TIME OUT!!

Sorry I haven't been posting, reading all your wonderful blogs that I so like to follow or commenting this week. I have been soooo sick. I've only worked one day this week. As if I 'm not far behind with everything as it is and Christmas is just around the corner you no!! this has set me back even further.

I think life has a way of slowing things down for you I have been working flat out for months from 4.30am to sometimes 11pm so if you don't listen to the little life messages being sent your way well your just going to end up sick!! Okay I'm finally listening I'm going back to bed.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAYS

MY MORNING

My day usually starts with the essential cup of tea, love my early morning cuppa & I really treasure & enjoy this time of the morning a chance to sit and contemplate my day before the house awakens and it's all systems go.


Then it is off to the kitchen to make my brekkie taking my brekkie downstairs to the office I fire up the computer to check my emails.While I'm waiting for the computer to start, do it's virus update etc etc I load the washing machine which lucky for me, the laundry is right next door to the office.

Office work completed (and far to long reading blogs) I then get to escape to my garden for a little, not that I did anything much just meandered, pulled the odd weed checked some pots and watered the cuttings I had potted up on the weekend. Then it was off down the back. My darling dogs never go to the toilet in the house yard so every morning they get let down the paddock to do their thing. Absolutely fine by me but probably to much info for you. While we are down there we take the chooks the scraps from yesterday,& check their grain and fresh water. At the moment they are having their water with apple cider vinegar all my animals have 3Dy's a mth on this except my horses that have it daily.

Oh quick yet again I spent to much time down the back, oh well my old log seat really does beckon. It's even worse if I happen to go down there with a book. Back to the yard. Washing is finished, hung out. DD is up & getting ready she prefers to make her own lunch so mum checks it's O.K- yep got the last of the Brownies DS will not be pleased. yummy!! even if we did manage to burn the edge(got distracted in the garden again)

Got DS up he is having a treat of tuckshop today.DD leaves for school bus that travels to the next town.It's now 6.45 get what house work, cooking etc I can get done now as I have to work today only me & DS left now so we enjoy some quiet time together before all to soon we have to go & drop him at his school. That done back track all the way almost pass my house again only bypassing it by 50m and off in the other direction to work. Some mornings would love to take the 50m detour back to my house for the day and just potter around but I guess trillions of other working mums think that to.

THE BOOKWORM AWARD

I have been given this wonderful award by flmom at The Narrow Path Little does she know how honoured I am to receive this award as you see I am a true bookworm. Just haven't blogged about it as you may not stop me!!!!

The award states that you must get the book closest to you, turn to page...56, find the fifth sentence type that and then a few more to follow.

The book closest to me at the computer is-

Going Organic-Your guide to a healthier Life

by Kris Abbey

We're constantly told that pollution is just an inevitable by-product of industries and agricultural practices that offer further opportunities for employment. Furthermore, cleaning up pollution can be a major industry in itself, offering a boost to the economy. On the other hand, a bio dynamic farmer, despite selling products within the system, operates on the periphery of the agricultural industry. It is not possible to be completely apart. The air, water and soil are parts of a whole, but biodynamic products are generated from within a different paradigm where the land defines both it's use and limits.

Getting this award today came as an amazing coincidence as I had a lovely day today, I went browsing in some old book shops with my DS18 who is also a bookworm. He and I both got some lovely books. DS & I also went to a new bookshop that always has quite unique books where we stopped to do some christmas shopping before meeting up with the others for lunch.

I am forwarding this award to

daisymum

Gill- That British Woman

The Vintage Rose

On my Veranda

MARMALADE CATS

"PIKELET AMADEUS"

Let me introduce you to a member of our family he is the one & demanding "Pikelet Amadeus"

He is the colour of freshly cooked piklets out of a hot buttery pan he is the creamy colour and then the darker golden brown as well. One morning four years ago while I was cooking piklets a friend came around with a special delivery. Guess Who??

I have alway called ginger cats marmalade cats. Did you know female ginger cats are much much rarer than male gingers??

By the way, I must tell you all the animals in our house are always given first & second names Why?? jus cause we can!!

BE WARNED!!

This is what happens to childrens eyes when they watch to much T.V. So look out for the symptoms and don't say I didn't warn you!!
This looked hilarious when DS moved his head, the eyes rolled around.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

OUR HOME TOWN

I am so glad we have members tickets & our own table in the marquee so we didn't have

to fight our way through the crowds pictured below!!

On Friday we ventured out to Roma for the Roma Cup Races. We love getting out to Roma the kids have a fantastic time catching up with the kids they grew up with. (My kids were all born out there - country kids through & through)

We had a very long roundabout trip out there as we had to pick Casey up from the Army Base in Brisbane, then struggled through Brisbane's Friday afternoon peak hour traffic. We didn't end up getting there till after 10pm. It was fantastic that Casey had leave & was able to join us he joked with us that if he couldn't he was going to go AWOL(Absent without Leave) There was so much traffic all the way to Roma lots of young people going out there for the w/e. It was such a worry as they were all overtaking us hanging out of car windows & drinking. It's a nightmare waiting to happen thank goodness we didn't come across one further up the road wrapped around a tree. I worry about the young drivers so much, alot of them are also very inexperienced at driving on country roads at night.

We had a marquee table in the guest area at the races which was very nice as we had all drinks & food supplied as well as access to our own Bookmakers, Bar, T.V's & the most important cleaner toilets without line-ups.LOL!!



We had a wonderful table of about 14 people all us friends ranging from the young, those that think we are young and should no better, right up to Pop whose near 80. Everyone had a fantastic time. Two of my fave friends reached the semi-finals of the Fashions of the fields which was good fun as they had only entered as it was a "Pink Ribbon Fundraiser" for Breast Cancer.

A really great week end was had by everbody, being able to catch up with everyone was fantastic we can't wait to do it all again soon, come christmas.

Hope your weekend was special too!!

A WISH FOR YOU

I HOPE YOU HAVE A LOVELY WEEK-END

FULL OF FUN TIMES, GOOD FOOD & DEAR FRIENDS

CAROLINE XOXO

BAD NASTY AND VERY HAPPY

Okay daisymum

I am rising to your challenge not because I really want to but cause I think we should do.

I mean I was giving The Marie Antoinette award earlier in the week. This award being given to the people that particular blogger thinks is keeping things "real"

daisymum did a really good post the other day called Tweenies which I think is a true representation of how a lot of us think & feel. She points out to us- do some of the things that bother us eg. housework really matter in the long run. She then goes on to challenge us to be upfront and show the "Nasties" well here goes. Here are some of the things that are getting to me at the moment!!! & there are more where these come from.

By the way these ARE breakfast dishes AND it is 5pm

Truly though these are the messies that are in my house and a lot of other busy mums homes at times, but when I sit down to blog I want to show you the nice things, I want things to be perfect just for that short time even if I know and you know in reality they are not.

We also know that friends & family are more important than mopped floors & neatly made beds but I don't think it is necessarily a bad thing that we do not want others to see this, for the most part we are simply showing we have pride and self esteem in ourselves when our homes are clean, our families are happy and their is a nice meal on the table. It at least tells us we are somewhat getting there.

This garden bed has been sitting way to long & could be producing

more homegrown yummies right now!!

Well I suppose you can tell what is more important to me at this very moment can't you?? or I guess you wouldn't be reading this post. LOL!!

Until next time remember happiness is more important than perfection which is never achievable when you will just then rise the standard.

Anyway it's dinner time & I'm off to do breakfast dishes.

I wonder who else is up for the challange?????

SKIPPY THE BUSH KANGAROO

Do all you Aussie bloggers remember this T.V show?? It was one of my favourites when I was younger. A real Australian classic I would love it to come on again so my children could see it then again they are probably to old for it now-but I would still watch it.LOL

ANOTHER AWARD-LUCKY ME

flmom from The Narrow Path has given me the Marie Antionette - A real person award.

The rules for this award are to display the icon and send it on to 7 other bloggers I feel are real in who they are.

The 7 bloggers I have the pleasure of giving this award to are:-

Daisymum7 (There's no one more real, just read daisymum's post today)

The Old Dairy

On My Verandah

The Linen Cupboard

At home with Mel Mel

Lesley @ Notes from my Days

Outback

Thanks flmom!!

REMEMBRANCE DAY

At the 11th hour,

of the 11th day,

of the 11th month....

We will remember them

Lest We Forget

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

(from 'In Flanders Fields', John Mc Crae, 1872-1918)

UPSTAIRS TO BED

I Know you probably all find this quite a funny photo to put on my blog- well it is only a set of stairs isn't it. Well I do love my little old house. Tonight I was sorting through old photos on my computer when I came across this beauty now please don't ask me why I took it cause I can't even remember but judging by the how clean the floor looked it was probably in celebration of the fact that it finally got a mop & we didn't all have to walk on crunchies (That's what my family calls it when the floor feels yuk & sticky with bare feet)More often then I'm going to admit on this blog.

Anyway these are the five steps that take our family to slumber land each night. All the bedrooms are up these five steps totally separate from our living area, which can be a good thing when you have visitors at 4 in the Arvy and you still haven't made the bed yet. So far this post sounds totally exhilarating doesn't it, what with unmade beds & crunchies on the floor ho hum that's life (at our house) At the top of the stairs you can just see our cow hide mat.

So sometimes when there is a power blackout I really can believe I lived a hundred years ago as I pick up my candle complete in brass holder and say I'm going up stairs to bed!! Okay I'll rephrase that it sounds too romantic & old world. How about this - Kids if you don't get upstairs to bed now I'm going to..................

Thanks for visiting anyway I'm going up to bed- CAROLINE xxoo

THANKYOU

My cherub is sending you all hugs & kisses.

Thankyou to all you wonderful wonderful people that stop by my blog to read my posts each day.

A very special thankyou also to my dear followers. When I first started blogging I was so surprised that anyone would want to read my blog. Now I am enjoying seeing my world map fill up as I have visits from around the globe.

A very heartfelt thankyou goes out to my very first followers Mandy @ The Old Dairy, Linda @ Remote Treechanger, Daisymum & flmom. I feel very privileged to have all my followers but specially you lovely ladies as you inspired me to keep on blogging.

So keep dropping in I love having you all over to visit. There are no strangers on my blog just friends I haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet. Please leave me a comment & tell me your thoughts??

Caroline xoxo

DD's PRESSIE FOR ME!!

Look what darling daughter bought me she said as soon as she saw it that it was for me. It's really heavy so hope I never drop it on my foot it will be a broken toe for sure. I think it is cast iron so it will most likely rust which I don't mind -more character.


At the moment it is sitting on my sink with a cake of sunlight soap in it . In my house I do tend to move things around all the time so you will probably see it in the laundry next week or in the garden under a tap.

HORSES & THINGS

Just a quick post to show you all this photo of my DD & me, we were just coming back from taking the cattle back to their paddock. Both these horses are cutting horses (Quarter Horses)

It's one of my favourites as I love riding with my daughter & she adores this horse.

Have been so busy this week so have had not much time to blog just a quick look in when I have a minute.

Today was hectic as I had to drive to Toowoomba to pick up Horse Semen to AI a mare it's about a 2 1/2 hr drive each way so that was 5 hrs out of my day. I left quite early as I had soundness evaluations booked in as well as prospective buyers coming to see sale horses. I also had to take a horse to Corbould Park Track on the Sunshine Coast. If anyone knows that song

"I've been everywhere man" well that was me today!!

Can't wait to go have a nice shower & spend some time with my darlings. Dinner will be something real simple as I feel to tired to cook, probaly omelettes & a salad. The chooks are laying really well at the moment so we are inundated with fresh eggs. I have some berries frozen that need to be used up so will have that with some icecream for dessert. Not homemade icecream, though I love it but can't find my never fail quick easy reciepe have turned the house upside down baffles me where I could have put it the one thing is though I may have tucked it in a book I'm pretty good at doing that. Has anyone ever used one of those icecream makers?? If so are they good??

HALLOWEEN

Halloween has been and gone and here I am little old me just getting around to posting these photos. Now though, don't get excited cause I'm not really a Halloween fanatic trying to continue it on for as long as possible after the date. In fact it's not really something that we celebrate in Australia not like today. It is Melbourne Cup Day in Australia today & while Victoria has a holiday other states don't but I really think we should it's so much a Australian icon. I know what your all thinking now that I'm bias as I work with horses & yep your probably right.

Anyway I'm probably raving on here a little as this post was supposed to be on Halloween but I'm only really making it a post to put up the photos of my DS who attended a Halloween disco that his school put on. Lane went to the Halloween disco on Friday night at the local hall and had an absolutely fabulous time. Nothing better for a child to pay his 5 bucks get a sausage sizzle a soft drink and have enough money left to fill him to the eyeballs with lollies. I think most kids would have gone home and climbed the walls all night full of sugar either that or kept their parents up all night with a belly ache.

Anyway what really bothered me about this whole disco thing was the adults who seemed to join one of two parties -celebrating Halloween is Black Magic worshipping and we shouldn't be encouraging this if we are Christians or the parents who get right into the whole Halloween deal and think we should adopt this as a tradition to be celebrated full steam.

Oh and then there is the minority group consisting of me and really only me & maybe a few other odd bods. The simple fact is I really don't care because I picked my son up with his eyes sparkling with fun, to hyper to sit still in the backseat on the way home due to an overdose of sugar, telling me who did this & that, and how much fun it was to take your shoes off & slide around the old halls polished floors with just your socks on.

Now that is childhood fun that I think shouldn't be spoiled because of adults views.

BANANAS

Just a quick post to show you all a picky of my beautiful bunch of bananas that we are anxiously waiting on. There is nothing like home-grown bananas. When they are ready we pick the bunch & hang them underneath our house to ripen.

The only trouble is of course it's either banana feast or famine as they all ripen at once. Other years we have unfortunately lost our bananas both bunches and the whole trees in summer storms they seem to blow over so easy in a big storm.

I have heard people say they are a complete food. I don't know if that is exactly true but of course they do have more of a complete range of vitamins & minerals then some other fruits.

When my late neighbor was having trouble with his heart they said he had to quit his bananas as they were to high in potassium for him. I know he found this really hard as he had been growing them himself for over 50yrs & he used to enjoy one daily.

BLOG AWARD

Thanks Linda & flmom

Linda from Remote Treechanger & flmom from The Narrow Path have both sent me this lovely award. Thankyou so much for your time with helping newbie bloggers like me, you are both most patient.

The people I am forwarding it to are:-

Tilly from Tilly Tatas

Homespun Living

Gill @ That British Women

Colorado Lady

Kay @ The Rustic Cottage

Lesley from Notes from my Days

The Linen Cupboard

The Vintage Rose

Please come by & collect your awards ladies and forward onto your favs.

CAROLINE

BLOG AWARD

I received this blog award from Tania at Outback. My heart felt sympathy to Tania and her friend & family who tragically lost a family member. May you all have the strength you need to continue through this devastating time I shall be praying for you. With much love sent your way.

The six people I am sending it on to are:-

Daisymum at Notes from Daisy Mountain

Mandy at the Old Dairy

Rhonda at Down--- to--- Earth

Linda at Remote Treechanger

Carolyn - Anonymous

flmom at The Narrow Path

Ladies this is because you all have the hottest blogs, come collect your award and forward it onto 6 others.

Have a great evening with your loved ones

Caroline