Down South

Had the most beautiful weekend away down South.























The drive in itself was spectacular, though driving to the B and B late at night took an hour instead of 20 minutes as there were wombats and kangaroos, (I need to add at this point the person in the passenger seat was being quite rude about my speed, or lack there of, and did not believe there would be any wild life around, seconds later we had to avoid a mad kangaroo, I just LOVE being right). The second night I spent some time dodging wombats both dead and alive and a very large white bird that tried to take on the car, really very stressful.























We spent the weekend walking along tracks, sitting by open fires and driving for hours. Oh and battling the noise my car was making, it had been making this sounds for a week or 10 and I thought it would eventually go away, so when in the middle of nowhere a shrill alarm sounded and the oil light came on I had a slight moment of guilt and panic (not helped by the person in the passenger seat making a HUGE deal out of the fact I had not had this noise checked earlier). Turns out I had run out of oil, completely, totally and utterly. Thankfully it was easily solved, well maybe not easily but it was solved and the noise disappeared.

















Dinner on Saturday night was spent here. Nothing like an open fire on a cold night and it was COLD!!!
























Ah yes and I helped the lovely farmer/host herd his cattle up. The cowboy dude thought I was a complete moron but the feeling was mutual so I guess that makes it ok.

















This is where we stayed. The hosts were two of the loveliest people I have come across and made us feel so very welcome. The tea was real, the shower to die for, electric blankets, great breakfast, just perfect, it's not often you have cows, llama's and kangaroos in your backyard.
















This is the waterfall from the second day, long walk but worth it for the view.

A Job

Stephanie announced tonight that 1 year and 8 months after finishing her degree at Uni she had managed to get a job.

Charlotte looked up from her dinner in enormous shock and said "WHAT"!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Working

A little old lady just came into the shop after a baby present. I showed her the dearest little rattle. She turned her nose up at me and said 'you want me to buy THAT'!!!!

*sigh*

Getting Older

HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY STACEY!!!!!!

See you tonight.

The Easter Show

Whilst I would have liked to have missed the crowds and leave home at 8am the fact that Stef was coming with us meant a 10:30am start. The alcoholic fumes as she arose led me to know she had been out, what I wasn't aware of till after it was over, was the fact that Charlotte was up for the day when Stef came home.

Nonetheless Stef rallied at 10 but was slightly weary on the bus


















The girls were beside themselves with the all the action at the cattle yards


















The owner of this cat wasn't particularly impressed when I asked her what happened to the cats nose. We couldn't stop laughing at this breed of cat, it looks like it has gone head first into a plate of glass!!


















We are tired and exhausted and I am never going again. Well not with somebody under the age of 20.

There's a Mouse in The House

Dear Stephanie,

Thank you so very much for rescuing the tiny mouse from the ferocious jaws of Harley. I am going to be honest with you and tell you I did not really appreciate you then putting the mouse in a half empty box of my (good) tissues and then putting that box on top of the ironing board so as the cat would not find the box and the mouse.

I did, however, appreciate you then moving the box with the mouse in it when the cat very quickly found it. (I still can't believe though that you ignored my near nervous break downs every time I had to walk past the box with the mouse in it).

I don't appreciate (nor will your sister) the fact that you then moved the box with the mouse in it to your sister's bedroom and shut the door so the mouse could then die in peace and quiet.

I did, however, appreciate the fact that you promised to get rid of the box with the mouse in it by first thing this morning.



so..............



WHAT THE F^%$ IS THE MOUSE STILL DOING IN MY HOUSE????????????????



Love your very unhappy Mother.

First Anniversary

It's been a year.

On April 5th 2008 he passed away from Motor Neuron Disease. Without a doubt the most hideous disease that can inflict someone. A year after diagnosis he passed away after the bravest fight. In fact we had trouble getting him help as he kept bragging how well he was doing, that he could still get himself dressed even though it took him 1 1/2 hours. How we shuddered when he kept driving!!

Poor Suey was the one that had to keep going to the Chinese butcher to get meat for the cats because no other butcher had cuts of meat that were good enough for the cats.

Up until the end he was the bravest person I have ever met.

When he was first diagnosed he said to me my greatest fear is being unable to move and having you girls sitting around me, talking non stop and not being able to tell you to shut up. Then when the end was in sight and he was drifting away, we were sitting around him talking non stop, I asked him if he wanted us to shut up and go outside, he said no I love looking at your beautiful faces.

It is one of life's weirdest privileges to be with somebody when they take their last breath.

Cleaning Up

Dear Stef,

Today would you please.....

Bring in from the outside table all the wine glasses

Clean up the red wine off the table

Pick up your wet washing that has been sitting outside the washing machine for the last 6 days

Bring down the 15 glasses that have disappeared from the cupboard

Get rid of the hallway disaster

Find the scissors and put them away

Put back all my bras

Get rid of the vomit towel that you put back on the towel rack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND GET A JOB

Love Your Mother who is disconnecting the internet in 3 days if you are not working.

April Fool's Day

Well I thought it was funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oops

Dear Stef,

I'm pregnant.

Love Mum xxxx