Lightening Online

I have been a terrible blogger of late.

Not so much in the writing side of blogging.

More in the commenting side of blogging.

You see, no one understands the true value of blog comments more than a blogger.

So in my mind, part of a bloggers role is to reach out and encourage other bloggers by commenting on their blogs.

I think it’s a fine line because some bloggers get worried their comments will only be construed as self promotion.

But it’s all about community isn’t it?

I find blog commenting is bit like blog writing.  When you’re in the habit of doing so regularly, it tends to just “happen”.

Get out of the “habit” though and it becomes easier to just read blogs quickly and move on to the next one.

Once upon a time I did a lot of blog commenting.  I’ve always got something to say so it’s not that hard really.

BUT, I’ve gotten out of the habit and fallen into the “read and move on” category.

I’m still READING.

I’m still appreciating what the blogger has to say.

Just, perhaps, not really letting them know.

So, I’m setting myself a challenge.

Comment on 100 blogs in 1 week.

At 14-15 blogs per day, it won’t be an easy challenge.

I’ll be posting next week on how I went.

Anyone else want to set themselves a blog commenting challenge?

This joke was recently shared on one of my yahoo groups.  It really made me laugh.  Hope it makes you laugh too. 

David  staggered home very late after another evening with his drinking  buddy, Paddy.   He took off his shoes to avoid waking his  wife, Kathleen..

‘Well,’ Kathleen  said, ‘it could be the open front door, it could be the broken  glass at the bottom of the stairs, it could be the drops of blood  trailing through the house, it could be your bloodshot eyes, but  mostly …… it’s all those Band-Aids stuck on the hall  mirror.

Happy Smiley Saturday everyone.

Well, it wasn’t strictly our FIRST presentation morning.  I’ve been to others.  But it was the FIRST time any of our children were old enough to qualify for an award.

Although our school is R-12, the awards at presentation morning are given from year 6-12.

Lleyton is in year 6 this year and there must have been some “chatter” at school about who might get certificates and awards this year.  Lleyton came home and asked me if we had gotten a “letter”.

We had.  The school sends out letters to let parents know their children are receiving something at Presentation Morning.

He figured he might get an excellence in Mathematics (which he did).

As it turned out, he also received the book prize.  Now, I’m not 100% sure how they work out who receives the “book prize” but I *think* it’s the top male and female in each year level based on overall grades.  However, to qualify they also must be awarded a “studentship award” (which obviously Lleyton also received - which is more about attitude, effort, behaviour and appearance).

A proud mummy moment today. :)  And he is looking foward to going shopping at the bookstore with the $30 gift voucher he was given. 

My sister in law is due to have twins very soon.

When I saw these in our local post office, I just could not resist:

Cute aren’t they? 

New department regulations in regard to bushfire safety has meant that our school is experiencing it’s first closure day tomorrow.  We’re apparently in a “code red” area meaning there is a very high risk of fire.  *sigh*  Haven’t seen the weather yet but that doesn’t sound good does it?

The kids are excited about having a day off school though!!!!

I’m guessing this also means the boys won’t be reaping.  They can’t reap when there is a high risk of fire as headers are notorious for starting fires.

Farmboy has given me instructions on what to do if we’re threatened by fire and MIL has called to say I can come to her place if I’m worried.  Now I’m wondering if I *SHOULD* be worried?  We don’t exactly live amongst bush but then again there are quite a few trees around.

Fingers crossed I don’t need to find out!

For those of you living in high risk areas - please stay safe.

Our Christmas season has once again kicked off this year with the Credit Union Christmas Pageant (on TV) followed by placing our own Santa in the front paddock. 

Each year it seems to get harder and harder trying to decide how we are going to present Santa.

However, this year we had plenty of material to choose from.  We wanted to represent something from our “big trip”.

On Saturday we got busy and began making some props to go with our chosen scene:

It’s been a while since we have had any paints out, so the kids thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to do some painting:

It was the perfect way to spend a hot day:

It was also a great refresher of some of what we learnt while on our trip.

Today, it was time for the assembling. Santa and the kids were loaded on the back of the ute:

And….

Ta Da…..

Can you tell where he is????

The kids re-enact some of their Great Barrier Reef swimming:

You can’t see their fish very well but they did an amazing job of replicating the shapes and colours of the fish we saw in Northern Queensland.

We had a lot of fun putting this together.  Wonder how many people going past will guess where he’s meant to be?

If you’ve missed our Santa’s from the past:

2008 Santa Up a Gum Tree

2007 Santa Kicking Back Relaxing with a Cold Drink

2006  Santa In The Old Firetruck

2005 On an old bull-dog tractor (no blog post for this one)

Wonder where Santa will be next year?

I’ve seen this before (not sure if I’ve even posted it before). It’s always worth a repeat though. Makes me laugh every time.

I saw it on My Little Drummer Boys, along with the following Aussie Quiz.

Come to Australia !

How Aussie are you ?
(compiled by Dee from Downunder)

1. Been dive bombed by a magpie Thankfully, NO.  We had a resident dive bombing magpie at one place I worked but they never went me.  Scary things they are though!!!!
2. Have seen a crocodile Many.  First saw a few when we went to Darwin in 2002.  Then again when we went to Northern Queensland on our big trip.  We even saw one in the wild near where we were fishing (we were up high on an old bridge thankfully).
3. Have seen a snake in the wild - In the wild?  Try in my backyard!!!!  It’s one thing I really HATE about living rurally.
4. Been bitten by a snake or other aussie wildlife Was bitten by a pelican when I was a kid.  It decided it wanted the piece of bread in my hand so came up and took it and bit my finger in the process.  Freaked me right out!!!
5. Patted a koala Many!  My favourite was the Cairns Zoo where staff got a number of koalas out of the enclosure and we had lots of time to pat, touch, admire etc.  It’s the most animated I’ve ever seen koalas.
6. Seen a kangaroo in the wild - Too many.  Thankfully I’ve never hit one while driving but I have been in the passenger seat when we’ve hit one.  Sadly, they are pretty much pests around here (eat our crops).
7. Climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge - I only SAW it for the first time on our recent visit to Sydney.  We went over it on the train.  I was surprised at how OLD it looks.  I think I like it better all lit up on New Years Eve.
8. Climbed the Story Bridge in Brisbane I’ve never even HEARD of the Story Bridge in Brisbane.
9. Visited the Sydney Opera House - We walked there in the rain on our recent visit to Sydney.  Was just a quick visit but we did have a look in the foyer.  Would love to go there to see something one day….
10. Swum at the beach Last night.  We’re lucky that Farmboy’s parents own a shack at the beach about 40 minutes from here so we get a beach holiday every year.  Plus day trips.  Sadly, we didn’t get to swim in too many Qld beaches - too many crocodiles!!!!
11. Had fish and chips on the beach My favourite!!!!  Just don’t try getting fish and chips at Mooloolaba beach unless you want to take out a second mortgage.
12. Been stung by a jellyfish Thankfully no, but someone got stung while we were at the beach last night.
13. Had sunburn that peeled Only the odd bit on my nose.  Have never been really badly sunburnt thankfully.
14. Camped under the stars Not directly but have in a tent and a camper trailer many times.
15. Visited Uluru - We had a quick visit there on our way to Darwin in 2002.  Farmboy climbed it while I stayed at the bottom with the kids.  I did get to walk around it though.
16. Driven the Great Ocean Road in Victoria 3 times.  My favourite was doing it with Farmboy when Lleyton was about 18 months old.  We were on such a tight budget but it was so much fun!!!!
17. Seen the penguins on Phillip Island Victoria Yeah, a couple of times when I lived in Melbourne.  LOVE it!!!  Would LOVE to take the kids there one day.
18. Had an outdoor BBQ with Friends Often
19. Played backyard/beach Cricket It used to be a regular boxing day event in my family when I was growing up.  These days I much prefer to spectate.  Or even stay inside with a good book!!!!
20. Watched a real cricket match live *snore* Cricket is SO boring!!!!  Although I would like to go to a 20-20 match.  I think that would be great!
21. Betted on the Melbourne Cup Once in workplace sweep where it was easier to just “go with the flow” than try to explain I’m not a gambling person.  It was kind of fun actually and I even won a few dollars.  LOL
22. Attended the Melbourne Cup Live from Flemington Can’t see that happening any time soon.  I’m really not “into” the Melbourne Cup.
23. Attended a live Aussie Rules or rugby football game Been to a few Aussie Rules (at AFL level) matches.
24. Ridden a Melbourne Tram Too many times to mention!!!!  Every day in year 12 and then most days to Uni.  I miss Melbourne!!!! 
25. Snow Skied in the “high country” of NSW/Vic Been to the snow a number of times but the most adventurous I get is tobogganing.  Not co-ordinated enough to ski!!!!
26. Visited the Great Barrier Reef YES!!!  And it rates up there as one of my life’s BEST experiences!!!!
27. Been to Kakadu - Funnily enough, no.  Went to Darwin and visited Litchfield but didn’t get to Kakadu.  Left that for another time!
28. Crossed the Nullabour by road - Not yet but planning to in the next few years (unless we decide to fly/train it - we’ll see).
29. Gone down the Murray River on a paddle steamer I’ve even driven one!!!  My great uncle restored an old one - just beautiful!!!!!
30. Survived a cyclone Thankfully we live a LONG way from cyclone country and I think we’ll keep it that way.  The very thought scares the bejeebers out of me!!!
31. Survived a bushfire Closest I’ve even gotten was the Port Lincoln fires (killed I think 5 people or something like that, including one of Farmboys school mates).  We were about an hour away when they happened.  Well, there have been closer fires (national park near here - Farmboy fought for a week) but not life threatening I don’t think.
32. Experienced a big flood Ha!  Ha!  Plenty of drought - no floods!!!  Although there was one time when Farmboy couldn’t get home because the road floaded where the creek goes through.
33. Know who the Wiggles are. Yeah!  We’re kind of passed that stage now though.  Been culling our Wiggles stuff.
34. Know who Humphrey the Bear is. HUGE fan of Humphrey!!!!
35. Watched Play School as a kid or mum of a kid Both!  Was interesting that some of the presenters were the same for me as a kid as they were for my kids!!!  Great show!
36. Watched Skippy the Bush Kangaroo Not very much as we didn’t have a TV for most of my childhood.  Did see a few episodes though.
37. Own an Australia Flag - Nothing “official”, just a few toy ones.
38. Know the words to Advance Australia Fair First verse - yes.  Rest of it - bit patchy.
39. Eat Vegemite - My favourite!!!!
40. Drink Milo Nearly every day in one form or another!
41. Know what lamingtons are HATE cooking them (too fiddly for me) but LOVE eating them!!!!
42. Know what Pavlova is Love it!!!!  With lashings of cream and strawberries or fruit salad!
43. Know what Tim Tams are Mmmm….double coat!!!!  And I’ve just tasted the white ones and they are good too!!!
44.Eaten a meat pie As long as I don’t think too hard about what might be in them!
45. Gave or received a “dead arm” ROFLOL.  I had totally forgotten about those!!!  OUCH!
46. Have owned an Akubra hat Farmboy has one for around the farm.
47. Own/owned an Australia Cattle dog - We have sheep dogs around here.
48. Been to a B& S ball - or know what one is - Know enough about them to know it’s not really my scene. Not the ones around here anyway.

49. Drive a ute For many years as our main vehicle (4-door).  Now only around the farm.
50. Say G’day Not all the time.
51. Can cook damper -Yeah, we have the occasional fire in non fire ban season complete with damper and raspberry or apricot jam!
52. Can make billy tea -I don’t think I’ve actually ever tried.
53. Supported a sausage sizzle - Frequently
54. Own John Williamson CD/Music -Not big country music fans here.
55. Owned backyard chooks or know what chooks are - Pretty much the whole time we’ve been married.  Just waiting for our latest batch to start laying.
56. Call the toilet “the dunny” - Sometimes but  not often.
57 . Wear thongs (on your feet…) - Currently own 3 pairs - 1 with pink flowers, 1 gold and 1 black with sequins.  And yes, they are ALL the kind you wear on your feet!!!
58. Support Aussie music - Yep
59. Enjoy a beer - HATE the stuff.  I’m more of a “pink champagne” girl.
60.Swallowed a fly - YUK!!!  I prefer not to think about it.

How Aussie are you ?

If you decide to give this a go, make sure you leave a link in the comments section so that we can come and have a read!

Happy Smiley Saturday everyone.  Hope you can find something to make you smile.  And somewhere cool if you’re in Australia!!!!

My local hairdresser recently switched to using PPS products and as part of that, they had a day with a couple of PPS reps where they offered free colour consultations.

I jumped at the chance to have a chat with someone about possible options for “change”.  I’ve never been all that adventurous with my hair although have started to do a few different things in more recent years.  The problem is, I very rarely know what I want so to have someone make suggestions was awesome.

She suggested a copper colour for my skin tones so I made an appointment and yesterday I had it done.  It didn’t turn out quite as “coppery” as I was envisaging but I’m still really happy with it.

I’ve never had a semi-permanent before, usually opting for foils which are usually a bit more subtle.  I’m quite excited at the propect that every time I wash my hair, it’ll probably change colours.  LOL.

Naturally you want to see it, yeah?

I’ve made another appointment to have it redone just before Christmas and I think we might even go a little more “orange” next time.  We’ll see.

To be honest, I was pretty impressed with PPS.  Often companies can’t be bothered with rural areas.  It’s a long way to travel and smaller population might mean less profit or return on their effort.  The afternoon they put on at our local salon was lovely and has really endeared me to the company.

Oh, and they’re good with the freebies too.  That always helps! ;)  I was given a free treatment for booking my colour at their afternoon and then yesterday I was given another FREEBIE as part of a current colour promotion (I think).  Plus, I wanted to try a different shampoo so I bought a pack they had there which included some lovely freebies as well.

I was talking to the hairdresser doing my hair yesterday about how good it was that they came out to where we are and she commented on how much she likes the company because they really seem to care and provide good client and customer service.  Sadly something that can be really lacking these days in the quest for the biggest profit possible.

So, thumbs up to PPS for their efforts and thumbs up to my hairdresser for making my day.  I feel like a new woman!

Before we went away on our big trip, Farmboy and I started to discuss our plans “beyond the trip”.  We felt this was somewhat important because the trip had taken up so much of our time, energy and financial resources in the years preceeding it that to come back to “nothing” might be a bit of a shock.

Anyway, I wanted to try and put some of our thoughts into some kind of order.  At the moment they’re floating around my head.  These are in no particular order but are some of the things I would like to focus on in the next few years.

INSIDE

Paint interior walls

When we bought this house, we knew that the paint they used would be chalky (from other houses we’d seen) and our plan was to repaint it ASAP.  My nervous breakdown kind of put paid to that idea aned so it still hasn’t been done.  Well, earlier in the year I did get one toilet done but that’s as far as I have gotten.

I’m a little bit stuck at the moment trying to make my mind up on colours.  But fingers crossed, most rooms will get done next year.

Replace Curtains (and rods) in Lounge

We had trouble finding curtains we liked when we moved.  I loved the curtains at our old place which I had custom made.  Part of me wanted to bring them but the sizings weren’t quite the same and there was some conflict with the inlaws about what we would and wouldn’t leave in the house (we won’t go there).  Anyway, we bought the ones we do have as seconds and they ended up being too small for the windows.  We also bought cheap rods and they have broken. :(  So, this is high on my list of priorities.

Boys Room

This is one room where I have chosen the paint colours for.  Just need a roundtoit in order to get to it.  We’re planning on doing an AFL Crows theme (surprise, surprise).  Lleyton already has a Crows doona cover but it’s really heavy fabric and his doona always gets scrunched up inside it.  So new doona covers for both boys and new curtains (?) are also on the agenda.

Singstar Princesses Room

I’m quite happy with her room at the moment (apart from the chalky paint on the walls) but her doona cover has a huge texta stain on it and I think once I’ve done the boys room, she’s going to want hers done as well.

New Lounge Suite

I’ve always loved our current lounge suite but it was a budget one and there is virtually no stuffing left in the cushions.  I’ve tried refilling it where I can but it’s almost had it.  Which is a bit of a pity as it still looks quite nice on the outside (well, not perfect - but not bad for having seen it’s way through the baby and toddler stage of my kids!!!)

OUTSIDE

Back Verandah

We have had different ideas on what we want to do in the way of a verandah out the back.  I have partly resisted it because we want the winter sun coming into the house.  However, the hot weather we now get in Autumn is creating some very real problems (in terms of how much it heats up the house) so I have agreed to a back verandah along part of the house and then we’ll do my idea of growing grape vines along the front half of the back area.

I think Farmboy has plans to build it into an indoor/outdoor type area which would make a lovely sunroom in the winter.  That would be a more long term plan though I guess (finances depending).  It would involve installing see through or shade cloth blinds that could be opened or closed depending on the weather conditions.

My BIL has done a quote for us and this our next “job” to be done.  Hopefully early next year before the sun dips in the Northern sky.

Back Decking

We are hoping to get this done at the same time as the back verandah.  It’s kind of 2 parts of the one project really.

Partially Enclose Patio

The paving is all done under the large carport we erected a while ago and now the task of partially enclosing it to make it more useable (keeping out sun and wind when needed).

Build a Hitting Wall for the Kids

Something Farmboy has been promising Lleyton for way too many years now.  *sigh*  He’s worked out what he’s going to use (and changed his mind a number of times now).

Build a Larger Vegie garden area next to the chook pen

We’re planning to use permaculture principles and have 3 sections - 1 for eating, 1 for planting and 1 for the chooks.  I am having so much trouble with slaters in our current patch and hate using chemicals.

Build Shed for a Games Room

Our plan when we built this house was to focus on paying it off and then build a shed to be used for a games room.  It was our “pay off” for moving to a smaller house.

Last year we made the decision that if we hadn’t saved the money by the time Lleyton hit high school, that we would borrow the money to do it.  Otherwise, the kids would be reaching “leaving age” and we’d still be in the “gonna” stage.  We have another 12+ months before he hits high school.  Fingers crossed next harvest is a “bonza”. 

Pipedream: Swimming Pool

A Swimming Pool used to be a part of our very serious plans when we first moved into my in laws house.  We didn’t have the expense of building it so we were planning a few “luxuries” such as a pool.

Of course, when we chose to buy this house, we knew we were throwing dreams like that out the window.

Plus, we explained to the kids when we did the big trip that it was coming at a “cost” and we couldn’t do everything (they were complaining that some of their friends have pools so why can’t we).

We haven’t thrown our plans to put in a pool completely out the window but it’s kind of on the backburner while we see what finances are like in the next few years or so.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY

All of these things take time and money.  I have no idea how many we will actually achieve but it feels good to have some direction.  To have things to work towards and a reason to get back to being frugal.  I’ve been a bit off the bandwagon since we got back and need to refocus.  It’s the thing I love most about frugality - the element of control you have to direct your money where you want it to go rather than having it all slip through your fingers (I know some people have forced frugality and that we are lucky not to be one of those).

I am also “officially” becoming a “working mother” next year.  After my tractor driving success, Farmboy is planning on putting in more acres.  Theoretically, that extra money we earn is for “extras” like the things I’ve mentioned above.  I say theoretically because with farming there is no guarantee of a profit (as the past 7 years have shown us).

I have one paddock in this year and that money (after expenses and tax) will be going toward the back verandah.  With some extra money Farmboy earnt last year, we’re hoping to have enough to pay for the verandah.

I’m hoping to squeeze the inside ones from our regular budget and use the extra income for the bigger outdoor projects.

TIMELINE

We haven’t really set ourselves a timeline.  The above things will happen “as we get the money to do them”.  I’m thinking it’ll likely take us 3-5 years after which time I’m hoping that any “spare” we earn can be put toward a couple of higher budget holidays (like a ski trip).  I guess we’ll have to wait and see how things go.

AM I WEIRD?

Does anyone else spend time planning and dreaming like this or am I just strange?  I’d love to hear what your plans are for your home, if you have them.

I have numerous post ideas rolling around in my head at the moment and just can’t seem to get them out on the screen.  So, instead, I’ll post about how HOT it is.  Because, really, we all need to read another post complaining about the heatwave don’t we????  LOL

And, if I was smart (which I’m clearly not), I wouldn’t be sitting here typing this right now.  I would be rushing around like a madwoman trying to get the days tasks done before it gets even hotter.

However, our wireless modem thingy has decided to go to sleep for a little while (who can blame it in this heat?) and I don’t want to be stuck in the HOT office later trying to get my melting brain into gear writing another blog post (which have been a bit thin on the ground lately - particularly on my other blogs - I blame the “post trip” jelly brain).

So, my question (yes, I’m eventually going to get to my point and stop saying the word HOT over and over again), is how do you cope with the heat?

Do you continue on as “usual” getting stuff done?

Do you melt into a blob while the house disintegrates around you?

Do you get up at the sparrows fart and get all energised and get everything done before the sun has barely hit the sky? (one day I’m actually going to try this….one day…..)

And while I’m at it with all these questions…

Will someone please reassure me that if I keep getting rid of clutter, a bit at a time, I will eventually find light at the end of the very black “clutter tunnel”?????  I feel like I’ve been decluttering for weeks now with no end in sight.  WHY do we have to accumulate so much stuff?  And why is it so hard to part with?????

And what category do I put this post under?  And does anyone even care anyway????

*sigh*

I better go vacuum the lounge before it turns into a sauna in there!!!!!