A long week

I’ve been MIA as this week we have been at the hospital in palliative care 

My father was in lots of pain and it took a few days to get that under control 

On the 30th January. At 4.07 he took his last breath 

Unfortunately it was during the time I had gone home to shower and change 

Only my sister was with him

He wasn’t alone 

He had many Heath issues that caused him 

Lots of pain 

He is at peace now 

Just got to get through this week and I’ll be back 

Australia Day.

https://youtu.be/kdihHnaOQsk?si=9n_VaFjYTJfybswF

It’s a contentious day today. 

I understand both sides of the story 

But the one thing we can all agree on is our abundance of 

Animals that will kill you. 

Gotta love straya 

Ticked off the to do list

I have wanted to make a cover for the sewing machine for a long time 

I mean a long long time. 

The cover that came with the machine had  perished and was no longer usable 

I finally decided that today I’d get to work 

I found fabric that would do the job 

I wanted to make it a quilted cover so I also needed a backing fabric 

I found a green to match, but unfortunately it was all in scraps. 

They were large scraps, so I needed to sew them together to get the sizes I needed 

I did the measuring 

I worked out the math 

And I started to cut and sew 

I quilted all the panels 

And sewed them all together. I decided to use binding on the edges as they were 

Too thick to just sew and turn 

The finished product 

I even added a pocket on one side 



It took longer than I had anticipated. But I kept going until it was done 

I think it looks ok. And it definitely does the job 

No more  having to dust the machine everytime I wanted to use it. 

Well I hope I won’t have too. 

One last time

Well for a while anyway 

All three girls were here. School starts next Tuesday so it will be a while before the older girls will be here

Yesterday I bought new colouring books and pencils. 

All three enjoyed colouring and chatting 

Brianna is such a mummy. She is constantly helping and teaching Ana all sorts of things 



They had so much energy. They were running and playing hide and seek in the house. So i took them outside to play chasey 

It worked a treat. They burned off lots of energy 



Once inside. After visiting the animals, the two younger girls were playing in their room. Melody was happy to help me cook. 

She is stirring the Greek three cheese pie while I got the trays ready 

I learnt to cook these from my grandmother, so it was special teaching my granddaughter 

after lunch. We settled down for some quiet time watching a kids movie 

Little Ana and fell asleep. It was a big day 



All three girls have now gone home 

It’s always so quit once they go. 

I’ll miss the bigger two and will look forward to the next school holidays. I’m absolutely positive Ana will miss them too 

A Quickie

I’m not sure what I want to make right now. 

But I do need something to keep me busy and out of the kitchen. 

It’s too hot to be outside, so no joy there. 

I decided to knit a pair of socks 

One day it will be cold again and they will be needed to keep my tootsies warm 

Hopefully by the time I’m done a project will present itself 

Paying it forward

My Fellow art student wanted to learn how to crochet 

Her grandmother had taught her to do granny squares, but she hadn’t really done much more since 

Since someone had spent time teaching me I happily told her I’d teach her 

So she came over with her supplies and we began 

We decided to just make the pattern on the inside of the label that goes round the ball. It was a cute bag

I showed her how to read the pattern. 

How the same stitch gets called different because of uk and USA terminology 

And away she went 

I began to crochet with her to show how to do the stitches and once she left I went back to my knitting project 

Today I finished the bag 

I kept the second yarn label to continue to follow the pattern. 

It’s a cute bag, perfect to carry yarn in 

I’m very sure it will get used frequently 

Now the knowledge has been passed forward I’m sure one day she will teach someone and the craft will live on 

Garden feast

No not feasting in the garden. Bringing all the garden abundance into the kitchen for our dinner 

I made some vegetable fritters 

I grated zucchini, potatoes, onion, and a little capsicum that was sitting in the fridge   Mixed it with eggs and a couple of tablespoons of flour. I found a bag of 00 flour with just enough flour to add into the mix 

Fry them up by dropping spoonfuls into the pan 



Served with a salad of tomatoes, cucumber and some feta cheese. 

The cheese didn’t come from here. It’s my contribution to the economy 




It was very lovely indeed. Even if I do say so myself 

There are fritters left for the boys to have for lunch tomorrow 

I think I need  to  grocery shop tomorrow   

Which is perfect timing as I’m meeting the girls for a coffee in the  morning 

Slow start

This morning hubby and I had a big sleep in 

We probably would of slept even longer but a phone call woke us up 

First week back at work and the place was rammed with vehicles. Hubby worked late every day! 

Except yesterday, he came over to spend some time with the girls 

Here they are feeding Dobby the donkey. He actually comes running now. Which is quiet funny to see 

The bucket I use to bring the feed was more fun for the two littlest 



These two are a cracker together. They get on so well. 

They’re definitely going to keep us all on our toes lol 




I asked them to pose so I could take a photo 



We let the chickens out. Now that Pendles has gone to the great chicken coop in the sky, I’m not so anxious when we go out back. 

Pendles would of seriously hurt the girls if he had decided to protect his girls 




The girls asked if they could go and pick all the red tomatoes. They’re definitely free range children foraging for their food 





Melody found a huge zucchini. Which was fed to the steer. 



Brianna said she didn’t like tomatoes but liked picking them 



And little Ana found lots of strawberries which both she and Brianna harvested. 

Not many made it into the kitchen 



By the end of the day. When all the girls went home grandma was happily exhausted 

It will be a while now before the three will be together on a Friday as the two older girls go back to school 

Ana will miss them 

A lovely day

Today I had lunch with my travel friend. She lives 20 minutes from where I do. But we met for the first time in Dublin  on the Ireland and Scotland tour. 

We still laugh about it 

In between I decided to pretty up my ban of bags. 

When going to the shopping centre, we always think. I won’t buy anything. So we leave our grocery bags in the car. 

We now know better. So, we have a bag for our bags. 

Our handbags and our reusable grocery bags

Are all in the one bag for easy access 

It also has the advantage of not having to carry your handbag on your shoulders. Not a good thing when you have neck issues 

So I took my bag bag and decided I wanted to pretty it up 

I really didn’t want to give Cole’s free advertising 

Now this looks like 

This!

It’s not going to win any awards for perfect sewing. 

But I do think it’s much better than it was 



Also I will know my bag bag instantly. When they’re all in the shopping cart, while out with the girls 

We are very organised and efficient. After all 

Just because you’re saving the planet. It doesn’t mean you can’t have some style 

No spend January. Almost

I’m trying to not buy too much from the supermarkets. 

Using up what I have.  No only saving money not spent but also not throwing 

Out food. 

I made this breakfast bar 

The 100 cookie dough recipe 



I used a quarter of the batch and frozen the three other quarters 
I now unfreeze them when needed and cook with Ana or the girls. 

Without too much mess lol 

I also have bread rising 

I’ll leave it for a couple of hours before the second rise that way 

It will be ready for dinner when hubby gets home. 



I now do not have any flour left in the house. 

So if I want bread, and who doesn’t, I’ll either have 

To buy more flour or bread. 

So of course it’s not strictly a no spend. 

It’s an, only spend it you totally have to, month 

Meat frozen in the fridges, and veggies from

The garden will keep us going for a while before we have to buy 

Anything for  dinner 

This is a good way to make up all the money spent during Christmas 

And New Years. 

I used to do it every year when I had little children and it’s 

A habit that just won’t go away. 

Not that it’s a bad thing 

Flowers and yarn

I’ve been busy keeping the water up in all the pots 

This is the south side of the house 

A wider view. Don’t often take photos from here 

The windows are my craft room. So I can see into the large paddock and keep an eye on things 




Under the front veranda. It’s west facing so gets very hot on the afternoon. 

The buddleia need cutting back again. 

I’ll leave it for a while as it blocks the sun from coming into the house. 




Once it’s too hot to be inside I craft. These are all the trauma teddies and dolls I’ve made. I’ve got my painting buddy checking some leads on who can use them 

Don’t know why it’s upside down 



I bought some limited edition yarn from Bendigo Woollen mills. I’m using some to knit another jumper for hubby. 

Getting ready for when winter arrives 



In between I’m busy doing all the things that need doing to run a household 

Life right now is in relaxation mode. Taking time to appreciate the little things. 

The workshop has started again after the holidays. 

So the year has really begun now. 

I wonder what it will bring?

Keeping on top of things

All this heat and humidity means plants are thriving. It also means the weeds are too 

Hubby and I started turning this 

To this. Ana can now go and check for strawberries 



Because we couldn’t get into the garden we have found quite a few huge zucchini’s 

Both of the zucchini and weeds were fed to the stock 

The steer was very grateful 



All animals are now in the big paddock. Dobby was happy to share the steers lunch. They were very good together. 




We had to rush as storms were predicted. 

Poor Teddy doesn’t like the thunder so he is inside 



I have an audiobook going. 

My knitting 

And two sound asleep puppy’s. 

The only thing missing is a roaring fire, but 

It’s way too hot for that. 

Done and dusted

All I have to do is put the vacuum away. Take the wreath off the front door and Christmas 24-25 is over 

I have eleven months to rest before it begins again 

The house is looking very bare now. And so big! 

R.I.P

Sadly we lost Pendles the rooster yesterday afternoon 

I googled his symptoms and he has sour crop. 

The prognosis was never a good one 

End girls now are on their own 

I won’t get another rooster 

I’ll let the girls just have a happy life without unwanted attention 

I will miss his crowing 

A hot one

Today is going to be hot. Predicted top of 36 degrees Celsius. 

Definitely an inside day. 

Yesterday we took down more decorations. Hubby climbed the ladders.  I’m not allowed 

Today I tackle the archway. 

In between hanging washing and checking the stock 

They will need fresh water during the day 

Pendles the rooster is still going strong. Looks like we got him in time 

That will be enough for the day. 

I’ve been very tired and i keep falling asleep early and waking up late. 

Not like me at all 

Not that it’s a bad thing really. I’m catching up on years of insomnia lol 

Fifty eight

Today I turn 58 years old. 

Yes I mean old. At first reaction on remembering my 

Day of birth I kinda thought wow getting on now 

And I wasn’t too excited about that fact 

Until I remembered those who are not lucky enough to get this far

And those we have lost and would still love to be here. 

So no depressing thoughts today 

Just so very grateful to still be here. 

I’m definitely going to enjoy my time as the crone