Good books

Just finished and looking for the sequel... a lot like Miss Read's village stories

Reading now... and loving it... Absolutely loved The Borrowers... and now this...

Gotta love 'em

Those damned chickens. One minute I want to get rid of the ring ins and the next minute they're all sitting on the couch looking at me as I walk into the play room. Shoo! Outside you go.

Go about my business... then The Big Man points out the fact that they are sitting on the mat at the back door trying to work out how the dog door works... How can I roast someone who is trying to figure out how to get in... knowing my luck, she will be in the oven trying to work out how to get out... ghouls in the oven... no thanks...

Invitations

Yesterday we were invited to breakfast at my sister's to spend some time with her daughter who had come home from Sydney for a few days...

"Oh yes!" I jumped at the chance of not having to cook for myself or my brood!

At 7am the phone rang..."Hi Aunty W. We're just wondering if you have any maple syrup? Oh you do? Wonderful. Could you bring it? Thanks. Byeee."

At 7.15am the phone rang... "Hi Aunty W. Just wondering if you have any lemons? Oh great, can you bring them? Ohh... what mum? Oh... mum says do you have any sugar as well? Fantastic, thanks Aunty W. See you soon."

That is the beauty of family and friends I guess, being able to do that....but I did have to use my sarcasm and ask the darling if she would like me to bring the pancakes too. She laughed a very gutteral laugh... things are so much simpler when you are young... when you are young... when I was young... was I young? Am I old? How old is old?

I wonder if I just continued the line of questioning, where would it take me...  probably back to dawn and the age old question... What's for breakfast mum?

Dawn

We awoke this morning to the loud cackling and boasting of a chicken... having just laid an egg she decided to tell the neighbourhood about it.... They have a limited life. I cannot take the early mornings... I thought it was only roosters who did the early morning thing...

Driving in the car I mentioned to The Little Men that they should start thinking about life without the three ring in chickens (the three generic chickens I got to replace Charlotte when she was mauled to death by Harry!). The generics have got to go. They are destroying my garden, they are making too much noise.

The Little Man pondered my comment a moment, and then said "I guess we could roast one!" much to the absolute horror of The Middle Man. He expressed disbelief at this comment until he realised it was The Little Man's idea of humour (quite nice humour..., I like it). The Middle Man had asked me to 'sit on it for a few weeks mum please and just see how you feel then". Good advice, but I am not changing my mind... the generics are going... not to the table, but somewhere...

Everything starts with a wish...

So... I have been harvesting again

Yep... this time my little crop of taters was a tad bigger than the first one, although no potato was quite as big as that beautiful first one. We have enough though for a meal of potato chips for one night, so, being school holidays that will be on the menu.

I couldn't believe the beautiful soil! It was a whole heap of chook poop stuff and guinea pig poo and a bag or so of potting mix, and it was chocka block full of the fattest juiciest worms! It was amazing, and so I transferred it all as I went into another wooden crate and planted my new passionfruit vine in it... it should do well.

And right next to the spuds and the new container were the first little crop of tommy toe tomatoes. One was yelling out to me (I could only hear it feintly because they are only very small) and so I bent down and plucked him off the stalk and popped him straight into my mouth... all warm from the sun and sooooo tasty! Yum! You see... working every day I haven't been able to spend time in the garden and I haven't noticed that these things were happening... Now, my sister will reap the rewards of my tomatoes while she is house sitting. Lucky thing.

Also, whilst out there enjoying the sunshine and the wonderful growth in the garden I came upon my very first and only sweetpea flower. The plants had been struggling for so long, but because they are my favourite flower of ALL TIME, I just had to leave them in, just in case they decided to come good.

This dear little purple flower is now in a vase along with a whole heap of white snow pea flowers that are so tiny and cute they make me happy. The snow peas have been amazing and I still have bags of them in the fridge. The kids have been having a feed off them for ages too, nothing like picking a fresh vegie and eating it straight out of the garden...

And so the sweet, very subtle scent of the sweetpea is noticed only by me. It will run out soon,  as every time I walk past it I bury my nose in the single bloom and inhale as much as I can...

So much has happened...

So much has happened in the time that has passed. I have been working full time at school for a few weeks and finally realise how incredibly lucky I am to be a stay at home mum. My goodness... how I will cherish those days now!

I also missed the opportunity to see my babies participate in their Sports Day activities, which is the first year that I have missed. I think I was more disappointed than they. I managed to watch a few bits and pieces as I went about my business, but missing The Middle Man run in the relays and the 100m sprint where he won a ribbon broke my heart. I was there last year when he just missed out and needed a hug, and this year when he won, I missed it... Missed the little face, the joy and pride... hmmm. Definitely not worth missing...

We are off to Japan on our first 'family' holiday overseas and that is exciting but daunting too... I lay awake at night worrying about the Little Men and how they will behave for us... but I guess at the end of the day, no-one in Japan will remember us, so I will just go with the flow.

Juliette (snake) has shed her skin again! This time a complete shed... it is beautiful! She did such a good job. The first time must have been such a mess because it was her first time and she was still getting used to the process. This one is divine... I would take a piccy of it but have already given it away... to the beautiful people who are going to baby sit her while we are away... they too, will take Rita (the rat)... and that is one important job for the day... getting Rita's travel cage ready for the holiday.  The boys can help me with that...

School holidays is definitely on now... and watching cartoons and I Dream of Jeannie has begun in earnest. Scooters are busy, the swimming pool is being used every day, and the sun is shining every day... it really is wonderful to be a mum here in my home...

I have lots of photos to share and news about so many things... I shall pop them in when I can...