2 more sleeps

The holidays are coming to an end and I have 2 more sleeps until it's back to work.  I did the usual at the start of the holidays, you know...

"These holidays I'm going to...

• Walk everyday
• Use my Wii Fit
• Stretch
• Eat healthy
• Drink plenty of water
• Tidy the study
• etc, etc, etc,"

I dutifully consulted "60 Second Secrets" for a few suggestions on how to improve my life and here's the tip I took on board.

"Buy a bottle of apple cider vinegar today.  From tomorrow morning, begin to take a teaspoon or two of it each morning in a glass of water....It helps cleanse your insides, improves digestion and gives you a glow of health."

How easy does that sound.  So at the beginning of school holidays I bought myself a bottle, took it on holidays with me, bought it home again where it has sat waiting on the kitchen bench.

Richard did remind me this morning that it ain't going to work sitting in the bottle so I unscrewed the cap put 2 teaspoons in water and swallowed.

Hmmmm, goodness me.  It sent an involuntary shudder through my jaw, made my eyes go funny and then every muscles squirmed all the way down to my toes. 

What's that saying?  If it tastes bad it must be good for you.  If that's true I'll be glowing inside and out in no time.

I took my book but...

I went on a picnic today to the Mt Lofty Botanical Gardens.  I took my book just in case I had the opportunity to read a page or two but who was I kidding. 

There was quiche, salad and fresh rolls

and of course a picnic wouldn't be complete

without some bubbles...

We toasted each other and raised our glasses

to William and Kate.

We did have a plate crasher...

and we were mighty relieved that we found him alive

and kicking and not half eaten.

After sharing some vanilla slice, chocolate eclair and

honeystick we took a casual stroll around the lake.

Like all good things it came to an end...but it was

lovely while it lasted.

Acca sellowiana

This is our acca sellowiana - stuck down the side of the house, neglected and grass growing in the middle of it.

Fortunately it doesn't hold grudges and is providing us with a bountiful crop of feijoas.

Have you had one before?  The best way to eat them is just to cut them in half and scoop out the middle.

If they taste a little grainy, then they're not quite ripe.    They're at their best the day they fall to the ground and taste delicious. 

 

  At least I've got something to eat while I'm waiting for the veges to grow.

Planted

I snuck out early this morning to start moving the dirt - I so wanted to surprise the boys by having some of it moved before they got up...no joke I had filled one wheelbarrow full, opened the gate to go through and there's Richard.  Needless to say I was "allowed" to do my one and then he took over.  I did sneak in a couple more but then Michael got up and he took over from both of us.

The first thing we planted was a herb/grass just for pets.

Then we planted - snow peas, purple carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, leeks - all seedlings.

We planted some seeds of english spinach and carrots.

I sat down with a hot cup of tea after we'd finished

but that busy boy of mine just found something else to do. 

I have to take him to a party tonight and pick him up at midnight...I think I will be having a sleep on the sofa in between drop off and pick up.  It is a cheap price to pay for all the work he's done over the past couple of days. 

Now I need to get some mulch for the new vege patch and wait patiently for them all to grow.  Sadly I don't do "patiently" very well.

Waiting for the dirt

Spent most of the afternoon waiting for the dirt to arrive....ho hum...

So I did a bit more pruning in my quest for more sun, with a little bit of help from my friend.  Lulu had a great time dragging the branches around the garden.

Michael got the pick out and turned over the soil.

I added a layer of leaf mulch to the base.

The pots are probably as old as me.  I kept them when we moved my mother-in-law to live with us.  I've put some coriander in a couple of them and we'll put parsley in and maybe something flowery in the rest for a bit of colour.

While we were waiting the "man about the house" popped down to the city and bought a new bbq.  We didn't have many bbqs this summer as  the old bbq wasn't quite up to it...

It came with some great packing which I punched holes in, filled with dirt and planted some beetroot seeds.  We love roast beetroot.

And finally just before the last bit of daylight and after I'd come inside to start cooking tea...the dirt arrived.

I think I can have one more day of play in the garden and then I'll have to start getting ready for the start of a new term. If I get inspired really quickly I might have some more playtime later in the week.



Too much shade

Who would of thought I'd complain about too much shade.  But I do...I've got the smallest patch that gets full sun for growing veges.  Whenever I mention that we need more space for another vegetable patch I get the "Hmmm, well maybe you could get rid of the pear tree and then use that spot". 

Yes that would work...not...right in the shade of another big tree and next door to the boys' bonfire pile.  So I stamped my feet a bit yesterday and gave an ultimatum about which shade tree was coming down...

"Hmmm, maybe you could get rid of the apple tree and then use that patch - you'd get full sun there".

So I called his bluff (he knows I love the apple tree with a passion) and said okay then, Michael get the axe.  Michael was gobsmacked because he knows no-one's allowed to touch the apple tree...

"Hmmm maybe not the apple tree because it blocks out the balcony on the 2-storey house up the road.  We'll trim all the shade trees and then you can put a new patch in the middle so it'll get more sun."

So Michael got the axe and trimmed up the tree we call "The Twins" -  2 trees that grew in the same spot.

And here's a rough marking of the new patch.

Still in the shade early this morning but there's

more chopping to be done yet.

I bought the plants yesterday so Richard has to ordered the soil today.  Michael and I had a lovely time choosing our stock. 

Michael is our "doer", he likes to be busy outside and as part of his schooling this year he is doing a horticulture certificate - hopefully leading into a school based apprenticeship next year.

Looking forward to a good day in the garden.



Oakbank Races

Easter Saturday means Oakbank Racing Carnival for us.  To get a good spot at the racecourse you have to get there early, so the alarm was set and off to bed we went.  What I wasn't expecting was for my mobile to go off in the early hours and have Tom tell me he'd been in a car accident.

 Half asleep I got some sketchy details from him but he was ok.  Relief.  I offered to go and get him but the Country Fire Service was there and as he's a member he was giving them a hand.  I was going to get him when they got back to the station. 

One of the CFS guys dropped him home and that's when we got all the details.  It was one of "those" accidents that emergency services are surprised that people have walked away from.  They'd crashed through a safety barrier and fence and ended up on their side backwards in a creek - wedged between the bank and a big tree.

Richard and the CFS guy went to collect our car from the friend's house and they drove past the car accident.  Richard said he felt physically sick seeing the car.  I had a look at the scene tonight and goodness it could of been so different...they could of been seriously hurt with just what had happened but had they crashed into the tree that they brushed against it would of been such a different story.

Tom's a bit sore and looks like he might have a broken finger but that's all...I'm very proud of him he stayed calm, helped the others get out of the car and called 000 to get help.  He was very subdued this morning but after being with his friends at Oakbank was brighter this afternoon.

We did have a lovely day but a fair amount of time in my mind was spent with "What if..." every time I looked at him.

Louise, me and Carol

Breakfast - a good hearty breakfast fixes many things.

My boys at either end - before they put on their fancy pants.

And with their fancy clothes on.

Hope that Easter Bunny finds you all in the morning.