She's growing up so fast.

 

Today our eldest granddaughter started kindergarten. She's 4 and looks so excited and grown up in her kinder windcheater. 

The Sydney lot have left to stay with Mads' parents until they head back to NSW on Monday. We shall catch up at One's on Saturday for a family get together. I must say it is quite a relief to have the house back. I don't mind kids at all. I understand they are noisy and like to play and siblings can be rough but these two are completely undisciplined. In fact the more Audrey is asked to not do something the more she does it with a look on her face that says she knows exactly what she is doing. According her mother, 3 year olds don't know that they are doing anything wrong so you shouldn't tell them off - just praise them for good behaviour. Well THAT ain't working! And my table drawn on, broken toys, food and toys thrown around the place, walls kicked and thumped and a constantly crying younger sibling are evidence of this. But I am just the grandmother and the mother in law so keep my lips sealed. It's just as well that when not being feral they are actually delightful kids.

Gave plasma again today. Every second Thursday for the forseeable future. 

Mother in Law turned 90 today. Himself went to see her with Jinx this afternoon. Two and Himself went yesterday and she was pleased to see Two but is still very much in lala land. Confused as to where her husband is (dead but she thinks he's living in the same facility, going to work and ignoring her), where the movie theatre has gone (it was opposite Coles in Melbourne when she worked at Coles decades ago but she seems to think it was opposite her house) and so on. The facility gave her a cake for her birthday for morning tea. She rang Himself upset that they were making such a fuss and wouldn't let her pay for the cake!!

I'm still here

I have thought so much about what I want to write here. I have written so many lines in my head. 

20 years ago I first started blogging and the main content was weight loss as were many other blogs at that time. 

Over the past 20 years I have lost and gained and lost and gained. My self esteem has gone up and down and up and down. My mental health has been all over the place. I self medicate with food and alcohol. 

So in many ways nothing has changed over 20 years (obviously lots has changed but you know what I mean).

We have Two and his family staying with us for the next week (first time we have seen them in over 12 months thanks to Covid) and I am so looking forward to catching up with them. 

Once they have gone home I shall take myself in hand. I am 65 this year. I have had a knee replacement and am looking at another. I have other health issues. 

Yes, it's same old same old and I think that's why I have been reluctant to write about it.

Some things change and some stay the same

 

It looks as if mask wearing will be with us for the foreseeable future. Our Northern neighbours (in Australia) are now experiencing what Victoria went through last year. Lockdowns, compulsory mask wearing, signing in at venues and businesses, limits on numbers in private houses ... the list goes on.

Hopefully the vaccine roll out will continue and before too long we will have developed a herd immunity (which comes from vaccinations NOT from contracting the disease - think measles in the 50s and 60s). That is as long as enough people get vaccinated and don't jump on the conspiracy bandwagons.

We are experiencing some very warm days at the moment. My veges are going gangbusters. I just hope I didn't wait too late to plant so we can get some decent crops before the cooler weather arrives. 

Last week ended up being quite a busy week for me with something on everyday. This is not good for my mental health - even though they were all pleasurable things I need days to just sit and be. Hopefully this week will be quieter. Monday is forecast to be super hot so definitely a day indoors with the aircon on. Painting, crocheting or reading will be on the agenda. It's the dog I feel for as we won't walk her when it's too hot. She's got a black coat and heats up very quickly and even though she is getting soooo big she is only 5 and a half months old so her body regulatory systems are still developing.

Time for an icy cold gin and soda. 

Listen to the pouring rain, listen to it pour.

 

I "borrowed" this image from the BoM site. Lovely, lovely rain with some thunder and hail. I love me a good storm. 

Today Himself went to Ikea to buy a new bed base (on special YAY) for the guest room. We had a big old timber queen bed that had been passed around various family members but it really overwhelmed the smallish guest room. I like my guests to have a queen bed so this one will be ideal. The Mermaid's daughter (she's now 34 aaargh!) and her partner are coming on Monday to check out the area with a view to buy and will stay the night. So the main bathroom got a thorough cleaning today. The rest of the house looks like a bomb has hit it (or 5 month old German Shepherd - same thing) but it will be an easy tidy up and Elyse is a major dog person.

Himself is cooking prawn dumplings with Asian veges and our latest mindless British quiz show is on. A good evening.

Happy New Year

 

Last night I went to bed around 10.30. read for a bit and was sound asleep when the old year dragged its sorry arse out of the door.

Today I finished a painting and just pottered. 

Dinner tonight will be gourmet snags, potato salad and coleslaw and a salad with leaves and radishes from my garden. Sadly my tomatoes are taking their time. I probably should have planted sooner but had no choice.

I am trying so hard to stop nibbling my nails and cuticles so I can give myself a manicure with a product I bought a few months ago. Sisteco. It's so easy to use and the colours are amazing. Maybe I will get around to it tomorrow.

Lots of gardens have bowls of water at the front for dogs. I told Himself we should reciprocate seeing as Jinx loves using them. I assumed he would get a bowl, fill it with water and leave it out the front. I should have known better!! He built a platform to surround the tap and water meter and provide a stable surface for the bowl. I hope our canine neighbours appreciate it!