Coffee with a friend

I know this beautiful Autumn weather is not going to last much longer, so today I decided to go and visit a friend rather than stay at home. The friend I had in mind still works full-time so I don't see her very often. The conversation over coffee went on longer than I thought it would, it was good to catch up, we used to be next door neighbours and our kids played together, we have seen them grow up. We have both moved on from that neighbourhood but have remained friends.  So we keep in touch every couple of months either by a phone call or over a coffee. As it was getting late I decided to visit my son, daught-in-law and two grandsons, but, before I could do that I stopped off at the bakery for Connors favourite snack, a jam filled donut.  I realised their car was not in the drive when I approached the house, I thought someone might be home so knocked on the door anyway.  My eldest grandson was home alone, being a teenager  he has been given more responsibilty and this is one of them. He made me a cup of tea in exchange for his donut and we sat and had a chat for awhile, I became aware that he had been playing a computer game and he seemed anxious to get back to it, so I made him  promise not to eat his brothers donut, he laughed and said goodbye. Should I check that Connor received he's donut? lo
My friends son has been making improvements, he's now aware of his surroundings and of the equipment and tubes, although he can't express what he is feeling, apart from some anger, the signs are good that he will recover. The doctors are hoping to remove the tracheotomy this weekend and maybe transfer him to a ward in the next week or so. He is going to have a long road to recovery but we are hoping it will be a full recovery.

Photo shoot

I have just had a wonderful day with my two daughters. Yesterday Taneesha asked if I could keep this afternoon free, thinking she needed me for babysitting I said I would.  Then she asked me to dress up, with makeup, because her and her sister Jacinta would be picking me up at about 1pm.  My first thought was for lunch, but, I wasn't sure. I still wasn't sure when we drove up the highway to Bacchus Marsh a little town further on from us. My mind was ticking over as we drove through the town to a housing estate and parked outside a private house. As she turned the engine off,  she looked at  me and said that they wanted to give me a photo for Mothers Day but they needed me to be involved, so it would be an early surprise. We would be having a photo shoot together, I was surprised,  it was the last thing I would have thought of,  but we have just had a very fun day, lots of laughs and love. We then stopped at a cafe on the way home for coffee and cake. Love my girls, you are the best.

Anzac Biscuits

Today was Anzac Day and as well as remembering all the men and women who have died or been   wounded in past wars, we celebrate the birth of the Anzac biscuit. It has become a tradition that we eat these hearty moorish little biscuits about this time every year.  During the first World War there were food shortages and rations, the countries women needed to bake a biscuit that would stay fresh for a long period of time, taking into account the limited resourses that they had at hand, after many trials the Anzac biscuit was born. These biscuits were often sold to buy small necessities for themselves or their loved ones serving overseas. This was how their name came about. These biscuits were also included in parcels shipped to foreign places as food supplements for there husbands, sons and brothers  to let them know that their women back at home were thinking of them.
In recent years the company that bakes anzac biscuits has been producing a commemorative tin of the different services and some of the wars fought. In the future these tins will become collectors pieces.

Mini Master Chef (thankyou Tanya for the photo)

My young grandson Connor, along with his dad made his first batch of anzac biscuits today, he asked me to afternoon tea to sample what he had baked.  A nice way to spend a cold wet autumn day in front of their log fire eating biscuits and drinking tea. Good job Connor.

Perseverance

I finished my little grandsons jumper today, I'm relieved that I persevered and finally worked out the pattern . Why is it though that there is always wool left over, enough in this case to knit a small beanie to wear with the jumper.  I am involved with a small group of women who meet once a week to have a chat, a cuppa, and also do some craft. Today it was at Jenny's house so when I finished sewing the sleeves to this little jumper she went to find a pattern book of knitted hats and scarves. I was surprised to see that her book was one my mum had once, it was an old book but some of the patterns are relevant still today. I have borrowed Jenny's book on the promise that I will return it when I have finished. We do cherish the things that we have had for a long time or those things that have been handed down through the family. On the way home I called into the craft shop to look at more pattern books, and then bought some wool. While I'm in the mood for knitting I think I will be putting the quilting and stitching away for a little longer.

Caring for ourselves

My family and friends are all aware that I have Addisons decease and have been making a big effort to look after myself.  Fresh fruit and vegetables are now big on my shopping list, I love my fruit and vegetable juices during the day, and the vegetable salads and meals that I'm now eating.  Yesterday Teej, rang to ask if she could borrow the broom I use for outside, and could I drive it over to her house, she was busy. Well so was I, but then she offered  a bribe, she had a book she thought I would like to read. The book turned out to be the Womens Weekly Detox book, so today being a lovely sunny autumn day I have been sitting outside reading it.  I don't want to detox but it also has some yummy vegetable recipes as well as a few juice recipes. I am going to stock up on a few more beans and pulses, especially now that it is soup weather, I love home cooked soups.  More on the subject of looking after ourselves, my son Michael has recently given up smoking and cut down on his drinking, he turned thirty nine this year and thought it about time he started to look after himself.  Things where going well until he woke up on Thursday morning with Bells Palsy, not severe, but not a very pleasant thing to have, he is on steroids to reduce the infection and hopefully it will only be a couple of weeks.
For those who follow my blog, the latest news on my friends son is that he is making very small improvements, he has been taken off life-support, so he is breathing on his own. Will keep you updated.

Composting bin

unpainted compost bin

A few years ago our local council replaced our garbage bins with new recycle, green waste and rubbish bins. They did'nt want the old bin back, so what to do with it, for a time it was washed out and used for the garden tools.  After moving into this house I  realised that my compost bin was left behind at the old house,   I've been meaning to buy a new one  but it always slips my mind until I throw the vegetable waste in the bin.  While lying in bed I came up with an idea ( I do my best thinking in bed), the old bin could be cut down, meaning the wheels and base would have to be cut off.  A phone call to my son, he arrived with the angle grinder and promptly cut the bin apart. Now I have a compost bin with hinged lid, ok, the green and yellow isn't exactly eye-catching but, maybe, when some of the plants grow you might not see it.  Today it was off to Bunnings for some manure and straw and now I have a start on compost for my garden. I am having a feel good moment, all the waste from the juicer and the vegetable scraps will  be in the compost bin instead of the council land fill.

Cooking dilemma

We have another family get together tomorrow, this time to celebrate my dad's 85th birthday. Lately all our get togethers have been bring  a plate. We are a quite a large family with kids, nieces, nephews and grandchildren so, it is a bit much to ask the person who is hosting to privide for all of us. Now, what do I prepare, I'm babysitting DJ over night so it will have to be cooked tonight because I will be busy with him in the morning.  It is also a 45 minute drive to my sisters. What will be tasty tomorrow?  I've thought of a rice noodle salad, prepare all the ingredients, but keep the dressing in another container. Pork ribs is another option, or honey chilli chicken, will they still they be ok tomorrow?  I still have a couple of hours to decide.
I realized I did'nt have a gift, what do you buy a man of his age who just goes out to buy anything he wants. It had to be a voucher, and as he is still gardening it was off to Bunnings. Of course I can't go into that store without browsing, so I have come home with another plant, I had a corner in the family room that was calling out for a plant. It does look good.

Autumn sunshine

Wow,  we are having an amazing autumn day, the sun is shining, and we have clear blue sky. I have been outside in the garden doing a few of the tidy up jobs before winter is here, when the last place that I'll want to be will be outside.  I have a small under cover area at the back of the house that I have given a bit of a spruce up.  I had a  lovely shelving unit that was in the kitchen of my old house,  I didn't want to leave it behind,  but knew I wouldn't be able to use in my current kitchen, so I asked my son to hang it on the brickwork.   I have arranged my collection of birdhouses on the shelves along with a few small pot plants and  a lovely mosaic frog on a terracotta plate,  that was given to me by my sister for my birthday last year. Daniel has also hung a couple of planters from the wall, I am pleased with the overall look, but of course you know how it is, I will probably have to change things as I think of something else.
On another note, my friends son has had a tracheotomy tube inserted in the hope that he can be removed from the life support system, hoping this will be a step in the right direction.

Life is precious

During this past week I have learned that the son of a dear friend is in the Intensive Care Unit of one of our hospitals and is on life support. This young man was fooling around, along with his mates on some very large pipes (4metre high) when he stood on what he thought was a grate and fell through. It is known that he has some brain damage but to what extent will not be known till he is conscious. I feel so helpless, my friend and her family are suffering and there is not much I can do. I would love to be able to take away her pain but all I can do is hope that he will recover and be the same young man that he was. It is going to be a long road to recovery whatever the out come, so I will be there to help her in whatever way I can. If only these young people, when in their cars or just mucking around with their mates,  didn't believe that they are invisible and  realised that life is precious.

Sushi rolls

Today has been unseasonally warm and windy for Good Friday.  I have been busy preparing for Easter Sunday and making sushi rolls for my nephew David's 30th birthday celebrations at my sisters tomorrow.  David, his wife  and little boy Xavier live in Perth and have flown over to spend Easter with his family.  David had a birthday party in Perth with Simone's family and friends and is lucky enough to be able to do it all over again with his Melbourne family.  It's not every day you turn 30yrs. old  I wish I could again lol.  The sushi rolls are finished,  as is the table decoration,  next,  I'm going to make a fruit and orange loaf and cook the apples for the apple pie that I will make tomorrow night when I get back from my sisters.    I have'nt touched any stitching or knitting for a couple of days, too much else to do.  I do lie, when I have sat down I've been too tired to pick anything up. I think it will have to wait till after this weekend.   Have a happy and safe Easter Holiday.

A small project

Pattern by Christine Book, Homespun No.40(Vol7.8)

Last night I decided to put away the knitting, just for awhile.  I moved into this house three and a half years ago and became sick soon after, so nothing has been done to make this a home but the basics.  It seems my imagination went into hiding along with my energy, but, now I have it all back and am keen to get everything done. I have started to decorate my room, make it pretty, so while flicking through a couple of my quilting magazines I came across a small project I could do in a couple of days. I opened my fabric stash and found a beautiful Moda fabric designed by Robin Pandolph "Secret garden" it would be perfect.  I should add I have been a fan of Robyn Pandolph's fabrics for quite awhile, a friend and I went to see her at the Quilt show when she was in Melbourne a few years ago, and we both fell in love this lady from America.   Another of my favourite designers is Lynette Anderson, who used to own Patchwork Angel in Queensland, over the years I have sewn a lot of her patterns,  I love the muted colours and designs she is now producing, can't wait to see her latest fabric line when it arrives in the shops.   Oh, the usual hassle, the photo to go with this blog won't load, will try again tonight.

Garden clean up

My grandson Connor is on school holidays, so instead of getting up early to take him to school this morning I had a sleep in.  I was going to have a relaxing day doing a few things that I've been putting off.   While  laying in bed contemplating what I would do, there was a knock at the door, my son and daughter-in-law were here to help me clean up the backyard. We worked for about three hours before I decided Daniel  needed to get the trailer from their house to take the quickly growing pile of waste to the tip. My daughter-in-law Tanya cleared away a huge area, that had become overgrown with weeds, she is a dangerous woman with a maddock.  Daniel mowed, and we cut back several shrubs that were growing wild.  I am very impressed with how much they achieved today. Oh, and they brought a Bbque chicken and salad, with them,   yummy chicken and salad rolls for lunch.  With everything cleared away I was really looking forward to a long shower.  Hope I can get out of bed tomorrow morning,  lol.  A very productive day.