Springtime

It's been a month since I sat down and told you all the goings on here. Spring has arrived and everything is budding up and looking fresh and beautiful. At the beginning of the month we had some really beautiful sunny days which was very much appreciated after the cold foggy winter. It's still cold enough to keep the fires burning though.

 A couple of weeks ago I helped my son move to the town he is now working in as a Town Planner. It is only an hour away but he got sick of travelling to and from everyday, dodging kangaroos and deer on the road.  Everyone else was either working or busy so it was just the two of us and he was most impressed at what his mother is capable of when she has to be. My body wasn't too impressed for a couple of days after though. I'm not used to lifting fridges, beds and all manner of furniture. I have Brownie points to use when I need them now!!

Typical of Spring we have had over 2 inches of rain in the last week or so. My yard had only just dried out enough to mow it, now I will have to wait a couple of weeks for it to dry out again.....if it ever stops raining!!!!

But on the other hand, the rain has helped the gardens along and they are looking amazing. A friend in the US said she was looking forward to some photos of my garden to get her through the Winter and I realised they have been few and far between lately. 

I am slowly working through another course, which is far more involved than the other ones I have done. It is really pushing my poor old brain this time. My sewing has been badly neglected and I think for sanity's sake I need to get up to the sewing room and create a few things.  I have been very involved with volunteer work at the local hospital, sitting in on committees as a Consumer Advocate and helping put together next years Calender. All very interesting and I am learning heaps about how our health services work. 

I have celebrated a birthday in the past month as well. I was very lucky to get this gorgeous spray of orchids from my dear old friend, last year she gave me green ones. I think I like these ones more. She gave me a very old Jug to add to my collection of Violet china as well.  I had a lovely Birthday with lots of gifts and Nicky came home and cooked dinner for me (all healthy stuff of course) and Dave cooked me a birthday cake of which I was allowed a small piece.  My healthy eating plan I talked about a while ago is paying off and to date I have lost over 8 kilos. 

Just when I though my birthday was over, this arrived here last night. No more pushing the mower around my very large yard for over 4 hours. This little beauty will see it done in no time. I just have to wait now for the rain to stop and the yard to dry out. Don't you just hate getting something new and then having to wait for ages before you can use it?

Travelling for one reason or another.

The worst part about getting older is that the adults of our childhood are getting older too and as nature decrees every now and then one of those adults leaves us. A couple of weeks ago we lost our Uncle Ned. He was my dad's mate for ever and thus he became Uncle. My brother and I headed over to Lakes Entrance on the Wednesday to bid our farewells to this man who had been a huge part of our life and to visit his family. We grew up with the two boys, men now and we all had lots of memories  and stories we had been told of the mischief Dad and Uncle Ned got up to over the years to share. 

 This past weekend, just 10 days after my trip over to see Ned off, our family were back over to Lakes Entrance for my father-in-laws 90th Birthday. I can't remember the last time the whole of his family were together and it was nice to catch up and meet my nieces new babies.

 The best bit was that all of my children manged to get time off and come over as well. The older they get the less time we get to spend together as a family. Mum loved having them all there but I think having so many in  in the house for a weekend was a little overwhelming for her.  It is her birthday the day after my father in laws so we were there to wish her a happy birthday before we headed off home.

Nicky managed to get a little vintage goodness from Nanna. Mum thinks she may have received this for her kitchen tea well over 50 years ago. Nicky is rapt. Nick and I also raided Nanna's garden and brought home bits and pieces for ours.

The trip home was interesting with snow on the road and deer running alongside the car in one spot. I was beginning to wonder if Santa had moved or we had somehow strayed to the North Pole on our journey.

In between all that I have started studying again and it is not progressing very well at all to date. With all the running around and a rotten head cold, I haven't had a chance to just sit and get on with it. I am living in hope that next week life will resume as normal and there will be lots of time to sit and educate myself..

Taking a break

Just over a week ago I headed off to my sisters at Batemans Bay.It was nice to have a week of warm days and being by the sea.

I saw Dolphins in the distance

Spent time with Buzz

 And Dave

 Celebrated my nephew's 18th Birthday

 My husband and daughter came over on Friday and Saturday morning my brother in law took us out fishing

 More Dolphins, much closer this time.

 Pelicans waiting for us when we got back to the boat ramp

 Nick was very proud of one of the fish she caught

 We had a reasonably good few hours fishing. We popped out and bought some Oysters and Prawns to go with the fish and had a seafood banquet for dinner on Saturday night.

Sunday was another beautiful day of sunshine and warmth.

We stopped and checked out the pirate ship 'Notorious' on our way home from the Market.

It was really hard coming home to this. Snow on the mountain near our house, rain and freezing cold. It is enough to make me wonder whether I should be moving to where I was warm for a lovely week!