible’ says the doctor. ‘Show me’

The redhead takes her finger pushes on her left breast and screams, then she pushes on her elbow and screams in even more agony.

She pushes her knee and screams, then she pushes on her thigh and more screaming.

Pushes her ankle, more screams – everywhere she touches makes her scream.

The Doctor says, ‘You’re not really a redhead are you?’

‘Well, no’, she says, ‘I’m actually a blonde.’

‘I thought so’, the doctor says,
.
.
.
.

‘Your finger is broken’.

I didn’t say it was funny:))

Wednesday and Thursday have been quiet lazy days – cool but sunny days – ideal for pottering in the garden, listening to the cricket and washing the last of the Christmas linen (not from Christmas Day) festive doyleys and tablecloths before putting them away for another year.

All the decorations are now out in the garage safely packed in their containers and this year I actually labelled the outside of the boxes. For the last 5 or 6 years I’ve used some big 44 ltr plastic boxes to store the individual containers which are great ‘cose they have wheels and also stack, the only drawback is they are a solid blue colour and not see through so you know what happens in December don’t you – yes, I have to check each one to actually find out what’s in them.

Its the same each year – don’t need the tree lights before the ‘ornaments’ so wonder which box ‘they’ are in lol

Don’t need Christmassy BBQ crockery till later – wonder which box they are in?

So as I say come December this year I will know what’s in each one – bet you I still have a little look to check tho’

Tomorrow is going to be cool again and as Dh will be off at the golf course I’m going to start reading one of my Christmas presents.

Have to nip to the hospital and see my Aunt first and sort out of few other things, then its settle down in the chair time.

Today has been lovely and warm – as it should be in January – which helped my mood in some ways but I’ve had heavy eyes all day due to Dh playing steam trains via his mouth and nose at various times during the night as well as two huge great fire trucks careering past the house at 5am bells, whistles and lights going like crazy – putting it politely I had a fractured nights sleep and will be off to the land of nod quite soon.

Back in the swing of things now so took a walk first thing to wake me up and then popped down for an early visit to see A Pam – she ‘s still in hospital – and as the Dr hadn’t done his rounds the nursing staff just say she coming along ok and no decision has been made about when she can be discharged. Now Pam would love to be out and about and it is so hard trying to convince her she has to stay there. We watched some of the cricket and that seemd to pacify her – we (Australia) didn’t do too well in the first two tests so we have got to pull our socks up on this one or our reputation will be well and truly shot.

Washing and clearing out some kitchen drawers took care of the afternoon and then I nipped down to the gym for a body pump class. Guess who forgot all the usual timetables are on hold at the moment as its holiday time and lots have gone away so I went down into the gym and found all the treadmills and equipment were in use (so much for people being on holiday!) came home feeling very dejected, there I was all raring to go and couldn’t so went for another walk up the road instead.

Bye for now, See you tomorrow

For all you fans of the King I thought you’d like to know Elvis is alive and well in Australia

This is the week all those Elvis impersonators make their way to Parkes, a smallish town in country New South Wales for the annual Elvis Festival.

You can read all about it here

http://www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au/

As well as all the benefits of a great country lifestyle and the Elvis Festival Parkes also has another claim to fame.

The radio telescope outside the town played a part in space history especially during the first mission to land a man on the moon. If you ever in that part of Australia it is well worth a visit

Look here http://www.csiro.au/org/VisitParkesTelescope.html to see the place that inspired a funny movie made of this time called The Dish – try to get a copy; most of it’s the way it was but I think they used a bit of poetic licence for some scenes.

Not sure it’s big enough for a game of cricket and I think it would have been too valuable to let a lot of people just walk about on let alone chuck balls about.

Now hands up if you knew there was another Elvis visiting our country

The international fire fighting helicopter/crane known as Elvis is now on duty Down Under for the fire season. This press release tells us about his coming and that he has several mates here with him; I love that one is called Elsie 🙂

They have been worked quite hard on their recent visits so I’m sure they are hoping to have an easier time this year. Lets hope it turns out that way

As it is supposed to be the second month of summer here I’m not sure what is going on with our weather.

With so many of our industries closed during this time from Christmas to the first Monday in January lots of families are away on holiday and I don’t think they would be appreciating the weather we have had these past few days.

This week it’s been cool below average temp days and cold needing another blanket on the bed nights – for the best part of today I have been walking around in a winter top with fleecy tracky pants. The one good thing is that its rained on some of the days but if you are camping down at Rosebud foreshore with the Bay two steps away from the tent that’s the last thing you want. lol

So, to keep myself from thinking about the fact that to save a little bit on the gas bill we turned off the pilot light on the gas heater just before Christmas and it would be a real pain to try and light it again (that’s Dh’s job as he can see the writing on the side of the frame) I found a job to do in the bedroom.

No Dh was a the golf club all day so you can get that idea out of your mind :)) – I did my beginning of the year job in the wardrobe.

Each January for the last few years I’ve turned the coat hangers round the other way. Normally my hangers hang over the bar – not under the bar – so now when I use anything they will be rehung the ‘usual’ way.

I’ve pared my clothing down a lot since I retired, its mostly casual clothing now but doing this gives me a way at the end of the year to see if there is anything I haven’t worn. I do get some idea at the end of seasons, Melbourne has a temperate climate without an extreme temperature range, coldish winter and supposedly hot summers but you know we can have four seasons in one day here so I don’t do that Northern Hemisphere thing of packing clothes away at the end of winter or summer. They all live in the wardrobe and get worn at all times of the year not when the date on the calendar dictates what should be worn. Lol

Part of the day was spent looking at finances. We have been fine-tuning a few things for 2009 and once again I used the free budget spreadsheet from this site.

http://people.aapt.net.au/~lynwood/tracking.html

Downloading this spreadsheet is easy, its in two parts, one for your budgeted amounts and another for actual monthly expenditure over the year. It shows you know visually where you are overspending; I try to record what we spend so we can see where it all goes, they have lots of categories for that to happen. Doesn’t provide us with more money but satisfies my need to know we are able to survive (and also save a bit) on what we do receive :))

Today has been quite a productive day, I managed to get lots of odd jobs done as well as a major one. I started out this morning with just the biggy – called tidying the garage – in mind and it sort of flowed on from there.

When I get into a cleaning/tidying up/decluttering mood I have a terrible habit of filling bags and boxes with all the ‘stuff’ I don’t want in the house and yet am not prepared to give up just at that moment. One year I tried really hard and did the ‘in the bin or charity bag’ with gusto and was so angry when I regretted tossing a craft book I now have to have a holding pen. So yes, you are one step in front of me – it all lands up in the garage.

They have to go somewhere till I get round to making the decision, I’m a Libran and I have to look at both sides of the story and unfortunately unless its something I really don’t like or have finished with I can’t do it instantly. Of course when we have company I ‘clean’ through, enjoy the clear look then realise I do need half the stuff I put out there so have to go and retrieve a lot the next week. lol

Anyway as it wasn’t too hot today I thought it would be good to find out how much tinned goods I have out there in one of the cupboards, sort out a couple of the boxes and give the floor a bit of a sweep as well. I am pleased to tell you our bin is a lot fuller than it was this morning and there are bags in the car to go down the road and apart from some knitting patterns that must have walked out there by themselves and jumped into one of the bags ‘cose I’m not sure how they could have got there nothing came back indoors again. There are however still a couple of boxes to go through – but thats for another day. :))

Oh and guess what, I was going through some old paper work and found a $10 note – so it was worth while my double checking instead of just tossing.

Now the next decision – do I save it or spend it ??????

Yes in just a couple of hours it will be 2009, well here in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne that is. Can’t come soon enough as this year has been a bit of trial. The past few weeks have been a blur with my car making an almost daily visit to the local hospital to visit the Aunt.

There we thought she was settled in at the Aged Care Residence we found for her back a little while but nothing is ever certain in this life is it. She developed a chest infection that turned to pneumonia (hence the hospital admission) her confusion/dementia has worsened and the poor nursing staff have born the brunt of the aggression that accompanies this stage. She has been reassessed by The Aged Care team and now has been determined to need High Care which means she can’t go back to where she was and we have to make more enquiries with nursing homes that have secure placements. Oh dear life is not a bowl of cherries at the moment – for me and for her also lol

I’ll be back in a few days – once the year has started proper I’m sure I’ll feel like chatting.

So for now its ‘Happy New Year to you all’ – 2 hours and 9 minutes to go

I’ve been away a while and since we got home – life just seems to have got in the way. Theres been no blogging or checking other blogs – in fact I haven’t been near this machine since we went away last month.

Hopefully after Christmas and the New Year I’ll be able to chat more regularly.

These came into our inbox recently and as they are sort of Christmas related thought you’d like to read them. Both are to do with women in one way or another – and – we know women are very important at this time of the year – after all how would things get done if we all went on strike. Open minds with the first one please.

One Flaw In Women

By the time the Lord made Woman, He was into his sixth day of working overtime

An angel appeared and asked, ‘Why are you spending so much time on this one Project?’

And the Lord answered, ‘Have you seen my spec sheet on her?

She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, able to run on diet coke and leftovers, have a lap that can hold four children at one time, and a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart and she will do everything with only two hands.’

The angel was astounded at the requirements.

‘Only two hands! No way!

And that ‘s just on the standard model?

That’s too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish.’ said the angel.

‘But I won’t,’ the Lord protested.

‘I am close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can work 18 hour days.

‘The angel moved closer and touched the woman.

‘But you have made her so soft, Lord.’

‘She is soft,’ the Lord agreed, ‘but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish’.

”Will she be able to think?’, asked the angel.

The Lord replied, ‘Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason and negotiate.’

The angel, noticing something, reached out, touched the woman’s cheek.

‘Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model.. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one.’

‘That’s not a leak,’ the Lord corrected, ‘That’s a tear!’

‘What’s the tear for?’ the angel asked.

The Lord said, ‘The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment t, her love, her loneliness, her grief and her pride’

The angel was impressed.

‘You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything! Woman is truly amazing..’

And she is!

Women have strengths that amaze men.

They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe in.

They stand up to injustice. They don’t take ‘no’ for an answer if there’s a better solution they go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel, cheer when friends get awards. They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies. They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colours.

They’ll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail to show how much they care.

The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideals.

They give moral support to their family and friends.

Women have vital things things to say and everythingot give

THERE IS ONLY ONE FLAW IN WOMEN . . . . . . . . . THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THEIR WORTH

…………………………

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December.

Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring.

Therefore, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting Santa’s reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a girl.

We should’ve known…. ONLY women would be able to drag a big fat fella in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost.

Bye for now, Merry Christmas to you all and a Happy New Year.

Another gem that arrive in our Inbox last week – makes interesting reading. After reading this you’ll never look at a banana in the same way again. lol

Won’t be around next week as I’ll be up at Numurkah in the Riverland enjoying my (our) birthday present of a week at the Resort there. Even tho we desperately need the rain I hope its dry for us so the fellas can play golf and leave us girls to sit in the sun and chat.

Bananas contain three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fibre.

A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes.

But energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills – eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. Anaemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school (England) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fibre, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a ‘cooling’ fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills.

When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, ‘A banana a day keeps the doctor away!’

PS: Not sure if this is true but I will add one here, want a quick shine on our shoes??

Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe…polish with dry cloth.

Amazing fruit – my favourite

This is a funny little joke that landed in our Inbox this morning. Enjoy:))

The Bank Loan

A frog goes into a bank and approaches the teller.

He can see from her nameplate that her name is Patricia Whack.

‘Miss Whack, I’d like to get a $30,000 loan to take a holiday’

Patty looks at the frog in disbelief and asks his name.

The frog says his name is Kermit Jagger, his dad is Mick Jagger, and that it’s okay, he knows the bank manager.

Patty explains that he will need to secure the loan with some collateral.

The frog says, ‘Sure. I have this,’ and produces a tiny porcelain elephant, about an inch tall, bright pink and perfectly formed.

Very confused, Patty explains that she’ll have to consult with the bank manager and disappears into a back office.

She finds the manager and says, ‘There’s a frog called Kermit Jagger out there who claims to know you and wants to borrow $30,000, and he wants to use this as collateral.’

She holds up the tiny pink elephant.

‘I mean, what in the world is this?’

(folks, your gonna luv this)

The bank manager looks back at her and says. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

‘It’s a knickknack, Patty Whack.

Give the frog a loan

His old man’s a Rolling Stone.’

You’re singing it, aren’t you? I know you are. . .

Never take life too seriously!

Come on now, you grinned, I know you did!!!

Have a lovely day. . . . . .

A lot of the big shopping centres have had a slow down in sales recently and the one here in the eastern suburbs at Ringwood called Eastland is no exception.

Their very swanky glossy brochure was delivered last week – this one is advertising Christmassy things and many of the shops put out what I call teasers. A small number of shops advertise one product and hope the public will flock in to buy more.

There is lots of blurb about browsing the big department stores and the 230 speciality shops – not sure where they got that number from as I wouldn’t have thought it was that many – and as well as pushing Santa Photo times, Community Gift Wrapping times, Eastland Gift vouchers it also states the fact that there is loads of free car parking.

The brochure won’t be delivered out of the local area and anyone who is from the area and has shopped there is fully aware that there is oodles of parking and it has always been free. That’s why loads of Ringwood rail commuters park there lol

Anyway the slow down in sales had produced another incentive – Free Fuel from Santa.

The catch is……………………..you have to spend at least $250 in centre on Monday December 8th and then take proof of purchase to the Service Desk and while stocks last you’ll receive a Free $50 Fuel Card.

No indication of how many cards there might be – just while stocks last.

Somehow I think the winner here will be Eastland Shopping Centre

click to enlarge

So as the chair covers were being washed it seemed silly not to do the cobwebs before I vacuumed and as I was brushing around the window frame thought it would be a good idea to take the net curtains down, give the flyscreens a brush and clean the actual windows.

So out with the steps, down with the curtains and a short while later clean windows.

Inside and Out lol

For years all I’ve used is a soft cloth dunked in a bucket containing warm water along with a drop of bleach and a drop of washing up detergent, then rung out well, dried them with a piece of newspaper and never had streaks.

I believe in using easy ways and have the same no fuss attitude with the nets.

I soak them in the laundry trough in warm water with washing powder, roll them over the edge into the machine, give a short spin then rinse with fresh cold water in the machine followed by a very light spin. I’ve learned that hanging them wet means they dry with no creases.

We now have a nice tidy room that has a clean floor (under as well as around the furniture ) along with clean windows and window furnishings and no cobwebs:))

All the baby clothes are in the car and the only question I have now is – how long is it going to take to sort out all of the ‘ornaments’ I cleared off the table next to my chair that are now residing in a plastic bag, the bags of wool and other paraphernalia that was behind the chair and the various books that were on the floor beside the chair??

Most of it does have a proper home but at the moment it is now sitting just inside the spare room door waiting for me to have another burst of energy lol

Daisymum had a post today talking about ‘Super Mums’ and expectations of Self, Family and Friends. You;ll find it here so please pop over and read.

The other day she spoke about ‘things’ that didn’t get done ‘cose other ‘things’ cropped up.

Guess what – other ‘things’ have cropped up here and this is how my living room looks at the moment.

Looking in through the sliding door from the hallway you almost wonder what hit the place lol
I’ve mentioned before how I ‘work’ as volunteer co-ordinator for a programme that provides right sized clothing to hopitals for families whose babies die preterm. When all the little garments arrive at the Volunteer Centre there are a group of us who sort and size and then make up the little packs for the Treasured Babies as the programme is called.

But recently some of the ‘girls’ have been away so theres been a bit of a backlog in the sorting dept.

Lots of the knitted garments came home with me yesterday and I made a start – unfortunately I was out last night, made it messier this morning, its nearly noon now and I have to go out this afternoon so its going to have to stay this way for a few more hours 😦

You will note even Dh is a messy one leaving his slippers and his books right beside his chair

This is my trusty comfortable chair plus several other ‘ornaments’ on the side table that have homes elsewhere. I shifted everything back so I could use the floor space so I promise by this time tomorrow I will have moved the furniture to its usual postition and it will be back to its normal presentable state.

Just hope the ‘phone doesn’t ring in the mean time as I’ll probably break my neck trying to answer it. Will have to go to one of the bedrooms instead.

The forecast rain arrived – along with gusty strong winds. It started about lunchtime and came down all afternoon and is still going strong.

At times it has been quite heavy but mostly its been pleasant trying to get right down into the ground rain. Hopefully it will continue all night and then maybe tomorrow as well.

Unfortunately Melbourne Water say our dams are only at 34% full today so we need almost months of constant rain in the catchment areas to do any good. Somehow I don’t think thats going to happen 😦

I don’t feel too happy when I read headlines that read like this or this:

Melbourne water prices set to double by 2013

Yarra Valley Water, who provide our supply are hoping to increase the bills by 97%. Not a happy thought is it.

The State Government is also reviewing water restrictions for the summer months.

Guess the washing machine won’t be on as frequently and there will be more ‘strip’ washes than showers in our house 😦

Now I’m sure you would all like to know that December 25th is seven weeks away. That’s right – seven weeks today Thursday November 6th is Christmas Day. Lots of stores have been decorated for a while now and it will get worse as the weeks go by.

I don’t go overboard with presents for the grandchildren these days but one thing I do like to give them are books. For Birthdays and Christmas there is at least one book wrapped and given with love from us.

Apart from picking up the odd special interest one in good condition from Op/Thrift/Charity shops Dh and I love to go to a warehouse in Collingwood- Dirt Cheap Books – that sells new books for $5 or less.

Last year they started an email listing of customers and would let us know when they got new stock in etc.

Normally only open at the weekend last month they opened during the week just for their email clients and were offering children’s books at 3 for $10 – couldn’t have come at a better time.

After printing off the email – a necessity or no sale – we zoomed off to the city for a couple of hours of pleasure. Doubled when we got there and found they had also included adult books as well.

So not only have I managed to buy Chrissie stuff but have also been able to get some of those ‘’heres a little something for you ‘cose I love you’ gifts for during the next year.

For example one of the girls has started to take an interest in The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot. Even tho’ these are not brand new publications, by that I mean they have been in print for several years, our top price bookshops are charging about $12 a copy for them; Big W and Kmart charge about $9.

So I have been able to get 3 in the series for $10 which is close to the lowest price available to me retail.

One of the boys is starting to read Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer and they are even more expensive so I almost whooped for joy when I found a couple I knew he hadn’t read.

I suppose some would say it wasn’t a cheap visit – we paid $100 altogether – but I came out with 21 children’s books and Dh picked up some to keep him going for a little while.

I do put some cash aside each month for the grandchildren to get their Christmas presents so ‘my bill’ was already budgeted for lol

Sometimes we have parts of our gardens that are a problem. The side of our house has always been that way. A nothing area – just a piece of land than ran down the side of our house closest to oneof the boundary fences.

For years we used oil for our heating and thats where the old oil tank has been situated. when we changed to gas the oil company wanted an arm and a leg to remove it and take away so its stayed there ever since. We used to store things there and it generally became a no go area.

There were trees on our side of the fence for years and then when we moved interstate and it was rented out we cut them down for safety reasons – next door subdivided, built another unit close to the fence line (within the guidelines so we couldn’t really object) and planted these pittosporums on the fence line for privacy

Anyway a couple of years ago I set to and cleared out all the rubbish and brambles etc and tried to tidy it up. I used some old decking timber we saved when we renewed the deck – I keep things just in case – to try and make a walkway and was going to grow a rose over the arch.

At the end of this particular day I took these photos to remind me of what I’d achieved.

Later – when I got more energy I filled the top part of the walk and the bit near the bottom of the house with mulch and its stayed reasonably tidy since then.

Will carry on another day and show you what it looks like now

This found its way into our Inbox this morning – open minds please:)

The ‘Lady Golfer’

Four lawyers in a law firm lived and died for their Saturday morning round of golf. It was their favourite moment of the week. Then one of the lawyers was transferred to an office in another city. It was not quite the same without him.

A new woman lawyer joined their law firm. One day she overheard the remaining three talking about their golf round in the break room. Curious, she spoke up, ‘You know, I used to play on my golf team in college and I was pretty good. Would you mind if I joined you next week?’

The three lawyers looked at each other. They were hesitant. Not one of them wanted to say ‘yes’, but she had them on the spot. Finally one man said it would be okay, but they would be starting pretty early at 6:30 am. He figured the early Tee-Time would discourage her immediately. The woman said this might be a problem and asked if she could possibly be up to 15 minutes late.

They rolled their eyes but said this would be okay.

She smiled and said, ‘Good, then I’ll be there either at 6:30 or 6:45.’

She showed up right at 6:30 and wound up beating all three of them with an eye-opening two-under par round. She was a fun and pleasant person the entire round. The guys were impressed!

Back in the clubhouse, they congratulated her and happily invited her back the next week. She smiled and said, ‘Sure, I’ll be here at 6:30 or 6:45.’

The next week she again showed up at 6:30 Saturday morning. Only this time, she played left-handed. The three lawyers were incredulous as she still managed to beat them with an even par round despite playing with her left-hand.

By now the guys were very amazed, but wondered if she was just trying to make them look bad by beating them left-handed. They could not figure her out. She was again very pleasant and did not seem to be showing them up, but each man began to harbour a burning desire to beat her!

In the third week, they all had their game faces on. However, this week she was 15 minutes late!

This had the guys irritable because each was determined to play the best round of golf of his life to beat her.

As they waited for her, they figured her late arrival was some petty gamesmanship on her part.

Finally, she showed up. This week the lady lawyer played right-handed, which was a good thing since she narrowlybeat all three of them. However, she was so gracious and so complimentary of their strong play that it was hard to keep a grudge against her. This woman was a riddle no one could figure out!

Back in the clubhouse, she had all three guys shaking their heads at her ability. They had a couple of beers after their round which helped the conversation loosen up.

Finally, one of the men could contain his curiosity no longer. He asked her directly, ‘How do you decide if you are going to golf right-handed or left-handed?’

The lady blushed and grinned. She said, ‘that is easy. When my dad taught me to play golf, I learned I was ambidextrous. I have always had fun switching back and forth. Then when I met my husband in college and got married, I discovered he always sleeps in the nude.

From then on, I developed a silly habit. Right before I left in the morning for golf practice, I would pull the covers off him. If his ‘you-know-what’ was pointing to the right, I golfed right-handed and if it was pointed to the left, I golfed left-handed.

Astonished at this bizarre information, one of the guys shot back, ‘But what if it’s pointed straight up in the air?’

She said, ‘Then I am fifteen minutes late.’

I went back through some recent comments and couldn’t understand why some readers were saying enjoy my break – until I read the post where I mentioned going away again.

Honestly with all the comings and goings concerned with various things at the moment my memory is playing up- we won’t be out of town until the end of November coming back early December – you’d think with the thought of ‘freedom’ for a week I would have that date imprinted on my mind. lol

It’s been great these past 2 days knowing that A Pam is being looked after and I don’t have to go running round to her place at the drop of a hat – am going to enjoy this weekend with racing on the TV. The weather man says a cool one with some showers so maybe thats going to be the best place after all – sunny days will mean I’ll be outside clearing some more of those plants growing in wrong places ………………………….otherwise known as weeds 🙂

The big race day is Tuesday – Melbourne Cup Day – a public holiday here in Melbourne and its such an well loved event most of the country watches or listens to the race as well. Chicken and Champagne Lunch, yum yum. Many of the Australian runners have been scratched for one reason or another but the crowds will still be there regardless.