how is that for a cute vistor?

Snuggled up and went to sleep
like a real trouper.
Unfortunately no relation.
Only a borrowed "Nana" moment.

Day of Thanksgiving

Special thank you to all my blogger friends, known personally and known via the net.

You are all special and when my computer settles down and is all sorted I should get back

to some better blogging.

National Day of Thanksgiving here in Australia Sat 30th

NATIONAL DAY OF THANKSGIVING
TOMORROW SATURDAY 30TH MAY 2009
The National Day of Thanksgiving is a day of celebration of our Christian heritage and of the Christian values that have made our nation great. It is a day when we thank God for all that He has given us as a nation and thank each other for the selfless contribution different people have made to our lives or that of our communities. It is a day when Christians across our nation are invited to become the hands and feet of Jesus by doing acts of kindness to others, especially those who are not as well off as we ourselves may be. More than 1200 communities are expected to participate in the National Day of Thanksgiving celebrations, in so doing engaging with an estimated 250,000 people across the country.

If you haven't yet made any arrangements to celebrate the Day, its not too late. Why not consider undertaking a simple act of kindness towards someone who has been a blessing to you over the past 12 months. Even taking someone for a cup of coffee to show your love and appreciation could have quite an impact on their lives. Dont forget, saying THANK YOU opens doors nothing else can.

give it an inch

 

Somehow I just knew that to give a cat space on a table was to cause trouble.....and then to leave a mouse in view!
What can I tell you except I said "no" and grabbed it.
Might need to find the old pink toy one that disappeared somewhere.

I have a new beastie

My new computer has almost arrived.
It has a couple of bits to quite finished but I am using it and I have space on my desk. Cannot believe this big flat thin screen after a bit fat large space taking one.
I think I am learning to type again .......but I am leaning.
And after years of "never a tower." Here I have here sitting gently to my left.
She could go on the floor but will I bow to a computer. Not on your Nellie!
So we are all black and beautiful and getting acquainted.
We could start a new trend of tidiness in here!
Of course we are still transferring and loading and finding ourselves.
But we shall win.

Sunday morning and Sunday song.

A few days back,

then showers of gold each day to

provide a carpet of gold on the

newly mown lawn.

Then a morning sunrise after a

very windy night.

But a very balmy morn.

Moving around a little to the right.

and my favorite one...just a little more and no

urban graffiti which is what met my eyes out

the front.

And here is the urban graffiti. I not only am

blessed with the power poles on my side of the

road but now the footpath as well.

From the front door over the carport.

From inside looking out.

A high up lead light window.

Woken by painful face, infected tooth or something......

I had began to do some embroidery on the machine

and got up to get medication and warm drink

and saw the sunset.

Warm and balmy out........

and yes I felt a bit barmy being out in a nightie

but the road workers at least do not work on Sunday

so it is peaceful if my face is not.

My battery has just died so I was blessed to get these.

Am listening to Christian radio Rhema 96.3 FM

available online via streaming also and they are

playing "Ancient of Days"

An appropriate song to match the glory of the skies

this morning.

Could do without the painful face but this infection

or whatever it be is not leaving without a battle.

Am almost at the end of antibiotics and the tooth

that was infected is OK but the rest of that side of

the face is far from it.

Blessing and honor,
glory and power,
be unto the Ancient of Days.
From every nation,
all of creation,
bow before the Ancient of Days. CHORUS-
Every tongue in heaven and earth,
shall declare Your glory,
every knee shall bow at Your throne,
in worship.
You will be exalted O God,
and Your Kingdom shall not pass away.
Oh Ancient of Days.

BRIDGE-
Your Kingdom shall reign over all the earth,
sing unto the Ancient of Days.
For none can compare to Your matchless worth,
sing unto the Ancient of Days.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Friday

Still have sore face.......

but have a poured driveway....


and a big deep hole for a footpath.
My new front garden will look much diminished in size but
when you cannot water lawn that is probably a good thing.
I am contemplating a simple fence. Bit hard to have picket
as I copy next door. We do have the same color bond, but
I might try for a Heritage tubular
effect.

Not in front of the drive way for now.

I need an easy driveway to get

in and out of. Maybe in time and

maybe I shall have to allow for

gates but not in the game plan yet.

Bet they are expensive.

This way I shall be able to have a bed

inside the fence line and grow things

like lilacs and prunus and have a bed

that will also take bulbs and some

hardy things like penstimons or

salvias.

Less lawn that I cannot water.

The weeping mulberry will just

about touch the fence now.

The postie will not ride furrows in

my lawn..........Yeah........

So Rom 8. 28 says all things work

together for good for those who Love

God and seek to love and follow Him..

So although I did not want a footpath...

I know God knows best...and now

the faith bit is starting to get to the

little bit exciting seeing bit.

But I am still praying for the rain up

north to moderate itself and come down

here and fill our dams up to 60% now.

We are in the 20% and Brisbane was

pretty awful awhile back. I only hope

they learn their lesson and build more

to stop flooding and to water preserve

the states.

My big hole for a footpath and the

weeping mulberry almost touching.

So tonight I got a new screw in the mail

and fixed my broken hoop it all.

So while doing other things I have

put it to use and embroidered two

face cloths.

At $1 each they are my choice for trying

out new patterns and colors.

Put solvy on top and had

Stabilizer underneath.

Hope it washes away.

The photos are a bit pale

but they look cute.

And my hoop it all works.

WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY

Psalm 42
TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN, MASCHIL, FOR THE SONS OF KORAH.
1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.
7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
8 Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
9 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
10 As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?
11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

A week later and I am even more caught up in infection. Had a tooth get infected and so am on antibiotics and an anitimflamatory. Has been a miserable day after a couple of pretty bad nights........oil of cloves, pain killers etc.

Loss of appetite is a great point of praise.....except the desire to eat is not common enough these days for me to cook proper meals for myself....so while eating very little, it is not always fruit and veg.

But I am in some sense a little enouraged if it has bought the bug to a head. Long to be free of it and ready to dance in the autumn leaves and watch for bulbs coming up.
Have a great WFW day all of you and remember, no matter...I shall yet praise Him.
I love the fact that David was so down in the pits..........but he looked up.
May we all remember to look up.

Tuesday

And when you do sleep but wake

up at 4.30 AM with toothache

You get up for a while and

attack the large crate of assorted

wadding/pellon/who knows?

Take one 12.5" ruler and cut

squares leaving off cuts to be

used for stabilizer when can

remain in with machine

embroidery.


You then end up with light

weight pellon iron on backing

to use under those strips you cut.

And then if your computer goes

you can sew some of these.

Have rung Dentist so will hear

after 11 AM.

Well initially the dentist could not

see me, so tried to sleep the pain away.

Then they rang at 1.00 and said they

had a cancellation at 1.30

So threw clothes on and raced off.

One XRay Later and I have an

infected tooth. If we can manage

to kill the infection I can save the

tooth. This is the same side as

the tooth that had to come out

in a crisis just before knee surgery

because it was infected.

So antibiotics and anit inflamatories

scripts from the chemist and

a couple more pain killers and

I could finally make sense to a

nice surprise visitor.

Have cut a few more reds to

add to my pile of pastels and

need to go exploring in the

greens and/or the fat quarter

crate.

Have one crate that is full of

el cheapo fat quarters that

would be fine for this sort

of strip work.

So I am a better girl at the latter

end of the day than I was at

the beginning.

What do you do when you cannot sleep?

You are not well, your nose drips,

your tooth aches, your body aches,

reading does not settle you,

so you mooch.....back to bed,

out to explore, back to bed,

what can I do next.

Well here are a few excerpts from last night.

First the constant.

Poke a camera between the sheets

and who do we find.

Someone who refuses to be

involved in all this sleepless caper.

Then we look for some fabrics to

match the ones we have been using.

Ah ....this is the crate.

So we fold, we iron and then we cut

lots and lots of 2.5" strips.

Which may end up something

like this

or this. It is called

Creative Clutter.

Then we had a little play

with the crates nearest

to the ceiling.

The two small ones were

on top of the large one.

And of course that is the one

we need.

It has wadding and pellon

and I hope to make large

spaces in this crate.

Maybe even empty it.

Brilliance in friends.

My brilliant friend

has been covering

green grocery bags to make these.

Am I envious.?

Yes.

And now I have asked permission

I have added two more photos.

Do I know how to do it.

No

But maybe..

Sunday Song

Came today from "Songs of Praise. "

ABC TV Victoria Australia.

I think it was Cambridge Cathedral

but I am still a trifle groggy at staying awake

and listening to an entire program.

But I love the words of this old hymn

and luxuriated in the entire half hour

of lovely old hymns and a great interview

with a Godly Bishop

who spoke so wisely and well.

I could have taken issue with two of the tunes

which happened to be to two of the hymns

I loved best but the overall program

was too lovely to get into issues over mere tunes.


O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.

Oh, let me feel Thee near me;
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

Oh, let me hear Thee speaking,
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
Oh. speak to reassure me,
To hasten, or control;
Oh, speak, and make me listen,
Thou Guardian of my soul.

O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Oh, give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.

Oh, let me see Thy footmarks,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then to rest receive me,
My Savior and my Friend.

Life is interesting

when you act without really thinking.

I was awake at this crazy hour of 5 am which I seem to be doing while I am unwell....I fade before an evening meal, wake around 2am and have a piece of toast and milk and then we fade in and out....out the front door into a cat dog fight at about 4 am. Dog's confined, cats in my drive way......for a brief time till I let out a roar......

Moggie.........lay asleep under the sheets.

So the neighbourhood being settled. Not sure how come I am the intrepid one who has to break up these affairs. Not my cat...not my dog!!

Never mind the dogs do take diligent care of my property so anything to settle them down.
Maybe I am the lightest sleeper.

But back to yesterday. I think I had eventually had breakfast around 8.30 am and was thinking about the things from the shops I need and checked out the various options. One was to ask a friend who needs extra cash and pay her for doing some shopping over the back.
Only problem with that was I was going to run out of chemist "stuff".

So before I knew what I was doing I was into a new pair of trackies....and could I find a top.........
not bloomin likely. So eventually found something black and loose and short sleeved and before I could tell myself I was crazy I was out the door. Thank goodness the car still starts. Had not been out since May 4th. So off to the chemist I trot, then post an account that needed to be posted, managed to buy a Danish which I have just remembered may still be in my handbag.
Tootled around Safeway while waiting and grabbed some of the things that were available there and not available at IGA.

Back to chemist.

Oh forgot my little saga of trying to take back some scissors and only having the docket for the cheap pair. After a quick survey of the back seat of the car I gave up on that one.
Feeling very wonky by the time I got to the chemist, I collected scripts and drove to IGA which is about a mile away and over my back fence.

Saved myself about $5 on one of the items not available on my delivery service home shop at the beginning of the week and did well in a few other items and again headed for the car.
Grabbed the brandy bottle to cope with the topping up of milk in the 2-4 am pain, no sleep points and, silly moi......looked over at the Manchester shop.

This is a nice little number only open a couple of days.

Had trolley so was able to walk and saw the lady looking at me and shivering. Asked me politely if I was nuts wearing short sleeves.

I found lovely quality fitted sheets. I like to buy double size in fitted. Well with a double bed one has little choice, but I like to have a top sheet in Queen size so that I can be well wrapped around. Since the lovely fitted sheets were $8 each and when I unpacked one in the early hours of this morning the packaging alone was to die for. I put them in to soak. After all do not most people start off the washing around 2.30 AM or whatever silly time it was!!

I also bought about 10, actually I think I got 11 and she only charged me for 10, I think I saw a quick flick of something go past me, two white pillow cases for $1 each and a huge guest towel for $2. I did put my arm out for the lady to feel how warm I was and it was amazing how cold her hand was considering all the gear she had on. She modified her opinion of my craziness a minute amount. I think she probably concluded I was just hot stuff.

All the latter items are for practising embroidery designs on. So when washed I shall do something useful at the computer while I embroider them on the side.

Came home and sat in the street for 5 Min's while the mad machine moved around the road...then he saw me and let me past and I saw that he had cleaned up the dirt on my front lawn. Filling up gaps between new road curbing and our front lawns.

Yeah.......almost normal. So I begged, for the bed where the tree was stolen from, to be made lawn level again......the other tree will just be a nature strip tree now.
But oh dear, was I a tired baby.

I somehow managed to put food that needed to be put away, into fridge and freezer and then made a cup of soup and sandwich and hit bed with a vengeance. I was still more ill than I realized, but it was done and I am safe for the next week.

I think I woke at 5.55PM and turned TV on....may have seen some news. Missed the gardening show, and tried to watch New Tricks which I love and all I really saw was the last kiss.

So switched off TV, computer etc and slept for about 4 hours till I had my milk and light snack in place of dinner.

But I forgot to say that I really blame the hair color incident of yesterday on all of that burst of activity......at last I was fit to be seen and all I had to do was throw clothes on.

At one stage in the night I saw that my new solar light in the bird bath was working but fear it needs a good deal more sunlight as it was not on the next time I was roaming around.

Cats love to wander through on the ramp outside my sliding side doors and set off the sensor light, so I suspect that sometimes that unconsciously wakes me.

If only I had the heart to get cat traps.......we do have a cat curfew here.......just that until the fence man comes back there is a gap in my back fence they can slide through.

Well after that great waffle, it must be time to take a dose of painkillers for the shoulders and consider breakfast in bed........maybe even a deep sleep after that.

Then we can consider embroidery if we feel well enough .....certainly the chest that is meant to be clear, is much less of a bother if I am up at the computer or the sewing machine and not lying in bed choking myself awake.

Are you getting the tinge of self focus this week????

Life can be rather bizarre

Is bizarre the correct word for someone who sits at a computer at 6 am in the morning with hair,( long unattended, while you have been house bound,) now covered in color, which may or may not work, but hey.....why throw it out......it probably cannot look any worse.

This was an old pkt probably bought on a throw out table!!

Yesterday came out of the absurdly ironic.

I had not slept more than one hour between 8 and 9 AM in the morning.

Oh I had done so much.
I had got ready for my cleaning lady.

I cleaned out the perfume collection , the jewellery containers,

so that it would be easier to wipe over the top of the cedar chest of drawers.
I had even picked some apples from the tree

for her while I picked up the blue plastic

that flew around the back yard and drove me crazy as I looked out the kitchen window.

I cleaned up in here so it could be vacuumed,

after finding the various elements of a new quilt I had (lost) misplaced.
So of course the crates had to be put away.

We have been prepared for a new computer which is built and waiting for a TV card and possibly time to come and collect this unit and transfer data over. So all the usual (clutter) useful crates of machine embroidery disks etc that reside under this table, are now filling the dining room table.

This state seems to have existed for around a month. Pretty awful......yep!

For most of this month I have really been to ill to care, so we just work around it.

But oh I was looking forward to my Carer's lovely organizational skills to just pull the elements of my efforts into place.

However ....15 Min's before she was due to arrive, and I was clad in a nightie, there was a ring of the door bell. Actually the door was open so she could just come in. A fact that slightly bothered me in the light of what happened next.

I went to the door. A young man of non Anglo Saxon appearance was there with a label which of course without glasses I could not read and certainly was not familiar.

I said, sorry I am not well, no thanks. I walked away.
He called out. But I am here to help you.
Thinking of all the roof repair guys etc in my past I was not impressed.

I had been here before.

I think I have heard all the lines of people trying to sell me things, make appointments

to have things checked etc.

So " to help me" only clicked into one of those past experiences.

He tried again.

This time he attempted to say my name and had a piece of paper with my name on it.
I wanted nothing. Except my cleaning lady.
The office should (normally do,) ring you if you are having an alternate person to your normal carer. Since they left me three weeks without one they are not at their most efficient right now.

No phone call.
Nothing to alert me.

This poor young man was getting desperate.

So was I.

Remember I am not well.......I cracked.

I am very rarely rude to people....but.........you guessed it, I was.

I asked him, "what part of no do you not understand?"

He waved the paper at me.

Suddenly it began to look just a little like a list of clients.

He tried to say City of Wyndham...I am here to help you.

At that stage I just wanted to shut the door, crawl back into bed and weep.

Instead I tried to say, but no one rang me and told me there would be someone else.

Oh dear. I was mortified.

We have to ask them do they want animals locked up.

I asked did he object to the cat.

He clearly thought I was totally nuts.

So we went out to the kitchen /dining area.

Now my vacuum is expensive and wonderful and a cow to put together....

so I always struggle and get it ready for new people.

But we sort of organized it.

I had filled up my super concentrates bottles while not sleeping the previous night so was able to have those already on the bench to hand.

We found the bucket, the mop.

Forgot the broom and (new) brush and pan

.........remember total mortification was in place.

And my breakfast was fast getting colder.

And it is rather hard to re heat crumpets with fresh banana one them.

So I set him off and retreated to bed with my breakfast.

There the cat was safe and it is the place I normally retreat to while the house is being cleaned.
He really did manage well.

He was finally brave enough to ask my name.

As he cleaned my en suite I found out he had been out from Punjab region in India about a year.

I think I scored a few points for my skill in geography at this point. He had just said India but I asked why large city was he near and I knew something of that area from reading.

He has a brother who has been here 5 years and he was proud to tell me he was an Australian citizen.
He was without a car.....not sure about why.

It was a McDonald's and he was using a taxi.

So he called the taxi and then came and talked to me and played with the cat on the end of my bed as he waited.

Moggie thought it quite fine.

Eventually the taxi came.

Bizarre it was and I have to admit I was beyond burn out.

I should have rung the office and shredded them for putting the poor guy and I in that situation.

I did apologise and say the office should have informed me you were coming.

I have only ever had a male carer once before.

It is a bit like a male nurse for the first time you have one attend to you.

So here I am.......

I think the hair is probably over cooked but it is a light color so how bad can it be??
We could find this out shortly.

Well that is all you get to see but it is fine and 200% better than it was

I was so sick and weary last night I turned off the TV and computer at 7.30 pm

last night and went to sleep...no shower ...no nothing.

I woke every few hours from midnight on and finding myself still firmly attached to the furry umbilical cord I went off to sleep again.

Why am I doing hair now........well it seemed to be time for a shower .

Do they not say better the hour better the deed or something......
So off I go to the shower....what can happen today?

Well it is now light, more or less and light rain also. What bliss.

I am contemplating new names for Moggie. Bill as short for umbilical...Billy, bit harsh for a female. Um...., well that might not sound so great. But she is a wonderful comfort and no one can creep up on an unsuspecting knee and settle behind the book you are reading than Ms Moggie.

Off to the shower and the unveiling............then maybe some more sleep. It is only 6.38 AM after all.

The washing has been done. It is in the dryer. The sun is now shining.

Time to go back to have breakfast and maybe catch some more sleep.

Life is not really dull around here.

Thankful Thursday

Does it seem crazy to say it is so nice to be sick and not to have to worry about going to work or not going to work...and I can just cope with caring for the cat and I....vbg. Thankful that the work years are over.

This is an awful photo but I have not been able to go outside

and climb down the narrow side of the house to where I can see the sasanqua Camellia begin to bloom as I look outside from my en suite. Thankful for windows.

Dr called tonight and we concluded that sleep was good and he will check in again on Monday. Thankful for Doctors and people who care for us.

Thankful that I appear to have coughed enough to clear my chest.

Thankful for some distance between the tissue box and my body.

Thankful for Moggie Cat who is already in bed.......

thankful for someone to cuddle me warm and keep me company

and go off and investigate what the dogs next door might be barking about.

Off to defend her Mummy. Not sure what she thinks she can do.

Thankful for Carer, cleaning lady from the local council who comes each week and does the heavy things like vacuum and wet areas and can help me change and refresh my bed.

Thankful that I found some of the fabrics I was looking for

Some lovely hand dyes a friend gave me..so special..
and that somehow I have (I am sure it is temporary for this fabric collector) have ended up with an empty crate.

No these are just some of the full ones but it is a bit one like these which is empty....Miracles. Maybe I need to sew some more.

Thankful that most of the bulbs are planted.

Thankful that their beauty is something to look forward to seeing.

Thankful for Mandarins.

I only really enjoy Imperial mandarins and I love it when they come into season.

So good for us.

Now this is an interesting one to be thankful for......because I am /was, more cross than thankful, but if I can find something good about it, it is that they took the one tree that had to be removed for the footpath.....they covered up the ground to look as if no tree had ever been in there.

And no one will admit to stealing it.

It has to be the road crew as they would be the only ones to know which one to take.

The only people who would not be noticed working at that spot.

But "the thief" is not owning up.....and the boss is not taking responsibility..........so

I can only be thankful they did not take both...

This photo was taken ages ago...they are leafless at the moment

and while the driveway does not yet look beautiful, it is drive able again, so until they do the last lot of concreting...from my place to the road...I can actually go in and out.

I am thankful.

I will be so thankful when they are finished.

Is that tongue in cheek thankfulness.........LOL.

Even more thankful for spell checks........VeryBigGrin which is what VBG means.