Oooh, It's Looking A Lot Like Spring ...

Hope you are all having a wonderful week. So far, I have been. The weather is most definately Spring-like ... we should be getting up to 21 Celcius (69 Fahrenheit) today, with warmer later this week ... whoo-hoo, a heat wave !!

We went 10 Pin Bowling with some friends last night ... gosh, it was such fun. I hadn't bowled for a couple of years, and it took me awhile to get back into it ... bit frustrating at first, but then I got my groove back !!! First game I got a measly 100, but second game I got a nice 159 ... what a star !!!

I had a couple of people asking about the photos I took over the weekend, and what I did, and what sort of a camera it is. Well, it is a Kodak DX 6490, with 4 megapixels, and a 10x optical zoom using a great Schneider - Kreuznach Variogon Lens (gobbledy-gook, I know, but it might mean something to someone !!!). I usually leave it on it's Auto function, only changing from Macro, to Distance, or Sports functions, and of course zooming in and out as required. Nothing special, I like to keep it simple !!!

Here are a few more photos from the weekend, all taken from Chinaman's Hill at Bonnie Doon.







I received a fun email yesterday, thought I'd share ...

How Smart is Your Right Foot?

This is so funny that it will boggle your mind. And you will keep trying at least 50 more times to see if you can outsmart your foot, but you can't.

1. While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.
2. Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand.

Your foot will change direction. I told you so .....And there's nothing you can do about it

Make sure you pass this on to your friends...they won't be able to believe it either!!

Anyway, I guess I had better go and do something constructive ... dusting, vaccuuming, washing ... a woman's work is never done !!

Have a wonderful day, my dear blogging friends.

Take care,

MEOW

A Wonderful Weekend ...

Well, I'm back from a wonderful weekend away. The weather was OK, not too warm, but not too cold, either. We left on Friday late afternoon, and arrived at Bonnie Doon in the dark, around 7pm. Turned on the heating (a reverse cycle heater / airconditioner), which quickly warmed up the annexe and caravan, whilst we unpacked. Had a quiet evening, and early to bed. In the morning, it was quite foggy, and I got some great photos of the sun trying to come through ... the effect was quite spectacular, I thought.



Late in the afternoon, we went for a drive through what would be the lake, if it were full. As it is now, it is only around 23% of it's capacity. We drove to a hill called Chinaman's Hill, and drove up it ... it is very steep, and quite rocky ... the motorbikes have really chewed up the track. It is certainly low-range, first gear 4WD material !! The views from the top are amazing ... you can see Lake Eildon in various directions.



The reflection of the clouds on the water was just beautiful. As you probably have noticed, I like trying to take photos of unusual things, and just trying something different.

I liked this one ... the sun was peeking through the clouds, and highlighted just the one hill.

It was hard to tell where the dead trees ended and the water began !!

We had a spectacular sunset ... the colours were beautiful ... here's just a sample.

On descending the hill again, we quickly stopped, while we still had enough light, so I could get a photo of this amazing wattle tree. There are so many of these trees, scattered around the edges of what would be the lake.

It was a great weekend, spend with 3 other families (the ones who will be travelling to Broken Hill with us in September). I love going to Bonnie Doon ... it has held a special place in my heart for quite some time.

I'm about to go to the boarding cattery to pick up Bambi, then I'm back here to visit you all. I really should be doing the typing I didn't get finished last week ... but, I will be naughty and come visiting first (*giggle* ... don't tell anyone !!).

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, too.

Take care,

MEOW

Aussie Slang 101 ...

Hi There !!

Hope you are all doing well. I have been "flat out like a lizard drinking" !! In other words, I have been really busy. I haven't had as much time for blogging as I would have liked to, but will try to visit as many of you as I can this evening. Otherwise, I will try to visit over the weekend (depending on whether I can get on-line where we will be, or not !!). As I mentioned a few days ago, we are off for the weekend to our caravan at Bonnie Doon, which is a little town on the northern end of Lake Eildon, in North Central Victoria.

I had a bit of a giggle over some of your comments, wondering what a "roast chook" was. Well, to clear that up, "chook" is aussie slang for a chicken !! This gave me the idea to share some more of our strange aussie slang with you "non-Aussies" !! Enjoy ....

A over T ... to fall over, from "arse over tits".

A few Kangaroos loose in the top paddock ... someone who is mentally 'not quite there, also picnic short of a sandwich , lights are on but nobody is home, etc.

Ankle biter ... small child, also called a rug rat.

She'll be apples ... everything will be okay or alright.

Bad case of the trots ... diarrhea.

Blowie ... blow fly.

Cackleberry ... an egg.

Cark it ... to die.

Chockers, or chock-a-block ... full up, with no space left.

Chuck a wobbly ... to have a fit of temper.

Chunder ... to vomit.

Cods wallop ... an exclamation showing disbelief in what has just been said, equivelant to "Rubish!", or a polite way of saying "bullshit".

Dead ringer ... an exact copy, likeness, or replica. Something/someone that looks exactly the same as something/someone else.

Dinky di ... the genuine article or the real thing, especially if the object is from Australia. Also True Blue, and fair dinkum.

Drongo ... a stupid, inept, awkward or embarrassing person, a dimwit or slow-witted person, a fool.

Earbash ... to chatter or talk incessantly to the point of boring or nagging.

Flake out ... to lie down or to collapse from fatigue.

Give it heaps ... to not hold back. I.e.., To make sure a car would go up the hill, you would "give it heaps", put your foot down on the accelerator. To give someone heaps is to give them a talking to for doing something wrong, or to make fun of them for doing something silly.

Have a burl, have a crack, have a go ... to attempt to do something considered a little difficult.

Hoof it ... to walk rather than take transport.

I'm easy ... not worried, not concerned, or has no preference to the outcome of a choice.

Joe Bloggs ... the average person in the street. Although the term is male, it is non-specific and therefor signifies a person of either sex.

Knackered ... exhausted, or puzzled (as in "It's got me knackered!").

Knock back ... to refuse something, or to eat or drink something hurriedly.

Lame brain ... a foolish or unintelligent person.

Lead Foot ... a fast and reckless driver.

Make tracks ... to leave, depart or head off.

Mollycoddle ... to fuss over or pamper unnecessarily.

Nifty ... stylish.

Nipper ... young child, usually younger brother or sister.

Off one's face ... to be extremely drunk.

Onya ... an expression of encouragement, short for good on you.

Out of whack ... out of calibration or disorderly.

Piker ... someone who either does not join in with others, or gives up an activity before it is finished.

Postie ... postman / mailman.

Pull up stumps ... to stop an activity, usually for the day and usually to go home. From the game of Cricket, where the stumps are pulled up and out of the ground at the end of the day's play.

Rellies ... short for relatives.

Ridgie didge ... genuine, the real thing.

Shoot through ... to leave or disappear, usually in a hurry.

Skedaddle ... to depart quickly.

Snag ... a sausage (also "banger").

Sparkie ... an electrician.

Spit the dummy ... to make up a fuss, to have a tantrum.

Stickybeak ... an overly inquisitive or nosy person who cannot mind their own business.

Thunder box ... toilet (also "dunny").

Too right ... an affirmation or agreement.

Troppo ... crazy or insane. Not necessarily a mental disorder. A description of the way people can go crazy in the tropics.

Veg out ... to relax and think of nothing.

Willy nilly ... without thought or organisation.

Wonky ... unstable or in a bad condition that adversely affects performance.

Yobbo ... an uncouth person.

Yonks ... a long time, ages.

Well, there you go, folks. A quick (although rather long !!) lesson in Aussie Slang. There are heaps of others ... I may add to this list in time.

It's 9.30pm as I type this, so I'd better head off and come visiting !!!

In case I don't make it ... apologies.

I would also like to wish each and every one of you a wonderful weekend, filled with fun and frivolity.

Take care,

MEOW

Today Is Tuesday (Bet You Didn't Know That !!)

Just a quickie from me today, as I have some typing and book editing I need to do (as well as doing some blog visiting !!). You can see by the previous couple of posts, that I had a lovely weekend ... I hope you did too.

We have been having some very odd weather these past 2 days ... it rains overnight, looks dark and yucky in the morning, sun comes out and clouds go away and it looks amazing for a few hours, then it turns dark and miserable looking again !! As I type this (10.30ish, Tuesday morning), it has already become yucky again. I just wish if it was going to rain, it would really RAIN ... you know, the Noah's Ark type rain ... we so do need it. Oh well, I guess every little bit helps !!

I don't have much planned for this week, other than catching up on some typing and editing, and doing some computer housekeeping (spyware checking, backup, registry cleaning, and stuff like that). I guess I had better do some housework and washing, too ... *sigh* ... unfortunately it doesn't do itself. We are off to Bonnie Doon, to our van, this weekend (originally we were going to go last weekend, but had a change of plans). Hopefully the weather is great, and we can go for nice walks.

I am going to make a roast chook, roast spuds, roast pumpkin, roast carrots, peas and corn, and gravy for dinner tonight. Yummy !! What's on your menu for dinner tonight ??

Have a great week, everyone.

Take care,

MEOW

A Pleasant Sunday Drive

We went for a Sunday Drive today, just up into the Dandenong Ranges, nearby home. We went to Olinda Falls, which were quite pretty, but not much water was flowing unfortunately. This is just a view from the path on the way down to the falls.

The walk down to the falls was an easy one, but the walk back up ... well, let's just say that I discovered just how unfit I am !!! I think I need to do something about that, and soon !!

The trees in the Dandenongs can be veeery tall. I just love standing underneath one, and looking up ... makes me realise just how small we really are in the world !

There were beautiful tree-ferns along the path. This one must've been mighty old, to have grown to this height !!

We also drove up to the lookout at the top of Mount Dandenong, where they have newly renovated the Sky-High restaurant. Last time we were there it was quite derelict. Anyway, I forgot to take a photo of it, but this one is of the view of Melbourne. Unfortunately it was a bit hazy, but beautiful, none-the-less.

It was a lovely, if shorter than I anticipated, drive. The weather was glorious. We stopped for lunch on the way home.

I hope your Sunday was as pleasant as mine.

Take care,

MEOW

Saturday In Photos

Just wanted to share some photos I took whilst wandering around my garden yesterday with my camera, fiddling with the macro function. This first on is of the apricot tree blossoms.


I just had to include another one of Bambi in the apricot tree ... she is such a show-off.


A camellia from my ancient camellia bush.


Daffodils in next door's front yard.


Some blossoms on my flowering plum tree on the nature strip ... strangely they are coming straight out of the trunk !!


Another one of my beautiful Bambi ... she seems to like having her photo taken !!

I hope you all had an enjoyable Saturday, and that Sunday is more of the same. We have been fortunate with the weather ... mild temperatures and much sunshine. Today (Sunday) is forecast to be a very mild 19ºC (about 66ºF) ... beautiful ... and I think we are going for a little Sunday Drive. I will take my camera, and will hopefully share some more photos with you all tomorrow.

Take care,

MEOW

Yay, Yay, It's Friday ...

This little kitty and I would like to wish you all a Rockin' Good Weekend.

Take care, stay safe, smile heaps.

MEOW

Postcard Exchange ...

Just a quick post aimed at all of you wonderful people who I have exchanged addresses with for a postcard exchange.

Apart from those people with who I have only swapped addresses in the past 2 or 3 weeks (your cards are still coming, sorry !), is there anyone out there who hasn't received the promised postcard ??? Please let me know, as they have all been sent, but our Australia Post may have lost one or two, or they may have just gone "walkies" somewhere. If you could please let me know if you HAVEN'T got one yet, I could then send another.

Thank you.

Take care,

MEOW

The Weekend That Was ...

Hello Friends,

It's Tuesday morning, just after 10am here, as I write. I have taken Chicky to school, and thought it was time I caught up with you all. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

Mine was pretty good, as far as weekend's go. Saturday was quiet, just a bit of housework, typing, cooking ... nothing out of the ordinary. Sunday we caught up with the friends who we are heading off to Broken Hill with in 5 weeks, and made our plans for the holiday. Had a lovely time, and know it will be a great holiday. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us, but I don't see why not. We will be in central-western New South Wales, which will undoubtedly be warmer than southern Victoria !! We will be away from the 16th September until the 24th September, and will be doing 2 nights in Broken Hill, 2 nights in Tibooburra, 2 nights in Menindee and 2 nights at Lake Mungo National Park. I guess it will be a bit of work, putting up the tents and dismantling them 4 times in 8 days, but it beats basing ourselves in one place, and spending a fortune on petrol going back and forth to all the places we want to see. Economy won over less work, this time around !!

Got a bit worried the other day, as Bambi went missing for the whole day (usually she comes in and out, all day long, just to have a pat, or a nibble, or a quick snooze in comfort, then she's off again). I was getting worried, but had no idea where she was. My next door neighbour phoned for some reason, and I per-chance asked her if she'd seen my cat scooting around her property. She said, now that I mention it, something very strange was going on in her garage, things were moving and being knocked off the benches. So, we went over, opened the door and called out. Guess who had climbed right up into the roof cavity (their garage ceiling is plastered, like a house ceiling, and there is a gap where she got through). She meowed a few times, and timidly finally came out. Naughty, sticky-beak cat ... just had to go exploring when the garage door was left open for awhile. Now, everytime I can't find her, I wonder where else she has gotten into. I'm not used to this, as my last cat was an old boy, who didn't want to get inside every open door, cupboard, fridge, drawer, whatever. This one is crazy, she even gets into cars (but not when they are on, thank goodness), so we have to be really careful.

The weather finally broke yesterday afternoon, and we got a bit of rain (only a bit, mind you!!). Typical, though, as Hubby had washed both our cars ... must've been his fault it rained !!

I just looked out the window and noticed my apricot tree has started blossoming (remember last week I posted a photo of it naked, with just a few buds happening !). Once it is in full flower, I will take another photo to show you all. It looks spectacular when it is all blossoming.

I just finished reading another great book last night (read until almost 2am, couldn't put it down, had to finish it !!). It's called "Birthright", and is by Nora Roberts. I hadn't read much by her in the past, but this one was wonderful. The blurb on the back of the book says ... "When five-thousand-year-old human bones are found at a construction site in the small town of Woodsboro, the news draws archaeologist Callie Dunbrook out of her sabbatical and into a whirlwind of adventure, danger and romance. While overseeing the dig, she must try to make sense of a cloud of death and misfortune that hangs over the project - fuelling rumours that the site is cursed. She must cope with the presence of her irritating - but irrisestible - ex-husband, Jake. Furthermore, when a stranger claims to know a secret about her privileged Boston childhood, she is forced to question her own past as well ... " If you can get your hands on this book, I recommend it highly. Not the usual thriller I read, although it has some of those elements, and a little bit of romance. Very nice reading, and very can't-put-down-able !!

I have put another couple of new postcards on my postcard exchange blog. Check them out here, or visit via the link on my sidebar. I have a handful more I need to write, as I still get a few requests each week for people wanting to exchange postcards. I am still enjoying it, although I don't seem to be getting the cards out as quickly as I should ... apologies to those people who are still waiting on cards.

I'd better get moving, other wise my day will be over before I have done everything I need to . I hope everyone has a wonderful, amazing, stupendous week !!

I'll leave you with a bit of what my friend calls "Mush" (meaning something nice and meaningful) ... enjoy.

A man was exploring caves by the seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake.

They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him. As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could.

He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone!

Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left. Then it struck him.

He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!

It's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it.

We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy. But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.There is a treasure in each one of us.

If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.

Take care,

MEOW

A Little Giggle For You ...

This really tickled my fancy (don't actually know why ... maybe it's just the expression on the cat's face !!) ... thought you might find it amusing, too.

It came out of a little desk calendar I have entitled "The Meaning Of Meow ... 365 Smiles For Cat Lovers". It is a perpetual calendar, which can be used year after year, and I got it through Avon ... very cute !!

Smile,

MEOW

Oh My Goodness, The Week's Over Again ...

Hello everyone !!

I hope you have all been well. I have been quite busy since my last post (on Tuesday), but I really haven't done anything exciting to tell you about. I have had some typing to do for a client; I have been to the retirement village to do some typing for my elderly friend; I spent half of Thursday with my mum shopping; Chicky and I had dinner at my parent's place on Wednesday night; I have been fiddling (some more !!) with my music for my iPod; I spent some time at the boarding Cattery where I sometimes work, helping out for a short while. But, nothing particularly out of the ordinary, or exciting, really. Oh well !!

My parents recently came back from Hervey Bay, in Queensland, and they went whale watching. I thought I might share a couple of their photos ...

Whales are such majestic, beautiful creatures. I hope I get the chance to see some in the wild one day. When we are in Queensland, it is never the right time, or we are in the wrong place, or something like that !!

I have been trying to put together a sample itinerary for our upcoming week-long trip to Broken Hill and the north-western part of New South Wales. It has been interesting. We tried to work out the most economical way to see as much as possible. Unfortunately, this means putting the tents up and down a few times during the week, rather than basing ourselves in one place, and driving back and forward to various places we want to see. This would essentially double up our petrol, and with the price of petrol as high as it is at the moment (and it will only get higher), we thought better to have a bit more work, than pay out so much extra on fuel. Anyway, we are catching up with the people who will be travelling with us, on Sunday, and will discuss our plans. Should be a great day.

Last week there was a flock of white cockatoos in the area, and I managed to catch a photo of one of them at the top of one of our pencil-pine type trees. It was waving about in the breeze ... looked quite comical, really.

I guess I don't really have much else to say, other than to wish you all a wonderful and safe weekend. I will be dropping by all your blogs in the next day or so, and hopefully will become more regular with my blogging (I think I might have said that last post, though !!).

So, take care, friends.

MEOW

I Have Been Neglectful Again ...

Hello Dear Friends,

I have been neglectful of you all again ... I am so sorry ... please forgive me.

I have been quite busy, and haven't had a lot of computer time this last few days. The weekend was a good one ... Saturday was filled with housework, and some typing. On Sunday Chicky had a dance concert / convention thingy, where we spent all day watching the various dance schools in that organisation do their displays. It was great, but the whole day was gone, and I was really tired, and not at all interested in playing on the computer, when we returned home.

Monday I spend doing computer housework ... backing up, doing spyware and adaware searches, and generally cleaning up and (hopefully) making my computer run quicker and better. No blogging, again. After school, it was a quick-change, then Chicky (and I!!) had a ten-pin bowling party to attend. It was a netball break-up party, and was great fun. Chicky bowled really well (but they had the bumpers up for the kids, so they didn't get any gutter balls !!) Wish us adults had've bowled too, as I looooove to bowl. Oh well, next time !! Then after dinner, the neighbours dropped over, and we discussed plans for the upcoming Broken Hill holiday we are organising for September. Should be fun.

Now on to today ... here I am ... did you miss me ???

Guess what, this appears to be my 200th post ... isn't that an achievement !!! I am so excited, three cheers for me ... hip hip hooray !! (OK, enough of that !!)

We have been having glorious weather ... blue sky and sunshine (although very cold nights and mornings ... yesterday morning my black car was white with frost again !!).

Bambi was doing some climbing in the apricot tree (again !!). I caught a shot of her, but she was already on the way down ... cute pic anyways !!

This next shot is to show you the beautiful blue sky, along with the budding apricot tree ... not particularly exciting, but the sky is gorgeous ... that is how it is today, again ... not a cloud in sight !!

This next one is of the apricot tree (again), and the back of my house. We have a very sparce backyard, not very interesting ... but we love it, anyway !! By the beginning of January, this naked old apricot tree will be weighted down with hundreds of luscious, juicy, yummy apricots. The poor tree is totally neglected, but grows the best fruit ... we have to fight the birds for it all, though !!

Anyway, enough from me. I'm gonna (hopefully) post this quite unoriginal post, and head on out to visit you all. Have a wonderful week.

Take care,

MEOW

Hello Blossoms

Hi There !!

I am very frustrated ... Blogger won't let me post photos properly, so I have had to use Picasa Hello to post this one and the next two. The only problem is, it only lets me post one picture per post ... not happy !!!

Anyway, this is a close-up of the gorgeous flowering cherry (or plum, not sure !!) from the nature strip outside my home. The whole tree is pictured down below, along with a picture of my Camellia bush. I am using this close up as my desk top ... I think it looks great. Spring is on it's way ... whoo-hoo !!

I hope you have all been having a great week.

It is Friday here, almost lunch time. I just wanted to make a quick post to wish you all a happy weekend, and to share this quote I found ...

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

--Leo Buscaglia--

Take care, friends.

MEOW

This is a flowering plum (or is it cherry ... not sure) out on the nature strip. The council planted it a few years ago. It is flowering rather early, I think. But it is soooo pretty. I took this yesterday afternoon, not too long after the shower that produced the rainbow I shared with you yesterday.

This beautiful Camellia bush is in my backyard. It is really, really old. We transported it to our yard about 15 years ago, and it was already old then. It was in my parent's yard, and they needed to move it when they were building a new garage. It had been there ever since I can remember. It seems quite happy where it is.

This 'n' That ...

Hi There !!

It is raining here in Melbourne at the moment ... yay, we sooo need it. It is also quite cold ... booo!!

I was reading through lots and lots of blogs yesterday (hope I didn't miss any, apologies if I did), and I came across a comment about where people position their hands on their car's steering wheel as they drive. Now, we all know that when we get taught to drive, we are told that the ideal position is at the 10 to 2 position (picture a clock !!). But, I am sure many of us don't use this position most of the time. I know I don't (although I know I should). My favourite position to have my hands on the wheel is around 25 to 3 (picture that clock again !!). This is how I usually drive around, although when it is extra busy, or raining, or at night, I do go back to the proper 10 to 2 position. Just for interest sake, I would love to know how you hold your steering wheel when you are driving !! (You are probably thinking ... What is that girl on ?? Why does she want to know that ?? .... well, I just do ... OK !!)

Next up, I received four more postcards ... all from one person !!! These are (already) on my Postcard Blog ... click here, or go via the sidebar, to check them out.

I also received a little parcel from my dear blogging friend Greeneyes. It contained a bunch of beautiful, beautiful postcards (which I will post on my Postcard Blog shortly ... Blogger is misbehaving at the moment), a great fridge magnet, and a lovely keyring, along with a great card where she wrote some really lovely stuff (thanks Greeneyes, you are such a sweetie). Here is a little photo of it all. I've gotta say, Newfoundland looks like such a gorgeous place, so wild and frontier like ... I really think it is somewhere I've got to see one day (if only to visit you, Greeneyes, if you'll have me !!). The photo opportunities there would be just amazing. Thank you, Greeneyes, for the lovely gift, and for showing me a little bit of your world.

I've got to tell you about a great book I just finished, too. It is called What We Did On Our Holiday, and is by a British author called John Harding. It was such a wonderful book, and was so different to the thrillers I usually read. The blurb on the back of the book states ...

How old do you have to be before you stop going on holiday with your parents ? Nick's 36 and married and he hasn't cracked it yet ...

Nick could have a great time on Malta if it weren't for one thing. This family. his wife Laura, biological alarm clock ringing, is desperate for children which means a nightly test of Nick's ingenuity to resist her amorous advances. There's Dad, afflicted with Parkinson's disease, scarcely able to walk or talk, unsure which country or decade he's in and obsessed by sex and lavatories. And there's Mum, weighing in at a formidable 18 stone (although she's convinced she's a size 10) with a personality to match. Then there's the ghost from Dad's wartime past, come back to haunt them all ...

Tackling a taboo subject with sensitivity, compassion and a total lack of sentimentality, What We Did On Our Holiday is about the time in our lives when we find ourselves looking after the very people we'd always assumed would be there to look after us. And it is also almost certainly the first novel in English literature to begin with the word 'toilet'.

I thought it was very well written, at times quite humerous, and the parts referring to the father's disabilities as a result of Parkinson's were not sugar coated ... very realistic and down to earth. If you can get your hands on this book, I would highly recommend it ... it was just great.

I'm going to leave you now ... off to lunch with a friend, and blogger isn't letting me put photos on, anyway. I'll be back later.

After returning home, and picking up Chicky from school, we were greeted with the most beautiful full rainbow, which, as we watched, duplicated itself over and over, until it was 3 rainbows wide, and another one was forming above. I couldn't get a good photo of the duplicates, but here is a lovely one of (almost) the whole rainbow) ...

This photo was taken from near my front door, from under a tree (it was drizzling, and I didn't want the camera lens to get wet !!). You can see our garage at the left, with Hubby's 4WD poking out, and my car out on the road at the bottom right of the photo. The houses are all across the road from us.

Well, my friends, I had better chooff off and make some dinner for my family. Simple sausages, gravy, mash potatoes and vegies tonight ... nothing fancy today !!

I hope you are all having a wonderful week.

Take care,

MEOW

Me Again ...

Okay, I am back on track ...

I have sorted through my emails, got rid of what I didn't want, forwarded on good stuff, filed others ... that's done ... tick.

I have just about completed my iPod stuff ... just need to fine-tune it, that can be done whenever ... tick.

I have finally posted the few postcards I have received in the last week ... check them out here, or via the link on my sidebar ... tick.

I am about to embark on (finally) visiting you all ... stand by, I'm coming !

I made the most amazing risotto last night (remember, I only started experimenting with risotto in the past few weeks). It was soooooo yummy ... I used about 2/3 pack of arborio rice, about 1.5 ltr chicken stock, tin of corn kernels, smaller tin of creamed corn, bunch of chopped spring onions (shallots), lots of chopped basil and parsley, garlic, cracked black pepper, onion powder, parmesan cheese ... I think that was all. I don't usually cook with basil or garlic, but I thought it was time I tried different flavours ... and boy did it make a difference ... mmmmm, I'm making this one again. These quantities made enough for about 8 people, so guess what we're having again tonight. Unfortunately, when reheating it loses it's proper texture, but the flavour is still there. Can't wait ... easy dinner tonight !!

Before I head off, I'd like to share a little story with you ...

Mouse Story ...

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning. "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it." The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers." The mouse turned to the cow and said, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose." So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap-- alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them. The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness. So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

REMEMBER:
EACH OF US IS A VITAL THREAD IN ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY; OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.

One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend.

I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Take care, my friends ...

MEOW

A PINCH AND A PUNCH FOR THE FIRST OF THE MONTH ...

Hello, dear friends,

Well ... I'm baaaack (sort of) !! I have just about sorted myself out, and will finally have some time tomorrow to come visiting all your blogs ... about time, too, I think. I haven't really been visiting for about a week, now, so I bet you have all been up to so much, it's gonna take me ages to read you all !! Please be patient with me, whilst I do the rounds. Thank you for persisting with me during this break in blogging ... you are all wonderful !!

It's been a busy week, and weekend. Not only have I been playing with my new iPod, but I have been doing all sorts of other stuff, keeping me away from the computer (and the blogging and finishing the iPod stuff !!). I almost feel like I have lost a part of me, by not doing my regular blogging routine ... kinda sad, really !!! (Yes, I do have a life, but I looooove my blogging !!).

Anyway, check out this postcard that my parents brought back with them from their recent trip to Hervey Bay in Queensland. It shows an area size comparison of Australia and Europe. Goodness, isn't Australia huge ??!!?? Last year, we drove all the way from Melbourne (at the bottom - southern end), all the way to the northern most tip of Queensland (the pointy bit !!). It was a very long way, and I guess this picture shows just HOW far it was !! I thought it was a fascinating postcard ... just had to share !!

We have finally had some of that well-needed rain ... not enough, mind you, but something is better than nothing. The ground is damp, so any further rain we get will be run-off, hopefully filling up those dwindling water catchments.

For those of you who have asked (and thank you for caring), Bambi (my kitty) is 100% recovered from her nasty war-wound. She is up and at 'em again (not that she really stopped), and back to being psycho-kitty !!.

We are planning a holiday in September, up to the Broken Hill area (western NSW), camping with some friends. There are some amazing things to see around there ... we were in Broken Hill about 15 years ago, but there were so many things we missed out on seeing. We intend taking a trip to Corner Country, which is where 3 states meet ... NSW, Queensland & South Australia. We are also going to spend some time in Lake Mungo National Park. Can't wait, the travel bug has been biting ... gotta scratch that itch !!

Anyway, I had better go and start dinner ... Hubby will be home in an hour and a half. I am making a yummy Risotto ... mmmmm !!

Take care, I will be visiting shortly !!

MEOW