The Old Dairy

Chickens and kick boxing........

2012-01-28T08:50:00.000+10:00

I hope all my Australian readers enjoyed there Australia Day celebrations.We stayed home to build our new Chook Pen.

Boy O boy was it hot though, we lit up the barbie at lunch time and cooked a feast for our French workers..Then all came inside to the air con...

I know not quite the some but it was a cool relief.

Below is the chook pen I have now, as the garden has grown I need to move it out of the main yard as when I let them out they are wrecking the garden.

It is a bit of an eye sore where it is as well..

There new home will be down the garden path and out through the Red gate. Out here in the farm they will be able to roam to there hearts content and not get into any mischief.

As you can see it will be a large pen divided into 3 separate pens, I have plans...I want to keep my different rare breeds separate and eventually bred them..

We were hoping to get it finished off today but it is still raining. Lovin the rain and it is cold here after our 35+ temp last week it is only 19 degrees. Crazy weather..

Today the children and I are going to try Kick boxing.....hahahahah I know me and kick boxing, but it has started at the little local hall. I will try anthing once, I'll let you know how it goes...

What does one wear to kick boxing?????

Enjoy your week end what ever you are doing..

Blessings

Mandy

New Girls....

2012-01-25T11:00:00.000+10:00

What a glorious Tuesday this is...

Why you ask....day off for me today...

I wanted to show you what I've been up too, last Friday on the way home from work I stopped in at the local op shop. Above is my score,6 crystal glasses, 5 crystal wine glasses, a sweet jug that will be good for a vase and a plate..Picking these items up is what got me out to the garage sales on Saturday. Now that cabinet I got on Saturday, I may just be needing it for all the china I am picking up!!!!!

Look what I have growing in the back yard!!!

A pineapple...I planted this top out in 2009 when Greg was sick as he enjoyed pineapple juice. Well it has taken a while but it has fruit....I see it as I walk out my back door it is the cutest little guy, I just hope it will taste as good as it looks.

Above and below are the new chooks we got Sunday.Above(sorry bad photo) are the Golden Laced Wyandotts and below are the Sicilian Buttercups. Don't you just love the names of them? The buttercups get a more lighter head as they get older. They are both rare breeds, we are getting a collection of different chooks now. On Thursday we are starting the new chook pens, at the moment they are in the portable one.

William loves them and spends ages out there playing with them..and we even got our first egg Monday afternoon he was so excited.

Now we just need to get some names for the New girls, any ideas????

I mentioned I'm not working today, that is because I have to go and pick up a back packer arriving in Gatton at lunch time. Only thing is I will have to go up to the workshop and play catch up in the morning..Tomorrow is Australia day here so is a public holiday...

So after work it will be starting on the chook pen then a good Barby to end the day...

Enjoy your day

Blessings

Mandy

Garage Sale Finds....

2012-01-22T13:02:00.000+10:00

How is week-end shaping up??

I had the best Saturday in a very long time, Will and I went hunting at the garage sales.

Ta Da

I have often heard the men say "Real men have Ute's"

Well

I think then that real women have Tarago's....The things I fit in here is amazing.The back seat was full,I got an old trunk for $15 and so much china, and then I got this cabinet for only $30 and couldn't leave it there for that price. Up went the other seat and in she went....

I love my car..

I also got this lamp. OK she looks bad here but look at the base, it is glass. I have often seen these on blogs but never found one for myself.

and the china...All of this for $15. It has been years since I have gotten to Garage sales so I may be a little excited OK..Just humor me PLEASE..

A new shade on my lamp and she is looking better, still not 100% happy I think it needs a smaller shade. Another shot of the chinna, the green striped bowls and plates are part of a dinner set. When I asked the fellow how much he said (this is some of Dads old china how about $5) I causally said thats OK I supose...$5 can you beleive it..The floral plate and other green plate was $2 each.

Now the travelling trunk, the elderly lady said here Grandfather come out from Scotland with this trunk. My grandfather also came out from Scotland may-be my Pop had a trunk like this too. I'm sure it wasn't yellow though!! He makes a lovely coffee table on the veranda for now. I want to fit it into the boys room as a toy box.

Below is my cupboard for $30 it to has gone on the veranda as I have no room in the house.

Yes I had a wonderfull day Saturday.

Today Damien and I are going to look at some chooks. Rare bred ones so all in all this has been one of the best weekends ever...

What have you been up to?????

Blessings

Mandy

Wishing.....

2012-01-19T14:30:00.000+10:00

(picture from Pinterest I think)

I was here

Dreaming that my pool house looked like this.

That my Internet was working again...

But no to the above

sighhhhhhh

Also I have just realized that for the last few months that all the comments and emails I have sent to you lovely ladies I don't think you got. I have been sending them from my old email address.

aghhhhhhhh

I am hoping that the hour I just spent trying to fix it (instead of working) has worked.

I will catch up as soon as the Internet at home is fixed (it had better be tomorrow)

Meanwhile I'm going to work out how I can cut the front wall out of my pool house so it looks like this one....

Blessings

Mandy

A Family Week end....

2012-01-16T09:16:00.001+10:00

How is this cool Monday morning finding you..

That is cool as in weather wise, after the heat of last week it is a cool 20 degrees.....Bliss.

What a great week end we had, first of all one of my sister in laws made a surprise visit up from Melbourne. Needless to say the week end has been a family over load. hahaha

Cousins catching up in the pool.

Brothers catching up over the barby.

Then there is kids on skate boards.....I have attended to a few busted knees this week end...

Thought I had better show you Jayne, she will probably kill me for this photo though.

So that is my week end.....

O and I am at work doing my blog as I still do not have the inter net going at home grrrrrrr..

I hope you all had a great week end.

Blessings

Mandy

Catch Up

2012-01-11T12:32:00.001+10:00

First Up....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAREN...

You have to admire this woman as she has put up with my son for many years, for this reason she is my favorite daughter in-law...

I hope you have had a lovely day Kazz....

I picked some roses from the garden for you I hope you like them.

It has soooooooo hot here

All of my garden is starting to brown off and in need of a good drink. It is hard to comprehend that 12mths ago we were in devastating floods here.

This is the coolest area in the whole place as there is always a breeze blowing here.

I haven't been able to update my blog as my Internet is down and I'm still waiting on a part to get it going again..I am blogging at work today as it is a bit quieter...Every other day I have been busy up here..

In fact I think I am going to have a quick look at what is happening in blog land.

A big hello to all of you as I won't have time to comment..

By for now

Mandy

A good start to 2012....

2012-01-04T13:31:00.001+10:00

I am enjoying 2012 so far..

Lots of time out in the garden as the weather has been perfect not to hot....Lots of pruning has been getting done, vines, roses, hedges and fruit trees.

Then after gardening sneaking in a swim with out the kids.

blissssssss

Unfortunately then there always book work waiting for me in the evening.

How is 2112 for you so far?

May this New Year bring you Happiness and Joy...

Mandy

The last day of 2011...

2011-12-31T10:58:00.001+10:00

So this is the last day of 2011.

2012 is nearly here isn't it? I thought about reflecting on the past year, instead I am going to tell you about our new project.

Above you can see a lovely paddock of tomatoes growing, and below more being planted. With all these tomatoes that Damien and Chloe are growing we need pickers....

Introducing the Backpackers..

Well some of them any way...You have already met David and Anise, but let me explain why I have backpackers.

For a long time I have wanted to join up with Helpx. This is a site that people holidaying can come and stay at your house. They will work 4-5 hrs per day in exchange for accommodation and food, also Internet and I do supply a vehicle so they can get to Toowoomba.

(above Oceane French)

I also have 2 Japanese staying with me for 3 months.

Below is Koo doing cross eyes at me as he thinks that is funny.

Below is Ayia and Cassie. Koo and Ayia are not back packers, they are through Shake Hands with Oz..This is a exchange where they come to live with you for 3mths to learn to speak English. With this they also work 4 hours a day in exchange for room and board. But it is more than that, they become a part of your family and through this they learn our way of life and to speak English.. Koo is a Architect and Ayia is a English Teacher so she speaks English all ready.

I hope you are following all this?????

So the Table below is all the back packers staying here at the moment. 2 live in The Old Dairy and the other 2 French girls live at Chloe's and Damien's to help with the tomatoes.

The Old Dairy is now no longer my craft room but a back packers resort...hahahaha. How things change in life. We are enjoying them though and my gardens are looking great..Come the new year the farm is going to start to get the horrible lantana cut out and tidied up.

I may not be able to travel the world so we are bring the world to us.

What are your plans for 2012?????

Why not share them so we can all follow along on your journey...

May the New year bring you happiness and joy.

Mandy

Christmas catch up....

2011-12-28T12:16:00.000+10:00

Christmas has been and gone for another year....

Grandma Bob got so many pressies I had to give her a hand to open them...

and of course we had our own doll to play with..William was very happy to be holding on to Grace wouldn't give her up to open his presents even.

Alanah and Chloe had fun decorating the ginger bread house that they got from there other Grandma..Alanah reckons it wasn't as good as the one grandma used to make though...

Here we all are sitting down for Christmas lunch 23 in total.

The girls at the front are the 4 backpackers and 2 Japanese we have staying.

At the back is all the family and our neighbors Pam and Lindsay who are like family any way.

Now though it's time to get ready for the new year, what are your plans. We are having an outdoor movie night with drinks and nibblies with the neighbors...Should be a fun time...

Enjoy

Mandy

Are You Ready for Christmas??

2011-12-21T11:59:00.001+10:00

Wow what a week it has been around here..Tuesday saw us having ALL having to make a trip to Nambour. Well you can't go that way with out stopping at Mapleton on the way home.

They had a wonderful little shop there just filled with Christmas decs. Ohhhhh this really got me into the Christmas spirit I can tell you. We had a late lunch then a little bit more shop looking. I even got the rest of my Christmas shopping all done here.

Then before I new it, it was 5p.m and we still had a 2 hr drive ahead of us.

Can you see the riff raff in the back seats, they were all having a good time yelling singing fighting I think you get the idea. Robbie is some where back there as well you can't see him but I could hear him that's for sure ...It was a good day one what I call a memory making day.

We also went to see the Christmas lights a Queens Park. What a great display they had, the photos do not show how fantastic they really were.

And now (drum roll please)

My Christmas presant from my 4 wonderful daughters.

A dishwasher ( Happy dancing now)

So what do you think?

I Know spoilt hey...I decided to put her in the pantry. The bench is made from an old tresselle table that I got from a sale. Bruce built this all for me for Christmas as well. The little freezer tucks under there and now I have a wonderful new work space.

This view is from the pantry door, I mean from The Butlers Pantry door..Haaahahahaha.

I also got some wine glass holders for the shelf, so this is a great little area for preparing drinks. Hmmm I think I will make a little skirt to hid the plumbing though as looking at the picture it needs covering up.

I am one happy lady this Christmas and very thank full.

This year for Christmas lunch there will be 22 people here..A house full that's for sure. It will also be the first Christmas my big boy David won't be here. So while I am missing him like crazy I know that he and Karen are having one of the best Christmases ever over there in Canada....

Merry Christmas David and Karen we are all missing you here.

This year though is also my first year as a Grandma so I am going to be getting lots of cuddles from this little pudding. I know isn't she the cutest baby ever...

Jess, Lachlan and Grace will arrive this morning.

I hope you are all spending time with those you love this year.

Have a safe and Merry Christmas to All

Blessings

Mandy

I'm Sitll here! Are you?????

2011-12-16T13:45:00.000+10:00

Hello all!!!!

I have been the worst blogger ever lately, I haven't even been by to see what you are all getting up to.

Some times life just gets too busy doesn't it????

Life is never dull here at The Old Dairy though let me tell you. My pantry is getting yet an other make over as you can see by the mess below. I know always doing something, but this is a little different I'm not responsible for it.

Here is a little hint of whats going on today...It will be all finished when I get home and then I will share it all with you.

Today though I am meeting my Mum and we are spending the day together.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM.........

You would be forgiven in thinking I have a homeless person living on my veranda...Around these parts he is known as Box Boy.

Yep William has moved into his box.

If you look below you can see a head sticking out of the sleeping bag, also note the pile of books beside the sleeping boy....Yep never know when you need to read something while passing the hours in your box.
I love boys especially this little 8 year old. Will has always had a great imagination and goes of and plays by himself...or in a box for hours...

I will be more regular with my posts from now on and I will fill you all in very soon as to why I have been so busy...

Until then enjoy your last week end before Christmas.

Blessings

Mandy

A busy week end....

2011-12-05T13:53:00.001+10:00

Happy Monday every one...

This week end we were very French, I had French house guests and William and I travelled to see the Eiffel Tower....Toowoomba style that is.

We enjoyed a picnic at the beautiful Gardens in Queens Park .....

Meet David and Anise our lovely French couple staying here. As you can see there has been lots of wine being drunk and good food being eaten..Anise has cooked a couple of times O lala (said with very bad french accent)

Whats this????Grace how did you get in here???

Look at those cheeks and that sweet face, that looks says" I miss you Grandma" and I miss you Princess Grace.

We went for a walk after our picnic lunch through the Cobb and Co museum.

William sat on this horse through most of the tour through the museum, he is having a cob boy phase at the moment.

The others had to fight him to get a turn on the horse, the horse with a Santa sleigh

The week end was finished off in the garden having tea by candle light. The evenings have been so delightful that you can't help but to dine out side.

Yes we had a very busy time on the week end relaxing and enjoying good company...

Some times it is good to do this insteaf of working all wek end..

Mandy

Ramblings....

2011-12-01T07:00:00.001+10:00

It's that time of the year again when eating outside is so much cooler than being indoors.

I am thinking though that my courtyard needs a little bit of TLC. It isn't a big area and the table takes up most of the room. When we have the barby going there is another table out here as well for the food to go on. I think it just needs a good revamp and clean after not being used for a while.

I have cleaned up the side of the house leading up to the court yard, so that's a start isn't it? It is a bit cooler today with the promise of rain so a good day to make over the court yard.

The Christmas decorations are slowly coming out. They too are looking a little sad and well old, no tatty is a better word. sighhhhh.

I started my Christmas shopping yesterday so hopefully that will get me into the Christmas spirit. The last couple of years I seem to have lost my Christmas Mojo. Decorating seems like a chore instead of a joy, boy I sound like the Christmas grump..

What I need is some Christmas craft to get me into the mood I think...and may be some Christmas cooking...For now I'm going to see what Christmas decorating is going on in blog world...

Blessings

Mandy

Catch up.

2011-11-28T11:16:00.001+10:00

How was your week end? I know it's Tuesday already and I'm asking about your week end. Saturday saw us getting our first backpackers to stay, they are French and lovely. Sunday saw us putting up the Christmas Tree and outside Christmas lights.

I have spent the last week mowing and weeding after all the lovely rain we had last week. Every thing was in need of a drink and looking dry. Amazing what a good soaking rain can do. Every thing is growing and looking clean and green.

All my agapanthis are starting to flower throughout the garden. The wagon wheel below Robbie found in the creek after the flood, it has found a new home in my garden now.

One side of the gate my aggies are flowering but not the other. The ones in the shade always flower first though.

I am going to get a cuppa and see what you have been up to over the week end.

Blessings

Mandy

A Corner of My Veranda...

2011-11-23T10:02:00.001+10:00

I Thought I would share a corner of my veranda with you. This corner is outside the kitchen and we often have our meals here.

I wanted to show you the mat I got for out here. I have often seen out door mats on blogs and in magazines but never seen any for sale around these parts. On the way to work yesterday as I was driving past Bar-B-Que Galores I saw some. I quick pull over and 10mins later I'm walking out with it.

I'm thinking it makes this look like a room which the veranda is. Above you can see the blinds are open, below they are closed. I have to close them of a morning as the sun gets very hot out here.

Yep,

This hot, forgot to bring the candles in. Don't think I'll be able to use them now?

A close up of the table, I love these little urns that I got from the discount shop CHEAP..

I hide the dog lead in them and my garden clippers..

Close up of the mat.. They are made from plastic bags, yes it is recycled plastic, won't fade or stain. When it gets dirty just hose it off. Now how neat is that, this is the bigger one and fits under my 10 seater table...

Now I might have to get one for the courtyard...

Enjoy your day

Mandy

A lonely cabinet....

2011-11-15T09:43:00.001+10:00

Welcome to this hot Tuesday, my workshop does get really hot in summer all the fan does in blow hot air. I look forward to coming home on a day like today and fluffing about the house.

This cabinet below was in the kitchen that was home to ummmmm junk really. Tea towels, table clothes, wrapping paper, hats you name it it was in there. Since the big Pantry clean out of 2011 it is empty. Empty with no home.

I am not sure where to put it as I think it makes the family room look cluttered, and it is empty, I'm sure I'll think of some thing.

Meanwhile it has been replaced with my daughters china cabinet that she can't fit into her place. I am loving the open shelf feeling of this cabinet. I have filled it up with all my white china.

The plain white dinner set is a good companion to the rest of my old china. It goes with any table setting I decide upon.

Enjoy the rest of your hot Tuesday, I'm going to read some blogs instead of going out and mowing..

Blessings

Mandy

A Pantry Clean up...

2011-11-14T12:39:00.001+10:00

I have been busy over the week end. Busy getting my cup boards organized. Above is a photo of my pantry before I got in and cleaned and reorganized it.

Below is the laundry cupboard before.

And now all nice and clean.

I even got around to tiding my laundry,

and putting a shelf up that has been sitting there waiting.

For some reason blogger has uploaded all the photos in the wrong order arghhhh.

Here are all the teatowels and table clothes in there new home.

I now have all the kitchen linen sorted and in baskets.

I have now got more in here than when I started as I have emptied the linen cupboard and stored it all in the drawers at the bottom.

I am happy how organized it all is now, funny how I let things get into such a mess then I have a major clean out on my hands.

The week end was full of cleaning and gardening, but so much was done that I'm happy. What did you get up to on your week end.

Bedroom 3

2011-11-08T10:22:00.004+10:00

I am doing my Happy Dance today as the Boys room is all finished..

It looks just the way i imagined it would...I am loving the floors in this room they are hard wood and the color is a lot darker then the rest which I think is good being a boys room. I still have there photos and flags to put up yet as well.

I did have to buy a new chest of drawers, I have been looking for ages in the 2nd hand shops but couldn't find any..I got this from Eureka Furnishings here in Toowoomba.

The old side board looks like it was made for the room, we have all the boys bits and pieces stored in there.

Robbie has the top bunk which is a double size so he has plenty of growing room. I did put a shelf up there and am yet to get a lamp for him so he can read at night with out disturbing William.

Will has the single bed and the party lights go on at night as he needs to sleep with the lights on. Placing them under the bunk they do not reflect up to Robbie who likes it to be dark.

On the other side of the room they have there storage area.

Built ins either side of the desk, and lots of shelf room. The shelves go all the way to the ceiling. Here they do there home work and have the old computer to do assignments on.

We kept one shelf spare so the little TV and X box fits in here out of the way all neat and tidy.

I got them some bean bags to sit in and they love them, Robbie's is the red one and the other one which is Will's is a glow in the dark world map well globe really....He loves it.

So there you have it all 3 Bedrooms finished..It has taken a while but it has been worth it.

Every thing is so clean and fresh..I have donated so much to Vinnies it's un real..I am now going to slowly go through the rest of the house and de-clutter it, but for now I'm having a break...

Blessings

Mandy

Meet All My Children.....

2011-11-07T11:29:00.005+10:00

Warning

You may want to

Sit down and have a cuppa for this post, as it is a photo overload....

Above is a photo of all my children.

Back L-R Chloe, David, Alanah

Front L-R Robbie, William, Jessica and Cassandra.

Not easy trying to get 7 kids to behave them selves for a family photo.

Above.

The women of the family.

Myself, Chloe, Jess and Grace, Cassandra and Alanah.

As you see no easy feat getting them to behave...

I know 3 boys that are very much in love..

In love with there niece that is...

See the look in Lachlans eyes.. I am sure he was thinking when are they going home so I get to hold my baby....hahaha

I remember being young with my first baby, do you? it wasn't really that long ago was it.

Below is David and his wife Karen..

They decided to borrow Grace for a family photo..I think the look on Gracie's face says it all.

So that was our week end at Roma with all my loves in the one place at the one time....

Missing them all already though.

Now for some exciting news...

I am getting a Japanese student Tomorrow for 3 months.

All has happened very quickly...I have had to have a big clean up in the kids old bedroom under the house for her..Sorry the above photo is so blurry.

It is a good size room down there and also she will have lots of privacy ( I am saying she as I don't know her name yet)

Bruce installed a vanity for my (below) as I think a girl needs some where to primp and preen.

All I need is some floor covers as it only has bare cement floors....

So there you have it just two of the things I have been up to lately..

I will explain later in the week about how come I am having a Japanese student for 3 mths...

Enjoy your Monday

Mandy

Bedroom 2...

2011-11-03T18:02:00.007+10:00

I am back, did you miss me?

My new Internet has been playing up, and work has been to busy to blog there...But all is good and I have a lot of catching up to do...

First......Bedroom 2 Cassie's bedroom.

Remember last post I decided to put Cassie in the smaller bedroom? well she loves it (now)

As you can tell blue and green are her favorite colours.

The walls are all painted in Dulux Antique white. I am loving how the white walls and polished floors make this room so much brighter and bigger.

The bed is one I had up in The Old Dairy. It is painted gold and is the prettiest bed for a teenage girls room. The curtains and cushions are new, but every thing else I already had, the duchess needs painting yet though.

A little office nook for her to do her studying in. The shelves where all taken down and painted as well. I think these shelves came from my room, hahaa I can't remember now.

This is how the room looked before as the boys room. It is now a lovely bright teenage girls room. I have really enjoyed remaking over the bedroom's on such a tight budget. Amazing isn't it what you can find around the home to help pull a room together.

The boys room is nearly finished..We were up till late putting beds together last night. It is the first time in a month the boys have had beds...

12 mths of renos...Boy it has been a long haul, but I have enjoyed seeing my old house come to life...

Now I am going to get a coffee and have a catch up on you all instead of going for a walk this morning...

Enjoy your day..

Mandy

Before and After....

2011-10-20T11:14:00.007+10:00

Morning all, I wanted to share some before and afters with you. Lets start with the kids bathroom. Since I have been so totally lost in my new bathroom (above) and yes I still walk in there and sigh......Well the kiddos room has been on a grungy scale of 1-10 ...91/2 aghhh. It was so bad that I just didn't go in the room. But when in Roma I thought this would make a great soap bar holder...I love this jar might have to get Jess to get me another one I think. How one little thing can influence you to redo a room...This jar did just that.

Are you ready for this?????

Below the kids bathroom

or room of grunge as I call it...

Now as I tend to be a little compulsive I decided yesterday after work was the day to revamp this room.(had to use my new jar) So out came the vinegar and washed walls and ceiling...Took the shelf down and put up some curtains...

What do you think???

Looks much better doesn't it?

I just need to paint it now.

This corner below has me stumped though.

I have so many towels but they are all old, I'm thinking if I just got plain white towels to start. Any ideas at all. I thought maybe a chair??

I love how putting up curtains and moving some furniture makes a cheap difference to a room, any room.

Below is the shelf next to the bath/shower..I used the enamel wear to pretty it up. The potty to hold shampoos and stuff and some flowers to give some color.

Yes I'm loving this cabinet in here...

I put glass wear in here to keep it all light and bright. So that's the kids bathroom face lift...

Now on to their bedrooms.

The boys room....

Before....

After..

Why I ask myself did it take so long for me to get it painted?It is so much lighter and brighter now, and the floors..they make the room....If I could just leave it bare like this... But alas children need to move back in..This will be the week ends job...

Meanwhile......

we move right along to Cassie's bedroom...Time for it to get painted..

Say hello to Neville. I asked him if I could take a before photo with him in it to put on my blog?answer very dumb look with nodding of head.....hahaa I better explain when I get home what a blog is.(and yes I'm blogging at work)

This room will be the last to get redone...It has been 13 yrs since I have done any thing to this room, so the carpet will come up and it to will be painted white...

Also I'm thinking of giving the boys this bigger room and Cassie the other one....I wonder how she will take that????

I hope you enjoyed my before and afters...any ideas on that corner of the bathroom are very welcome..

Enjoy your day

Blessings

Mandy

Home.....

2011-10-17T16:12:00.002+10:00

My arms are already missing my little princess, and that sweet little nose that I have to kiss. Yes there will be lots of trips out to Roma from now on....But for now it is back home and back to work.

Above is some of the pretties I found in Roma...You'll have to wait and see what I am going to do with them.

We had some great rain while away and the garden is looking green and happy are the plants.

The boys room is coming along, floors sanded and varnished, the first coat of paint on the walls.

Yes coming home was nice.

Only 1 week left until Alanah and Chloe get home from there trip to Thailand...Goodness I have missed those 2 girls. I am feeling very lonely as I have only 3 of my 7 children here and I do not like it at all...

Well only a week and the girls will be back, now I have to work out how to get my big boy down here....I have it.....My mowers need servicing and he is the only one Dad would trust to do it...(a little guilt should work)

Have a great week all...

Blessings

Mandy

Time to head home...

2011-10-15T17:12:00.005+10:00

Out for lunch with the girls in Roma after a busy day shopping.

What a wonderful few days we have had in Roma...

I had a birthday here with my very favorite girl..

Went shopping and saw this shop below. There is no way Jess could get the pram through here. I have never seen such a awful shop in my life every thing was covered in dust...The photo dosn't show it really well though.

We did find some lovely shops here though.

I will share my finds with you when I get home.

I am heading home tomorrow, it is a good 4 hour trip out here so I need to get going early.

Now I have to go and have more cuddles as I won't see my girl for a few weeks..

Blessings

Mandy

Welcome Grace...

2011-10-10T16:25:00.003+10:00

Our waiting is over...

Saturday Grace Ashleigh arrived.

My beautiful daughter has her own little daughter to love and cuddle.

She is the happiest little bundle ever and Grace looks just as her Mum did.

Congratulations

Jessica and Lachlan..

It took no time at all to get used to having a grand baby. Now you are wondering is Mandy going to start filling her posts with photos of her new grand daughter Grace?

What do you think??

Tomorrow I am heading out to Roma with Jess to help her settle in for a week..

Grace still has 2 aunties and 1 uncle to meet...She told me she can't wait to meet them so hurry home to see me.

Dreaming........

2011-10-06T12:26:00.003+10:00

Hello all........ how is Thursday finding you?

It is actually raining here in my part of the world, and cold. I am all rugged up as the workshop is cold....really cold...

Yes I'm at work...dreaming about my garden at home and how lovely it is all looking at the moment...Well yesterday really when the sun was shinning and I took theses photos.

The very first photo is of my hippeastrums which I have had for years, I actually got them from my Mum's garden. They are looking stunning at this time of year when they flower..I almost forget they are there and then there they are in all there glory.

I love it when I have every thing in flower and I can pick vases of fresh flowers in the house.

Still waiting for my beautiful girl Jess to have here baby...Between you and me I am sure I was never pregnant this long it seems like years....

Well I had better get back to work

after a quick catch up of some blogs that is...

Blessings to all

Mandy

Catching up...

2011-10-03T08:45:00.006+10:00

I'm still here....a little insane maybe but still here.

School is back today and the house is quiet and clean!!! It has been a crazy 2 weeks here with the kids home and trying to get all the book work done at work. Work has been crazy busy which is good..Alanah leaves for Thailand this week so we have been getting every thing up to date.. Eldest daughter Jess is in from Roma waiting....waiting for her little bub to be born..Poor Jess she just hanging around waiting...We all are.

In between all this I have been spending any spare time out in the garden, above and below are photos of the mulberry tree that had to get a good hair cut as it was shading the solar panels to much.

Speaking of haircuts last Thursday I took the kiddos to town to get the school holidays haircuts.. Now let me set the scene for you.....All three children are sitting in chairs doing there thing and I am trying to tell Robbie that that no he can not have a Footy cut...Why ? is asked because they look stupid I say while wondering to myself what the hell is a Footy cut is...and being thank full for 8 year old that still thinks short back and side are cool ( cause Mum said so) Any way horrible 13 year old calls out from other side of room....Hey Mum you should get a hair cut too and get a colour cause I can see the gray from here....All eyes swing to me as Robbie continues you should see Mum's hair when she is at home it is wild and all fizzy....My response to this....give the brat short back and sides!!!!!!!

and yes I did get a hair cut as well and when I got home I also put a colour in...Kids and they wonder why I was happy to see them go to school today.

Back to the garden..the place I go to chill out and gather my thoughts. The artichokes are doing there job above and keeping the lettuce shaded...Below we are still digging potatoes and carrots.

I am going to have to find some recipes for artichokes are there is a lot on the bushes. If you have any ideas please let me know.

I have been enjoying my early morning walks with the most amazing sunrises. Below doesn't do the sky justice as the sun was a bright red ball coming up over the mountains...I think the smoke in the air made it so red.

Below are the solar panels getting lots of sun now..and we still have plenty of mulberry's on the tree.

Hmmmm I think those blinds need a good scrub...might be a good job for a smart mouth 13 year old I think...

Blessings

Mandy

A Quick Hello........

2011-09-26T08:18:00.003+10:00

Still enjoying the wonderful gardens that have been on display.

These first 3 photos were all taken at the Food and Wine festival...and yes you can get a little tipsy tasting different wines...and the cheeses and dips they had on offer mmmm... But I digress

Below is just one of the flower display at Saint Luke's Church....

We are still on spring break here for another week, so juggling children and work dosn't leave a lot of time for blogging.

I hope you all had a great week end...

Blessings

Mandy

Toowoomba Carnival Of Flowers...

2011-09-20T06:15:00.006+10:00

Hello all.....What a beautiful summer week end we had here in Toowoomba, and what a lovely time we have had being tourists in our own city.

The floats in the parade where spectacular this year.

I will not bore you with all the photos that the children took (138 photos in all!)

Just a few of our favs.

The ladies above were so elegant as they swayed and walked along.

After the parade it was of to the side show for some fun William and Mandy fun that is.

The Ferris wheel........

I know we are so brave..While we were freaking out because we had stopped at THE VERY TOP (Will took good care of me) I thought I could hear Cassie screaming. OK so there were hundreds of girls screaming on the rides but I'm sure I heard Cass, looking across to one ride sure enough there is my girl looking just as I felt. sick...sick...sick. Believe me that girl can scream.

After doing the Ferris wheel ride and getting the show bag I managed to sit down and have a nice long cup of coffee....The bonus was Colin Campbell from ABC Gardening Australia was giving a talk...

Tomorrow I will share some amazing floral arrangements..

enjoy your day

Blessings

Mandy

2011-09-15T06:45:00.006+10:00

Warm hellos to all on this wonderful sunny spring day.

I have been out and about playing in the garden. I dragged out one of the girls old push bikes from under the house, added a basket with flowers to the front and prettied up this corner of the back yard. Not exactly the old weathered bike I had in mind, but hey it works I think.

My Irises are out in bloom, as is the lavender. My roses are full of buds and it won't be long until I have a garden full of blooms.

There is colour in every corner of the garden.

Below is Oriental Lillie's. No these aren't from my garden but I planted a few that I ordered this year from Garden Express. I have ordered a lot through this on line nursery and I have had nothing but success with all I got. My lilies are about 10 inches high at the moment so have a way to go yet.

I never realized how many white flowering plants I have. I have snow in summer , fruit blossoms, walking orchid and jasmine in this arrangement.

I knew this little cane table would be good for something.

Yes another photo, just because it looks so pretty. O have I mentioned I love my new glass doors,

???? May I could do a post on them?

The sun is so bright, the family room stays warm all evening now. The mulberry tree out side got a hair cut yesterday as it was casting to much shade on the new solar panels.

Today is the beginning of our Spring break, the children get 2 weeks.. We are going to do the tourist thing here in our home town of Toowoomba as it is the Carnival Of Flowers week.

Every thing kicks of tomorrow, so if you are in town you might see me. I will be the one under the big hat dragging three bored children behind me looking at gardens and madly taking photos...

Blessings to all

Mandy

Recycling and veges.....

2011-09-13T06:53:00.003+10:00

Hello all....

How has your week been? Busy I am sure. I thought it was time to update how the vege patch is going. I lost a lot of stuff to frost through the winter, but the carrots are doing so well. We are harvesting them daily for tea. Also we have so many potatoes they were a real success. The climbing beans got frosted but a couple survived as you can see on the trellis above. I have planted more seeds though.

At the entrance I have sweet peas growing, they are almost finished, in fact all my spring flowering bulbs and flowers are all but been and gone. I have planted a climbing as well on the week end, so it will soon cover this fence.

Above is the artichokes, lettuce, bok choy and asparagus growing well in the far bed. Closer are the red onions and new planting of potatoes comming through.

Now for some recycling

Try not to laugh to hard......

Yesterday when I got home from work I was told there was a surprise in the vege garden for me.

Boy was I surprised....my uncontrllable laughing may have been a bit mean I admit. Thankfully my Mother in-law was here and she was full of praise...Now this is recylcing at it's ultimite I think...Sink, from bins accross road.

Chairs( hahaha)also from bin accross road

pipe, taps and fittings all from shed.

One sink in vege garden for washing veges....

It gets better....

Look more chairs from bin across road...

This is going to be my potting bench, the bin has the potting mix in it, and the gate on top is used so that the potting mix can fall through to the bin and none is wasted. Now don't get me wrong great ideas....maybe you had to be there, but I really thought it was the funnist thing I had seen in a long time...Today I will get in and add my touch to it....

The wall of bottles is comming along as one and all drop there bottles of to me...

So what do you do with your old chairs???????????

Have a great day

and let me know what you think,

Truly what you think!!!!!!!!!

Blessing

Mandy

Out and About......

2011-09-06T06:44:00.006+10:00

I hope every one had a great week-end, we had a busy week-end here but relaxing at the same time.

The table set for a spring time lunch, thought I would ditch the table cloth and go for place mats for a bit of a change.

Below is a big old tree that is right next to The Old Dairy. A lot of the wood is dead and it is dangerous.

So down she came..A friend from up the creek came down to do this. Ken has been pruning and chopping down trees here for a long time, and last time he was here he mentioned that this tree would need a good prune.

This is only half of the tree, the rest is OK to stay.

William found this hard hat and it didn't leave his head all week end.

As you can see it was a good size trunk to get through.

In the end it was two chain saws going, I am going to have plenty of wood next winter.

Robbie took all these photos and when he sat down I got one of him.

Sunday saw part of the Storey clan going on a picnic to Glen Rock.

Hmmmmm not much fishing as the creek was nearly dry, after all the flooding early on in the year there was lots to see and explore though.

Then time to sit and enjoy the view and a cuppa.

How was your week-end????

Have a great week.

Blessings

Mandy

2011-08-31T06:51:00.005+10:00

Spring is nearly here, the days are getting longer and warmer.

Tomorrow she will be here aghhhh

Spring.

The hallway is all painted and the new glass doors installed. (above) is as you come into the the front door and looking down the hallway to my bedroom.

Above is taken from my bedroom door looking back to the front door. All is looking a little sterile at the moment though for my liking but once all the family photos go up again it will look so much better. I just can't bring myself to hammer nails into the new paintwork just yet though.

below is how the hallway looked before it got painted........so much nicer and brighter. With the new glass doors so much more light can get through to the bedrooms now.

Remember the blackboard paint?

Well I got in and painted the pantry door with it. We now have no excuse for forgetting anything as it all goes on the blackboard....

What do think?

Thanks for stopping by

I hope you have a great day

Blessings

Mandy

A Weekend away and some much needed RAIN....

2011-08-30T08:59:00.005+10:00

Hello all on this wonderful wet Tuesday.

Waking up to a storm last night with lashings of lightning and pounding rain was a blessing. We are long over due for rain in our tanks and on our thirsty ground.

Guess where I went for a well needed long week end....the new tea towel is from there.

I have never stayed in Noosa before so we had a lovely time looking around. The we being Chloe Damien, Bruce and I . I must say that poor Chloe was sick of shopping by the end, but as it rained all week end there wasn't much else to do....

I did pick up some great bargins as every shop was having a sale. I got the new hanging baskets on the veranda from a junk shop there for only $12 each.. I filled them up with some plain old herring bone fern from the garden and they give the veranda a real lift.

I also got this cute bird cage for the dinning room table, it is not an old one but it is sweet. My favorite find was this photo frame below, it is quite large and made from old glass. I did pay $50 for it though, it was $79 so I did all right. The clock was $7 from the same shop as the hanging baskets.

Sunday the day we were coming home was sunny and perfect. We finely got out side and went to the the Noosa Farmers Markets.

This is Steve Waughs vege stand...Every stall at the markets was fresh food......I was in heaven, we got lots of goodies for a picnic for the way home.

After having sick choldren all week and then my self getting sick on Thursday, getting away child free was a blessing. All is well now and back to school and work...

Thank you for the kind comments and a big hello to my new followers, thanks for dropping by and saying hello...

Blessings

Mandy

Nurse Mandy to you...........

2011-08-20T17:29:00.003+10:00

Not much going on around here this week end as I am playing Nurse Mandy to one very sick 8 year old..

So the painting and renovating clothes are off and the nurses uniform is on...

Have a great week end

Mandy

I think I'm High....

2011-08-19T10:55:00.002+10:00

On paint fumes that is...

What were you thinking????The painter is finishing off the hall way and I'm floating from this to that..My head is spinning and my eyes are a watering....All for a good cause though. As you can see above even with the under coat on and my new doors it has made such a difference.

As soon as I am staying home with a sick boy today I have a project of my own..Any guesses the top and bottom photos should help.

And one more photo of my new dinning/lounge room...Or may be this should be named the family room now...

Have a wonderful week end..

Blessings

Mandy

The Posts are Gone.......

2011-08-18T09:23:00.005+10:00

It started with removing one room, the corner bedroom so that the kitchen at the back was opened up.

Then I thought Why not take the middle bedroom out and make it into one big living area. So I have gone in the last 12 mths to a 6 bedroom house to a 3 bedroom house...

With one large bright living and dinning area.

Still the final touches to finish around the support beams near the ceiling need sheeting and holes under mats to fill in.

But it is starting to look just as I new it would all those months ago...

I hope you aren't sick of the reno posts just yet....

Have a great day

Mandy

A Black and White Bedroom.......

2011-08-15T14:37:00.009+10:00

Welcome to my elegant bedroom make over.

above

Remember this wall it used to be the door way to the kitchen.

It is such a large expanse of wall now and needed something simple, so I just got some $2 frames from the cheap shops and hang them there, I am pleased with this simple wall art.

Here is my new look bedroom in a very elegant Black and White theme. The whole room has been painted Antique White with Chalk painted on the trims, door and window frames.

I have long thought about a black and white theme for the bedroom, I am really pleased with the result.

I have used a lot of my accessories to decorate with,

handbags, scarves and shoes.

above

Beaded clutch purse, my favorite black shoes and a scarf to add a bit of glamor.

Below

I also put a little touch of black into the ensuite so that both rooms flowed together.

Curtain, candle holder and a print brings it all to life.

Above

I got this screen from Loot, I use it instead of a door on the ensuite as I don't want a door on there but sometimes it is nice to have privacy.

above

An old chair with a white slip cover on it.

above and below

Remember how it used to look...I am so pleased all that green is gone. I love my roses though and know that I will go back to my pretty rose theme again, but for now a change was in order.

I have moved the bed to under the window and the chair is now under the mirror.

above

A close up of my new candelabra also from Loot.

New things I got for the room

Lamp shades x 2

Cushion covers x 6

Throw for the bottom of the bed

Photo frames x 6

Screen

Candelabra

I had the curtains already and as I have already said I used what I had to decorate.

What do you think.

I am so happy with the new look bed room.

Let me now what you think?

To look at how it was before just click on bedrooms below and this will show you all posts.

Blessings

Mandy

What was I thinking?????????????

2011-08-11T13:13:00.002+10:00

The builder is here....

Walls are coming down, ceiling are coming down.

Beams are out.

Now we have one big mess...

O did I mention holes in the floor....

I am sure it is going to get better....

Keep posted for updates...

Life....

2011-08-08T15:17:00.007+10:00

Friday was spent having lots of fun with my youngest William at under 8s day in Gatton.
Much painting and craft to do and ridding in the fireman's truck.

Sadly though this is my last under 8s day. William is growing way to fast and will be to old next year....We will have to find something else to do instead.

Around the home front it has been a busy week end......

I am finely getting the bedrooms painted.....

1st is my bedroom..Yes that is it above. I am camping on the fold out sofa in the family room while it is being painted.

New doors on the hallway went up over the week end and also the skirting boards in the hallway as it is the next room to be painted. I am putting the wide skirting boards all through the house as each room gets done. There was only D moulding around the bottom of the walls before.

Good bye to the Heritage green and red and hello to Antique White. Even with the under coat on my room is looking so much brighter, I can't wait until it is finished.

O and the builder rang and said he will be here this week. 8months I've been waiting and he has to come when the painter is here! Never mind I am pleased every thing is coming together...

What did you get up to on the week end?

Baby Shower......

2011-07-28T08:55:00.010+10:00

Welcome to Jessica's Baby Shower.

This post is a photo overload so be warned..

Jess's baby is due is 10 weeks so Alanah, Chloe and Cassie decided she needed a party. Alanah organized it all on her own. The cake and cup cakes she had especially made for the day. The cupcake had baby footprints on them and the booties on the cake were so well made.

I made a cake as well but mine didn't need any baking.

2 dozen cloth nappies, dmmies, teddy and teething ring and you have a

Nappy Cake.

Come in and have a look at the decorating I did to make this a special celebration you need lots of decorations.

A warm welcome at the front gate from teddy and an old highchairthat I love. I did buy the wooden blockes from K. Mart they will get lots of use in the years to come I am sure. They say

Baby shower welcome.

We set the cradle up at the entrance to the veranda as a place to put all the presents...Looks good as well. Cassandra made the baby shower sign and we placed it on the music stand.

Once inside I hang baby clothes up. These clothes then went to the Mother to be, such a cute trick to use baby clothes. The letter B came out from the bathroom for the day. B for baby.

Lots of pink, white and blue as this was the colors I was going for. I told Jess I even have the house painted in the right colors. hahahah

The table setting.

Here is Jessica, Chloe is hiding behind the post. We had a 30 people here, I am loving the new open plan of this room.( the builder is on his way to get rid of the posts yeh)

Alanah also ordered these Baby bottle candles as thank you gifts..

Another decorating idea...

I had a fun time cleaning up prams, highchairs, cradles and baby gear for this day. I didn't want to spend alot of money on decorations so I just used what I had.

A great way to give that real baby feel I thought.

I hope you enjoyed sharing the day.

Blessings

Mandy

Time Moves On.

2011-07-11T10:10:00.003+10:00

My youngest daughter Cassie of to her first day at work.....

and I wonder why I am feeling old these days?

Cassie is doing work experience with blue care at a local Home for the aged...She had her first day on Friday and enjoyed it so much. Lots of funny stories to tell at tea time. If they are pleased with Cass she will get a 12 month trainee ship there. Of course they will love her she is so funny and bubbly all the time... So my youngest girl is starting work and my eldest girl is starting a family.

I know I will be in trouble for showing this but I couldn't resist..The most beautiful baby bump ever. Jessica is still working and helping her partner start a new business so she is always busy.
It is a surreal feeling seeing your own child grown and about to start her own family.
But time keeps marching on and our babies grow up fall in love and have babies of there own.

Beach Combing......

2011-07-04T07:21:00.005+10:00

So little boys and dirty workshop all day wasn't working for me. Woke up Wednesday morning and thought lets go fishing......so we did. We left about 3pm that afternoon a crazy day at work, doesn't that always happen, every thing that can go wrong does..Had a lovely relaxing time, the boys did lots of fishing with there Uncle and the girls and I went shopping (just like old times)

I just had to have this jacket. All hand made from vintage lace. I don't know where I will go to wear it though. I know when my Mum sees it she will go home and make one, and it will look better too. It does have some new material in it as well, the lace and dollies are just gorgeous.

I also got this handbag....Also made from vintage fabric and new leather. It is well known around these parts that I have a thing for handbags, but I think that this bag might be the ONE.. It is so soft and yummy, and big, the colours are just perfect as well. Yep it is the one..

Chloe and Damien, Alanah and Tristan also come down for the weekend. Chloe and I did the second hand shops. Her suggestion to go in and look ( I was so proud as finally one of my daughters enjoys second hand shops)

Chloe got some vases for her house and I got some great glass pieces. This vase is the perfect shape for a small bunch of flowers. The dish I will keep soap in I think in my bathroom.

This pink bowl is a real find as I have been after a new salad bowl and this will be perfect. Also another little dish.

6 of these English bread and butter plates.

I was so happy with my finds, O except the plates these were all in the one shop. I will have to get a photo of Chloe's goodies to show you.

The girls and I had a fun time at Ikea last week. We didn't really get any thing just had a nice time looking and dreaming.....

Well I'm back to work today, boys in tow.

Enjoy your week

Blessings

Mandy

End Of Term.......

2011-06-25T08:32:00.003+10:00

The school holidays have arrived.

It has been a long tiring term, looking forward to no early morning lunch making and running to catch school buses.

Today Cassie has left for Coloundra with her cousins for a week, so it is just the two boys and me at home. They will have to spend some time at the workshop with me each day but I will work shorter days. They are old enough to do some general cleaning in the shop for some spending money.

Tomorrow I am going to Brisbane for a girls day out with 2 of my daughters Chloe and Alanah. We are of to Ikea for the day. I am hoping that they have the POD chairs there as I have wanted one for so long. I can see one hanging on my veranda in the sun for early morning cuppas.

Thursday my quilt arrived from Vietanam.OOOOOOHHHHH
it looks just as I imagined. This quilt was all hand made by local village women and the money goes straight to them.

Well I'm heading outside to enjoy the sun on this beautiful winter day.
Enjoy your week end
Mandy

Ramblings....

2011-06-16T08:45:00.004+10:00

When I read this post that is what I was doing

Rambling...

My little fruit trees are bearing a wonderful crop, the first one.

They have been in 3 years now and were 2 year old grafts when Greg and I planted them.

We have grapefruit, lemons, mandarins, oranges and lemonades. I have lost a citrus tree to all the rain, this is the sad little tree at the front.

I am going to replace it with an other mandarin tree as that is the children's favorite.

I also have tomatoes coming up everywhere, which is a real bonus. Lots of tomato soup will be on the menu I think.

I have managed to get a lot of pruning done around the yard the last week, despite the cold wind and rain. Still a lot to do yet though, I love the winter pruning. The garden has a bare beauty to it and also I get to see what is under all the shrubs.
Of course there is the planning of what to get to fill in those gaps that are left behind..

Driving around the farm on the week end I found this lonely sunflower, it reminded me of my favorite T.V show when I was a kid..Remember The Flower Pot Men... Mr Weeeeeeeed, Bill and Ben flower pot men.. Now that,s in my head I will probably being singing it to myself all day.
Hmmm maybe I could make some flowerpot men for the vege garden????

I am going in late to work today as I need to catch up on some washing and house work. Work is going well, even though it has taken me 18months to get the office in some kind of order. It is really hard when working there and trying to catch up on years of paper work..But come the 1st July every thing will be running smoothly....

But for now I had better get that washing on the line.

Blessings to all

and a special hello to Deb and my other friends and fellow bloggers in New Zealand

Mandy

Do I drink to much wine..

2011-06-09T08:53:00.007+10:00

That got your attention didn't it!!!

I have been keeping all my wine bottles and decided I needed to find a use for them.

What about a granny flat out the back?

and in the garden I could plant some bottle trees.

A pathway to the front gate, maybe?

A Christmas tree....
Most of the wine bottles are green so this maybe a goer.

Edging around the gardens?

I got it! a retainer wall wall in the vege garden, with a tower to look out over my kigdom.

To much to think about I'll just sit here a while to decide.

I may just have to go with the bottle trees I think.

Because one thing is for certain, I don't have enough bottles for a house. Maybe I just need to drink more...

Enjoy your day

Mandy

Update on the Old Dairy Old.....

2011-06-07T16:26:00.003+10:00

Work has been under way up at

The Old Dairy..
Remember this time last year when I had all the white ants in the house???Well they also ate the front wall out of the dairy....

I now have a nice front wall, still to be painted yet though.

Now if you compare The Old Dairy to the picture in the side bar you will see something else new.

Yep a little veranda. I think it makes the dairy look like a real little cottage. What do you think.

My Little old dairy has come a long way in the last two years that is for sure.

I hope you enjoyed the very quick update of

The Old Dairy

If you click on sewing room at the bottom of the post you can see all that has been done to the dairy.

Blessings

Mandy

Along the pathways.....

2011-06-05T11:11:00.007+10:00

Sitting on the veranda catching up on blogland, hmmmmm what a nice start to Sunday morning. I hope you had a nice start to your morning as well.

Then the garden started beckoning to me.

All nicely mulched for winter, but looking a little drab..I would like to put an entry way to this section of the garden.

Where Molly is standing is the path, I'm thinking post and rail fence either side and an arch to make a real entry.

A tree house for the boys is also down here.

This is the rain forest section of the garden and there is a few paths meandering around.

I love walking down here, every thing is a bit messy and over grown at the moment thoughLets go up to the Old Dairy and see what is happening.

Can you see any thing new?

When it is all finished I will show you....

Enjoy your Sunday

Blessing

Mandy

Girl Time.............

2011-05-23T19:08:00.003+10:00

Left to right...Alanah, Cassie, Jessica, Me, Chloe.

What a wonderful weekend I had with my four girls.

Jessica came in from Roma on Thursday for the week end, so there was lots of girly time together. When the girls were younger I always hoped that I would have the same relationship with them as I did with my Mum. I do. We all get along well, OK we do tease Alanah a bit, but isn't there one you always tease more cause she bites so wel????. Well that's Alanah, mind you she likes to dish it out as well.

Friday we had Jess's doctor appointment in the morning then met with Chloe for some shopping, looking at baby things of course. Jessica is looking very interesting as her grand dad would say, she is now 21weeks.......I don't know how I'm going to last another 19 weeks never mind Jess. Friday night we all went out to tea to a local restaurant for tea, then of to the movies to see Something Borrowed.

Thank you girls for nursing home memory....

The vege patch......

2011-05-14T09:49:00.007+10:00

Welcome to the vegepatch... I found these pots in Bunnings for only $20 each...had to have them, then I had to get something to put in them, bay tree in one and a mandarin tree in the other. I love the rustic look of them against the corrugated iron.

The 4 beds above and below are all planted up. Where the trellis is I have climbing beans and carrots.(purple dragon) I also have artichokes and asparagus planted in the bed beside that one.
Onions in the middle one(pearl drop & purplette) The last bed has potatoes.

Below is an over all shot of all the beds...7 in all.

(above is the artichokes and asparagus)

With all the leaves around the compost bins are almost full already.

As I walk into the vege patch, hopefully the sink will go up this weekend.

I put pots on all the star pickets, as they looked a bit dangerous especially with 2 boys out there skylarking about.

I have brought up the hay to mulch with when the plants get a bit bigger.

below...along the fence the strawberries are planted. These where all free on the side of the road. What a great spot this is for them,I can already see this bed full of large ripe strawberries.

Below is the fence you see from the road, I have planted sweet peas here. That old tank is going and a new will go in it's place.

I am so happy with my vege patch, this is a garden that has been along time coming, but was defiantly worth the wait....

I hope you enjoyed looking.

A Home Day...

2011-05-09T11:11:00.003+10:00

Yesterday was a day of spending with Family.

I had 5 of my 7 children home for Mothers Day which was great.

We had a barbque breakfast on the veranda as the sun was shinning and the weather was great.

Thank you for a wonderful day kiddos.

Today I am staying home.

I don't get to have many days at home any more, so yesterday I decided I was going to get my home cleaned.

Both bathrooms have been cleaned, I am going to have to do something with the family bathroom soon as it is getting grungy..Looks OK with the shower curtain pulled though.

Floors have all been vacuumed and moped.
Laundry scrubbed and washing done. Always plenty of that to do after the week end.

I am enjoying being home and just being Mum. I miss the days when I was always home. So when I can catch a day here alone I tend to wish for what was shed a few tears and wish for the days that were Hmmm probably a good thing I am not home alone to much...lol

When the house work is finished, I am hoping to get out into the garden, there has been rain falling all day. Hopefully after lunch I will get out there to plant some seeds.

Blessing to all

Mandy

Vege Garden Update....

2011-05-04T19:47:00.004+10:00

Whew what a busy week end.....

The garden beds are all finished though after a weekend of hard work....Thanks Bruce and crew.

The rock retainer wall was made from rocks laying around the paddocks and when all finished will look good I think....

Thanks Damien.

The Crew.....

My hard working boys. They worked

all day Monday shovelling the wonderful soil mix into the garden

beds. The promise of pizza for tea helped of corse.

Thanks William and Robbie.

Hmmmm rest time.

Why aren't I in any

of the pics you ask, site manager and

photographer was my heading...

Don't worry I worked, lots of rubbish and raking to do all around the area.
Thinking I might have to paint the old shed wall though. What do you think?

Also setting up a potting table, found this old table in the shed it will do the trick for a while.

We never got the fence up so that will be this week ends jobs.

Now to fill the beds with lots of veges..

I'm of to see what you all got up to over the week end. Yes I do realize it is Wednesday night, no I don't know where this week has gone....

Blessings to all

Mandy

Looking good............

2011-05-01T10:02:00.003+10:00

How is your weekend going?

My arms feel as if my knuckles are dragging on the ground!!! Seriously all that wheelbarrowing arghhhh. Thankfully I have help otherwise it would take me all month to get it done.

Help in the way of 4 13yo boys having a sleep over. Yes thats right Robbies mates come to stay and I put them to work. Slave labour, no smart thinking, as they moved all the sleepers into place. Thank you boys.

Three garden beds are full of soil and I have already planted one up. Cucumbers, eggplant, Bok chow and purple broccoli. I was also given herbs by a friend that is working at a plant nursery, so these have all gone into pots especially the 3 mints as I don't want them growing wild. The pots add some color around the backdoor.

Today fencing....and more wheelbarrowing

Mandy

This long week-end.......Gardening.

2011-04-30T08:05:00.008+10:00

The vege patch is coming along,

slowly.

Come for walk a walk and see where I am up to.

Lots of sleepers still waiting to be put together. I also need to put a fence around the whole garden yet.

Not to mention all this yummy soil to go into the beds once I have them made.

The garden is 3 levels, this is level 1 which is coming along nicely.

So jobs for this weekend.....

1. Fence garden

2. Make garden beds.

3. Fill garden beds with soil.

4. Plant, plant, plant.

Then I will sit down and be inspired by my 2 new magazines.

What are you doing this long May day week end?

Mandy

Birthday & Holidays

2011-04-29T08:39:00.007+10:00

Happy Birthday

Cassandra......

Today my youngest daughter is 15

Have a great day Cass bass.

Now back to the holiday..
We spent 2 days in Hoi An doing some serious shopping, I had shoes made, clothes made and bought about ammmm 9 handbags cough cough yes 9....

Then it was on to Sapa.

We flew to Hanoi than the overnight train to Sapa. So amazing here, the hills and Fields of rice . We stayed at Topas Eco Lodge, which over looks the hills. Getaway was there at the same time doing a show.

The first day we hiked 16kms up and down, up and down then up and down again.

Below

Not the best picture but at least I am standing cause by this time the legs were pretty well jelly.

I loved the hiking though, seeing so much and walking through all the villages, and meeting the locals.

After 3 days in Sapa it was back on the overnight train to Hanoi.

Below we are having tea all local produce from our walk about in Sapa, and even the wine was local.

From Hanoi we flew to Halong Bay.
Here we boarded our boat(junk) and cruised around these islands for 3 days.

We saw fish farms, pearl farms, did some kayaking through the caves.

More hiking, and cave walking. Some big caves were around this bay. They were beautiful, walking through them was like being in another world.

But now I am home and haven't even had time to blog I have been so busy. This long weekend though I am going to get into the vege garden, as it is comming along well...

I hope you all enjoy your weekend,

Mandy

2011-04-19T07:34:00.005+10:00

This is my first daytime look at Ho Chi Min City.

A lady out picking her herbs and watering her garden.

Buildings as far as the eye can see.. There were roof top gardens every where, the Vietnamese people use every available space for there herbs and vegs. The building are very narrow, even the houses in the cities are narrow and 3-4 stories high.

We were soon on a bus and drove for 4 hours, sorry not a lot of good photos as I had my nose to the window and I am sure my mouth was open.....staring.....I can't begin to describe the traffic, scooters every where not many cars just scooters, and all beeping at one another.

Once we got to the Mekong Delta we went to have a look along the river and to see the floating markets. From the back we have Alison, Amanda, Bronwyn, myself and Raylene. They were the funniest girls you could go on a trip with.

Frogs any one.....yum yum. The food as I said was different, these frogs were for sale at the markets. We never had the chance to try any though, but on our first night we did eat rat, yes girls I did say rat... They assured us as it was a rice paddy rat it was clean......hmmmmm tasted like quail any way.

The size of the Mekong Delta is amazing, people living and trading on the water.

A city on the water....Below all these boats are floating markets, and peoples homes, like the scooters only on water.

This building below is a fish farm. The fish are underneath and they live and work in the house. We saw these all along the Mekong Delta....

This is just my first day in Vietnam....

Below is our home stay cook, we all got in and cooked the rat, fish, veges and made spring rolls.

I enjoyed being in the home stay and getting to know the family.

What an introduction I had on the first day, I went on a bus, boat,scooter and in the evening we went push bike ridding around the village.

I hope I don't bore you to much with my trip, but there is more to come so stay tuned.

Mandy

I'M BACK.........

2011-04-16T13:19:00.005+10:00

Was it only 3 weeks ago that I left?

Today and probably for the next week you know I am going to bore you with holiday snaps... Lets start with some of the food we ate... Above is deep fried fish , all we could under stand was that it is sea bass...Looks bad tasted fantastic. O.K The truth is I didn't eat anything that wasn't good.

A fresh drink of coconut milk as we cruise along the Mekong Delta river.

In Ho Chi Minh City we found this great restaurant...

Above was squid and below snails, every thing was so fresh and good.

The best part is I lost weight with all the healthy eating and walking I did...

More to come later, sorry it's such a quick post.

Mandy.

Look Out Vietnam...here I Come...

2011-03-25T08:13:00.008+10:00

I am getting excited as tomorrow I fly out to Vietnam..

Some trekking through Mai Chau, for a week with s

Home stay accommodation.

At the end of the week we arrive here..........

Topas Ecolodge....
Look at the mountain it sits on, not thinking about walking up that...Just this majestic view once I get there. O and coffee on this veranda..

Finnish off with a cruise on a Junk along the Mekong River canoeing all around these islands for two days.

Below is Ho Chi minh city or Saigon which I think is a more exotic name..

I have never been overseas before and this trip has been 12mths in the planning. I love seeing different places, as a kid my family always went on great holidays to differant places. I'm just going a bit further than Darwin. We fly out to Darwin tomorrow and leave there at 6p.m to fly to Ho Chi Minh city and then the adventure begins............

See you in 2 weeks.....

Mandy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY.......

2011-03-21T09:25:00.003+10:00

To my beautiful daughter Jessica Ruth...

Today this beautiful young women turns 23, and like all Mum's I can say it does not seem 23 years ago that you came into this world to parents and a big brother that was so happy to get there little girl...

Now this little girl of mine is having a baby of her own.
Yep in September Jessica will become a Mum of her own and I know there couldn't be a better Mum any where than Jess.

There is also lots of happy brothers and sisters that can't wait to be Aunty's and Uncles, and one very happy woman that is over the moon to know she is going to be a Grandma...

Have a great birthday Jess and as Dad would say
"Today is all about You"

Getting Ready For The Big Trip, but first some gardening.

2011-03-18T06:27:00.005+10:00

I have been working on the garden up at my little hideaway/dairy, it is coming along nicely. I t does look like I have lost a apple tree up here though, I'm not sure what has happened to it as the leaves and fruit have died and fallen off.The grass still hasn't grown back out side the back door.aghhhhhh

The weeds are growing a treat as you can see. Last week end I sprayed weed & feed all over the area and the weeds are dying, so hopefully the grass will be back soon.

Yep green all around. I did get lawn grubs in other parts of the yard but as I new what was happening I sprayed straight away and the grass didn't die.

The fruit trees are looking good with all the rain we had.

Below is my potting shed, but two young boys have taken it over, well while Mummy is working at the dairy they will be cleaning this mess up. O and football is a bye this week so Robbie has all Saturday. Now let me tell you he was excited yep he moaned, and groaned and I think there was rolling of the eyes....but he new it was a losing battle.

This next week is going to be busy.. On Saturday the 26 th March I am flying off to Vietnam for 2 weeks. This will be my first over seas trip. So I have a week to get every thing I need ready.

Work will be OK as I have Alanah in charge there, O and the best news is I have a new guy starting today...Alanah thinks he is cute, I won't comment as he is as old as my son and well that is wrong!!! Any way now that work is all going well I will be able to enjoy my holiday. I was almost not going to go, but things have a way of working out at the last minute.

Two wonderful weeks of trekking through Vietnam with your best friend, we are going to have so much fun. O and you should see me in my hiking boots, what a sight. I have been wearing them on my morning walk for the last couple of weeks to wear them in, really Chloe laughs at me all the time. Yep getting excited all right....

But first I better get to work and make sure the cute new guy is working hard....

hahahaha

Blessing to all

Mandy

Reclaiming the Old Dairy............

2011-03-15T07:20:00.005+10:00

Remember this,

my poor sad little old Dairy......

Looking run down and unloved.....

Since Alanah came back from Canada last year she has been living up in The Old Dairy.

Needless to say there hasn't been much sewing getting done up here, or any other craft for that matter.

Even the gardens are a mess and over grown.
But........
Alanah has moved out into a sweet little house in Toowoomba with a friend.

Sooooooooooooo
I get my Dairy back.
So watch this space people, because after work I am a cleaning up here, and a gardening which is much more fun then cleaning....

My aim is to get it all done in the next 2 weeks before I leave for Vietnam...

To Quote The Castle
Tell her she's dreaming........

P.S. I will miss you Alanah, but I am excited about getting the Dairy back..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY.......

2011-03-10T09:06:00.003+10:00

TO WILLIAM

Yes today my baby turns 8

and I'm not allowed to call him my baby he said....

All loaded and ready to attack any one that gets in his road...

Have a great day my little man...

Perfume and paths...........

2011-03-07T09:07:00.005+10:00

What a beautiful morning I have woken up to. The wind is blowing and I can hear leaves being blown around. There is a chill to the air...........yes Autumn is here.

Autumn is my favorite season, with the leaves changing colours and bare branches showing there stark beauty against darker skies, which they are today and there is even the promise of rain..

I had to share these beautiful lilies with you that my Uncle gave me last weekend while we were there. They have only just started to open and the perfume is so strong and delicious...

Someone at work said to me on Friday "When you think that the weekend is only a week every month to get all you need to get done in, it isn't alot of time."
And if I spend half a Saturday at football and Half a Sunday in Church that is even less time.

But we got a bit accomplished this weekend. While I was inside doing the house work and washing, I had some local yokels doing a bit of paving for me. Even Cassie got in and helped.

Then of course they had to be fed and watered, then back to work to finish it off.

I must say what a great job they did.

I have always wanted a path out here and with all the rain lately we really need it.

What about the bend you ask, well lackey No 1 whose real name is Damien, told me it adds character, and lackey No 2 Bruce said that as soon as nothing else is straight around here he didn't want it to look out of place.Hmmmmmm

Including the bend and all I love it.

Thanks guys.

I'm not sure how genuine this show of love is between Cass and Rob but it was on the camera so here we are brother and sister getting along...or posing for the camera........you be the judge.

Happy Monday......

Mandy

Family Weekend..............

2011-03-03T08:39:00.003+10:00

Good morning or is it???

(Chloe & Damien)

Don't you hate it when you are super organized to get to work with everything all done only to get out to the car and ...........flat tyre...

(Chloe, Alanah, Cassie, Emma niece, William, Robbie, Myself' Tyson and Annette brother and SIL)
So here I am waiting for backup in the shape of my mate Dave to finish the bus run and come and change the tyre....
So I thought I would show you some photos of the family.
Our week end started with Saturday lunch on the beach watching this fisherman reeling in the brim. So we had to have fish and chips for lunch. It was so perfect none of us wanted to leave.

(Mandy,Alanah, Chloe)
But we had a family week end at Woombye on the Sunshine Coast for MY Grandfathers 90th birthday so we had to get to our Motel. What a hoot Chloe and Alanah came along with the boyfriends and even my brother and his wife made it.

I met lots of new reles there, I have never had much to do with side of the family except my Grand father and a Uncle...

Now between you and me hmmmmmmmm I see why...

(Tristan & Alanah)

Hahahaha shouldn't say that I know....

On Sunday we stop ed at my Uncles in Malaney for lunch which was freshly caught snapper and salads. yummmmmmoooooo.

Hope you enjoyed the photos of my beatuiful family.

A Quick Hello........

2011-02-23T06:50:00.005+10:00

Life is just way to busy at the moment. Who's isn't?????

See that bus in the back ground well I have been doing way to much driving in it this year. School bus runs aghhhhhhh, I do enjoy it though it's just always a rush to get from work down home to do the run.

Work has been so busy......which is good news, no buyers around though, but that is fine. I have finally accepted that I am meant to run an Auto Elect shop..OK so it took a while to sink in lol. By the way any Auto Elects out there looking for a job???????????My managers wife had a stroke 3 weeks ago and he is having to finish work to help look after her. Ian has been such a blessing to me since Greg got sick and I am going to miss him very much....Not to mention his knowledge about the shop that's something I will never get back..

I will try to get back to blogging soon though.

My thoughts and prayers are with all my dear friends in N.Z we are thinking of you here in the Storey house hold....

Blessings to all

Mandy

Curtain Remake.............

2011-02-17T06:07:00.004+10:00

The curtains all finally all up...

This was a major expense for me but I think it was well worth it..

Even though the posts need to come down the curtains have given this room continuance.

Remember before?

Being that this space used to be four separate rooms(lounge, dinning, front entry and 2 bedrooms) I had a real variety of curtains. In there own rooms they looked great, hmmmmmm altogether, not so good. Very busy....

At first I wasn't sure if i liked them ....Very plain for me as I love colour. After a day though I love them.
I have never bought curtains before I have always made them, so it was quite frightening when I saw the price of curtains.

I liked the look of the rings in the top. To by this material was $29 a metre from spot light and I still had to make them. The ones I got are just from K Mart....Yes K Mart a shop I never really look at but I was getting desperate and remembered I had seen curtains there..Well they were only $25 and they are 1.2 metres wide.....HA cheaper and ready to hang.

As you can see I needed alot of curtains.

12 in all.

hmmmmm still short. They just weren't full enough I thought, so back to K Mart..........None left.
No worries don't panic...Back to spotlight as I had seen the patterned curtains that I liked only they were a lot dearer. I got four of the patterned ones at $50 each and put one in the centre of each window....

Perfect

Above is with all the curtains opened and you can see how many windows are in this room. I had to have block out material as the morning sun streams in through this side.

I did get new rods as the old white ones were horrid. $150 for rods and brackets....

$240 for curtains from K mart

$ 200 for curtains from spotlight

$150 for rods

$590

Just as well I like them. Friends have been telling me this is not expensive for curtains....how much do you pay for your curtains?
I think this room has come together nicely, yes it still needs to be painted and the beams taken down. This might take a while as the builder is very busy with rebuilding from the flood damage. But for now I am very happy with it.

One last photo.

O while getting curtains I saw this mat for only $30 it looks much better than the blue one I had there, and the basket is for storing magazine's in. Baskets hmmmm I could do a whole blog on them loving them at the moment for storage.

Blessings

Mandy

The week end..............

2011-02-14T18:42:00.003+10:00

We had 3.... 16 year old boys from Japan staying on the week-end, so we decided to do the touristy thing out and around Toowoomba. Cassie at the Japanese Gardens...

We stared of at the USQ markets..I got some cheap plants and fruit and veg.

Then we went next door to the Japanese gardens. The boys really enjoyed the walk through here and William just thought it was a big game of follow the leader and he was the leader.

Then off to the Cobb & Co museum..Now folks if you ever come to Toowoomba this is an amazing place to visit... Well The boys and I thought so Cassie was bored.........

We finished with a picnic in the park and then home for a swim.....

A great day had by all.

I had to share this caravan with you....Must be the gypsy in me as I wanted to hitch it up and go travelling......sighhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Sunday we just spent time together talking and playing cards as they had to be at the bus by 1.30pm

How was your week end?????

Mandy

Dreamy Whites............

2011-02-10T14:18:00.004+10:00

How are we all on this hot Thursday afternoon?

I thought I would cool you down with some cool, creamy, dreamy, whites.

Vases that I picked up ages ago from a thrift shop look a treat with carnations placed in them. Not from my garden though as it is to hot and nothing here is flowering.

This sweet rose is one of my favorite things. My daughter Jessica got it for me a couple of years ago and I am always moving it around. It looks at home with the flowers here.

And a sneak peak at the new curtains.....

They are nearly all up, I will get them finished this evening I hope. As you can see I am yet to paint these walls, but that won't be happening for a while yet. The new curtains have changed the look and feel of this room already.

I hope you enjoyed that quick look, I am of to do the bus run now. Tomorrow I am having 3 male Japanese students staying until Sunday, that was the motivation for cleaning the boys room the other day. Soooooooooooo busy ....

Blessings

Mandy

Lightshades..............

2011-02-08T09:59:00.004+10:00

I have been on the lookout for the perfect light for the dinning room.
and I found it......
on the top shelf of my pantry. This light has been in the house since we moved in 25 years ago. With all the renos going on around here I forgot about it.

It is perfect now in the dinning room.

A close up of the glass bottom. It almost looks art deco to me. I am not sure how old it is and I have never seen one like it before.

What amazed me was when I was cleaning it up I found that the light fixture is copper. Below you can see that it was black and then all cleaned it is copper. I also have another shade but a little different I forgot to take a photo of it as I was to excited about this one.

I have never really noticed how nice the panelled ceiling is before. May be because it was a bedroom before and I never really looked at it. Funny how you don't see things when you live with them all the time.

Today I am not able to go to work as Alanah's car wasn't starting and she took mine.

So today I am going to give the boys room a good clean as the weather is a little cooler today. It has been raining and we have had 70 mls in the last 24 hours and all the creeks are up again.

I hope you are enjoying your day

Blessings

Mandy

Fridays at Home..............

2011-02-04T09:25:00.004+10:00

It has been nearly 2 weeks since I have been on here..

A very busy 2 weeks with the children back at school, and the bus run in full swing again. It has taken a while to get into a routine, now that I am at the workshop all the time. One thing I have realized is that I needed help. (No not the head kind of help) Work help......I now have Alanah working with me. She is doing a great job and we work well together. Alanah is at the workshop full time. This leaves me to come and go as I need to, I am here for the younger children when they get home from school and am free to be there for them. They were missing me not being here and I was missing them....It will take a while to get things working for us, so far though this is working.Last night Robbie and I had meet and greet with his year 8 teachers, they all love him of course. He is very much like his big brother at school, always pushes the boundaries but never gets in to much trouble, must be the Storey charm I think?

After sitting in my puddle of sweat for a couple of hours I decided it was time for retail therapy.
Of to air conditioned shops we went....I couldn,t leave this mat there only $5 so I got 2 for my kitchen...Ahem, I also got 2 pairs of shoes, a skirt, a dress, belt, top O and some baby clothes.( I can't say why other than they were cute)

Did I feel better for this shopping spree...To be honest YES....sorry wrong answer but it was fun, Alanah was with me as well and she got lots of bargains for her glory box as she is planning on moving out this year.

What I was really looking for was curtains. I am slightly obsessed with curtains at the moment. As you can see in the above and below photos(sorry they are so dark) now that I have opened up this area, none of the curtains match.

The yellow ones need to be block out, as this side gets all the hot morning sun. I am thinking of just going with plain whit curtains for all of these windows.

Any ideas...This will all be painted white as well when the building is finished so I,m not sure if it will be to much white.

My chandelier has finally gone up in the bathroom , it is a smaller version of the bedroom one. I love them both as they are something I always wanted.

Today I am staying home as the electricians are here finishing of the power points.

I am staying inside as it is way to hot to be outside. I am going to do some sewing as I am making my niece school uniforms....

Have a great week end

Blessings

Mandy

A Change...............

2011-01-25T14:01:00.004+10:00

Thanks for all the wonderful comments last post....

I did paint the chest of drawers white, and they look so fresh now. I moved them to the front door, and now we have some where to put things as we come inside. I couldn't help putting a lamp on there, and the frame that Robbie made me for my birthday.

Now as you walk up the front stairs you are greeted by the chairs, instead of a mess.

The side stayed the same, I added a tablecloth on my table and I still want to paint the benches. I am thinking of painting the legs and bottom of the table white and giving the top a good sand down and leave that the timber.

We think I have lawn grubs in my grass aggggggghhhhhhh. My sister in law had the same problem. My grass is nearly all dead now and still dying. I am starting to think CHEMICALS haha, I don't know if I could spray the yard though I am not one for chemicals I would rather let nature take it's course.

This week my last three babies all started at new schools...Robbie is in grade 8 and Cassie in grade 10. They have started at a state school in Toowoomba.

William is going to the local school down here at Flagstone with only 28 students. He is in grade 3 this year....

Tomorrow is Australia day and we are having a bar-b- que with family, so the day will be spent lazing around the pool. In fact we are starting tonight as the kids and I are going to have pizza and a movie..Sounds a good way to kick of Australia Day....

What will you be doing?

Clean Up Time....

2011-01-23T09:35:00.005+10:00

Do you ever feel that you have lost control?????

Well that's how I'm feeling about my Garden. Long term readers know who I love my gardening and my garden. Below is a photo from November 2010...We hadn't had much rain and my grass is always lush and green out here keeping the house cool. Through all the years of drought this is the one area that stays green.

Today......

This was just taken, my grass after inches and inches of rain.

???????????????

Yep green all around , some other ares are stating to die as well. I need some help here ladies. Would the grass die from too much water? or is there some decease in it? I have checked for any grubs and there is none......

What to do.....
I have lost most of my lavender and salvias from all the rain and my garden looks worse now than it did through the drought.
So instead I am cleaning around the house. That I can take control of and do. No I don't have control issues thank you very much..........

Below is walking up to the front of the house. Yesterday was spent cleaning up under here, it is clean now but looks a bit boring so I am going to decorate today.

My veranda has become a dumping ground over Christmas and through the flood.

My front door......Blahhhhhhhh.

Ummmm the chest of draws came from my bed room and I have got them as far as here.

This is whats greets you when you get to the top of the stairs....

Not very welcoming is it..

So I don't have any grass to mow but I can go and clean up the veranda...

How is your week end going?

We Are Thankful...........

2011-01-15T06:23:00.003+10:00

I got to town yesterday..But not this way...I can only get out by 4wD so I got a lift with Bruce and he was able to get me in to Toowoomba. Wishing now I hadn't sold Greg's 4WD...hmmmmm
My business is fine and the water was only meters away from coming in. The road was all washed away out the front of my workshop, but the wonderful Toowoomba council have already fixed it. It is going to take along time to rebuild our beautiful town but the people here are strong and hard workers.

I woke up this morning to the power being restored.....How I don't know if you had of seen the state of the power lines and poles you would think that energex are miracle workers. When I turned the light on in the pantry this is what greeted me. Above, as the pantry is dark things have been dumped and pulled out, my goodness what a mess.

The kitchen has been the hub of the home the last week, leads running every way food on counters as it was to dark to see in cupboards.....

But here we have been blessed,

we have a generator and had power to run the small fridge and lights,

my daughter Chloe was not at Grantham when the water hit,

my sister in law was stranded in Toowoomba when the wall of water went through Murphy's Creek.

Yes we have alot to be thankful for. Please keep the people of Grantham in your prayers as the SES try to get in and recover the bodies wedged under the bridge still in there cars. Pray for those still trying to find there loved ones.

For the 100s of people here that have nothing left.

Yes the Storey's are blessed and we are thankful, we are all safe and are able to continue living in our home....

Blessings

Mandy

Stranded but safe...........

2011-01-12T13:39:00.008+10:00

We are all Ok here.....

Above is my little river, and below is how it usually looks.

It is the same place believe it or not. Some of the photos are not that clear as the are taken on my phone..

Above is taken from my front veranda and below is a close up of the tank near the creek and how far it came up.

Below you can see the creek has reached my front fence. All that water near the trees is across the road where the kids ride there bikes.

So yes the creek came all the way up to my house the highest this has ever been....

Below the creek in my yard at the rental house across the road. Taken from my veranda

Below here is the creek Tuesday afternoon.

It is still a raging mess and this bridge is also unpassable.

I am so thankful we are all OK here. We have no power or phone and they may be out for weeks. All my children are safe and extended family are safe.

I cannot get out as every bridge and crossing here has been wiped out...

There used to be a bridge here into Helidon...

This is our main road out and this bridge is not to good....Robbie said he can put me on the back of the motor bike and we can jump it.....I will pass on that.

So no way in and no way out...

We have a generator that we can run the fridge freezer and inter net on ...I am a person that likes candles so we are fine there, and our drinking warer is good as we have tank water.....

Will post again when I can charce my computer.....

Blessings to all

Mandy

From Dinning Room to Bed Room......

2011-01-10T09:42:00.010+10:00

My bedroom has been a number of rooms over the years.

It started out life as the lounge room, which I can not find any photos of. If you click on lounge rooms in the side bar they are there.

It then became the dinning room after I lost Greg, as I needed a change. It made the most wonderful dinning room.

In this photo I am standing looking in. Where the flowered curtain is, is now the doorway into my bathroom, and the door to the right is my walk in robe.

This little bed side table was the phone table, but it makes a wonderful little table beside my bed.

On the other side I have kept this set of drawers, there is nothing in here but the room looked strange without 2 bed side tables.

My desk and little office.

From the bathroom mirror reflecting back into the bed room mirror.

My most amazing, wonderful walk in robe........

Now you can what a difference, from dinning room to Master Bed room....

My new light fitting, I also have a matching one for the bath room but the electrician is unable to get here with the creeks all flooded.

These curtains are my favorite and I made them years ago for my other bedroom. Now they look great in my new room and matching in the bath room.

I have used a lot of mirrors as there is only the one small window and mirrors help to bounce the light around the room.

I am yet to paint my room and it will be painted the same as the bathroom Antique White by Dulux. I will have to wait for some sunshine before I start though...

I enjoyed my first bath last night with good music ( Jimmy Barnes) a glass of good wine and lots of bubbles.

Bliss

Thank you for all the wonderful feed back on my bathroom, I hope you enjoyed the bed room tour.

Blessings

Mandy

My Bathroom........Before and After...

2011-01-09T14:12:00.009+10:00

The Bath room is finished.....

Come and have a look at my girlie, pretty room.I can have this room as girlie as I like as it is ALL MINE....Yes MINE.... Remember the bathroom was a small guest room so after the floors where sanded I had a blank canvas to work with.

Below is looking into the bathroom before. Once the pressed metal went on the walls it was all go. Above is Bruce nailing on the sheets. We did have a wait on 6 of the sheets of metal which slowed things down...Remember to always measure properly!!!!!!

Here is the shower and toilet.
I wanted no tiles in this room at all that is why I went with the pressed metal.The shower is a molded one which I am very happy with.

The toilet, vanity and bath are all of the colonial range...I love the free standing vanity. This is what I have always wanted.

O.K I had to show you the shower rose....It is a water saver one, but the way the water comes out ahhhhh heaven.

The mirror is one I have had for years and I new it was to go here above the vanity.

My little corner cupboard is from Loot for only $130 dollars. As I was having a free standing vanity I needed some storage, these little shelves are ideal.

My Bath...

It has only just moments ago been plumbed in, so tonight I will be soaking in here with a glass of my favorite wine and enjoying a dream come true for me.

The bath mat came from a little shop out at Highfields, I think it was only $15

All of the bits and pieces were Christmas presents. All the bath salts and lotions on the shelves were a gift from a friend. My daughter Jessica gave me new white fluffy towels, The towel hooks and rose picture above the toilet where from Robbie and William.

The mirror below was a garage sale find for $5 and is perfect for above the bath.

This is my view from the bathroom window out to my court yard....

I have to say a big thank you to Bruce for building this bath room from the ground up for me..

Thank you Bruce.

I hope you enjoyed looking at my new Bathroom, later in the week I am going to show you my bedroom all finished well nearly finished.

Until then

Blessings Mandy

Happy Birthday Robbie................

2011-01-06T17:43:00.004+10:00

Tomorrow my second youngest is 13.......

Happy 13th Robertson...Hmmmm I just realized another teenager.....No wonder I am going grey...

Birthday camp outs and bon fires have had to be cancelled due to rain, but we will have birthday celebrations any way.....

My New year started out nice and slow, with the hanging of plates, painting and just catching up on all those little jobs that needed to be done.

I am so glad that I had that time.

I have had some dramas at the workshop and now am having to be there full time every day. This was not in my list of things to do in the new year. Never mind things will work out I am sure.

I already spend most days there, so it won't be that much different...I hope. I only just got home today as all the creeks were up, but I was naughty and got across....There was no way I was not going to be here for Robbie's B/day tomorrow....

The bathroom is nearly done just waiting for the plumber but he is flooded and can't get here, the bath tub and vanity are in they just need plumbing in.

Now I'm going to wrap presents,

Blessings to all

Mandy