Family picture 2009

Its not very often we get all of us in front of a camera - so here it is - the fam shot 2009

A Sad Week

What a dreadful week. One of the kindest and liveliest aunts I have – the wonderful Aunty Marg died last Sunday. She had been quite ill for sometime and passed peacefully in her sleep.

I chose to go to the funeral on my own, I didn’t really think the kids old enough to handle what was to unfold. When Tania and Frazers Baby – their cousin Bethany died, we told them straight away and talked about it for a few days. They didn’t really know Aunty Marg – so I did tell them about the funeral and what happens – but that’s about it. It was an open cask ceremony – which in itself has its own challenges.

It was very sad that as I walked up the lawn to the chapel, I was greeted by cousins – some I had not seen for over 20 years – and I realize that it takes something lie this for the family to get together. We are a close knit family but one that loves from afar – if that makes sense. I have no doubt that if I called upon the help of any of my cousins, I would be rallied around immediately – and yet we hardly see each other now. – as kids we lived in each others pockets. It’s the same with my own brothers and sisters. I drop everything to assist and help them, and I know they would do the same from me – but we forget each others birthdays and usually only see each other at Christmas time. The occasional phone call happens once a month or so – and I do wish we lived closer so that kids would get to know each other better and be able to play.

I still have tears in my eyes as I think about the ceremony – both in the chapel and at the graveside. So horrible – so final. Dons Eulogy to his mum was wonderful – and in typical style – he had us laughing before we wept. She was a remarkable woman who brought so much happiness and love into the lives of her family. I met my great Aunt Bess ( again - the last time was probably 20 years ago) – who is 96 and still drives – she is an incredible lass – that’s for sure. She was the eldest of the family – I don’t think there are many left now – Marg was the 8^th child. How awful to sit and bury your younger sister – I just can’t imagine it.

I can't beleive that the years just slip past so quickly. How is it even possible that I can say the last time I saw one particlar favourite cousin was nealry 20 years ago - he had long hair and a panel van.... far out... now look at both of us - married, kids... phew.

I don’t think I have much else to add to this post – just too sad at the moment.

Animal Rescue - got nothing on me.

Lilly and I were riding around the edge of one of the dams looking for cast ewes or ones hiding in the grass. A movement in the water made me look over and I just assumed it was a fish flicking up. Another small movement at the bank made me stop the bike and look harder. This dam is one that is used for pumping – so has very steep banks and is not graduated – it goes to 20 feet deep very suddenly. The water had dropped a lot in the last month or so – so the waters edge lapped up against mini cliff faces – all of about 3 or 4 feet high. There huddled on a ledge no wider than a few inches wide was a tiny day old lamb. It must have been walking with its mother on the top of the bank and slipped. I can’t imagine how lucky it must have been to have landed on the ledge and not into the water and drowned.

The challenge in front of me was that this skittish lamb was sure to leap into the water and drown if it saw me approach. So commando style, I crawled up the bank and through the grass over the top above the lamb. I had to lay flat and reach down across the incline to a full stretch to be able to get close to the lamb. At the nano second I launched myself further to reach it, I hoped feverently that I would not lose grip on the ground and slide down into the freezing green depths of the dam – lamb in hand. Thankfully this didn’t happen, but I did end up with a struggling, mucus encased lamb in one hand and facing a precarious unbalanced position far too close to the dam waters than I had ever intended to be. A bit of belly crawling backwards saw me sitting on the dam bank covered in mud, gras stains and new lamb poo – but triumphantly with the lamb in arms. The poor little thing was wet and exhausted and I knew that its mother will have given up on it – so took it back to the orphanage – a special set of small pens in the shearing shed where all the orphaned and mis mothered lambs are taken. They are fed and within a few days hopefully matched up with a mother who has lost a lamb or one who can support another.

A special experience for me was to introduce birth to the kids. Mum brought one of the ewes into the hospital paddock – close to the orphanage. She had been cast for hours and had lost strength in trying to lamb. It was getting very dark when we checked on her again – hoping that in a safer spot she’d be able to finish herself. She wasn’t dilated enough and the lambs head was very big. The kids all looked as the legs and tiny nose showed. It took both mum and I to pull – and mum had to assist with the head to come out. The lamb slithered out and covered us in afterbirth. The kids eyes were as large as dinner plates as they watched – and to their credit none of them said yuck or gross.

We all rolled home dirty and smelly – another day on the farm – but a valuable lesson for the kids.

Pici of Jodi and Lilly on one of the bikes.

Seaworld Expedition

Last night we tottered o ff to Seaworld for the Energex’s Staff Christmas Party. Its always held early as they want to include as many people in the celebrations as they can – with storm seasons in Oct to Jan – if it were held closer to Christmas then a great number of people would not bed allowed to come as they have to either stay close to base or be on call for disaster recovery. With al ittle over 6 thousand people there – it was like a very busy day at Seaworld with long line ups on popular rides.

We had around 3 hours to wander around Seaworld and get on as many rides and see as many shows as we could. Last year we stayed at Nara resort and had 2 days to explore – so had seen everything and went on most rides a number of times – so it wasn’t a mad dash. Lilly is a little taller this year and able to get one many of the bigger rides – she ‘is over’ the baby rides ( oh dear).

We sat in awe ( again) watching the dolphin show. The pure delight and rapture on both kids faces was enough to put a lump in my throat. What mad woman decided it might be a good idea to buy toffee apples and give them to two ravenous children at the start of the night? These pictures don’t fully show the extent of stickiness that ensued. I don’t like toffee apples ( well to be fair the last one I had was about 20 years ago and I remember the apple was shriveled and gross) but I have to say I really liked the ones the kids had – the apples were so fresh and the toffee not too sweet..

We planned our trek well and got to do and see everything that each person wanted. Lilly was too short to go on the Pirate Ship so Morgan and I hopped aboard. He was thrilled and delighted for about the first three swings. As it tipped higher and higher up, the poor lad clung to the silver grip bars for fear of his life. To his credit as I kept asking him if he was ok , he kept nodding. I put a protective arm round him but I am not sure if that settled him any. Although he said he thought it was fun – he didn’t want to go back on it. We rode the dragon flume several times and got very wet.

Lilly and I boarded the Burmuda Triangle ride ( she only scrapped it in with her height) and set off very excited. All the rides have a different feel for sure when its dark outside! We were up the front and again – to her credit – she did not show any fear. I had an arm round her and I could feel her heart pounding and she shook like a leaf in some of the spookier bits. Outwardly, she was smiling and she waved at the mechanical aliens. It wasn’t until we were 5 seconds from disembarking that she broke into tears and told me she was frightened. Oh bless her! After checking out the snoozing Polar bears, when asked what the best thing so far was – she chose the triangle ride…( oh dear)

We ended our evening off with some more sedate rides – I love the old fashioned merry-g-round and Lilly and I rode the horses for 3 sessions. I love the music and the gentle motion of the horses, the glitz of the decorations and the fancy mirrors. Lilly did really well with her arm in plaster – but I doubt that much would.

It was a great night and a real family fun experience where I felt very connected to each person. As a reward for our savings on our power consumption last quarter we are going to Dreamworld shortly - so have decided not to do this during school holidays – as we want to do it when we don’t have so many people to line up with.

Is This The Face of Evil?

So I ask you - is this the face of evil? allow me to inform you that YES - it is.....

On Saturday, we went to a Mad Hatters Party to play croquet. Its beyond me why and how lawn bowls became more popular. Apart from our team not knowing who went next and confusing the colours up – we had a hoot and I am sure once you get those things down pat , it is a very fast and sociable game. Adrian was on the ‘other’ team…( oh and he had a possum stuck to his hat. I might add here that when he was looking for ways and means to attach the said rodent to his headware, Lilly was most insistant that he NOT staple it as it would hurt the possom.)

We played a competitive game called gateways –where as a team you strategize to get one of your team members through the hoop before the other team. There is a lot of bumping the other teams balls out of the way to ensure the next person in your team could have a clear run through the hoop. Adrian, without fail, knocked my perfectly formulated hit, right out of the way. A definite game to play with friends or workmates to improve communication and strategizing… I’ll have to do some internet searching to see if I can include my experiences with Captain Juan!

The kids had a good knock around with the mallets too and it seemed to be popular with each group we went and had a chat to. The party was in honour of a good friend – Sarah – turning the grand age of 40. not that I should laugh or think thats old.. not far away for me at all.. what a terrifying thought.

The weather has started to turn into sultry summery temperatures, having skipped spring all together. The rains have come and I love to hear it on the tin roof out the side. I am sure it won’t be long before the kids get in the pool – but its still got iceburgs in it as far as I am concerned. We are all looking forward to getting back into camping – with our first date set at the end of September – up in Girraween.

My week is filled with writing articles or short stories or lately working website updates and tweeks. Its so frustrating and takes so long. What we want on the site changes – and so does all the parameters. I am learning lots – doing a fair bit in HTML – as I have no software to build it with… so its all good experience I guess.

I am doing a bit of a chuck out and overhaul of cupboards – so anything not tied or nailed down is being scrutinized and chucked out. How many damned towels does one family need… and don’t get me started on t-towels..

A bit scatty tonight – haven’t had much of a chance to write or do stories this week – all website stuff which I have promised myself to stop doing – I can be up till 3 am fiddling.. and its not good for sleep patterns ( which are getting more and more out of whack)

Thanks for reading and keep commenting- makes me feel like this matters….