Little Stories Of My Life Archives

End of Year

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2023 is almost done, and its been a year of big changes personally, and its also been a year in which I feel like the Farm is well on its way to evolving into a place I am really proud of and love to spend time working on.

I have some gentle visions for 2024, but have not drilled down enough on them to have them cemented in place, so until I have I will hold them close to my chest…

Monday

– laundry, sheets changed, watered big veg bed, did web work.
Had chicken strog w konjac noodles for dinner.
Did the grocery order for pickup tomorrow.

Tuesday

– collected the grocery order, and got a couple of pairs of shorts from Big W.
Did more web work.
Watered a lot of the gardens and trees.
We had a couple of brief showers today and it’s been quite overcast, but needing much more to even dampen the ground.

Wednesday

– went down the hill today to drop a friend off at the airport.
Then went to bcf to collect a water pump, then bunnings to collect two garden beds then headed back up the hill as it was the hottest I have felt down there in a couple of years.
Did some watering and some writing.

Thursday

– work in the garden and then put together the two garden beds I’d bought yesterday, during the heat of the day.
Once it cooled back down again – I placed them around two seperate trees and back filled with soil and compost, then added some flowers.

I’m really please with how they’ve worked out.

Friday

– the two older dogs went to the ‘salon’ today for a haircut and nails trimming.
Did some blogging while they were gone, and started the laundry.

We’re in water restrictions in our Shire at the moment – plus a total fire ban – so I spent a couple of hours handwatering the trees along the fenceline between us and our western neighbours.

That property has now sold, and with the arrival of the new neighbours a couple of months ago, the lush grounds that used to be the shining pride of the previous neighbours, are quickly getting overrun by weeds, and already a few of the trees have died.
It’s really sad to watch…

In our own interests, we have decided to at least provide water to some of their trees along our joint fence as well as ours, as it’s a designated wildlife corridor and as such we want to help preserve it; but we also want to preserve the summer shading and the green-belt privacy the area creates between the properties.

Saturday

– quite a busy day.
Did early grocery shopping then when I got home I pulled apart the bus loo cover I was making and decided to go in a different direction with it as I just wasn’t happy with how it was working out.
I ended up using some stick-on vynal that I’ve had in the cupboard for ages, and covered it in that.

It took quite a few hours but looks great.
I’ll probably still make a ‘throw’ for the top of it out of pretty material for when it’s not in use, but I’m happy with today’s result.

Watered the paddock beds, and started to move our potted plants into the new small pools that I got to use as water holding trays as they’re drying out so bloody quickly using regular ones.

Sunday

– mostly a lazy day of very little getting done.
Worked out how I’m going to build the small shelf that will hold the tap and ‘sink’ in the bus.

Think I might have seen the first close-to-the-house snake for the season.
We also had our first noisy storm this afternoon (thunder / lightening) and had a decent downpour out of it.
Only about 4ml, but absolutely better than nothing!

We even lost power for a little while, which was rather nice.
I (almost) always enjoy a power-out during the rain, as it makes for some really nice ‘enforced’ reading time.

Monday

– went to a friends place in the next town over that I haven’t seen for a few years and we spent an hour and a half catching up.
It was nice!
Came home and did the post weekend cleanup.
Had a wonderful storm again this evening.

Tuesday

– went in to town early and did the grocery shopping.
Came home and cooked chicken breasts, and started on the laundry.

Made some projellyo ready for our weekend away, and made the shelf for the tap to sit on in the bus.
I’ve stained and varnished it, but will leave it to dry overnight then install in the morning.

Collected my Formulite order from the post office, as well as some vacuum bags for food storage for the home and bus, and a little handheld vacc pump for the bags that we can leave in the bus.

Wednesday

– worked in the garden some, installed the shelf in the bus and did various prepping for our trip away in the bus this weekend.

Thursday

– early morning drive into town to pick up my friend L as her car was going in for work.
We drove to one of the next towns over to do some shopping and waste some time.

We went to the 2nd hand shops, hardware, rivers and rounded it out by getting some groceries that aren’t available in our own town.

In the afternoon I did some mowing of the houseyard and part of the paddock, and after work, my Love and I went and did grocery shopping for our trip away.
It’s a bit of a tradition that – when we’re going away – we do it together when we can.

Friday

– spent all day getting myself and the bus ready to go away.
Did laundry and vacuuming in between.
Finished installing the tap in the bus including putting in the water tank.
Also installed a toothbrush etc cup.

Saturday

– packed up the bus, sorted out the cats, bundled up the dogs and headed off early for the kennels to drop them off for the next couple of days.

We then doubled back – cos it’s actually a shorter trip to do so – and headed off down the coast to a caravan park we’ve never been to.

It took a couple of hours, and we stopped off at woolies to get some fresh bread on the way.
When we arrived, the staff were very nice and said we could pick any site we liked.
We ended up choosing one a couple of sites down from our original allocation, as it afforded a bit more shade during the heat of the day.

Mid-way through set up – as we were listening to the rumbles of thunder and wondering if we were going to get a storm – I heard a massive ‘crackle‘.
Looked up and one of the solar panels on the reception roof had sparked and started a fire which after the initial flash and flames, mostly smouldered.

In due course the firies were called and finallllllly arrived, but I’m glad it wasn’t a full blown fire or the place would have been ashes!!

We were both over-heating due to the humidity, but it was definitely doing a number on my Love, so we headed off to soak in the pool for the better part of an hour until her core finally cooled.

We ordered a pizza from the site cafe for dinner, and it wasn’t too bad.
Cheddar instead of mozzarella – but beggars can’t be choosers!!

Even with the heat – it’s been a good first day of ‘holidays’.

Sunday

– we both slept quite well and after having breakfast, drove to MB to go to the markets.
It was very hot walking around, and we didn’t buy anything.

We were never big fans of MB when we used to camp aroun these parts 20+years ago, and from what little we saw this morning – we’re still unconvinced that’s its the hot-spot its touted to be…

Came back and had a swim to cool the core again, then had a hamburger and beer (for my love) at the site cafe.
We’re taking advantage while we can, as it’s closed from this evening until Wednesday – which is when we leave.

After lunch, my Love had a nap – and the bus was much cooler than outside, as I had turned on the new roof fan we got back from the MB drive, and it’s worked really well.

After nap-time – during which I read – we went for another swim and float to cool down some more.

Dinner was a home-made charcuterie board.
Deeeelishussss!

Monday

– woke up early but we managed to go back to sleep til around 8:40!!!
Almost unheard of!

Stinking hot when we got up and we were back in the pool before it had even hit 9:30am.

Drove into MB to have lunch at the pub, and I had some of the best sticky-date pudding I think I’ve ever had!
My love had her first proper (not crumbed) steak in months and enjoyed it for the most part.

Back to the caravan park and back into the pool.
Then some reading and scrolling and back into the pool once again.
Super hot and humid day but we made it through!

Cooked up some sausages for dinner to have on bread.

Tuesday

– much the same as yesterday.
Slept in a bit, got up and had a cuppa, swim, breakfast, swim, read, swim, to a different pub for lunch (another brilliant sticky date pud) a swim, a read, dinner and then a movie in bed.

Prior to dinner we packed up a lot of our stuff so we don’t have to do it in the heat of the morning.
Also turned the bed around to see what it’s like sleeping the other way.
Will see how we feel about it tmoro morning…

Wednesday

– i slept really poorly last night.
Not from turning the bed around, but from a discussion we had at the end of dinner which didn’t go so well, and i got really upset from it and felt horrible.

24hrs later and I’m still feeling pretty fragile..

We woke to overcast skies and whilst we were having our cuppa, rainy showers started rolling in.
We packed up in spurts in between showers, and by 8:30am had the bus all packed up, and were ready to start the drive back home.

It was a quiet drive, and we stopped off at a local dairy to have a coffee, and I had some of their yoghurt.
Very tart, edible but a little too ‘acid-y’ for me.

Once home we unpacked the bus and I started the laundry, tidied up inside, watered some plants, and we then headed back out to go and collect the dogs from kennels.

Filled the car up on the way as I have an early trip down the hill tomorrow for an appt with my dietician, and my friend L is coming too as she has a raft of appts as well.

Dogs home, dinner cooked, and we settled in to a quiet night of tv catch-up.

Got the houseyard mowed as I know I won’t get much time tomorrow for yard work, and I really want to make sure its done before the predicted cyclone rains come.

Thursday

– an early start to head down the hill with my friend L.
Once we got down there I dropped her off at her first appt, and double backed to go to my Dietician appointment.

Dietician was encouraging as always, and made all the right noises – but in all honestly didn’t have anything much to contribute to what I am already doing. I feel like these days she has become more of a ‘cheer-leader’ than a resource and whilst that’s incredibly useful for some, it feels a bit hollow for me…

I think that unless something goes haywire, that I probably won’t keep going back, as the costs have gone from $90 per visit to $125 per visit in under six months.

Friday

– another busy day today.

There is a cyclone off the east coast of Australia and at present it is tracking toward us and if it continues on its current path is heading right for us – so as we tend to do every year, it’s time to get into ‘cyclone prep’ mode.

It’s a bit earlier than usual this year, so we need to get a wriggle on and get stuff done.

I went into town this morning and got some top-up groceries, and did a pharmacy and rubbish run at the same time.

Once home and all the groceries were put away, I started on mowing the paddock.
At about half way through I had to go out again to get fuel as I’d forgotten to put the containers into the car when I went to town the first time.

Home again and time for a protein shake, then back out into the heat to get the mowing finished.

After I’d done that, I got the house yard cleaned up – I only have to sort out the plants on the table, and lie down the table and chairs in the protected walkway along the fence-line and I think it will all be mostly done.

Next up I went and put some of the loose garden bits into the shipping containers, and turned over and lay down the wheelbarrows and big garden cart, along the fence-line too.
Then cleaned up the majority of the cement area next to the container.

There is a limit to how much stuff I can move away from there, and I’m hoping that the area is pretty protected, even when the wind turns.

I also have created a pile that needs to go to the dump, which we’ll do tomorrow.

It might all be for nothing, but it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Saturday

– ducked into town to get an anniversary pressie for my love as it’s on Monday.
10yrs since our new zealand wedding.

Replaced the pandoras she broke about a year ago, and added another charm to it. Still need to wrap it properly though.

Spent all day doing cyclone prep, including getting up on the roof and blowing out the gutters. (eeep!)
Also did two dump runs worth of crap to the tip.
Cooked an all-day delicious curry 🙂

Sunday

– a productive kitchen day with the defrosting of some foods I’ve been going to can.

First up was some blueberry and strawberry compote, then I got out all the ingredients for salsa, which will defrost over the next 24hrs and I’ll make and can the salsa tomorrow.
I also need to get a few extra onions to top up the recipe.

I then made some elderberry syrup which is good for immunity boosting, as well as reportedly being good for a whole lot of other ‘ails’.

Did some grocery shopping and also have an order to pick up in the morning.

Monday

– another busy day which started with picking up the grocery order, and then coming home to spend the rest of the day making and canning salsa / pasta sauce.

Tuesday

– laundry, cooking, cleaning and cyclone prep.

Wednesday

– Did some pruning of the lillipillis when we first got up as the wind and rain had bent them over and they were rubbing against the side of our lil house.

Other than the usual household chores, not a lot to be done other than a lot of sitting around, reading, scrolling, singing, chair dancing and just generally waiting for the wind, rain and cyclone to do its thing and pass on by.

We moved the bus back away from the house because if we get as much rain as is expected, it’s going to be weeks before we can move it, due to it being so heavy.
We’ve parked it out near the shipping container next to my Loves car.
We’ve already had over 70mls…

Thursday

– cyclone Jasper crossed the coast yesterday evening and other than very gusty winds and ceaseless rain, we’ve been incredibly lucky!

The cyclone moved more northerly in the final few hours before crossing, which meant that we were spared a lot of the possible devastation that could have come if it had stayed on the original trajectory.

Our power is still on, our roof is on, and despite the fact that everywhere is very very wet having had well over 100mm, we’re safe and sound.
Can’t ask or hope for much more than that!

My Love has gone back into work today after having the day at home yesterday, with the office on official cyclone closure.

As I was sitting writing this morning, our middle dog Molly suddenly jumped up from where she had been sleeping being the couch, ran toward the door, fell over, fitted three times, and then lay very verrrrry still for a couple of minutes.

I rushed straight over – heart pounding (mine) – to sit next to her one the floor to give comfort and to look her over, and to watch and see if there was anything ‘obvious’ happening.

No ticks (that I can find), heart rate ok, she’s a bit vague, and it took her a few minutes after the fitting stopped before she chose to get herself up, and then another little while to reorient.

She then took herself back behind the couch where she likes to sleep because its cool there – but where she can still keep an eye on anything going on in the house, as well as having a birds-eye view of the doorway and can watch us all going in and out.

I’ll be keeping a closer eye than usual on her today…

Friday

– a very quiet mostly indoor day with the pelting rain continuing.

Saturday

– more downpour.
We’ve had over 400mm in the last couple of days.
Most of the Farm is under water.

Had to go out to the work Xmas party this evening which we weren’t keen on leaving home for.
It was 10 pin bowling followed by dinner.

It didn’t turn out tooooo bad to be honest.

I’ve been wanting to go bowling for a while so this may be the poke I need to get me back into it!

Sunday

– another day of more rain and not too much getting done.

Having said that though, we went and got a few groceries, did the laundry, and did some cleaning up and a bit of weeding in the rain in the vegie garden.
Just needed to be outside for a while.

The reports of devastation all over far north qld are just so freakin sad, and we’ve been so incredibly lucky here at the Farm.

The house next door I noticed this morning has a tarp on the roof, as does another house just around the corner.

All the ranges and highways to our area are closed with trees down and major land slides.

Due to me being very conscious of us always having ample supplies on hand, we have plenty of varied foods so we’ll be ok, and certainly have fared a lot better than so may others.

Feeling pretty damn lucky right about now…

My next post will be in the new year, so until then I hope you have a lovely Christmas if you celebrate it and I hope that the New Year brings all things wonderful for you and yours!

Making dandelion salve.

A trip away to the coast for a few days.

Making salsa with tomatoes, onion and capsicum.

One of the best sticky-date puddings I’ve had!

We live in a truely magnificent part of the World.

Gettin’ Hot!

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Summer is racing toward us at a great rate, and the earth is starting to crack in places where there isn’t enough organic matter to help protect the soil from the elements.

Its getting dry – very dry, and its compounded by the hot winds which dry everything out even faster…

My mood seems to have been slowing improving over the last week, and I think that’s because I know we’ll be having a long weekend away starting next Saturday, and there is a plan in place for us to have a bit of a discussion about what each of us would like for the next 5-7 years…

Onward and upward!
Below is a brief rundown of what I’ve been up to in the last month.

Monday

– I’m even sick of myself by this point. Being a misery-guts isn’t fun…
Collected our grocery order and did some gardening.
Not much else.

Tuesday

– worked in the bus for most of the morning doing carpeting of the ceiling. Its a neck-hurting job.
Did laundry.
Cooked chook food and poached chicken breasts.

Wednesday

– spent a couple of hours removing excess comfrey from the big vegie garden beds.
year it runs a bit wild during the down season, but its so very good as a compost and mulch and adds so much nutrition to the gardens that I dont want to ever get rid of it totally.

Planted some tomatoes and capsicum.
Got some fresh bags of compost.
Washed and vacuumed the car.

Super hot day – even put the aircon on for a while!

Thursday

– went to the next town over for a shopping trip with my friend L and had sushi for lunch. It didn’t sit well 🤢
Cooked dog food.

Friday

– my friend L came for coffee early as she’d left some stuff in my car yesterday.

Took recycles to the tip and then into town and bought a new bedspread and some blockout curtains.

Did some work in the bus.
Did laundry.
Watered.

Saturday

– finished carpeting the ceiling in the bus.

My wife finished work around lunchtime so after we’d had some sourdough toast, we got to work on the centre console we’re building for the bus.
It’s looking really good and I’m pleased with how it’s turned out.
Installed it and will take it for a test drive tomorrow.
Any excuse! :))

Sunday

– took the bus for a drive to the next town over today and went to the hardware stores and got some nice plants and a couple of extra pots for the wall plantings.

Our neighbours son came over to play with the dog for a while, and the neighbour told us he’s selling.
Sadly we weren’t surprised… 😕

Monday

– had a visit from a friend G who is going overseas for a couple of weeks so dropped through for a cuppa as she leaves tomorrow.

Spent most of the rest of the day finishing the curtains that I started at the end of last week.
They’re hung now and are blackout curtains but I’m not quite sure how I feel about the look of them yet.
Maybe it because I am used to having colour on that window, and they’re grey – dunno.

Tuesday

– the curtains worked well this morning.
Minimal light coming in, and the dogs slept a bit later.
That’s a win in my book!

Did an early grocery order.

Did some weeding and planting in the big vegie garden while the laundry was on.

Collected the groceries order mid-afternoon and did the watering of the raised beds in the house-yard.

Wednesday

– took the bus for a drive to the next town over and went to the ‘Over 55s’ social group again.
Still not wildly keen on it if I’m being honest.
Different age group and social circle / ideals mostly I think…

Thursday

– early trip to get groceries and pick up a book from the post office.
Did some cooking when I got home.
Charged the security camera.
Worked in the vegie garden in the afternoon.

Friday

– went early to the next town over to get some protein bars that were on special, and to get some plants I was looking at on the weekend.

On the way back I dropped into vinnies and got some pj pants and a couple of jars.

The Farm is drying out really quickly and some of the trees are starting to show signs of stress so I spent most of the afternoon doing spot water and some sprinklering.

We’ve had some serious fires close to where we live, and people we know have been affected or have had to evacuate and wait to be able to return to see if they still have a home.
It’s such a scarey thing…

Saturday

– huuuuge day in the garden pulling out old plants including the spoils of the sweet potato bed, and topping up some of the beds in the house-yard with fresh compost ready for replanting and mulching.

My love actually only had one appt today, which I went to and waited outside as it was just a signing – so we combined it with a trip to bunnings to get compost.

While I was doing my garden work, my Love started checking on the irrigation system in the house-yard and along the driveway fence-line as it hasn’t been used for the last almost year due to having had so much rain; so it needs some tweaking where it’s leaking or has just deteriorated or got buried under plantings.

Sunday

– we decided to take a drive to a coastal town we haven’t been to in many years, and even then when we did go there, we would always just be passing through on our way to somewhere else, so we thought we’d go on a bit of an adventure!

It took about an hour and 20mins to get there in our bus, and we hadn’t quite realized (even though we kinda of knew) just how much of the town revolves around also being on a river.

We drove around a bit to investigate what sort of businesses we could see, and then went down to the riverbank / esplanade to have lunch at one of the hotels.

I had a ‘topper’ of grilled chicken with some pepper sauce, and it was quite lovely, but I could only eat two small pieces.
We bought the rest home in the bus fridge.

We stopped off at Coles to get some chicken breasts before we headed back up the range to home.
Its lovely to be able to put cold stuff straight into the fridge in the bus, so we don’t have to worry about anything spoiling if we get sidetracked on the way.

It was a really nice way to spend the day, and a good change from our usual habits.

We’ll do it again for sure!

Monday

– big morning in the garden getting more of the house-yard gardens composted and mulched.
Cooked dog food.
Did houseyard watering of the wall and pots.

Tuesday

– a fairly quiet day spent mostly inside as I had to drop off both my dentures to the dental technician this morning to put in a new tooth as I’m having a tooth removed by the dentist tomorrow morning and I want the replacement in as soon as possible after having the tooth out.

It means that I am without a top denture from this morning until tomorrow morning after the extraction – which isn’t fun when you’re trying to eat something – so it’s a day and night of yoghurt and soup for me!

Not much different than usual, but I can’t eat anything like cheese and crackers or muesli bars – so of course I’m missing them, being that my diet is already so very limited.

Wednesday

– 24 hours of having no top denture is not something I want to repeat anytime soon!
Ugh – nevermind the dietary disturbances, it just felt horrible!!

I had the appointment for my extraction this morning at 830, and by 835 it was out, and that included the wait time for the anaesthetic to kick in.

It was soooo ridiculously wobbly that we figured he could probably use a pair of eyebrow tweezers to get it out 🤣🤣

Once home and the site had had some pressure on it for 10 minutes, I put my denture back in and was very relieved to see and feel it back in place.

I do wish that I had had the forethought to get two teeth added to the denture and two taken out today – instead of just the one; but hindsight is always twenty / twenty as the saying goes!!

I spent most of the rest of the day out in the big veggie garden refreshing two of the beds and planting out a few batches of seedlings.

We went out to dinner with our young friend, and it was nice to catch up properly in person, for the first time in while.

Almost zero tooth pain, and my denture feels and looks wonderful!

Thursday

– My friend L had to put her car in for a service today, so I met her at 9 at the dealership so that I could entertain her and drive her around while it was being done.

We had a snack at a cafe neither of us had been to before, then went for a look around the local camping shop, cheapie shops, hardware store and grocery store, then for some sushi for lunch.
I could only eat ⅓ of a roll, but thankfully L ate the rest so it wasn’t wasted.

The weather has started to heat up, and at least a couple of days a week we’ve had to aircon on in the middle of the day.

Thankfully though, with the loss of weight has come a much better tolerance for the heat, so when I do finally put the aircon on these day I run it at 25° which the old me would have been horrified by!
Past me would have had it on 22° at the absolute highest. 😐

Friday

– our eldest dog has his turn at the vet today.
He’s 16 now, and had to have some teeth out.
He has a heart murmur, heart disease, he’s going blind, his hearing is dodgy, and his dementia is advancing to the point that he often forgets what he’s doing or where he is.

He does however zoom around like a two year old and has an amazing love of life and is a chirpy little character – so while he’s still enjoying his life, we’ll help support him with that.

I spent most of the day in the garden, cleaning old plants out of one of the big vegie garden beds as well as some overgrown comfrey, and refreshing it with compost and mulch.

There is still a good amount of food in the bed (tomatoes, rumex, chard, rosemary), but now there is room for more!

Saturday

– another good day in the garden getting cleaning out and pruning done.
Did the laundry.

Sunday

– a morning in the garden together, then a lazy afternoon.
Did some grocery shopping.

Monday

– went to the next town over to fill the bus with fuel as it’s 14^c cheaper over there, and it isn’t far so is worth the drive, and isn’t a false economy.
Did laundry and some garden work in the afternoon.
Decluttered.

Tuesday

– took my friend L for a drive in the bus to the next town over to see if I could find what I have in mind for my Loves birthday present – which (yaaaay) I did!!

When I got home I ended up ordering online the extra lithium battery I’ve been thinking about for ages for the bus.
had planned to buy it when I was at the next town over, but even though they had it in stock, the customer service was quite poor with the lack of knowledge about it, and to top it off, I could get it from the same company online for $150 cheaper!! Got it at a really good price as well 🙂

Quiet afternoon.

Wednesday

– garden guy came this morning and whipper-snipped.
Went to town to collect some plants that the nursery lady had saved for me.
L came for a cuppa.
Still no rain so watering the house-yard to try keep a bit of green space for the animals.

Thursday

– planted some squash in the big vegie garden before the day got too hot, then went inside to cook some animal food, and some lemon chicken for an early dinner for us for tonight, as we are going to the next town over to watch a film – something we never do!

I’ve already seen the film online at a permaculture film night, but it seemed like a good ‘community’ idea at the time I booked the tickets.

Not so much no that were going to have to drive there and back and won’t get home til late…
Hopefully it won’t be a shit experience!

Friday

– the movie last night was good, but I was a little ticked that I didn’t know Jade Miles was going to be there as MC – or I would have asked her to sign my book… (iykyk!)
Was definitely fan-girling a big bit! 😍

Had a busy day.
Fertilised plants, mowed the driveway, did laundry, poisoned around the new garden beds, watered the big vegie garden and parts of the house-yard.

Wrapped my Loves prezzies as it’s her birthday tomorrow

Decluttered some inside throughout the afternoon.
Started work on the cover I’m trying to make for the bus loo; and the new extra lithium battery and box for the bus arrived by courier.

Saturday

– my Loves birthday today.
She worked but was home by lunchtime.

We watched a lil tele in the heat of the day, then once it cooled a bit we did watering and some pruning.

Sunday

– cooked chook food and dog food.
Grocery shopped.
Did some watering

My love put together the windmills that I got her for her birthday.
I’m really pleased they turned out so well, and it seems she is too.

I had a pretty lazy day!!

Fresh home-grown peas and tomatoes

Home-made waffles, which get popped into the toaster for breakfast.

A beautiful rose given to me for my birthday.

Two double-yokers from our girls this week!

Cleaning out and topping up being done in the big vegie garden.

Advice to live by 😉

This time of year

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Almost every year for the last 7 years (at least) – June has kicked my ass.

Last year was the first year that I got through (mostly) unscathed, and I had thought that I was finally clear of whatever was the heavy darkness that June had bought with it in previous years.

This year It came back – but it only lasted a couple of days, and I made it a topic of discussion during those few days to try and help to chase it back to where it belongs – in the past!

I’m not sure when it first began.

Maybe its always been there and I’ve just been too busy with Life, and Work, and Family and such…

It might have been in the June of a particularly bad miscarriage when I was in my 20s, or it might have been the June my Father died, 22 years ago.

Maybe it was the June back in 2016 when I had a particularly bad back injury that left me bed-bound for around eight weeks.
During that time I needed to stay in bed at all times unless I was going to the toilet or getting up to eat.

It was a really tough time and I spent almost all of my days at our Farm, where my Love would drop me drop me off to before she went to work – because we weren’t living there yet – and I would spend the days in bed with my dog Digby by my side.

It was a dark period and I spent a lot of my time being very scared that I was in a position that if things went more wrong than they already were, I might never walk again.

When I needed to get up and go to the toilet Digby helped me by being my ‘walking stick’; walking beside me so that I could lean on him to make my way to the toilet.
He would hold steady to help me get up from the loo, and then he would walk me back to my bed.

There were many days when I’m pretty sure him being there saved my life.

Eventually and thankfully, I ‘recovered’ from that injury, although there are still ongoing issues with my back and I need to be very mindful of how I move my body during my day to day goings on.

Then there was the day that I had to rehome that amazing Digby dog – through no fault of his own – when my heart shattered into a billion little pieces that it still hasn’t recovered from…

In June of 2017, I was freshly dealing with my friends husband being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, only a few short weeks before their wedding anniversary.

I was also dealing badly with the grief and guilt of no longer having Digby by my side, and his birthday is in June.

In June 2018 my Mother died.
Whilst we were never considered wildly close, she nevertheless was still my Mother, and it was sad.

As she and her husband had moved into aged-care right before her death, the ‘kids’ of our family all rallied to pack up my Mother and her Husbands home, and my sister and I were tasked with selling it – which we did.

It was an intense time that’s for sure.

My Loves Mother also died in June, many many years ago – and whilst sadly I never got to meet her when she was earth-side, I believe she visits and spends time with me often…

In June of 2019, I saw my friends husband for the last time – he died only a few short weeks later.

The day after he died, I gave notice at the job I had held for over thirteen years, as the stress of it was having a cumulative effect, and this latest death had reinforced in me how very ‘short’ life is.

As my career was coming to an end, our youngest sons child was born with critical heart issues, which required months of ICU care, a number of ‘crashes’ in his health, and multiple operations.

Somehow he survived it all, however the same can’t be said for the relationship of his parents.

2021 bought the death of my sisters Mother.

This year, June bought the death of a friends Father, who I had helped in the transfer and care of.

It also bought a serious cardiac event for my Mothers Husband – my Sisters Father.
He is still holding on as I write this, but is slowly deteriorating.

So yeah – June kicks my ass!

A lot of really lovely things happen in June too and I not only remind myself of them often, but I consciously look for the good and beautiful that June brings.

I met my Love in June – over 25 years ago now!

The birthday of our middle son is in June, as is the birthday or our youngest daughters eldest child.

The garden comes to life after the dry blistering heat of summer is finally gone – as June heralds the start of the cooler whether – which I very much prefer.

I will keep looking for the good, and I will keep working on leaving the past in the past where it mostly belongs; but sometimes it just sneaks up on me, and it leaks out my of eyes…

Mid June ’23

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Monday

– Yesterday I thought I was getting a bit of a scratchy throat, but overnight each time I woke up, there was a definite tickle going on in there.
When I got up this morning, my voice sounded like a 1900 call-girl – all deep, husky and gravely, and my throat felt thick.

Once my Love had gone to work I got the dishes done, but by the time I was finished I had the chills and shakes, my head ached, and my muscles were starting to ache too, so I took some paracetamol and headed off to bed for about 90 minutes.

Felt marginally better when I next got up, so I had a 400ml protein shake to at least try and get some hydration and nutrition into me.
Spent most of the afternoon on the couch wrapped in a blanket, and taking Panadol 4 hourly.
Its been another wet day.

Tuesday

– two birthdays in our ‘living’ family today.
Our middle son is 33, and our granddaughter is 4.

I had planned to have a cuppa with my friend Patti today, but she had to do a last minute trip to the city to organise a site for her taco truck to dispense from at one of the local festivals.

As I had already planned to go over to the town that she lives near, I still went to her place to drop off some tamarillo, as I didn’t want the fruit that I had specially picked for her, to spoil. I just hung them on the door handle for her to eventually find.

I then drove back to our closest town and did some grocery shopping, then back home to cook some dog food, after putting away the groceries.

Later in the afternoon I listed a pile of gardening books for sale on Marketplace.
Raining again today.

Wednesday

– Laundry day and changing of the sheets.
A few of the books I listed yesterday have already sold, so I had people going to collect them.

Our friend Nellie came over for dinner tonight, and we got takeaway Chinese food to eat at home.

She and I are both under the weather with a cold and sniffles, and her with coughing, so we figured we’d rather not be out in public sharing our germiness!

Thursday

– David the NBN tech came nice and early this morning and spent a few hours trying to sort out our signal issues.

He’s actually the same guy who came to fix an issue a few years ago, and the partner of the lady who used to help us out on the Farm a few years back.
Its definitely a small community in some ways!

He replaced the outdoor unit, which then wouldn’t register for the longest time with the nbn company, which was increasingly frustrating for him, but eventually it did whatever it is that it should have – and he headed off on his merry way.

Hopefully the issue is now fixed, but time will tell!

I dropped off four of the books I had sold to a lady in town, and collected a click-and-collect grocery order of a few top-up items whilst I was there.

Friday

– today marks the ‘anniversary’ of the day that my father died 22 years ago…

Around 9am, Heath the civil engineer guy came and started in on the drainage works along the eastern fence-line.

He’s doing an absolute cracker of a job, and the swale is so beautifully contoured and has excellent fall down toward the back drain.

He couldn’t quite get the entire drain finished today, so will be back in the morning to do the final touches.

I can’t wait for the next big monsoon to see if it makes as big of a difference as I think it will!

I spent the afternoon doing a big declutter in the kitchen.

I dug through a lot of the things that were hidden in the back of shelves and never used, and they are being rehomed to a friend of ours who is keen to have the extra good-condition kitchenwares.

Saturday

– Heath came back early this morning and completed the drainage works.
I’m so happy we that we decided to give this ‘new kid on the block‘ a go!
We’ll definitely be highly recommending him.

There are some huuuuge piles of dirt left over, so we’re going to need to do some extra landscaping works in the coming weeks / months to incorporate them into the landscape in a better way.

This evening I got word from one of my sisters that my step-dad has had a cardiac event.

Tomorrow is the ‘anniversary’ of my mothers death 5 years ago, and he misses her desperately.

We all think he’s probably finally had ‘enough’ – and all I can hope for is that he gets to pass quickly and gently so that he can be back where he belongs – by my mothers side.

Sunday

– We went for a lovely long spur-of-the-moment drive in our bus (Noah) today and it was just lovely!

We went and got lunch and went up to the look-out to eat it, and on the way back down heading for home decided that we’d take the ‘long way’ – but instead of taking the long way, when we got to the road where we turn off to head toward home, we instead kept going straight head; and for the next hour or so just kept on driving all over the beautiful backroads of the Tablelands.

It was a really nice way to spend a drizzly afternoon, and we even managed to catch a few moments of sunshine here and there.

Today is the 5^th ‘anniversary’ of my mothers death – aged 92.

Monday

– After much discussion, my Wife is going to be getting a new car.
A Mahindra dual cab ute.
She currently has a Colorado – which I have never been a fan of – but its her car so that’s irrelevant! lol

This morning we were booked in to take one for a test-drive, which she wanted me to go with her to, so I met her at the dealership mid-morning.

We both liked the car, so will move forward with the plans to purchase, using the Colorado as a trade-in.

After the test-drive I went to the post office to collect a parcel, then headed back home to do some cleaning.

Tuesday

– Our Garden Guy (the Mighty MG) came over this morning for a coffee and catch up, and so that we could do a bit of a planning session with regards to what we’re going to do next around the Farm, and how we should proceed with our plans for the dirt piles left behind from the drainage works.

Did the laundry, folding and putting away; and vacuumed.

The 12 volt fan in our composting loo has gone on the blink, so I’ll have to try and work out a fix or replacement for that tomorrow.
It was too dark by the time we realised that it wasn’t working, to be able to see well enough to attend to it.

Wednesday

– The 2nd ‘anniversary’ of my step-mums death.

My brother went to sit with our step-dad today.
Since his cardiac event last week, he has been slowly deteriorating, and is very confused and tires quickly.
My sister will be going down to stay for a bit and to assess how he truely is, (she too is a nurse) but she won’t arrive until tomorrow.

I drove to the next big town over this morning to collect a new fan for the loo.
They only had large ones in stock which fit just fine, but it’s quite noisy.

I have installed it to get us through until the smaller less noisy one that I have ordered online, arrives in the mail.

‘June’ is starting to take its toll on me, but I will write more of that in another post…

Thursday

– My sister arrived to be with my step-dad today.
She knows I will go down to be with her at a moments notice, but for now she is doing okay.

She has said that while he is quite exhausted, he is happy that he is no longer having to take his heart medications.
He is also having regular morphine for any pain, and has had a few bouts of lucidity during her visits where he recognises her.

I went back to the next big town over again today, as there were a few things I had forgotten to do while I as there yesterday – and to be honest, I desperately needed the sunshine that can almost always be found there!

Last night the father of one of our very close friends died.

In the last few years we had become quite close to he and his wife as we had helped with their deciding to move from Melbourne to our town, and then assisted with getting them both admitted into the local aged care home, where I used to work.

Whilst we knew that his death was imminent – its still sad…

Friday

– I was supposed to go to lunch with the ex-colleagues crew today, but just as I was about to go in and get ready, our Garden Guy turned up with his wife and two of his kids to collect some stuff – so I ended up spending an hour with them instead.

It was a nice sunny day for a change, so I was glad of the excuse and to instead be able to enjoy more of the sunshine.

I finally got brave enough to tackle the carpeting of the first panel of the ceiling inside the back of the bus.

Whilst it was a little tricky – and I don’t think I could manage doing it with really big pieces of carpet – it was quite empowering to look at the (almost) finished job and notice that I hadn’t done a thoroughly hideous job for my first effort, and didn’t feel like I needed to pull it all down and start again!!

Saturday

– I spent the majority of the morning writing.

Its back to being overcast again today, and I’ve really had a gut-full of this shitty weather!

I am someone who needs regular doses of good solid sunshine, and when that doesn’t happen, my mood goes down the tubes disturbingly quickly.
Not fun…

This afternoon – after my Love had finished work – we went into town to buy food for the cat and dogs, which I cooked up once we got back home.

After the cooking, we sat for a while and caught up on some of our backlog of YouTube videos on channels that we are subscribed to.

Sunday

– a quiet day for the most part.
Did a nice bit of gardening in the morning, and then watched some travel and garden shows in the afternoon.

Made a really yummy coral trout in a laksa sauce for dinner, served on a bed of rice.

So that’s it for this week!

One of my happy places, relaxing in our bus by the lake.

This week I got my delivery of tasteless protein which I add to drinks and food.

Making Lemon Cheesecake Protein Balls. Delicious AND good for you!

Another one of my happy places – my vegetable garden.

Glorious golden gorgeousness from the garden. Yellow squash.

Wk 21 of ’23

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An update of the week that was.
Week 21 of 2023

Monday

– I did some canning while on a FaceTime call with our Daughter-In-Law as she has a new pressure canner and has no experience using it, so we did a live ‘walk-through’ and canned together.
She did some home-grown apples from their little Farmlet, that she had puréed for their little boy, and I canned some beef mince.

Once we were done with that call, I cooked some dog food as well, then did the usual Monday things like laundry and tidying up the house following the weekend.

Still have diarrhoea.

Tuesday

– Our garden guy (the Mighty MG) came today and he finished off building the hoop-house that we’ve been ‘going to get around to‘ for about a year.
It looks bloody great!

I did some weeding and garden tidying, but am feeling quite weak and foggy and despite trying I haven’t managed to do very well with hydrating today.
Less than a litre.

Still have diarrhoea.

Wednesday

– Heath ( a civil engineer) came over to preview the job we’re hoping he will do to fix some of the drainage issues along the eastern fenceline, and he will send us through a quote later in the week.
Seems like a nice young guy.

Its been cold and rainy today – definitely an inside kind of day!
Wearing long sleeves and long pants and closed in shoes.

Blogged.

Day 8 of diarrhoea.

Thursday

– somehow corked my shoulder in my sleep last night.
I think it was because I was so exhausted and run-down from the diarrhoea that I slept for five hours straight without moving.
Unheard of for me – I am usually a rotisserie.

Raining and cold again.

Our eldest Daughter arrived on a spur of the moment visit for two nights, today.

Friday

– laundry day again!
Got most of the stuff packed that we will want for our trip away this weekend.
We’re leaving Saturday morning and coming back Monday afternoon.

The pain I’m having in my arm has made sleeping very difficult overnight, and I can’t use my arm, or raise it at all.

I’m in lot of pain.
Getting more than a little concerned tbh…

Saturday

– I ended up at the hospital Emergency Room overnight with the uncontrolled pain the I just couldn’t get on top of, and was at the point where I couldn’t sleep and also couldn’t move around in bed or even get up easily, without assistance.

After some observations and history etc I ended up having some more Panadol and some Oxycodone and was released to see how I fared.
The diagnosis was a probable pinched nerve.

I was discharged with some extra meds and a script for more in case I needed them.

Woke up in a lot less pain – thankfully!!
It makes a big difference when you can finally break the pain loop…

My Love was not terribly keen to still go away, but after much discussion she agreed that we could still go, as it was obvious I was a lot better than I had been overnight – plus I had the extra medication in case things got ‘exciting’ again – so off we headed – away to palm cove in the bus for two nights!

Yippee!!

Sunday

– We spent the day relaxing and reading and hanging out in the gazebo beside our bus, then wandered up to Esplanade to have lunch at the surf club.

We decided to have dinner at our favourite pizza place – Il Forna – so wandered up there just on dusk, and were spoilt as always, by the wonderful staff.

It was a really lovely day, and neither of us is wildly keen to go home tomorrow.

I always sleep so well in our bus!
For some reason I feel really safe and cocooned when I’m snuggled up in there in my bed at night.
Truely one of my absolute happy places…

So that’s it for this week!

The revamped Hoop-House that our Mighty MG Garden-Guy whipped back into shape in a matter of hours.

Its a little messy in this pic, but its my happy place. Snug, safe and warm in our bus.

Wk 20 of ’23

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An update of the week that was.
Week 20 of 2023

Monday

– grocery shopped, cooked dog food, did laundry, watered big veg garden, cleaned.
Mowed the houseyard and some of the paddock.
Mondays are usually a pretty standard day of catch-up around the house, from the weekend.

Tuesday

– started out with an interview with Hannah from ‘Good Times’ about their products and wanting my ideas and feedback.
Did some weeding and garden tidying and finished up a blog for another site.

Our garden guy worked today and did some poisoning, and we planned out next weeks job of rebuilding the hoop-house.

Went and got some fuel for the mower and took back some glue I got last week that didn’t work, and bought another brand.

Our New Zealand SIM cards need to be topped up every six month to stay active, so I also did that today.
We like to keep them active rather than getting a new number every time, and it’s easier to just swap over to a working sim when we hit the ground, than faffing about setting up a new number each and every time.

Wednesday

– I awoke to early morning loose bowels, so am wondering if it is the seed bar I had as my snack last night that have ‘set things in motion’.
Its days like today that I am very glad that I built a secondary composting toilet out in the shipping container / laundry!

The day started overcast again, but the rain mostly held off.

I planted a couple of trees and mulched them – out the front near the roundabout garden – in the hope that they will suck up some of the rainy-season run-off next year.
They look good!

As I was in need of some extra protein, so I had a small tin of tuna for lunch – but ended up vomiting it back up.
The feeling of tuna chunks stuck in my neck where the hernia is, was freakin’ horrendous!!

Thursday

– early trip to the grocery store before all the other folks arrive after school drop-off and such.
Picked up my Formulite parcel from the post office with 4 tubs in it.

My Wife spoilt me and got a pizza which we had up on the hill for dinner, in the bus.
The one slice I had was just blisssssss!

Friday

– Our poor surrogate daughter just keeps drowning under more and more shit.
Her uncle died this morning… 😔

I had a zoom call with our Daughter-in-Law this morning, as she has a new pressure canner and is wanting to do her first ever round of canning on Monday, so we chatted for a while so that she could have everything ready and in order, and we plan to link up again on Monday for another video chat so that I can help to walk her through the steps she needs to do.
Hopefully it will help her feel more confident for next time.

Lunch with the ex-work colleagues crew was also in the calendar for today, and was held at one of the Cafes at the top on the Range and near the Lake, about a 40 minute drive from our Farm.

There was no soup on the menu, and no small meals, so I got a hot chocolate made on skim and a protein ball.

Only ate ⅛ of the ball and about half of the small hot chocolate, which was barely Luke-warm. Ugh!
Didn’t stay too long – just long enough to not be too rude.

On the way home I stopped off at the second hand store, and found some things that I think my Love will be interested in putting into the garden, so took photos so that I could send to her and she can go to the shop and have a look if she’s interested.
I also bought an old broken fountain that I think will make a nice piece of garden art.

Ended up with diarrhoea again when I got home.
Felt icky at dinner time, so just had yoghurt.

Saturday

– couldn’t stomach breakfast so the dog got to have it.
Still feeling pretty rough…

Sunny again today – makes me feel better.

I have been sorting my goodies box for a trip away that we are planning for next weekend.
Protein, fibre, vitamins, soup, shaker and shakes, cordial, insulted shaker cup etc etc
I swear I take more with me now that when I had babies!

Sunday

– we went to an out of town market this morning, then to one of the nurseries we haven’t been to in years, then to bunnings to get my Wife an extra garden bed.

The afternoon consisted of mostly watch a weightlifting competition on television that our son was competing in, in Adelaide.

I’ve mostly had diarrhoea for 5 days now, and feeling pretty nauseous when I do try to consume anything.

Other than that I feel mostly ok until about 5mins before the next bout arrives.

Makes it very difficult to eat anything of any substance, which just compounds the issue…

As the old saying goes: liquid in, liquid out!

Fingers crossed it doesn’t keep going for much longer as whilst I prefer it to vomiting – because at least my body has a chance a small chance to get some nutrients in on its way through – I’d rather just be able to eat small amounts as usual!

So that’s it for this week!

pizza up on lookout hill was one of the highlights of my week, and definitely something that I needed to help me relax and get out of my own way for a bit!

I didn’t *ever* believed that I would **willingly** watch a weight-lifting competition!

the old broken fountain I ended up buying at the second-hand store. I will use in the garden as decor.

my view when I do my dishes each morning – helps me to start my day in a very grateful mood!

Wk 19 of ’23

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An update of the week that was.
Week 19 of 2023

Monday

– grocery shopped, cooked dog food, did laundry, watered big veg garden, cleaned.

Tuesday

– I want to redo the fence-line between the house and the house-yard double gates and put in a wooden paling picket fence – only abut a metre high – so I need to move the nursery as it is currently along that fenceline, so today I spent most of the day going through the first half of the plants, weeding them, sorting them etc and getting them packed into the gorilla cart so that I can tow them down to the new location next to the hoop-house.

My Love kindly came home early and took the trailer to the raw materials yard and got me another trailer load of soil.

I am hoping to get the other half of the nursery sorted through tomorrow and then I’ll be able to get down to the business of tidying up the ground in that area ready for the fencing works.

Wednesday

– We woke up to a very cold morning and day.
The coldest night and day this year so far.

I’ve moved the first load of plants down to new nursery.
The way the weather looks like its going to be wet for the rest of the week, so I don’t think I’ll get to the other half of the nursery done for a while yet…
My Love had takeaway Chinese for dinner. I had soup.

Thursday

– I took the Mazda back to Charlie the mechanic as the knock-sensor had arrived and he’s going to fit it before he has a week off on holidays.
He’s been such a joy to work with since we found him!

When I was heading out to the road to meet my Love when she was coming to pick me back up to collect my car, I got to meet our new eastern-side neighbours.
They seem like a sweet pair, and are probably in their 70s.

Had a fairly quiet blah rest-of-the day for the most part…

Friday

– it rained overnight and most of today.
Had planned to mow and the garden guy was going to come around, but that’s all being postponed.

I went into town and ran into my friend MB at Bunnings.
We stood around and chatted for ages, and I really loved our little mini catchup.
I wish that I got to spend time with her more often…

In the afternoon, my coffee-buddy friend LC visited on her way home from having her bloods done.
Always a catchup I enjoy.

Saturday

– this morning we were taken out to breakfast by our surrogate daughter and friend, for an early mothers day pressie.

It was the first time we had been to the new cafe, and we were both quite underwhelmed; but it was nice to be out, and very kind and loving of C to think of us and treat us.

My Love had to go work after we were done, and I spent the morning cleaning up, doing dishes and reading.

Once my Love was home for the day, we did a bit of pot-gardening, and rearranging until the cold and rain came back in.

Sunday

– Mothers Day.
we had breakfast at home then my Love had an early appointment out near the lake, so we decided that we would take the bus and both go, then afterwards we headed off to one of the next towns over and went to the hardware stores there, and to the nursery.

After that we went to Coles and bought some fixings for lunch, which we ate in the park at the Heritage Centre.

On the way back home we stopped off at Woolworths to pick up a few groceries including some meat for the dogs, which I cooked when we got home.

In the afternoon, I mowed around ⅔ of the paddock while my Love planted the last of the flowers in the #2 monument bed.

Hopefully I’ll get the rest of the paddock and the house yard mowed tomorrow if the rain holds off, and I manage to get my other chores out of the way enough to make the time!

So that’s it for this week!

CaraCara orange – we’ve been waiting for this baby for what feels like eons!

We’ve been so delighted to have ‘our’ kookaburras living back on Farm.

Wk 18 of ’23

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An update of the week that was.
Week 18 of 2023

Monday

– A public holiday (Labour Day) so my Love was home for most of the day but worked for a while in the morning so that we had been able to have all day Sunday together for a change.

I did the majority of the paddock mowing, (even managing to get bogged once!) and my Love finished up the planting out of the #1 monument bed that she rebuilt last week, as I had topped up the soil in the bed before I mowed.

It’s looking really pretty, and I’m looking forward to the second one being filled up later in the week, so it can be planted out too.
It’s going to be a lovely visual welcome as you come down the driveway, and will give us a smile on the daily.

Tuesday

– we had to go down to the City as I had follow-up appointments with my Dietician and Surgeon.

I am tracking well with my weightloss as far as the Dietician is concerned, and I won’t be having another appointment with her – unless I feel the need – for another six months, as I feel that I am going well for the time being and the money that I am spending with her I feel could be better used elsewhere.
I’ll go back if I feel like I need it – but for the time being – I’m doing well.

Had the followup with my Surgeon and we went through the results of the ultrasound and CT that I had a couple of weeks ago.
It turns out I have a gallbladder full of stones, and a ‘well-developed’ hiatus hernia.

He will do the removal and repair of both at the same time, through the public system, so that it won’t cost me a fortune and also because he understands that I don’t want to go back to the same private hospital that I had my last surgery at, as I really was very uncomfortable with the total lack of care that I felt was practiced in that facility.

While we were down the hill, our Garden Guy came and filled our #2 monument bed, ready for us to plant into on the weekend, and did some other cleanup work around the Farm.

Wednesday

– I went into town to the local Showgrounds where the mobile Mammogram Clinic is currently in residence until the end of the month, for my annual mammogram.

I spent the rest of the day reorganising where our linen chest is going to go, as we have realised that when we moved it away from the end of the bed last week during a big cleanup under the bed, we liked the extra visual space that was there when the linen chest wasn’t!

The area that I am moving it to is also the place in our home where the internet cables come in and go out through the wall, and the broadband box and router ‘hang’, so I also had to move and reroute the boxes and associated wires, to get them out of the way of the linen chest.

We needed to get some extra pavers to put the linen chest on, as that corner of our home has been known to flood in serious rain deluges, and whilst that hasn’t happened in the last three plus years; we still like to keep things off the ground on that side of the house, just to be in the ‘better safe than sorry’ category!

Thursday

– I grocery shopped early as my Friend L was coming around lunchtime for a cuppa and catchup.
She is SO excited about the upcoming Coronation of King Charles that she is almost beside herself!

My Love dropped off and picked up our two older dogs, as they went to the salon for their last haircut until winter is done with, and to have their toenails clipped.

The rest of the day I spent finishing off the furniture moving and cleaning up from the previous day.

Friday

– I spent the morning working in the vegie garden – weeded, watered and planted.

In the afternoon I was a ‘hair model’ for an apprentice, which wasn’t something I had ever done before, and to be honest – I would not recommend!

Being the guinea-pig for a third year hair-dressing apprentice, and I feel like my hair got yanked a lot!

She had to wash, massage, and blow-dry my hair; and she was also required to put big curls in my hair.
The wash and massage was ok, but when she tried to brush my wet hair once that bit was done, that was when I first voiced my concern.

I have very long hair – as in ‘past-my-bum long’, and a brush on long wet hair is anything but ideal!
I requested she use a wide-toothed comb, and it threw her for a bit of a loop – which was a bit of a concern.

We made it through though, and an hour or so later it was eventually blow-dried, curled and sprayed to within an inch of its life, and I was free to go.

Unfortunately though, by the time I made it home – which was less than nine minutes from the time I got up from the salon chair to walking in the door of our home – the curls had entirely fallen out, so there is no photographic proof of the afternoons events.

I never did get asked for feedback!
Weird…

Saturday

– My Love and I made an early trip down the hill to the City before she had to go to work, as we’d been notified by the mechanic that our bus Noah was ‘fixed’ and would be taken around to their affiliate car-yard so we could pick it up from there, as the workshop isn’t open on Saturdays.

I took a 400ml protein shake and a bottle of prepped cordial with me, and I managed to drink all of the shake by the time we got to the car yard, and had a few slugs from the cordial bottle on the way home.

The bus drove like a dream on the way home, which made for me being a very happy girl.

Sunday

– We did some chores around the Farm during the morning which included my Love setting out some plants in the new monument garden (still in their pots) to see how they all looked.
Having perused the handiwork, we decided that we wanted to get a few extra pops of colour, so we went to the nursery on our way to the Lake, but they have increased their prices ridiculously exponentially, so we purchased nothing.

After the disappointing nursery visit, we then headed to the lake with our pre-packed lunch, which we enjoyed lake-side whilst sitting sheltered from the wind by the bus.
After lunch, we read for a bit whilst lying in the bus bed, and my Love ended up having a nap.

It was so lovely to just enjoy actually being able to be in it and going somewhere, and to enjoy being beside the lake as well.
The breeze was cool enough that both needed to get a blankie!

We dropped into Bunnings on the way home, and in a stroke of good luck they had a couple of cheap pots of colour, so we grabbed them and took them home.
they’ll be planted in the #2 monument bed later in the week.

Weight-loss to date: 19.9kg
So that’s it for this week!

Wk 17 of ’23

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An update of the week that was.
Week 17 of 2023

Monday – I blogged and spent most of the morning doing up a timeline for our busted bus Noah.
Planted some broccoli and red cabbage, and netted the entire garden that I put them in.

Noah (the bus) was collected by the tow truck late afternoon, and I then had a shower and washed my hair once that was done.

Prepaid $35 on the electricity account.
This is something that I do every fortnight, and it has resulted in some lovely surprises of occasionally not having anything to pay when the bill arrives, or only needing to pay a minimal amount.

I started doing this after I got a horrendous bill-shock when we first had the air-conditioner installed.
I knew it as going to be extra, but I was soooo excited to not be sweating bullets 24hours a day that I used it far more than was actually necessary.
Lesson learnt!

Tuesday – Anzac Day and my Love was home from work as it’s one of the days that she can’t legally work.
Did a trip to the grocery store to get some bread as she was hankering for cheese on toast for lunch.
I had rice crackers with tomato and cheese.
Fertilised the vegie gardens, and sold 3 books on Marketplace.

Wednesday – I delivered my car to the mechanic and my Love dropped me back home whilst it was being looked at.
I spent the morning pruning some trees, and doing weeding in the vegetable garden
After lunch I started cleaning up inside, as I wanted to do a deep-clean on the bedroom and lounge room area of our little home.
Mid-afternoon my car was ready to be collected, but hadn’t been fixed as it needs a new part which the mechanic has to order.
He has assured us though that it is fine to drive until the part turns up, and he’ll call us as soon as it does. 😬
Pleaseeee don’t let him be wrong!

Thursday – I did more of the bedroom and lounge room deep-clean.
I also did a click & collect grocery order and went and picked it up.

Our garden guy came and snipped the eastern fence line, and ended up doing the whole Farm, before it again started to rain quite heavily, so he headed off home with his son who had had the day off school, pleading illness.

I got the house yard and about ¼ of the paddock mowed in the afternoon.
We went out for Dinner at the International Club with our friend CW and had some nice fish.

Friday – early run to replace the mop-head as we bought the wrong one last night.
Another full day of laundry, housework and podcasts.
Also changed the sheets and put on some snuggly lovely new flannel ones, as the nights are starting to cool down.
They’re so soft!!

Saturday – My love came home for lunch and bought fish and chips with her.
I had four chips, and a small bit off the end of her piece of fish, which I peeled all the batter off as it makes me feel icky these days.

In the afternoon after my Love came home from her after-lunch appointments, we filled the last of the new monument garden bed alongside the driveway, and put a pile of mixed flowers into it, and a tibouchina in an old rusty bottomless fire pit that we sat upon the end of the bed.

Sunday – the day went quite quickly with my Love and I spending a big part of it in the garden.
Apart from a couple of hours in the very warm middle of the day after we had lunch, we watched a bit of tele and precooked a satay for dinner.
After we had done more yard work, I had a shower and washed my hair.

I’ve started back on eating a kiwi-fruit a day again, as I had become quite constipated when I slacked off and stopped eating them.
The results within 24 hours were gratifyingly ‘easy’ – for those who’d like to know. lol

Tomorrow is a public holiday and then the next day I have to go to cairns for follow-up appointments with the Dietician and Surgeon.
Its going to be a busy week!

little weeny grasshopper. its hard to be cranky at them when they’re this cute!

mower with trolley attached, to cart soil and plants

a little lunch of ‘fish pie’. a bit like cottage pie but with fish!

Wk 16 of ’23

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An update of the week that was.
Week 16 of 2023

Monday – we had breakfast at Petes again before packing up and getting the car sorted for the drive home.
I had a bit of a vomit after we got back to the room from breakfast, after eating a small portion of bacon and egg.
I’m now pretty sure it’s the heavy bread that’s doing it!
Had to retake my multivitamin, and I’m sure the vomit would have screwed with my fluid intake for the day!

We went to Bunnings to get some flower and veg seedlings as a treat, before heading back up the hill to home from our two nights away.
On the way home we collected the dogs from the kennels, who were very happy to see us.
It was a nice break, albeit far too short to really relax much at all.

Tuesday – I went into town to have an ultrasound scan in the morning for my liver lesions.
After a couple of questions from me, the sonographer admitted that I also had a lot of gallstones.
I’m still annoyed that my gallbladder wasn’t removed during my surgery – but more annoyed at myself that I didn’t ask for it to be done!
The rest of the day was a Housework catchup day.

Our garden guy came for 2 hours before the rain started, and he managed to get the new ‘monument’ bed cardboarded and half-filled with organic waste before using the last of the trailer soil to top it off.
Its not quite full though, so we will need to get another load of soil from the landscape place up the road.

Wednesday – I spent most of the the morning working in the garden, pruning and pulling up the rampant comfrey and getting the hoop-covered bed ready for planting some brassicas in the coming weeks.

I had a small tin of tuna with some crackers for lunch as a good quick protein hit, and then did a run to the dump in Noah (bus) to the dump to empty the recycles.
I got the ‘foamies’ after dinner – but managed to stave off the vomit.

Thursday – I had to drive down to the city for my CT scan which is to investigate the pain im having in my upper left quadrant.
I felt pretty icky when the contrast was first injected, but was ok again once I sat back up.
It ended up being a fairly ‘quick’ 4½ round trip, and whilst I called into BCF and Anaconda, it was mostly just to waste time until it was time for my scan.

On the way back home, I stopped at the top of the hill to get a mini sausage roll.
It ended up making me sick and I had to pull over twice on the way home to be able to throw up.
Maybe it was too oily, I don’t know – because I sure chewed each of the bites (all two of them!) til they were mush.
But then again – this baby belly doesn’t seem to like mush too much…

 Friday – I had to go into town early to collect groceries and garden stuff, so that I would be back in time for the electrician to come and fix our oven which has been out of action since November.

I mowed for most of the afternoon, however took an hour or so break to go back into town as I had a Physio appointment for my knee.
I feel like its slowly getting better.
I actually managed to get the whole of the house yard and paddock mown, except for the short bit along the eastern fence line where its still too boggy to be able to get the mower to.

On the way home from grocery pickup, the engine light came on in the Mazda.
Seriously – cars will just not give us a break at the moment!

I took the bus to go to the Physio, as we can’t get it into the mechanic to get looked at until Wednesday of next week, so I’ll be driving the bus to go any place I need to go for the next however long.

Saturday – started with me taking the bus into town to get some medications from the pharmacy, whilst my Love took the trailer and went and got a fresh load of soil from the landscapers.

I had been going to get some work done in the garden, but it ended up being a quiet day of reading, writing, YouTubing as it was very windy along with squalls of rain.

Sunday – went into town early to get some paint to coat the timbers that need replacing in the vegie garden, and also some black paint to revamp our Farm signage as it’s starting to get a bit ratty looking and needs a touch up.
Couldn’t do the touch up though as it ended up raining.

Went to go out in the bus for a drive to the lake after packing up a picnic, only to get dpf error come up on the instrument panel, so we need to work out how to clear that as it looks rather convoluted in the manual, and we’re assuming that once again it will need to go back to the mechanic down the hill.
Distressing and exhausting…
I now have no car to drive!

Breakfast Time