I forgot

to do summary of events part 3!  Which was the adventures of last week, where I took the boy to Townsville to get his new cast. Which probably isn't very newsworthy, but was to us, and so worth blogging.

It wasn't an uncomplicated trip though, involving taking two cars, and dropping one off in Charters Towers in order to have its air-conditioning repaired. I KNOW! Devastating, especially with the hot weather coming up!

We continued on in The Husbands landcrusier ute, which if you are familiar with, aren't really made for taking passengers in style and comfort, and seeing as its his mobile office and workshop and goes deep into the wilderness (ie dust and dirt) on a regular basis, isn't exactly pristine.

And we got a flat tyre. Temperments were tested, especially with trucks whizzing past...

and thanks to my not-so-smart phone, I was able to document this adventure....and appreciate the mountains nearby. Husband is so over me telling him how I want to live somewhere I can look out at some mountains from my verandah.

After a day of running around town, the speediest ever hospital appointment (and hour and ten minutes people! a RECORD!) forgetting lists, picking up stuff from brother in law, grocery shopping, yet another maccas meal (novelty wearing off) we were pooped. Turns out that every motel room in the Towers was booked, so we decided to stay in the city. Lucky I had thought about this and packed a change of undies for everyone ;-) and we left bright and early the next morning, collecting my refreshingly cool car on the way home.

Boyo showed off his new, glow in the dark (but poor choice of colour, why did I not pick army/dirt camouflage?!) lighter and elbow free cast. Two more weeks. Although the new Dr I got wanted him to have none, after not quite four weeks. I argued my case. And won. Whippersnapper. My case was supported by the also whippersnapper-y, white shorted (I asked them if their matron had a good sense of humour, issuing them with tight, white shorts :) I refrained from asking if their mums had ever told them to not wear dark undies under white shorts) cute Plasters Boys, by whom I was thoroughly charmed, but happily so as they agreed with me. Two more weeks would be just right, they reckoned, studying his xrays and his scrawny, sad looking little arm.

No more trips to the city and visiting the Hospital. Well, not for this particular incident anyhow. Sigh. Which is good, because things like this keep following me home:

(I call the one on the left Mavis, and the right: Purty.....)

Tales of Dodgy Birthday Cakes, Volume 2, 2012

Reading the wonderful blogs of my online mates Amy and Fiona, and having email discussions regarding cakes and the making of, may have lead to believe, somewhat rashly, that I had the skills to carry off a layered rainbow cake. Those that care to, may see my instagram feed (see link in tab above) and the much knashing of teeth and tale of woe as the cake baking did not proceed as planned.

However, never one to waste a good cake, no matter how dismal its colour, I soldiered on, resolving that with a good chocolate icing, and heavy handed application of smarties and sprinkles, that a multitude of sins could be hidden. And after all, its not all about the cake, its about the Birthday Girl!

The Birthday Girl arose from bed earlier than normal, and feigned nonchalance, that she had forgotten it was her birthday! (yeah, right) Being an evil mother, I had hidden parcels from sight with only one small measly gift bag being on view. Finally she made enough noise to awaken the dead get her siblings out of bed so the gift opening could happen before breakfast and school time.

a new dress was scored (with a great deal of room to grow, thanks to mum not reading the tag properly in her whirlwind trip through the shops last week) lady bird slippers which give this quirky kid quite a kick, and some cool lego...(she was so proud to read the instructions and build unaided by adults but possible hindered by big bossy sisters and inquisitive little brothers)

and in a weak moment (from mum) some additions (LAST EVER!) to the pet shop family. They are quite a hit with the kids in this house.

Finally off to school, and for morning tea, some cake...

(that would be dad's grotty finger holding the matches in the front of the photo)

And finally, the big reveal....

Where things weren't as bad as they initially seemed, although my original plans involved a deep blue, kelly green and bright yellow. Pantry revealed a total lack of  yellow colouring, the blue went a lovely hue, as seen above and the green took on a lime hue (held together by PINK icing which was meant to be red).

Never the less, the cake was consumed down to the last crumb, and the kids went on their merry way, well and truly hopped up on sugar and the great deal of artificial colouring that went into each layer of cake!  

And the gappy toothed Flossie is now eight....my goodness.

wow

just wow...thanks to pinterest HERE

and surprisingly cheap given the amount of work that would have gone into it ($60 USD + freight) although I didn't look at how big it was. Wonder if The Husband might whip one up for me?

now, excuse me I must go and chastise a rabid Jack Russell barking at garden fairies or some other non existent intruder.

a summary of events: part two

while it feels quite some time ago now, as this week has been pretty busy, last weekend we had our annual race meeting. The usual P and C job was to cater for the crowds and with a couple of men down (or women more appropriately) we expected to be quite busy. The new secretary was one of the ones away, in her case at her sons wedding, so the task of ordering supplies and co-coordinating sandwich making fell on my shoulders. This task made intimately more difficult by the untimely illness of Towns only baker. Non the less, we soldiered on, the supermarket quickly getting a bread supplier on board from the coast, and I managed to find a wholesaler of pies as well (AND had them delivered to the door!)

There wasn't a lot of time for family portraits...

my eventual choice of race day finery being the grey dress with teal accessories (LOVE the other dress, and the borrowed fascinator matched perfectly, but the dress needs a couple of alterations to fit comfortably, as well as one needing to be in the right mood to carry of its brightness!)

At some stage during the morning it fell upon me to take the official photos as well, my mate Mel being felled with a nasty case of all-day morning sickness (oh yes, exciting times ahead!). I packed up my camera after our morning working bee of sandwhich making, took about 50 wonderful shots of the crowd, and found I had no memory card. Duh. Husband dispatched to fetch from my desk, thankfully before the first race.

Fashion, as ever, was high. I want the earrings on the girl in orange (sorry, CORAL) to have puppies. They are gorgeous. Bit of a change to the weekend before, those two good lookers are my new campdraft secretary and treasurer. And on the right, Miss Mac, well known for her love of unsuitable shows and pretty frocks (husbands around town are disapproving of both her fascinator and shoe collection, unless of course wives are borrowing from it, in which case is saving them money!)

a rather large number of jockeys seemed to be present for the event...

and look! we even saw the horses run this year! 

The Fashions of the Fields was again hotly contested:

I wonder who owns that girl child there in the middle that seems to be getting ridiculously tall,  and sending her father and I into mild panic as we are SO not ready for the next stage in child rearing.

this child also present, and the boy too although one would not know it as he went missing down the creek for about two hours (not an approved activity, especially when one armed!)

 

we tarted up the food shed a little this year, with some bunting, a tablecloth on the old timber counter, and of course colour co-coordinating baked goods.

Numbers were down somewhat this year however that did not stop those present from having a right royal time, and with most of the baked good sold, a few sandwiches left over for the kids to enjoy, and managing to sell off the left over pies, we made a pretty good profit for a pretty quiet day.

I'll try and get back soon before another week passes, as now of course the summary of events has a part three!

excuse the interruption

in planned postings, but I had to tell this little story before I forgot. Easily done these days, some days I hardly know if I am Arthur or Martha. Sad state given my age, my husband tells me. I must be lacking in something (ignoring husband's solution to problem, which is a typically male solution to ANY health problem!) so any supplement you know of that boosts brain function, do tell!

ANYHOW, the other day:

Georgie (randomly and without any prompting) as we walk down the road: Hey mum! I think its going to precipitate!! I can tell there has been lots of evaporation and condensation happening!

Me (mentally; WTF?!! they must doing the water cycle at school AGAIN!) Verbally: do you reckon....what exactly does PRECIPITATE mean Georgie?!

Georgie: (der Mum mentally, slight roll of eyes) it means RAIN! do you think it will precipitate? (obviously enjoying the tricky way the word rolls off the tongue).

I'm glad something is soaking in at school! 

A summary of events: part one

which has led to a rather nasty pile of dirty washing. Honestly, story of my life. That, and odd socks.

Campdraft:  weekend before last. I am no longer secretary (praise the lord) but still managed to be in there pretty much all day every day x 3. Sucker for punishment. This led to the not uncommon occurrence that is known as "campdraft orphanitis", wherein children of committee members wander about and do their own thing, look after themselves (with forays to parent for money as needed).  Child number two found a friend with a pony. Said pony was ridden up and down and round and round non stop, with two kids on its back, the driver of pony swapping back and forth. Worth his weight in gold, especially when he then had to do each gymkhana event twice on Sunday.

As you can see, wearing all of the right riding gear (and possibly riding a couple of holes too long, that's what happens when you share a horse) But having a ball. Old Laurent maybe not so much. Wishing we could have brought Laurent home with us, still searching for a new horse for this one! Laurents are hard to come by.

We held a minutes silence to remember the members we've lost - two just this year, and two in the years gone by. All well known to the camp drafting community across the north, and involved in our committee, it felt the right thing to do. Remembering at the last minute the announcer wanted some words to introduce, I quickly typed up something. Not a word of it do I remember now, but I am told it went down well. Our minutes silence was accompanied by John Williamson and "True Blue". Never have I seen the grounds as silent and still as was in that minute. So pleased that everyone stopped and was so respectful. Goosebumpy stuff.

Tried to get some cut out action from the front of the camp, but couldn't really get in the right spot (which, ideally would have been RIGHT at the front gate, which is not a smart place for a photographer to stand, given the high chance that she could get run over!)

And this was the end result on Sunday evening when I pulled into the driveway. The girls had a sleepover in at the grounds with friends, and combined with being there both days...well lets just say this little nap they had did not improve spirits for the evening. But a fun weekend indeed they had...

Stay tuned for part two! 

found

back soon, I promise, but for now I am being a lazy cow and forgetting about blogging and pretty much anything else that requires stringing words together coherently! instead, I've been to the races (sold many a sandwhich) and right now, catching up on editing school photos, which were done in MARCH. Yes I know. Slack is something I would win gold in if it were an Olympic Sport.

And look what else I found! taken of course before the frosts of the decade hit my garden, hopefully with a bit of water it will be looking like this again soon. I don't have room for a jacaranda tree in my yard, but this would have to be nearly as good!

The plant is a variegated purple Baleria, which strikes easily, so I am told (my MIL struck each and every one of the 13 bushes I planted). I think I put them in two years ago, and they haven't looked back, and have far exceeded my wishes for a hedge along the inside of my front fence!

Back soon I promise, school photos to finish..... 

otherwise occupied

full report soon :)

a story to tell

I'm going to be a lazy cow and make you go over to Simple Aussie Girls to see the whole page, goodness knows that blog has been bit a little bit neglected of late!

impromptu

The hay shed has been there since we owned the place, and only on Saturday did a light bulb go off. I only had my little pocket camera with me (someone may have put the dSLR in the car, minus its CF card) so quickly snapped some shots. Love the backdrop the shed wall creates.

Its a pity about the mood the kids and husband were in.  As you can see, The Husband was once again, in a smiley, happy chappy, sort of mood. He's very much a Things To Do, Places To Go sort of person, come on, hurry this bit of nonsense up!

You can also see the mood that #2 was in. Marches to the beat of a different drum, that child.

And then, after the work was done, the kids took these stellar shots, proving that indeed, mum waz 'ere:

The only photos taken with mum all year, and they all think they are goons.  Honestly.

Well, at least it proves one thing: dust indeed makes a fine camouflage for imperfections and evening out skin tone, and for making ones teeth seem nice and white! Tis a pity though, about the lines of it crusted into the lines of my neck. We'll call it cattle yard glamour shall we?

just for a change of pace

On Friday, The Husband decreed that our assistance was required at the prickle farm for the weekend. Cattle had to be mustered, drafted, and preg tested. He also decreed that enough of this driving home to your warm beds, heaters, hot water systems, and TV's, stop wasting fuel and camp down here.

He forgets that there are animals at home to be fed by someone, so Saturday morning was spent packing up lots of warm clothes, and swags, and eskies of food, catching two of the black ninja kitties (always having been earmarked to go to the prickle farm to keep the rats and mice down to a dull roar), along with the cheeky stray cat Kevin (trapped Friday night) and the two dogs, and stuffing all of that and the kids into the back of the car (not to mention watering and rationing provisions for the animals remaining at home).

Needless to say, the drive home that afternoon, requiring none the above to be actioned, would have been very attractive.

By the time we arrived, Husband had the cattle yards, with a small mob yet to be yarded. The kids spent the afternoon doing kid stuff, getting dirty, and trying to pat calves. Akin to a trio of lion cubs trying to pat a gazelle, they weren't entirely successful in their endeavours:

The Broken Kid not being slowed down in the slightest by his encumbrances, I think we might be going back sooner than expected to get a new cast. This one seems to be getting a little..."well used"...around the edges!

The next morning, after a chilly night with no one moving out of their swags until they really had to (and two surprisingly heavy kitties sleeping on my feet all night, and Kevin the stray hiding out under the back corner of the bed, apparently very traumatised by events. Better than the trauma of me chasing him around the house with a broom at home, from him stealing food from the bench!) we were back in the yards. The purpose of the day was to preg test the cows, in order to plan for the next twelve months. Knowing roughly the number of calves to expect allows for forward planning. (however, astute readers will note the number of small calves above, which means 1. the neighbours bulls were very busy having a grand old time, helped by a fence crawling bull of our own and 2. the mothers of those small calves will not be pregnant)

Cliff notes for the video, if you will.

1.It really is all about repetition. Doing the same thing over and over, developing a routine. The cows, all going well, wait their turn and step forward when the gate opens. The only way out is through that gate, and they ALWAYS go out that way, preg-testing or not (when not, the gates are all opened straight through).

2. preg-testing is carried out through (how can I put this delicately) poo part (foetus or lack of felt through the wall of the bowel)

3. Each cow is needled (husband at the front does this) with Botulism Vaccine, and Bangtailed to show that she has been through the yards. Bang tailing is where the bottom end of the tail, the hairy bit, is lopped off neatly and straight. It doesn't hurt, very much like chopping the tail off a plait :) So, if we see a "long tailed" cow out in the paddock we will know she hasn't been vaccinated.

4. Obviously my children are very obedient, as you can see they followed my instructions to the letter.

And that's it, the processing and preg-testing of near on 500 old dears, took all day, allowing for smokos and lunches and the delays in dealing with some of the naughtier ones (there's always got to be a 1% in every mob, whether it be bovine or human!)

Today: the aftermath - washing.

the red chair

we were in dire need of new office chairs, with one that gives one a sinking feels - slowly - as you sit at the desk, and the other requiring great agility on which to balance on its two wheels.  When in the city the other day, I had the time to duck into Officeworks. The first of my chair choices was sold out, so I had to settle for my second choice, which happened to have one available in red.

A bit like red shoes, and handbags, how could I resist?

I also bought a black one, to go at my main desk with the green wall ;-) and the red one will sit at the husbands area of dumping paper work and mysterious items also know as random spare parts desk.

Let me just make the follow observations:

instructions were written in Australian. Fancy that

number of times things had to be pulled off and put back on the right way: two

number of times I dropped that little allen key: uncountable

amount of swearing that took place: equal to the number of times allen key dropped and  number of times things had to be pulled off and put back on the right way

its not as easy to put together as the instructions suggest, but WAAAAAY easier that that steel cupboard I recently assembled which required much loud swearing at great length (even the kids commented: it mustn't have been easy to put together dad, Mum swore A LOT!)

Bum space is not as generous on this chair as the old one. Not sure how to feel or comment further on this matter.

The Husband can put the next one together.

one of those spur of the moment projects

well, sort of, I had the materials laying around for a looooong time. I spied my tin of red spray paint, and suddenly the urge to paint something overtook me.

I went to the cupboard that The Husband doesn't ever go into (a bit like The Shed Of Strange Things) and retrieved some large chipboard letters I had bought probably five years ago, but hadn't done anything with them. I KNOW. Armed with my tin of spray paint, and finding a really useful makeshift spray booth, got to work. Spray paint is very satisfying.

(the garden trailer, a great little spray booth!)

unfortunately, my initial plan of where I was going to mount these in his room has failed. I planned to lean them against the wall, sitting on the blind pelmet in his room. But after investigation, the blind pelmet doesn't have a wide enough ledge to hold them steady.  But, for the purposes of a little photo shoot, here they are, abbreviated and cheekily perched on top of the mirror.

Now that I look at the photograph, I notice the paint doesn't seem even, especially on the S, but I hadn't noticed until now (and look in the mirror, heh heh!) Maybe another quick spray is called for.

My next step will be to get some blutak - around here the stuff seems to evaporate, I know not where as there is no blutak on the walls anywhere in the house.  I'll simply blutak them to the wall above his bed now.

Only five and bit years after the fact, but better late than never!

And anything to get out of doing any real housework :)