The last day of 2011...

 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....

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??

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?????

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....

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....

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.

                                      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...

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....

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