Chez les poullet sur le bleu (or something like that)

Caitlin has wanted to paint the chook house for some time, so today she started. It is a colour called Canoe Blue. I wanted deep green, to blend in with nature, but Caitlin reckons she has more of a "passion for fashion" than her old mum, so she got to choose the colour.

before Canoe Blue


after Canoe Blue

No self respecting chook is going to lay eggs in a house that colour! Oh well, I suppose we can rub some white paint on it for a country "distressed" look :) And let's face, no self respecting fox would be caught dead around Chateau Canoe Blue!

Whilst eating lunch, Mim was chattering on about something and Caitlin retorted, "well, that's your opinion."
Mim immediately fired up, "I'm not a penguin, you and Daddy are penguins, Mummy and I are bears!" (Thanks a lot kiddo, guess I'll have to shave my legs more often!)

And then, when Michael was trying to name the chook house in French, Mim has the hide to pipe up with "I can speak English!" (yes, but does not mean you always make sense!")

The Coleraine Races

Yesterday started out reasonably warm, but by lunchtime the clouds had gathered and the temperature dropped. The Coleraine Cup and the Great Western Steeplechase, held yesterday afternoon up at the racecourse, attracted a reasonable crowd (by country standards). The racecourse is located at the top of the hill, before the descent into Coleraine.... so naturally it was windy and bloody cold.


I didn't bother dressing up in dresses or hats, though some of the women did. They spent quite some time holding onto hats, repairing hairstyles and shivering!

They had two jumping castles for the kiddies, both the little ones, and the bigger "let's get dressed up like ladies and freeze in strapless numbers" 13yo kiddies.



After consultation with me, Michael placed a few bets on some of the races. We broke even with the betting, winning some and losing others.

After one of the races, when we had cheered all the contestents over the finishing line, Mim decided to get into the act. The steward was cantering up the straight, so Mim called out "Go, Steward, go!" Got some laughs from the people around.

Some novelty races were held in between the horse races. Jemima entered the egg and spoon race ... and came last. Not that she cared! The race announcer described her as a "study in concentration" as she very carefully walked with spoon in mouth and hands ready to grab a falling egg (and no, they didn't think to preboil them!). She wanted to go in the sack race, but the spaces were filled before she got to the starting point.
on your marks.... a fall at the gates ....
a "study in concentration"

The Blokes' Oaks were held again this year. Usually, this is where they take a scruffy bloke, send him back to Coleraine to be "done over" and the one who makes the most successful transition is crowned. This year, the blokes just came dressed up. We had one of the local coppers and his son, a chef from London visiting family, a stockworker who was auditioned for Farmer Wants a Wife/Husband and one of Michael's students, amongst the contestents. Stewie didn't enter this year. The winner was a tie between the chef and another bloke, with the copper coming second.

contestants Stewie

The final novelty race was the Ladies Oaks, where the "lady" had to be transported by her strapping young man. They wouldn't let any lady under the age of 18 participate - I wanted Stewie to take Mim!


The Steeplechase was a good watch. Two laps of the course, 14 jumps in all. Just as the pack were riding past us in the first circuit, one of the horses stumbled and his jockey came off. Jockey was okay, he rolled twice and got straight up onto his feet. His horse just kept running with the pack, by the time they got to the other side of the field, the riderless horse was coming first! But something happened over there, we think the horse came through the barriers, because by the time the steward caught up with him at the end of the race, he had blood streaming down his front leg, and what looked like a piece of skin flapping against his belly.



And then there was Flippy to watch. Flippy was, well, a fish out of water. She was dressed for a day in Melbourne races in mid summer, not a cold country race day.

If you intend to go in public on a windy day, it is not advisable to wear a short flippy skirt. And if you do wear a short flippy skirt, you don't wear a G-string. I noticed her cheeks before I even saw her face. I made sure I pointed her out to Stewie, Les, Mouse, Plaw, Michael and anyone else who was interested. Didn't get a good shot of the skirt flying up, but you get the general gist!



I'm looking forward to the Races next year, maybe I can persuade Michael to go in the Blokes' Oaks?

The Grand Final

I didn't get to the pub until well into the second quarter, after chatting with Mum (home from her holiday overseas) and unpacking the shopping.

Plaw (aka Paul) at the till

Mim and Caitlin were floating around, chatting to Mouse, Stewie, Mr Kaine and other regulars. Michael was sitting with Les and a bloke called Charlie, a horse breaker, so I joined them.

Les Kaine, sitting next to photos of him from the 1950s to 1962, when he helped Hawthorn win the Grand Final

It was the first AFL game I'd watched, and it wasn't too bad. There was an even mix of Geelong and Hawthorn supporters throughout the pub, all being noisy. There were a couple of people who weren't pub regulars, we eyed them with suspicion (one of them was drinking Strongbows, say no more).

Michael and Mouse (aka David)

There was a big cheer when Hawthorn beat Geelong with a reasonable margin, and everyone congratulated Les. Beer flowed freely but by six pm I had to get Jemima home before I killed her. Too many late nights, she was just being feral!! Naturally, she didn't want to leave and kicked up a stink.

a pub regular

Dropped the girls off home and went back later for Michael.

And the best part of the day ...... knowing that the football season is officially OVER!

It's going to be a busy weekend

Lined up for this weekend so far is:

Saturday: grocery shopping, pick Caitlin up from her friend's house, go down to the pub for BBQ lunch and to watch the GRAND FINAL (AFL for those of you that don't follow footy, thank christ that after this weekend, it's ALL OVER!!!!!!!). Taking the camera to record the levels of obsession and liver failure that fans will go to! Michael wants to watch it with one of the regulars, 'Killer' Les Kaine who played for Hawthorn in the 1961 Grand Final. Jemima and Caitlin just want to run around the pub with Viannah and Brittany. Taxi Michael and the girls home afterwards.

Sunday: get semi dolled up to go to the Coleraine Races and watch the 150yr old Steeplechase as well as 8 other races. Watch the Blokes Oaks. Go back to the pub then taxi Michael and the girls home.

Monday: work all day (again)

Will have to sleep in on Tuesday and then see if Michael can take the girls out so I can do some vacuuming and mopping (the vacuum lives behind the laundry door Michael - just plug it into a powerpoint and press one of the two buttons on it, that's how it works!!)

Oh So Hungry

Michael took Mim into town yesterday to do various odd jobs and shopping (except they never got around to the shopping).

They were in the Telstra shop looking at mobiles for Michael just before lunch and Michael was having a conversation with Mim whilst the young trainee looked through the computer for details.

Mick: "Do you want lunch"
Mim: "Yes"
Mick: "What do you want for lunch"
Mim: "I fink the Bak'ry"
Mick: "Why do you want lunch?"
Mim: "Cos I'm bloody hungry!"

Michael laughed, "Thank goodness she's only quoting me, if it had been her mother, she wouldn't have used the word 'bloody'", he said to the astounded trainee. (Yeah, right!)

Teenage Rebellion

Took Caitlin to the movies with her friend Viannah. Saw Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. Was very much marketed at the tweenager market, but was bearable to sit through. Though, by the end, I wanted to snot the actress who kept pronouncing the hard "g" on the end of words like something, everything.

Had bribed Jemima by suggesting that she have a Daddy/Daughter day with Michael seeing as Caitlin often had daddy time (on the trips to school). She was happy, Michael took her to the Casterton Bakery and to Auntie Gertie's.

Caitlin wanted to be rebellious these school holidays, so I allowed her to buy a dye to put in her hair. Just one of those 'wash out in 8 washes' ones. She was looking at the orange one, I suggested violet crush (wouldn't be as glaringly obvious).



It worked. She doesn't look to bad. Hard to see in the photo but her hair has a deep reddish tinge to it.

Breakfast banter

At breakfast this m0rning, Mim and Michael were bantering when Mim decided to blow Michael a raspberry.

Michael: "That'd be right, like most females, what comes out of your mouth is the same as what comes out of your ass"
Me: "What, nuggets of wisdom!"

Michael got me back a bit later. He recounted the story from work where he was talking with a colleague (also male) about the cold weather shrinking 'things'. "Not me" boasted his mate. "I reckon I'm like a witchetty grub - small, white, wrinkled and nobody wants to put it in their mouth" was his response. I lost my appetite after that!

Picnic at Tumbling Rock

The girls and I decided to walk to the creek yesterday and take a snack to have. We followed the dirt track with Mim chatting all the way. Caitlin got the shits and wandered ahead because I'd mentioned that it was snake season soon so keep an eye on the dog when he's outside. She started muttering about how there were no snakes in Brisbane so why did we have to move down here (more chance of dog being hit by car in Brissy, then dog being bitten by snake in Viccy). I told her to cut the crap out and she strode off in a huff.

Meanwhile, Mim just kept chattering on. We commented on the cows in the paddock, how they were looking at us and then running a few feet away and stopping and looking at us again. We talked about how cows pee out of their bottoms, and it looked like a shower. She then asked when she would be a baby size again (never) and if we had bought her at a baby shop. I explained a bit about the birds and the bees, ie that she started as a twinkle in Daddy's eye, then grew in my tummy and then was born and became a baby. She seemed content with that explanation (until next she's in a public forum and decides to ask some embarassing questions).

Anyway, we get to the creek and manage to walk across some of the rocks to the other side. We then took off shoes and socks and rolled up the trousers. Did I mention that it was blowing a gale and quite cool? Caitlin dipped her toe into the water and said, "it's warm!" (yeah right). then she stepped into it, and said "my toes are going numb!" (that's more like it).

We carefully walked across, it was only ankle deep but lots of stones on the bottom made for slow going. Got to the other side and sat on a rock waiting for my feet to dry. Mim had a great time pottering around in the water.

A ute came along ready to cross. I got up and grabbed Mim and moved her out of the way. Caitlin was still sitting on the track gabbing away, oblivious to the ute, until I pointed out to her that she was about to be run over. I've never seen her move so fast! The ute driver was laughing as well.

Mim and Caitlin started having a mock argument over something (goodness knows what!), when Mim just turned around and said "Stop talking cwap Caitlin!). We got the giggles after that.

Today, we took Michael and Gomez for a trip to the creek. It was cold, windy, overcast and the girls still had a great time wading. Michael donned his gumboots so he could wade with them, and drop Gomez in the water, and throw rocks near Caitlin to wet her.



I can see us coming down here quite often in summer!

Last week in review

Michael's friend, Ed, stayed with us for the past week, so we went to various places for him to take photos.


Wannon Falls (Wannon River)


Nigretta Falls (Wannon River)


Wattle (out in force everywhere)


Glenelg River (Casterton), the exact spot that we took Caitlin's picture over 5 years ago.

The tree outside our bedroom window is in full bloom at the moment. I've been told that these pink/white trees are stone fruit trees, so can't wait to find out what sort it is. It's lovely to wake in the morning, open the curtains and see this sight.


Just as impressive as the dawn shot from the front window.


Today, I've just finished making Berry Cheesecake muffins ( a thumbs up from Jemima) and Lemon Cheesecake tartlets (she hasn't seen them in the fridge yet).

Mim's Death Wish

I was checking emails earlier when Mim came in to see what I was doing. The first thing I noticed was the wet splotches on her shirt.

"What have you been doing?" I asked, "your shirt is wet!"
"I been washing the cat" was her reply.
My eyebrows hit the ceiling.. "You what!"

I dashed into the kitchen, the cat was lying on the back doorstep, and gave me a filthy look, as if to say "You gave birth to her, I hold you responsible!"



Mim told me that she washed her with a wet washer, dried her with the handtowel and then combed her.
"What did you comb her with?"
"you know, the blue comb." (Daddy's comb - let's not tell Daddy that, shall we)

She's also sporting a small scratch on her hand, an indication of Morticia's unwillingness to have a wash!

Bloody Phlebotomists!

As part of my conditions of employment, I needed to have a Hep B studies and a Mantoux done (to see if I have resistance to Tuberculosis). Went to the pathology department on Tuesday to have the blood taken for one and the injection for the other.

The nurse snapped on the tourniquet and rubbed my inside elbow a few times looking for a likely vein. She then stuck the needle in (I'd turned my head away, I just don't like needles). And I listened to her say "oh, where did that vein go? It's just disappeared! Your blood is just dribbling, hmmmm, I don't think that's enough". I then felt her poking the needle around. "Nope, we'll have to try the other side." So, out comes the needle and the usual bandaid gets stuck on that side, a tourniquet on the other side, a lot of poking, prodding, rubbing and "where are you?" muttering before another prick. She must have found the mother lode, because she managed to almost fill the vial. At this stage, I could feel the blood drain from my face - but I'm sure that I was feeling faint because it was rather warm in the room, as opposed to really cold outside, from where I'd just come (that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it!).

After bleeding me dry, she then get to inject some crap under my skin, and I have to go back today to see if it's come up in a red lump! Oh, friggin' goody!!!

I have a lovely bruise up my left inside elbow, thanks to her tender ministrations. Thank Christ I hadn't taken Jemima with me!

Victory Agian (sic)

Coleraine won the footy finals on Saturday. It was a big night at the pub!

And some idiot decided to grafitti around town. Pity I wasn't fast enough to get a photo of it. It said "CFC (coleraine football club), victory agian 2008"

I told Paul that he would just have to conduct a spelling bee to find the culprit... he looked at me and said "half the town can be presumed guilty then"!

A bit windy today

Victoria has been issued a severe weather warning. It was a bit windy over the weekend, but we still managed to get some firewood cut and the grass mown. The wind has picked up even more today (D Weather tells me it's wind gusts of 52km/h). It's blowing the showers over us very quickly, probably not doing much for the water tanks at all. One minute it's horizontally raining, the next it's brilliant sunshine.... but the gum trees on the western side are still doing their latin dancing, bending and shaking their booty!

Spring is here at last

When Mim went back to Kindy last Tuesday, it was still freezing cold.


The weather turned beautifully warm late last week. On Friday, it was a sunny 21 degrees, even warmish at 5.45am (when the cat insisted that it was time for her to go outside). It certainly was a pleasure putting out washing that dried on the line, not having to finish the drying in the tumble dryer.

Mim and I have decided that on the holidays, we are going to have a picnic at the creek. If you look at the few trees near the end of the dirt track (not the one going up the hill), that's were the creek crosses the road. We'll ride our bikes or walk there, with a packed lunch, and paddle in the creek.


Earlier in the week, just as the sun was rising in the east and the drizzle was slowing, Michael pointed out the beautiful full rainbow that arched over our house. The photos don't do it justice!

With a twinkle in his eye

Yesterday, Mim was asking when I got my necklace. I explained that Daddy gave it to me for my birthday many years ago.
"Was I there?" she asked.
"No," says I, "there was only Mummy, Daddy and Caitlin then, it was before you were born."
"But where was I?" she asked.
"You were just a twinkle in your Daddy's eye" I explained.

Then I thought I'd have a bit of mischief. "Next time you look into Daddy's eyes, you look for any twinkles, they're your brothers and sisters that haven't been born."
She looked at me forlornly, "But I can't see any twinkles in Daddy's eyes".
"Well, maybe you don't have any brothers or sisters."
"But I want one!"

Later, last night, I told Michael to be aware that Mim might look deeply into his eyes, looking for twinkles and explained the conversation.

"That's what she was talking about!" he exclaimed. "I wondered why the hell she was looking for 'prickles' in my eye."

Oh, Crap

A few months ago, Carla blogged with pride how Charlotte had memorised a book and could "read" it with her.

I am now able to blog that my daughter, also, can do the same.

Despite having Mem Fox, Little Golden Books and other worthwhile literature lining her bookshelf, the book that my daughter has chosen worthy of memorisation and recitation is called "Everyone Poops"!

I shit you not!



This book was bought for Mim a few months ago when we were starting to dispair of her ever growing out of the double handling defecation stage (crapping in her pants).

The graphics in this book, whilst not photo quality (thank God), are pretty descriptive. It has giraffes pooping, hippopotamuses pooping, camels pooping and little boys pooping. Mim, with a smirk, pointed at the little boy and said "That's a boy. I know, because he has an udder!"



PS. Apparently this book appeared on Kenny's World the other night, so maybe it is a worthwhile piece of shi... literature.

How to dispose of rubbish

What do you do on a Saturday afternoon when you are not an AFL fan? When Finals fever has hit the state?

You clean up the paddocks, the woodshed and the garden in one fell swoop. You don't worry about hiring a skip, you have a bonfire!

Caitlin helped us stack up bits of old wood on the pile of fallen branches, Michael added a bit of diesel and ...... woof! Of she goes.

I carted a heap of dead climber that I had been pulling off the lattice near the house and happily watched the damn stuff burn.


Lulu decided to come and be with us as the fire consumed the crap that had been lying around the house/garden/woodpile for some time. When the girls and I had a rest in the grass, she decided to rest with us...

...and nibble on the camera!

Mim had a turn at taking some photos


which didn't turn out too badly!

Caitlin and Mim were very helpful today, Mim was excited to be wearing her new gumboots (the pink Wiggles ones had finally split)
notice the sheep smear on the lens!

This morning started out foggy, which lasted until midday

and then the sunshine really kicked in.

A Week In Review

Not much happened this week, apart from Spring being in the air. Working evenings is wonderful, I managed to get out into the garden a few times and do some much needed weeding. Michael managed to get the mower working and cut down some of the knee high grass.

Mim went to Kindy on Tuesday, and had a ball. She is glad to be back with her beloved Merrin as a teacher, although next term she will have to go on a Wednesday and have a new teacher.

Mim had her hair cut on Thursday afternoon. It is now the same length as Caitlin's, and she is very happy to be like her big sister. She was sitting on Michael's lap on Thursday night, brushing his hair (or what's left of it) into all sorts of trendy styles (not)! Suddenly she put down her brush, put out her hand and demanded loudly "Give me money!" Yep, she'll be a business woman when she grows up!

Friday night was pub night again. Michael dropped Caitlin off at badminton by 7, then he and Mim hit the pub. By the time I'd picked Caitlin up over an hour later, they were tanked up on a jug of raspberry lemonade. Dinner was rather delayed, Julie was in bed sick and Mrs Potts was snowed under with orders. This wasn't a problem, until Mim demanded at Paul "where's my dinner! I'm hungry". Paul just laughed at her, poor thing, he wasn't well either.

After Mim had finished most of her steak (medium rare) and chips, she waltzed into the public bar to harass the locals. Mouse came out a few minutes later "Michael, I want a word with you! Your daughter keeps harassing me!" Michael laughed and told Mouse that men in Melbourne pay a lot of money for young women to 'harass' them. Mouse just laughed, Mim has told Mouse that he has to drink lots of lemonade, not beer. Mouse told her to wash her mouth out! (Paul would go broke if Mouse did as Mim told him to).

Few more photos

Visited Wannon Falls on the way home one day, just before sunset (although it was cloudy). Would love to get some shots of it in sunlight. Mum, you'd hate this one, you get to stand out on a viewing platform (that wobbles whenever you walk) and look down into the gorge.


We've had more rain here over the past couple of weeks. The grass is knee high now despite attempts to mow it regularly. We need to rent some sheep/cows to get it down. Anyway, managed to get a shot of a rainbow during a recent sunshower.



The tree that can be seen outside our loungeroom (that I boasted about in a previous blog) is now covered in pink blossoms. This is a shot of it at night, under the spotlight.


This is a photo from Dr J's farewell lunch. The slices from Woody's Cafe were very delicious, as were the chicken and garlic balls!