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

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...

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.......

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.

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............

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.......

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...........

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