Sunday ~ A good day

I've been a bit busy the last few weeks , hence the blogging hiatus. It wasn't something I planned but that is way it panned out.

Suffice to say we have had a wedding, funeral, moving , our 18 yr son moving out of home ( on good terms because he has a job in Sydney training as a Fire technician ) , Christmas , new puppies , packing to move (we are renting our house not selling so we had to fix things and leave the place spotlessly clean) and general displacement in the crazy mix. Plus other stuff and matters I can't blog about because it is not my story to tell.

Last night to top it all off we had a severe thunderstorm - causing a power failure at 9.30pm. I was home alone with the twins. Lucky I found a torch (or my little guys did) minutes before - as the power had been flickering. Eventually I found a candle, then a lighter gun. It was an interesting experience to say the least.

I then had to check the new puppies were ok in their temporary pen and kennel , way down the back, in the pouring rain and lightening all around (again my little guys came to the rescue because they knew where a Ben 10 umbrella was). Then I had to close all the wide open windows in the caravan.

The storm was quite scary, thankfully my boys didn't freak out. Though they did ring my husband on my mobile phone while I was out in the storm and they were inside in the dark (it was before I found the candle) with lightening flashing everywhere.I didn't dare risk taking them outside with me. It looked quite spectacular even if a bit scary as only a few windows have curtains...

Normally, I would have been more prepared but everything has been moved about due to moving in Wednesday. Usually my White Knight  is here for such emergencies.

I heard this song recently and it resonates with me .



song #2 As we packed (and decluttered) there were a lot of memories that came flooding back. I had to throw out a lot of things I have held onto for years physically and mentally.

This year we will make new memories !



I chose Elvis in honour of the Elvis festival being held nearby in Parkes.

Thea @ Do I Really Wanna Blog hosts  Sunday Session, where you get to share the songs that you love. It is just the way I like it - no rules, no themes – free rolling fun.

You ease my troubles , that's what you do

We arrived at the farm at 1am Thursday.

That's the way we roll ...late.

I can't explain why but being here is peaceful.
Calming. All our troubles melt away. 
Well, except for the mice and white ants ....grrrr don't ask..

Thursday, we darted all over town with the trailer , looking for a wood fire / slow combustion heater for our little shed.
Finally we found one and DH rushed home to install it before dark.
Two ladders, a hole in the roof for a chimney and almost done.
One hour later, after an interruption by our chatty neighbour and a dozen questions from the small boys the  first flames were lit.
Toasty warm in another hour or so.

It's lovely to look at too.
We have enough fallen and felled trees to keep us in firewood for years to come.
Remember, I got a chainsaw for my birthday last year.
I have touched and carried it a few times.
I even used my brother's smaller, older one, to cut a few logs, once at  my bother brother's insistence ...he said it was easy. NOT !
It will come in very handy though for DH.

Life's good.
A cup of tea at 3am is divine after a close call with a vomiting child.
Thankful, minutes before I talked him into returning to his bed.
Thankful, DH did the carpet cleanup.
Thankful, it's our recycled carpet from home and not the new carpet at home. 



Today I donated plasma.
I pulled staples and nails from timber and flooring we are recycling for our temporary accommodation.
The sun shone, the small boy reminded us to wear our hats and we basked in the knowledge that goodness abounds.
I went back to my GP through the week and everything seems in order.
I'll wait and see how I go.
DH had a followup at the Cancer care centre, too, and all is ok. Next scans will be in 6 months.
He just has a referral to a neurologist for ongoing headaches. (His MRI 6 months ago was clear) 

I sincerely hope the rapture doesn't happen tomorrow because I haven't finished my to do list and people are coming to inspect our house.
Fingers crossed they decide to buy it.
 
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Post it Tuesday # 25

It's been a busy week. We spent 4 days at the farm last Thursday to Sunday. We got a lot achieved and it felt good to accomplish it together. (I'll post pictures when I find my camera/charger and time to upload them.)

Then my husband had medical appointments Monday & today. I've been personally challenged about the time I spent on social media so I may not be around as much for a while...

I always have a lot to do and when my husband starts his radiation treatment life will undoubtly get busier. He will be tired and then there is the traveling.

It won't always be the big things that wear me down but the battles to clean, cook ,budget and maintain a happy household as well as make sure everyone's needs are met.

I know too much mess in our home feels like a mountain and creates stress when we run late and can't find important things, the chequebook or even the twins preschool gear. When the drawers are empty and the clean laundry is piled high waiting to be folded by the good faeries tempers flare.

Not that these things are important in the bigger picture but the chaos that reigns would have us snip and snap constantly (not to mention the teen using the clothes dryer which send the power bill sky high).

Without some organisation life would be harder , getting basic things done helps minimise the mountains in our lives but a little dust won't hurt (don't look under my bed).

I love these like little snippets of wisdom mostly from Regina Black and I few I found elsewhere.


Don't even ask about my positive affirmations ...

I ♥ Post it Tuesday

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Too busy to blog

Backlog alert !
Amongst other things ...today I've been Spring cleaning.

Yes in 'Autumn' (or fall for those in USA ).
It's been on my can't be bothered to do list for ages.

1. I rearranged my Tupperware cupboard (found a huge stash of lollies & chocolate in the meat keeper thingo = SCORE for good Karma & good housekeeping)
2. Cleaned and rearranged the deep freezer ...unearthed a few frozen fossils. I am so glad I don't have to defrost it.
   
3. Tidied all 4 of the cutlery/utensil/junk drawers & vacuumed the crumbs & crud.
4. Tidied the general plates/bowls/cups/casserole dishes/plastic paraphenalia.Wiped out cupboards and I did it all by myself.
   
5. Cooked homemade sausage rolls for lunch using leftover turkey I found in said freezer ...Teen,his GF & small boys ate them all. Shhh -I didn't tell them it was leftover Christmas turkey !
   
6. Rode my exercise bike a few times in 20 min stretches.
7. Went shopping for white wine milk & bread ...though I had to buy the 'icecream' (strawberry, chocolate swirl & vanilla tubs) on special ...half price people so 3 x 2l tubs, 6 mini Magnums, 4 caramel crud Magnums later ~ My freezer now has more icecream than regular dinner food. So ? is there a problem ?
   
8. Also used up more leftover chicken to cook Teen,GF & my dinner. Chicken Alfredo, with bacon, mushroom , garlic, peas and parmesan cheese (seriously 12 mins tops using the Alfredo packet mix).
   
9. I also oven sprayed & cleaned the microwave convection oven (way overdue especially from the Teen who doesn't always use plates/ trays/baking paper or even bother to wipe it after use)
10. Still managed the regular washing, made the 'bed', unpacked the dishwasher, washed up 3-4 times , picked up toys , play referee ... yell " sit down, stop jumping, stop running, put that back,don't hit him, give that back " 100 times etc.
    
11. I even used a can opener to open baked beans for dinner one small boy ...now that truly exerted me. I haven't used the can opener in weeks...lucky I found it . The other small boy chose Number-gettio's (with a ring pull) so that made life easier =).
    
12. Distributed numerous snacks/drinks & bribes, over the course of the day, to said small boys in order to do all of this.
13. ...Finally I sat down with a toasted waffle & vanilla icecream with (frozen) blueberries.Then finished up with a dose of HOUSE !
    

I know my DH may not notice all my hard work ...*sigh*

...*shudder*...lucky for me or he might expect it all the time !!!

Still I am feeling slightly blissfully domestic.

& P.S. I am so hiding the Magnums now I have so many Tupperware containers with lids...

♥

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Confessions

Last Friday night on Twitter the gorgeous ladies were making all sorts of confessions. It reminded me ...

1. I have been trying to write a new blog post since last Thursday & Friday. I have a serious case of procrastination...careful it's contagious.


2. We spent all weekend sorting , de-cluttering and packing in preparation for putting our house up for sale. I kept getting sidetracked reading old magazines ,newspapers & other stuff. The house still looks like a bomb went off.
   


3. We have boxes everywhere and I have no idea where we had it all stashed before it got boxed. All the cupboards are still full.
   


4. I am a hoarder, I have hundreds of old magazines, bits & pieces and stacks of papers. [My filing cabinet is jammed full too... I just don't throw much out.]
   


5. About 16 years we moved I think I still have some of those boxes stored in an old garage at work (if the rats haven't destroyed it), 10 years later we moved again. I know we have lots of those boxes ...glassware & other wedding presents we have never used in 20 yrs. Then 5 yrs ago ...you get the picture !
   


6. My filing system is a huge # FAIL (see #4). I am not looking forward to finding all the receipts & stuff for our personal tax.
   


7. Over the weekend we moved S & J, into separate bedrooms as they have huge car shaped beds. We got them second hand and they are different beds .They used to take up the whole room almost. Their room was cramped. I resisted my DH's suggestion we do it months ago ...He was right (please don't tell him) .It looks great and they love the new space to spread the toys even further =-D. It was more my anxiety about separating them as 'Twins' than actually doing it.
   


8. In the process of de-cluttering & packing and I found a small white box. Curiosity got the better of me ... inside was 'OMG a year's supply (for me) of brand new unopened contact lens = $225 posted to me Dec 2007. (Ok , I was only out of pocket approx $12.50 due to my health rebate but what a waste.) Unfortunately. my prescription has changed .Though I obviously didn't need them I am so annoyed. [I will ring and see if I can donate them somewhere they are still in date till Oct 2010...well that's the plan.]


9. I also found three old school primary readers of the Teen's ( He had them in about y4 ...only had them 6.5 yrs ...which means we moved them with us 5 .5 yrs ago.Of course , I am going to put them back in school's letterbox before we move again =)


10. I watched the Black Saturday Anniversary special on ABC last night .The devastation and loss of life was unbelievable. Heart wrenching. I thought ...why do I need so many possessions. I wondered seriously why I can't live more simply (and cull all the cr@p...so does my DH)
    


11. I tried a cheat's recipe for Easiyo Yoghurt to double my yield & make two jars from one packet = #MEGA FAIL .I tried to rescue it # 2 FAIL .Tipped the lot down the sink in the end. (Don't believe everything you Google and don't mess with the EASIYO ! )

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Housekeeping ...I hate mice

I few things I had to tidy up...

I forgot in my haste to post the other day - November 16th is also our dear niece Ella's 17th birthday - she was born 9 months after we got married ...she is and always has been a delight.I can't help but smile.

Really on housekeeping ... we re-arranged the furniture in our family - baby play pen area. I hope it keeps them more entertained and happy . They are so busy pulling and throwing things about I can hardly keep up with them.

EeeeWWWW ! While we were away the mice played and pooed ... under the lounge, and the cupboards so DH had a lot of vacumming to do and washing the floor.I supervised and picked up all the toys.I didn't want the boys testing out their fine motor skills.

I am definitely getting a new cat (asap please darling).As long as he/she doesn't bring me the trophy.I scream when I see them dead or alive. Stuart Little may be cute but that is a fairytale.

My Aunty, keeps and breeds Ferrets ... kind of stretched out rat looking things if you ask me but they are apparently very affectionate,cheeky, and cute - like a naughty child.Our eldest son wanted one after he went to visit last time. Aww ... she sold them all ( Horray !).