I won't have a lemon tree. Oh no !!!

G'day. It dawned on me at some unearthly hour this morning that at the new home, there is no lemon tree. I have always had a lemon tree. The one in the photo is in our backyard here and hubby pruned it severely a year or so ago and it has grown gigantic. Normally hubby and pruners are not a marriage made in heaven, but he has never failed in regards to the lemon tree, though other things have not been so lucky. Bottom line is that I will have to plant a lemon tree. It's 4.50am as I write this, once again sleep has eluded me. This would not worry me if it was not a work day, but it is and I have to be at work at 7.00am and finish at 4.00 pm, so by the end of the day I imagine I will be happy to bundle myself into my car and head home and no doubt it will be an early night and then repeat the whole exercise over again tomorrow, but hopefully with a bit more sleep!!

The rose pruning went well, though we failed in our task and there are still about 10 or 11 roses left to go. I will get them done this coming weekend. It was a pleasure to have my son here helping me, we had so much fun, but the time flew by very quickly and when he left late yesterday afternoon to drive the two hours home, I was sad to see him go.

Last Friday hubby and I went to one of the major shopping towns an hour or so away from us and while there, we decided to organize our phone and Internet service for the new place and the young guy who served us was very hip and cool and all those nice things young twenty something guys want to be these days, with the stubble and blond hair casually draped over one eye so that while talking to him I kept trying to see the other baby blue eye under that mop of hair. Anyway, he explained about the latest deals and what he thought would be best for us etc and talked about the T Box we would get as part of a package and that for the Internet we would need a Wi Fi. Now I had heard of all of these before, but, in honest truth didn't know what they were. We have just plugged our computer in and hooked it up to the satellite connection because we are so far out of town to get any other coverage and all was well, but not so now that we are moving into town where there is good coverage and no need for the small satellite dish. A Wi Fi is essential he told me. Meanwhile hubby who was by this time bored with all this tech talk had wandered off to suss out all the latest phones and gadgets on display and left me to it. When I asked this ever so cool, blue eyed, handsome man what is a WiFi and why we needed it, he looked at me as though I had just jetted in on my broomstick from some far away galaxy and was not wise to the ways of the world. Though to give him credit, he patiently explained it all and by this time, I too was bored and the gadget's and gizmo's that had hubby intrigued seem appealing to me as well and I longed for escape from the blue eyed creature in front of me. Needless to say a contract was signed, we left with the T Box tucked under my arm and the promise to return before we move and purchase the Wi Fi, of course you have to pay for it, it doesn't come as part of the package, that would be too easy, wouldn't it? I can see that at some stage I am the one who will be responsible for setting this all up at the new home and I can guarantee that it will not all come together as easily as my blue eyed man said it will. Take care. Liz...

A pruning we will go........

G'day. It's nearly 6.00am here and I have been up for an hour or so. A rifle shot woke hubby and I up at around 4.00am. It's not unusual to hear rifle shots at night and even sometimes early hours in the morning, but not at 4.00am or thereabouts. The sheep farmer who's property borders ours on one side has a lot of lambs at the moment and the foxes have been out in force this year, no doubt killing some of those lovely lambs and it was probably him that we heard, but still, it gives you a bit of a fright to be woken up by the crack of a high powered rifle at that time. Needless to say, I couldn't go back to sleep, but hubby drifted of quite easily. I am greatly enjoying having my son here visiting me and we had a very productive day yesterday with the rose pruning and will be out again this morning to hopefully finish it all. Because of the frosts that we get here at this time of the year (It's our winter) I don't usually prune the roses until the start of August, but the new owner asked me very nicely could I please do them for her as she is not really up to speed on gardening, but is promising to learn and make sure everything here survives her not so green thumb. I have also left a few bushes and a couple of standard roses for when she pays us a visit next weekend because she wants me to show her what to do and how to do it !!!! She is talking of hiring a gardener once a month or so, if she finds it get beyond her. Once again I am seriously thinking of not having many rose bushes at the new house as yesterday we both got scratches and pricks from the thorns and my son was heard cursing a few times about "these bloody thorns" and "please mum, stay away from growing roses next time". Oh well, it's been fun, we have had lots of laughs and it's just good having him home for a few days. Sadly, he goes back to his own home tomorrow and we both have to go to work on Wednesday. The photo is of Esmeralda. I finished this bear when the computer was on the blink. The knitted vest she wears was made by one of the girls at work for me to put on her and I think it looks great. She sits on the small freezer we have in our laundry and she brightens the area up. Take care. Liz...

Woo Hoo, back on line.

G'day. Yes, it's true. I am excited to have my computer back. I keep my fingers crossed it doesn't abandon me again. I really am lost without it. Though hubby did say that the house has never looked better since it has been gone (he did say he was only kidding !!!). I really have got stuck into the housework and have managed to get some sewing done as well, which has fallen by the wayside lately as most of my sewing stuff is now packed and ready for the move. We have three weeks to go and all is on track. Hubby has been busy in the machinery shed, sorting things out and throwing things out and some of the shelves there are now bare which is a good sign. There are a few more things that I have to pack up here in the house and that's it.  My son is visiting for a few days to help me prune the roses. After breakfast this morning we will be out in force to get the job done and what we don't finish today, tomorrow should see the last of it. It's lovely having such a large garden and all that it entails, but this time, what with other things happening, friends from interstate staying with us for nearly a week and even a friend from the UK over to visit and packing etc and I also work, it has all gotten away from me. Usually I prune the roses over a few weeks on my days off work and weekends etc, but this time it has not happened. So I had to call in reinforcements in the shape of my six foot six inches son, who thankfully has a green thumb and knows how to prune roses and could take a few days off work to help out his poor old mum,but who did say to me yesterday while we were working out our plan of attack "Mum, just as well you won't have the room to plant so many roses in the new garden"  I just smiled....  I console myself with the knowledge that it will be for the last time, though to be honest this is a sad thought. I did make a start on a few last weekend and ended up with so many scratches and thorns in my fingers and a torn shirt to boot, that I was thinking maybe no more roses might be a good idea, but I do so love them and a vase of beautiful blooms looks wonderful. Oh well, I can hear movement about the house, hubby and son will be converging in the kitchen for a hearty breakfast, ready for the tasks ahead. The photo is of our gorgeous little boy "Lucky" I had just bought the pet bed that day from the book (an other things) club that comes to our work and I threw it up on the spare bed after our guests had left to continue their travels and Lucky jumped in it straight away, he seemed to know it was for him, he just loves it. Take care. Liz...

My computer chucked a wobbly the other day and is being repaired. My iPhone sure has come in handy. Hope to be back on the wonderful world wide web soon. At least without the computer, I am getting some housework done :) Take care. Liz ...

Lost without my computer. !!!!

Girl talk. How well do our husbands/partners know us?

G'day. Firstly, to Broad, you are welcome to visit me unannounced anytime your heart desires. If you ever get to Australia, I expect to to see you lobbed on my front door step with bags in hand ...... I look forward to it.

During my lunch hour at work the other day, I was listening to some of my female colleagues talking about their hubby's. One was complaining that after 18 years of marriage, her husband didn't really know what her likes or dislikes are, what is her favourite color, what color her eyes really are, what is her pet hate, the list goes on and on. I don't know what started this conversation as when I walked in, they were already in full swing. One of the other women at the table agreed  that there would be much her hubby wouldn't know either. This went on for some time and as I was sitting quietly eating lunch and having a chuckle to myself I heard "Liz, you're being quiet, would Ian know that much about you if you really put him to the test? I replied in all honestly that I thought he would know a few things about me and that I would ask him that night, in a nice way of course. So,while we were having our evening meal, I explained what had taken place at work and would he be happy to be interrogated on his knowledge of me, being a good sport and knowing that there were no strings attached he said ok. 

Whats my pet hate ? Water on the kitchen/bathroom floor.  Tick
What color are my eyes, without looking?    Green.      Tick
What is my main hobby?    Sewing, gardening.      Tick
What is my favourite color?   Blue.     Wrong.    It's pink, but who cares.
What books do I like to read?   Romance.      Wrong.     It's  Crime, Mystery. Again no big deal.

Favourite movie ?     Had no idea.  (It's Moulin Rouge)
Favourite food ?      Meat .  Tick.
What else would you know about me?  You love all animals and have a temper at times.   Tick.

Favourite song? San Fransisco by Scott  McKenzie.  Tick
Favourite band. Rolling stones.    Tick.
Given a choice of movie between scary or comedy what would it be?   Scary.  Tick.
Do I wear lipstick?   Yes.   Wrong. ( Very rarely wear lipstick)
Natural hair color?    Can't remember, but think it was brown once.  Tick !!!!!!

Anyway, there were a few others that he got wrong, but overall, he did pretty good. I was then given the same test. Did I know him as well as I thought I did. Oviously not. Would you believe it, I got his eye color wrong. I said grey, they are hazel. I got his favourite movie, which is Duel. I did get his favourite car, which is a Ford Capri etc, etc,. In the end, hubby won hands down. I failed miserably, how embarrassing. Wait till I tell the girls at work this, but then again, maybe I will keep my mouth shut. The picture is of Hercules, one of our beautiful bully boys. Of course, being the shy boy that he is, he turned his head just as I was ready to snap the pic and wouldn't for the life of him turn again to look at me, no matter what I did to get his attention, actually, he turned his rear end to me to prove a  point and stood that way until I got tired of waiting. I will miss these huge gorgeous animals. Take care. Liz...

Do You like visitors calling in unannounced ?

G'day. Due to yesterday being a public holiday, we have had a long weekend here, but it's even longer for me as I have today off work as well, not that I am complaining about that, but it would have been even better if the gastric bug hadn't decided to visit me. Oh hum, that's the way it goes and apart from this little set back we have had a good weekend. On Sunday we picked up the classic car that hubby had acquired and we had arranged to call in and visit friends that we don't see all that often due to the distance etc and while I was inside enjoying a nice warming cup of tea and hubby was talking cars as men do, those that are interested in them of course, as both hubby and our friends are (at least the male of that partnership is) anyway Raylene and I settled in for a nice long catch up and during the course of the conversation I mentioned that when we move into town I can expect some of the girls I work with to call in and have a cuppa and chat and I also said that my best friend at work only the other day said how good it will be that I will be living in town, not half an hour out and that she will be around to have a cuppa when she's in town, which is quite often and I said "Please give me a call first" and went on to explain that I am not one for having people call in unexpectedly, thankfully she wasn't offended as a good friend shouldn't be, but I think Raylene was a bit shocked as they have called in a few times without letting us know, you see, they have other friends only a half hour or so from us, so it's been no bother if we were  not home when they come. Then in  comes hubby announcing that it was time we hit the road, car talk was over and so apparently was my cup of tea, reason given that we had things to do (whatever they were, we didn't do them !!!) and it was a two hour drive home, so in saying goodbye's Raylene said that they will come and visit when we are settled, but laughed and said they would remember to ring first, though they both like a bit of fun and I bet they won't call. My mother never visited unless she asked was it ok to call in, as she thought it was rude to just turn up on someones doorstep and I have the same tendency. My mum always said that if the dishes were done and the beds were made that the house would always look clean and she would sometimes leave the vacuum cleaner in sight to give the impression that she was about to use it, just in case that unexpected visitor called in. I am not fussed by people seeing dishes or unmade beds, but I still like to have that notice.  Just one of the things that makes me, me, that is my story and I am sticking to it. Does it bother you if someones turns up without prior notice ? The rose in the picture is Fiona's Wish. I have three of these standards in a row and they are beautiful, though for the first time the true color has not come out, this time all the blooms have been muted and soft, not like the vibrant red and yellow they normally are, but I think this color is so lovely that I just had to take a photo of them. Take care. Liz...

Triplets. They sure are beautiful.

G'day. I have had a few new followers on my blog the last week or so and to them I say Thank you and welcome. This week at work was so busy, that by the time I have arrived home all I  wanted to do was plonk myself down and rest my poor weary feet. I have kept up with the blogs I follow, but haven't had the stamina to post  on my own one. I am so thankful that most of the packing here is done and in another five weeks we will be starting the daunting job of unpacking everything in our new home. Still haven't decided on the carpet we want, though we are hoping to pick up the keys from the agent this afternoon and get the carpet samples and try to make a decision. I am in a better frame of mind today as it's Friday and I don't work Friday's. Yeah..... Also this is a long weekend here because Monday is a public holiday (Queens Birthday) so it's Yeah, Yeah, as far as I am concerned. Hubby has started packing the machinery shed at long last, but to be honest I don't know how it's progressing as I believe that what I don't know won't hurt me !! It's his domain so I am staying well clear. You may remember about the kitchen dresser that I bought on eBay a few weeks ago and the lady wanted me to pay more, well the good news is that I have it home here now. I arranged for a transport truck to pick it up last week and all is well, but it would have been nice if she hadn't complained to the truck driver about the seventeen people looking and only one bidder and how she wanted more money etc, etc,. Thankfully I don't know this truck driver personally and will probably never see him again so I wasn't concerned and my one comment to all of this was " Oh,Boo Hoo" needless to say he didn't say another word about it. Hubby is complaining that "couldn't you have waited to get something after we moved?" My only comment to that was "NO".  I can see the logic in what he said but turned a deaf ear. But, now guess what we are doing on Sunday , we are going to pick up another classic car and do you suppose this car is for me to fawn over and wash and polish and talk to your mates about  and to look at lovingly ? No, no, no, this car is for hubby, to restore at some stage as it's in a bit of disrepair. When I said couldn't it have stayed where it was for another five weeks I was told that "NO" it had to come to us straight away or someone else  may have had designs on it. Not to be outdone I said about how he had commented on the dresser coming before we move and was told "That's different" It must be a male thing, how can it be different for them but not for us? Though to be honest,I have been guilty of using those two words myself in the past so maybe it's a girl thing as well !!!. The photo of the three young lambs was taken only the other day. There are only two properties on our road, the first is sheep, we are cattle and I just happened to have the camera in the car the other day and saw these three gorgeous lambs on the side of the road with their mum. Mum of course didn't want her picture taken and toddled off, but the youngsters were happy to stand still and pose for me. I just love looking at them when I drive down our road, they are so full of life and it's great to see them bounding around. We have had some really cold weather here lately and the nights have been freezing and I think of these poor little souls snuggled up close to mum trying to keep warm. I am sure that some don't make it, but for those that do, at the moment life's a joy and I will very much miss seeing them every year as I will the beautiful calves that our cattle have. Take care. Liz...

A passion for sewing and other things.

G'day. I will start this off by saying a big 'Thank You" to Rosaria and Broad for their always much appreciated comments on my blog. Broad you have asked when the big move is, it's the 19th of July. Still some weeks away yet, but the time is just moving along at a decent clip and it will be here before we know it. I am about to continue the theme of all about me, so close this page now if you don't want to read any more. My mother taught me to sew on my grandmothers treadle machine which I still have and does still sew, if I was so inclined to use it, but I'm not and other than learning on it when I was a kid, I don't think it's been used much since. My heart belongs to my new sewing machine that does every thing my heart desires, well in the sewing department of my heart that is. If only I could teach it to do housework...... When I got my first job as a receptionist for a car company I couldn't wait for payday. I was on a mission to buy a sewing machine and I can still remember my excitement at that purchase and racing home to try it out. That machine stayed with me for many happy years and over the course of that time I married, started a family and made the usual assortment of clothes for hubby and kids and myself. Somewhere along the way that novelty wore off as the kids got older and didn't want my home sewn clothes, but that was ok as I turned my talents elsewhere and I started patchwork and quilting, which to this day I still love with a passion. Oh, there were other hobbies along the way. I tried folk art painting, porcelain dolls, painting ceramics, paper tole, knitting the odd jumpers here and there and various other crafts, but the sewing was always lurking in the background. All beds here have quilts on them that I have made, throws on chairs and couch, cushions abound everywhere, even our kitchen table has a patchwork tablecloth on it, dolls and teddies sit here and there and peek out from behind things or may share a couch or chair with visitors. I make all my own handbags and have been lucky enough to sell some bags and have in the past made a bit of play money.  I guess you get the hint that I love to sew. The cushion in the picture is one I made some time ago. I am in the process of making one the same for a friend who just totally loves gollies and has had a lot of sad things happens to her and her family over the last few years. I hope it will bring a smile to her face when she sees it. Take care. Liz....