Just a little something for Annemaries BD

You are invited to an
Open House to celebrate
Anne-Marie’s 60th Birthday

on Saturday 3rd April from 1.00pm
at 43 McCulloch Street, Nunawading (Mel 48 G9)

Feel free to come and go as you wish,
but there will be a couple of special times during the day:
2.30pm - A Musical Interlude
for those who would like to bring a short musical gift for Anne-Marie
3.30pm - Cutting the Cake
and words of thanks and encouragement for Anne-Marie
6ish – Pizzas for Tea
8.00pm - Singalong Soiree

Some people think they need to go to the football . After thinking about how good cricket is - maybe some can go - but only out back for me .
Daniel is in the cricket finals on Friday wow.
Seeyas

The best kind of ranch is one you don't work on

Yes , we have been living it up
After many years trialing the city girls in the gentle art of thistle hoeing and weed spraying,  I am pleased to say that she , who must be tired , has had her day at the helm of our Werribee Park Estate . Here she is showing off the music room paintings to a guest wh danced for us a bit later in the ballroom . Such touchingly sensitive people these Do Care types.I also sang a song on the guitar for her - wasn't that thoughtful.
You can be thoughtful when you are rich - or just pretending to be !

Festive time

So you reckon I am wearing carpet do you ?. You could be right . Rod the tenor from "The Proclaimers" has real velvet with gold bead on . I wanted what he was wearing , but being Kings we didn't need to go the UN to get a resolution.
We sang |"We 3 Kings" and  about gentlemen resting and not being dismayed -a really good idea. Chris reminded me this hymn was obviously written by Lutherans because the women don' t rest at Christmas . Touche  OK!  Work as hard as mum does on Christmas Day and you will only have to do it for a day  , and she will enjoy it much more !
The "not being dismayed" bit though is something to really enjoy as people have been doing every Christmas for centuries . In the 16th century Shakespeare's use of the word "dismay "was very powerful - The people of the time understood what it was to ditch fear and take on faith in a big way .see the way they used the word deface and efface in the last verse on Wikipedia
Considering that so much christmas table talk this year will probably be about a highly religious subject ,  a bit of perspective on the subject of " fearing not" will be really good for keeping your cool.
So while it was great to sing together, it was even better to remind ourselves of the word essentials  . Us carpet baggers  are all part of the 3 choral groups in town.
As one of the audience said  "the  Do Care Do was just like Christmas"  

Hope you get to enjoy yours . Suggestion KISS and kick the hype !

Caravan goes to a good home - man burnt blind by the bushfires

The loss of over a thousand homes near where our temporary home was some years ago seemed like a good place to send our old millard . The only trouble was it needed some repairs. 6 days later it was ready to go again and a very pleased escapee ( just managed to get out of his house before it fell down behind him - in hospital for a week unable to see) took it back to his burned out block at Christmas Hills . After seeing it all spruced up, it wsas a little harder to part with . Thanks mum, we had a great time together . She just about rubbed the paint off.

Gumboot country pioneers

Yes its been dry here too . For the first time in living memory our lake - the largest freshwater lake in Victoria dried up completely . Last year , when it stated to dry out ,we all just got stuck in this 6 foot deep jelly trying to mark the edges . This year we (Michael and I) conquered a crossing of Lake Colac well before anyone else Jan 21st - using specially made shoes.
But after 4 hours of sliding ,diving in and recovering , even the plywood had given up . The first few falls weren't so bad ,but the mud on your legs and arms quickly got onto the boards and made the boards very very slippery to stand on - so- so much easier to slip off and dive in again. Here's John resting about half way . Paul and Joel returned to safety after an hour and a few new tragic dives from the very shaky jelly piles you can see under the shoes in the picture. Miss the centre of the cracked pile and your foot goes down the crack ( at least to your knees!)
Afterwards, the shoes were one of the few things I managed to throw out so far this year!

Final product path

Probably about time the paths were redone

I am sure Dad must have put more cement mortar than was there when these photos were taken recently . Acid rain? - no just plant acid weathering . at mum's - like walking in the blue mountains .
Neighbour has kindly offered to take bins out .Mums recovered well after a very nasty fall in sympathy with Fedderer and Moo has restructured the watering system to remove the hose haazard which caused the incident .

HAh Hah -We 've been on an overseas cruise

Beat that! - we felt awefully sick on the way over ; And ...it was only to Tasmania , so don't feel too jealous. What a great place - some highlights

Johns giving a spiel on how beach platforms form - called tessilated platforms at our favourite spot -- "Do town and Eagelhawk Neck" where we swam incessantly, and had 60 or bikees surround us as our security guard all night. Bit noisy in the morning !