Showing Poultry on Your Birthday

It was Gibbo's birthday on the 21st; he turned double that. The local Club Poultry Show was on and we took in 23 birds for 11 firsts, 6 seconds and 2 thirds. My black silkie won her class;

Gibbo's wyandottes and leghorns won their respective classes; his silver laced wyandotte pullet won best rare breed

and one of his pigeons won best racing pigeon AND reserve champion pigeon of show.

The club presidents' wife made him a cake and brought it out at the start of the presentations and everyone had a piece. On top of all that, we also won the raffle (a fruit basket).

This partidge silkie hen didn't win anything but I think it's a cool photo.

I cooked all day on the Saturday - ham and pea soup for us; 4 lots of mince meals and 36 patty cakes to sell at the chook show; and liver for the dog.

Megan and Chris came home - Chris is going to stay and work in the office here for 5 weeks to earn some money for his trip to Canada.

On the Sunday night, after the chook show and after delivering another load of wood, we had 30 people over for an imprompu birthday dinner. It was great fun. We had mince rolls and hot dogs, patty cakes and a birthday cake that Megan made.

Garden Party

This is how the garden looked for Megan's party; it really looked a picture so was worth all the effort.

Graduation No. 2

Megs graduated last night from a course that she had to complete as part of her job. I think she's looking fabulous - and quite beautiful. She just shines.

Between finishing the course and heading to the graduation ceremony, she and her friend had a pedicure.

New Laundry Basket. Exciting Times.

Random Shots from Home

Another photo by Drew...

My talented cat...

A man, his pj's, his dog and a plan...

Sally, keeping an eye on things at the chook pens...ready to block if anyone makes a run for it..

My Beautiful Children

Farewell my Friend

I got a phone call on Monday night from one of my very oldest friends. We've known each other since primary school and she's one of the special people in my life. We hardly ever see each other and we don't often talk but when we do, it's like we've never been apart. She knows things about me that nobody else does because of our long association and she understands things about me just from knowing my family background. We can talk about things, knowing that the other knows who or what incident we're referring to from our pasts without having to go into any explanations about reasons or motivations etc.

She rang me to say she and her husband and two children are moving back to Canada to live, permanently. I wasn't too surprised that they are moving but I was surprised that next Tuesday is the day. I last saw her in September when Gibbo and I went to Rocky for a bull sale; I rang her from the saleyards and she came and picked me up and took me for a tour, then to lunch at her house. We talked so much, I ended up being late to pick Gibbo up; he was left stranded on the side of the road at a little place that had a phone box and a pub.

Anyway, I went for coffee with her on Wednesday morning, to catch up and to say goodbye. It was so good to see her but we only had an hour and it was just pitifully not long enough to say everything we wanted to say to each other. We both ended up in tears of course and it was really sad to say goodbye. The good thing is that she'll be going back into a strong support system, both in her church community and her husband's family (they had lived in Canada before). It also means I can go and visit her sometime.

So Goodbye and Good Luck Jude - I hope the move works out just the way you want it to, for you and your family but especially for you.

A Birthday, A Medal, A LICENCE TO DRIVE

Drew turned 16 today; typing that is quite confronting. Sixteen - 16 - XVI - however I write it or say it, I can't comprehend it. This is my baby child, my little boy - who is now a strapping young man with a wonderfully long body and handsome face - and the most beautiful character. He is a true delight and someone that I am incredibly proud of.

He was runner-up in his age-group at the school athletics carnival - this is a child who has never really figured in any athletics carnival to date, apart from participating. He got 3 second placings in the sprints and a couple of thirds in field events and ended up with a medal to hang around his neck. When he came home yesterday and told me that he was coming second, I was amazed and so was he. He just had to do well today to stay runner-up; the boy who won the age group was so far out in front, there was daylight between him and Drew; and I think that being runner-up probably meant more to Drew than winning did to the age champion. A lot of people couldn't believe it! A little bit of confidence and a whiff of success can make people do great things.

After the carnival we went to the Transport Dept for Drew to sit for his learner licence. He filled out the forms, I paid the money then waited outside, walking up and down the pavement while he did the test. I went to the pet shop twice, looked in the watchmaker, sat on the seat, got up and walked across the road, came back and sat on the seat a bit more; I was like an expectant father in the old days. Then Bree came along and sat with me until I got this text message:

I passed! Wahoo :) :)

come back quick. You

need to pay more

money

So we went in and his smile was a mile wide - I paid another $68, he had his photo taken and they handed him his drivers licence. I can't believe that either - he can legally drive. My life is flying by. He was very, very excited.

We went to fill Gma in on the day then went home, picked up Chris and went back to town, got Gma and had dinner at Maccas to celebrate birthday, runner-up and licence. This is an important day in the life of Drew! A milestone for him and for me. My baby is so big. Gibbo is down in Victoria looking at wagyu so he missed all the first hand excitement.

Back on the Air

Now it's three weeks since my last post - didn't I set a goal some time back to try to post daily for a month? So much for that thought.

So much has happened since May 24. The party is over. The musical is over. Life is pretty well back to normal. All that Effort. And Angst. And Worry. And Nervousness. And Joy. And Relief. The days rolled on relentlessly and time didn't stop even though I wanted it to. The sun rose, the sun set. As it always does. And here I am, blogging again. I've missed it so I'm glad to be back. I have lots of photos to post and lots of things to tell.

I'll try to catch up chronologically. That way it will make more sense. Maybe.