I just had to tell you...

It's been a dull old day - not at all like summer!  Temperature has barely reached 20C (average for this time of year around 26/27C).  For a long time I had promised myself I would sort out all of my embroidery threads and 'catalogue' them.  Today was a great day to do it.

As I was sitting at my kitchen table sorting and winding and labelling I heard a bit of a commotion outside.  Got up to look and saw the funniest antics I've seen in a long time - just had to tell you!

Over the past week or so there's been a family of magpie birds around the yard.  Mum and possibly Dad - with 3 big babies.  I say big because they look big - but they're still getting food from Mum as well as picking around the garden.

Three youngsters were having a total scrap!  I got my camera and got a few shots!  They were more like puppies or kittens than birds.  I was laughing to myself so hard!

One of them found an old corn husk in the compost heap and was playing with it like a dog would a bone.  Sibling arrives on the scene and tries to take it away.  No way, Jose!  First baby runs quickly to my laundry trolley and hops up into the peg basket.  Deposits the husk in and picks up a red peg.  All the while the other two siblings are trying their best to antagonise and get up to the corn husk.  Eventually when the three of them were back on terra firma, another little tussle ensued.  Biting each other's tails, rolling on backs, pecking, pecking!  Oh it was such a delight to watch!

I stood there at the kitchen window and hubby joined me - thoroughly entertaining!  Eventually the scuffle broke up and they continued their meandering around the garden.  I looked out a little while later as it seemed quiet and one of the babies had fallen asleep on the fence. So cute!

Love all of God's creatures!

Anyway I did manage to get all of the floss sorted and even ended up with a bag of duplicates.  Felt satisfied that the job that I'd put off for so long was done.

Blessings!

PS (sorry about the spacing of the photos. I don't seem to be able to do anything about it this time)

Up in the middle of the night!

Well, it's almost the middle of the night here - just 20 minutes before midnight. Have had a couple of those nights where I haven't been able to get to sleep - or in the case last night, slept for about 30 minutes then was wide awake for hours.  Managed to drop off about 4am then slept late till nearly 8.  I guess when  this happens, one tends to just try too hard at getting to sleep - then it never seems to happen.

Well I think the last couple of days my mind has been overly active - at least more than usual - and I was kind of 'wound up' and things were going through my head at a real rate of knots.

Yesterday I spent the day on the computer trying to sort out some information for DIL's family tree.  I did get quite a bit done though for which I  was pleased.  Today the morning was fairly quiet with watering the garden and grocery shopping but after lunch DH and I decided to go to the movies.  I had library books to return as well so we got seat bookings online to go to "The Iron Lady" which I've been wanting to see since I heard it was being released.  I really enjoyed it - and Meryl Streep's acting was superb as one would expect.  I love her movies - she is so skilled.  We talked about the movie later in the day, and about Margaret Thatcher, where she lives now and how old she is and of course  my mind stayed pretty well active until bedtime.  But despite doing a little reading to relax, sleep has evaded me again tonight. 

So after a warm drink I'm planning to head back to bed and hope I can drift off to sleep this time.

Tomorrow is the last day of 2011.  It's hard to believe, the last week has just zipped by so quickly - I guess that's what happens when DH is home from work between Christmas and New Year break.  Looking forward to seeing the wonderful fireworks display tomorrow night to mark the end of the year and the beginning of 2012.  Hopefully will stay up and see the 9pm show but it's debatable whether I last the distance for the midnight extravaganza.  We won't be heading off into the city to see it live - it's pretty good to watch on the television!  Sydney is well renowned throughout the world for its New Year's Eve fireworks display and I have no doubt tomorrow night's will live up to expectations.

Happy New Year everyone - and blessings in abundance through 2012!

Sydney Opera House 2007



Just another showery day

Yesterday was so beautiful - sunny with a cool breeze.  Today is one of those misty, rainy kinds of day - snuggle up by the fire kind of day.  Four or five daffodils are poking their heads up - Spring definitely is just around the corner. 

Saw the funniest thing this morning (at  least I thought it was funny)!  In the lounge room opening up the venetian blinds to the dullness of the day when up the driveway strode a duck.  Now there was once when a pair of ducks flew in to our back yard and promptly dunked in the pool - salt water pool that is. Anyway  it was a rainy sort of day then, and they proceeded to peck around the grass looking for the odd grub before they winged their way again to who knows where.  As far as I know, the nearest place to us where ducks may congregate is around 4 kilometers.  Maybe this lone one came from there - perhaps on its way to another watering hole.

Anyway I digress!  From the waddling position on the driveway it suddenly lurched into upward flight and perched on a large branch on our huge gum tree.  There it sat, peering around in all directions. I wonder if it was looking for a mate maybe lost along the way to who knows where.  Anyway I left it to its own devices in that high perch - can't imagine it would have stayed long with so many native birds invading using the tree for their own romancing.

Got a lovely surprise yesterday in the mail - a beautiful 'Welcoming Angel' (Lordi) gift from our Texan DIL - a thankyou after their stay with us recently.  Entirely unexpected and appreciated!  Thank you so much R - you are a treasure!

What to do today?  A few things cross my mind - grocery shopping (now out of spuds), card making (got some new cardstock yesterday), laundry (no - out of the question today with the sprinkling happening), I'm sure I'll think of something!

Have a wonderful Friday with blessings!

I was just thinking...

I was just thinking... do they kick you out of blogger if you don't blog enough?  'They' would have every good reason to do that to me if my recent non appearance had anything to do with it.  Over 8 weeks since I was here and you know when I think about it I really don't have a very good excuse.

Well, l must say our USA family (the Texas Connection) did come stay for over 4 weeks and in that time we drove to the Gold Coast in Queensland and spent 10 days in a lovely resort.  There were about 16 of us all told as we had planned it to be a family reunion holiday and we had such a great time.  It was so very sad to see the family leave for their home - this time with no plans in place to go visit - that was an eerie feeling not knowing when we might see them again. 

During that time DH has finished work, had a few weeks break, then a few weeks working two mornings a week, then finally 2 weeks ago after being offered another job, began working full time again.  Quite a whirlwind of emotions for him considering he is now past the official retirement age by a few years.

We have purchased another car to enable him to take one for work transport. We were'nt looking for a hybrid but came out of the dealership with a Toyota Prius. It's 2 years old but like brand new - beautiful to drive and so quiet - so far is proving to be quite economical as well.

Over the past months my lower back has been acting up again and is now at the stage where I require more surgery.  Have been seeing my Professor neurosurgeon over the last 3 or so months and last week we made the decision to have an extension to the fusion in my spine which was done in May 2 years ago. The surgery will take place on 23rd August and I'm hopeful it will relieve the pain.

It's been quite a cold winter and we've been so grateful for the lovely cosy fire.  Mostly we use it for most of August but we're hoping by September we can clean it out and not use it again until next winter.  One can never tell in Sydney, already a couple of weeks ago we had a few days of 23/24C degrees - was a bit of a rude awakening to go back to 17C or so which it has remained. 

Some of our Spring bulbs have flower buds emerging and I'm looking forward to seeing the cheerful yellow daffodils - a sure sign that winter is almost over.

Blessings!

 Four brothers and their wives

 Beach fishing sunrise Currumbin Beach

 Waves



Family Group

Why is it?

Why is it that simply days can go by and I can't think of a single thing to write - despite all that, life has been busy.  Take these past few days for instance - grandson E7 started off the week with a cough which has gradually gotten worse. No school but mum still had to get off to work - grandma to the rescue - sitting with the little fella while he coughed his tummy sore!  Friday came and another doctor appt plus Xray - possible pneumonia!  Second doctor appt on Friday revealed Xray results not pneumonia but chest infection.  Prescribed anti-biotic and hopefully might be well enough for school on Monday.

Easter is not far away - daughter pleads "can you make E7  an Easter hat for the school parade?"  Oh boy I think - what next?  "Mum, you know you could do it so much better than me" - oh well, what's one more thing to line up?  Made a start on it this morning but will reserve the photo till it's finished.

Hasn't rained for weeks - since beginning of January - did the washing this morning to hang on the  line - including bed linen etc - now pouring with rain! Oh well - have hung some on the clothes airer - the rest can stay in the laundry basket until tomorrow to see if the weather takes a turn for the better. 

Garden is looking OK and carrots and mini cabbage are doing well.  I've erected a little netting cage over the top of them trying to keep the butterflies from laying their little eggs and caterpillars chomping the beautifully tender green leaves.  It seems to be working so far.  Put in some more purple runner beans a couple of weeks ago and they're up about 6 feet so far with flower buds just appearing.  I hope the weather stays warm enough for them to fruit.  The 'winter' tomatoes are all doing well - the Giant Tree Tomato has its first flowers open - boy are they big for tomatoes!  Can't wait to see the fruit once it starts. Have taken 7 pumpkins from the vine and one still left hanging. They're looking good too so shouldn't have to buy any for a while.  Cut the first one when I cooked roast lamb the other night.  They could take a  little more ripening but nice and sweet. 

Picked up a poor specimen of a begonia at the plant nursery a few weeks ago - reduced down in price. It seemed to have had far too much water. Let it dry right out and now blooming a beautiful red!

Had a visit yesterday from a baby kookaburra.  We hear them occasionally in our many trees around the yard but don't often see them.  This cutie perched himself in the old dead wattle tree over the back fence - he didn't seem in the least perturbed when I got as close as I could to take a shot at him - photo that is of course!

A couple of birthdays in the family in the past two weeks and a wedding anniversary - made cards to give and was pleased with the frangipani theme I used for E19.

Booked our flights to go see Mum at Easter time.  She's still in the hospital and hopefully is rehabilitating reasonably.  For a couple of weeks after her surgery we were extremely concerned about her condition but she did 'turn the corner' and is now back in the 'older people's ward' recuperating.  Hoping that there will be some kind of assessment by Easter regarding her ability to go back to her apartment and live independently.  If not, then assisted  living may need to be an option.

Have had contact from another second cousin in the United Kingdom who we'd never heard of before  - I am amazed that in the last few months no less than four distant rellies have made contact.  Genealogy is certainly a very popular pastime.  It is so good hearing from these people and being able to link extended families together. 

All for now - blessings!

Baby Kookaburra



Pretty red begonia




Birthday card for E19




Giant tree tomato plant with basil seedlings



Feeling a bit sorry for myself!

Oh my goodness -  have just come in from the library where I fell up the steps!  What a silly old moo I am!  My watch took the  brunt of the fall and I've cracked the glass and belted it up a little - grazed knee, took a bit of skin off my hand and a sore forehead where I landed. Thank goodness I didn't damage my specs apart from a little scratch on the side!  A dear old lady came rushing over to me and helped me up - she was so kind - one of God's angels there for me.  I'll really have to watch my step (no pun intended) - must be my advancing age I think and not picking my feet up properly.  I guess I'll know tomorrow if bruises emerge where else I might have landed.

My mum's back in hospital. My brother phoned me from NZ to let me know she has been in a week. He was not supposed to let me know (orders from her) however he felt I should be told.  I've spoken to her a couple of times on the phone and she doesn't sound too good.  The problem is pain in her lower back, hip and knee but especially down her right thigh.  I feel strongly that she may have a pinched nerve in the lower spine as I've had similar pain in the past myself.  There is not much that seems to relieve it.   Anyway she is having all manner of tests carried out and I just hope that before long a diagnosis will be made.  It's not good being so far away at a time like this.

We've just had 7 days of heatwave!  A record has been broken for Sydney - 5 days was previously the longest over 30C (86F). For most of those 7 days, it reached 40/42C (107F) and has been most uncomfortable - especially sleeping at night.  For those of you northerners reading this, we 'downunder' as a general rule don't have air conditioning/heating built into our homes although having said that, more and more people building new homes these days are certainly doing just that.  We mostly have brick homes too and once those bricks heat up after a number of hot days, it takes a while for them to cool down, even with insulation etc.  Yesterday we got a predicted cool change mid afternoon which brought the temperature down by about 15 degrees in quite a short time.  What a blessed relief.

Australia has certainly had dramatic weather conditions in the past few weeks.  Floods in Queensland, Northern NSW and Victoria, Cyclone Yasi has devastated many towns on the northern Qld coast and a few hundred miles inland and in the last few days, Western Australia around Perth has been battling dreadful bush fires.  It's all happening here folks!  All we in Sydney have had to cope with has been the heat. We consider ourselves more fortunate than our neighbours in other parts of the country.

Recently I've been feeding the Rainbow Lorikeets sunflower seeds instead of grain bread.  I was really being a bit aggravated by the brown Indian Mynah birds which are so aggressive, even to their own. The seeds are working out much better as the 'brown bombers' are not seed eaters.  I am putting out 3 trays each afternoon with the seeds and the birds come down and really get 'stuck in' to it.  I took a couple of pics of them with their heads down, tails up feeding - they look so comical!

Youngest grandson L5 1/2 started school this morning.  I am anxious to know how it all went for him.  His daddy was planning to take pics of him and big brother E7 before they left.  I'll post them here if he manages to send them on to me.

Well that's about it for now.  Hope you are all doing OK and thanks for popping in.

Blessings!



sunrise during the heatwave



scrambling for best position

 

heads down, tails up!




and a drink afterwards!



STAMPING - no not my feet!

I really love the Magnolia brand rubber stamps! I've never been a great 'stamper' but recently I purchased my first 'Tilda' and made some of my Christmas cards featuring her.  I just love the 'chunkiness' of them - just great to colour and since I began using Copic markers, I love them even more.

Now this is not a free commercial for Magnolia or Copic - I just wanted to show some of the cards I've been making recently.  So without any more ado -

ta da!!

I deliberately left these cards bereft of wording - I'll just add something appropriate when I choose to use them.  This weekend I'm planning to give the baby boy away with a small gift to a new mum who's recently had a little boy named Malachai - so I'll add a cutesy 'something or other' that I think is exactly 'her'.

My visit to the eye specialist yesterday went well.  It seems one tear duct may have been partially blocked but after a squirt of saline from a syringe through a mini-mini canula, it seemed to unblock with a squirt into my nose! A strange feeling.  After a couple of drops into my eyes which made my pupils dilated and another examination, it seems I have the beginnings of cataracts. Oh well - that's aging for you I guess. It's not concerning me - it could be years before anything needs to be done about that particular situation. I spent the best part of the rest of the day though, worried by my dilated pupils - fortunately the sky was fairly dull for the drive home but my sight didn't right itself until late in the afternoon.  Not too much of a problem though - and so on that note -
All for this time
Blessings!

Birthdays

Why is it that as you get older, birthdays seem to be like any other day.  Kids just can't wait for theirs and continually ask 'how many weeks'? 'how many sleeps' - but for me anyway, birthdays now are just like any other day.

Well you might have guessed already - it was mine today and honestly I don't feel a day older!  Maybe next year when its one with a big fat ZERO on the end of it I may feel differently.

Today was quite unspectacular (is there such a word) - but good none the less.  It was good to just be alive, to have experienced one more day in the Lord's time.  Nice cards, phone messages and heaps of facebook birthday greetings made it just that bit more of a 'birthday' feel.

Well, tomorrow is another day and for now, I'm off to bed!

Blessings!

Last days of 2010

Looking forward to 2011, I'm posting a few of my last pic memories of December.



Rosy Galah's came to visit and tear up the grass!

  

Some new cards I made using the very cute "Magnolia" stamps




Beautiful soy wax Lemongrass perfumed candle which I keep on my kitchen benchtop




Butter beans, purple runner beans and the very first peas I have ever grown picked yesterday



'Tis the day after Christmas

Christmas eve saw us delivering the grandie's gifts to them. They were full of excitement and we got this pic to remember the occasion

Christmas morning worship service then home to a king ocean prawn lunch by ourselves - the first time in our almost 49 years of married life! A very lazy afternoon, napping, watching TV, cross stitching then out to our son's property for a combined meal with ours and his wife's extended families. Thirty three of us in total and what a spread it was.

A fun-filled game of volley ball where no rules were allowed followed to 'shake the first course down' - followed later by desert of Christmas plum pudding,  whipped cream, cheese cake, chocolate log, trifle, ice cream and fresh fruit.  Oh I forgot the chocolates and cheese dip which also added to the food spread.  Despite there being 32 mouths to feed (1 extra being a baby) there was still a heap of food left over.  No doubt that will be used over the next day or so.

Son had decorated his house and yard with lights which looked magnificent once daylight faded.

Despite the fact that youngest grandie broke three bones in his foot a week ago, and couldn't participate in the game, he had a good time and he and I sat on the old cubby house steps and watched the proceedings - until the mosquitoes began biting that was.

Well Christmas is over for another year - the preparation, the sending cards, the buying gifts, the eating more than we needed, the meeting of those we don't see regularly, all fades into insignificance when we remember the baby Jesus who came as the Saviour of the world.  That is something we can celebrate every day of the year, not just at Christmas time.

Blessings!

Inspiration?

Yes I need some!  I pop in to read so many but at present I just can't seem to get any enthusiasm or inspiration to write even though there seems to be lots going on in my life.

The Christmas lights look great now they are all operating as they should, but alas, lack of sunshine at times has meant that the solar panel ones are not twinkling as brightly as they should.  Whoever heard of a December morning being only 12C outside?  I don't remember it in Sydney anyway. Maybe that's a reflection of our northern cousins who are experiencing chilling  weather at present.  The photos I took of the lights didn't turn out too well so I'm not going to embarrass myself further by posting them.  Suffice to say I just love looking at them out the windows in the evenings  when they start to 'do their thing'!

As I write this at least the sun is shining but there's a cold wind.

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours doing some more stitching on my WIP. I've used all of one colour thread so will need to replenish supply.  I will get to post another progress pic on this soon but at present I'm off to do my Monday volunteer at the Information Centre.  I'll take it with me and hope that I have a chance to do a few more stitches on it. 

Blessings!

Hawkesbury River

During the day out at the familiarisation tour, we crossed and drove alongside the Hawkesbury river in several different places. Here are a few photos I took along the way...




Looking towards Wisemans Ferry




Beautiful blue Jacaranda's in bloom





View from Cornwallis House



It did go away - the rain I mean

It was a very shaky start to the day - from my kitchen window all I could see was fog - thick fog - not usual for early November - but I guess I felt I couldn't lose anything by pinning the washing out on the line. (For those 'northern' friends, if you didn't know, we 'down under' peg out wet clothes out on a clothes line to dry in the sun and breeze, not in the clothes dryer).  I'd managed to get some washing almost dry yesterday by hanging it over the airing rack inside, but there's nothing like bringing it in off the line smelling so - kind of 'sunny'!

So I trudged out over the very wet grass and in the coolness of 13 degrees, put it on the line.  I guess I was hoping that when the fog lifted, there'd be a bit of a flapping breeze enough to dry it.  We set off for church - the weather still not looking hopeful, but by the time we left again for home, the sun had come out and it was looking really good - in fact, brilliant. 

A light lunch over, I took my WIP with me and sank into our lovely outdoor chair and breathed in the beautiful sunny afternoon.  I could almost feel my skin taking in big gulps of the warmth.  So many days of dull, cool, damp! It was great to feel that Spring might almost have decided to visit.  It's less than a month till our 'down under' Summer officially begins, but I'm not holding my breath even though today is forecast to be warm and dry, as the weather people are predicting rain and even storms before the end of the week again.  Perhaps the long range forecaster was correct after all and we'll be still 'soaking it up' until at least December.

Anyway I'm grateful for the sunny afternoon I spent working on my Daisy Girl - I might even do it again today - it's looking promising!

Blessings!



Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (brunsfelsia) in bloom at present



Last Chance

I'll soon be winging my way to my birth country and although my computer will be my traveling companion, I'm not sure I'll get too many opportunities to write up here. 

I'll try to check in whenever I can but not sure how often that will be - I'll be relying on Wi Fi at a Macca's I think.

If I get the chance, I'll be reporting on Mum's progress and would really appreciate your prayers for both her and me, and my family who will be left at home.

Thanks so much friends.

Blessings!

Fathers Day Downunder

The last two days have been wet, cold and miserable so it was a delight to see a brilliant sun shining when we awoke this morning.  However a keen wind had sprung up overnight and continued to buffet everyone and everything throughout the day, only easing late this afternoon.  Feeling so sad for the people of Christchurch New Zealand after a dreadful earthquake struck their city and surrounds.  They are saying it is the first earthquake in NZ with a richter scale reading higher than the 1932 quake which dessimated the cities of Hastings and Napier in Hawkes Bay.  My mum actually experienced that earthquake as a child at school and it still terrifies her thinking about it.  She is still very afraid to go into elevators or escalators and at 91 years of age still prefers to climb stairs rather than zoom up or down in either of those 'travel' aids.

Is it Father's Day in all parts of the world today?  I can never remember.  I think maybe Mother's Day might be the same all over but not FD.

Our FD was great.  A lovely church service this morning where a couple of young women trainee officers (Salvation Army terminology for minister) officiated and did a brilliant job.  They are going to be an asset wherever their first appointment out of College may be.  Home and quickly out again to join our Sydney family for lunch at a local country club.

Beautiful meal and great company.  DH was spoiled by our kids and grandkids - books and gift vouchers.  We had a quiet tea this evening contemplating what a lovely day it had been.

I've begun a new cross stitch pattern.  It's a chart I've had for a long time and I noticed it was produced in 1995 so it's not new by any means. It's very different in design to my usual pieces so I'll show you the first few stitches - some of you might be able to guess what the design is.

I'm flying to New Zealand to be with my mum when she undergoes her surgery soon.  I'm nervous for her - she has been told  by her doctor that it is not usual for people as old as her to be operated on however they consider her physical health to be good so feel there is every reason to go ahead.  DH will be looked after well by the family and is very proficient at cooking meals and doing all the other household chores that need to be done.

I'm hoping I will get a chance to look in on all  my blogger friends but I probably won't get the opportunity to actually put anything on this page for a while.

Meantime, blessings to you all!

ANOTHER FOGGY WINTERS DAY

I've been trying to think of something brilliantly intelligent to write here but nothing comes to mind. Although I enjoy winter more than summer usually, I find it's less inspiring for taking photos and doing interesting things. Yesterday I did my 2 weekly stint at the information centre and boy, was it slow! The day was dull and cold so guess nobody much was interested in making a visit - afterwards I went to the library and chose more books including another couple by Sue Grafton. I've been enjoying her 'adventures' of Kinsey Milhone as a private investigator recently - she writes descriptively with intrigue and mystery wound into her stories. I'm also enjoying the fact that each of her books revolve around the same character and place that she lives, getting to know other characters like her neighbour and the local 'eat in' owner.

I've been working on a scrapbook over the past week and am now up to page 4. It's been a struggle to get it going as I seem to constantly find I don't have something I need to complete the page. Yesterday after IC, I popped down to the local hobby shop and picked up some chipboard alphabet packs - it's working out a fairly expensive exercise as sometimes I only use a few of what's in the large pack. Oh well - that's scrapbooking I guess. I am improvising a lot though by stamping (which I'm not all that fond of) and printing out text from the computer so it's not all bad.

Did a little more work on my family history over the weekend too. In the past few months I've had another couple of people make contact with me and it is so interesting finding out a little bit more about families and putting more pieces together in the jigsaw puzzle. I get really excited when another link is put in place.

Bible study is in recess for the school holidays but I'm planning to get ahead on some of the lessons this morning. There's a thick 'pea soup' fog which is due to lift later on so I might get outside if the sun comes out. Meantime I'm just planning to mooch around and see what happens. Have plenty to do - even some housework if I'm that bored - but I doubt that will happen!

VERY COSY AFTERNOON

The day has been very sunny - even warm if a sheltered spot could be found but after church this morning came home to a wonderful dinner smell which proved to taste just as good (had been simmering in the slow cooker all morning). After a nice cup of coffee and a little wander around the garden (transplanted 4 little cabbage seedlings) now I'm sitting close to the beautifully warm fireplace. Ahh... Sunday afternoons were never this good!

Blessings!

NEW LOOK

I've decided to try a new look and a name change. Now I'm not a very inventive or ideas person - I like what I see, but don't have much skill in putting it together. After searching on the net for something I could use that reflects 'me' I gave up and decided to put on my table some of the things that I love, and went from there. Camera out, moving items into different positions and 'click' took some shots. The result is my new pic at the top of this page. I'll keep searching for just the 'right' look for me but for now I'm happy with how it has turned out.

The new name? You may think this is rather strange but again, it reflects 'me'. I love shabby chic - in pretty much any form - but the 'chic' part of the name is kind of a play on words. You see my DH has for many, many years called me "Chookie"! As for the shabby? Well I am getting on in years now and no longer a crisp fresh young thing. Much as I would love to think those days are not over, alas, they are long gone! Still we can dream can't we?

Blessings!

MONDAY'S DOINGS

Today was my volunteer duty day at the Tourist & Visitor information centre. It's a fairly new one which is housed in a beautiful restored historic house. Today was sunny but cool and a bit slow at the centre. I kept busy by beginning a bit of blurb on the house which volunteers may find interesting especially when visitors come in and ask questions about the history.

My refrigerator is sick - it's been leaking water for about a week but not all the time. It seems to be related to opening the freezer door somehow but I can't figure out why it does this. I'm going to have to call the repair man tomorrow to come have a look see at what gives. It's only 11 years young but these days they don't make stuff the way they used to a few years ago. In this throw-away society I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear it's on it's last legs. I hope not - there's more I could spend $1000 on at present!

Am off to bed for an early night!

Blessings!

SUN'S OUT!

It's been a wet, wet week. A tornado passed through Lennox Head - much further north from here, but it has devastated homes and property in it's wake. Film of it coming was rather awesome - seeing pieces of homes, roofs and debris being swirled around and coming towards you in that mighty tunnel must have been totally scary - but although so much damage has been caused, thank God, nobody was killed. Many however were injured and carry their wounds as they clean up.

Today here the sun is shining - as I walked out to take the washing to the clothes line I literally squelched my way there. We've had a week of torrential rain and storms. But it won't take long to dry out. DH even says it may be dry enough to mow the lawn this afternoon. I've also been out clipping back shrubs and a big lemon tree. I only clipped it in March before we went on holiday but when we got back home three weeks later, the leaf miner had devastated all the new growth. It looks so ugly. Well hopefully with this close shave and a bit of fertilizer, it may produce a few lemons next season. I'm hoping so.

My little blueberry bushes are covered with flowers and buds. I heard on the radio gardening session last week that I should be taking all of those off for the first three years. I'm hopeless at doing that. I am always anxious for fruit. Last year it did have a little but it has grown so much since then. I'm tempted to just let it fruit and see how it goes.

I've finished stitching a little Angel cross stitch piece this past week but haven't taken any pics yet. Also did a couple of very quick pieces which fit into a key ring - little souvenirs from Scotland. Will have to get the camera out and show you next time what they look like. Quite cute - especially the Scottish Coo!

Blessings!