Old Mixer

Here is my old Sunbeam "Beater-Mix". I have had it for years and years, and it was old when I got it. It has never let me down, but started to make a strange noise when I was trying to beat the cream for the cheese cake and trifle. This was on Christmas Eve, so we had to go out and get a new one, in case it wouldn't work on Christmas Day while beating all the cream for the pav.! That would have been disastrous!

So far I can't bring myself to throw it away. I believe it was made in the 50s or 60s, so has really done well. At the moment it is in a plastic bag in the pantry, so I will decide it's future soon.

So this is Christmas!

Well folks, we had an absolutely beautiful Christmas lunch. All the food turned out fine, and everyone ate plenty...even Jim, who often doesn't eat very much.
The weather was just right, not too hot or too cold, and a very relaxing day was had by all ,

Cheesecake, Angus's favourite!

Pavlova, a Christmas essential

Trifle, especially for Jim

Just the 3 of us

A lovely lunch

So there we are. We had a really lovely meal. Everyone ate plenty, and the only ones missing were Fraser and Summie. Maybe next year. Still, the food turned out really well, and everyone enjoyed it. There is enough in the fridge for the next week or so!! So maybe an easy few days for me!!!
 The weather was perfect, and while Jim was snoozing after lunch, Angus and I sat under the umbrella and had a good old chin-wag.
  All in all, a really good day.

Another Igloo

We decided, in the midst of a heatwave, that we needed another igloo. So this is the result, made from old hoops, and bits and pieces of shade cloth that we had kicking around.  It absolutely knackered us, but the plants are now safe from the searing sun, and we can collapse from exhaustion and view our efforts.
 It's a bit too much like hard work, especially in the heat!! Still, we are pleased with the result.

Our handiwork!!

So here we are, this is our latest endeavor. Most of you will recognise the old metal table, that has been around for years and years. It was up the back, covered in rust, so we decided to resurrect it, as opposed to buying a new one.
Anyhow, after a lengthy sand back, and after Jim had to take the whole thing to pieces, we spray-painted it, and bought 4 cheap plastic chairs (as I couldn't find any others that I liked), and got an outdoor umbrella. And...."voila"!!  All done and dusted. A lovely little spot to relax in.

Spring Flowers

Wisteria

Rhododendron

Here are a couple of pictures of our Wisteria, and a very striking Rhododendron. We must have had just the right Winter weather to promote such beautiful flowers this year. I just hope the rain doesn't ruin it all too quickly.

Andrew's Visit.

Andrew has been staying with us since Sunday, and we went to  Sky High on Mt Dandenong this morning. Unfortunately the mist was so thick we couldn't see much!!

There's a plane up there somewhere!

But, we had a lovely cappuccino in the cafe...sitting in front of a large open fire.
We also went to the wineries yesterday (Wednesday), and had a lovely stroll round the Yering Station gardens.

These were taken with my little mobile phone, as we forgot the camera, so the quality is NOT good.

New Floor...At last!!

We have been wanting some new vinyl for the kitchen floor for ages, and finally we bit the bullet and went and actually found one we liked at a reasonable price. Last Thursday, the man came and did the deed. Here is a picture of the sorry state of the underneath...ancient cement sheeting.

The old floor has been ripped up

And now, after the installer had worked his magic, here is a picture of the floor now. I have to say, after his gloomy predictions about the quality of the finish, with this handicap, we think he did a good job, and I just hope it lasts as well as the first lot!

And here's the finished floor.

The Geriatric Pin-up!!

This started out as a trial for the new (Nikon) camera that we received yesterday. As you can imagine, we both have been wandering around snapping madly. A lot went straight into the recycle bin, but a few were acceptable. This pose was just too good to miss, so here he is, looking his suave and sophisticated best!!
  And, may I say, more than a little like an aging lumberjack in that get-up!!   Oh well!!

A Fiasco!

Bad Side

Not so Bad Side

So here is the cake I botched. It was for Angus' birthday, and, somewhat foolishly, I decided on a sponge recipe that wasn't my usual one. Not only is the texture not as good, but the 2 halves stuck so firmly in the tins,....despite greasing them, that the first one I turned out almost came out like scrambled eggs!!  Luckily the 2nd one was marginally better, so I used that as the base...at least it held together, and then all I could do was try to glue it together with jam, cream and icing for the top. The little lump that is missing is not too noticeable, and at least there is enough whole so that we should be able to have a good taste each.

I shall know next time, to stick to the tried and tested, and not try to be too clever!!  Even my rock cakes were a bit overdone!!   NOT a good morning's cooking!!   Still, to make up for it, I had a Skype call from Chris, so we had a good old catch-up. Hopefully we shall see him and Carmen shortly after Christmas.

Cinnamon Buns again

I know I have shown these before, but I gave it another go today. I only just had enough yeast, and it was a bit old, but everything worked out OK. The smell of these cooking is second to none. I haven't tried one yet, but I hope they taste as good as they seem.

Lighthorse park Seymour

Here is where we often stop on the way to, or coming back from, one of our little trips. It breaks the journey, and gives us time to stretch our legs for a few minutes. Such a pleasant little park, and usually we are the only ones there. We stopped there on our way back from Mulwala today...the sun was beautiful, and after a short amble around, we were ready to face the traffic again!!

Can you believe it?

Just a quick note to say it is our wedding anniversary today!!   Who said it wouldn't last??
 So today we celebrate 44 years of marital harmony  (my arse)!!  But, here we are...getting older and doddery-er, but (as the song goes) " still standing." And, I have to say, not much wiser.
 So here's to the next 44 years!! And that WOULD be some sort of record.

Jim in full Scottish mode

Me, as usual

Number 15

Would you believe it!  here is our childhood home. 15 Westham Drive, Pevensey Bay. I went to Google Street View, and here is the picture of our old house, with, of course, different people in it now.
 It seems like an absolute age ago, but I lived there from the age of 4 and a bit, until coming to Australia at the age of 24. Chris was a baby, and Ju was born there, while we were 'minded' by Mrs. Blackman down the road (Sylvia). I am glad to see that it is still neat and tidy. Mum and Dad had the double glazing put in, but the path is new.
 What a blast from the past.

Unearthed!

It's amazing what you find when clearing out drawers. I have been sorting things out for the op. shop, and the dressing table drawers were on the agenda this morning. Lo and behold, out popped this random selection of old photos. We were all a good bit younger then...especially Me and Jim. That picture was a tiny little print, and very badly damaged. I did my best, but it will never be pristine, or anywhere near it. Still, it's hard to remember those days....they were days of mens' suits, and mini skirts.......how daring!!   Not to mention "The Kingswood"!!  And, of course, Angus with his quite savage undercut, and Fraser...at Ju's...looking a good deal slimmer!!   
   How time flies.

What a Job

Well that's the hardest part over. The heater was incredibly heavy to move...even with the fire bricks taken out, and anything else movable. Luckily Angus did the majority of the heavy work, and we managed to manhandle it into the shed. Jim has now fixed up the flue, and gave it a workout yesterday. All systems 'go', so now we have had to order wood to burn in it!!
 Sorry about the picture quality...I think the lens was dirty, but you get the drift.

Out it goes!

As the saying goes...."There it was...Gone". So on Sunday, with Angus doing the heavy part, we managed to manhandle the wood heater out of the lounge and into Jim's shed. We hadn't used it for a couple of years, but didn't want to spend a fortune heating a garden shed, so this was the cheapest way out of it...for now. I have to say, it's nice to have so much more room in the lounge, and not have to be careful about stubbing our toes on the hearth bricks.
So far, Jim hasn't put in the flue, but when he is over his Vertigo, he has to go up on the roof and cut a hole for it.....NOT a good idea to clamber up ladders when your balance is gone!!
  That should keep him nice and toasty in the Winter months!!

Wonderful Autumn

Japanese Maple..So red!

Front Border

Towering over the house

Sunny spot by the pond

From the front garden

These are some pictures I took today of all the Autumn colours. Every year I mean to do this, before all the leaves fall, and only the ground is colourfull!!  So this time, I actually remembered, and walked round the garden, snapping away. Soon all the colour will be gone, so it's nice to make the most of it. Something nice to look back on when Melbourne is all cold and grey!!

How Lucky am I?

Well, what can I say, except a huge 'thank you' to Summie and Fra for my Mother's day present and card. It arrived today...along with this beautiful Melbourne Autumn day. A very big thank you to Summie especially....she never forgets important dates, and for that, Summie, I can never thank you enough.
 But unfortunately, I think the weather is going to deteriorate before Sunday....still, we have been very lucky to get these few days of unexpected good weather. I just hope this is not a forecast for a bad Winter! We shall keep our fingers crossed.

Am I really that old?

In the last couple of days I have had 2 letters inviting me to go and look round a new development of retirement villages!!!!  Lunch is thrown in, and a guided tour of these homes that you can buy when you get past it!!   Why me, all of a sudden ? 70 must be the magic number I suppose. Am I now to be deluged with offers of walking sticks, Zimmer frames, stair lifts and incontinence apparel?  If this doesn't make you feel old, nothing will!!
 So that's it....I have decided that I shall get no older, from now on....stay the same for ever! ( I can almost hear Fra and Angus gritting their teeth!!). As I am the one who washes the car and cuts back the Hydrangeas, I haven't much choice!!
  Years ago, people stayed 39 for ever....I am not so vain as to think that I still look that age, but nor am I decrepit enough to need 'meals on wheels' or a chair to sit on when going into a shop.
 So that's my gripe for today. One day, it comes to us all!!!

Himself---In residence!

So here is where we are with the shed. Note the blue insulation paper that was put on the wrong side out!!  So the rest of the shed is silver,but this end is blue!!
 Most of the cupboards are in place, but now we are deciding whether to bring out the woodheater from the lounge, and if so, where to put it.
  More decisions!! I told him to do it before the Winter really kicks in, freezes him solid.
  Note, too, the electric jug and coffee-making things close to hand.......Most essential!  Not to mention a picture of The Queen...in he younger days...on the wall!!    All the home comforts!!

Look out Bob -The- Builder!

Well folks....Guess what I got for an early Mothers Day present. Yes, a pink tool kit!! Angus bought it on line, and allowed plenty of time for delivery, but it ended up being really quick, so as Jim and I received the parcel when it arrived, he gave it to me last night! I have a conglomeration of Jim's old tools in the kitchen pantry, just for doing little bits and pieces, so now, at least there will be no arguments about what is mine, and what's his!! With a colour like that, I shall probably be able to find them in the dark too!!!
  Probably no self- respecting male would want to use a pink screwdriver anyway!!
 How nifty is that!!

Aftermath of the Mulwala tornado

We drove past the site of the tornado that smashed through the caravan site at Mulwala. What devastation. Everything was absolutely decimated. Caravans upturned, and trees uprooted.Some people lived there on a permanent basis....others had weekenders. The power of the wind is absolutely awe-inspiring, and you cannot imagine what it was like to live through it all. We spoke to the owners of a motel, and they had lots of families staying there  until they could get themselves organised. Still the uprooted trees litter the highway for miles. It will be a long time before things get back to some semblance of normality.

Frog-in-a-bonfire!

We at last are able to burn the clippings and tree branches. We had two bonfires going, as we had collected such a lot of green waste over the Summer. Late in the day, Jim was keeping guard, and up hopped a frog, obviously looking for some warmth. Ignoring Jim completely, he backed into the warm ashes...half covered, but head still out. See him in the middle of the picture. Talk about camouflage...he was the same colour as the burnt fire.  A nice bit of overnight warmth for him. Needless to say, he was gone in the morning.

The Mammoth Task!

New window almost in.

From the outside

Jim and I embarked on the mammoth task of upgrading the shed. We started off putting a decent floor down, and then of course, everything else looked in need of a facelift. So finally, he has a reasonable window in, so he can sit and contemplate the garden!!
 Next, it was a new roof, as the old one was hardly waterproof anywhere. With the left-over metal (we were given one sheet too many!!),  the obvious thing was to re-do the side...Talk about never-ending. It's not only the work that's hard and heavy...it's all the endless loads of old stuff to barrow up the back. That walk seemed to get longer and longer as time went on. Luckily the weather was nice and sunny.

Back wall off..on display to the world!

First few sheets on.

So that's the story so far. Once all the large things are in place, it's all the finishing off that will take the time. Still, hopefully he can at least do most of it in a bit more comfort now....and a lot less dust!!

A Bargain!

When Dilys was here, we went to all the local Op. shops. We had a good look at the jewellery in one shop...not something I normally do, and there were 2 watches...brand new in the boxes, with little tabs under the winder, so the battery hadn't been started. Dilys bought one for a relative, and so I bought the other one.........$4!!  It costs more than that for a battery!!  So far it keeps excellent time, so I shall keep my eyes peeled in future...at the glass cases that contain all these little bits and pieces!!

Cloudhill

As I was such an abysmal failure in the photographic department, while Dilys and Richard were here, this is a picture she sent me of the day we went to Olinda to look round the gardens at Cloudhill.As you can see, the day was beautiful, without being too hot, and the gardens were really worth seeing. This is just one very small part...there are loads of different pathways, and areas....all beautifully planted and cared for. A thoroughly enjoyable time. That is me, obviously having an extremely in-depth conversation with Richard!!!   As you do!!