Today is a bad day.
The trouble I have is a poor memory. Travelling along feeling mostly good and then I stuff it all up.
M and I went to see Jimmy Barnes last night at Taronga Park Zoo as part of their twilight concerts they hold in summer. Absolutely gorgeous afternoon and night we got a great spot although I think it would have been hard to get a bad spot and it was a great concert. The support act was Jon Stevens and the Dead Daisies. Good hard rock.
As it is our 40th wedding anniversary tomorrow I ordered the picnic hamper as well with not a great deal of thought. The hamper was lovely but hello, it was full of dairy and wheat. I steered clear of the dairy as I am still recovering from my last transgression and will probably bear the scars forever but this morning I woke up in a great deal of pain with an upset stomach which I haven't had since giving up wheat. Pain killers helped with the pain and I will just have to wait for my stomach to settle. I also have no energy. I know, will she ever learn but you know when you are feeling good you forget just how bad you can feel from just one bread roll.
We are going out again this afternoon to the food and wine festival in Hyde Park with friends and tomorrow is the rugby. If I could get out of either of these events I would but unless I really get sicker I can't.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Saturday, February 01, 2014
Moving on - the only way is up
Funny thing about battery charging and iPads - you have to actually plug them in otherwise it doesn't work. Probably an indication of how far gone I was last night.
Still aching but I dragged myself up early this morning and we walked in the cool which makes it all worthwhile.
Today is cooler than it has been lately. The heat has been a killer and I try to walk Lucy in the mornings around sunrise otherwise there is no energy left at the end of the day.
Work has been hectic this week. I seem to be dancing up and down on the one spot and not getting anywhere. The relief cleaner complained that she couldn't clean my office because of all the papers everywhere. Hopefully next week, when people are away at a conference for 4 days I will be able to get stuck into it without the constant interruption.
The trouble with 5 weeks holidays is trying to remember what happened and what was said last year. Have been trying to go through my 2013 day book to see what I haven't done. Oh well, it will all work out in the end.
I finished all the irrigation systems that I planned to put in. I have three large gardens left which I was going to leave until next holidays but they make deep watering the gardens so easy that I am going to try and put the rest in when I can find the time. Hopefully one tomorrow.
Have planted out all the new plants I bought plus have planted out to the garden some of the cuttings I have struck. The salvia cuttings my friend brought me in Mid January have all grown roots and I have potted them on and they are looking good.
I rescued a friends maidenhair fern last year as it was "dead" and have revived it and sent it back with strict instructions not to try and kill it again.
Today is just cleaning house and grocery shopping. Such an exciting life I live.
Oh I finished another dog book "amazing Gracie". Made me cry but then ads can make me cry. It is a lovely story about an albino Great Dane who was deaf and how she saved her owner when he thought he was saving her.
To feel the love and loyalty of a dog is such a special gift - no conditions, no strings. I have been blessed.
Happy lunar new year everyone - the year of the horse has begun. Gong Hey Fat Choy!
Still aching but I dragged myself up early this morning and we walked in the cool which makes it all worthwhile.
Today is cooler than it has been lately. The heat has been a killer and I try to walk Lucy in the mornings around sunrise otherwise there is no energy left at the end of the day.
Work has been hectic this week. I seem to be dancing up and down on the one spot and not getting anywhere. The relief cleaner complained that she couldn't clean my office because of all the papers everywhere. Hopefully next week, when people are away at a conference for 4 days I will be able to get stuck into it without the constant interruption.
The trouble with 5 weeks holidays is trying to remember what happened and what was said last year. Have been trying to go through my 2013 day book to see what I haven't done. Oh well, it will all work out in the end.
I finished all the irrigation systems that I planned to put in. I have three large gardens left which I was going to leave until next holidays but they make deep watering the gardens so easy that I am going to try and put the rest in when I can find the time. Hopefully one tomorrow.
Have planted out all the new plants I bought plus have planted out to the garden some of the cuttings I have struck. The salvia cuttings my friend brought me in Mid January have all grown roots and I have potted them on and they are looking good.
I rescued a friends maidenhair fern last year as it was "dead" and have revived it and sent it back with strict instructions not to try and kill it again.
Today is just cleaning house and grocery shopping. Such an exciting life I live.
Oh I finished another dog book "amazing Gracie". Made me cry but then ads can make me cry. It is a lovely story about an albino Great Dane who was deaf and how she saved her owner when he thought he was saving her.
To feel the love and loyalty of a dog is such a special gift - no conditions, no strings. I have been blessed.
Happy lunar new year everyone - the year of the horse has begun. Gong Hey Fat Choy!
Friday, January 31, 2014
Friday
I have two drafts sitting waiting for me to finish them and publish them but it is all too much.
My body is aching all over. I know I have to replace the pain relief patch tomorrow but I also know it has run out already.
It is amazing. It has taken 4 days to put me back where I was 5 weeks ago. Exhausted. I can barely keep my eyes open and now even though I have my ipad plugged in the battery is running down so this is a short post.
More later.
My body is aching all over. I know I have to replace the pain relief patch tomorrow but I also know it has run out already.
It is amazing. It has taken 4 days to put me back where I was 5 weeks ago. Exhausted. I can barely keep my eyes open and now even though I have my ipad plugged in the battery is running down so this is a short post.
More later.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Live every moment and enjoy, these days come only once
Have changed things a bit since last time I checked in. I was walking Lucy late morning or afternoon last week but the heat has been so debilitating that I now set the alarm for 6 and get up and walk her then.
Lovely cool mornings with fog some days. Looks quite ethereal. Just floating above the ground.
Except this morning. Since yesterday afternoon we have had this fine misting rain and that is what we had this morning when I dragged myself out of bed, got dressed and walked outside. Anyway it looks like we will have an afternoon walk again and hopefully it won't get too steamy. At least I don't have to water the garden today.
Lovely cool mornings with fog some days. Looks quite ethereal. Just floating above the ground.
Except this morning. Since yesterday afternoon we have had this fine misting rain and that is what we had this morning when I dragged myself out of bed, got dressed and walked outside. Anyway it looks like we will have an afternoon walk again and hopefully it won't get too steamy. At least I don't have to water the garden today.
We went to see "Saving Mr Banks" on the weekend. It was a delightful movie and even M enjoyed it. Apparently the girl who plays P.L. Travers as a young girl is the granddaughter of someone my sister plays bowls with. We had dinner out afterwards and it was a lovely night.
I spent most of Sunday putting in another watering system in the Murraya hedge garden along the fence at the back of the pool. This has been the hardest one to put in as the hedge is really well established and I felt a bit like the prince in Rapunzel having to slash my way through the bushes. But I got it in in the end and I think they will be a lot happier with a regularly good soaking rather than the haphazard way I was watering them before. M spent the day watching the cricket and would come out every now and then to see if I was alright. At one stage he could only see my feet sticking out and was a bit concerned that I wouldn't be able to get out. I must say that the knee pads I bought from the nursery were a godsend and I was surprised that I wasn't as scratched as I thought I was going to be.
Yesterday I caught up with the ladies I used to do folk art with. I have known them over 20 years and wish I could summon the energy to go out one evening a week but I just can't so I will have to make do with lunch every now and again.
I had another train ride today down to North Sydney to pick up my new prescription sunglasses. Wayfarers this time and I love them so much. I meant to get them last year but go waylaid by another pair that I haven't been happy with. So now the balance has been restored.
I have a few garden type things to do this afternoon. I have an English box that I have had for eons and trained into a heart shape but somehow I think it dried out last year - not quite sure how - and it has not recovered. It is struggling along but I think the time has come for it to move on. I am going to replace it with a japanese box this time and will post a picture when it is potted. I think it will grow more quickly than the English box and is better suited for what I want. Also I am impatient and want to get this sorted out asap.
I also bought another punnet of those petunias I bought a couple of weeks ago - Shock Wave Coral Crush. So they have to go into the garden and I have to pinch out the dead flowers from the ones that I have already planted.
I realised that I hadn't finished staking up the orchids I repotted last week so that has to be done too.
After dinner tonight we have drinks with friends to celebrate a birthday.
Tomorrow is the zoo and high tea with J. Thursday is lunch with M's brother and sister. Friday is going to be my gardening day again and I will put in another system if I can but I need sunshine for that to help straighten out the hose.
Saturday is lunch with the ladies I used to do pilates with. Sunday is Australia Day and we have been invited out. It is up to M if he wants to go and then next Tuesday it is back to work. That five weeks has gone in the blink of an eye and I am going to miss the sleep-ins. Even on the days I walk Lucy I go back to bed when I get home and quite easily can go back to sleep. This exhaustion that is on me is bone deep.
But first - walk Lucy.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Cockatoo Island Adventure
Today we got up really early (remember we are on holidays and anytime before 7 is really early for us) and drove down to J's place.
From there we caught the river cat to Cockatoo Island. River travel is such a lovely way to travel and I envy the people who can do it everyday although I was a bit upset at all the lovely old buildings and houses that have been destroyed on the river to build really really ugly apartments. But as J said, she agreed with me but if someone offered her one of those ugly apartments on the river she wouldn't knock it back.
The weather here and all up the eastern states is meltingly hot so it was nice to be on the water where there was a constant breeze.
This is actually not at Cockatoo Island. This is a place called Rivendell which is across the river from the ferry wharf near J's.
It is part of the Dept of Education and Communities and is a child, adolescent and Family unit.
It originally was a convalescent hospital.
My grandfather was a gardener on this estate in the first half of the 20th century which is my connection and one of the reasons I took this picture.
The name Rivendell of course comes from J.R. Tolkien's book "The Hobbit" and is a place to rest and recuperate - a sanctuary for those on difficult journeys.
Anyway the ferry ride took about 25 mins and as always river travel is so interesting. The mullet were jumping and the day was absolutely stunning.
When we arrived we decided that the convict precinct would be interesting. We walked through the Dog Leg tunnel, cut out of solid Sydney sandstone, to the other side of the island and then climbed a lot of steps, the Southern stairs, up the cliff face to the Ship Design Precinct. Great views when I finally recovered my breath and nerve.
This was the Sutherland Dock. When it was built it was the largest graving dock in the world. Of course this is no longer in use which upset M at bit. Such a wonderful facility that is no longer being used except of course we got to go there. We started walking along the top of the cliff but couldn't get too far because the volunteers had warned us that the seagulls were still nesting there and there were babies. Of course rather than upset them we looked for another route around that building.
This is in the convict precinct. The island was used as a gaol in the 18th century. This is the mess hall looking across what I think was the prisoners exercise yard or maybe it was just a courtyard.
This is what is left of the guardhouse where the soldiers lived. It was being set up for a wedding hopefully a bit later in the day because the sun was relentless even with the cool breeze. Those small openings that are on either side of the fireplace are actually slits where they could fire their rifles through should they need to fall back and stockade themselves in the quarters. It overlooked the cells but we couldn't get there because once again baby seagulls thwarted us but that was okay because there was so much else to see.
These were the solitary confinement cells and have only recently been recovered by an archeological dig. They were apparently filled with water.
Anyway I have so many photos but this could rather turn out to be like a slide night of olden times. We also visited the Industrial Precinct and have plans to return and explore further and will probably use the guided tour and I probably also should take notes as my memory is definitely not as good as it was.
My goodness I am looking forward to retirement.
We had an amazing time. Very little of the island is actually off limits. We went there during the week so crowding wasn't a problem and had lunch residing over one of the most magnificent views in the world.
Home now with every cooling device we have turned on. M is watching the cricket with his eyes closed. Was thinking that I would go to the gym this afternoon but have revised those plans and think maybe just a quiet drink on the deck and a chat to my sister will be a much more civilised way to end the day.
Happy Friday everyone!
From there we caught the river cat to Cockatoo Island. River travel is such a lovely way to travel and I envy the people who can do it everyday although I was a bit upset at all the lovely old buildings and houses that have been destroyed on the river to build really really ugly apartments. But as J said, she agreed with me but if someone offered her one of those ugly apartments on the river she wouldn't knock it back.
The weather here and all up the eastern states is meltingly hot so it was nice to be on the water where there was a constant breeze.
This is actually not at Cockatoo Island. This is a place called Rivendell which is across the river from the ferry wharf near J's.
It is part of the Dept of Education and Communities and is a child, adolescent and Family unit.
It originally was a convalescent hospital.
My grandfather was a gardener on this estate in the first half of the 20th century which is my connection and one of the reasons I took this picture.
The name Rivendell of course comes from J.R. Tolkien's book "The Hobbit" and is a place to rest and recuperate - a sanctuary for those on difficult journeys.
Anyway the ferry ride took about 25 mins and as always river travel is so interesting. The mullet were jumping and the day was absolutely stunning.
When we arrived we decided that the convict precinct would be interesting. We walked through the Dog Leg tunnel, cut out of solid Sydney sandstone, to the other side of the island and then climbed a lot of steps, the Southern stairs, up the cliff face to the Ship Design Precinct. Great views when I finally recovered my breath and nerve.
This was the Sutherland Dock. When it was built it was the largest graving dock in the world. Of course this is no longer in use which upset M at bit. Such a wonderful facility that is no longer being used except of course we got to go there. We started walking along the top of the cliff but couldn't get too far because the volunteers had warned us that the seagulls were still nesting there and there were babies. Of course rather than upset them we looked for another route around that building.
This is what is left of the guardhouse where the soldiers lived. It was being set up for a wedding hopefully a bit later in the day because the sun was relentless even with the cool breeze. Those small openings that are on either side of the fireplace are actually slits where they could fire their rifles through should they need to fall back and stockade themselves in the quarters. It overlooked the cells but we couldn't get there because once again baby seagulls thwarted us but that was okay because there was so much else to see.
Anyway I have so many photos but this could rather turn out to be like a slide night of olden times. We also visited the Industrial Precinct and have plans to return and explore further and will probably use the guided tour and I probably also should take notes as my memory is definitely not as good as it was.
My goodness I am looking forward to retirement.
We had an amazing time. Very little of the island is actually off limits. We went there during the week so crowding wasn't a problem and had lunch residing over one of the most magnificent views in the world.
Home now with every cooling device we have turned on. M is watching the cricket with his eyes closed. Was thinking that I would go to the gym this afternoon but have revised those plans and think maybe just a quiet drink on the deck and a chat to my sister will be a much more civilised way to end the day.
Happy Friday everyone!
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
I love being on holidays!
It has been really busy lately and trying to carry on while unwell is beginning to be difficult.
Dinner out on Saturday night and Lunch with friends on Sunday at home was lovely but my stomach has reacted badly.
On Sunday, M dug out a large patch of agapanthus to give to the people coming and they bought me cuttings of salvia, both blue and pink which are now sitting on the windowsill with Buddha waiting to grow roots. Agapanthus appear in my garden at random and he seems to have left one so this tradition will continue. I don't think so. There are still a lot of roots left but M assures me they won't re grow. Don't know whether that is true so will dig out as many roots as I can. While he was digging them out he slashed the watering system I had repaired last week so I had to cut and rejoin it. Another trip to Bunnings is on cards for more joiners.
My wisteria is flowering at the moment. My books are telling me to cut it back but I am loathe to when it is still flowering. Also I will repot an orchid today. Keep your fingers crossed for me that they survive.
G took me to see part 2 of The Hobbit on Monday in gold class. Lovely big comfy chairs with footrests. So enjoyed it. Unfortunately I couldn't take advantage of the food and drink delivered to my seat as I wasn't well enough to eat. Another time perhaps.
Tuesday was garden day. Walked Lucy first thing and then after breakfast, gardening, ironing and watching tennis or cricket when it is too hot in the middle of the day and then back out in the garden when it cools down a bit. Bliss (except for the ironing bit of course).
I ended up repotting most of the orchids. Goodness knows the last time I did this. They were extremely rootbound and took quite a lot of effort to get out of ther pots. Some pots had to be soaked in a bucket. There was also a trip to the local nursery for more orchid potting mix and stakes. I bought a pair of strap-on knee pads too because I am finding all the kneeling I am doing a bit wearing on the poor old knees.
Put in another watering system in a front garden. Have nearly got this installation down pat and it went quite smoothly.
Tried to take a photo of this pretty spider. I think it is a St Andrews Cross but it might be an orb weaver. I have great trouble taking photos of things close up with my point and shoot. I thought it would be easier but it isn't.
I went back to the nursery today to get more orchid mix and wooden stakes to hold them upright until they re-establish all the roots I had to hack off. Fingers crossed. I am sure the nursery people rub their hands together when they see me pull up saying oh goodey she is back. M and I dropped in our way home from a leisurely lunch with an old work friend of his and his wife. Very very pleasant.
Tomorrow is another gardening day after the Lucy walk and fruit and veg shopping and then Friday is Cockatoo Island with J and M. Just because we have never been there.
Dinner out on Saturday night and Lunch with friends on Sunday at home was lovely but my stomach has reacted badly.
On Sunday, M dug out a large patch of agapanthus to give to the people coming and they bought me cuttings of salvia, both blue and pink which are now sitting on the windowsill with Buddha waiting to grow roots. Agapanthus appear in my garden at random and he seems to have left one so this tradition will continue. I don't think so. There are still a lot of roots left but M assures me they won't re grow. Don't know whether that is true so will dig out as many roots as I can. While he was digging them out he slashed the watering system I had repaired last week so I had to cut and rejoin it. Another trip to Bunnings is on cards for more joiners.
My wisteria is flowering at the moment. My books are telling me to cut it back but I am loathe to when it is still flowering. Also I will repot an orchid today. Keep your fingers crossed for me that they survive.G took me to see part 2 of The Hobbit on Monday in gold class. Lovely big comfy chairs with footrests. So enjoyed it. Unfortunately I couldn't take advantage of the food and drink delivered to my seat as I wasn't well enough to eat. Another time perhaps.
Tuesday was garden day. Walked Lucy first thing and then after breakfast, gardening, ironing and watching tennis or cricket when it is too hot in the middle of the day and then back out in the garden when it cools down a bit. Bliss (except for the ironing bit of course).
I ended up repotting most of the orchids. Goodness knows the last time I did this. They were extremely rootbound and took quite a lot of effort to get out of ther pots. Some pots had to be soaked in a bucket. There was also a trip to the local nursery for more orchid potting mix and stakes. I bought a pair of strap-on knee pads too because I am finding all the kneeling I am doing a bit wearing on the poor old knees.
Put in another watering system in a front garden. Have nearly got this installation down pat and it went quite smoothly.
Tried to take a photo of this pretty spider. I think it is a St Andrews Cross but it might be an orb weaver. I have great trouble taking photos of things close up with my point and shoot. I thought it would be easier but it isn't.
I went back to the nursery today to get more orchid mix and wooden stakes to hold them upright until they re-establish all the roots I had to hack off. Fingers crossed. I am sure the nursery people rub their hands together when they see me pull up saying oh goodey she is back. M and I dropped in our way home from a leisurely lunch with an old work friend of his and his wife. Very very pleasant.
Tomorrow is another gardening day after the Lucy walk and fruit and veg shopping and then Friday is Cockatoo Island with J and M. Just because we have never been there.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Out of Sync
I am feeling ill this morning. My stomach is churning. It will pass I know.
It is 3 years since my back operation. Hasn't that time flown. Anyway the neurosurgeon has sent me another questionnaire to complete. He has sent them before and one of the questions is would you repeat this operation again and I think previously I have always answered no because even though without this operation I wouldn't have been able to continue working or anything else for that matter it was honestly the most traumatic operation I have ever had.
This time I wanted to answer maybe but since that wasn't available I answered yes. I finally realise that I wouldn't be living the life I am living if I hadn't had this op and I know one day I will probably have to have another similar op in the future as my back joints are disintegrating.
Anyway, enough of this. Time to get up and go to the gym. I will feel better when I do I know.
When I was watering the front pot plants something caught my eye. On closer inspection I realised it was a cicada. So many of them this year. A couple of days later I had a chance meeting with another black cicada while I was hanging the washing out. I thought it was a beetle but on closer inspection it was another one. They are such exquisite insects and we have seen so many at close quarters this year. When we were youngsters we used to have to climb trees to catch them but not this year (not that I would be climbing any trees at my age).
And talking about my age, I got all the way to opening the front gates on the way to the gym when I discovered that I had two different sneakers on. M thought it was hysterical but I just sigh and realise that I maybe need a minder.
And last but not least the port wine magnolia is flowering again. I walked out of the garage the other day and the perfume hit me. Bliss. This is a flower from one of the ones I struck. Sorry it is a bit blurry but I hope to improve taking photos soon. M has banned me from striking any more because we don't have room for them so I am going to try gardenias next. The radicans type.
Have a good night.
It is 3 years since my back operation. Hasn't that time flown. Anyway the neurosurgeon has sent me another questionnaire to complete. He has sent them before and one of the questions is would you repeat this operation again and I think previously I have always answered no because even though without this operation I wouldn't have been able to continue working or anything else for that matter it was honestly the most traumatic operation I have ever had.
This time I wanted to answer maybe but since that wasn't available I answered yes. I finally realise that I wouldn't be living the life I am living if I hadn't had this op and I know one day I will probably have to have another similar op in the future as my back joints are disintegrating.
Anyway, enough of this. Time to get up and go to the gym. I will feel better when I do I know.
When I was watering the front pot plants something caught my eye. On closer inspection I realised it was a cicada. So many of them this year. A couple of days later I had a chance meeting with another black cicada while I was hanging the washing out. I thought it was a beetle but on closer inspection it was another one. They are such exquisite insects and we have seen so many at close quarters this year. When we were youngsters we used to have to climb trees to catch them but not this year (not that I would be climbing any trees at my age).
And talking about my age, I got all the way to opening the front gates on the way to the gym when I discovered that I had two different sneakers on. M thought it was hysterical but I just sigh and realise that I maybe need a minder.
And last but not least the port wine magnolia is flowering again. I walked out of the garage the other day and the perfume hit me. Bliss. This is a flower from one of the ones I struck. Sorry it is a bit blurry but I hope to improve taking photos soon. M has banned me from striking any more because we don't have room for them so I am going to try gardenias next. The radicans type.Have a good night.
Time is moving fast again
This post was written last week and has been sitting in the draft pile since. I wanted to insert some photos and since I can't seem to do that on the iPad it had to wait until I got to the computer.
I can feel the holidays slipping away. It has started to get busy and I am starting to feel annoyed and trapped. That is a funny feeling isn't it? At the start of the summer holidays it seemed like I had so much time and now I can feel it slipping away and I am starting to panic,
Today is a lot cooler than it has been. M has gone to golf and I am meeting some people for yum cha.
But the garden is calling.
M and I finally got to the hardware store yesterday. We thought we would do the right thing a shop locally so visited a small local hardware shop that has been taken over by a larger chain but nonetheless it is the remaining hardware shop in the area. All the others have closed over the past year.
I was so disappointed. The shelves were virtually empty. It looked like there had been a massive rundown sale and there was hardly anything left. I got a few of the irrigation fittings I needed but not enough to finish one garden. As we were leaving I said to M that I would drop him at home and drive to Bunnings but he said he would come too.
In short I think I got everything I needed plus some little plants which I hope I have time to plant today. M wants to send the picture of my irrigation fittings to the first hardware store and let them know that I have more stuff then them.
I bought a punnet of petunias for the pool camellia garden. It is a hard garden. It is partially shaded by my beloved japanese maple and I had originally planted it out with agapanthus but after 15 years we realised that they were actually pushing the pool fence over so the laborious job of digging them out began. We gave some ( as many as they wanted) to the local high school for their gardens and I have replanted sasanqua camellias in there which I must admit are struggling. At one end is also a little patch of herbs which are thriving. This year, between the camellias, I planted salvias but they too have struggled. So hence the petunias and it's adios salvias. (I left the salvias and hopefully the extra care the petunias are getting because they are new will help revive them.) I am putting in an irrigation system and have to buy some lucerne to mulch so hopefully this garden will improve.
Time to get out my January gardening book to work out what I need to do this harsh, weather wise, month.
Monday, January 06, 2014
Gardening is good for my soul
M and I have had a number of chats lately about the garden and he gets it. He understands how good it is for me.
No matter if I can only spend a little but of time out there, no matter how sick I feel, it lifts my spirits and fills my soul with contentment.
I think today we are going to the hardware store. Me to look at irrigation supplies and him to buy things to repair and put back the fly screen screens he removed eons ago. Funnily enough I had to present a case why I would like them returned. Heavens knows we live with so many insects that you would think it would be a given but no, and after I explained why I thought they should be reinstalled, at least some are going back up.
(Edit: no hardware store trip as son had a slight problem refilling his very large aquarium in his inner-city apartment. 30 litres of water all over the carpet had M riding to the rescue to help out. All in all a 4 hour trip.)
I had a bad night sleep on Saturday night. The pain in my hips started about 2 and by 4 I knew I needed extra help. I could still feel the pain in the morning but it is as if it has been turned down.
Got stuck into the watering system today and miraculously, how to do it, came back to me. The garden has changed since I first installed it so I pulled part of it out and redid it. Made a rookie mistake by putting the risers in first and the trying to make it lie straight so ended up pulling the risers out, re plugging the holes and pinning the hose down and then redoing the risers so they were all in an upright position. So satisfying to turn on and have it work.
I also had let the garden become a bit overgrown with violets which I thought looked great but in fact just looked messy and was hiding the sandstone edging. I had to pull out a lot of plants to find the watering system but it will grow back eventually. Above picture is the work in progress. Looks so neat now.
In the overgrowth in the garden I found two treasures. One was a maidenhair fern growing wild and the other was an orchid, a remnant of ones that were planted there years ago. I repotted both and hopefully they will survive especially the orchid. If it flowers this year will take pictures.
When I had finished that garden I was trying to work out when I would be able to get back into the next garden as we have friends coming for lunch next Sunday and then I realised that I am on holidays and I have all week. Well the parts I am not out lunching and having catch up coffee with friends anyway.
Yesterday was finished off with having an afternoon drink with dear friends in their courtyard with their neighbours.
Slept like a log last night.
No matter if I can only spend a little but of time out there, no matter how sick I feel, it lifts my spirits and fills my soul with contentment.
I think today we are going to the hardware store. Me to look at irrigation supplies and him to buy things to repair and put back the fly screen screens he removed eons ago. Funnily enough I had to present a case why I would like them returned. Heavens knows we live with so many insects that you would think it would be a given but no, and after I explained why I thought they should be reinstalled, at least some are going back up.
(Edit: no hardware store trip as son had a slight problem refilling his very large aquarium in his inner-city apartment. 30 litres of water all over the carpet had M riding to the rescue to help out. All in all a 4 hour trip.)
I had a bad night sleep on Saturday night. The pain in my hips started about 2 and by 4 I knew I needed extra help. I could still feel the pain in the morning but it is as if it has been turned down.
Got stuck into the watering system today and miraculously, how to do it, came back to me. The garden has changed since I first installed it so I pulled part of it out and redid it. Made a rookie mistake by putting the risers in first and the trying to make it lie straight so ended up pulling the risers out, re plugging the holes and pinning the hose down and then redoing the risers so they were all in an upright position. So satisfying to turn on and have it work.
I also had let the garden become a bit overgrown with violets which I thought looked great but in fact just looked messy and was hiding the sandstone edging. I had to pull out a lot of plants to find the watering system but it will grow back eventually. Above picture is the work in progress. Looks so neat now.
In the overgrowth in the garden I found two treasures. One was a maidenhair fern growing wild and the other was an orchid, a remnant of ones that were planted there years ago. I repotted both and hopefully they will survive especially the orchid. If it flowers this year will take pictures.
When I had finished that garden I was trying to work out when I would be able to get back into the next garden as we have friends coming for lunch next Sunday and then I realised that I am on holidays and I have all week. Well the parts I am not out lunching and having catch up coffee with friends anyway.
Yesterday was finished off with having an afternoon drink with dear friends in their courtyard with their neighbours.
Slept like a log last night.
Saturday, January 04, 2014
I think it is true
I think it is true. When you are retired or maybe just a long holiday all the says are the same. Bliss!
Things I have learnt lately:
Don't set the coffee grinder on too fine. It just clogs the espresso machine.
And
Maybe if I heat my soy milk twice in the nespresso frother it will froth better.
LOL.
Back on my diet rant my eldest sister told me last night that she had purchased one of those diet replacement supplement thingies and she was going to start it next week after she had gone out to lunch next Wednesday. Something give me strength.
Lucy loves her walk to such an extent that you cannot mention the fact that you maybe going because she will go so excited and annoy the hell out of me. I've taken to spelling the word walk but now she is starting to recognise my exercise clothes. Me getting dressed in exercise clothes is now becoming a reason for great excitement.
Has anyone noticed the lack of real bookstores anymore. I got really excited because a top notch bookstore was opening in the nearby shopping mall. What a disappointment. I was looking for a book of poetry and honestly they had 20 books top and no Australian poets.
This morning when we were walking we had an escort. A beautiful black and orange butterfly winged its way in front of us for quite a long distance. So special.
There also was a new weed. Not a weed that I didn't know but I have pinpointed it. It was Solanum Nigrum "black nightshade". It is a common weed in the park.
The little birds came out again today to be with us as we walked. I think they are getting used to us.
I had more pictures but again I can't upload them via the ipad so I will lead with them next time.
House all nice and clean, shopping done. Woo hoo.
Another Saturday done and dusted. Goodnight.
Things I have learnt lately:
Don't set the coffee grinder on too fine. It just clogs the espresso machine.
And
Maybe if I heat my soy milk twice in the nespresso frother it will froth better.
LOL.
Back on my diet rant my eldest sister told me last night that she had purchased one of those diet replacement supplement thingies and she was going to start it next week after she had gone out to lunch next Wednesday. Something give me strength.
Lucy loves her walk to such an extent that you cannot mention the fact that you maybe going because she will go so excited and annoy the hell out of me. I've taken to spelling the word walk but now she is starting to recognise my exercise clothes. Me getting dressed in exercise clothes is now becoming a reason for great excitement.
Has anyone noticed the lack of real bookstores anymore. I got really excited because a top notch bookstore was opening in the nearby shopping mall. What a disappointment. I was looking for a book of poetry and honestly they had 20 books top and no Australian poets.
This morning when we were walking we had an escort. A beautiful black and orange butterfly winged its way in front of us for quite a long distance. So special.
There also was a new weed. Not a weed that I didn't know but I have pinpointed it. It was Solanum Nigrum "black nightshade". It is a common weed in the park.
The little birds came out again today to be with us as we walked. I think they are getting used to us.
I had more pictures but again I can't upload them via the ipad so I will lead with them next time.
House all nice and clean, shopping done. Woo hoo.
Another Saturday done and dusted. Goodnight.
Friday and I can't publish this from my ipad
Lucy standing in the garden. I saw her and she very kindly reposed herself after I went in to get the camera. She looked so sweet standing in front of the roses.
We don't have all that many roses left anymore. I find them hard to garden around but I do love them.
I need to spend more time looking after them. The weather here is not all that conducive to roses even if the soil is. As it gets more humid the black spot really kicks up a level. I need an attack plan for their care and upkeep.
Went to the gym this morning. I love not going to work. Making the decision to go to the gym, when it is not after work, is a no brainer.
It is another hot day and there is no rain in sight which is a good things I suppose as the 5th Test started today. Nice to have something to listen on the radio too again.
Now a quandary. Mid way through last year we had a falling out with old friends of ours or really just with one out of a group of 4.
We didn't hear from them for 5 months and then the phone calls and emails started with invitations to "catch up". I actually didn't want to go down that path again because this man makes me feel so bad but I was sort of bullied into a catch up for my birthday. M seems to have conveniently forgotten that it was him who pulled the pin on this friendship. Anyway I got accused of being paranoid so I bit the bullet much against the advice of dear friends and we got together for my birthday. I managed to get away with saying half a dozen words to this man and thought great that is it. Then the invitations started arriving for drinks and dinner and parties etc etc etc.
I really don't want to get on that social treadmill again and I must admit that he is being very careful what he says to me but then he always was careful with his snide remarks and putdowns. M never seemed to notice and I don't know whether that is just a man thing.
I was talking it over with a girl friend a couple of days ago and she had a similar problem with the same man and she just refuses point blank to go have anything to do with him. Her husband stills sees him occasionally but she doesn't. She understands but it doesn't really help because they are not in the same situation.
Anyway I don't know what to do. M knows my feelings. I wonder if he would go by himself? Why can't these people leave me alone? So many questions but no answers yet.
This is the photo I meant to insert the other day. New Years Day (after midnight) 2014. It is not a great photo and if I trawl through all the ones I took I am sure I can find a better one but I wanted to practise adding writing to photos. Something I didn't know how todo. Thank goodness for Google.
I am once again late publishing but for some reason I couldn't do it from my iPad. Oh the joys of modern technology.
Friday, January 03, 2014
This was Yesterday
Oft the colours are pitched so high
The deepest note is the cobalt sky;
We have to wait till the sunset comes
For shades that feel like the beat of drums -
Or like organ notes in their rise and fall -
Purple and orange and cardinal,
Or the peacock-green that turns soft and slow
To peacock-blue as the great stars show . . .
From a poem by Dorothea McKellar
I was looking for quote or a poem that described the light here. I can't think clearly enough about how I could describe it so fell once more to our beloved poet Dorothea McKellar. We all learnt her poetry in school. Her "My Country" is still remembered by most Australian school children of a certain age.
Today Lucy and I went walking under one of those cobalt skies. It was hot and humid and smokey. A scrub fire 30 Kms away maybe was the cause of the smoke. It looked such a nice day so Lucy and I set out. Big mistake! So burning hot and humid too. Anyway we soldiered on and when we finally staggered back in the door we turned the air conditioning on and collapsed.
The weather has cooled down slightly this afternoon with a bit of rain and maybe a wind change.
I actually got the box with all my irrigation spare parts in it out of the garage today. Am slowly getting organised. Will measure out the gardens soon and make a shopping list. I think what annoys me most is that this irrigation stuff used to be so easy and now I find it daunting and wonder how I did it.
All traces of Christmas disappeared today. Everything fitted back in the boxes. It was probably the easiest disassemble I have ever done.
I went to the Reject SHop and bought those big striped bags with zippers to pack up my wardrobe so that M can start next stage of renovations - our bedroom.
And finally back to dieting. I heard Wendy Harmer say this morning that the best diet she ever did was, I think, the Atkins diet. She lost 15 kilos. That is when I started yelling yes, but I bet you put 20 back on. When are people going to realise that eating special meals or food, denying the things they love is something they can't sustain. Dammit that was the life I lived and I speak from experience.
I have found that dairy brings a rash with it. I love cheese to distraction but have had to swap it for soy cheese. Not quite the same. I can't drink tea anymore because I am not all that fond of soy milk and tea and black tea makes me nauseous.
Probably two years ago, I became as gluten free as I could. I still have gluten free breads etc but I try to eat whole foods as much as I can. If this helps my rheumatoid and osteo arthritis I will continue on. I love, again, pastry, fresh bread and things like that but if it gives me relief then I will continue.
I guess what I am trying to say, albeit very clumsily, eat less and move more which what M has been telling me for years.
But as an aside, from my observations, exercise tones and makes you feel good but doesn't make an iota of difference to you weight. How many times have you heard that exercise makes people more hungry. Don't stress, eat less - that's it.
(Must have forgot to push publish - what can I say, I'm old)
The deepest note is the cobalt sky;
We have to wait till the sunset comes
For shades that feel like the beat of drums -
Or like organ notes in their rise and fall -
Purple and orange and cardinal,
Or the peacock-green that turns soft and slow
To peacock-blue as the great stars show . . .
From a poem by Dorothea McKellar
I was looking for quote or a poem that described the light here. I can't think clearly enough about how I could describe it so fell once more to our beloved poet Dorothea McKellar. We all learnt her poetry in school. Her "My Country" is still remembered by most Australian school children of a certain age.
Today Lucy and I went walking under one of those cobalt skies. It was hot and humid and smokey. A scrub fire 30 Kms away maybe was the cause of the smoke. It looked such a nice day so Lucy and I set out. Big mistake! So burning hot and humid too. Anyway we soldiered on and when we finally staggered back in the door we turned the air conditioning on and collapsed.
The weather has cooled down slightly this afternoon with a bit of rain and maybe a wind change.
I actually got the box with all my irrigation spare parts in it out of the garage today. Am slowly getting organised. Will measure out the gardens soon and make a shopping list. I think what annoys me most is that this irrigation stuff used to be so easy and now I find it daunting and wonder how I did it.
All traces of Christmas disappeared today. Everything fitted back in the boxes. It was probably the easiest disassemble I have ever done.
I went to the Reject SHop and bought those big striped bags with zippers to pack up my wardrobe so that M can start next stage of renovations - our bedroom.
And finally back to dieting. I heard Wendy Harmer say this morning that the best diet she ever did was, I think, the Atkins diet. She lost 15 kilos. That is when I started yelling yes, but I bet you put 20 back on. When are people going to realise that eating special meals or food, denying the things they love is something they can't sustain. Dammit that was the life I lived and I speak from experience.
I have found that dairy brings a rash with it. I love cheese to distraction but have had to swap it for soy cheese. Not quite the same. I can't drink tea anymore because I am not all that fond of soy milk and tea and black tea makes me nauseous.
Probably two years ago, I became as gluten free as I could. I still have gluten free breads etc but I try to eat whole foods as much as I can. If this helps my rheumatoid and osteo arthritis I will continue on. I love, again, pastry, fresh bread and things like that but if it gives me relief then I will continue.
I guess what I am trying to say, albeit very clumsily, eat less and move more which what M has been telling me for years.
But as an aside, from my observations, exercise tones and makes you feel good but doesn't make an iota of difference to you weight. How many times have you heard that exercise makes people more hungry. Don't stress, eat less - that's it.
(Must have forgot to push publish - what can I say, I'm old)
Wednesday, January 01, 2014
New Year's Day 2014
Well today is the first day of a bright shiny New year.
Last night was a relaxing night with dear friends. We didn't quite make midnight but it was nice not to have that pressure but just to sit, relax and chat. Good food, good wine and good friends. Who could ask for more.
Today M has gone to golf and I am meeting friends at a local club for lunch. It overlooks the river and it is such a beautiful day. I will try and get a picture. Driving myself there so no overindulging in wine which is a good thing. That can wait until sundowners this afternoon when I get home. Not overindulging then either as it really doesn't agree with me. Have you noticed how alcohol makes people aggressive?
Lucy is not thrilled. She is watching me get ready to go out with a sad look on her little face. She just loves being with either of us. She has demolished my pillow arrangement on the bed as a sort of a silent protest. Now she is back to sulking. I've noticed she no longer uses the long steps to the back deck. She walks around and uses the steps on the lower side. She has always had problems with her patella which is apparently common but she doesn't seem to be in any pain (even when she dislocates it) and it would have slowed her down if we had had it operated on. This little dog loves to run with her ears flapping in the wind. Anyway, she is growing old as we all are. Just turned 10 last October. My the years have flown.
Back home after a lovely lunch. One glass of wine and mineral water. Duck with parsnip purée. Coffee. People I haven't seen in over a year. So nice.
Came home and Lucy and I walked. No little birds today but I saw the hawk which probably explains why there were no little birds. We normally see it around 5 pm and think of it as a kind of omen. It is so majestic as it soars above us looking for food.
Easy dinner tonight and early to bed I think. Tired but happy.
I hope 2014 brings everyone their hearts desire. Now all the distractions of the holiday season have finally finished I can settle into some serious relaxation.
Last night was a relaxing night with dear friends. We didn't quite make midnight but it was nice not to have that pressure but just to sit, relax and chat. Good food, good wine and good friends. Who could ask for more.
Today M has gone to golf and I am meeting friends at a local club for lunch. It overlooks the river and it is such a beautiful day. I will try and get a picture. Driving myself there so no overindulging in wine which is a good thing. That can wait until sundowners this afternoon when I get home. Not overindulging then either as it really doesn't agree with me. Have you noticed how alcohol makes people aggressive?
Lucy is not thrilled. She is watching me get ready to go out with a sad look on her little face. She just loves being with either of us. She has demolished my pillow arrangement on the bed as a sort of a silent protest. Now she is back to sulking. I've noticed she no longer uses the long steps to the back deck. She walks around and uses the steps on the lower side. She has always had problems with her patella which is apparently common but she doesn't seem to be in any pain (even when she dislocates it) and it would have slowed her down if we had had it operated on. This little dog loves to run with her ears flapping in the wind. Anyway, she is growing old as we all are. Just turned 10 last October. My the years have flown.
Back home after a lovely lunch. One glass of wine and mineral water. Duck with parsnip purée. Coffee. People I haven't seen in over a year. So nice.
Came home and Lucy and I walked. No little birds today but I saw the hawk which probably explains why there were no little birds. We normally see it around 5 pm and think of it as a kind of omen. It is so majestic as it soars above us looking for food.
Easy dinner tonight and early to bed I think. Tired but happy.
I hope 2014 brings everyone their hearts desire. Now all the distractions of the holiday season have finally finished I can settle into some serious relaxation.
New Year's Eve 2013
There will be no resolutions here. I think I am too old to bother and I why should I set myself up to fail. Life is too short.
I am just wishing anyone who is still reading my wanderings a safe night and a may 2014 bring you your hearts desire.
Lucy and I walked this morning but not early enough. Ran into so many people that I know and haven't seen for a while that the walk took near half as long again as usual. M thought I had been kidnapped but I did notice on my return that he wasn't panicking just wondering if he should have breakfast without me.
While walking we came upon the flock of fairy wrens who live in the tangle of bushes around the park. Can I just say how amazed I was at the courage of one of the Jenny wrens. She was doing the broken wing dance leading us away. There must have been little ones around. Lucy takes no notice of them or any of the birds down there. She knows she is not allowed to chase them.
Today is absolutely beautiful here. The sky is that particularly intense blue, sunlight is blindingly bright and clear and a cool breeze is playing gently with the garden bushes and trees.
All the preparation for tonight's BBQ is done. M has mowed the lawns and there is that gorgeous smell of new mown grass lingering in the air. If I could here the click click of the sprinkler I really would believe it was summer.
The pains have subsided and I feel a bit better. Probably did too much yesterday which brought it all on but I am not going to live wrapped in cotton wool.
Anyway, Lucy and I might go and have a nap before our guests arrive. I love being on holidays at home. A staycation I think they call it. No rushing or going out if I can help it.
I have some really great pictures to add here of the most beautiful city in the world at midnight on New Year's Eve and I can't get it to work again on the ipad.
Time for bed - Lucy is already dead to the world.
Happy New Years and much love and peace for everyone. xxx
I am just wishing anyone who is still reading my wanderings a safe night and a may 2014 bring you your hearts desire.
Lucy and I walked this morning but not early enough. Ran into so many people that I know and haven't seen for a while that the walk took near half as long again as usual. M thought I had been kidnapped but I did notice on my return that he wasn't panicking just wondering if he should have breakfast without me.
While walking we came upon the flock of fairy wrens who live in the tangle of bushes around the park. Can I just say how amazed I was at the courage of one of the Jenny wrens. She was doing the broken wing dance leading us away. There must have been little ones around. Lucy takes no notice of them or any of the birds down there. She knows she is not allowed to chase them.
Today is absolutely beautiful here. The sky is that particularly intense blue, sunlight is blindingly bright and clear and a cool breeze is playing gently with the garden bushes and trees.
All the preparation for tonight's BBQ is done. M has mowed the lawns and there is that gorgeous smell of new mown grass lingering in the air. If I could here the click click of the sprinkler I really would believe it was summer.
The pains have subsided and I feel a bit better. Probably did too much yesterday which brought it all on but I am not going to live wrapped in cotton wool.
Anyway, Lucy and I might go and have a nap before our guests arrive. I love being on holidays at home. A staycation I think they call it. No rushing or going out if I can help it.
I have some really great pictures to add here of the most beautiful city in the world at midnight on New Year's Eve and I can't get it to work again on the ipad.
Time for bed - Lucy is already dead to the world.
Happy New Years and much love and peace for everyone. xxx
Monday, December 30, 2013
Monday the second last day of 2013
Terrible night. Hot one minute cold the next. The pain was bad, M was snoring. All in all I don't know why I bothered. I am so tired.
Woke this morning at birdsong and the birds were going berserk which of course set Lucy off. Then she sulked because we ignored her and wouldn't let her out to defend the house against a probable cat attack. Life is hard.
My weight is in the very low 60s now. I found over Christmas that I was continually asked what my secret was. How had I lost so much weight. What kind of diet was I on.
No one really believed my answers because I really didn't sound convincing I know.
I don't diet anymore. I don't really know what happened earlier this year. It coul have something to do with the doctors changing my medication because of the kidney problems. I don't know.
What I do know is for the first time in my life that I remember when I eat I feel full and I stop eating otherwise I feel ill.
For years I have dieted and made special meals for me. Now I just eat what M eats but just a smaller quantity and of course I don't eat gluten or dairy but I do substitute when I can.
And finally, exercise didn't make any difference to my actual weight loss but it does make me feel better and hopefully over time will tighten some of the saggy baggy skin. But I think this is just an age thing - my skin has lost all it's elasticity which enabled it to pop back when I was younger. Oh the joys of old age.
A positive over Christmas was J gave me a stylus and I now seem to be able to comment on people's blogs on my ipad without stuffing everything up. I was typing comments and then losing them and giving up. I have found I can be more accurate with the stylus. Also M bought me a shredder ( just what he wanted) but luckily I bought him the Pink DVD. It always evens out doesn't it?
_____________________
Went to the gym and had a good workout. It's been a week since I last went because of the holidays and different opening hours. It felt good to get back into the routine at the time but the pain is coming back. My left forearm is aching. Probably did too much.
Dinner tonight with the kids was enjoyable as always. M tried to get support for less vegetables but the kids overruled him. My work is done.
Oh well have taken my extra pain killers and hopefully they will work soon.
Tomorrow is New Year's Eve and we have friends coming over. A few quiet drinks and an early night I think is planned by all. After all we getting on you know.
Woke this morning at birdsong and the birds were going berserk which of course set Lucy off. Then she sulked because we ignored her and wouldn't let her out to defend the house against a probable cat attack. Life is hard.
My weight is in the very low 60s now. I found over Christmas that I was continually asked what my secret was. How had I lost so much weight. What kind of diet was I on.
No one really believed my answers because I really didn't sound convincing I know.
I don't diet anymore. I don't really know what happened earlier this year. It coul have something to do with the doctors changing my medication because of the kidney problems. I don't know.
What I do know is for the first time in my life that I remember when I eat I feel full and I stop eating otherwise I feel ill.
For years I have dieted and made special meals for me. Now I just eat what M eats but just a smaller quantity and of course I don't eat gluten or dairy but I do substitute when I can.
And finally, exercise didn't make any difference to my actual weight loss but it does make me feel better and hopefully over time will tighten some of the saggy baggy skin. But I think this is just an age thing - my skin has lost all it's elasticity which enabled it to pop back when I was younger. Oh the joys of old age.
A positive over Christmas was J gave me a stylus and I now seem to be able to comment on people's blogs on my ipad without stuffing everything up. I was typing comments and then losing them and giving up. I have found I can be more accurate with the stylus. Also M bought me a shredder ( just what he wanted) but luckily I bought him the Pink DVD. It always evens out doesn't it?
_____________________
Went to the gym and had a good workout. It's been a week since I last went because of the holidays and different opening hours. It felt good to get back into the routine at the time but the pain is coming back. My left forearm is aching. Probably did too much.
Dinner tonight with the kids was enjoyable as always. M tried to get support for less vegetables but the kids overruled him. My work is done.
Oh well have taken my extra pain killers and hopefully they will work soon.
Tomorrow is New Year's Eve and we have friends coming over. A few quiet drinks and an early night I think is planned by all. After all we getting on you know.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Sunday -a day in the garden
Have woken this morning to the sound of the wind roaring through the trees. The southerly buster has arrived at last. Lucy must have gotten cold because she is snuggled in beside me.
The nauseous feeling is still here but not as bad as before. Breakfast should take care of that I think.
An easy day ahead. I have to water the rose garden this morning to give it time to dry out during the day so to keep the black spot down. The plants at the back will also need watering and I have to start thinking about the design for the watering system plus fixing the existing ones. I stopped using them in the drought years so there is a fair bit of maintenance needed before they are up and running. Looks like a trip to Bunnings is coming up again.
And just a general tidy up of the garden in between watching the cricket.
If the wind drops Lucy and I will walk again. She doesn't like the wind much but if I think she should go she will humour me. It makes her skittish and there is more of a chance that she will trip me but the exercise is good for us.
I find a day in the garden so uplifting. I may have to take rests but ultimately just being outside makes me feel better.
I trimmed and weeded all gardens today. Probably doesn't look all that different but I know it is. A couple of wind related things happened today.
1. A pot, a big long pot, with large lillipillies in in got blown down from the top level of the plant stands M built last summer. I don't know how it didnet damage the plants on the lower two levels but other than top dressing them more soil nothing else was damaged. We repotted the lillipillies and left them on the ground until the wind dropped. Because they couldn't fall any further.
2. A large branch came down from the turpentine tree out the front. M joked that he had sawed it half way through and was supposed to get me. Oh well, missed again. He might have better luck next time.
We won the fourth test against England today in Melbourne. Now have to wait until early January for the last test in Sydney.
Tomorrow is pretty mundane things. The gym, pathologist and ironing. Oh and the kids are coming home as usual for Monday night baked dinner. I can't wait.
Have a good night everyone and sleep well.
The nauseous feeling is still here but not as bad as before. Breakfast should take care of that I think.
An easy day ahead. I have to water the rose garden this morning to give it time to dry out during the day so to keep the black spot down. The plants at the back will also need watering and I have to start thinking about the design for the watering system plus fixing the existing ones. I stopped using them in the drought years so there is a fair bit of maintenance needed before they are up and running. Looks like a trip to Bunnings is coming up again.
And just a general tidy up of the garden in between watching the cricket.
If the wind drops Lucy and I will walk again. She doesn't like the wind much but if I think she should go she will humour me. It makes her skittish and there is more of a chance that she will trip me but the exercise is good for us.
I find a day in the garden so uplifting. I may have to take rests but ultimately just being outside makes me feel better.
I trimmed and weeded all gardens today. Probably doesn't look all that different but I know it is. A couple of wind related things happened today.
1. A pot, a big long pot, with large lillipillies in in got blown down from the top level of the plant stands M built last summer. I don't know how it didnet damage the plants on the lower two levels but other than top dressing them more soil nothing else was damaged. We repotted the lillipillies and left them on the ground until the wind dropped. Because they couldn't fall any further.
2. A large branch came down from the turpentine tree out the front. M joked that he had sawed it half way through and was supposed to get me. Oh well, missed again. He might have better luck next time.
We won the fourth test against England today in Melbourne. Now have to wait until early January for the last test in Sydney.
Tomorrow is pretty mundane things. The gym, pathologist and ironing. Oh and the kids are coming home as usual for Monday night baked dinner. I can't wait.
Have a good night everyone and sleep well.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Saturday - the last one of 2013
Today doesn't feel like Saturday. It's all these public holidays. But M has gone off to golf so it must be Saturday.
Once again awoke feeling nauseated. It is a bit like morning sickness if I remember. I just want to lie in bed but eventually I dragged myself out of bed, put on my walking gear and Lucy and I set off into the mid morning.
Saw the usual cast of people I see in the mornings. Did my weed mantra and saw a different one which I think is a moth vine but it is in flower so I will hit the books later and try and pin it down. (Yes it was.)
Lucy and I were visited by the wrens - beautiful blue wrens and the slightly drab but nevertheless cute Jenny wrens. They seem to becoming more bold with us and we are seeing them more and more. They move like greased lightening but we know they are there in the thickets of lantana and privet (weeds do serve a purpose) because we can hear them.
We haven't seen the finches with red beaks again though.
One disturbing thing was at the local preschool which borders our park, the local idiots got in last night and moved some of the play furniture into the park. Hopefully nothing was broken. Probably under aged drinkers as there was broken bottles and rubbish there that wasn't there last night. I rang the police when I got home as I thought they would have the number of the owners of the preschool. I just don't understand this kind of senseless destruction.
Anyway am feeling better now, stomach a bit queasy still but better. Time for shower and then cleaning and start to take down the Christmas decorations.
A typical Saturday for me. Back later I hope.
Nearly 2 pm and I am not feeling all that well. Have sort of done half the house and am now sitting on the front verandah sipping peppermint tea and hoping it will settle my tummy.
Have swept and watered all the pot plants out here and have been rewarded by a beautiful black and white butterfly flitting around. I think it was an Orchard Butterfly. The breeze is cool here and the cicadas are drumming along beautifully. I keep getting buzzed by a large orange and black beetle, maybe a rose chafer. Lucy and I had to have a serious talk about the sanctity of life when it somehow ended up on its back a couple of metres from her. She was very interested in it but stopped when told to and I was able to turn it over and off it flew. It was just in a life and death struggle with a spider but managed to get away. I wouldn't have interfered because that is just nature. I don't think it is a very smart beetle.
A small plant keeps appearing in the garden and it looks like wandering jew. I have been trying to eradicate it because Lucy is violently allergic to wandering Jew (the rash and discomfit she suffers has to be seen to be believed) but I have just checked my books and it might actually be a native called basket grass. Not that it matters because it is something growing where it shouldn't so it has to go but it sure is tenacious.
Oh well, I have to finish cleaning - bedrooms and bathrooms to go. Stomach does feel a bit settled, maybe the peppermint tea did help.
Didn't last long. Lunch took care of that feeling of wellness but I finished the house and then slept most of the afternoon alternating with reading and listening to the cricket.
Time for bed really now. Hope tomorrow is better because I am planning more time in the garden.
Good night.
Once again awoke feeling nauseated. It is a bit like morning sickness if I remember. I just want to lie in bed but eventually I dragged myself out of bed, put on my walking gear and Lucy and I set off into the mid morning.
Saw the usual cast of people I see in the mornings. Did my weed mantra and saw a different one which I think is a moth vine but it is in flower so I will hit the books later and try and pin it down. (Yes it was.)
Lucy and I were visited by the wrens - beautiful blue wrens and the slightly drab but nevertheless cute Jenny wrens. They seem to becoming more bold with us and we are seeing them more and more. They move like greased lightening but we know they are there in the thickets of lantana and privet (weeds do serve a purpose) because we can hear them.
We haven't seen the finches with red beaks again though.
One disturbing thing was at the local preschool which borders our park, the local idiots got in last night and moved some of the play furniture into the park. Hopefully nothing was broken. Probably under aged drinkers as there was broken bottles and rubbish there that wasn't there last night. I rang the police when I got home as I thought they would have the number of the owners of the preschool. I just don't understand this kind of senseless destruction.
Anyway am feeling better now, stomach a bit queasy still but better. Time for shower and then cleaning and start to take down the Christmas decorations.
A typical Saturday for me. Back later I hope.
Nearly 2 pm and I am not feeling all that well. Have sort of done half the house and am now sitting on the front verandah sipping peppermint tea and hoping it will settle my tummy.
Have swept and watered all the pot plants out here and have been rewarded by a beautiful black and white butterfly flitting around. I think it was an Orchard Butterfly. The breeze is cool here and the cicadas are drumming along beautifully. I keep getting buzzed by a large orange and black beetle, maybe a rose chafer. Lucy and I had to have a serious talk about the sanctity of life when it somehow ended up on its back a couple of metres from her. She was very interested in it but stopped when told to and I was able to turn it over and off it flew. It was just in a life and death struggle with a spider but managed to get away. I wouldn't have interfered because that is just nature. I don't think it is a very smart beetle.
A small plant keeps appearing in the garden and it looks like wandering jew. I have been trying to eradicate it because Lucy is violently allergic to wandering Jew (the rash and discomfit she suffers has to be seen to be believed) but I have just checked my books and it might actually be a native called basket grass. Not that it matters because it is something growing where it shouldn't so it has to go but it sure is tenacious.
Oh well, I have to finish cleaning - bedrooms and bathrooms to go. Stomach does feel a bit settled, maybe the peppermint tea did help.
Didn't last long. Lunch took care of that feeling of wellness but I finished the house and then slept most of the afternoon alternating with reading and listening to the cricket.
Time for bed really now. Hope tomorrow is better because I am planning more time in the garden.
Good night.
Friday, December 27, 2013
A new urge
The urge to blog has returned. A little bit.
Life has been trundling on as usual.
About 8 years ago this started as a weight blog. Moved on since then with occasional revisits to the weight issue but it hasn't been an issue for months now.
Dragging myself to work 5 days a week has taken up a lot of my energy. Whoever would have thought that going to work in a place I adore with nice people could become such a chore but it has. By Thursday night I am so exhausted. But anyway I am now on 5 weeks holiday and sleeping like a log.
Ate some wrong (for me) things at Christmas and paid the price on Boxing Day and to a lesser extent today. Will I never learn.
Want to spend my days in the garden and have become slightly obsessed with naming weeds that Lucy and I see on our walks. Have brought home every weed identification book I could find at work. So far so good. Now just have to remember their names. They have become my mantra as we walk.
Am reading a wonderful book by a man called Thomas Ryan called "Following Atticus" about a small dog who has changed his life and become his mountain climbing companion. Although I find myself reading through tears quite a lot it is an uplifting story. He is also on Facebook and he has a blog. Not to forget his adoption of Will another minature schnauzer. He was 15 years old, partially blind, completely deaf with many health problems when he was rescued from a kill shelter and came into Tom and Atticus's life. Another great story.
Time for bed. I find typing on the ipad difficult but this is the only chance I have had today.
Good night.
Life has been trundling on as usual.
About 8 years ago this started as a weight blog. Moved on since then with occasional revisits to the weight issue but it hasn't been an issue for months now.
Dragging myself to work 5 days a week has taken up a lot of my energy. Whoever would have thought that going to work in a place I adore with nice people could become such a chore but it has. By Thursday night I am so exhausted. But anyway I am now on 5 weeks holiday and sleeping like a log.
Ate some wrong (for me) things at Christmas and paid the price on Boxing Day and to a lesser extent today. Will I never learn.
Want to spend my days in the garden and have become slightly obsessed with naming weeds that Lucy and I see on our walks. Have brought home every weed identification book I could find at work. So far so good. Now just have to remember their names. They have become my mantra as we walk.
Am reading a wonderful book by a man called Thomas Ryan called "Following Atticus" about a small dog who has changed his life and become his mountain climbing companion. Although I find myself reading through tears quite a lot it is an uplifting story. He is also on Facebook and he has a blog. Not to forget his adoption of Will another minature schnauzer. He was 15 years old, partially blind, completely deaf with many health problems when he was rescued from a kill shelter and came into Tom and Atticus's life. Another great story.
Time for bed. I find typing on the ipad difficult but this is the only chance I have had today.
Good night.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Life is getting better
Today is quite cool. Probably more like spring weather than what we have been having. Temperatures have been in the mid twenties to thirty degrees. A couple of windy days but that is normal for this time of year.
Walking Lucy everyday (nearly) is still a joy. I take pictures of unusual plants at the park as we walk on my phone. I'm sure people think "what is that crazy little old lady doing?" Not sure if they are native or weeds or both but I have been trying to identify them in my plant books. We usually walk around sunset so it is not too hot and because of the bushfires (none near us yet) the sunsets have been quite spectacular.
My weight is still going down slowly. This week it has gone down to the 64s but I dont expect it to stay there. It is funny - the weight that went on around my middle and/or torso is still kind of there. I am a bit lumpy. Maybe when I can get back to the gym I might be able to tone it up. I need to stress I am not dieting. I had made up my mind that dieting never works in the long term. My appetite has just decreased a lot especially since my medication changed so I can only think that is what the cause of the weight gain was. When I look back on what I used to eat I really cant believe it. I used to think I didnt have a full-level (or I never seemed to be full) that they talk about and I dont think I did but now I definitely do. I still have my wine every night with dinner but the portion sizes are a lot smaller. I cant tell you the number of times we have left restaurants lately with doggie bags because I couldnt finish my meal. It is slightly puzzling.
Went to the hormone doctor the other day and she is concerned that my liver is sluggish. Whatever the hell that means. It has something to do with the hormone blood test because the normal blood tests dont show anything up. She wants me to give up caffeine and alcohol. I.dont.think.so! If I did that there is virtually nothing left to enjoy. I feel so good at the moment so I just said not going to happen. She was not happy but I told her to just type difficult patient on my record and we would leave it at that.
I think my compression fracture must have healed by now so I will be back at the gym sometime after the 19th when my membership starts again. Easy does it.
The garden is giving me great joy although my time is becoming limited as the social season seems to be hotting up but the days are getting longer and daylight saving will kick in next month so there should be some time in the early evenings soon.
The Japanese Maple is in flower and coming into leaf. The flowers drive Fox mad as they fall into the pool but to me it is always a sign that Spring is here. The buzzing of the bees is nearly deafening.
The orchids are all coming into flower. We seem to be later than everyone else. The gardening magazines are talking about repotting but mine have only just come into flower.
This little cyclamen was put outside last year and forgotten. I have discovered the secret to these
beautiful but frustrating little plants. Put them outside and ignore them and they dont die but seem to thrive. Afraid to bring it inside as it seems to be doing so well although I did move it to this position so that I could see it more often.
The cliveas are flowering abundantly this year. It also seems to be the preferred hiding place for the snake or snakes. I actually saw it last weekend on the driveway so I can't say that Fox is hallucinating anymore. He has gone out and bought 10 snake repellant things that send out a vibration that is supposed to scare snakes away and they are positioned everywhere. You can actually hear the noise they make so I am hoping that they wont send me crazy this year with their little beeps. Red belly black snakes are poisonous but they are also not aggresive unless cornered. I am not too worried about them but I worry for the precious Lucy.
Well I think that is about all. We are off to Queensland next week for my sister's 70th birthday celebrations. We will only be there for 3 days (kind of) as once again it is the minding of Lucy that is the problem. DD has stepped up once again. She is moving out of her flat this Saturday and the hunt is now on for a house that she and her girlfriend can move into with her girlfriends dog. The dog is the problem. She is beautiful, well behaved but the people renting out the houses dont know that I guess. They have found one so everything is crossed that the owner picks them.
Have a great weekend everyone. xxx
Walking Lucy everyday (nearly) is still a joy. I take pictures of unusual plants at the park as we walk on my phone. I'm sure people think "what is that crazy little old lady doing?" Not sure if they are native or weeds or both but I have been trying to identify them in my plant books. We usually walk around sunset so it is not too hot and because of the bushfires (none near us yet) the sunsets have been quite spectacular.
My weight is still going down slowly. This week it has gone down to the 64s but I dont expect it to stay there. It is funny - the weight that went on around my middle and/or torso is still kind of there. I am a bit lumpy. Maybe when I can get back to the gym I might be able to tone it up. I need to stress I am not dieting. I had made up my mind that dieting never works in the long term. My appetite has just decreased a lot especially since my medication changed so I can only think that is what the cause of the weight gain was. When I look back on what I used to eat I really cant believe it. I used to think I didnt have a full-level (or I never seemed to be full) that they talk about and I dont think I did but now I definitely do. I still have my wine every night with dinner but the portion sizes are a lot smaller. I cant tell you the number of times we have left restaurants lately with doggie bags because I couldnt finish my meal. It is slightly puzzling.
Went to the hormone doctor the other day and she is concerned that my liver is sluggish. Whatever the hell that means. It has something to do with the hormone blood test because the normal blood tests dont show anything up. She wants me to give up caffeine and alcohol. I.dont.think.so! If I did that there is virtually nothing left to enjoy. I feel so good at the moment so I just said not going to happen. She was not happy but I told her to just type difficult patient on my record and we would leave it at that.
I think my compression fracture must have healed by now so I will be back at the gym sometime after the 19th when my membership starts again. Easy does it.
The garden is giving me great joy although my time is becoming limited as the social season seems to be hotting up but the days are getting longer and daylight saving will kick in next month so there should be some time in the early evenings soon.
The Japanese Maple is in flower and coming into leaf. The flowers drive Fox mad as they fall into the pool but to me it is always a sign that Spring is here. The buzzing of the bees is nearly deafening.
The orchids are all coming into flower. We seem to be later than everyone else. The gardening magazines are talking about repotting but mine have only just come into flower.
This little cyclamen was put outside last year and forgotten. I have discovered the secret to these
beautiful but frustrating little plants. Put them outside and ignore them and they dont die but seem to thrive. Afraid to bring it inside as it seems to be doing so well although I did move it to this position so that I could see it more often.
The cliveas are flowering abundantly this year. It also seems to be the preferred hiding place for the snake or snakes. I actually saw it last weekend on the driveway so I can't say that Fox is hallucinating anymore. He has gone out and bought 10 snake repellant things that send out a vibration that is supposed to scare snakes away and they are positioned everywhere. You can actually hear the noise they make so I am hoping that they wont send me crazy this year with their little beeps. Red belly black snakes are poisonous but they are also not aggresive unless cornered. I am not too worried about them but I worry for the precious Lucy.
Well I think that is about all. We are off to Queensland next week for my sister's 70th birthday celebrations. We will only be there for 3 days (kind of) as once again it is the minding of Lucy that is the problem. DD has stepped up once again. She is moving out of her flat this Saturday and the hunt is now on for a house that she and her girlfriend can move into with her girlfriends dog. The dog is the problem. She is beautiful, well behaved but the people renting out the houses dont know that I guess. They have found one so everything is crossed that the owner picks them.
Have a great weekend everyone. xxx
Friday, August 30, 2013
No Photos
I have photos and just went to download them off my phone and found I am nearly out of battery. Damn. Will have to wait until next time
The professional learning overnight stay last week seesawed between great and horrible. On Friday it was blowing a gale and freezing cold. Stayed at a place with no heating except in the bathroom where there was one of those heaters in the light. I think they are Fantastics. The sight of three women standing in the bathroom trying to get warm was very funny. I ate all the wrong foods and have paid for it in spades.
We had to walk to another building to have dinner and there was no lighting and it was pitch black and no paths. Thank goodness for flash lights in mobile phones but I was deathly scared that I would fall again.
It was professional learning about cultural immersion and the two young Aboriginal men who performed and guided us were amazing.
If I could have gone home on Saturday morning I would have but as I had no alternative I soldiered on and I am so glad I did.
We drove out to Mount Yengo near Wollombi which is a very special spiritual place for local Aboriginals. We didnt actually go to Mount Yengo because it is such a special place to these young men but we could see it and we also went to a map site where there were lots of Aboriginal engravings and Stewart explained what they meant to this people. I did put a picture of Mount Yengo on Facebook and I will put it on here next time when my phone is charged.
Anyway, I got home about 3 pm and went straight to bed. I was so tired. And also, because I am slightly stupid, I got up the next day and tried to do everything that I normally do on the weekend in one day. As a result when I woke up on Monday morning I was in so much pain and exhausted once again. Ended up staying in bed all day Monday and slept until mid afternoon. Have felt a lot better for the rest of the week so have decided that while I probably wont over exert myself to that extent again I will take a day off every 3 months to get my strength back.
I have started walking Lucy again. Just a short easy walk every afternoon when I can (probably not today as I wont have time). It is just a short flat walk but since the weather is so incredible at the moment it has been the highlight of my day and it is not something that I feel I have to do but something I really want to do and look forward to. The fragrances from all the flowers blooming at the moment is quite heady.
My weight is now hovering between 65-66 but will probably go up this weekend as we have such a busy social time lined up. Some weekends we have nothing (yahoo) and some weekends we are out all the time.
Tonight we are going to a concert at Chatswood and having dinner before hand and have just heard we are meeting for drinks before dinner. It is getting earlier and earlier. Not sure I will make the drinks but will try.
Tomorrow night Fox is going to a high school reunion and of course it is Fathers Day here on Sunday. We were going to go out to lunch but he decided that it is too expensive so he cancelled the booking and we are doing brunch at home with the children supplying all the food.
I am going to make a dairy and gluten free pizza tomorrow night for my dinner. Sounds weird I know but it is actually really yummy. I am also going to make some of Lynda's wheat-free rolls. Saw her recipe on blog the other day and they look yummy too. I cannot for the life of my find the link to her blog (still having problems with Feedly).
As mentioned previously the weather in Sydney has been marvellous lately (except for a few windy days). No rain though. Todays temperature is supposed to get to 27 deg C. This is the end of winter would you believe.
J is moving home in a couple of weeks. Shock horror! She is going to move in with a friend but they cant move in together until October as the other girl is in a lease. After yet another phone call this week bemoaning the fact that she had no money to which I pointed out that at the moment she was paying an outrageous amount of rent and she had just got back from 5 weeks overseas, I suggested that she put all her stuff in storage (because she doesnt want to sell any furniture yet) and move back home for a short period. Paying the storage charge would have to be cheaper than weekly rent.
Anyway she has done that and has given notice at her flat and booked the removalist. Our life will be in turmoil for a month but we have told her she has to be moved back out by the end of October as we have people coming to stay.
At the moment, on paper, it all looks good.
Fox's birthday last week. I ended up buying him his own iPad and even though he said he didnt want it and it hasnt really been out of his hands since I gave it to him last Tuesday. I bought the wrong cover for it though and Apple very kindly replaced it with the one I should have bought at no extra charge because I am such a good customer. It made my day, no actually that made my week and just re-enforce why I love dealing with this company and buying their products.
I think that is all at the moment. I hope everything is going well for everybody - you are in my thoughts often.
xxx
The professional learning overnight stay last week seesawed between great and horrible. On Friday it was blowing a gale and freezing cold. Stayed at a place with no heating except in the bathroom where there was one of those heaters in the light. I think they are Fantastics. The sight of three women standing in the bathroom trying to get warm was very funny. I ate all the wrong foods and have paid for it in spades.
We had to walk to another building to have dinner and there was no lighting and it was pitch black and no paths. Thank goodness for flash lights in mobile phones but I was deathly scared that I would fall again.
It was professional learning about cultural immersion and the two young Aboriginal men who performed and guided us were amazing.
If I could have gone home on Saturday morning I would have but as I had no alternative I soldiered on and I am so glad I did.
We drove out to Mount Yengo near Wollombi which is a very special spiritual place for local Aboriginals. We didnt actually go to Mount Yengo because it is such a special place to these young men but we could see it and we also went to a map site where there were lots of Aboriginal engravings and Stewart explained what they meant to this people. I did put a picture of Mount Yengo on Facebook and I will put it on here next time when my phone is charged.
Anyway, I got home about 3 pm and went straight to bed. I was so tired. And also, because I am slightly stupid, I got up the next day and tried to do everything that I normally do on the weekend in one day. As a result when I woke up on Monday morning I was in so much pain and exhausted once again. Ended up staying in bed all day Monday and slept until mid afternoon. Have felt a lot better for the rest of the week so have decided that while I probably wont over exert myself to that extent again I will take a day off every 3 months to get my strength back.
I have started walking Lucy again. Just a short easy walk every afternoon when I can (probably not today as I wont have time). It is just a short flat walk but since the weather is so incredible at the moment it has been the highlight of my day and it is not something that I feel I have to do but something I really want to do and look forward to. The fragrances from all the flowers blooming at the moment is quite heady.
My weight is now hovering between 65-66 but will probably go up this weekend as we have such a busy social time lined up. Some weekends we have nothing (yahoo) and some weekends we are out all the time.
Tonight we are going to a concert at Chatswood and having dinner before hand and have just heard we are meeting for drinks before dinner. It is getting earlier and earlier. Not sure I will make the drinks but will try.
Tomorrow night Fox is going to a high school reunion and of course it is Fathers Day here on Sunday. We were going to go out to lunch but he decided that it is too expensive so he cancelled the booking and we are doing brunch at home with the children supplying all the food.
I am going to make a dairy and gluten free pizza tomorrow night for my dinner. Sounds weird I know but it is actually really yummy. I am also going to make some of Lynda's wheat-free rolls. Saw her recipe on blog the other day and they look yummy too. I cannot for the life of my find the link to her blog (still having problems with Feedly).
As mentioned previously the weather in Sydney has been marvellous lately (except for a few windy days). No rain though. Todays temperature is supposed to get to 27 deg C. This is the end of winter would you believe.
J is moving home in a couple of weeks. Shock horror! She is going to move in with a friend but they cant move in together until October as the other girl is in a lease. After yet another phone call this week bemoaning the fact that she had no money to which I pointed out that at the moment she was paying an outrageous amount of rent and she had just got back from 5 weeks overseas, I suggested that she put all her stuff in storage (because she doesnt want to sell any furniture yet) and move back home for a short period. Paying the storage charge would have to be cheaper than weekly rent.
Anyway she has done that and has given notice at her flat and booked the removalist. Our life will be in turmoil for a month but we have told her she has to be moved back out by the end of October as we have people coming to stay.
At the moment, on paper, it all looks good.
Fox's birthday last week. I ended up buying him his own iPad and even though he said he didnt want it and it hasnt really been out of his hands since I gave it to him last Tuesday. I bought the wrong cover for it though and Apple very kindly replaced it with the one I should have bought at no extra charge because I am such a good customer. It made my day, no actually that made my week and just re-enforce why I love dealing with this company and buying their products.
I think that is all at the moment. I hope everything is going well for everybody - you are in my thoughts often.
xxx
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