Random Dozen

1. Have you ever been so lost that you were really afraid?

No, only for a few seconds. My Mum went into a fruit shop, those ones without a front, just fruit, and I didn't know. Our town had 16,000 in it, but we lived 30 or so miles away on a farm.


2. Have you ever been to an island?

I have been to Tasmania. I was about 14 or so, and we listened to Meatloaf nearly all the way around.


3. Are you more of a thinker or feeler?

Thinker?


4. Do you tend to see issues or situations in life as black and white or shades of gray?

I make them gray, then I don't have to be a feeler perhaps? Some things my family may hear about for a long time.


5. If you were stuck on an island, what book would you hope to have with you (Let's pretend the Bible is already there, so you can't say that.)

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder.


6. What are you most afraid of?

Nothing at the moment. Actually the peridontist. It will probably cost an arm and a leg. I wonder if it is covered by basic Medibank Private?


7. Would you rather lose all of your old memories or never be able to make new ones?

My husband mentioned that I don't tend to talk about old memories anymore. It would be nice to make some nice new memories.


8. Pretend I'm looking at a scrapbook page about you. There are three spaces for you to drop in individual pictures. What are those pictures of, and why did you select them?

My favourite picture of myself (I don't get those old photos out much if at all) is one sitting on a horse, actually I have two favourite pictures of me sitting on a horse, in one I was quite young. In my favourite picture I have long hair (mostly my hair was short until I was older) and I think using my Dad's stock saddle. In the other one my Dad was in the picture and I was a toddler with jet black hair. I also like the one with hand crocheted vest from the 60s!


9. If you were re-doing your wedding, what would you do differently? (If you're single, tell me one thing you would do if you were planning a wedding OR huge party.)

I would try to work on the car radiator (or get husband to) so we arrived in more style!!


10. Tell me one thing you know/believe about forgiveness.

It is very confusing what it actually is.


11. You're waiting in a doctor's office. What is your favorite way to pass that time?

Looking out the window. Our surgery has cathedral ceilings and lovely large trees outside and birds.


12. If there were a clone of you in a parallel universe what is one way you hope she/he would be the same as you and one way you hope she/he would be better?

No regrets really.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY Wednesday & Thursday...

Outside my window... it is a lovely day today (Wed)

I am thinking... about my Mum's cockatoo that was my banner picture once, he has turned snow dropper, well it drops the pegs at least, and the washing falls down for the puppies to play with

I am thankful for... my son being able to fix his fuse wire

I am wearing... jeans, red windcheater, long sleeved white top, woollen socks, runners (Wed)

I am remembering... my Nana's 90th birthday if she was alive, my brother made a sign after her to put on his partner's guest house

I am going... the hairdressers with my daughter

I am reading... I went to take a new On the Banks of Plum Creek back to the library but it looks too interesting, I think I will read it first

I am hoping... I can get some new shoes (black heels?)

On my mind... organising ourselves to get the milk and bread

Noticing that... there is such a thing as BigPond TV

Pondering these words... song lyrics, comparing a song my daughter likes from Kasey Chambers to Need to Breathe

From the kitchen... the girls and I have borrowed money from each other in a round about way to make a sundae with bananas for afternoon tea

Around the house... lots of blankets on the beds

One of my favourite things... my Ezibuy catalogues

From my picture journal... a picture my husband took of a cloud the other day



Meme from: Simple Woman's Daybook, please visit Peggy and the other daybookers.

How was your Weekend?

Friday ~ the girls went to Youth Group. Make an extremely long banana split. It is amazing how far some groceries will go by the sound of it. Yes, it was gone very quickly. They carved banana figures, my daughter made some character with teeth, that some people, not sure how, thought was spongebob. I think they watched Bananaman. Daughter's bike broke on the way home.

Saturday ~ raining, raining. Our son had a 21+1 birthday party and his friends bought him an Apple TV?

Sunday ~ apparently the girls chatted all the way to the farm to cut wood. It is about half an hour away. I liked hearing about that, sounds like Dad and the girls were enjoying each other's company.

Monday ~ a long weekend here for Anzac Day. Our son had a day off uni as well. He had to do a project, probably his first uni project. My husband cut down our blue salvia here at home and tied up the rosemary and we could smell it on him very distinctly.

Click on the pic to take you to Jodi's.

Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather in my neck of the woods:
It was supposed to be 1 oC last night which is around 30 oF.

Things that make me happy:
I asked my youngest daughter how the dog behaved on the wood collecting expedition. It is a big deal because our second son is at uni now, so the two youngest went. We were worried they wouldn't. They both helped, and by all accounts the dog was a very good boy for a nearly two year old, maybe he is growing up. Anyone who has a German Shorthaired Pointer, a very large one may know what I mean. He chewed on a cow bone. How come cow dogs don't seem to do that?

Book I am reading:
I may read Beverly Lewis The Preacher's Daughter

What I am enjoying on TV:
River Cottage - Winter's On The Way
Economy Gastronomy



On the menu for dinner:
Chilli Bean Casserole with Herby Dumplings

On my To Do list:
To go to the hairdressers with my daughter about styling her hair for the deb ball, a consultation

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Black eyed Beans/Peas & Vegetable Soup

In the craft basket:
The same pair of trousers as last time

Looking forward to this week:
I don't know but when I checked the calendar I found I had double booked two important things, will have to move one

Tips and tricks:
Still haven't remembered the last one

My favourite blog post this week:
The first one about being a stay at home Mom/Mum
Life on the fringe
You Preserve My Life
How Important Parenting Really Is: The Daily Parenting of Thousands
Could You Use Some Encouragement Today?
Thoughts out of Sunday's discussion
School Holiday Strategy #2
Managing Clothes for the Large Family
Tamales

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
though I have 5 children I can relate to this large family blog, the photos are gorgeous too, it makes me smile
Little Earthling Photography

No words needed: View last night



Lesson learned the past few days:
That Glee have redone the song Sweet Caroline



To see original Neil Diamond (when he was really young) see below. There is also one by Elvis.



On my mind:
I changed my mind about the two videos above, thought they don't fit the post, but still want them for me to watch

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
Things I have seen blog hopping and watching the music videos

This meme is from Sandra's blog.

Spiritual Sundays

On Friday I was listening to my Need to Breathe The Outsiders album in the car. My daughter wanted me to have their music for my car. I have long distances to drive sometimes. Two of the guys from what I have just read are sons of an Assembly of God pastor. My favourite song is Prisoner, it is just fun.

Thumbs Up Hamish and Andy

Billboard my husband took a photo of in St. Kilda

Hamish reads Fred Basset every Friday, and Andy doesn't like Fred Basset and he tries to do things to Hamish to stop him reading it. These two are on the radio every day from 4-6 pm. Fred Basset is newspaper comic strip in the Herald Sun where we live.

Because of this my daughter who is 13, now reads the newspaper to read Fred Basset. Interestingly, when I was young I liked this cartoon too, though I can't remember much about it. Reading newspapers turns out to be a valuable asset in the later years of schooling, so thank you Hamish & Andy.

Because my daughter delivers newspapers she has a break and reads Fred Basset. On the off weeks, she now visits the Herald Sun in the school library. Below is the episode where hot meat pies are thrown? Not that I am into food fights.

Back to Basics Challenge

Sowing seed or Planting

I forgot to mention the jam melons we harvested on Saturday 17th.

Planning for The Future

I had a great menu planned until Tuesday week, still do. I went to the regional centre (1 1/2 hours) to pick up the deb dress. (Yes, it is home!) I didn't have as much money as I thought, so worked out the food to last until Wednesday, which also meant finding two recipes to swap with the others that used less ingredients I had to buy. The regional centre is so much better than here right? Wrong. Surprising though. I had pumpkin, cat food, dog food, and toilet paper and 2 cans of tomatoes on the list. Weighed pumpkin. Had all but the tomatoes (added up to less than $20, I had $32 in the bank. Loud speaker says that eftpos was down, cash only. Left daughter with the trolley, walked to the rediatm (not far) and got $20. Very thankful for the timing of the whole thing. I saw another lady use a cheque. Do Coles really take personal cheques?

My internet was slow when I was redoing my menu. It is interesting that Coles has a $10 challenge promotion to save money (one of my recipes must be from the site? or I was looking there). If Coles are appealing to people with less money, who perhaps have slower internet, it is nearly impossible to wait for the site to load to find a recipe that may or may not suit, or to double check the menu. Menus take awhile as you have to search for recipes.

Working for the Future

The little girls and Dad had to go to the tip to get parts for the bike our middle girl uses for her paper run. We think bike back wheels are hard to come by as people may use them for yabbying. Middle daughter was tenacious and just before they left she found the perfect back wheel, followed by a bird cage just as good as one she bought in February only in purple. The people took the cage apart to throw it away in sections, but they found all the parts. A lovely Chinese treasure box and a card table.

The first woodcutting for the season.



Building Community

I think I will take two unwanted speakers to the op-shop.

Learn a new Skill

We have been learning how to cook with black lentils.

This meme comes from Belinda's blog.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY Thursday...

Outside my window... at nine this morning it was foggy I though, now you can't see the mountain at all, I think it is smoke, the air does have a slight smell

I am thinking... I haven't read much this week, on Monday I had finished reading a book, probably the day before, I remember trying to read some of By The Shores of Silver Lake for the discussion/read-a-long, wow

I am thankful for... having such a good visit with the doctor. This is the first time since being in this town (6 years) that I have had a proper appointment with the doctor that I now consider to be my own doctor. So I have a doctor and only had one visit. Maybe now I will relax about it a bit. This morning I had blood work done, as you could imagine it is time

I am wearing... jeans, orange t-shirt, and I changed into my fleecy windcheater, I feel cold, a bit chillier this morning

I am remembering... the deb parents meeting and the ticket, flower wrist posy and photographer appointment buying/paying I went to on Tuesday. The police and the photographer spoke and I assume the trainer.

I am going... combined grocery shopping and picking up the deb dress, next week a hair consultation with the new hair comb we are picking up with the dress and gloves

I am reading... I haven't decided. I have a beautiful children's book called Once upon a time in the kitchen by Carol Odell (link to BigW). I saw a review for it in an old magazine. It makes me wonder why I haven't been getting classic children's books for my eight year old to read. In my defence I have some from the 60s, but I wouldn't offer them to the kids, they are double sided ones. Anyone have those? I have a new Alice in Wonderland and she has been reading that. The review was lovely but the book is even better

I am hoping... to get everything on my list and stay on budget

On my mind... first year uni stuff, VCE stuff, and even year 8 stuff, haven't got into a comfortable routine with helping yet, how much or how little to do

Noticing that... the daylight seems very short now, and the jays were having a lovely group sing this morning in the fog. Then it seemed like not long afterwards the cockatoos had a go

Pondering these words... from children's book above: "Famous Five: Five Have a Wonderful Time, Enid Blyton. These five children and their dog have so much fun playing around the house, in the garden and in the countryside. They turn everything into an adventure."
The recipe chosen for that book, Famous Eggs

From the kitchen... Mexican Macaroni Cheese before the cheese gets eaten up (we buy 1kg at a time or 2lbs)

Around the house... I have my finished shopping list and menu

One of my favourite things... beautiful emoticons

From my picture journal... another picture of my mysterious tree



Meme from: Simple Woman's Daybook, please visit Peggy and the other daybookers.

Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather in my neck of the woods:

summary	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
	Late shower	Possible shower	Possible thunderstorm	Late shower	Late shower	Possible shower	Mostly sunny
maximum	26°C	24°C	24°C	25°C	24°C	20°C	19°C
minimum	9°C	10°C	10°C	9°C	9°C	9°C	7°C

Things that make me happy:
Planting our tritonia bulbs, they were given to me, I think cream and pink

Book I am reading:
Just finished Love's Healing Touch

What I am enjoying on TV:
Phil Down Under



Selling Houses Australia

On the menu for dinner:
Aduki beans. I never look forward to it, and then get pleasantly surprised. My husband has been enjoying learning about them. I am a bit of a collector of beans. We are out of tamari sauce though, need to get some at the end of this week when I go to the regional centre, and Coles.

On my To Do list:
write menu plan, or rather finish it and detailed shopping list

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
I want to find a nice pinto bean recipe

In the craft basket:
My little girl made herself a colouring book from printed animal pages

Looking forward to this week:
going shopping with my daughter and picking up the deb dress, getting anxious about the hair again, will try to see the hairdresser this week to make sure things are still going to plan

Tips and tricks:
As soon as I went to type it out, I forgot!!

My favourite blog post this week:
I have been visiting, not as much as I could have possibly as I still have trouble sitting, but my back is getting better each day

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
I recommend looking in google reader for suggestions on what you may like, you can go from the blogs you are following to viewing them in google reader, maybe you need a reader account first?

No words needed:
The view from our front yard. I don't think I realised how beautiful it was out there lately. Those red trees are a taller variety of crepe myrtle. The other one I am not sure about, gorgeous tree.



Lesson learned the past few days:
If anyone wants to try the new blog templates you find them at a site called Blogger in Draft. I still can't change the fonts and it is hard to get a good banner to work. Still it is nice. You may have got an email about it around the 27th March. It also makes the comments seem like they are unmoderated, and I am not sure the comments show up in the new comments section until it is clicked on. Perhaps happens in Firefox only, but I don't think so. Blogger Template Designer.

On my mind:
Not as much now I have read scripture below and started this post.
Deb ball stuff.

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, [who is] the health of my countenance, and my God."-Psalm 42:11 ~ from Joyce's Facebook. Thank you Joyce, you find the most amazing scriptures.

This meme is from Sandra's blog.

Back to Basics Challenge

From April 7

Sowing seed or Planting

Harvested a large amount of raspberries x 2

Planning for The Future

starting to work on next fortnight's meal planning

Working for the Future

My husband found another two doors at the tip. Both were nice I thought. We hope we get a chance to put one of the doors in the dining room at our other house. I wanted another door with a section that glass could be added to, as the dining room would be nicer with more light. As with the door open light goes onto the wall behind the dining table which is more pleasant.

Building Community

I read the local newspaper, that for me is effort, it is challenging sometimes

Learn a new Skill

My husband made a yeast gingerbread to help out with our pantry challenge. It smelt very nice and is made with treacle. He used two bread pans we found and cleaned up that we think used to be from the bakery.

This meme comes from Belinda's blog.

Wow, I like this

In my house, I have a constant argument in my head about how much washing (laundry) I do, or rather don't do. It is not that I failed Retro Laundry 101, I didn't. It has just altered over time. If I am having a bad day, I remind myself that I have washed at least since I was 20, but really 18 or more, and at 20 it was for 2 people, five people during the school holidays and some weekends. Then at 24 for 4 people and by the age of 27 for 6 people, then back to 5 at 29. Six people at 33 and 7 at 38 where it remained until four years ago at the age of 42, where it dropped back to 6.

About then it got worse. Discouraged by one year of constant fog (it clears at 2pm!) and a teenage person (won't mention names) who left no hot water. Yes, it was the year of becoming a treechanger, moving here from the urban world of my lovely gas hot water service and a place in inland Australia where it is sunny and about 16oC after a frost most winter mornings. You can cheat and put the clothes out the night before, and arrive some time after 3 to dry washing.

At the moment it is even worse, one year of a dog that snatches washing off the line!

Anyway I came across a blog post called How Much Laundry Do You Do? from Notes From The Frugal Trenches. I feel a little bit better. Long gone are washing and ironing tablecloths etc. at this house. See I didn't fail Retro Laundry 101.

These days there are five people in our house, and the eldest three children know how to wash their own clothes, so therefore my two sons who are living on their own both wash their own clothes. Mostly we dry our clothes inside, with either the wood heater or the fan in summer overhead.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY Friday...

Outside my window... a lovely sunny day, though it seems a little darker now, blue mountains
.
I am thinking... about my daughter talking about our soup on Facebook. What is your favourite soup?

I am thankful for... having a well stocked pantry, very handy for doing the $21 challenge. I noticed Coles has a $10 challenge, though they are not exactly the same thing

I am wearing... jeans, pink windcheater, t-shirt, fluffy slippers, socks

I am remembering... that my eldest was born 22 years ago today, makes me feel more mature, he says he feels the same (same as usual, sorry)

I am going... I may go to our other house and join in a gardening day

I am reading... finished Twice Loved by Lori Copeland, yes I am getting through the novels, much more comfortable for me that sitting on a chair, ouch

I am hoping... I can throw out my 10 year old magazine collection. Just need to rip the article out that I am keeping each one for. Luckily I don't buy magazines anymore

On my mind... not much now, maybe posting empties your mind lol

Noticing that... the parrots have started sitting in trees, holding clumps of tree and eating then dropping them on the ground

Pondering these words... "...My point is, no one really cares what anyone thinks. They only care what everyone thinks and they dive into the pool that is the majority. You've got more of a brain than that, Haley, and that's why you don't fit in..." ~ The Trophy Wives Club p81 Kristin Billerbeck a Christian chic lit novel?

From the kitchen... going to finally try aduki beans, though it hasn't happened yet lol, apparently they can be made into Japanese puddings

Around the house... some new to us furniture we got from a group that gives things away in our area on Facebook, we don't have Freecycle close by

One of my favourite things... my daughter's silver makeup and things box

From my picture journal... recently unveiled statue


Meme from: Simple Woman's Daybook, please visit Peggy and the other daybookers.

Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather in my neck of the woods:
It was supposed to be a wintery 17oC here today, instead it peaked at 9 and who knows if it will go higher at all. The kids are at school with no heating. There is always something to winge about there, had no idea this would be my winge for today. (Usually keep in inhouse though, don't do winging to girlfriends irl.) Should I send them back until the heating is fixed. Probably not but I always tow the line. Seems a little too cold to do that, will have to keep an eye on the weather forecast, that doesn't seem accurate either. I was going to say maybe it is not as cold as the weather place says, but it does feel like it is snowing somewhere close outside, and I did hear Jays a few days ago, they always know when it is going to snow in the mountains.

Things that make me happy:
Warmer weather lol.

Book I am reading:
I just finished Sabrina and have started Trophy Wives Club.

What I am enjoying on TV:
Repeats of Selling Houses Australia.

On the menu for dinner:
Good question. I think Greek Bean and Silverbeet (Chard) Stew

On my To Do list:
Organise a script

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Noodle Omelettes

In the craft basket:
Maybe fixing the bottom of my middle daughter's pants, she can wear those until we get a guard for her bike to stop her having to try to stuff her pants in her socks

Looking forward to this week:
Hopefully warmer weather, but only one day seems warm if it turns up

Tips and tricks:
If you want things made of metal at the tip, you have to go more often since you don't know when they are going to be crushed, bike parts for example

My favourite blog post this week:
Not many people were posting over the weekend. I presume some people had kids home on holidays?

How about this gorgeous post with a picture of crochet granny squares. I love looking at crochet pictures on the web.

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
The two Laura Ingalls blogs Laura's Little Houses and Beyond Little House.

No words needed about aforementioned haircut:



Lesson learned the past few days:
It is really nice to be organised, and stick to your guns if you think you won't need something yet, like our heater fan fixed for example, so glad it is in and being used at our home!

On my mind:
I think I have said enough already. I feel better too.

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
Colossians from the novel Sabrina.


This meme is from Sandra's blog.

Dear John Book Review

Has anyone read it?

It has been a few days possibly, maybe not, and I have an awful memory, but here goes. Possibly a spoiler if you haven't read it. Maybe I will split it into two parts. Spoiler and non-spoiler.

Did I like the novel?

Yes and no. Yes, basically I liked the novel. It is milder than a Barbara Delinsky novel if you want to categorise it. But with all non-Christian novels you wonder if their thinking is straight, and it keeps you wondering until I give up.

How did I come to read it?

My 13 year old daughter wanted me to put it onto my library list for books for the library to bring to our branch for me. I don't think it is suitable for that age, but I think those are the people that read it, not sure.

What didn't you like about the novel?

The ending had John telling Savannah that he still would marry her if he could. Given that she is already married, how many men would have said that. Did he want her looking at the moon for the rest of her life?

Was the part about 9/11 awful?
No, it was very well done, well mostly, a tiny bit of battle mentioned.

The characters from dim memory where Christian except John the Army guy. In the end the Army guy ended up with better character than they had perhaps. Why is that? Didn't Savannah feel like she should stick to John because of her physical commitment to him, or did circumstances get in the way?

Some discussion questions that I have picked an chosen from here and here:

Trying to explain her interest in John’s dad’s coin collection, Savannah says, “The saddest people I’ve ever met in life are the ones who don’t care deeply about anything at all. Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand.” Do you agree with Savannah? Do you think John’s father is a satisfied man?

I find crusty people have lots of passions, so I am not sure Savannah is right, it was thought provoking though.

Why does John get so angry when Savannah suggests what she does about his father and how, in the end, does this revelation change John’s life and his relationship with his father?

He gets angry about the watching of his father. I have experienced the same thing. It was possibly unbelievable that he changed his mind about that, supposedly because he started doing it too.

Savannah is described by both herself and Tim as being somewhat naïve. Do you think Savannah is naïve? Why or why not?

I found the start of their relationship amazing, when asked to talk about herself she started talking about her parents. Possibly this is because of her age.

Did you think John and Savannah's love story was believable? Why or why not?

Considering how sheltered Savannah seemed, though she did see lots of things at uni I think possibly, why did she talk to the Army guy on the beach?

Apparently the movie is much different to the novel. I was wondering about that. The book seems to have so much to pack into a movie length.

I was helped by coming across Nicholas Sparks website and his background information. Of the reviews on the web, this one is good. Anyone with an interest in autism may find it interesting as well.

Excerpt here.

Do you like utes?

I am thinking there are so many colours of them lately. How many have you spotted in your travels? My daughter's took this gorgeous photo for me today.

Worship Music

I haven't really had worship music in the house, only years ago did I listen to things like Amy Grant etc. The girls however have some music and my favourites wafting around the house in the autumn afternoons are Hillsong United's All I Need Is You and Hosanna. They are from the With Hearts As One album.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY Thursday...

Outside my window... lots of tourist buses and caravans

I am thinking... I wonder if there were any goodies at the tip today

I am thankful for... my husband brought back a bag of my things from the other house, I was happy as I needed the deodorant, didn't want to buy any as I am on yet another "$21" pantry challenge

I am wearing... jeans, scuffs, and beige t-shirt

I am remembering... my eldest, his girlfriend and their beautiful puppy playing with the girls on our front lawn over Easter

I am going... only to pick up my daughter from school next week, today is the second last day of the school holidays, not including the weekend

I am reading... I have five novels to choose from: The Preacher's Daughter by Beverly Lewis, The Valley of Betrayal by Tricia Goyer, The Trophy Wives Club by Kristin Billerbeck, Sabrina by Lori Wick or Love's Healing Touch by Jane Myers Perrine.

I am hoping... I get my eldest's card to him on time for his 22nd birthday

On my mind... the bills and shopping are basically done, until Wednesday at least, then a small shop, nothing much else going on, stopped renovating for the time being

Noticing that... my middle daughter says another monarch butterfly hatched today

From the kitchen... Chow Mein, it will be nice to have meat

Around the house... the birds have been moved to a sunny spot for the winter, by the front door, I can hear them from my room, two girl canaries

One of my favourite things... my daughter's new hairstyle, you can see her pretty eyes

From my picture journal... taken the other night during Easter, not far from home


Meme from: Simple Woman's Daybook, please visit Peggy and the other daybookers.

Back to Basics Challenge

From 21st March onwards:

Sowing seed or Planting

Have been reading up on hollyhock growing.

Planning for The Future

My planning for the deb ball is going along. I decided from the Woman's Weekly I bought that I only need a black and bobbly bracelet to go with my outfit. And shoes hopefully if I can manage that hopefully similar looking. I saw a bracelet in the Sussan catalogue and also saw one for $11 in Big W similar. I didn't get to buy it though, the dentist took the whole amount I had set aside for them. However I will get another chance when we pick up my daughter's dress.

Working for the Future

My husband heard from his Dad that when my motor got fixed in my duel fuel car, that they probably didn't set the spark plugs for gas/LPG. He rang the gas workshop and found out to set them 10% closer and he did that. It should help me help start the car in winter. The fuel economy is bad not sure if it will help with that or not. It needs gas tuning and a trip to the regional centre.

I wrote that we looked through our paint. I thought if I could bot some paint that my inlaws had in their shed that they didn't want that may help. They said they were coming to help out, and painted the fence at our newer house. My husband finished it up and painted two panels on the front of the house that were bare hardiplank. Father in law suggested that the nails needed painting with metal primer first. He brought his own and did that. My husband says that even though hardiplank doesn't need painting, it does take in water being unpainted.



Our undercoat ran out, otherwise we have more paint that our inlaws bought cheaply to do some other jobs. The fence was a very big job.

Took the opportunity while fatherinlaw and my husband took a trip to the paint store for undercoat (we decided that was all we were going to buy though) to get our fan from the Barbeque place. I had tried to pick it up but the shops were shut for the Albury Cup race meeting. My husband installed it into the heater ready for winter.

Building Community

I sorted through some clothes with the two older girls and got two shopping bags full of clothes and took them to the op-shop bin.

Learn a new Skill

My husband used the internet page that my daughter found and cut her hair. Her sister thought the hairdresser did it.

This meme comes from Belinda's blog.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Picture and favourite blog post from draft 27th March.

The weather in my neck of the woods:

summary	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon
	Rain developing	Rain	Cloudy	Rain developing	Possible shower	Possible shower	Possible shower
maximum	24°C	22°C	24°C	23°C	20°C	19°C	22°C
minimum	10°C	11°C	12°C	9°C	13°C	10°C	9°C

Things that make me happy:
Reading Sandra's blog (see link below)

Book I am reading:
Finished Woman of Grace by Kathleen Morgan

What I am enjoying on TV:
CMC Rocks the Snowys, Selling Houses Australia, it is the new series and more respectful so far

On the menu for dinner:
Tuna Casserole, my daughter didn't really want to buy meat for me

On my To Do list:
Sorting out the bills, again, seems like ages since last fortnight

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
thinking this recipe may be OK with the canned prawns I keep in the pantry
Spaghetti with Garlic Butter, Bacon and Prawns

In the craft basket:
Another doona that needs a few holes sewing up

Looking forward to this week:
the holidays being finished, but still getting jobs done, I'm not easily satisfied am I?

Tips and tricks:
Check out online instructions for cutting hair, my husband did a good job on my daughter's bob, she wanted us to cut her hair

My favourite blog post this week:
Some thoughts on heaven and hell

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
JoyfulHomeMaker & Caanan's Land

No words needed:
from end of March

Lesson learned the past few days:
Not sure yet.

On my mind:
If we will sell our second home and the renovating which has taken a turn we didn't expect, still our front, very large fence is nearly all painted and it won't deteriorate any further

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
None that I remember. I do like the ending to The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder, a song they sang Where There's A Will There's A Way, it makes me think that Laura had wanted to encourage people and most likely she wrote the novels, not her daughter Rose.


This meme is from Sandra's blog.

So soon after Easter and I have a...

parcel!

It is from Paola at Spades and Spoons. I won a blog giveaway there. The first thing I came across when I opened the parcel and took out my two copies of Backyard Farmer, was an article about Paola's winemaking at her place. I saw the grapes and wondered, and yes it was! I was pleased with the picture of the flagons? it reminded me of my late Italian uncle and other childhood memories.

Then I came across an article on Hollyhock growing, so I will be stuck there for awhile. I have hollyhock seeds that my mil gave me, they didn't get planted this year. I have had them before but not something I have deliberately planted myself. I am slightly unsure how to grow them. So, already I am very happy. And out slipped a beautiful card. Thank you so much Paola!

That's My World Tuesday

These photos were taken on April Fool's Day, the first of April, entering our second month of autumn. These photos are taken not that far from our place.

CMC Rocks the Snowys Marathon

Well all I have seen so far is The Waifs, one song, and I enjoyed it. I hope this is it. I basically live in the Snowys culture here.