Tuesday, February 25, 2014

The End of the Journey

Drew is back in Paris; his internship and tour of Eastern Europe is done. Home on Thursday. More random pics.

Auschwitz.




More from Lake Bled; sounds and looks kind of ominously beautiful.










And So It Was...

Man of the Match award, presented last night at the dinner held in the members room overlooking an empty Gabba. Another great read book to prop up my bike's front tyre.

The final count - 59 runs, 2 catches and 1 wicket.When he shines, he shines.








Monday, February 24, 2014

A Golden Oldie Day on the Green

I find myself again at a Golden Oldies match, fighting my way through the crowd of enthusiastic spectators. Not.


The annual Qld v NSW match is being played right now. I'm still in the grandstand. Still with all my friends. The two girls that I came along to see (as well as to watch G play) aren't here. One is in Perth and the other is sick at home. Bummer.

There was mild panic at home yesterday when G got his cricket clothes out. I came home from the office (Sunday, end of month) to the news that something terrible had happened. I thought there must have been another water leak or an animal fatality. No. He discovered his QCC pants had the fork ripped out of them. It happened last time he played but he'd forgotten.


Lucky I know my way around a sewing machine.




My lunch. I bought my own at the grounds cafe then had sandwiches and a muffin from the team lunch.




The two on the right are discussing the opposition players.


The full team; nine of these players were on the England tour 4 years ago.


Inspecting the pitch.


Warming up.




Full flight.




Retiring at 40 (you have to). If you don't get out you are able to go back in once the entire team has batted. G went back in and made another 19.




Now he wants a plaque....


Game isn't over yet. I think he also got a wicket. I may not have been watching at that moment. There's a dinner tonight at The Gabba. I brought a dress with me. There's a strict dress code.

Pig Tales

The pigs are happy in their new home. We're getting a better water system worked out for them.








Happenings on the Weekend

New boots; a steel cap pair so that the next time Gibbo drops something on my big toe I won't lose the toenail.


Rocks for the permaculture garden borders.


This mandala doesn't seem to be working as well as the one I had at the old house. I need to sit in it for a while and work out what's not working out.


The sheep are still happy.


Orange trumpet vine on a side of the silkie pen.


A Jacaranda; tree number 29. Number 30 will be a poinciana.


This hanging basket is a conical shape. I planted a roma tomato in the middle and lettuce around the edge. The idea is for the tomato to trail over the edges and hang down.


Finally, some fruit on the bigger vines. Not long now.


Meg came home for an overnight visit on her way to a four week stint as District Manager at the Roma office. Everyone was pleased to see her, especially me.


Assembling the Rock Wallaby Birthday Cake for our friend's 51st dinner. Everyone was very impressed.




Lake Bled

Pizza and beers and a cold lakeside visit in Slovenia.




Thursday, February 20, 2014

Sunday, February 16, 2014

PB1 and PB2

At last we have some pigs - not the breed of choice just yet but certainly, they're pigs; they bark and grunt and squeal. We've been keeping an eye on the internet sites that deal in such things for hobby farmers and last week on our way home from the funeral we called in and had a look at some Berkshires (my pork of choice) in the Brisbane Valley. Then yesterday we visited our friends who have the pig farm that supplies young pork to a restaurant. After much discussion and inspection we came home with these two and will fatten them and kill them around the end of May. They are a Landrace/Large White cross. We decided to start with a few porkers, just to get used to having a few pigs before getting into the breeding game. Their names are Pork Belly 1 and Pork Belly 2.

Getting PB1 out of the trailer.




Squuueeeeee.......


PB2












The Three Amgios formed a welcoming party of sorts.


They were very interested in proceedings.




In a few weeks we will go back and pick up another two little Berkshire/Essex Saddleback cross for fattening - they needed a few more weeks on their mother. I didn't get a photo of them but one is a startling gingery/black colour. The Essex Saddleback pig originated from the East Anglia district in England and the Wessex Saddleback was from the New Forest area. The Wessex was originally a cross between two indigenous old English bacon pigs - the Hampshire and the Sussex. Later, the Essex and Wessex were crossed to produce the British Saddleback.

Our pig farm friends have a purebred Berkshire sow about to give birth; they will keep one of the females for us and she will be our first breeding pig.

I know it's corny but I can't resist - happy as a pig in.......