TEA ROOM # 100

Good morning everyone. Boy have we had some rain. It rained all day yesterday and through the night the thunder. boy. At 3am the rain was so heavy that it woke me up. Wish I'd had my new tanks in, I reckon they would be full now. Won't have to do any watering for a few days anyway. It's still all overcast out there so don't know if we'll get any more today. It's supposed to be 30C for Christmas eve. Hope it has a biiiig drop in temps for the big day so that we can enjoy our roast. Just a little more shopping and then hopefully my new stoves in and the boys and I can make some biscuits and maybe my yummy Sultana cake. We don't like Christmas cake much and the chooks usually end up with it so it's better to make something that everyone will eat. Marlene sorry to hear that Fred hasn't been too good. Hope he's on the mend now and you look after yourself too. Jean I hope you got some rain too. It's a beautiful morning here, very quite except for the birds. Must make another cuppa be back later. Colleen

Good morning everyone.
Well, we did get a bit of rain. About 8 points, which wet the ground and thats about all.
Colleen, you can send some down now, you must have had enough.
At least all the small plants were watered so they will enjoy it. Nice and cool now. Very pleasant to be outside.
I guess its in our nature to complain about the weather but we all know its only in fun.
At least we are not in the position of some places like the Phillipines today and those others who suffer the worst disasters.

Hello Anthony, yes , it was like that here before the rain. Very hot wind.

Hello Teresa, seems like NZ is copping all sorts of weather. I hope you are recovered now and back enjoying work.

Hello Charleen. You will be missing the lovely weather now as winter cold gets closer. What is your next art project going to be ?
I think you are one clever lady with all the things you make.

Hello Dianne, I suppose you had lots of lovely rain all night too.
At least my kindy brugs got a bit on them. down in the shadehouse.

Hello Marlene, hope Fred is improving now. Lovely wedding.

Hello Chrissy and Elaine. . Hope all is well up your way. Christmas is getter ever closer.

Karen , how are things with you ? Hope all is better with you now too.

Hello to anyone else looking in.
Hugs for the girls for Christmas, Louise.

Heres a Christmas treat for you all. Yummy Christmas Cookies.
Happy day,
Jean.

Good morning all. Seems incredible some of you are getting so much rain, while we sit here, waiting for it. They say its coming, some supposedly today, and it is overcast but not a drop has arrived yet.

Jean, I am getting there. No pain at all, but the wound has opened up more and looks totally revolting with that big patch of dead skin in the middle. I get it checked again tomorrow, and I think it will be all good news really as there is no infection that I can see at all. It is just going to take time, is all.

Christmas is going to be a bunch of us all recovering from our ops. My niece in law has had a skin cancer taken from her eye, has had plastic surgery done as her lower eyelid was removed, and her eye is actually stitched shut. So she will be the one with the patch over her eye. Barry's brother is having surgery to 3 arm joints just a few days before Christmas, so he will be the one with his arm in a sling. And of course, I'll be the one with the bandaged leg. Great, we can all sit round and discuss our war wounds.

Went to a place called Simply Living yesterday and scored some terracotta stuff, a nice medium size pot, a medium size terracotta garden ball, and an echidna. All for the princely sum of $27. A bargain, I think. My daughters Christmas pressie for the garden at her new unit. She has a cave like front door entrance that is too dark to grow much else but ferns, and I think the terracotta pieces will sit well in there with the brick and glass surroundings. And if she doesn't like them, I get to keep them. Don't think I'll count on it though.

Meanwhile, my lovely Vanilla Orchid has decided it likes it here and has started to really grow well. I think the "branches" have to be 15 or 20 feet long before they'll flower, so its good they are finally getting going. Here is the pic...

Karen

Let's hope that 2012 will usher in some Peace and good health for everyone ...2011 has been a shocker for almost everything one could think of.

Thank goodness for our gardens !
Well we had some sun yesterday ...another storm predicted this arvo, what are we supposed to do about triffid weeds and grass while the rain comes every day ??? we have so many bugs and grubs out there and they are ravenous !
On a happy note I came across a large Blue Tongue yesterday so happy to have some sun he was just laying on the damp ground in the open. I won't put the snail pellets out now, I love the Blue Tongues and that might hurt them if they eat a snail who has chomped on snail bait.

Love your vanilla orchid Karen.

So it's the final countdown ...how many more sleeps to 2012 (can't wait !)

nicer day here today, it was overcast & cool but later started to brighten up.
Out with the weed spray & onto the driveway...
I hate spraying the self sown nemesia but you can only rescue so many before there is nowhere to put them.
The colours are hybridising quite nicely & I finally got some pure white flowers - those I pulled up & replanted.
My lilies seem to be enjoying the weather although the high winds have left some of the buds a bit bruised looking.
we were supposed to go xmas shopping today but hubby was invited to do aeroplane things so I am blobbed out on the couch with the dog - he is out to it.
every year I swear I will get xmas organised...
and this year is no different to the norm - nothing done yet.
I do know what I want to get for hubby, I just need to find it.
we had a customer in the shop getting gifts to post away to Aussie yesterday - she was saying that the lady at the post office reckoned she had never seen so many people posing stuff late.
they are blaming the earth quakes, people of ChCh are just numb & tired...
I still cannot accept that it really is only a matter of days away - I feel like it should be at least a month longer.
Mind you I still find it hard to believe certain buildings just aren't there, you see the empty space & think oh yeah that's really gone.
And then are surprised next time you see that empty space... oh yeah that really is gone...
quake brain they call it.

IT RAINED..........

Ha ...Colleen, that rain managed to escape your clutches at last. ..
A very nice lot which has soaked all the plants nicely..

Enjoy your lazy day Teresa.

Great bargains , Karen.

Jean.

Do me a favour and keep the rain Jean ...my grounds are like mud pie.
We have more rumbling out there as we speak.:( Oh well we may enjoy Christmas lunch this year if it isn't 40C. ^_^
I think Christmas has gone a bit flat this year, because of the year itself ...next year must be better. It will be better .

Hope you have had a nice rest Teresa ^_^

I will try to keep it Chrissy, but you never know , Colleen may creep down and take it back.
I need lots more as the ground may be wet on top, but it very hard & dry underneath. Thats the luck of the draw with weather . Last year was totally different .
The power is flicking on & off. I hope it isnt hubby playing in his shed. I had better go & check. He nearly zapped himself about 12 years ago. Not good to touch high voltage with fingers.
jean.

Could someone send some rain up here, please? Am going to have to hose again as the winds have totally dried everything out again.

Jean, we get that too - the water just doesn't get into the ground, just runs over the top. Takes a lot of rain for it to soak into the clay. Then once it gets too wet, the house starts moving and the doors and windows jam up. Get it all fixed, it dries up, and the house moves back the other way and the doors and windows jam up again. Thank goodness I am not paying for the fix it fees.

Hope everyone has a lovely day.
Karen

Here are Karen and Jean ...take mine, it's sprinkling again and very dark out there 20C.
Must attend to some things today, so I will pop in later.
I hope everyone has a lovely morning ...it's finally starting to feel like Christmas.Even though it's still
only 20C (no fires -yippee).

Roll on 2012 :)Christmas Hugs and kisses ♥♥♥இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ—...இڿڰۣ-ڰۣ— .*♥*...
║║║║╔╗╔╗*♥* ...*♥*.
╠╣║║║╗╚╗.....*❤* *♥*....
║║╚╝╚╝╚╝........ From us and ours to you and yours ♥

Good morning everyone. Still a few showers and overcast here. Lovely rain.

I wish I could mail you some rain, Karen but I need what we are getting. I hope you get some soon
My plants are getting more of this rain into the soil as I had just watered before it started.. I find once the soil is wet, any moisture gets further in.
i can relate to your house problems. Our soil is clay too and the house has so many cracks, one would never get them fixed. They open and shut with the weather. Our doors are like yours , either shutting properly or not at all.
Hubby has given up moving the door catches as they will be out of line again just days after he did them.
Being an old cottage on top of hill, I often think it is only the chimney that holds us here. None of the floors are level and walls and cupboards go up and down. I say to hubby, one day we may just slide down the hill into the neighbors dam.
At least its a roof over our heads and hopefully will last as long as we do.

Hello Chrissy, perhaps you could push some rain to Karen, you are closer .
Be careful walking around on that slippery ground.

Hello Colleen and Dianne, hope you are getting good weather.

Teresa, thats sad , knowing people are still being affected by the earthquake in their lives.
Its hard to see familiar buildings just gone. When your surroundings alter so much, it is hard to get a grip on the smaller everyday things like trying to get ready for Christmas.
Some people can adjust quickly, but so many dont.

Hello Anthony, hope all is well with your and your lovely garden. Molly will be looking forward to next weekend when Santa arrives.

Hello Elaine, hope you are doing well there. Your pretty garden will be the place to relax over Christmas.

Charleen, there is a special plate of cookies in the kitchen for Charley and the long ears.
I hope you get lots of pretty things for Christmas .

Louise, if you are looking in, Have a great time over Christmas with Hank & the girls.

Hello Marlene and anyone else out there.

I am going out to see how the babies are all doing after the lovely rain.
Keep safe and enjoy your gardens.
Heres a yummy treat. . Apple and Blueberry Shortcake.

Happy day,
Jean.

Morning all, kettle is on Jean......
Overcast but certainly not cold here.....we had a good soak yesterday and last night...so I don't have to water...
I will be bringing all my pots that are flowering in under the verandah...so they will look pretty near the glass doors on Christmas day.
There will be Brugs, Liliums and Gladioli especially for my mother whose name is Gladys.

I always have trouble with Gladdies, they fall over and the flowers get ruined by thrips...so this year I planted them in a pot and put one of the new Confidor tablets in the pot and I haven't seen any bugs at all on them and they are about to flower...
Have a good day everyone.
Dianne

Dianne, Can you use a small tomato cage in the pot?? They will hold up the glads./ I've used them for some of mine.
Jean you are so sweet to my furbabys, they send you warm nuzzles and love....

What a pretty picture Dianne, nothing pretty happening here in the mud, it's raining so heavily we lost the Foxtel again. Uh oh that's big thunder ...over and out for now.

Charleen, that is a good idea....the pot fell over the other day, it was very windy, but nothing broke...
But with the cage, I can stick the prongs into the grass and that will hold it firmly...thank you for that.

Chrissie, you have my sympathy..what a lousy Spring, now Summer you have had.....
as you said roll on 2012..
I'm waiting to find a Blue Tongue in my bird and lizard garden...so far only little skinks sunning themselves on the rocks.

Karen, I can't spare any rain, we have sandy soil and it disappears very quickly...those Vanilla orchids must be massive by the time they flower..
Dianne

I must be getting old...Christmas Day is just about here and I am about three weeks behind.

Dianne...talking about lizards...I have one that runs around the garden. I jump with fright as I think it's a snake.
One of us will die of heart failure.

Arum ...Pink Marshmallow

I feel the same way Marlene ((hugs)) don't you love the Arums ? very pretty.

Dianne we just had another huge storm tonight ...it went on for ages, I shudder to think what I will find out there tomorrow.
The Blue Tongue always gives me a fright ...it takes a few seconds to register (NOT A SNAKE !!!). Lol I am so happy they are back, I hope he wasn't washed away out there, he/she was a big one, nice and fat.

Charleen you are such a clever Gal ^_^ ...great idea.

Please please come and take some of this water Jean and who ever wants it, there is plenty to spare ^_^

Once in awhile, the ol brain kicks in with a good thought....☺ Thank you Dears...
We have little anole, one in my bathroom, comes in with plants. Also a little tree frog. guess there is enough little critters to keep them alive. I'm so glad. They are so cute...
We also have Blue-tailed skink, so pretty. I think I'm wierd sometimes I even think Iguanas are great animals.... Oh, shucks, I'm an animal lover.....
We are supposed to get rain this afternoon sometime. Pretty day now. Just in the 55 and cool to me.

Good morning everyone..
Cool here this morning but the sky is clearing. Supposed to get very hot for the next few days. That will make things humid after the rain.
We had nothing like the rain and storms elsewhere. Not that I want any either.
The garden is looking a bit green again after drying off so much.
I hear weeds talking about regrowing. They had better watch out, I still have Roundup.

I love lizards etc... We have a few blue tongues that wander around. Probably a snake or two as well but I dont see them . Lots of hiding places for all the little creatures and I make noise when I am diving into bushes . I dont want the snakes to have heart attack if I scare them.

Hello Anthony. Sounds like you have some of Chrissys storms down there. I hope all your lilies for the shows are okay.

Hello Marlene, pretty arum. My zantes are just coming out.

Hello Dianne. Did you get much of all that rain around the place ? Your brugs will be loving the rain . Mine seem to grow overnight in any rain.

Hello Colleen. How are your cacti going. I had a couple out here with bright red flowers which lasted for over a week. Dear little cacti with flowers bigger than them.

Hello Charleen, do you get many rattlesnakes in your area ? They are very beautiful creatures. I find if left alone, most creatures will avoid you .
I bet Charley doesnt like crawlies. Other animals seem to sense the danger around.

Hello Karen. How are you doing up there ? I do hope that the storms send some rain to you. I also hope you are feeling so much better now.

Hello to everyone else.
I am going out in the sun to check on whats going on in the various garden areas.

Chrissy, my bougainvillea has turned triffid and I am going to have to cover myself in armour later in the autumn to cut it right back. I allowed it to grow over the fence but it also decided to grow inside the fence. I have to rescue the abutilons which are still defying it and growing up through the middle.

Hers something nice to have with your cuppa everyone. Chocolate Rum Truffles.
I just know Brian is around somewhere for these. Leisa must be there too.

Enjoy your day whatever the weather.. Its nearly time for the jolly fat man .

Happy day,
Jean.

Good morning everyone. A little chilly here this morning. Just right in my opinion. I hope it doesn't get to the high 30"s like they have said for Christmas day. I have just taken a walk around the yard. The brug that I planted out in the memory garden is out this morning. It's OSA by the look. My red Mandavilla is flowering beautifully and the Jewel of the Nile looks lovely. Not a lot of flowers in my back garden as there are too many Brugs everywhere. That will change as they flower and I see what is worth keeping. Knowing me probably all of them. The boys are up. We went and did their shopping yesterday. You wait until you see what I got from them. I always get a bit spoiled at Christmas and birthday times. What am I talking about I get spoiled all the time. Must go be back later. Colleen

We don't have many rattlesnakes but we do have Cottonmouths. They are poisonous too. They don't let you know when they are going to strike.
I'm afraid Charley and the donkeys would try to do a little tapdance on them. I've never seen a snake in the pasture. I know I wouldn't want those longear hooves coming down on me.
We finally got our cross up Hubby been working on, now we wait til dark to see what it looks like. We put it up on trellis. White and blue lights.

Oohhh, I hate snakes. Alright if they are behind a glass wall, I guess. Only ever had one here, a poisonous brown snake, but it was a young one. Didn't last long as neighbours had toddlers running around and didn't want to take any risks.

Good news for me. Sugar levels are lowest in 5 years, and my heart is skipping along just fine, despite the permanent bump in it. Leg is healing, very slowly but cleanly. All other tests came back great. Guess I'm gonna live to a ripe old age after all. Yeah! Might end up getting a nice garden going eventually after all.

Has everyone finished their Christmas shopping? I am finally done, except I have decided to add some scratchies to a couple just to "finish" them off. I got a couple of the boys that Lucky (Buddah) beer, so maybe the scratchies might get lucky too.

No rains here, Jean. A lovely sunny morning here this morning. Had to splash some more water around as the winds dry everything out dreadfully. I hope we get some good rain before too long though. Not the flooding kind, just enough to keep the gardens and yards green.

Charleen, apart from snakes, spiders, scorpions, ants, flies.......................etc. I love nature too. Too many cats and dogs here to have much but occasionally we get the odd blue tongue or even a frilly lizard passing through, wiley ones that have survived the dangers and made it to adulthood. One dog that lived next door killed anything that moved, but she has passed on now, so the little creatures don't have to worry about her these days. The frogmouths get the smaller lizards but they don't kill just for the sake of it so there is balance there. Other predator birds that live here are butcher birds, magpies, crows, and the crested hawks. Many of those will raid nests and kill the young birds of smaller species, and the result of that is, the smaller birds are being driven out of the area, which is sad.

Going to the shops this morning, and the post office, but really have to get my head into gear and do a grocery list in a hurry. Time is running out.

Hope everyone has a nice day.
Karen

I'm not to fond of snakes. don't kill them but stay away. They do get rats, can't stand rats and mice chewing up everything. They are awful. We had to have a plumber come and fix a water line they chewed up. Dag gum mice and rats....
Have a nice shop about Karen....

I agree Charleen, I am quite horrified by rodents, even the mouse (which I admit can be pretty cute) is incontinent and this is why you get that awful smell if a mouse gets into any thing, just the thought of mouse wee on everything turns my stomach.
Yes snakes have their place in the World. Just hope they steer clear of me.

Very glad you are feeling better Karen, full of relief I expect ^_^

What a pretty picture colleen ...lovely for Christmas, unlike my mud pie garden.

Jean now you know how to make boge babies ...root the bare tips up in water on a sunny window sill.
I will make some different cuttings next Spring if you want some different ones, I love them and am beside myself with joy because I can take these ones I love with me when I move.

Anthony I don't have lilies so I must temp you with something else here it is ...Hubby is working on it ...it is a 1950 Caddy stretched limo all 22 ft of it. I like it very much ...

This message was edited Dec 20, 2011 11:54 AM

It's very dark out there and drizzling so you can't see the colour very well but it is a rich maroon colour, I love it.

Getting back to the mud pie garden ...grown from a seeds of a seed from Jean ...and for once this colour actually came out right. Thanks Jean.

Chrissy, I have tried time and again to get another bougie to grow here. hubby wants a different color. I love them but they just dont seem to want to grow when small. Even the large purple one was sitting for years under the trees and did nothing until we cut the trees down, then whoosh, up it went.
I would love a bright orange and practically any other color. I have bought a couple for hubby, but they just gave up and died.

Love the car. I like the old cars that look like cars. Hubby calls me old fashioned, but with something sturdy around me I feel safe anywhere.
Besides, whats the use of all this modern aerodynamics if you cant go that fast and the soft bodies these days just crumple to bits on impact. I always say that with a solid car, you have more chance of surviving an accident.

I like being a bit old fashioned.

Jean.

That is so true Jean. Those old cars were made of metal. the new ones have a lot of plastic, not safe at all.
Chrissy, i love it. I love old cars.....

Good morning everyone. Well. the taps are done and the new stove is in the washing is going the boys are still asleep and all's right with the world at the moment. We're going to do some baking today and maybe mow the lawn later if it doesn't get too warm. I hope the weather stays like this for the big day. very nice at the moment. First of the visitors arrive tomorrow so have to be ready. Karen so glad that all the tests came back okay . Look after yourself. Marlene it was lovely to see you pop in again and let us know how you're going. Chrissy it's great to see you getting around your garden again. Kat where are you? I miss your hilarious stories. [any more incidences with that neighbour] Charleen you rug up and enjoy your festive season. Dianne does your Mum come to you on Christmas Day? Jean are you having anyone for the Christmas break popping in? Teresa do you get some time off to spend with the bewildered Copper? Hope Father Christmas brings him a BIG stocking this year. Louise I hope you're okay and that you have a lovely Christmas and you'd better get ready for the carpet again as I saw Jean mention that maybe we'd take another trip in the new year. Moon, you seem to be busy too. Well everyone I hope you're all ready now as the count down is starting for the big day,[ in this house anyway] Must go be back later. Colleen

Good morning everyone.. A lovely sunny morning but still chilly. It will warm up later . I like the temps mild & warm as they were yesterday. No getting all cold or hot & bothered.
My garden is certainly needing some trimming at the moment. I really must get busy with the hedge clippers.
Lots of seeds have fallen ready for next season. I will have great pile of dead plants by the time I get rid of all the old species geraniums. I just toss everything down along the back of the garden and it soon disappears, then new plants pop up.
I am dreading getting in to tackle the bougainvillea later in autumn, but it will have to be done. I will be wearing long sleeves and my thick gloves that day.
Lots of seedlings needing to be repotted and moved so I will be busy over the next few weeks.

Looking out the window, I see the wind is back. It was so nice to have it gone for a day or two..

Hello Charleen. Is Charley ready for Christmas ? Give him and the longears a good bunch of carrots for a holiday treat.
What project are you working on now ?

Hello Chrissy. Thats a very pretty bloom. All the ones I had here have died out. Its way too cold for them.
Besides, I have enough of a creeper with Jasmine sneaking around along with the ivies which have now decided to travel too.
I am finding ends of tendrils poking out in the oddest places.

Hello Teresa. Hope you are totally over the bug now and enjoying being back at work. Copper will be missing his couch companion .

Hello Colleen, lots of things for you to do with the boys getting ready for Christmas. Your broms are looking lovely.
Mine are starting to grow over each other in the greenhouse. Lots of flowers and pups.

Hello Dianne. How are things down your way ? I bet the brugs are looking good.
Mine are growing well .
Your garden must look really lovely with all the other blooms too.

Hello Karen, so glad you are just about over your problems too. Its no fun being ill or laid up over holidays.
Look after that leg.
Hello Elaine , what are you doing with yourself there ? Working on some lovely project, I would think. That pretty plant I had from you is Mandevilla..

Hello Anthony. Are you getting any warm weather yet ? I hope you have been able to save the lilies you are going to show .
No fun when the weather attacks them.

Hello everyone else looking in.
I am off to enjoy some sun. Have a great day and be very good for Father Christmas.

Enjoy this Banana Chocolate Cake with your morning cuppa.
Happy day.
Jean.

Morning everyone.....very cold here this morning..
Colleen, so glad that you are set up for a lovely Christmas with the boys and your family...this will give your new stove a good run in.
What is that pretty flower?
Yes, my mum does spend Christmas day with us and stays awake for most of it too.
Jean, I have no luck with those pretty coloured, Boges...the big old rampant one, ok....I don't grow that because of the thorns...
The Caddy looks great, Chrissie.....we have a car show for restored cars in our local park in January...
Great news Karen, congrats on getting your sugars under control, keep doing what you are doing.
Back later.
Dianne

waving as I rush past the window, hubby wants help this morning ...everyone wants everything at the last minute at Christmas time, happens every year ...back after the rush.
Enjoy your morning everyone ^_^

Ahhh look Christmas fun at our local Plaza !!!! wonderful !! Penrith Plaza . really puts you in the Christmas mood ...so joyful !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=L_YkKc-JCnk

'Real steel cars'-just like a handtool that you have used for the last 30 years..Mine, is 1957 and has all the good humps,bumps and curves..7 years old now since being built from nothing

I took 'squeaky] my male galah to the vet tonight, he has 2 'cysts] on his l/h lower groin /leg area, of which the vet took 2 samples and noticed no cancerous cells[phew]..i have to cut down seed intake and replace with more fruit/nut/veg.[than i already give],.Squeaky advised me[demanded] he needed a sip of beer tonight-to take the edge off the ordeal he had been through,..,always a worry when theres something wrong with a pet!!!!!

A bit behind. Hi everyone. Hope you are not getting stressed out at this time. Gone crazy everywhere. Even the bus broke down today. I still got to the hospital on time for my appointment as I had a feeling the buses would be running late so I left early. More good news, they don't need to see me again. Ending a rather overwhelming year on a very good note.

For years I have been trying to get a pic of this hylocereus undatus across the road, but the buds have never obliged, until tonight. Finally, a massive 30cm (12 inches) across, and utterly magnificent. I have it growing down the back of my yard, but even if it does flowert, there is no way I am going to fight my way through the huge spiders that come out at night down there. For anyone who has never seen it, this one blooms very late at night only. It is dead before dawn, so the flower lasts just a few hours.

Karen

Good morning everyone. Cool but sunny here. Going to be a warm day .
I have just been out and watered those pots that need an extra drink in the heat. Now rushing about madly to get everything I need for shopping day.
Hubby of course is his usual self, wandering about getting nothing done.
He is always ready to hurry me up though, dear man.

Anthony, I hope Squeaky recovers quickly. Maybe hes been having a few too many sips of the beer when you are not looking .

Karen, I hope you are well on the road to being your lovely self again. Illness of any sort is no fun at all.

Hello Chrissy, Dianne and Colleen.

Hello also to Teresa and Elaine.

Charleen, hope you are still getting a bit of nice weather there and not too cold as yet.
Pats for Charley and friends.

Louise if you are looking in, hope you and all the family enjoy Christmas. Hugs for the girls.

Better get going .

Enjoy this Walnut and Cinnamon Loaf


I hope you all have a wonderful day whether wet again or warm. Jean.

Getting a little rain but temps are not freezing so it is great!!!
Charley and friends are walking Mudballs, but mighty fine for dirty longears....
Blessing to all, church tonight.

Hello..Hope everyone is having a good week and has a wonderful Christmas. I haven't been able to get online as broadband came to a screeching halt over a week ago..only halfway through the month which is most unusual. Hubby fessed up to leaving the digital radio going with internet settings..and he had it on all weekends and the times he was home in the mornings and here I was wondering which visiting child had been downloading while they were here! Lol! Anyway, I'm using his mobile dongle atm so just wanted to leave Christmas and New Year's wishes as it may be next year, Lol!, before we are back to normal broadband.

We had rain this morning and have had some cooler weather but it's heating up for the usual steamy Christmas! There are two developing cyclones so I hope there are no significant weather events coming. I ran into a friend who lives down where it flooded but not in the well-to-do area on the riverbank but a street or two back. Her home was inundated to the roof, she lost everything, no insurance for flood damage, of course, only got $50 000 from the flood donations (the aim of which was to help such people) and said she is just camping in her home. She got the bathroom cleaned up, used the money to make the kitchen workable and said it would take another $150 000 to make the rest habitable. So she has a tent and camps in her own home. She says most people think it's all back to normal but there are lots near her in the same situation. If you drive along the riverfront, the homes were quickly renovated and repainted, but further back, there are quite a few that are still empty, or, like hers, appear to be. As she says, she has no options, can't sell or move, no funds to fix it, no insurance. Still, she hasn't lost her sense of humour. So my Christmas wishes are that in 2012, things can be made better for all those people who lost in some way, loved ones, homeland, homes, livelihoods..2011 seemed to be an ending of things for a lot and may 2012 bring New Beginnings in a positive way.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year all...enjoy time with your loved ones! Cheers, Kat

PS As a sad note to the end of the year, the hero tug operator who risked his life to save many people from the floating concrete walkway that had taken off down the river during the January floods..it was heading to the pylons supporting the Gateway Bridge and he raced out in his little tug and steered it safely around (and could have been crushed)..he had only recently been to a hero ceremony etc by the Gov't..sadly, a crane or something crushed him at a wharf the end of last week..thoughts to his family.

Had a quick glance at your posts..not meaning to be melancholy here. Colleen, Fenceman lives on..and still whippersnips/trims/mows/blows nearly every day except during heavy rain. So, having endured regular bursts of that angry noise, and imagine the greenhouse gases and energy he is wasting..shame we can't divert some of that man power and resources to helping those who need it. And he did come back and clear out all the stuff growing along our side of the house..so Broms have all gone again..there is wire and pickets up but it's not high and it's wide wire..I haven't put stronger stuff there as he would complain and demand a yuppie fence and I can't afford it, or the carryon of having it done. He and parking bozo over the road (who still put their smelly or dirty rubbish in our bins..I pulled them up the driveway a bit further and they went down to the next neighbours') seem to do what they want, not work..oh, don't start me..but altruism is not in their nature. if it is true that the good die young, these two will have very long self-obsessed lives. Both are quite well off..but would be getting whatever lurks they could. Both live in posh places..the result of dodgy insurance claims.neither have pets.I could write a book, she says, hopping down from soap box and reminding herself to concentrate on the good people in the world.

BTW..we got MORE kittens..I bought hubby a ragdoll and a layanese..they are very affectionate..so, I am in kitty heaven.

Anthony..hope Squeaky is okay..Sending good wishes for a speedy recovery.. Cheers all