Swimming Charters Towers Style.

Now to those that think I have finely lost it letting the kids swim in a river with this sign on it....your probably right!!!!!But before you ring child welfare let me explain. The locals said that there are only crocs in after the flooding as that is the only time they get into the river, I would never have done it other wise but the locals know best..

We had the most amazing day just sitting along the river watching the children swimming, running and having so much fun. Big brother David even taught Robbie how to drive the boat and after that he and Cassie were of checking the yabbie pots every couple of minutes.

Fishing was done and even I through in a line...Mind you I was stuck in the boat on the other side with David and Robbie so there wasn't a lot of choice!!!You can see in this picture below just how big the Burdekin River is..This is only a 10 min drive from David and Karen's house....hmmm I'd love to have this at my doorstep.

This was a day of memory building that the kids won't forget in a hurry, lazy relaxed and perfect. Tomorrow we will be heading to Townsvile across to Maggie Island then slowly make our way home..we are going to follow the coast home and camp along the way..I am hoping that we can get some camping sites as it is the holiday season here..We can always camp in National parks if we need to..

I will blog again from the road, until then

HAPPY NEW YEAR....

Mandy

Christmas at Charters Towers....

Christmas Day has been and gone for another 12mths.

This year David played Santa and gave the presents out....things were different with being up here and not having Greg here with us...but life is what you make it......and we made it a nice day. Up at 6 am this year which is late for us normally it's 4.....Lots of ooooooing and aaaaaing as all got what they had been hoping for....David cooked a nice breaky on the bar-b-que...
The rest of the day was spent under the shade of the mango tree sitting, eating and remembering Christmases of past...The weather was so much cooler than what it has been which made the day a delight. When we got a bit warm we jumped in the pool for a swim, most of the day the kids were in the pool and we sat and watched them, relaxing..

I hope you all had an enjoyable Day, I am going to visit some of you and see how you spent the day...

Blessing and Greeting from Charters Towers...

Merry Christmas......

We have made it to Charters Towers!!!!!and it is HOT...

We had a really good trip up here, we had Christmas with Jessica and Lachlan at Roma on Sunday. By the time we got here we had, had three different Christmas's.. We also had Christmas with Chloe before we left. This will be the first time Chloe hasn't been with us at Christmas, and I am missing her like crazy..Chloe is the sane one in the family she is always happy and the life of any party ...She won't be alone though as she is spending Christmas with Damion's family in Brisbane...Merry Christmas Chloe we are all missing you and love ya heaps..

I hope you are all looking forward to tomorrow, as the kids say only one more sleep!!!!!Karen has been busy here cooking up a storm for Christmas Day, I must admit I am enjoying not having to do any cooking...
Blessing to all and a
Very Merry Christmas
Mandy

Getting ready for "THE ROAD TRIP"

We have all been busy packing for our trip away. The trailer is packed and just the Christmas presents to go into the car. We are all getting excited to get on the road...I have finished work for two weeks and have enjoyed not rushing up to the workshop. Speaking of work nearly every photo of Greg I find he is in his work clothes....Always working that's why...The photo above Greg and his little helper William..This was taken only last year.....

Back to the trip.....We are leaving for Charters Towers on Sunday morning, first stop Roma....We are having Christmas with Jessica and Lachlan first...Monday we head to Clermont and stay there the night and will get to the Towers on Tuesday...It is a big trip but it will be so much fun...I imagine National Lampoon's movie road trip with the Griswold's.....I do love this movie only I don't think it will be so funny when I'm stuck in the car with them all!

I will blog while I'm away as Alanah will take her laptop and I can use that...

This photo was taken just a week after Greg was diagnosed with cancer. We all look so happy and care free here I love this photo O.K I love them ALL if Greg is in them...I do miss him so very much, to be honest I miss him more each day...I wonder if that's normal???Well I have never been run of the mill normal so it doesn't matter...Gosh now I'm sitting here blubbering like an idiot, just gotta wipe my eyes.........that's better...

I will see you all on the road.....

Blessings Mandy

The flow of life....

Two weeks into the school holidays already and we are all surviving JUST.....no, things are going well and we are getting into a routine around here now..I am only going to the workshop for a couple of hours from 11am to 1:30pm every day..This is working out well as Alanah is here to mind the younger children and I am not gone for full days. I miss not being a full time Mum and the simple life that I had being here at home..I have realized I have to stop looking back at how it was and start living in the now, this I can do!!!
It is so hot and dry here as it is every where, above you can see my birdhouse is falling down because the ground is all cracked and dry. I have given up on a vege garden until at least March when the weather will start to cool down. All the new fruit trees are doing well as I am putting every bit of water onto these to keep them going. Robbie is out in the garden earning pocket money for holidays by mulching the fruit trees and other gardens..

Above is my new project that I have Handy Andy building. The window above the wheel borrow is the laundry window, this side of the house has always been untidy. I have tried to have a garden here but it is so dry that nothing will grow. The Plan.....I am having a small deck built here with my clothes line on it. This will tidy the whole area up. So here is the before photo and in the new year I will show you the finished deck..

Well I had better go and get some housework done before I head to the work shop.
Blessings

Mandy

Holidays.......

Today I awoke to a thunder storm..summer is finely here when you wake up to the sound of heavy rain on the roof...School holidays have started in the Storey household....Tuesday morning by 8 am there was a full blown pool party happening here...Yep the youngest 3 had the music blaring and were out swimming and yahooing.....thank goodness we don't have real close neighbours. Last night they got out the bunks from the caravan and set up in the cubby house and slept in there. They even have put a clothes line up for there togs and towels....

I was dreading these holidays and not looking forward to Christmas at all without Greg, but seeing the little ones playing and enjoying life makes me realize that amidst all the crap and sadness life does go on...Yes things are going to be different, and there will be some sadness but there will also be joy and the sound of children's laughter, not to mention the screaming and yelling from the pool..We will get through this time together, the children have made me realize this...

Today we will get out the Christmas decorations and start to get into the swing of Christmas. We won't be having Christmas here at home this year....This is the one thing none of us want to do, so we are packing up and driving up to Charters Towers to have Christmas with No 1 son and daughter in-law..We are all looking forward to this even though we won't be together as Chloe and Jessica can't come . Chloe works on Christmas eve and Jess is going to Morvan to Lachlans Grandmas for Christmas. The children are looking forward to the Road trip as they put it....I had better learn to change a tire before we go!!!!!! I am looking forward to getting away and seeing my big boy, one thing I realize is you never stop worrying about them do you?

Blessings to all

Mandy

Hello....

Hi all......

I am at work doing this blog as the computer at home has decided to freeze and my IT man won't get to fix it to the week-end. Thanks for all the comments on Alanah at her formal, she even got her photo in the paper....

I have been very busy at work this week trying to get as much done before the children finish school today....That's right the last day of school for 8 weeks yippie......I love school holidays, though this time things will be very different with me at the workshop. I have a plan, I'll tell you about it next week when I know if it is working or not....

Have a good week-end all and hopefully my computer will be working and I can get back online to catch up as I am missing you all....

Blessings

Mandy

A quiet one..

What a quiet week-end we had around here, with Alanah & Chloe away. Chloe went out to Roma with cousins and friends. The Roma races was on so it is a good excuse to by a new outfit and go visit your sister..They had a great time judging by the photos I've seen on face book!!!!

So there was just the three youngest and me at home. It was way to hot to do much so we sat around talking and swimming.
In the cool of the evenings I got the mowing done, but that's about all...
I have finished the housework for today and I am seriously thinking about going for another swim, it is just so hot!!!!!

This week I am going to get on top of my Christmas present list...I have put of Christmas as long as I can I need to get into the Christmas swing. How are all your preparations coming along for Christmas?????

Thank God it's Saturday.

What a week!!!!!!! The Graduation is all over and so is Alanah's formal....I have just waved Alanah and her friend off as they head of to Coolum for 10 days. My girl is all grown up now..and yes I'm having a cry....I was good at the graduation and didn't cry at all but watching her drive away it hits me......She's a woman now!!!! In a few hours we went from receiving our school certificate to

WOW

Movie star beautiful..

and the car to match of course a 65 Mustang...

Don't worry I will be putting more photos up next week, just had to give you a sneak peak....

Mandy

Happy Birthday Darling..
Today Greg would have been 52....We miss you so much..

I'm back......

What one crazy week I am having....

Below is Alanah with some of her school friends at the beginning of the year. This year has gone by so fast, on Friday these girls will all be graduating!!!!!!!! Now for those of you that have a year 12 daughter about to graduate you will know what my week is like...Last night Alanah had her nails done, as this is VERY important..Then there is the waxing of the eyebrows, not to mention trying on our dress EVERY night. For those of you that yet have all this ahead of you I have some advice RUN.......Get out while YOU are still sane...

Alanah is walking around this morning moaning and groaning yelling sighing with the occasional slap to the forehead.... Why????Other than the fact she is 17, has a formal in two days....today she has an interview for uni..
The poor girl you do have to feel for her having this interview in the middle of this week. I know she will be fine as she is one strong, determined young women who can do any-thing when she puts her mind to it..
When above daughter asks when am I getting my hair cut?? I can take a hint so now I have to go and get a hair cut and heck having a close look now it has been brought to my attention I will need a colour as well, but I am NOT getting my nails done!!!!!

To me though this is a sad time another of my daughters is grown up and about to head out into the world...O.K getting teary here so I must stop this train of thought..It is sad and wonderful all at the same time isn't it watching your children become adults...agh to be 17 again....

Have a blessed day

Mandy

Thursday already????????

O.K what happened to the week???

I think I missed it as I woke up today and it's already Thursday. I have been so busy at work, starting at 8a.m and not getting home until I get the children of the bus...I am home a little early today though and I will be getting some mowing done....Until then here are the rooms I haven't shown yet.These are the last of the photos to show you . Above is the hall stand I moved into the Family room and below is the new table I bought to replace it.
Below is the entry..I love this room as it is a good size room that you walk in from the front door. The corner cabinet was my Nana's. One day I would love to get it restored, I have thought about painting it white only I think my Mother would kill me....

My bed used to be under this window, so I moved it to under the other window.

My poor bed has nearly had it. Over the years it has been welded a number of times, one morning I am going to wake up on the floor, then I will know it's time to get a new one....

I haven't changed the bathroom or laundry, I did change a cabinet in the kitchen though. Real shame about the bathroom though...I'm sure when it gets it' s clean next week I will be able to arrange something different..

Blessings to all,

Mandy

Spring Cleaning.....

I have been busy over the week-end spring cleaning. I know it was late as I normally do this in September, but I haven't felt like it until now.
I felt I have needed to get in and really clean......I have cleaned out all the cupboards, and I now have some cupboards that are empty..I think I am going to have a garage sale with every-thing I don't want any more...The above photos are of the family room. I have brought the other lounge chair down here now so there is more sitting room. I even took the hall stand from the hallway and put it down here.It is in the above photo near the door. Of course I had to by a new one!!!!!


Below is the dinning room....Not any-more it's not..

Now it is the Lounge room!!!!!!

O.K I also decided to change rooms around. Yes the dinning room is now the Lounge Room and I think it looks great. The room seems so much bigger as well. This room comes of the kitchen and opens onto the veranda. As a dinning room it was always to small when we had all the family home.

You are probably wondering where the dinning room has gone??

Above is the sideboard from the entry...yep even that room got a make over.

This is the sideboard from the Dinning room that is now in the new dinning room.

Below is the lounge room as it used to be.

It's now the dinning room.....Are you confused yet????

For years I have wanted to do this but was always a little unsure..It is the best decision I have made regarding the house..I now have a formal dinning room and it is so big..I will be able to fit 8-10 chairs around this table...The table came down from my sewing room, it is wider than the other one. I even bought some new dinning room chairs..Red and white leather ones..There is still four red ones to come yet. I haven't had comfy dinning chairs for about 10 years. I had lovely antique bentwood ones but they just aren't all that comfy. I will sell them in the garage sale as well.

What do you think????Tomorrow I will show you some more rooms, but I think this is enough for one day. If you click on spring cleaning you will see these rooms as they were last year..

Now I have to get back to the last of the cleaning...

Blessings

Mandy

Garden update.....

All is going well with the garden here. Each morning I am getting out in the garden for an hour as planned, this is making the day so much more enjoyable...The retainer wall around the septic trench is almost finished, Handy Andy has been hard at work getting this done for me. The vege garden is on hold for a bit longer until all the rest of the work is done. I don't mind to much as I don't know when I would get the time to attend to it. Next year will be different and the vege garden will be ready by then.I do have veges growing in amidst my other plants so this will do for now....

It is starting to warm up outside today, I think it is going to be a hot one..A good day to wash the car and get wet..We have some tank water in our main tank that I have to use as it has been tainted from the jacaranda flowers when we got the rain last week.. This is only the second time it has happened in 20 years..The water goes brown and stinks...So we will wash all the cars and empty it and pump our last tank over from the shed..I am thankful that the house tank is nearly empty...

Have a great day all, Blessings
Mandy

Week-end Catch-up......

Thanks for all the uplifting comments from Fridays post, you Ladies all know how to make me feel better...and I am feeling much better after a wonderful relaxing week-end.

Saturday saw me get all the mowing done and NO wiper snipering.....No matter how much I sweared at it, it would not start. I decided to do the edges by hand and shovel. Every-thing is looking neat and tidy now.

Saturday we all went to a Trivia night at church,,It was a lot of fun, I helped out with supper, It was such a fun night and I got to meet some new people which is what I wanted to do..> Sunday morning we slept in till 8a.m and then off to church. I love that our church doesn't start till 9:30a.m as we get to sleep in.... A lady from our church gave her testimony....boy it was powerful. Deb was diagnosed with bowl cancer 18 mths ago. www.livinggracetoowoomba.org if you are interested go to the link and hear her.....

In the afternoon my 2 older nephews came down to spend time with Robbie and William, they all had a wonderful time in the pool....These young men could have been out doing any-thing instead they choose to be with there younger cousins....To me this is what family is about...seeing a need and doing something about it..Thank you boys...

While they were swimming I managed to get some cooking done which was wonderful. I put on an apron and did my best Nigella impersonation..Then it was of to Greg's youngest brothers place for tea. It did seem a little strange at first to be there without Greg..Another first I suppose, but we all had a lovely bar-b-cue for tea and the children had a good time playing together...How was your week-end????


I love Mondays, getting in and getting the housework done, that 1 day a week when the house is sparkly and clean, until 4p.m that is...I got an hour in the garden this morning before starting inside. I am going to do an hour each morning before I go to work, starting my day with gardening will have to make for a more relaxed day...



I'm going to make some lunch and do some blog reading.

Blessing to all.

Mandy

A pity party......

I am missing my life. Now I know that seems a strange statement to make so let me explain.. Each morning I wake up and rush and get ready to go to the workshop, then it is all a blur until it's time to get the children from school. Then there is some shopping to do for tea, rush home help with homework and get tea ready... Today I have stopped...........

I don't even recognize myself any-more. I have run out of hand made soap and I love making soap......Baking ha, these days I don't have time. Gardening double ha and as for sewing, what's that??? Now you see why I called this post "Pity party" cause boy am I feeling awfully sorry for myself. I suppose I am missing my old life, my life as Greg's wife or as he used to joke Mrs Happy Homemaker.. I know that life never stays the same, because life is a journey. It's just that I feel that I am being forced along this path and I can't go back.

So things have to change...I know there are so many working Mums out there and you all manage to juggle every-thing, well give me some tips....

I do know that as a Christian God is in control of my life, and I also am a firm believer in that good will come from every situation, I just can't seem to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and when I do see it, it happens to be an oncoming train.......

I need to get myself into a healthier routine...I'm thinking......I will try going into work later in the day so a get a couple of hours in at home first..I know that as I'm learning more I am getting work done faster at the shop, and I need to be there over lunch time. I will see how the next week goes as I try this... I am feeling better already after having a rant.....Thanks for listening not that you had a choice....lol

Above is the 20 sleepers I got on Monday, soon they will be a lovely retainer wall around the septic pit. See how green the grass is after the wonderful rain we have had...This week-end I will get out and pull some weeds while the ground is still damp. I also have to learn how to use the wiper sniper, now I don't have any luck with this piece of machinery as I can never get it started and if I do the string breaks against the sandstone edging....I think may-be I should invest in a smaller one instead of trying to use Greg's big one...I'll give it another shot , but don't be surprised to see me in the Bunnings on Saturday afternoon.....

Have a safe and blessed week-end

Mandy

It rained!!!!!!

Isn't this a pretty picture? It is the path from the courtyard to the back garden. Honestly sometimes when I look at photos on my blog I have to go and have another look as they never look as good in real life as they do in photo form.Before I weeded this path you couldn't see the steeping stones or even the end of the path for grass and he branches on the Mulberry tree. Wish I had of remembered to take a before photo! Now we can walk through there without being attacked by branches.... After I got the path all nice and cleared I went into Gatton to get the sleepers. When I got there they said I could only take 10 at a time because of the weight!!!! O.K I should have realized that. Got home with the first 10 unloaded them.uuuugggghhhhh that's me grunting as I got the railway sleepers of the back of the ute...Then back again to get another 10. Of course driving past best friends place for the 3rd time thought I had better stop for a cuppa.... By this time it is raining and storming, so the dog is sitting in the front of the ute with me...I'm telling you I looked just like a hillbilly. Gave Bronwyn a good laugh any way, just what she needed as she was in bed with a headache and needed cheering up ...glad to be of help. By the time I got back home it was well and truly raining, so I didn't unload the other sleepers till this morning.. My right arm is so sore it hurts to move the mouse.....really....It will be worth it when the retaining wall is done..

This is the sight I woke up to this morning, a purple front yard, isn't it so pretty. Last night we got 40mls of rain !!!!! We sure do need it as my tank was just about empty again and we are very water wise here..I have neighbors that have been buying water for months now. The rain was so heavy that the gutters were running over. This afternoon Robbie and I have o get on the roof to clean all the gutters out as the jacaranda flowers taint the water and we are for cast to get some more.

Meet the newest member of the family, Mindy. This is Williams kitten she is only 6 weeks old and so tiny and playful.

This morning I am going to craft. I haven't been since Greg has been gone. I have decided it's time to stop hiding at home and the workshop and to get out...I don't know why I am finding it so hard as I love people and my friends...So this week is new beginnings for me. On Sunday I was invited to a ladies group on Wednesday afternoon so I am going to that as well...I know Greg wouldn't want me sitting around feeling sorry for myself... So I'll have a quick cuppa and chat with the girls and get to the workshop in time for lunch...The boys lunch that is not mine as I won't need any after craft...

First I have to pull the carpet up in the office here...Look at the stains on it. This is the last room left to do, all right I won't do it Know but guess what I'm doing on Saturday????

Blessings to all...

Mandy

Awards Night....

Come on you new they were coming these photos...Alanah also got an award. The photo of her is even worse than these photos and I have been getting in enough trouble for putting horrible photos on my blog of her...I think she checks it every day and than proceeds to moan and groan about it...Any one want a 17 yr old, going cheap!!!!! No really I don't mean it ( I have to say that don't I)

Only a quick post today as I'm about to go to Gatton and pick up my railway sleepers for the retaining walls. I think I will need to do a couple of trips...

Blessings to all,
Mandy