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

Swaps and gardens.....

Look at all this loveliness..This year I was a part of a birthday fat 1/4 swap organized by the wonderful Maree...All this wonderful bounty above is from my swap buddies Shelly, Kerry,Vanessa, Joanne and Jo...Thank you so much ladies I love them all. And the little extras as well, Lace, butterflies, hangers and handmade cards...Now I can't wait to get out to my sewing room and get some sewing done....

It's not just sewing that hasn't been getting done...The garden is pretty sad as well.

It is so very dry here...Brown is the main colour around here. Even the veges are all bolting or wilting..My pots of colour bring some brightness to the back yard.

Don't be fooled by this green, this is kept green by the washing machine water..The flowers are on there way out and are past there best...I am certainly seeing what is hardy and what isn't. Some of my favorites are roses, saliva's and geraniums.They don't need much watering at all and are all doing well.

Today has been spent at school with the children, and tonight we have the children's Awards Night...So no guessing what my next post will be about!!!

Untill then....Blessings..

Mandy

Beachbums for a Day....

With weather as nice as ours there's nothing else to do than pack the bus and head to the beach for the day!!!!!!!!!!!
Well it wasn't really my idea.....it was Bronwyns, and I must say for once she had a good idea..We went down on the local school bus agggggghhhhh...To say the children were loud is an understatement....

We went to Mooloolaba around to the point..The water was so blue and calm. We set up in a park right there on the beach and had a picnic for lunch.

Plenty of food and we all ate to much of course..Then after lunch Bronwyn and I went for a walk while her husband Dave kept watch over every-thing..We did get our feet wet but that was all..It was nice just to walk and talk.

Below are the girls posing as teenage girls do..

Cassie, Alanah, Ellen and Melanie. Would you believe that Cassie is older than Mel!!!

The day was over all to soon and time to head home.We stopped at the fruit shop on the way home for fruit and vege, then continued home....

Today though it is back to the house and the beginning of a new week...

Blessings

Mandy

What a busy couple of days it has been around here. Tuesday was my birthday, so the children had me up early opening presents. I also got a cuppa in bed with chocolates for breakfast, a good birthday breakfast I think...I worked until 1p.m then my best friend Bronwyn came and took me out to lunch and for a pedicure.........Heaven........All in all a good day yet at the same time such a sad lonely day....Greg loved birthdays and he loved to spoil me, he would always buy me the most expensive but useless b/day presents, one year I really wanted a worm farm and instead I got a beautiful ring...Guess what I missed this year....yep another ring or wine glasses or something else that I didn't need...What I am finding is the things that used to annoy me are the very things I miss......go figure....I am glad that mine was the first b/day without Greg and not one of the children..That would have been to hard on them.
Alanah, Chloe and Damion cooked tea for me...fettuccine, they did a lovely job...Chloe made a caramel mud cake for me. See the number candles yep it says 32 ha ha they thought that was funny........hmmmmm what was I doing 12 years ago, I was pregnant with baby No 6.....Yes well enough said about that.

The tomatoes are looking well, so far the wind hasn't damaged them...Yesterday we had 2 hail storms within an hour of each other thankfully the tomatoes weren't damaged.

Here is Handy Andy working on the tractor....update!!!!, it has been sold, but they said we can keep it for 2 weeks to finish the work we started, I think that is very nice of them. So Andy is getting stuck into the work for me, I will keep you updated.

My to be vege garden is coming along nicely, I can't wait to get out there and start planting, but that will be awhile yet.
Well that's what has been happening around here, now I'm going to see what you have been up to..

I hope you are all enjoying your week..

Blessings

Mandy

Fog,bedrooms and gardens....

This is the amazing sight I woke up to this morning.
The fog was just rolling in, normally we don't get fog this thick as we are low in the valley here..After I took these photos it got even thicker, I never realized how pretty fog could be... Well the bed rooms are finally finished, the beds have been changed around and all looks much better. I do have to mention that I got in trouble from Alanah for the photo of her, but it was funny.....Sorry Alanah.....no really I am .....kinda....

Alanah's room

Rooms are not the only thing getting a change...Awhile back I mentioned how I wanted to get the back yard tidied up after the Septic drama...Well things are under way..Handy Andy and yes his name is Andy and he is my Handy man, has staked out all the areas and is busy with the tractor grading ...But would you believe it on Friday I had a phone call asking if I wanted to sell the big tractor...Greg had 2, the big one and the little tractor....I know I don't need them both and honestly I probably don't need any....but I hadn't really thought much about selling them...Any way by Saturday after noon I had 2 people wanting to by the big one and one fellow wants the bobcat as well.... I told him we will need it for a couple of weeks before it can go as we are using the tractor....I will hear from the first fellow this evening...

Robbi es room


Needless to say we have had to move forward all the work we wanted to do with the grader blade...so it is a hive of activity and dust here..Will post some photos latter in the week. I will also be getting my new vege garden at the side. Where it is I have out grown...So as you can see I am busy, there is much to do in the garden as the weeds are growing faster than anything...

Wills room
The workshop is doing well, and I am really enjoying being there, Oh I miss being home and my gardening, but as the days get longer there is more time to be out in the garden in the afternoon.. I finish work at 3p.m and get the children from school so I have a hour to spend in the garden before getting tea ready.

I hope you all had a good week-end...

Blessings to all

Mandy

FOR YOU.......

This bunch of flowers is for you my friends..You always leave me encouraging messages and brighten my day when I read your comments.I don't always have the time to comment back,so I'm sending you these flowers....

I hope you are all enjoying your week..

Blessings

Mandy

What a mess....

Sometimes I wonder what I am thinking????? Like yesterday afternoon when we decided to move rooms around......aaaagggggggghhhhhhh

Don't you think that Alanah's face says it all....Alanah has moved into the boys room as it is a lot more private and has a lot more wardrobe room. Robbie has moved into the spare room...as there are 5 yrs between Robbie and Will I have given them there own rooms...I think they need a room each more than we need a spare room..
William has moved into Alanah's room ( are you following so far????) it needs a paint job to get rid of the pink walls and the beds are to be swapped over yet....

I will show you photos latter in the week of them all finished I hope.....

Blessings

Mandy

A late start on the Spring cleaning...

Every morning when I wake up this is what I see out my bed room window. I make a cup of coffee and sit here at this window to have my quiet time and think about the day ahead.

This last week-end there has been much to think about... After the dust storms of the last 10 days the out side of the house needed a good wash down...So Friday saw us with the high pressure cleaner, brooms and to work we went, we scrubbed and washed windows and cleaned the outdoor furniture.

Now as you have probably realized I am the kind of person that when I clean I also rearrange the furniture..yes even outside...All my outdoor plants where looking very tired so I planted them in the garden and got a heap of new ones..Brought this little table and chairs up from the courtyard added some cushions and we now have lunch out here.....

Saturday was a hard day for me as it was the 3rd which means Greg has been gone for a month,I woke at 1a.m and just couldn't get back to sleep, I finished a book I had been reading and at 5 a.m went and sat on my nice clean rearranged veranda..Thinking of how much I have been loved by Greg and how very much I miss him, in fact it is getting harder each day. Silly me I thought it would get easier.. Saturday night was my nephews engagement party, Chloe took the children and I stayed home as I am just not yet ready to be going out yet....

Sunday was spent with Jessica as she came home for the party...A nice lazy day..I did go to the Sunday markets in the morning and got some more plants for the courtyard..I moved the direction of the table and planted some citrus trees in pots. I have lots of young geranium plants out here as well so when they grow it will have a real Mediterranean feel to the area...

This rose is Crepascle, it looks stunning against the purple wall, this is what I look out to from the lounge room.

What did you get up to on the week end????

Tomorrow I am of to the work shop...I have worked out how to juggle things...Tuesday,Wednesday and Thursdays will be spent at the workshop...Friday, Saturday,Sunday and Monday will be at home...This seems to be the way I will go. The people that was looking at buying the business has decided not to...That is fine, I am not worried as I know that it is all in Gods hands, he can see the big picture I can't...

Blessings to all

Mandy