Underhill is still dry

Last Saturday Geoff and family, Greg and Ev, and Nathan and I had a day trip to Underhill. On the way down Greg, Ev and I stopped at the Marulan Butcher and were thrilled to be able to buy some properly cured corned silverside. We bought other meat as well as it is so good.

The girls loved it of course and helped plant the new fruit trees.

Geoff found the swing seat and rope ladder and mounted them under the Nashi as it is strong enough for the small girls and beautifully shady in summer. Ivy loved it.

There were lots of trees in bloom including this apple in the 'dog yard'. The tree was absolutely humming with bees.

Flowering has been good this year and there are even small fruit on the apricot tree.

Geoff and Greg planted some more Oaks near the top dam which is quite green with the drought.

They also planted Fejoa and Macadamia at the far end of the top dam and Heather and I went for a long walk to see what they were doing.

Nathan did some slabbing on the Lucas Mill of logs he had drying. They are now in the solar kiln he has built beside the toilet shed.

Greg, Ev and I went for a walk to the far dam. This photo of me is taken as evidence of the fact that I did go for a bush walk. I have not walked to the far dam for over a year with my gammy hip. This time I made it quite comfortably. Hooray!

The dam is quite low and turning green. A few of the trees Nathan and Geoff planted around the dam have survived though and are looking quite good.

At last I feel recovered enough to really enjoy my trips to Underhill and am so pleased that we have friends that enjoy coming down with us.

When life falls to pieces make quilts

Over the last few months I have spent odd bits of time using up my 2.5" squares of scrap fabric in a quilt idea inspired by Bonnie Hunter and her "leaders and ender's". Tuesday and Wednesday this week I've spent time putting all the bits together.

I am really pleased with the result and now just have to consider borders, binding and backing.

I started by making strips of 5 squares with a white triangle at each end. The centre of each strip was a 4-patch of 1.5" leaders and enders and the end square of each strip was the darker of the two adjoining 2.5" squares to create a good contrast with the white ends. I joined the strips together into blocks of 7 strips. Once I'd made 18 such blocks I spread them on the table. The quilt that inspired this one had a strip of another fabric running straight down between each pieced strip. But I noticed that if I offset the blocks when I joined them I ended up with a white zigzag pattern running down the quilt.

However I then had to work out how to fill the empty top and bottom of each strip to offset them. A few scribbles on graph paper and I got excited. Each alternate strip has a different corner filler section.

That was on Tuesday. Of course I then just had to finish putting it together.

The irony is that when Stephanie saw me using the little pieces she donated her stash of 2.5" squares to mine. This was great because it made a wider colour range. But I've ended up with more little squares than I started with. I guess I'll just have to make more quilts! I might even add another strip to this quilt to make it more square?

School Holiday adventures

Over the last week or so I've had a few days of entertainment balancing devices, activities and outings with grandchildren all in torrential rain.

Alex and Luke had a day and a half at ANSTO enjoying workshops during which I mostly stayed out there in the cafe (very comfortable) finishing a quilt and catching up on some computer work. I even succeeded in creating a hot spot with my phone to get internet.

The boys and I visited the girls for an hour or so one evening. They enjoyed playing lego together. We were even able to "herd the cats" to get a photo of them all on the lounge, even Ponyo.

On Friday we went ahead with our planned tour to the city. First a trip to Geoff's work where we started by having a look through the Westpac Bank museum. The boys were impressed by the free food at Geoff's work and spent time playing battleships from the many board games they had to choose from. They were also introduced to the Cathedral game.

We then had time to fill before lunch so walked up Martin Place to the Reserve Bank museum of money.

As I needed some cash from an ATM we went back down to the Commonwealth Bank and were awed by the original features in the bank that we'd already seen in the Westpac Bank Museum and discussed there.

Lunch with Ellen and Geoff then a quick visit to Ellen's work before heading to the Royal Botanic Gardens in the rain.

In the Calyx glasshouse there is a fantastic display of carnivorous plants.

Luke was fascinated by the misting pool and watched it for ages.

After 17000 steps on Friday my weekend was filled with another trip to town with Linda to dinner and the opera and my normal Sunday church and singing, then Geoff et al came for dinner Sunday night.

On Monday Ivy came early and had time on her own with some of the Britains model farm upstairs. She has been waiting all her life to be allowed to play upstairs and was thrilled by the opportunity at last.

The boys came again and joined her upstairs, something they have rarely done.

They found the Cathedral game and played a few rounds with Alex including Ivy in his moves. It was great to see them all playing it so well together.

The weather did clear for long enough to be able to play outside and we were able to avoid devices all day!

Eventually I dropped the boys out to Heathcote then headed home for Ivy's pick up.

Then I collapsed in front of TV with dinner and a glass of wine to recover from a very full week and a great opportunity with the grandkids.

September visit to Underhill

On Saturday last Geoff, Ivy, Heather and Ponyo came to collect me for our day trip to Underhill. As it was a long weekend the traffic was quite heavy and slow but we eventually arrived at Marulan for the markets. The highlight for the girls was 'driving' a fire engine and given fire hats so they could look the part.

We eventually arrived at the block to a dry bleak landscape highlighted by fruit trees in bloom. The most stunning was the nashi just covered in blossom.

As always the crab apple was also full of bees. It provides a great pollinator tree for the other apples and keeps the bees interested in the other trees as well.

The girls always love arriving to find all their toys and are so happy to just play.

Ivy was a very brave girl while Dr Daddy extracted a splinter from her finger. She even managed a smile.

Geoff had help planting a few more fruit trees. First he had to make the wire surrounds which was a really heavy job for one person until he worked out an easier system.

After we had finished our chores we had a quick lunch and left for home. I was dropped home at about 4:30.

I'm Back in the Garden

I ordered a garden kneeler online last week so now I can get back into the garden.

I don't actually need the kneeler part but I really need the arms that help me to get up again. I've even worked out a way to have my phone with me (in the sunglasses case). I should have the sunglasses on anyway. The chooks are loving the weeds they are now getting. It gives them something to think about.

I bought two new hens a few weeks ago and they are slowly integrating into the flock. Geoff found a home at Oatley that had some excess to requirements. He actually wants three silkies to help with the gardening and household scraps so he might get these two and another one of mine if we can't find three siblings.

I have been having a terrible time with vermin eating my produce in the vegie patch so now have netted lots of the beds with Arianne's help.

I also put out some rat bait. But yesterday I found out that my neighbour has a possum in her roof and a possum man is coming today to set a trap for it. I hope it is relocated a long long way away. It even started eating and digging out my asparagus and sweet potatoes! I had already netted my peas and have been getting good harvests from those.

When it started eating the tops out of my carrot crop I harvested them all and made a fabulous carrot cake courtesy of Ellen's friend Bee. I've just had some for my morning tea.

Mr Possum had also all but annihilated my passionfruit but so far the rest of my little orchard is doing well.

Ben came and gave the lemon tree a man prune so it now has a chance to produce some nice lemons that I can reach.

The Market Run

With my Woolies delivery last week of pantry essentials I am now stocked up.

Yesterday I made a large pot of minestrone from left over vegies from my last delivery from The Market Run. I froze some and Arianne and I enjoyed it for dinner last night. As I also have a crop of carrots that the possums are getting into so I harvested all those and they are prepared ready to make a carrot cake for the freezer tomorrow.

My next fortnighly order came yesterday and it is magnificent. I'll have to do more entertaining I think, although we have already eaten half the watermelon for dessert last night.

(Yes I will have to cut the strawberries up but as I usually do that anyway I am not too concerned.) The orange even has little marks on it that you would not find in a supermarket - real fruit! The apples and pear must be cold storage at this time of year but the girls and I have a cut apple as snacks when they are here. Everything else is so fresh it is incredible. I even have mushrooms again.

I have lettuce and peas in the garden at the moment so that augments the variety even more.

I am thrilled with The Market Run.

Hip Replacement - Six Weeks on

Yesterday I had my 6-week check up with the surgeon who replaced my hip with a brand new titanium/ceramic one. He was extremely pleased with my progress and gave me a gold star and of course I had to give him one too. He took some time explaining why he had done it the way he did it and what the prognosis for continued recovery should be. He also took some time demonstrating with actual bones and replacements what I am trying to avoid with the various hip precautions I still have. I am still not allowed to bend the hip to less than 90 degrees and I am not allowed to cross my legs either casually when sitting or in exercises like in some pilates moves. He will review that when I see him at 6 months. He did demonstrate how I can now kneel down to garden and pick up children and the restrictions I have around that sort of activity.

However, I can now walk as much as I like. My step count has been good some days since I left hospital but I need to get out and do some gardening or actually go for walks to improve my count.

I did a sit-stand fitness assessment at 6 weeks and achieved 10 in 20 seconds which is just 1 second more than I am supposed to be so a little more improvement needed there.

I am now allowed to drive so will be able to get out to activities and even to the train and shopping. Luckily Ben came last Friday to help with some pruning around the garden and asked if I had turned over the car. As I said no he suggested I did it while he was there. Dead! He used his starter gizmo to start it and then took it for a run around the block and we left it idling for a while so I hope it starts when I get out there. Perhaps I should take it down to the car wash today and see how I go. No! Car is dead again! New battery needed.

I have not been taking any pain killers for some weeks now, not even a panadol so that is a step in the right direction. No pain!

Last Sunday I was thrilled to be given a lift to and from Hymnfest in at St Stephens in the city. I was even able to do all the sits and stands that are a normal part of any choir event. What an amazing sound it was. I got home exhausted and had not done many steps but had had a lot of breathing exercises and sit-stands. So it looks as though I can get back to my singing and even visiting Mum on Sundays.

So in all - onward and upward from here. Thanks to all those people who supported me and made recovery just that bit easier and even enjoyable. I hope and pray I do not need to report on my hip or other joints for some years to come.

My Second Baby Box

This morning I figured "if you don't ask you don't get". I emailed The Market Run asking if they had such a thing as a Single Seniors Mini Box which might include some things babies might not be interested in and lo and behold this arrived this afternoon in my order...

I could not have been more delighted.

I just love the challenge of working out how I am going to include this produce in my diet from fruit and veg I may not have automatically chosen if I'd been shopping myself. I love it. Last time I made zucchini slice out of the zucchinis. I roasted a whole lot of the roasting veg and froze them for another day. Towards the end of the fortnight I made a chicken and vegetable soup from what was left, some of which is now in the freezer.

What a surprise! It is wonderful. Just like Christmas when I open the box.

I can add to this the silver beet, peas, lettuce and carrots I have in the garden at the moment and prepare a feast every day.

All of this for just on $20 and free delivery.

Two Big Days

I had a long day at rehab on Thursday when I was delivered 2 hours early by Arianne on her way south. I set myself up in the cafe with my computer and coffee and with a hospital wifi code I did lots of work digitising diaries and keeping up with email etc.

On Friday I had another long day with a trip to Rauri and Janice at Berry with Karen and Alastair. Not much walking involved as we sat chatting and eating and sipping tea all day. However, I did achieve 7000 steps, my second highest post op. count. It was certainly a lovely day together in the warm lounge room with their two tiny grand boys.

By far my biggest day was yesterday (at just over 10000 steps).

Ellen drove the boys and I to Underhill after her early morning run and then a physio appointment for her.

We arrived to find Geoff et al. already there and the kettle boiled. This is the first time Ellen and the boys have been down in many years so they were impressed by the new roof and the changes that have been made.

Luke's very first job was to annihilate a termite mound. Much energy was spent in the process.

Ivy was so hungry she had early lunch of rice dinner even before the tablecloths were on the table.

Alex's choice of activity was to make damper so he and Ivy had a wonderful time creating the dough. Geoff decided that it could be made in the targine and then cooked on the grill plate of the chimnea. This was a very successful venture and we all enjoyed a slice of damper with butter and golden syrup as soon as it was cooked. It was certainly a perfect damper! Thank you Alex.

Meanwhile Luke had a great time playing with Heather. The boys are both really great with the two little girls.

Luke's choice of activity was fishing but because it was so cold there were no active fish or yabbies so we "fished" for metal with the super magnet. All the kids got involved in this activity and a lot of metal bits and pieces were found in the fire ash we had dumped on the dam wall on an earlier visit. Thanks for finding so much Luke!

Then there was the birthday lunch for all three boys, Geoff, Alex and Luke.

Of course Ponyo did not miss out as she knows just who to watch.

 Ellen had made quiche and salad and a very sweet caramel cake topped with honeycomb and maltesers. I even remembered to take down candles but unfortunately it was so windy the birthday song had to be sung very quickly and they were all out by the time to blow them out came.

Nevertheless, the boys loved their birthday lunch and except for Geoff's cold it was a great get-together.

The trip home was uneventful. Both on the way down and the way back we listened to The Hobbit which brought back memories of long trips with Surrey and our kids years ago when I would read books to the family both in the car (on straight roads) and as we settled in for the night. The Hobbit was one such book.

Once back home we all met up at mine for a fish and chips dinner to top off the birthday. Arianne was back in Sydney too so was able to join in the celebration. What a fantastic but long day we had all had.

Happy Birthday boys!