Because you can never have too many photos of lettuce...

Italian lollo (green) and Oak leaf - plus two sneaky garlics Freckles lettuce.

Oak leaf
Freckles (again)
What? Grew 'em myself.

Sticks in the Ground

I know everyone has been losing sleep waiting for pix of my pear hedge... And my new raspberry patch...

Yes. My hilarity knows no boundaries.

When Possums Invade...

You know how I've been moaning about the possum pee smell in my study for forever. Well, yesterday we moved my desk and this is what we found...So you see the black furry bit? That's the possums tail. And the grey furry bit? That's the REST of the Possum.

Hubby is doing man things later tonight to fix it.

God help me.

Spring has sprung

Heirloom Tommy Toe tomatoes. Yesterday there was nothing there and by this afternoon...
Broccoli seedlings...

Burning Off

Lately we've had a bit of a warm patch with the weather. Which, because its August, means burning off.
In Sydney the pristine early spring days are invariably marred by huge plumes of smoke and the smell of burning eucalyptus. Today was no exception.

At one point the smoke became thick and the the sound of helicopters had me starting up my usual bushfire pastime of staring obsessively at the smoke, pacing around the garden and checking the internet to see that all is well. Of course all was well, and within twenty minutes the smoke had died down and the choppers were gone.

As the weather has got warmer, the significance of the forthcoming bushfire season has become more real. When Black Saturday happened down in Victoria, it was the end of the bushfire season around here. We knew that for the next few months the risk of fires was going to be very low.

That, however, was six months ago.

Lately reports have been circulating of the recovery of the bushfire victims and the effected habitat. Many people still have not lost that air of shell-shock as they relate once more how they lost their entire family. I still cry to read stories of bravery, unimaginable loss and breathtaking miracles. The shattering effect that Black Saturday had has not faded for all that its been pushed to the background by cool weather and good rain.

Its got me thinking about what's to come. Last year we had two smallish fires nearby, both started by lightening strikes. Every year we get at least one. There are dire reports of this being 'the worst fire season ever' - but we get that every year around now. I think this bushfire season will be no different to the last in terms of severity. But what will be different is the knowledge that my family is as vulnerable as those people who lost everything in Black Saturday.

So I suppose the question is how is that going to change my attitude. What am I going to do differently. Will I sit here, hanging on the internet and the radio, following the updates and swap phone calls with friends and family. Well that's what I usually do. Take a few photos? Blog about it? Or will I have a plan of action, know what to do, when to leave, whether to stay? At what point to call hubby home from work. At what point to pack the car?

We have a fire plan. I've downloaded the bits from the Rural Fire Services website, discussed it with hubby. But its a daunting thought - the whole bushfire thing. A very daunting thought.

New Website

Hurray, hurray. The new website it up and running and totally un-borked.

http://www.caitlynnicholas.com/

Last Week

So, whilst George the teddy was having an awesome week at our house last week, mine was brimming with ups and downs. Here, I know, I'll make a list... (because I am a capricorn and I love lists).

1. Sent The Bunker to New York - now have fingers, toes and things crossed.
   
2. Lappy died. I KNOW. Can't I just point out that I was teetering on the brink of sending The Bunker off. I mean I was planning to do it two days later. It kind-of went bzzt, and hubby said something like, "I think its 'borked'". I have no idea what that means but I think its IT person for 'totally screwed'.
   
3. Housekeeper left - I am going to have to clean my house myself (WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH). Oh Jocelyn we will miss you SO MUCH - People ask me a lot, "How do you do it?" Meaning how do I write 95,000 word manuscripts, run a house, cope with pre-schoolers, dogs, cats, husband, cook, bake, shower, have conversations etc, etc. Well, here's the secret - I have a lot of help. Esp with the conversations. Jocelyn was a big part of that help and now she has selfishly left me to go and spend a year in Italy. Well thanks.
   
4. Completely screwed up website re-design - hubby had to save me.
   
5. Redesigned website - don't look yet, dotster is dragging its heels in redirecting the dns (I have no idea what that means either but hubby explained all about it for about thirty minutes earlier this morning - thanks hon - I had no idea I was so good at yawning with my mouth shut).
   
6. Planted my pear hedge - okay, so it looks like two sticks in the ground - but one day it'll be marvellous, in ten years or so.
7. Had a night of cackling with the girls on Saturday night - thanks Margo you're awesome (and I am SO SORRY your name was never called out on Romper Room). I think the conversation that will stay with me the longest is the one about which of our husbands have had prostate examinations from Dr Fat-fingers up at the Medical centre.
   
8. Took the kids to the Opera House yesterday. Met up with my sister and her three week old baby. So TINY and cute.

Er, I think that's it. Shall not mention trip to shoe shop with vile tempered children... am still recovering and may need counselling.

oh sigh.

George goes to Nonna's House

Today we took George to visit mumndad. Whilst I developed a migraine working on my latest masterpiece everyone else fed the cows...And discussed life with the horses. Hubby threw off his guise of mild-mannered IT Guy and spent the afternoon chopping wood with My Dad. They threw chains around tree stumps and ripped them out of the ground with the tractor, wielded chainsaws (okay hubby wasn't allowed near the chainsaw for his own safety), and even perspired a little. Hubby also saw quite a few Very Scary Bugs.

Tomorrow George goes back to pre-school, ready to spend a week with someone else. Bye George, I shall miss you.

George goes to Playgroup

George has his own special spot in the car. Here we are off to playgroup. Its freezing cold and raining today, which means I've brought hubby to playgroup to fully experience being locked inside an echoy hall with fifteen or so children. Funnily enough he spent most of the time outside on his phone begging recruitment agents to get him a job, any job.I love being on playgroup morning tea because it means I can do some baking. George, the kids and I made chocolate yoghurt mini snack cakes, Madelines and an apple teacake. Really they were only things that got me through the morning, oh that and three cups of tea, which hit my bladder at the exact time the toilets backed up.

sigh.
Miss Five has given up eating anything that isn't loaded with sugar. That and her mania for computer games has me convinced that I shall be up for Parent of the Year at any moment.

George does some baking

We've got lot's of baking to do before playgroup tomorrow, as its our day on Morning Tea. George has been helping with the Madelines.

George goes to the Woodchop

George has had a very exciting day. But not nearly as exciting as me. WELL, I mean how can you compare hanging out with a five year old who has eaten an entire bag of fairy floss and is going around and around in a teacup, with going to a gym-party and having to RUN and SKIP and DO BUNNY HOPS - all in a very jiggly bra.

I ask you.

But, this is not about me or my breasts being one centimetre closer to my navel. This week is all about George.
So our local Woodchop (which is a village fete with woodchopping involved) was on up at the pub/shopping centre today. Hubby took Miss Five (and apparently 'didn't notice' how much fairy floss she was eating). George accompanied her everywhere, down the big slide and was fascinated by the woodchopping competitions. I'm always terrified they'll take a leg off by accident, but George was pretty laid back about it all.

They got home at around lunchtime (which is when those in the pub are beered up enough to start wandering around and its best for small children to be elsewhere). Miss Five has spent the rest of the day white-faced and vile tempered. Poor thing. I've tried to redress the nutritional balance by offering vast quantities of water, fruit and other high fibre foods (like oats), but all she has done is scream "I want fairy fluff," at me. George has been unperturbed by this behaviour. Actually, I'm beginning to like George more and more. He's a bit like the dog, only he doesn't go around raping teddy bears and chewing off Barbie heads.

sigh.

George Goes To Swimming

George the teddy watching a DBD (he can't say V very well).

Meet George...

George has come from pre-school to stay at our house for the week. We will take lots of photos of George and document his week with us.He only arrived this afternoon, but he's already had some afternoon tea (fingerbuns with sprinkles) and is settling in nicely.