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!