Heartsisters.

I am a member of a forum and a group of people on there have banded together to become Heartsisters to other members.  We get the name and some basic information of someone and she becomes our Heartsister for the year.  The idea is to write a letter, send a card, small gift, something, each month to let that person know that we are thinking of them.    We in turn have a Heartsister that sends to us.  I think it's a lovely idea and though it has been going for a few years on the forum this is my first year of being involved.  

This morning I received letters and small gifts from my Heartsister.  She is a lovely, generous woman and I think I am lucky to have her as my sending Heartsister.   I don't know if she reads this, probably doesn't but I thank her for all she sends me.   On the forum we have a thread where we can let our Heartsister know that we have received their letter, card, whatever and to thank them and I have done that but wanted to write about it here too. 


This morning, among other thigs, there was a small booklet on Wildflowers in the Southwest.  I have had a quick look through it and there are a couple that I recognise and it will be fun to take it on a bushwalk, picked from the bushwalking book she sent a while ago, and seeing what we can find.

The woman I send to lives in Queensland but I don't know if she is still a member of the forum as I haven't heard if she has received any of the things I have been sending over the last few months.  It's hard to know whether to keep sending or if she has left the forum and is no longer interested.   I put a return address on the things I send and nothing has been returned so I assume that she is getting them so will probably keep sending until the year is up.  What would you do?

I know some of you have been involved in this idea and I would be interested in what your thoughts on it are.  And what do you send or have recieved as I am always looking for nice but inexpensive ideas.  Thankyou.

Stinging Nettle and Rosehip Tea.

I am a coffee drinker.  The second thing I do in the morning after getting up is have a coffee.  Hot.  Strong.  Bit of milk...I have a couple throughout the day and I like one sometime at night before bed.

When it is hot though I prefer a strong white tea during the day.   Well did anyway, up until a month or so ago. We read something about Rosehip tea with blackcurrant juice added being good for iron.  One daughter went shopping and brought me back some Rosehip tea and juice.  It's nice.  Another daughter came for a visit and brought some Stinging nettles to make tea with.   It was nice with just a touch of honey...   Now as there is only so many cups of tea that I can drink in a day I started mixing them together.

I put 2 cups of water in a jar and nuke it 'til it starts to bubble.  Take it out and add a Rosehip teabag and a teacage of Stinging Nettles.  Pour in a slurp of Blackcurrant juice.  Makes 2 cups.  I have one hot and the other warm.   SO NICE!!!   I try to have 2 jars a day.


This is the first lot of tea in it's bag.  It is finely chopped.  *They* tried to get me to put my hand in and feel it but I know them and knew they were up to something.  This stuff stings/itches you if you touch it just like the living plant does.  It loses that once the hot water has been added.   I was told that this stuff can be added to soups and cooking too.

 A cup of Stinging Nettle and Rosehip tea.  

From jar to mug...just for me.

I was getting low on my supply but the SN DD had found a source for Organic Stinging Nettle Tea and we were awaiting her order.  She brought the bag around last Friday..  Below is me (on my birthday!) with the bag.  A massive bag with a kilo of dried Stinging Nettles in it.   The jar that I had ready was not going to be anywhere near big enough for my half so I had to take stuff out of others...I now have 3 big, 500gm, coffee jars full.  This tea is not as finely chopped as the last lot but we all, well the three Stinging Nettle Tea drinkers, had a cup and it tastes the same so no problems with that.

I don't know how this $30 a kilo tea compares to the shopbought black tea leaves pricewise but I think this will be my main tea from now on.

It has been said that I am *not allowed* to grow the SN here so buying it this way is what we will do.

Followers and Readers... Thankyou!

This is just a quick one to thank all my followers for following.  Thanks, I love coming here and seeing a new one.  Makes me feel popular!   I also want to thank the ones who don't follow but just come sometimes to read me.  I blog to keep myself motivated and to think that others might find something I write to be interesting enough to read is encouraging.  So thankyou to you all.

Thankyou for the Gingerbread House.

A big THANKYOU to L, D, L and J for the gingerbread house.  And the chutney and jam.  I really appreciate you doing that for me.

Here it is in all its glory.  It looks like a lot of work has gone into putting it together.

And here is what happens if you unwrap your Gingerbread house when a certain daughter is around.  I *caught* her trying to coax a chocolate to come out.  She found out that the window was too small though and begged, yes begged! to be allowed to break it "just a tiny bit"

The house survived last night and is still intact but there are a few Smarties missing from the outside...
I love Gingerbread so this will be a lovely treat.  Daughter knows about it and Hubby is home too so I will have to share...But if I wait until Daughter goes away for a few days and I get into it while Hubby is outside...

Hello Bev.

This is a quick post as a friend of mine thinks that I am not talking to her again.
So...
Hello Bev!!  How are you?

This lovely lady used to live in the same town but moved.  Then moved again and now lives in another state.  I see her a couple of times a year if she is over here.  I miss her. Her and another lady who doesn't actually live very far away.  Just in a town that I am not in when she is home.

I don't have any  many friends, none that I see so I really should make more of an effort to keep in touch with the few that I do have.

I think that some letter writing will be on the list for later this week.

Another Day Out.

I had a day out in Perth yesterday.  Went on the train with daughter L and her husband M.  It was great.  They showed me how to get the train to Freemantle so now I will be able to do it by myself.
The ride into Freo is nice, the train runs along the water as you come into Freemantle and you get to see all the ships coming in and going.
Once off the train we walked down to a shop called Kakulas Sisters, they bought a few things there and then we went on down to the markets.  I bought a pear to munch on, it cost 40cents .  Felt like the last of the big spenders but it was all I needed.  It was a really nice pear too.  On the way back to the station we walked into a Timezone type of place.  That was loud, noisy, lots of people...but we stayed a bit and walked around.  We probably stayed longer because M found a card that still had a bit of credit on it and we *had to* find a game to use it up on.  I then found a card that had no credit but100 points and as M's card had 13 points we got to spend the points at the counter.  We all ended up with a smiley face keyring and we got a big pencil as well.  It added to the fun but I suppose "you had to be there" to enjoy it.

Then back to the train station.  I "had to" use the loo there as I had been told that they were pretty cool looking and they were.  Massive and old style room.  If you are ever at Freemantle train station have a look for yourself.  I'm sure you will agree with me.

  On the train leaving Freo we saw some dolphins, that was also pretty darn cool.  Then back into Perth and on our way to Kakulas Brothers.  L and M go here quite often but this is the first time that I have been here.  It is the same family as the shop in Freo that we went to but prices are not always the same.  I think they get most of their stuff from here as it is close to the train station and the backpacks can get pretty heavy.  I didn't buy much, I mainly wanted a look and some lentils but it is a great shop for bulk stuff.  It has flours, spices, grains, coffee...heaps of stuff.  Well worth a look if you are in the area.  Well, well worth a train ride actually!

Then back home.  It was a long day and I did end up with a headache but 2 coffees when I got home soon fixed that.  I am starting to like this *day out in Perth* thing.  Anyone want to come with me next time?

Thanks For Tea.

I call it tea, they call it dinner but either way a BIG THANKYOU for T and J for bringing it out and sharing it with me tonight.

I was going to cook up some liver and onions but the fish royales, wedges and peas and corn followed by homecooked muffins was much better.

I have the liver and onions back on the stove now and will have that tomorrow.

I'm not home, I'm here.

I am babysitting last night/this morning...
So had a sleepover in a big flash house, overlooking the river....Very nice.  Even had tea cooked for me.

But I am still inside on the computer instead of out there enjoying the view and serenity.
I will have breakfast out there though, that will be nice.

No idea when the people will be back but that doesn't matter.  My chooks are big enough to wait for their breakfast and the dog will sleep until I get home.

I am using their computer and the keyboard is much smaller than mine so I keep making mistakes.  But being on here up here I will have no reason to get on when I get home so will be able to get straight into things outside.  Yes indeedy, that is what will happen...

It's nearly half past 7 and I'm surprised the boys aren't up yet.  I thought they were early risers...My mistake.  Will give them another half an hour.  One is being picked up this morning but as I have no idea what time I need to get him fed and ready, in case it's earlier than later.

Well best be off, will go out and play with the dogs for a bit.

Thanks Sherrie, For the cards.

Thanks Sherrie for the cards, they arrived this morning.

For those that don't know, a couple of weeks ago Sherrie was having a givaway over at her blog 

She made the cards herself, she is such a clever lady, check out her blog and I'm sure you will agree.

I may not be as clever as her but I am getting a box set up for Wanda so that I can do some crafty stuff when I am out wandering.

My Baby Is 21.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIFF!!
Hope you have a good night and enjoy your day out tomorrow.

We *Don't Do* Christmas.

Once upon a time I loved Christmas. I loved decorating the tree, the house, the dog...Searching for presents was fun...Making special Christmas only food was fun.

Then something happened...It wasn't as much fun as it used to be.  Hubby's parents always gave too many presents.  Whose place do we go to.  Too much food.  People drinking too much.  Travel there, travel somewhere else, travel home late with everyone tired.  Too many expectations.  Upset people because we couldn't make it to their place.

And nowhere was there anything about what I feel is the real reason for Christmas.  His family mocked me when I spoke about it to them, my family...I don't think I tried to talk about it with them...Sorry 'bout that.
We asked the 3 kids that were still at home what Christmas meant to them and their answers cemented our decision.

His family said that it was about family getting together and having a good time.  They said that family was important.  But my eldest daughter and her family were never invited and when it was at their house I didn't feel that it was up to me to do that.  I was criticised for that.  I think that if it was about family getting together though then it would happen at other times throughout the year.

A couple of people did ask us why we didn't want to do it anymore but they didn't like our answer.
I do remember people were upset but they didn't really talk to us about it.  Some of them talked among themselves and I found out later that Hubby's family blamed me.  Most of them still do.

We did handle it wrong, we should have had a last Christmas like we planned and told everyone afterwards, not a month or so before hand.  I regret that. We did try to have both families come to a Christmas at our place one year and we were going to tell everyone then but my family couldn't come so we put it off.  A couple more years of doing it because we thought we should before we finally decided to just not do it anymore.

But you know what?  I don't think we are missed at all, by anyone. We don't get invited to lunch or tea just so the family can get together.  Not because it's Christmas but just because they like us and want to see us.  In the many years since we told them all that we weren't going to do Christmas anymore I could count on 2 fingers how many times we have been invited somewhere throughout the year for no reason.  There have been a few birthdays but no **no reason** occasions.  That used to make me sad.

Hubby gets criticised for not ringing his family and wishing them *Merry Christmas* but they don't ring him.   Why should it be up to someone that doesn't do Christmas to ring people, why can't they ring him if they want to speak to him?  And don't complain to me that you didn't speak with him on Christmas Day if you couldn't be bothered ringing him.  That made me cross, still does.

We don't send cards but I used to send out a letter to everyone, close to the end of the year, asking how their year went, telling them about ours, asking them what they had planned for the following year...We never got an answer from anyone so I have stopped that.  I remember talking to the inlaws one year just before Christmas.  I didn't say "Merry Christmas" but I did say that I hoped that they enjoyed themselves the following week when they were at the brother in laws.  The week later it was mentioned that a phonecall and Christmas wishes would have been nice.  I don't ring them anymore.

Since we stopped *doing* Christmas  we have treated the 25th December as just another day.  Usually we just stay home, mowed all the lawns one year, went out the beach and swam with a whale one year, that was pretty cool. Usually we don't even remember the date and we go about our normal day.   We don't eat Christmas food, we don't have a tree or decorations.  Sometimes I put on carols but that's because I like them and I also sometimes have them playing throughout the year so it's not a Christmas thing. 

We like the peace and the stressless day that we now have but...I think I miss it.  Not the excess food or drinking.  Not the bitching and disappointed people.  Not the presents.  But the family.  It was one time of the year that we knew we would see some of them.  Now, maybe we see someone a couple of times a year.   I have tried having family get togethers here in the weeks before Christmas but my family seem to be busy at that time of year and Hubby's family just sit around drinking so this year we won't be doing that.  I have also tried inviting people away to places throughout the year and that too doesn't seem to work out.  So this year, we will do nothing, invite no-one, organise nothing. 

This year, me and him, we will probably stay home, we may get a visit from  T and J, depends on what she is doing.  It's not expected.  We might go out the beach again. We know we will have a stressfree, happy day though and that is what is important to us.  But I will miss seeing my family.  I know that they will all be together having a lovely time, eating yummy food...My choice I know but I do sometimes think that maybe we could start again...

But no, instead, maybe next year I will have a couple of games days here for everyone.  That might be fun.  Families and friends shouldn't have to wait until Christmas and if we do then we may not get to spent time with those we love.  Maybe I could start a *Family Fun Day* tradition...Something to think about anyway.

Whatever you are doing at this time of the year, I hope you enjoy it.  I hope you are not stressed, that you have a calm and peaceful time.  Have fun with your families and be thankful that you have them around you.  Enjoy the rest of the year.

Tea With Friends.

Hubby is supposed to be working away but last night as I was coming home I passed him at the turnoff in Coolup.  I wondered what he was up to and as he caught up with me and followed me I thought that he was finishing early.  He had someone in the car with him.  I turn at our corner but he keeps going.    So not coming home.
So I am home, expecting the dog to be dropped off so I am trying the get the chickens fed and watered.  Checking on a sick chook when Friend with dog gets here. Hubby pulls up right after her.
We get the dog and his gear unloaded and Friend asked me if I have heard the new plans.  No, says I.
Dinners at our place, she says.  So that explains why Hubby and workmate are here.

A similar thing happened last week when the Friend rang with an invite for me to join them for tea as the workers were going to be there.

I really need to clean and keep clean this house as the workmate needed a shower and I had 2 minutes to tidy before he needed access to the inside.  Big sigh, but why worry, nothing I could do then and I haven't done it now so...

Back to tea.   These people live up a windy, steep, covered in kangaroos road, Hubby knows that I don't like driving up there by myself so the lovely man came here first to pick me up. 

As we got there we could see some roos under their clothesline.  Some more just up a bit and still more to the left...

The views from this place are amazing. 
Even more so when looking through $2000 binoculars!!  I so want some.  Not gonna happen anytime soon though.

This photo is looking westward toward the Estuary.  Use the binoculars and I could count the cows that were miles away.  (there were 18 in one paddock and 22 in another)




  

They also have a Brushtail Possum that comes out at night, sometimes they give it a bit of apple. 
It was there last week and came again last night while we were all eating out on the deck.
It is so cute. It is quite friendly in that it will let you touch it, so soft.





I'm not sure how this women does it but she can get a decent meal on the table for 5 extra people with a half hours notice.  Admittedly last night he cooked the meat on the barby but she prepared a salad and some chicken and garlic bread to go with it.  And they were leaving for their trip away at 6 this morning so she had to get everything cleaned up after we left.  I did try to get the blokes to hang around and help but they also had an early start the next day and a 30min drive back to their camp.  After dropping me off here first.
I have things so easy.
Last week she had everything ready and she'd only been home for 20minutes before she knew they were having people there in a half hours time.  Who does that!  Not me, that's for sure.  I wouldn't even know where to begin. 
When I think about it, I know a few people that could probably do that so maybe it is just me. lol.
Amazing lady and so nice.  They are both lovely people and I hope she will become a good friend. 

Chooks and Gardens Survived Without Me. (might go away more often now)

After being away for near on 6 days we arrived home just before 5pm yesterday.  First thing I did was go check on the chickens and I am glad to say that they are all still there and looking none the worse for being fed and watered by someone other than me.  Thankyou to T&J and L for coming out and looking after things for me while I was away. 
The gardens also look like they have been well looked after and so far I can't find anything dead or missing.  Maybe I should get someone else to do the gardens more often!

The grass  must have loved my being away as it is about 8inches longer than when we left so getting that back down will be my main job for the next few days.  We are expecting some warm weather here over the next few days so I will need to get started early before it warms up too much but everything will need more mulch as well and that is also a big job for me.

So...I need to finish raking out the chookpens, mow grass and throw the fresh clippings in to the chooks, put the old clippings from pens on the gardens...All that, and updating my other blog, should keep me off the streets for awhile. 

Coffees finished so better get started.  Afterall, it's already after 5.

Thinking and Thoughts.

We had a nice day out yesterday, lunch with family to celebrate a sisters 50th.
It was lovely to see everyone but it kind of made me sad.

I saw all these people, my family and their friends, that get on so well together and see each other all the time and because I don't have any friends to visit or that I do stuff with, go places with, etc. I kinda felt alone and lonely and I shouldn't have as I love my life, enjoying the simple things and being able to do what I want when I want. 
But I did kinda envy them all, a little too much for my own good.  It is me that is the problem though.  Because we don't see people very often and our lives are so different to other peoples I have no idea what to talk about with any of them so tend to mainly sit back and keep to myself.

Talked to Hubby about it on the way home, about me needing friends and *a life* 

Did I have no friends because a wasn't a nice person?  Was I boring?  Was I a nasty bitch that no-one wanted anything to do with?  What was/is it about me that discourages people from wanting to get to know me better and then liking what they find enough to want to do stuff with me?

What could I do to meet more people?
**I could join some clubs... I'm not that interested in anything though.
**I could invite people over for lunch.  Been there done that, nearly a dozen times over 2 years, and though they said they enjoyed it and "we should do this more often" and they talked about doing  it at their house next time I was never invited anywhere.  I see them down the shop and they say "great to see you, we must catch up" then they go off and I never hear from them so obviously they didn't mean it too much.
**I could play a sport of some kind and meet people there.  Yeah, don't laugh too much at that one!

It came up that to meet people like me will be hard as like minded people are probably at home working in their gardens, not going out, they are trying to cut their carbon footprint by staying home and living *simply*

So I need to accept that some people need to like themselves and enjoy their own company, which luckily I do, and get on with things.  Some real friends would be nice but my life is good as it is. 

I need to "Suck it up", "Get over it"  and all those other great sayings that I love to use and get out there and plant a tree...so next time I feel lonely I will have something to hug!

Thank You To My Readers.

I have been meaning to thank you all for *reading me*  but as per usual it never got done.

Until now.  Today I am going to do it.
So to each and everyone of you that does/has read me  THANKYOU. 

I know that my life is pretty dull and the garden is mostly what gets me off the computer and outside and it's good knowing that there are people that read this blog on a regular basis, it keeps me honest, so to speak. 

I also don't always reply to the comments.  Sometimes I miss them, sometimes I mean to but get sidetracked.  Please know that I do appreciate the time you take to leave comments even though I don't always respond.


Thanks again People.

Snakes.

 It's Autumn and I would have thought that all the snakes were off sleeping somewhere but no, we still have to be careful of them.

One of the daughters lives in a house with a big yard and a fenced area with an old swimming pool in it.  The liner of the pool is ripped so the pool is not used.  It seems the area has become the home for a few Dugite snakes.  A son in law catches these snakes and they are relocated to bush a few kilometres away.


Yesterday he caught this baby one and put it in an empty milk bottle ready to be trasported elsewhere.

He is an American so don't know if that has anything to do with it but no Aussie blokes that I know would do this.





She found skins from bigger snakes as well but not the big snake itself.

Not sure how to rid the area of them all and ensure none come back though.  The yard backs onto a railway reserve and we have always had the occasional snakepass through there but with big ones and babies in this same area it seems like there may be a few living there. 

.

If you click on the photos they become bigger and you can see the snake poking it's head out of the bottle and then moving away through the grass.

Mondays Lunch

Lunch yesterday was yummy, there are some good cooks in my family.

Saw some people that I haven't seen in ages and probably won't see for ages again though there are plans for a visit to the big playground down in Donnybrook in a few weeks and that should be fun.

I may have perfected the Lentil Burgers by then. lol.

I like my family, pity I don't see them more often.

Keeping Things Tidy Would Make Things Easier.

I have been unwell for the last week or so and the house is a tip. The yard is a tip. I am a tip.

Found out last night that I will have visitors this morning but don't know what time yet I am sitting here having a coffee. It is 6.30am.

It will be nice to see these people again as it has been a few months but I supose I better get up and clear the table so they have somewhere to sit. I don't know if they will be here for lunch or not so may have to get something sorted just in case. Nothing fancy mind you, it is afterall me doing this, but eggs and salad to go with the crabs the guys are hoping to catch...Just in case.

I really need a nice sitting area outside and it is one thing that I need to add to our list for this year.

The blokes picked up Hubby sometime after 9 this morning and I was told that the women would be here this afternoon, around 1. It is getting close to that now. The table is clear and clean so we do have somewhere to sit if they want to. The house is no longer a tip, it is reasonable but I haven't worried about any food, I presume they'll have something before they get here seeing as it is now so late and lunch wasn't mentioned so I'm thinking I don't need to do anything.

Had a daughter and her bloke out here this morning so didn't get anything done outside and not too fussed now. lol.

Well the women didn't get here until after 2 just before the crabbers arrived back here so not much of a visit with them. One of them did say that they should have left earlier as they were only drinking coffee up there. So why didn't they come earlier and have a proper visit? I don't know but I do seem to have that affect on people. She did mention that she had to feed the animals and water and *do her chores* but we all had to do that so maybe they just pretend to like me. lol. Not too fussed about that anymore either. Twelve months ago I would have felt upset and unloved but I have grown up since then. lol.

The blokes caught their quota of crabs and we had *lunch* of crabs and bread around 3ish. I only had some crab meat as I don't eat white muck bread and I am not allowed my grainy stuff this week.

I'm Glad It Wasn't Serious.

Had a call from a daughter yesterday around lunch time. T. said that she had been to see the doctor and he was sending her over to the Hospital for tests. He was quite concerned. I drive her over to Peel Health Campus, 40 minutes away. We show the letter from the doc, say he rang to let them know she was coming, where do we go...

It is 1pm.

They sent us to Emergency where we see a nurse pretty quickly, we're told to sit on the blue chairs and wait 'til we are called. Two hours later the nurse sees her again, does blood pressure, takes blood, etc. T gets faint and dizzy so they puts her on a bed in Emergency.

It is 5.30 before a doctor comes to see her, says it's too late for any of the tests she was suposed to have and sent her home to come back next day.

It's 6pm before she leaves the hospital.

So I will take here back over there today for scans at 1. She then has to see a doctor for the results at 3.30 in a different town 20 mins away and depending on what the scan says she will go home or go back to hospital.

She says she feels OK but still has sore stomach. Hope the scan shows that she is OK.

Thankyou to L who had T's daughter until we got back.

Updating to say...Daughter is OK, needs to see doctor again on Monday (today), needs another scan to see if anything has changed, needs to go back to emergency if the pains happen again. She is sore but back to doing stuff.

Thanks for your concern. Much appreciated.

Furnerals Make Me Sad.

I went to a furneral this morning and though I wasn't close to this person or anyone there anymore it has made me quite sad.

There were hundeds of mourners and the bloke talking up front said some nice things about the dead guy. It made me think. It seemed that he was well liked by many. I hope he knew it.

I really like some of the people there and find it sad that I no longer have anything to do with them. And sad that I won't see them again unless it's at another furneral.

I don't think many people will come to my furneral, maybe family would, but would they be mourners? I'd hope so. lol.

But what if dozens come, maybe even three score and ten, will it mean that they liked me and they will miss me? If yes, then why don't I see them now, why do I need to wait until I die to see how many people value me?

Seeing all these people from many, many years ago has also made me see how we change as we get older. Some of these people, ones that I used to be really close to, I didn't recognise some of them. I now see myself as old and I don't want to be.

But I am alive. What will I do with the time I have left? What will I change to be a better person? To get people to like me and value me?

Nothing. I will go on with my life as I have been and when I die I won't know if 10 people or 100 people come and mourn me.

Such is life.