Oranges and Lemons...And Bananas This Time.

We are still picking Oranges, Lemons and Mandarins.  This Orange was a part of this mornings breakfast.

And for morning rea I had 2 of our Bananas.  Had to have two as they aren't very big.  What they lack in size though they more than make up for in taste.  So sweet and bananaey.  Hmmm, if there is such a word I'm not sure how to spell it!  If you can't tell, our 2 are the ones in front.  The back ones were bought last week.

This is the first of 4 bunches that we have out there at the moment.  I cut this one down though as some of the fruit is starting to split and getting bugs in it.  The others are still a few weeks away from being ripe enough so we better get a move on with the banana eating.  I could freeze them but already have a few bags in there that are being complained about.    I think some of these will need to be added to that lot though.

 No fruit will need to be bought this month but in saying that I do have 1/2 a bought watermelon in the fridge, leftover from the party yesterday.  I can feel some flavoured Kefir coming on.

Rainbow Party Pictures

Here are a few more photos of the day for those that are interested.  It was mentioned on the invitation that it was rainbow themed and to wear something rainbowy but not many did.

I wasn't as organised as I should have been but did make myself a rainbow hat with long hair and had a matching rainbow front sewed on to my shirt.  Daughter thought I needed coloured hair though so the hat came off and the spray went on. 




Being sprayed was awful, smelly and so cold and it felt horrible to touch once on but it was rainbowy.  Grandaughter had hers done too and though we offered the treatment to others there only 1 kid wanted his done too.

The mothers and the party kids.  One is 1 tomorrow and the other will be 7 next week. 
So many presents but people were good and I don't think there was anything plastic.   Lots of wooden toys for the young one.

Mum and daughter wore matching rainbow dresses. 

 

You can do anything when you are nearly 7 and when wearing a rainbow dress.

This is the rope frame that I want to get to the top of.  I tried again yesterday but still couldn't make it.  Maybe next time.

Rainbow Birthday Cake.

 

This is the cake that T made for her daughters party today.  She didn't want to take it as she thought it was too munted but I thought it was pretty good so convinced her to take it anyway and nobody minded how munted it looked..  There were a few comments when it was cut and the inside was seen.

 

 

It was very rainbowy inside and I think she was happy with how the cut cake looked. 

 It was tall though so one piece was still big.

 

                                                                        

Most people were full after eating lunch so most of the cake was taken home by T so her partner could see what a great job she did.  When we left the park she drove another car to a shop and I was to pick her up from there, I only had to drive around the corner and across a road with the cake on the back seat.   It still looked good when she put it in the car (it still looked like a cake!)  and she did tell me to drive careful and not let anything happen to it.   Oops, must have took the corner a tad fast and she wasn't happy when she got back into the car and saw what had happened to it.  Not quite as impressive looking now!  And the rainbow pavlova that we didn't serve as there was so  much other stuff...that somehow ended up on the floor and looked a bit worse for wear too.  At least it was plain and didn't have any cream added to it yet.   Sorry T, lucky you took photos.

And bonus points because it tasted good too.  You did a great job.

 

 

 

 

Still Not Ready.

It's 10.00pm and I m only now nearly ready for the Rainbow party tomorrow.   I have the presents wrapped and in a bag ready to go and most of the food that I was responsible for is ready to be packed tomorrow.  I still need to find 6 or 7 mugs for the coffee drinkers and...oops, just remembered I haven't got the tea and coffee packed.  Off to do that now...Done. 
I also braved the dark and went out to the shed to get the camping mugs to take.   I had a torch but even though they give you light they also make shadows which make you  me jump.

I don't know why we I always leave everything to the last week, day, hour, minute...A lot of what I am doing tonight could have been done days ago, maybe not some of the food but the car should have been cleaned out before this afternoon.  The coffee and tea bag could have been packed, everything except the food could have should have wasn't done before tonight.   HoHum and it is now bed time.  Hopefully I wont sleep in 'cause there is still a bit to do and I want to be ready to leave here by 8 in the morning.  Might be another morning without coffee and I don't want that happening too often.

I have the batteries on charging so hopefully  used the right charger and they work tomorrow.  I think the camera is in the box of stuff to go...

Read And yellow And Pink And Blue

Purple and Orange and Green, I need to wear a rainbow, wear a rainbow, wear a rainbow soon.

We have a Rainbow themed birthday party coming up this Sat and today I need to get an outfit organised.  Something rainbowing...I have been on the hunt for rainbow colours over the last couple of weeks and now have a few things to work with but need to actually sit down and think about how to put something together.  If I slack off and don't do anything I do have some colour accessories to wear but I think making something too will add to the fun.

What would you wear to a rainbow themed party?  It must be cheap and easy to make.  I was going to take a photo and put it here so you could all see what I have to work with but both lots of camera batteries are flat so I must find the charger and get them recharged for the day.  I remember looking for this charger last week but couldn't find it so will need to have a proper look today.

The party is at a park an hour away from here so I also need to get a box packed up with everything we need to take.  Plates and cups, and cooking utensils...It's going to be a morning tea then sausage sizzle lunch but we are taking a salad plate as well as a few other dishes. 

I have the unorganised box of party gear here but will need to go through it and make sure we have everything we might need.  And I must not forget the gas stove and coffee making stuff as that will be expected by a few people there.  And I myself might want one while there so a separate box with tea, coffee, sugar, mugs will be needed....

I need to clear the market stuff out of the car so there is room for the party stuff to go in...

I will need to get a plan together on the food that I will be cooking and taking...

I need to turn this thing off and actually get up and start on things...

Coffee first then into it all.

Back Results Are Back.

I finally got in to see the doctor about the results from the scan and x-rays that I was whinging about a while back.  I have been trying to get into the local office but couldn't 'til the end of this week but managed an appointment over in Pinjarra for this morning.   So after being $300 out of pocket and whinging about that I have something worth whinging about.  It took awhile but I knew eventually I'd have good cause. 

They now know what is wrong but *apparently* it is not fixable and will continue to get worse.  Keep taking the painkillers and the Anti-inflammatory tablets, don't lift anything, work on better posture,  don't do this, don't do that...See a physio if I want to, he may have some ideas on exercises that might help with controlling the pain and improving posture...

I am going to get Reiki done on a more regular basis, I've been told that meditation might help so will look into that a bit more.   I went to a session last week and will go again this week but the woman doing it is not qualified, it is just a get together of like minded people I think but there are people there that are really into it.  One in particular does other alternative healings so I will talk to her a bit more if she is there next time.

And yes, in amongst it all I will eat better, move more, do (when I can be bothered) all that we all should be doing to be healthy...Blah blah blah.  Because really, I've said it all before and saying it again now wont make it actually happen.  I know I should, I know it would help, I know I know I know...

I went shopping after the doctor, tried to lift a watermelon into the trolley.  Hmmm, that hurt.  Lifting the 10kilo bag of onions hurt.  Getting home and putting it all into a cart to make it easier to get to the front door was a good idea but pulling the cart hurt.     Emptying the catcher on the rode-on lawnmower hurt.  Getting the firewood tomorrow will hurt.   HoHum, I am going to have to sort something out soon.  OR!  And this is probably what I will do.  I could do nothing and whinge about the extra hurting to anyone silly enough to listen.  Hmmm again, not the best plan I've had today.  I will give it some thought and try and come up with one that might actually help.

While talking to the doctor I asked about the wobbliness and bumping into things that has been happening lately.  The fall I had last week hurt and though I ended up with a pretty impressive bruise it is not something that I'd want too many repeats of.  He said to keep a record and if I keep falling for no reason then he will send me off for more tests.  The bumping into things and not walking straight isn't new but does seem to be happening more often. 

I had a Reiki session last month, anything to help the back, and afterwards the woman said that my Ethereal/etheric  body was out of line with my physical body and to be careful as I might get dizzy and have trouble with balance.  She didn't know about the fall or the wobbling so it did make me think that there might be something in it.   It didn't help the back though she said I had some hotspots in my knees and feet.   I've always had dicky knees and my feet are not as good as they should be so she may know something.  I'm going to talk to some people about alternative ways to live a healthy life and see if I can understand more on why I wont look after myself better.  They say that the mind is a powerful thing and I think I need to use mine a bit more, the sooner the better too I think, before I fall apart completely and give up all together.

What alternative health practices do you follow?  Are they working for you?  Anything you'd like to try but haven't yet?   Any recommended reading material you can suggest? 

Do I? Don't I? Do I? Don't I? Do I? Yes!!

Markets that is.  Our town markets were on on Sunday, I knew about them for weeks and were kinda gunna go...if it wasn't going to rain.  Or be too cold.  If I was organised.  If, if, if.   I have been a bit busier than usual but still have done a lot of time wasting, I could have been organised at least.  I couldn't control the weather but could have booked an indoor stall.    Could have, should have, didn't.

Saturday we planted more trees and I was like, Should I?  Husband just says "do what you want"  That wasn't much help as I didn't know what I wanted.  I kinda thought I wanted a stall if only to support the local markets like I tell people they should...In the end it was OK, I will.  But was pretty sore and tired after Friday and Saturday tree planting jobs and I didn't know where our market signs were, I couldn't find the cloths we cover the tables with...Did I even know where the float from the last one was...It was all too hard and at 9pm Sat night decided that NO, I wouldn't bother as I hadn't done anything to be ready.

I wake up at 6.30 Sunday morning and decide that seeing it was going to be a nice day weather wise then I would.  I would only take honey, fruit and fishfood so should be able to be ready in time.  These markets open to the public at 8am so I had plenty of time....No time for coffee or breakfast though as I needed to empty the car so I could put the tables in.

I jump out of bed and it isn't quite light yet so the dog that I am dog-sitting was still asleep so I go out the back door and sneak into the shed.  I knew if I woke him he would start barking and wanting to get out and as he is a bit of a nuisance sometimes I wanted him away from what I was doing.   I put the tables in the car.  Had to empty one of them first as I had been using it for something else, something that should have been finished and packed away a week ago HoHum... Get the tables in the car, where are the signs, go inside and print out a couple of signs...Where is the honey, Oops that's right, I needed to label some jars, get the labels, hunt around for some scissors to take and put them in the car.  I had excess Oranges and Mandarins but they were still on the trees so had to go inside and get some bags to put them in.  By this time the dog was awake and barking so I let him out.  The trees are in the chookpen and they're waking up too so come running out looking for food and trying to trip me over.  Again.   The stupid dog is carrying on trying to get the chooks, I think he would be a chook killing given half a chance so I stop what I am doing and lock him up again.  If he barks and wakes up the husband then so be it. I pick Lemons, Oranges and Mandies.  Put them in a box and grab some bags to put them in.  Get the fish food box down, at least I know where that one is.   So I have fishfood, honey, fruit...that will do as it's getting on and I still needed to get changed and get there to set up. 

By the time I do get there I have 15 min before official opening time, someone is in the spot we usually have but I set up in the sunshine, probably a better spot anyway as it turned out.  It is windy and cold but I manage to get the cloths on and the produce set out,  Stick the price signs onto the table and then start bagging up some fruit to sell.  I then cut out some labels and stick them on the jars that need them.  And start selling.      All the Mandarins went quite quickly, then the Oranges.  I could have sold twice the amount if I had of taken the time to pick more.  Sold enough honey to make it worthwhile and a few bags of the fishfood. 

All up it was worth going down, I made a bit of money, I supported the markets, talked to the woman next to me so helped out Vinnies too.

The woman next to me said they were moving so she had a clean-out, she had so much stuff.  She was saying that she didn't want to take any of it home so was hoping it would all sell.  I mentioned that Vinnies was across the road, I could get the key, if she really didn't want what she didn't sell then they would take it.  She seemed pleased with that and at the end of the markets I opened the doors and helped her unload a heap of stuff.   I spend most of yesterday sorting through it and putting it on our shelves so win win there.

All in all it was a successful day.  Cold though, I was going to grab a jumper but forgot so was thankful that I had a sunny spot.  It was still cold though.     I need to get organised and ready for the next one, yes I do.  Will I though.  Or won't I...

Another Day Out.

I had a lovely day out today with daughter T and granddaughter J.   Saturday morning means soccer for J and I had recently sold a bag on Facebook and knowing I could be over in her area I said I'd deliver it.  It was a chance to watch the little kids kick a ball around and I thought we'd be able to have a picnic on the beach before doing the bag drop-off.  It didn't turn out that way though.   It was raining this morning when I was picked up, It rained while we were driving, it rained before the game...It wasn't so bad during the game but rained on and off throughout the afternoon so the beach picnic was called off.  It was a good game though.  It is strange watching these young kids play, some of them look tiny they are so young.  Maybe 5.  Maybe only 4.  Small anyway.  J is 6 so that age and under.
  
While waiting for the game to start I realise what an old grumpy bum I am...T is always on time, at the oval well before the game is due to start and I must say, I don't understand why she is the only one from her team that can manage that.  One family is late every week.  So get yourself a clock!   One week J's game started 20 minutes late.  You'd think by then that all her team-mates would be there right.  No, J's team borrows some kids from the other team to have even sides and they are 10 min into the game before the late players get there.  So if the game had of started on time they would have been 30 mins late.  And that is not a once-off.  Makes me cranky.   The kids are young so the halves go for only 20 min.   Why then do the parents let the kids come off during play for a drink.  Instead of sending them back on they hand them a can of cooldrink.  I reckon they should send the kids back on until half time, don't teach them it's OK to just walk off from the game.  If they need a drink then give them water but if they have a drink before the game started they wouldn't need one 10 mins in.  What kid wouldn't come off for a can of cooldrink.   Makes me cranky!  
Anyway, the game ends, it's raining again so the planned photos don't happen...We head to the car then to the shops.   I should not go shopping with this pair!    They want to spend money, buy stuff, sook when someone says no...Though T is getting better with that! haha T.   I spent too much money, bought too much crap food so ate too much crap food...And that makes me cranky.

We eventually head away from the shops and towards the meeting place.  That's near the water and there is a playground so a nice way to spend half an hour.

Just before the meeting time we see dolphins.  Four dolphins and half a dozen pelicans.  Looks like they are chasing fish and one of the dolphins comes in quite close and puts on a show for us so that was great.   We exchange the bag for some money, walk along the waters edge following the dolphins, back for a bit more of a play then home.  I found out that going high on a swing now makes me feel ill and going around on a swirly thing does the same...I enjoyed the day despite my crankiness and dizzinesss  so thanks T and J, 'twas nice.

And like I said in the title, it was *another* day out.  The other, first for the month, one being last Tuesday when I needed to go to Mandurah for a scan on my back.  It is still not better and I shouldn't have to take pills every day just so I can do stuff.   But forking out a few hundred dollars for a scan that after it was done they said wouldn't show them what they needed so I needed an x-ray as well, another $100...Makes me cranky  There better be something fixable found or...wait for it...I'll be cranky!

Before the day my sister rang and we arranged to meet in Mandurah for our monthly lunch with Mum so I was looking forward to that.  However Tuesday gets here and it's raining, forecast storms...Sister rings and we cancel Mandurah lunch and arrange it for next week in Bunbury.    I ask husband to come with me, he says no, he didn't want to.  Oh OK.  No lunch, scan then home.  But I wanted lunch out, no-one wanted lunch with me...I understood the sister cancelling, that just made good sense but husband!  I was cranky hurt  p'off bigtime.!  I had been looking forward to a nice day out with people I love and all I was going to get was a scan then home again, wow what fun that would be...HoHum, stupid thinking there.  I'm a big girl now surely I could have lunch by myself.  No, not lunch.  Coffee and cake at Cicerellos like I have been wanting to for close on 12 months.  BY MYSELF!!  So that's what I did.  After the scan I went to the shops for a look at rainbow stuff for granddaughters' birthday party that's coming up then drive down to Mandurah foreshore, parked then walked over to the water.  It was windy so I grabbed my beanie, not my jacket though, get to Cicerellos and it is busy, no empty tables inside.  A few outside so I order my c and c and sit down to wait, watch the sky darken and hope it doesn't rain.  I see some people come out so I go inside and sit at the table they have just vacated.   I can see the water and boats from there and it is much warmer than outside.  My beeper goes off and I go to the counter hoping no-one will pinch my seat while I am gone.  What do you do there, do you leave something so people know that seat is taken or just hope it is still there when you get back to it?   I get back to it and there is someone sitting there but only on 1 seat so mine was still empty as were 2 others as it was a table with 4 chairs...Had yummy cake and coffee that wasn't hot enough but it was nice sitting there and watching the people and looking out at the water.  I had called in to the information centre which is close to here so I would have something to read while I waited, you know, so I didn't look like a loser that had to eat by herself...and while looking through it I saw that it was only a short 12min walk over to the marina s decided to do that.  But it was going to rain.  I had to walk back to the car to get my raincoat and umbrella then back to here before I could start the walk over to the marina.  It did rain, a lot and my umbrella was blown inside out, my shoes got soaked as did my trousers...but I had fun and have decided to do it again one day when the weather is not quite so dismal.  I need to remember that I don't need other people before I do anything, I can do stuff by myself.   I need to get rid of the SookyLaLaness 'cause I'm a big girl now and that's what big girls do. 

Clothing Cull.

Yep, again.  It should be a weekly thing until I get it under control but I wait until I can no longer close the door properly and stuff falls out when I try and cram the clean washing in.  HoHum, I have too much stuff..

But!  As of now I am down to only 6 pairs of black pull on pants.  Trousers, slacks, longin's, call them what you will.  Six!   They all fit, I wear them...Mind you the 5 pairs that I have bagged up for the op-shop also fitted and have been worn this year but really, 11 pair of the same thing is really not right.  Not good and not happening here any more.   I now have *only* 10 pair of trousers in the cupboard.
6 black.   My go to trousers for most days.
1 cream,  Summer time.
1 brown.  Warmer type
1 patterned.  Summer wearing
1 jeans.  Might go as I am not a jeans wearing type.  But they fit!   I am giving them a chance until the next cull.

I am wearing a pair...of black and I think there is a pair (black) in the wash.  

And of course this is not counting what is in the basket of yard stuff under the bed.  I know there is a pair of black trackies and a pair of black pants in there.  Or should be, I can't seem to pull the too full basket out to cram 'em in.   I will get to this basket sometime over the week as it is too full again. 

Why is there so much?  Because I hate throwing good stuff away and when Vinnies wants to get rid of it because they have enough already in the shop I feel sorry for it and bring it home where it will be loved.    The 2 bags I have here to go will be taken to the other op-shop where I wont know what happens to it but I'm pretty sure they will put in in their shop and not waste it.

I did the shirt shelf last week but there might still be too many in there too and I now have 4 jumpers less than I did a week ago...Four less pairs of knickers than yesterday but still probably a dozen pair too many and way too many socks...HoHum...back into it.

How many is too many?  How many is enough?

Oranges and Lemons. And Mandarins.

Citrus time again and I know I say/write it every year but...Is there anything yummier than an Orange plucked from the tree on a sunny Winters day and eaten outside with the juice running down your chin?  Or is that just me...We lost a lot of Oranges this year due to them splitting for some reason but as always there are still lots left for us.   And enough for the daughters to take a bag away with them when they are here and the son and his girlfriend...We have emptied the first tree and have started on the second main tree.  We have had a dozen or so off a young tree in the chookpen but I won't count that until next year when it can hold it's own with the 3 main ones in the yard.   Though there is a big one in the chookpen which will be ready to eat by the time these next 2 are empty.    And the Valencia is full too but they wont ripen until November...I lurve Oranges and want at least 1 more Summer ripening one but am yet to convince the husband that we need another one.  He thinks 6 is enough...I scoff at that and one day we will have at least 1 more...


The Bush Lemon is chockers too.

 

 

Husband doesn't like this tree as it has huge thorns/spines throughout and can be quite dangerous when out there and not paying attention.  He is often out there not paying attention and not wearing shoes so I get to hear his thoughts on this tree throughout the year.  He has recently given it a prune but we didn't lose many fruit this time.  Last year he cut it right back and wasn't at all concerned with all the lemons that came off with the branches but this year the fruit is mainly on the bottom half and he only pruned off the top so we have heaps.   I will be taking a lot to the markets on Sunday if daughter and I decide to go and I have put an ad up on Facebook too.   I managed to sell some Chokoes and beeswax from there so will see how we go with these.



They are juicy but don't seem as sour as the usual Lemon that is sold in the shops.  Lemon drinks throughout Winter are one of my ways to ward off colds and other Winter lurgies and this week I am adding chopped up lemons to water kefir and drinking it throughout the day.  So far so good, no sniffs or sniffles and if I do happen to get a sore throat I will add honey and drink more.   Natures own medicine.

I am yet to juice some but will need to do that so we have juice for Summer cordial.  We now have an Eureka lemon tree too and that is also full with branches touching the ground from the weight of the fruit.  I think husband needs to drink lots more cordial instead of buying Coke but he scoffs at that idea...There seems to be too much scoffing at ideas of others and not enough scoffing of fruit happening here...  



Over the last month or so I have been hearing of people eating Mandarins and wondering why ours weren't ready yet, started thinking we might not get any...but they are here now, ripe and ready to eat.  Unfortunately the tree has scale which means sooty mould on the leaves and fruit.  It doesn't affect the taste though and we just wash it off before we eat them but I will need to get out there and deal with the stuff on the tree.  I usually just squirt the branches soapy water and wipe over with a rag.  Some people say to spray but I never remember with what or when so it doesn't get done.