Category: Uncategorized

It was a busy weekend and I had to think about the house and family and not me.

No rain but lots of sunshine so I was able to get some of the heavy as in thick clothes washed and dry on the outside line. The colder days of the past week or so meant we have been wearing windcheaters and tracksuit pants around the house and these are notorious for taking a while to dry.

As I mentioned before we need to have some trees lopped so the man came Saturday to have a look see and give us a quote. It would seem its a lot cheaper to buy a decent chainsaw and do it ourselves but neither of us took tree felling as part of our education so we are going to have to leave the job to the experts. lol

In the end we decided its going to have to wait until September when we get back from our trip – we don’t know anyone with wood heating who would take the wood and I don’t want it left on the nature strip on theoff chance someone would take it so to keep the cost down they will chip as much as possible (means they don’t have to cart so much wood away) and as their machine won’t go down the drive into the back garden the pile will have to be on the driveway or the front grass and as I’m not going to have enough time to move it all between chipping and the first week of August when we leave (‘cose I have to think about where it can be put to weather for a while) – and as I don’t want this huge great pile of wood chips sitting there for weeks on end announcing to the world that no-ones home – its going to have to wait till we get home. Phew did you follow that ??

Had one on the granddaughters here Saturday afternoon for some help with her homework. I come in useful sometimes and she needed – don’t laugh – help with a recipe lol

She is in her 2nd year at High School and has grown up so much. As well as her Victorian Girls Choir commitments she is now learning to play the clarinet.

Now we all know and remember the horrors of a child learning to play the recorder – DH use to call it a love thy neighbour I think not , play it at the bottom of the garden instrument – well, she has had none of the squeeky problems with this grown up recorder like instrument and has even joined a little band the new musicians have formed.

Sunday afternoon DH and I went for a drive, just got in the car and drove. After my last post I was a bit wary about how far he wanted to go but he said ‘come on, live a little, we shouldn’t be stuck indoors on these nice days’ so off we went.

We live close to the Yarra Valley and at this time of the year its marvellous with all the autumn foliage so for a couple of hours we tootled about taking it all in – went out to Yarra Glen and down the back way to Healesville – talk about an ulterior motive – there’s lots of reconstruction work going on at his golf course at Healesville and we end up driving (very slowly) down some of the roads that back on to it so he can see how the work inside the fence is coming along on the holes that aren’t ready to be played on yet.

Dinner was a casserole from the freezer courtesy of my batch cooking the other week with just some added veggies we peeled before we went out.

As this article in The Age states the cost of petrol/gas here in Australia has risen quite substantially recently and even though we seem to be having a hard time of it compared to other countries we now have to ‘think’ about whether our journeys are really necessary. If I can share my reasons for driving I will, meaning I’ll plot my drive to include various stopping off places along the way there and back. It’s good for my bank balance and also for the environment.

The price boards outside the service stations here have various prices on them and if we shop at certain supermarkets we can use percentage off dockets at their service stations and get it at a reduced rate. These boards have the regular cost and also the discount cost but on reading this article at beingfrugal.net it seems motorist in some states in the USA have something else to worry about in regards to the price of their fuel.

Here in Australia there are some shops and companies that charge an extra percentage for credit card purchases but I don’t think its reached the oil companies yet. I’d hate to have to carry cash around in the car just in case my service station decided to charge extra if I paid by credit card.

There is a marvellous full moon outside tonight along with a very clear sky.

It seem like every star in the sky is visible and the forecast is for a chilly (COLD to us) 2c/36f overnight so I think I’ll be putting a hottie in the bed to take the chill off before I get in. Today was great, some sunshine, no rain and fine enough to get the washing dry outside.

Did any of you learn a poem at school by Walter De La Mare called Silver?

Each time we have a full moon in the cooler months and everything has an eerie look about it after dark this poem always comes to mind.

We had to learn it well enough to recite in class but now I can only remember the first two lines, however thanks to our trusty friend the Internet here it is – and I wonder why I’ve never searched for it before :(.

Slowly, silently, now the moon
Walks the night in her silver shoon;
This way, and that, she peers and sees
Silver fruit upon silver trees;
One by one the casements catch
Her beams beneath the silvery thatch;
Couched in his kennel, like a log,
With paws of silver sleeps the dog;
From their shadowy cote the white breast peep
O f doves in a silver-feathered sleep;
A harvest mouse goes scampering by,
With silver claws, and silver eye;
And moveless fish in the water gleam,
By silver reeds in a silver stream.

Walter De La Mare (1873 – 1953)

It all came back as I read it, standing there in the class room and feeling quite confident, as I knew every line. I never ever did well at written exams but sailed through anything oral. That’s me – never have trouble talking lol

Thanks to a local shop NQR we had some fabulous Pumpkin soup for dinner this evening. They have been selling local produce that growers were having to dump because the buyers they were supplying deemed them ‘not right. Too big, too small, maybe damaged in some way but as far as taste is concerned quite ok. Butternut pumpkins were going for $1 each so I couldn’t walk away could I? When we are on a roll I keep going and there’s been more cooking going on in the kitchen.

I know it’s easy to make soup (for some people) but for me to begin with I need something to follow. Consulted one of my many recently discovered lurking on a shelf in the laundry cook books and found a really easy recipe in one of Annette Sym’s books. Symply Too Good To Be True Book 1.

Put Pumpkin, onions, carrots, chicken stock, nutmeg, salt, pepper and water in a saucepan, bring to boil, cook till tender and then puree. Fantabulous taste with a bonus of enough for 2 more meals in the freezer – makes me wonder why I went off cooking?

I have some more of that stewing beef cooking away in the crockpot. This time along with the onions and garlic there is some turnip, parsnip, swede and carrot. A tin of tomatoes as well as Thyme and Oregano to flavour. More winter comfort food coming up.

Well – the BOM got it right his weekend, Saturday was the coldest wettest day for about 8 years and Sunday not far behind. We had 10mm of rain during Saturday and 27mm yesterday. Bet there were loads of struggling Mums out there as there was lots of football played in the rain.

Friday night in my area was cold, down to 7c/ 45f overnight, and then on Saturday the highest it got to be was 10c/50f. Saturday night it dropped down to 6c/43f and it didn’t get any higher than 14c/57f on Sunday. Not to be out done last night went down to 5c/1f and today it has struggled to reach 15c/59f.

So I didn’t go far at all – in fact I did some cooking. Turned the heater off and used the oven to warm the house:)

Chicken soup from the stock I froze the other day along with some added McKenzie’s dried soup mix (barley, lentils, peas and beans) celery, carrots and a few other bits and pieces. Didn’t taste too bad and made me realise that I can cook frugally if I try.

The butcher had some good bargains recently; they had stewing beef on special so I did a sort of casserole for the Sunday evening meal. After browning the meat along with garlic and onions I put it and carrots into the crock-pot and left it cooking all day. There was some left over gravy in the freezer and that got used as well as Worcestershire Sauce to spice it up a bit. I’d forgotten what the slow cooking in the crock-pot does for those cheaper cuts; there I thought it was going to be tough but it almost melted in the mouth. Mashed potatoes made it into real comfort food for a rainy day.

I did some cake cooking in the aftenoon, DH couldn’t believe his eyes but didn’t dare say a thing. It’s been a while since I have shown any inclination to cook save the necessary things.

So I made Date and Walnut Loaves and a Boiled Fruit Cake. Easy to do, melt some ingredients in a saucepan, add egg, bicarb soda and flour, mix and cook.

During the recent clear out I found an old binder I used many years ago that I used to store recipes from magazines and the newspapers etc you know the sort of thing. Things that caught my eye when the kids were little – some dated in the 1970’s.

I had to laugh at the prices in the newspaper ads. In The Sun Nov 1977 – at Family Fare (who I think went out of business or were gobbled up many years ago) a twin pack of Sorbent toilet paper was 56c, Salada crackers 39c and it cost $1.35 for 100 Lipton Tea Bags 🙂

Later Sunday afternoon I sat down to sort out the cross stitch and realised the threads I bought recently were for another project:(

But then after a good hard look at which ones I actually did have it turned out I only needed to buy 3 colours. Sometimes its good to be a hoarder:))

It’s a lovely day today
So whatever you’ve got to do
You’ve got a lovely day to do it in, that’s true

Lyrics by Irving Berlin from the musical Call Me Madam

I love that old song and if I’d started this entry yesterday that certainly would have been the theme for the day. It was a gorgeous day and I spent most of it outside in the garden.

The forecast for this weekend is for wet days so with a promise of sunny, dry with a little wind for Thursday I knuckled under and did some basic chores first, like finding as much washing as I could that could be hung outside to dry.

Changed the bed and collected towels and bath mat from the bathroom to make another load and they chugged along while I tidied up and did the dishes. Then it was sunscreen and gardening clothes and ignore the phone while I played in the dirt.

We are planning on having some work done by a tree lopper and one of the offending trees is right next to where my compost heap is.

Naturally I don’t want to lose any of the good stuff thats been cooking there for a while or have it covered over or topped up with raw wood chips so I removed all the edging and raked it further down on to the adjoining garden bed. They can chip branches into the cleared area and it will be the start of another heap. Lots of leaves starting to come down and I’ll try to rustle up other goodies as well and we’ll be on our way again before the winter slows it all down.

Took me a little while to move it all as that area is behind the garage and part of it has become my holding/dumping ground for gardening things. Its where the wheelbarrow lives along with spare plant pots as well as some star pickets and all the old fence palings and things like that – those things that will come in handy once I know what I really want to do with them 🙂

I’m hoping the palings will be strong enough to form the outline of a veggie bed in the spring – only thing is I have to do the hard work preparing it during the winter. I never grizzle on rainy days (when we get them that is) as its softening the ground up and putting much needed moisture down in the ground as my attempt of growing veggies in amongst the roses didn’t really work so more thought will have to go into where I can site a bed solely for veggies.

My back ached a bit last night and I was cautious getting out of bed this morning. Certainly didn’t want another episode of back pain like the last one but I had something else to think about as the arm the Dr jabbed the other day was sore as well – flu jab time and even tho I don’t mix with as many people as when I was working I still get that yearly dose as you never know whats round the corner.

He is trying to get me to have the pneumonia vaccine as well but I’m not too sure about that.

Although the Dr did remind me it wasn’t all that long ago I suffered a lot of respiratory complaints and he diagnosed mature onset asthma which seems to have gone away now, I’m not too sure about adding something new into my system. I could be worrying about nothing and may change my mind in the next couple of weeks.

Will spend a good part of the weekend which as I said is supposed to be cold and wet starting a cross stitch wedding sampler for a friends daughter. Spotlight had Aida cloth on special the other week so I snagged a metre as well as all the threads I needed so we all ready for the starters gun.

Must find my enlarger glasses as well as the magnifying glass to hang round my neck first tho’:)

Here it is one month later – Jenny Wren is hosting her Day in My Life again. So here is an account my life on this 14th of May 2008. Pop over to her house and catch up other people’s day.

I woke late today feeling weary and just lay there for a while. Nothing planned till the afternoon, which was good as I had spent several hours in the Emergency Dept. at the local public hospital with my Aunt last night and after everything was sorted and I finally got her home it was gone 11.30pm when I got to bed. Arrived at the local Dr’s at 5.45pm and an hour later at the hospital and left there about 10.15pm.

Long story about the hospital visit – it has to do with the ponies at the end of her road and a carrot slipping from her fingers and big teeth trying to eat her fingers instead. I must say you really do see another side of life sitting in the waiting area for 2 hours before it’s your turn to be attended to:(

So after listening to the radio news top stories – the Federal Budget, Earthquake in China, Cyclone in Burma and another shooting in Melbourne I felt it was going to be ‘One of those Days’. I truly wonder what’s going on in our wonderful city it’s not many years since Melbourne was called the most liveable city in the world. I’m not so sure about that now.

DH went off to golf early so I fiddled about with breakfast and then did some surfing and Internet banking accompanied by a couple more cups of tea. Had a laugh when I looked at the desk and saw what he’d been using as a mouse mat. I heard him complaining about ours the other day, being sticky for some reason or another, so when I saw the black hard plastic thing out of one of the ‘green’ supermarket shopping bags sitting there with the mouse on top I was curious and had to try it – top marks for ingenuity DH as it worked 🙂

Rang my Aunt to see how she was going, talking away and then her doorbell rang, down goes the phone and I hear her chatting to her Personal Carer for the day come to give her a shower and I waited and waited and waited – yes she’s forgotten I’m hanging on. (One of those days)

I then get dressed and go to look for the cat DH let out before he went out. She was nowhere to be found but I discovered it was quite a nice day outside and so pottered around deciding the cat obviously knows it has to be pilled and is hiding in next doors garden.

I had her at the Vets yesterday as she’s been scratching at her ear for several days and after a look in her ear ‘ole as my Dad used to call it has been diagnosed with an inner ear infection – unusual in cats our vet tells me. She finally rocked up from out of the bushes and we get very friendly – I think not – vegemite doesn’t work but tablets sort of go down with the aid of a bit of margarine. Was not looking forward to this evening, as she’d be really keen to come when called – I think not.

Two not just one set of tablets a day and ear drops to be administered – I tell you life is not treating me kindly at the moment. Not treating my bank balance kindly either lol

Then decided I need some exercise so I walked to the local newsagents to pay some bills. Bill Express is a great service, it means I don’t have to go out of my way to pay bills but can do them there by credit card or cash.

The B………. computer at the other end wasn’t working. Not wasted time as I enjoyed the fresh air and did get a bit of exercise but will have to try and remember to do it another day. (One of those days)

Lunch today was coffee and a couple of sandwiches – comfortable food – jam and honey. Not a normal lunch but what caught my eye in the cupboard 🙂

Took it and ate at the computer – yes I realise its a no-no – but today I felt that way. Surfed around, checked Jenny’s blog to see if anyone had started writing but nothing of interest anywhere.

Then early afternoon I made my way back down to Aunt’s house where we were expecting a physiotherapist who was coming to talk about balance exercises. My cousin was there so we compared notes and I brought her up to date on the finger episode. It remains to be seen whether she can remember to do the exercises each day without a phone call to prompt her but the physio is coming back next week to see how she’s progressed.

After coffee and chat I popped in to the shops on the way home and picked up a few bits and I was able to pay those bills from this morning as the thingamajig was working again.

Talk about One of those Days – as soon as I chose a checkout line I had a funny feeling things were not going to be right:(

Only three customers in front of me – each one had a problem.

No price came up, a disagreement about the price that scanned, and a paddy ‘cose the EFTPOS machine wouldn’t work for her!!

I tell you I was glad to get home and see DH, everything that happened to me seemed so trivial as I listened to his tale of woe about number of shots taken and how the trees jumped out and swallowed his special golf ball– well I had to make him think it did, didn’t I 🙂

Really feel its been a nothing day and have nothing planned to finish off the evening ‘cept have a laugh at Carson trying to tart up some of the housemates on Big Brother. After that I think an early rest in bed with a Milo and a book.

I found this while surfing around – its a whole month away today so keep it in mind.

World Wide Knit in Public Day – June 14th 2008

I’ve copied this from the history page on the site:-

World Wide Knit in Public Day was started in 2005 by Danielle Landes. It began as a way for knitters to come together and enjoy each other’s company. Knitting is such a solitary act that it’s easy to knit alone somewhere and sink into your work without thinking about all the other knitters out there. Neighbors could spend all their lives never knowing that the other knits. This a specific day to get out of your house and go to a local event (with your knitting in tow) just for you and people like you. Who knows you might even bump into your neighbor! Consider this a spark, to ignite a fire; getting all of the closeted knitters out into fresh air.

But do go there and have a look around and see what it’s all about and what people will be up to.

Seems theres something organised for all of you involved with Ravelry – not many events so far here in Australia ( NSW and SA listed) but that could change in the weeks coming up.

Even if you were not involved with an event taking your knitting out in the car – I do and you’d be surprised how many others I notice who do (passengers only please lol) – or on public transport would spread the word as well.

DH showed me this – an email joke from a friend.

Only a golfer could come up with this. A little language tolerance needed tho.

YOUR PARROT IS DEAD DENOR.

At dawn the telephone rings, “Hello, Senor Rod? This is Ernesto, the caretaker at your country house.”

“Ah yes, Ernesto. What can I do for you? Is there a problem?”

“Um, I am just calling to advise you, Senor Rod, that your parrot, he is dead”

“My parrot? Dead? The one that won the International competition?”

“Si, Senor, that’s the one.”

“D..mn! That’s a pity! I spent a small fortune on that bird. What did he die from?”

“From eating the rotten meat, Senor Rod.”

“Rotten meat? Who the h..ll fed him rotten meat?”

“Nobody, Senor. He ate the meat of the dead horse.”

“Dead horse? What dead horse?”

“The thoroughbred, Senor Rod.”

“My prize thoroughbred is dead?”

“Yes Senor Rod, he died from all that work pulling the water cart.”

“Are you insane?? What water cart?”

“The one we used to put out the fire, Senor.”

“Good Lord!! What fire are you talking about, man??”

“The one at your house, Senor! A candle fell and the curtains caught on fire.”

“What the h..ll?? Are you saying that my mansion is destroyed because of a candle?? !!”

“Yes, Senor Rod.”

“But there’s electricity at the house!! What was the candle for?”

“For the funeral, Senor Rod.”

“WHAT BL…….DY FUNERAL??!!”

“Your wife’s, Senor Rod”, she showed up very late one night and I thought she was a thief, so I hit her with your new tailor made Super Quad 460 golf club.”

SILENCE . . . . . . . . . . .LONG SILENCE . . . .. . . . . . .

“Ernesto, if you broke that driver, you’re in deep sh……..t!!”

Have felt a lot better this past couple of days. Not so sad. Feel rested and ready to go about my business again.

Yesterday we had a granddaughter for the day, which was fun.

This little one has such definite views on things I ‘m not sure how she will get on in later life. She’s so outspoken at times she shocks people and then other times she’s so meek and mild and proper, almost retiring – last year (aged 8) she wrote a letter to her teacher asking that she not shout in class as it gave her a headache.

At first DH and I laughed at her cheek but then began to wonder about it – why hadn’t she actually spoken to the teacher, was the teacher so hard to approach, will she suffer in silence and then become (like her father) overcome with stress and find life difficult at times?

We visited my Aunt – the one with Alzheimer’s – and took her dog for a walk.

Last time we tried to do this (she and I, that is), the GD who has nothing to do with dogs was petrified as this little Maltese Cavalier Cross dog who would lick you to death frightened the life out of her. He jumped up and down with excitement when the leash was produced so this time I clipped him on whilst she was outside the screen door, then let her inside to talk to him and get used to being with him.

Within 2 minutes of walking up the road she was the one holding the lead and being in charge. Was quite mystified when he kept cocking his leg at the each tree and was disgusted when he did his business, which we had to collect and put in the bin.

Then as we said goodbye I heard her ask if she could come again and take the dog for a walk:)

Home for lunch of roast chicken sandwiches and yogurt and then settled down to watch a movie on TV during the afternoon.

It was the 1949 version of Little Women (with June Allyson and other great actors), which made me feel so happy and yet so sad. I noticed GD’s mood change with the different scenes so she was able to pick up the emotions of the actors and feel the storyline although she kept asking why did their house look as tho it was flat. Seems the outside facade of their home didn’t look genune to her.

We followed that up with an ABC doco called Australia Land of Parrots.

A repeat of something shown last Sunday evening, a fabulous programme highlighting lots of the parrots living here in Australia. We just sat at marvelled at them all – from the huge Palm Cockatoo down to our native Budgerigar (the same as the little ones we keep as pets in our houses).

lol This time I remembered to put the chicken carcass on the stove and make stock which then went into the freezer later in the day. Stripped all the little bits of meat from the bones and will use that along with other goodies when the soup is made. Oh the times its gone in the bin cose I’ve forgotten and then kicked myself later:(

Today has been Mother’s Day here and this year its been quiet in my home.

One family came to say hello and there were lots of hugs and kisses and I did manage to see another later in the day who had other commitments earlier. during the day I was able to talk to the other 3 families on the phone which was nice.

I don’t like the commercialisation of this day and the children are aware of my feelings so there are no huge great gifts like the stores encourage people to buy. Whoever the person is who thinks that Mothers want fridges and washing machines as gifts today must be strange.

One son always go over the top and this year produced a new dressing gown (robe) for me, lovely soft fluffy fabric coloured Pink, totally impractical and for a moment couldn’t see the joke when I said it would have to be worn after dark as I couldn’t garden in it.

Many times they have turned up and I’ve been down the bottom of the garden dressed in my nightie or pyjamas and dressing gown.

Well you know how it is some nice mornings – you pop out ot the bin or to hang washing on the line and you get sidetracked and theres half the morning gone.

Well thats how it is in my house – isn’t it the same in yours ?:)

Hopefully next week will be a bit more lively.

The funeral we attended on Wednesday has left me feeling very jaded all week – this person was one of the first we really got to know when we arrived here in Australia many years a go.

We first met Pete not long after we settled in Melbourne. He joined a Ten Pin Bowling League on the same evening as DH, and even tho he was 15 years older than DH they had several interests in common and hit it off immediately. Apart from my Uncle and Aunt at that time we really knew nobody else but slowly over time he and his wife became like family to us.

Loving, caring, sharing and so generous with time and infromation we all grew to love him. He was a proud Australian who showed and also explained to us that to understand and enjoy life in Australia you must look around, marvel at its flora and fauna and the land. He loved the bush and also the sea, had caravans at Bonnie Doon and Inverloch, taught the kids to fish and encouraged DH to try golf.
Explained Aussie Rules to us new chums, mentioned his beloved Carlton Football Club and never showed dissapointment when the kids all chose a team to follow but it wasn’t his team.

He saw our children grow up, at times tolerated their unruly behaviour, other times told them a thing or two, attended their weddings, cuddled their children.

We will miss him. I’m not sure what the past 35years would have been like if we had never met.

Today I did some mending.

I was able to sit by the heater this afternoon and sew several missing buttons on to several pairs of pyjamas.

All snug as a bug they were when I discovered them in a drawer the week we did the carpet ……………………. in a little tiny plastic bag ready to be reunited with their garments.

I do remember that each time I found one in the washing machine it was put into that little bag and then I must have put it inside the drawer and forgotten where it was, which lately is not an uncommon occurrence for me 😦

Their discovery was quite timely as they were off several pairs of pyjamas that I have been wanting to wear seeing as how the nights have got cooler and there were sticky out parts of my exterior that were getting cooler each time I put them on lol

Well today I finally got that job out of the way – can’t complain about my whatsits hanging out during the night now 🙂

The other day Clara asked what I was knitting.

This little sleeveless jacket comes from an old Hayfield pattern book I’ve had in my collection for many years.

Hayfield Makes Prettier Babies 7061

Its knitted in DK/8ply so with only a back and 2 fronts they are very simple, quick and quite easy to. As a little cover up they are easy to put on and not too bulky for babies to wear.

I make a lot of them for a charity stall and always seem to have one on the go; and like lots of knitters I take a bit of poetic licence and alter things here and there.

Using the same sizing (about 12 months) I make them with various patterns – moss, cable, broken rib, fishermans rib, depending on what colour the wool is. Lacy bits for girls or with little motifs for boys. They also look nice with simple stripes or a band of fair isle near the bottom . Most of the wool I use has been donated and to save on cost I only use 2 buttons – one just below and one on the neckline.

As I’ve got several on the needles at the moment I’ll try to remember to take a photo when they are all finished and ready to go.

This first one shows my DD and her three friends during their 100km walk last month

Look at those marvellous stately trees around them. They were entering one of the check point sections in one of our national parks hence all the parked cars.

They were in the top ten female teams and now all the aches and pains have gone, and they are basking in the afterglow of success three weeks later they are already talking about ‘next year’s event’ 🙂

This next one shows DH and his bunch of old Rafies on Anzac Day March in Adelaide last week – they are proud of the service they gave to their country and proud of their adopted country too

Thank goodness for freezers and leftovers:)

Sunday afternoon it was cool and wet (to me it was more like freezing) when we arrived home so I had a little look for something easy but warming to cook and hey presto lurking on the bottom shelf was a container of some very tasty savoury mince. I found a packet of frozen veg there (emergency supplies) and along with some mashed potato we were able to have a meal on the table without too much hassle.

To have that break this past week was just what I needed and we enjoyed every minute we were away. Leaving really early on Wednesday meant it was an easy drive over taking the Western and Duke Highways, no silly ‘so n sos’ on the road or many trucks to have to contend with and we arrived quite relaxed in the afternoon.

The temperature in Melbourne had dropped a few days before going and all I wanted to see was the sunshine South Australia is famous for. As the forecast for Thursday was sunny, dry and warm (27c/81f) the 2 men went off for a round of golf at a local course and we 2 girls tootled off to Glenelg for some shopping.

My DF and husband are what we call Grey Nomads, which means they spend a lot of the southern winter travelling in their caravan up north in Queensland so she wanted a new cossie and knew a very good swimwear shop in Jetty Road who just happened to have a SALE on 🙂

A very nice pair of shorts $2 and 3 books 20c each – timely as I was looking for things to wear later in the year if we decide to go to Cairns and now I have some new reading material ‘cose I finished my last book on drive home.

The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilchers
Windfalls by Jean Hegland
Small Island by Andrea Levy

After we’d walked up and down the street it was coffee time and then my friend humoured me by letting me walk along the forshore looking at the camels (I kid you not) not donkeys they have for rides in front of the Grand. Sorry didn’t have camera with me so you’ll just have to click on the link for proof:)

She then let me wander along the sands and wade in the shallow – I’ll not be doing that for a while as Autumn and in some places Winter has has arrived. Record lows temps for April in lots of places and the cold snap has the alpine ski resorts rubbing their hands with glee ‘cose they have had some dumps – yes, little ones – but there is all that white stuff covering their runs and preparing the ground for later when hopefully it will come down and settle.

We met up with the men, listened to their their tales of woe, and then had lunch at the Dublin near the beach. Home for a quiet afternoon snooze and general chit chat before a lovely roast Leg of Lamb and veggies along with Apple Crumble for dinner .

I enjoy friends like that, doesn’t matter how long since we’ve seen each other we are comfortable whether its noisy or quiet.

Anyway Friday was taken up renewing friendships in DH’s RAF group, The Anzac DayMarch from the War Memorial and then a BBQ in the afternoon so it was a subdued evening with the 4 of us sitting reading and just talking about the day.

Saturday the group all met for lunch at the Port Dock Hotel where they also brew beers on a small scale. Had a tour of the working area also down in the cellars which actually used to be at ground level in years gone by

Hope you can read the info on this picture taken in the cellars

Home now and ready to meet life head on after a break to commemorate this special time for many Australian servicemen and their conterparts from other nations.

For many years I had to think about the cost of food I bought and looked very hard at cost per 100gms to see if I could get a bargain.

Then ageing brought along various problems that meant I had to look at the ingredients as well.

We had the ‘Buy Australia’ promotions and I know that this has happened in most countries around the world trying to support their own companies and workers; now for environmental reasons we look at food miles as well and also look for locally grown – as in our own suburb or close by – foods.

Boy does my head reel at the thought of shopping these days.

I haven’t had access to home grown citrus fruit this year to make marmalade and we are partial to Marmalade on our toast sometimes so I had that on the shopping list the other day.

This is the conundrum I was faced with that day.

Scotch Marmalade
600gm cost $2.50

Energy
100gm
1147kj

Fat
Total…………<1gm
Saturated……. <1gm
Carb……………66.5g

Sugars…………66.0gm

Sodium (Salt)…35mg

Main Ingredients in order
Sugar
Different Fruits
Vegetable gum (Pectin)
Food Acids

Made in Australia using local and imported fruit

Breakfast Marmalade
680gm cost $2.35

Energy 100gm 1090Kj

Fat Total…………….<1gm
Saturated………..<1gm
Carb……………..65.0gm

Sugars……………64.0gm

Sodium (Salt)…….5mg

Main Ingredients in order
Oranges
Sugar
Glucose syrup (Wheat)
Food acid
Vegetable gum

Made in Poland

Dh laughed at my predicament and told me what to do. I shrugged my shoulders and bought a jar of each – his 2 way bet.

You win some you lose some – Ones as good as the other he said

Still not sure if he is right or not

Last October, for her birthday, I bought my wife a Magnolia tree from the local nursery, but after only a few weeks the leaves shrivelled.

It appeared to be on its last legs.

My wife took some leaf samples and marched into the nursery to demand an explanation.

I stood back, expecting a technical explanation, which only my ‘expert’ wife could understand.

“I know exactly what’s wrong with your magnolia,” said the Manager.

“Good,” said my wife. “What’s it suffering from?”

“Autumn,” he replied … (I smirked to myself all the way home in the car!)

Well I thought it was funny.

I hate sorting and giving away books and need another person there to make decisions with me as I usually end up getting sidetracked, opening them, reading and remembering things about the times we received and used them.

I remember years ago in England when I was young my Mother used to complain when she asked me to clean out the fire grate and set the fire ready to light, she’d come in and find me on the floor, leaning on my elbows, bum in the air reading the newspaper instead of scrunching it up to lay the sticks on. I hated doing that job and it was one way of putting it off:))

Spent some of this time sorting out lots of text books from past schooling – mine and DH – (so many could be very out of date) so have been thinking of putting them in op shops for those hunting on the off chance. I glanced at a chapter in one called Introduction to Management Accounting, used for a management course I did years (maybe 20?)ago and I hadn’t the foggiest idea what they were talking about.

*Specify the limiting assumptions that underlie cost-volume analysis*

Any ideas? I must have known then but I certainly don’t now :))

About 4pm I gave up – DH arrived home from the golf course and I picked up my knitting.

My turn to prepare and cook so I did the veggies before sitting down with my needles. In the end I sewed up a pair of slippers to take over to Adelaide later this month as a thank you gift. I mixed a tweedy pink with her favourite red pink and I think she will really like the combination.

So here it is about 7.30pm.

Dishes are finally done – including the ones from this morning -and at the moment I don’t fancy anything on TV.

It hasn’t been a testing day, the traffic was normal with no hold ups, it hasn’t been a ‘busy’ day, just one that flowed from one thing to another so knitting this evening will round out this peaceful day.

Oxfam TRAILWALKER is a 100km endurance walk through the Australian bush. We are taking this on to raise money for Oxfam Australia who work to fight poverty and injustice in 26 countries around the world, including Indigenous Australia

Have been making big decisions this evening – accompanied by one very lively granddaughter (only child).

Had to Babysit overnight last night and also tonight as Father has to work and Mother is busy with something else – more of that later.

Question – Do we watch the 7pm News or Biggest Loser and then the Simpsons or a doco on Cesar Ritz?

Its obvious which programmes she wanted to watch and which ones I wanted to see but I thought we could compromise and she could potter around at 7pm and I’d clear up the kitchen at 7.30pm

Conversation went like this –

GD – Grandma we don’t have to discuss this at all.
Me – Why do you say that?
GD – We can both have what we want.
Me – How is that going to happen?
GD – Well, you do know there are 2 TVs in this house.
Me – What’s that got to do with it?
GD – Well you can stay in the Lounge room and I’ll go into the bedroom.
Me – But we won’t be together then.
GD – That doesn’t matter, I can get what I want that way.

Big discussion on togetherness and sharing and then Grandad came in from another room and threatened to turn the TV off if we didn’t agree – so we both sulked and played a game of dominoes instead!!

Football is on now so we are both watching and cheering for the same team:)

Her Mother is taking part in the Melbourne Oxfam Trailwalker Event – Walk or Run 100kms in 48hrs. Started this morning and her team of 4 have decided to take meal break at a couple of check ins and not sleep as some of the teams will do. At the moment (9.30pm) they are 73rd out of 650 so not doing too bad.

We went up to Silvan (15mins drive a way) earlier this evening when they had a meal break and they were in fine form. They’d walked over 50kms at theat point but there was still a long way to go and a few more hills to go up as well. Hopefully they will get there all in one piece.

Will know in the morning when she rings to say they arrived – they are fun lot, in the the big boxes of provisions their support crew are taking to the various check ins is a large bottle of champagne and lovely long stemmed glasses to toast themselves and their achievement.

Good on ’em at least they are giving it a go:))

Edited:
Must mention that DD (theMother) and her friends are dedicated runners, not just some girls who just fancied something to do for a lark.
They are entered in the Gold Coast Marathon soon so this is part of their training for that.

Hello there. It’s a lovely sunny morning here in Melbourne and there’s a lot to be done.

Little bit of disorganisation round here at the moment as most of my time recently was taken up with emptying cupboards and moving things off bookshelves and out to the garage so the carpet layers would be able to handle furniture without damaging their backs.

It was a big job to do the whole of the house and took the best part of a day but it’s finished and everything that just happened now has to be reversed 😦

The house is looking quite nice and calm without all the accessories around about so I am having a good look at what was there before and have decided that not all this ‘stuff’ nice as it is is going to come back in the door

Even though I say there’s a peaceful feel to the house its obvious very quickly that it has a bit of an empty bare look but I am being very selective in what is being retrieved and put back inside, at the moment it’s just enough to allow the house to become our home again.

There are a few bags of ‘stuff’ gathering at the back door and a box of books as well but I’m not going to chuck just for the sake of it ‘cose knowing me I may decide I really liked the look we had before 🙂

I always feel so much lighter when I have a decluttering session and I know others have had similar feelings

Ariane wrote about these feelings a while ago in her Neat and Simple Blog (which really is a good read) and also Lightening (who covers many interesting topics) mentioned it.

So it’s Bye for now, must fly, things to do :))