Just like a pair of fluffy slippers

Today the planets aligned and I had a cuppa with a lovely friend.

 

It was wonderful to have a catch up with her and her youngest child who was home from Kindy.

 

I got to chat, meet the new chickens, the bunnies, wander

around her garden and I bought home some artwork for my fridge.

But what's this got to do with fluffy slippers...it's simple...

 

her friendship is warm and comfortable

just like wearing my fluffy slippers.

 

 

 

You're a gorgeous lady Suzanne and I wish I saw you more often.

 

Worth a read

There was much hype around here about the release of local author, Hannah Kent's first book, "Burial Rites".  The book was originally written as part of her Ph.D. and then reworked for the Writing Australia Unpublished Manuscript Award in 2011.  Hannah was the inaugural winner of this award and the book was recently released here.

I must admit when the book was shown to me at bookclub as the next read, I was a bit ho hum about it and consequently left it until the last minute...in fact I had to finish the last pages at bookclub. 

It took me awhile to get "into it" but once I was there it was one of those "I'll just read 10 more pages and then I'll cook tea, hang up the washing etc".  One of those book where I could visualise the story that I was reading.  One of those books that you hope, regardless of reading the blurb, that the ending will be different. 

In a nutshell the book is based on a true story about Agnes Magnusdottir, the last woman executed in Iceland, in 1830 and the people who come into her life. 

What a shame for me that I had to hurry reading it and didn't have the time to savour the words and the story. 

Have a happy weekend.  My boys aren't playing sport this weekend so I'll be by the fire reading the next book for bookclub - no last minute reading this time.

Chicken sitting...

 

At the moment I'm chicken sitting while my friend is away.  There are just 2 girls who free range all day and usually get put into their extremely spacious chicken coop at night.  As my friend didn't want me to be feel obliged to visit twice a day, the girls have been left to the put themselves to bed at night.

 

 

 

 

I must admit to visiting them probably more often than my friend thought I would but as we seem to head out that way a fair bit it hasn't taken much to stop by. 

 

 

 

 

I usually compost our food scraps but it seems to be such a better use to take them out to the girls.  All it takes is a tap tap tap on the side of the container and they come running, well I'm sure you could even call it sprinting.  On the few days that we haven't dropped past, when we next go out there I'm positive those girls tell me off...such clucking you've never heard. 

 

 

 

 

One of the girls was extremely adventurous this morning and as I drove down their road I saw her on the wrong side of the fence, playing chicken near the road.  I wasn't sure what she'd do once I got close but thank goodness for the container of scraps because as soon as I started tapping she started running behind me.

 

Obviously the bugs on that side of the fence must of been pretty juicy because no soon had she eaten some of the scraps than back out she went and taking her sister with her.  Fortunately they got sprung and after a quick look around I found some more wire and covered their escape route.

 

 

 

 

These are 2 chickens that won't be crossing the road...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changing lives

I'm experiencing something weird...

The other Monday I started school holidays, Richard was on annual leave and the boys went to work.  Work???

After all these years of the boys and I being on school holidays together it's all over...I won't say it was all over in a flash, because sometimes the school holidays couldn't end quick enough but it seemed to happen all of a sudden.

Tom has a job as a seasonal firefighter with the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources.  He has a contract until the end of May.  It's his first real job and it all fell into place at the end of his gap year.  He's been involved as a volunteer firefighter with our local Country Fire Service for 5 years and this helped him get the job. 

Michael has a school based traineeship so during term time he works 2 days a week, goes to school 3 days a week and also has external studies to complete with a trainer.  At the end of 2013 he'll be a qualified Horticulturalist.  He'll be working most days during the school holidays.

So with Richard now back at work after 2 weeks off, I'm home alone...just me...very weird.

So many wonderful things to see and read...

There are so many wonderful blogs and facebook pages just waiting for me to discover.  This morning I found one on facebook that had some great gardening ideas. 

A handy use of space and a great use for all those egg shells.  They suggest that you plant them directly into the ground as the shell will break down. 

But for me the best photo of the day would surely be this...

It was love at first sight.

My new reading aide

I've been sitting on my bottom far too much lately, reading books, blogs, playing games on facebook and watching tv, to the detriment of my wellbeing. 

I've put weight on, around the tummy of course.  I know it to be true because I can't quite get my knees as close to my chest when we do Humpty Dumpty at work.  Not to mention the zips on some of my jeans...hmmm they don't go up.

So while I might not of found a way to use the computer while exercising, I have managed to exercise and read my book while still sitting on my bottom.

Now if I can talk Richard into buying me an ipad, as a surprise gift of course, I might just be able to do computer "stuff" while exercising.  

Mission accomplished

After the heads up from Suzanne I headed off to Big W and bought Julius his new bigger pool.

I was a bit concerned that it might be too big...silly me he loves it.  Lulu spent a lot of time just running around the outside barking at him while he splashed around.

But eventually when no-one was paying her any attention she ventured in to try it out.

I won't be rash and say she's converted to actually liking getting her paws wet but she's warming up to it.

We have folded down the sides a bit so it's not as high because the last thing we want is any broken dog legs.  They are just like children, when they've had a good play out in the fresh air it's sleepy time.