Do you worry what people think?

G'day. Hot, hot, hot here in my little corner of Australia at the moment and I shouldn't be complaining because we are after all in summer and we have had it much hotter than this in the past. But, at heart I am a winter girl and always will be.

I have watered the garden early this morning and have prettied the house up, by that I mean all those jobs that have to be done, like vacuuming, mopping the floors and just generally having a tidy up.

Hubby and I are going on a weeks holiday to Tasmania soon and the other day I went and asked the next door neighbour, would she mind doing a bit of watering for me while we are away. As fortune would have it, I knew this neighbour before moving here, though our friendship was only fleeting, because she applied for a job at my place of employment, but found after a few weeks, that she was not cut out for it. When I knocked on her door to ask this favour, she graciously invited me in to see her home. This was at around ten o'clock in the morning and there was not a thing out of place, beds were made, no dishes in view. In other words it just looked beautiful.She even opened up her linen cupboard to show me and believe me, it was so neat that I was thinking that I must attack mine when time allowed. After having a chat for a while, she walked outside with me and before we knew it we were standing in front of my home discussing what plans hubby and I have for the front garden and I asked her would she like to come inside. Now, mentally I am thinking of all the things I hadn't done, though I knew the bed was made and the bathroom was clean and the kitchen was reasonably tidy, but then I remembered the newspapers scattered across the kitchen table, the pile of washing in the laundry waiting to be ironed and a million other things.  Am I the only one that feels as though when a surprise visitor comes, the house is never up to scratch? After all, she didn't know that I was going to come a knocking on her door at that time in the morning, yet her home was immaculate. I was concious that the floors hadn't been done and that in the light coming through the sliding doors in the kitchen, it showed the floorboards to be dusty. I am sure she took no notice whatsoever of any of this, but instead told me what a lovely home I had and what an improvement it was from the last owners. Funny thing is that after she left, I got the vacuum out and did that dusty floor and then did the ironing and a few other things to boot. 

The photo is of a rose called Marie Attoinette. I was given this rose by my son some years ago and when we moved from the farm I took numerous cuttings of it with me. Only this one cutting took and it is still sitting happily in the pot. I must find a nice spot in the garden for it at some stage. Instead of sitting at this computer, I think I had better go and clean my window ledges,maybe wash a few windows while I am at it, then there is the glass kitchen door to remove those smudges from. Oh, and I am sure that I could write "I love you" in the dust that is on the coffee table !!!! But, wait, I have a better idea. I may just sit in a nice shady spot in the garden and read the great book that I started a few nights ago. Now, that sounds more like it. Take care. Liz...

Happy Valentines Day

G'day. Well, it's Valentines Day here and hubby and I usually just exchange cards and maybe a Tattslotto ticket each, but that's about all. But this year I was surprised to find a lovely red rose with a card and Tattslotto ticket to boot. Mind you, we have never won Tatts, but who knows, hopefully those numbers will just fall right one day. We live in hope. I wish all my friends out there in this beautiful big world a Happy Valentines Day. I hope it is a good one for you all.

There have been a few things happening in my world of late, but at this time I am unable to put it all down in print. All I can say is that it involves a car I sold late last year and some rather unsavoury happenings with the police involved. I will tell more when I am given the green light to do so,though that may not be for some time. Yes, I know it sounds dramatic and in some ways it is. Let's just say, it has been enough to rattle my cage as well as hubby's.

Now, as to the pictures I have put on this page. I do not know what the bush is called, but it has the most beautiful flowers. The colors are a gorgeous hot pink tipped with yellow. It didn't have a description on the pot when we bought it a few weeks ago and since being in the ground, it has rewarded us with lots of lovely blooms.If anyone out there knows what it is, please tell me.

Now if only we could keep the pesky blackbirds from scattering all the mulch around our garden, I would be a happy woman. Hubby and I call them wrecker birds, they make such a mess flicking the mulch around with their beaks and feet, they are a real pain in the you know what !! You would not normally be able to see the soaker hose, but thanks to those rotten birds, there it is in all it's glory. I am forever raking it back up.

In a few weeks, Hubby and I are off for a holiday in Tasmania. This is my home state and we are really looking forward to heading back over there as it's been a while. We are going by ship and are taking our precious little dog with us. They have kennels on board, so I am hoping he will be ok.Needless to say, it's a break hubby and I need and we will have a great time.

I am still going to Weight Watchers and am doing extremely well. Tonight is weigh in again and I expect to have lost a bit more. As I said earlier, this has been a stressful time and food has not been a priority for me. But, I am ever the optimist and all will be well. Take care. Liz...

What a mess, but, it ended well.

G'day. I got the bright idea on Sunday morning to do something with this area of the backyard. We have been planning on making a "pretty" garden here since moving in six months ago, but, I had had a lot of trouble controlling the weeds that kept popping up. This area is just outside the glass doors from our kitchen/dining room and when sitting at the kitchen table, this garden is what we can see. So it had to be nice and attractive.

I ran the sprinkler on it for a very long time to make it easier to dig, as the gound had become very hard and dry with all the warm weather we have been having. It did soften it up a fraction, but believe me it was still  hard work. Hubby was busy putting all new pop up sprinklers in around the place and so my brainwave to get started on this area became my responsibility to dig it all up.  It was very labour intensive and a few times I could have kicked myself for even starting it, but, I kept going. After a few hours, a sore back, sore arms and a sore leg from pushing on the pitchfork I had managed to get over half of it done. Hubby then took pity on me and as soon as he finished with the sprinklers, he took over and he had the rest finished in no time. We did get a massive thunderstorm while digging and both ended up rather wet, but, not to be out done we continued on when the rain had eased.

After many hours of work, we had finally got around to planting. We had been collecting pot plants for some time and even though, when these were bought they were destined for other areas. But, they all suited this area as well and so in they went. It will be some time before they all bush out and grow, but we are pleased with it so far. Since this last picture was taken, a few more plants have gone in. I will wait till it all settles down and then will mulch it heavily. Somewhere down the track, I will have my pretty garden and will be pleased that all the hard and tiring work paid off. Oh, by the way, I have planted a couple of pink/white daises, three Tiny Mice bushes, these are around the cherub and were planted as a rememberance for my daughters cat Gasket, who was sadly put to sleep a few hours before the bushes were planted. There is one Australian native bush called Southern Stars, a couple of small bushes that are evergreen and come out in small purple star shaped flowers for most of the year and three Gaura plants that have the most delicate pink butterfly like flower on the end of long thin stalks that wave around in the breeze. There is also a Scaevola, called Aussie Salute. All in all, a good selection. The taller bushes along the edge of this area were all put in some time ago and have established themselves really well, so hopefully this new lot will thrive and do well. You can see on the lower right hand corner of the last picture that there is water laying where the pipe is, yes, you guessed it, I put a hole in one of the new sprinkler pipes with the pitchfork.  Hubby bless his heart, didn't bat an eyelid and straight away fixed it. Take care. Liz...

A mirror and a much loved cat.

G'day. I have been cleaning out my wardrobe most of the morning and found this beautiful mirror, still in it's box. This mirror was bought a couple of years ago as a wedding present. Sadly, the bride to be called off the wedding a week before the event. So I have kept this lovely piece. It is all hand made and on the hanging wire are gorgeous shells and beads. I  can remember the day I bought it. I had gone to a very large craft market and this guy was selling all hand made glass items and there was  another lady looking at this piece, but as soon as I saw it, I knew that would be our wedding present to the happy couple. Luckily, the lady's husband drew her attention to something else on the same stall and as soon as she moved I grabbed the mirror and bought it. It has been in it's box ever since, but now hangs on one of the walls.

I have just had a phone call from my daughter while I have been typing this post. She rang to tell me that she has made the heart breaking decision to get her beloved cat put down. His name is Gasket and he is nearly 20 years old and hasn't been well now for some time. Over the last few days he has gotten worse and my daughter said that this morning after she fed him she realised that he couldn't jump up on her knee as he loves to do and that his breathing is not right. Tomorrow at 11.00 am they have an appointment at the vet. I have tried to say all the right things and we have both been crying our eyes out, but, even though my daughter said she knows she is doing the best thing for the poor old puss, it is not easy. It will be on her mind for the rest of the day and I doubt she will get much sleep tonight. I have offered to drive down, but she said that her fiance will go with her. I will be thinking of them tomorrow and I will be remembering a lovely cat, who would strut around in his younger days as though he owned the world and who would just drop at your feet and roll over for you to rub his tummy and he loved to head butt your hand to get you to pat him on the  head. He has had just the best life, my daughter has loved him devotedly. I wish I had that magic wand to make everything ok. Take care. Liz...