And just like that we are halfway through the year and onto the second day of June and at the start of Winter.  It's going to be a nice day here, cool but no rain, which is just as well seeing as tiff and I need to visit other daughter and I need to entertain 2 little kids, one that doesn't want much to do with me, for an hour or so.  Without their mum so that will be fun!  I plan on putting her in the pram and walking so if nothing else it will give me a decent walk to add to the  Fitter By Friday blog.  Multi tasking at it's best, if it works out right.

I haven't been doing much, Vinnies has been closed since the 24th March so I have been home most days for 6 weeks...and still have nothing to show for it.  Husband has also been home and while he has done a bit outside and he has gardens up and stuff growing, me, not so much.  Even the choko vines that always have heaps of fruit and lovely green vines this time of year are not doing much. I wonder why but not that interested in researching the reason.

Husband has had a few shifts of work since the Pandemic shut everything down, then when he could have had a few more days work he hurt his back so has been layed up for close on 4 weeks.  He has been moving a bit over the last week and yesterday we went for a drive to see how the back was with sitting and driving.  Seems OK so maybe he can get back to work next fortnight.

Our Vinnies may be able to open towards the end of June so myself and a few volunteers have the go ahead to go down to the shop and get donations sorted and the shop clean and organised.  A massive job as even though we had signs up asking for NO donations we ended up with hundreds of bags that now need sorting through.  We started last week and will go in for a few hours a couple of times a week over the next few weeks in the hope we can get the shop ready to reopen.  And now my alarm has gone off and I haven't even done half of what I wanted to before we leave for Boyanup, better get a move on...The washing machine is beeping at me to hurry up...

Happy Easter.

I went for a bikeride this morning, saw lots of animals. Saw a rabbit/bunny. Then I saw a fox...It got scared and ran away. Did I save the Easter Bunny?

February Adventure.

I went on another adventure today.  Conned husband into coming with me and he wasn't that grumpy about it!
So I have been on 2 adventures this month, go me.  haha, small things make me happy.

My first adventure this year was a solo drive up to Lane Poole.  I like this place, it is only 20 minutes up the road, trees, water and peacefulness. 
So why don't I go more often?  "Cause I'm a sook that thinks I will get lost, get mugged, car will conk out, or yowies will eat me...

Anyway it was 2 Fridays ago when I finally did go, it was my wedding anniversary and husband had to go to work so I decided to go somewhere and celebrate anyway.

It now cost $15 per car to get into this park, a few years ago it was free, just pay if you camped there, but the last couple of years they have been doing a lot of work, clearing areas, putting in fancy camp kitchens and camp areas, making it so most areas have to be booked on-line, bulldozing down trees, so city people can come and camp in the bush!!  It's nothing like what it used to be, not better that's for sure.  But for a day trip, still nice.  And there are still a couple of areas that you don't need to book so that's OK.  And seeing as I have a Parks Pass that allows free entry to National Parks I may as well go as many times as I can.  Anyway, I parked up at just after Nanga Mill and walked up to Stringers.  Not far, a gentle stroll through the bush, up some steps, down the steps and up a small hill then back to the car.  35 minutes.  Maybe.  Damn, that was hard work!  I am so unfit now it's ridiculous. 




I was so hot when I got back to the car I had to have a paddle to cool down.  That water was so cold!  It was a lovely day out.

 




For today's adventure I talked husband into coming with me...he wasn't too grumpy about it either so yay!  We weren't sure where we were going but I had read a blog about a place called Frog Hollow and it sounded pretty cool so that's where I picked for today's adventure. 
First stop on the way was https://fergusonvalley.net.au/listing/king-jarrah-tree/

 After leaving here we drove past Gnomesville, didn't stop here today as we have been here a few times, Not too far to get to where we were going.

Frogs Hollow is a smaller version of Gnomesville, much smaller, but maybe one day it will rival it.  Today though we had fun looking for all the different frogs, did we find them all?  Probably not, but that's a reason to come back again. 

Had a yummy hamburger from Preston Valley Store, the shop across the road, Kym had a milkshake, one of the nicer ones I've tasted over the last few months.  Then a decision on which way to go and I chose South.  To Grimwade.  Drove through the bush looking for camping spots, found a few he says we may come back to...Then a quick visit to Kirip and home via Donnybrook.  It was a great day out.

I wonder what my next adventure will be?

It's 2020.

Happy New Year!!!   haha  That's a bit sad isn't it, 2 months too late.  Or is it ever too late to wish everyone a great and happy year?  I don't think so.

We are now nearly 2 months in and again, I am growing nothing.  Well, a couple of capsicum plants but that's about it.  This morning though while watering Husbands stuff I picked a pile of tomatoes and a a couple of capsicum.  And 2 from my plants, better not forget that!

And while watering I was munching on figs.  And a few boysenberries.  And grapes.  Watered the coffee trees and collected a bakers dozen plus 3 eggs from a secret nest I found under it so I will check to make sure they are OK then add them to a zucchini...marrow and make a quiche for tea.

I am dogsitting again.  We had him for 10 days not long ago but this time he is only here for a couple of days.  But it's a bit concerning having him here now as we have seen 2 snakes over the last week.  One INSIDE the house.  We called a snake catcher to come get that one as it went into a cupboard but she missed it!!.  Says it went out through a hole in the wall so I hope so.  Except, outside that wall is the cattery.  Which, again, I have let the grass get too long in.  But I am not game to get out there this week and work on getting it cleared up because husband isn't home and if I disturbed the snake and it bit me I would cry.  And maybe die too if I don't get help quick enough.  So the grass cutting in the cattery will wait a couple of days until husband gets home.  Cat wont go out there while the dog is here so she's safe enough.  Unless the snake comes back inside...HoHum, I really do need a massive declutter and cleanout.  The snake we saw last week was a lot bigger that the inside one and I have no idea where that went to.  So that is 3 unaccounted for over the last 6 months, 2 over the last week.  I wonder if these are a grown up version of the babies that were around last year...I wonder how many are out there that we don't see...Though I do try not to think about that too much.

I have been busy with Vinnies, we are still short staffed so I am still going in extra days, I like it but thinking I need to start doing other things too.  I want some adventures this year, been saying that for years! but this year the urge is stronger.  Tears are still there when I think of going anywhere by myself but I'm old enough now to suck it up and just do it. 😃

I have a day off tomorrow and I should stay home and get some jobs done...but I may go for an adventure, just a small one...will decide tomorrow.

Have a great one people, have some fun.

I hate the grass. I love the grass.

Over the last 2 months I have achieved...Nothing. 

It is now Spring time and the gardens should all be cleared out and packed with stuff to eat...Or at the very least, ready to be planted with stuff to eat in the future...But no.  While I did clear a bed or two the grass has just grown back.  And that's my excuse you see.  Grass, not normal easy to pull out weeds but grass that has roots all the way to some place deep in the dirt.  And these are raised beds that were lined with inches of cardboard.  But still, after years of being there the grass made a move in and I have never gotten on top of it hence the problem I have now.  I don't like spraying poison, which I know will kill the grass that is there, so I need to spend more than the odd 20 minutes that I am now to actually work on them and get it removed. Then start again I suppose...

Husband has built some smaller beds in the chook pen, with netting to keep the chooks out but I haven't even started anything in them yet.  While he did start and now has a massive amount of potatoes growing.  It seems that he who does, gets.

We have cows out in the back paddock and they eat grass.  So I like that the grass continues to be abundant out there for them, and the neighboughs let them go into their paddock so each area is rested while the grass grows back.  But around the house, lots of grass, no matter the season it needs mowing all the time.  Over and over and over and...well, you get the picture.  So son bought a couple of sheep so I wouldn't have to mow everywhere, all the time.  They have 4 areas that they are rotated to so I don't have to mow so many areas all the time.  I mow the area when they are moved to a clean area and that short grass and sheep droppings are mowed and used on the gardens or in growing areas.  So my area that needs mowing is way smaller than what it was a couple of years ago but still quite big.  So I mow and feed the clipping to the chooks as free chookfood, or give it to the sheep or the cows if they are close.  Mostly I just empty the catchers into the chook pens and let them deal with it in what ever manner they want, eating or scratching in it and spreading it around the pens.  It eventually turns into dirt that I dig up and use in the gardens.

Grass is green, here it is green all year round without any watering from us.  I like that.  I like that everything always looks green and is cool during Summer.  I like that we can go outside and feel grass under our feet.

Grass hides snakes.  I don't like that snakes can slither around out there and I can't see where they go.  This is quite a common occurrence because I always wait until the grass is too long before I get out there with the mower.

 So though I don't like mowing all the time I like the grass and the many uses that it has.  And in saying that, guess what a job for today is?  Yep, I gotta get out there and mow that grass!

What's Happening - 14th August 2019

It's coming to the end of Winter here in Western Australia and it is raining again today, just like yesterday.  But Monday, wow that was a beautiful sunny day.  I was at work so couldn't make use of it though.  And since it's going to be, is, very wet today I will go into work again.  The plan was to do a hive inspection but wet and cold days are not the best time for that so it will have to happen another day.

Vegie gardens are all full of grass, I have nothing growing, couldn't feed my self even 1 meal from what is out there, very bad state of affairs...Hubby has put seeds in trays so he may get something going before me so I really do need to get out there and do something, clear at least one small area and make a start.  Maybe I will...  The Oranges are falling off the trees though so we need to keep on top of those.   I am giving them away at the moment as there is only so many Oranges 1 person can eat

The bee hives haven't been looked at for a couple of months but were doing OK last time he looked.  I haven't even been out there since the middle of Autumn.  But since it will soon be spring we do need to get an inspection in soon and get a super put on each hive.   I have found those and have them ready so that's something I suppose.  Next warm day when I am home I need to empty the extraction shed out and give it a good clean ready for the first extraction but that shouldn't take too long.

I do plan to get all the gardens back up to scratch so we can feed ourselves again and may even take advantage of an offer from Growing Wilde  to come and help with that.  In the meantime I am busy with volunteering as we are so short of volunteers at the moment I am going in extra days, this should settle down soon and with the longer days I will have no excuse to not be doing something outside.

What's everyone else doing, how do you keep yourself busy?

My 40 Things...

I am doing a 40 day challenge to get rid of 40 things, 1 item a day for 40 days...Doesn't sound hard at all does it?  It's harder than I thought it would be though so maybe writing down things that do go will help encourage me a bit more.  We'll see.

1 - Box of stuff from sunroom.
2 - Another box of stuff from sunroom.
3 - 2 shirts in bin.
4 - 8 shirts, 1 skirt, pair of shorts to Vinnies.
5 - A manual muili/grater type thing to Vinnies.
6 - A mug that I broke the handle off of.  I had it sitting on the bench for a week before I decided that  I should take it out and put it in the bin!!
7 - 2 plastic cooldrink bottles that I was reusing for water. 
8 - Big glass bowl.
9 - 3 old phones.
10 - Gingerbread house making kit
11 - Stick on corner shelf unit.  This has been put out in shed so does it still count?  hmmm.

25/04/19  Well the 40 days is well and truly over...I have gotten rid of way more than this piddly list of items but can't remember what they all were now.  Shows that they were not wanted, needed or loved!

I do think that this was a great challenge though so big thanks to Sue for setting it, just sorry that I didn't follow through with it all the way because I really did intend to and it would have made a bit more of a difference in the house, shed and yard.

And now that we are seeing so many snakes that could get inside the house, be inside already?!!, I do need to keep up with this.  Or is it better to have the crap there so I can't see the snakes...?

What will I do? Where will I go? March.

😄I have heaps to do this month, a main one will be trying to get my neck/back sorted.  It's been painful for going on 4 weeks now and I have finally decided to go see a doctor about getting a scan to see what it is.  The appointment with them is this morning.  While I am there, if I remember, I will ask to get bloods done as well as it's been a few years since they were taken.   When I think about it, I haven't been to a doctor for years, not sure how many but quite a few.  I think.  Anyway, I am popping Iboprovin like they are lollies and I don't like having to do that so doctor for some other ideas it is.    I usually only need to take a couple of pills on a bad day with the fibro so for a person against pills it's not been good.

Get a massage, see if it helps my back.   Done.  Didn't. 
See doctor to confirm muscular.  Done.  Is.
I need to clean out the chook sheds before Winter.
Oil chooks legs again, for Scaley Leg Mite.
Tidy sunroom. Done -ish
Make appointment for new glasses.
Haircut.
Clear out big tank garden.
Weed mulched area under Orange trees.
Replant Comfrey.
Decide on 2 places to go to and then go.

Well, look at that.  I started writing this on the 3rd, so 2 weeks ago.  Hmmm.  I know I have been busy over those 2 weeks but not with much on that list!

I haven't been anywhere except for the Quambie Park fete which is held every year at the old peoples home here in town and I bought books I didn't need to add to my too many now collection.  I really should add cull books to my list...

I am at work for probably 4 days this week so not much will be happening here but I have mowed twice in the last 2 weeks.  Edges need doing and I can't do those so it still looks, and is, very messy and overgrown out there.  Did help husband a little bit to get the wood into the woodshed from out the back paddock.  Maybe shouldn't have as feeling neck and back now...Hohum.

I think I need less time on this thing and more time outside doing stuff.  Should I add that to my list?!

40 Days 40 Items.

I am not Catholic but apparently the 6th March was the first day of Lent.   Catholics know what Catholics do over this time but there are lots of non-Catholics that decide to give up stuff as a bit of a challenge during this time and I have become one of them. 

Last Wednesday I was invited to join a small Facebook group where the aim is to de-clutter 40 things over the 40 days of Lent.  I joined up and hope that with other people doing the same thing it will get me started on getting rid of things I no longer use, need or like.   You'd think though that if I didn't use, need or like them then they wouldn't be here anyway wouldn't you but some peoples brain don't work like that and we need a bit more encouraging and support.  This small group may be what I need to get me started.  We will be aiming to declutter 40 things over the 40 days of Lent, post in the group to encourage and help others and to read and get the help and encouragement of those in return.   I will also use this blog to record how I go as I know I always do better with things when I write about them here.

Today is the 6th day of this challenge.  The first 2 days I did good by getting rid of 2 boxes of unwanted stuff that had been sitting out in the sunroom for months.  Since those 2 boxes of stuff I have removed nothing.   I am at Vinnies this morning so I have a bag ready and I now need to go find 6 things to take down there.  I already have 2 things in the bag so I only need 4 more so not sure why it is so hard.  But, on Saturday we went to a fete and I bought some books so I probably *should* get rid of a few books to make room for them.  But books...I'll work on them another time.  Off to grab some crap...Done!  In the bag and ready to go.

What have I done? Where have I been? March 6th.

Well we did get an extraction in, back on the 6th Feb.  It wasn't the greatest but enough for us and family with some to sell.  I still need to finish putting the extraction shed back to how it should be...

I am still down at Vinnies 3 days a week plus extra days as we are short of volunteers for a few months.

It's been hot so I didn't do much of anything outside.  Now I have done something to my neck/back so I'm not doing much of anything outside...

Husband and I went up to Boddington for a weekend in February.  Not camping but it was nice to get away for a bit.

Over the last few months we have been picking bananas,  grapes, a few apples, now peaches are falling off the tree and there will be more apples if I remember to get some bags over some branches so the parrots don't get the rest.  Chooks are back to laying.   Not much in the vegies gardens though.   I did have a few lovely looking capsicum plants and we picked a few but the sheep got out and into them so HoHum...Husband did get some lovely onions from his patch and a bit of garlic that will be nice to eat but a bit small for replanting.

All the grass stayed green over Summer but we didn't mow often enough, as we do.  Or don't.  It needs doing again now but we are forecast 2 days with rain so that wont be happening.

I am still fat and unfit.

I didn't declutter enough.  I didn't clean enough.  I didn't achieve much of anything.  Hopefully this month will be a bit better and more productive.   Hmmm, we'll see.

What has everyone else been up to?