Willow

This little lady is my new Burmese kitten called Willow, born 19/6/12. She is a chocolate Burmese, but is quite a bit lighter in colour than my last chocolate Burmese cat. In the photos she looks more like a lilac Burmese, but her points are brown as opposed to the grey points of the lilac colour.

I collected her yesterday afternoon from the breeder, and she is very timid and frightened. She has been reared in a cattery and not used to people and household noises. She hides from my daughter and me, but I hope that she will soon become used to us, and not miss her mother and siblings . I feel sad for her at the moment. It must be a very scary world for her.

We made some progress this afternoon as she was happy to snuggle up beside me for an afternoon nap.

Today is Father's Day. My dad is no longer with us as he passed away in 1978 at the age of 60. Far too young to die, and I was also too young as a 25 yr old to lose my father. He did get to meet 2 of my girls. Gosh he loved his grandkids. My brother has 3 children also, and dad was able to spend good times with all of them until illness took over his life. He was a good hard working man who worked long hours so that my brother and I could go to good schools.
He was the youngest of 4 boys and grew up in Bondi Sydney. His dad was an Engineer who lost his life tragically when he was washed off a rocky ledge by a large wave while fishing. My dad was only 13 at the time, and had to leave school and go to work to help his mum. He became a motor mechanic, then joined the army, was posted to Papua NewGuinea in the 2nd World War, and met my mum while on leave in Ipswich, Qld. They moved to Bondi after their marriage, and my brother and I were both born there. They then moved to Jandowae Qld to help my mum's parents on their farm for a couple of years , finally moving to Brisbane when I was 2. My dad bought a taxi, and that was his job until he became ill a couple of years before he died.

  Dad with me as a baby.

Dad with me as a bride.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads!

Lucy Turns One

Yesterday we celebrated another happy milestone. Little Lucy's first birthday. All the big names were there. Lola, Milly, Hunter, Will, and of course an assortment of important others...Aunties, Uncles, Great Aunty and Great Uncle, Grandparents, Great Grandmother.  So special to see Great Grandma cradling baby Will.

Lucy's Mum and Dad put on a wonderful spread. We don't believe in under catering in our family! The weather was perfect for a BBQ, the children played in Lucy's new teepee tent, and the adults chatted, and drank wine.

Aunty Libby made the prettiest  birthday cake ever !  Look !

You can see the different layers of colour in the cake in this pic. I think a family tradition has now been established. Aunty Libby is the official maker of the birthday cake!

Lucy and dolly in the teepee tent waiting for the cousins to arrive . Happy Birthday sweet girl xx

Childhood Memories

50  Memories That I Have Of My Early Childhood.

1. My little red felt slippers with a little black beaded button fastener getting warmed  on the side plate of a wood stove.
2. Climbing over the back fence to go to the bakery that was behind our house to buy fresh bread and cream buns.
3. Eating sugar cane from a patch that grew in our back yard.
4. Playing under the hose in summer.
5. Making mud pies and decorating them with flowers from the garden.
6. Getting into trouble for standing on the newly poured concrete path before it was set.
7. Eating fresh figs from our tree.
8. Being pushed around the back yard in the wheel barrow.
9. Being allowed to have the family radio next to my bed when I was sick. This was before television.
10. Having terrible tonsillitis and being visited by the local doctor who wore a suit and tie.
11.We always had fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast.
12. Eating fresh bread torn into pieces and mixed with hot milk and sugar for breakfast. Occasionally.
13. Playing dress ups in my mother's old clothes, including her wedding dress.
14. Hiding in the broom cupboard every night and giving my father a fright when he opened the door. That went on for years. Mum would ask him to get out the broom as he came in the door after work.
15.The sound  and smell of the pressure cooker whistling away on the stove.
16. My mum making coconut ice for fetes.
17. My mum polishing the wooden floors with an electric floor polisher.
18. My great uncle working in the yard.
19.The sound of steam trains in the middle of the night.
20. Going for a holiday to my cousins place and my bedroom being totally made over while I was gone. It was changed from a blue room into a pretty pink room with  pink floral lino on the floor.
21. Looking longingly at a beautiful doll with long hair in a local shop window and being given the doll for Christmas.
22.Visiting my grand parents on a Sunday and eating fish and chips by the bay.
23. My father  always servicing his own car.
24.The last day of the school year when we had boxes of plums, apricots, cherries, and watermelons to eat , and played games all day.
25.The westerly winds whistling during the night.
26.The kerosene heater in winter.
27 My father making jaffles in a jaffle iron.
28. My mum making mint sauce at Christmas.
29. My cousins coming to stay for holidays and us getting up really early in the morning and swinging on the double swing while we sang songs.
30. Playing school , and I was the teacher.
31. Playing with the neighbourhood kids and going from house to house.
32. Loving apples.
33. Our first family holiday to the Gold Coast. I was about 8, and we stayed in a flat at Currumbin.
34. Singing in Eisteddfods, and getting 1st place many times.
35. Sitting in my Grandparent's mango tree, eating mangos.
36. The local show, called the Ekka, and getting a doll on a stick on the way out.
37. Going to the city for the day with my Mum and Grandma.
38. Visits to my cousins place.
39. Leaving home at 4am with my Grandpa to drive to my Aunty's place in the country.
40. The smell of the pepperina tree at my Aunty's place in the country.
41. The smell of my Uncle's chemist shop in the country. I loved it. He sold not only pharmacutical products, but china, and jewellery.
42. Being given a sixpence to buy an orangeade iceblock and a small packet of juicy fruit chewing gum.
43. My first holiday to my Uncle's farm way out west, and waking up in the morning, and my Uncle giving me a mug of hot cocoa.
44. My Father owned a taxi, and the taxi company held a Christmas picnic every year. Every child received a present from Santa, and a free bucket of icecream, and a packet of chips.
45. Easter, and the local cake shop would have a display of beautiful sugar easter eggs in the window. Some of them were huge.
46. Looking out my bedroom window during a cyclone and seeing sheets of corrugated iron flying past.
47. Coming home from school at lunch time, and my Dad had bought me a puppy. My first puppy called Tippy.
48. The day I got my first bike.
49. Learning to swim.
50. Watching my Mother dampening down clothes with water sprinkled from an old glass cordial bottle that had holes drilled in the lid. She then rolled them up before ironing them.

Cats and Babies

Last weekend I did something that I vowed I would never EVER do again in my lifetime. I bought a kitten.  I should rephrase that...... I put down a deposit on a kitten. Yes I did !

I'm still coming to terms with it. Have I done the right thing? Ohhh geee I'm still not sure. People are happier if they have pets right? Pets keep you young right? I've heard it all, but it is a long term commitment. That part doesn't phase me, it's more the cleaning of the litter tray, and the worry of little claws scratching my furniture, and the awful sadness that you feel when the time comes that you have to put your beloved pet down.

I lost my 18year old Burmese cat 2 years ago. She was a lilac Burmese called Molly, and she was the last of 3 Burmese cats that had been part of my family since 1992. When my children were younger they used to wrap her up like a baby and push her around in a pram. She loved being wrapped up. In the last year of her life she became very strange. Probably dementia, but she would meow loudly through the night, and run around the house, up and down the stairs. It was very disturbing for me, as I am a light sleeper, and I used to get very frustrated with her, but I cried and cried when I had to make that sad journey to the Vet on a cold and rainy Monday night to have her put down, when it was clear that her time had come. The other 2 cats were just as sweet. Misha and Muffin, a chocolate and a blue Burmese. Misha lived to 8, and poor Muffin was hit by a car. She was 6.


Misha

Muffin

Molly and Misha

So in 6 weeks time another little kitten will come into this home. There's no doubt she will be loved and cared for. Lets hope that she likes little people. They are quite prevalent around these here parts.

                                                             


In other news, I had the pleasure of attending a baby shower high tea today. My lovely niece is expecting her second baby on the 27th July. I just love family get togethers.

 Lovely niece's Mum who I have known since we were both 12, and me.

Radiant Mum to be.

Nana time

Oh dear, my two weeks holiday is fast coming to an end and I am feeling despondent about having to go back to work . I have had a lovely break, and have enjoyed every second of it.

Towards the end of my first week off my grandson came to stay for 6 days. Being a 2yr old he is very active and inquisitive. He pretty much hits the ground running when he wakes up in the morning, which just means that you have to watch him closely to keep track of what he is up to so that he doesn't hurt himself .

He has kept a little trike at my place, and as there are no peddles on it, he uses his feet to move himself along. I had a brainwave moment and thought that he would surely LOVE to be able to peddle along, so off we went to the shops and I bought a little peddle trike. Unfortunately it needed to be assembled, and assembling things is not my forte. An hour later, and after much silent swearing ( one doesn't swear in front of little ones does one ) we had a trike assembled. Only problem was, the handlebars kept falling off. Ummm small problem. Never mind , all was rectified after a phone call and a visit fom one of the Uncles. Apparently I hadn't tightened something enough.

We had a wonderful time together. We went for walks to the nearby park.

Had coffee with cousin Lucy.

Went to Bunnings and hid from Nana.

Visited new cousin Will.

Hunter is such a sweet little boy, and very easy to look after. I always feel that if a child is happy to go down for their afternoon nap, and happy to go to bed at night, you're pretty lucky.

Anyway I miss the little chap now, as he is staying with his other Nan until his parents come back from their trip.

Aren't Jonquils lovely. Cheery little flowers with a lovely fragrance.

Holidays

I can't begin to tell you how HAPPY I am to be on holidays. I LOVE being at home, pottering around, de-cluttering, cooking, cleaning, hanging washing on the line to dry in the sun and the breeze.
I can't WAIT until the day that I retire. I NEVER get bored being at home. I feel so much more relaxed and less stressed when I am at home.

Today I have made a large cottage pie full of yummy ingredients:  beef mince, onions, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, celery, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes,worcestershire sauce, stock, and topped with mashed potato, and I have also baked some cornflake and sultana biscuits.


Ready to pop in the oven

Later today I will begin the task of making my home toddler friendly in preparation for the arrival tomorrow of my darling grandson H. Glass and china ornaments etc will be moved to higher ground, the toy box will be brought into the lounge area, and his bedroom will be made cosy and inviting.
He sleeps in a little bed at his place, but he will have to be in the cot here. Hope he doesn't mind too much. He's fairly easy going. We're going to do some fun things like taking a train trip into the city, going to a zoo, and going to the beach where we will find a rock pool, and investigate what lies beneath the water and the rocks. I'm looking forward to it. Let the fun times begin !

Family Get Togethers.

It's a cold and rainy Sunday where I live, but this morning we had a little get together to celebrate my youngest daughter's birthday.
Her actual birthday isn't for a week or so, but she and her husband will be away in the UK, so we had morning tea at my place.

I rose early this morning and baked some apple and date muffins, and some mini crustless savoury quiches. We also had homemade scones with jam and cream, and a raspberry butter cake.

I must say it's becoming quite chaotic when we're all together. The older girls race around entertaining the 2 year old boy. The little 10 mth old crawls around, stopping every now and then to pull herself up on some furniture, and to play with toys pulled out of the toy box, and of course there is the newbie, our little 2 week old who must have felt quite overwhelmed with all the noise. He was passed around between all the Aunties and Uncles. It's wonderful really, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I just love the little crochet hats the little ones are wearing.They love them too.

William 25/5/2012

Hooray!!
 We have a new addition to our family. Baby Will arrived safely at 9.25 am on the 25th May, 12 days late, weighing 8lb 7 ozs in the old weights, and guess what.....he was delivered by his Aunty, who by the way is a Midwife.
 It wasn't planned that Aunty L would deliver him, but  she was in the room as a support for her sister, and the attending Midwife suggested that she might like to "catch the baby" as they say, so she gloved up and brought him into the world, and helped his Daddy cut the cord.......so exciting ! His beautiful Mummy was very brave and clever, and opted for no pain relief.
Several family members, myself included, were anxiously waiting outside the birthing unit, and after what seemed like an eternity we were allowed in to meet our new precious little bundle. We have a lovely video recording of the moment baby's 2 sisters raced into the room to say hello to their brother. So special.

Needless to say the weekend was spent making trips up to the hospital, chatting , admiring the baby, fighting for the next cuddle, and comparing and sharing photos.

This morning we all met up again at the baby's house. We decided to give him a bath. It was hilarious, like some sort of  tribal women's ritual. There we all were arguing about the temperature of the bath water, and which was the best way to hold him. His Daddy just retreated into the background. A wise move I feel.

Welcome to the world darling Will!  xx

Thoughts.

The older I get, the less I need/want , and I actually crave a fairly simple life. I no longer desire expensive clothes/jewellery/cars/ holidays. These days I drive a small car with no added extras, I rarely go out for dinner, or to the movies, and the majority of my shoes/ clothes are bought from cheaper shops. I'm fine with all that. My next project is to cull my wardrobe of many of the clothes that I simply don't wear, but have hoarded for far too long.
Don't get the wrong idea, I still like to look presentable, and I like to keep up with fashion trends to a degree, and I like my home to look pretty and neat, but I am finding that I want less, which I think is good.

 I've also been thinking about some things that I really dislike doing. This is not good.

1. Attending to my mail. I pay my bills, but I am really bad at filing the notices away.
2. Putting out the rubbish bin/bins , and bringing them in again. Mainly because I have to unlock a gate! I know.... sounds lazy.
3. Arranging to have my car serviced.
4. My annual visit to my Accountant.
5. Cleaning the shower screens.

The build up of mail  annoys me the most, and when I do eventually get around to attending to it,  I always vow that I will file it as it arrives, but after a month or so it's there again, that hideous pile of envelopes stashed on the kitchen bench.

Yesterday I made a Shepherd's pie. I popped some cheese over the top of the potato which is why the potato looks golden brown.

My little grandson came for a sleep over, so we both "tucked into" the Shepherd's Pie for our dinner.
He has just turned 2, and is getting a little fussy about food. He is also becoming independent, and wants to feed himself which is fine, but you have to be prepared for some mess.



One of my Mother's day gifts was a years subscription to Delicious Magazine. I was so excited to receive my first copy in the mail last Monday.

Oriental Lilies. My favourite flower. I buy them on a Wednesday from the Farmer's market in the city. I think I prefer the white flower to the pink, but they are both just divine, and the perfume fills the house. A welcome fragrance when I come home from work.

We are still waiting for the baby to arrive !!

Mother's Day

It's Mother's Day and the girls and their families came to my place for breakfast. Everyone brought a dish which meant that I didn't have to prepare anything..... I like that idea .....on Mother's Day anyway !

We ate fresh fruit, blueberry muffins, asparagus and cheese croissants, and little bread rolls that had been hollowed out and then filled with an egg, some ham and cheese, and then baked in the oven. All delicious.

I received some lovely gifts from the girls, and also some money to put towards a small TV for my bedroom.

My youngest daughter's beautiful mother in law invited me to her fabulous unit for morning tea. A view to die for, and more delicious food.

Later today I'm off to eldest daughter's place for a BBQ.  Aren't I blessed.

We are still waiting for our little boy to arrive. He is due today, so he had better do the right thing and make an appearance.

My own Mum who passed away in 1990, is always in my thoughts, and especially today. Happy Mother's Day to all the Mums out there. xx