Winter is trying to get here

Wednesday continues to be our Knit and Natter day at Mary Cairncross Park in Maleny and both my sister and I have been desperately waiting for the cooler weather so that we can enjoy the fire at the cafe.

Well the cooler weather has arrived, even if it is only in the mornings on some days before it warms up, but at least we have been able to enjoy this....

Because it's an outdoor cafe and there's often a sneaky cold breeze it's nice to be able to cover yourself in you latest project of pure alpaca wool as you sit and chat.

This is the time of year when we can rug up in our creations made the previous years.

Our dear friend Jodi has been joining us recently.  She doesn't do any hooky or knitty type crafts but she makes up for it in the nattering.  She has been our friend and virtually part of our family for well over 30 years now and we love her!

Did I mention that it's cool enough that we can now enjoy the fire?  I know I did but I'll tell you again as it's sooooo lovely.

xx Susan

On my camera (phone)

I'm having a bit of a day where I want to connect back to the world.  That means that I've actually decided to upload some of the photos I've taken on my phone for the last little while because I certainly haven't dusted off any of my cameras.

I was a little shocked to realise not only how long it has been since I've last updated my blog but also how long it has been since I've caught up with anyone else's blogs.

I sometimes go a little AWOL.  Not just from my own blog but I often like to be a little hermit and disconnect from pretty well everything if I can.  I don't know why and we won't got into an analyzing frenzy about it either.  Lets just say that it's nice to just have a break from things and concentrate on your own family for a bit.

Don't get me wrong, I really do LOVE reading so many different stories about the everyday lives of people around the globe.  It brings home to me that even though we may all be leading very different lives on the surface, most of us have very similar experiences with relationships, children etc.  It fascinates me.

I digress and will just update you on a few of the highlights during the last 6 weeks.

There was  a birthday three-quarters of the way through May....

...yes it was MINE.  It was also a BIG one and the start of a new decade.  

I had a lovely lunch at the local pub with a few family members and a close friend from when I was a child.  It was really lovely.

The birthday cake was bought as I couldn't be bothered making one for myself and the kidlettes loved it.  As I was only sharing it with them it really only mattered whether they liked it or not.

Hubby was away at work of course.  He very rarely is home for any birthday's or special occasions so my kids are very resiliant when it comes to celebrating.

(Oh and it's nearly a month since my 40th birthday and I still haven't got a present or anything special from my family except for the cake I bought.  Hubby promised me we're going out for breakfast or lunch this weekend as it's the first one he's been home since my birthday but we'll see!!!.....    I've given up on a present.)

The school also had they're annual fete appropriately name the Big Night Out.  It's usually held on a Friday night after school from 3-9 pm and it goes off with a bang at the end with a pretty spectacular fireworks show.

There was pony rides.....

...fun rides...

...lots of stalls and of course the fireworks.

I've also been busy growing some seedlings and doing my best to get a bit of a garden growing.

I decided to start off on a few things that we actually eat and will nurture them all as they grow.

Things did start off well but unfortunately the photo below is all that has come up of 4 trays full.  Even though they were well labelled, I really have no idea what is growing in the tray in the photo below.

You see my brother has sold his house because of the divorce settlement and is currently living with his boys in my sister's granny flat until they can find a place for themselves.  

That means that we are looking after one of his dogs who decided that spreading my potting mix and my newly sprouted seeds all over the yard was a fun thing to do.

I was NOT happy.

That's a little bit of an understatement actually.

So the above seedlings are all I have right now and it will be a few weeks before I can work out exactly what it is I'm growing.  At this stage I'm suspecting spinach but I'm happy for a surprise.

For those family friends that know of our family situation with my brother and all the stress and court goings on that we have had in the last year.  We've been to court again recently and  I hope I'm not going against any legal things here when I say that my brother is still the primary carer of the children.

There are still lots of other things going on though as the other party is STILL breaching court orders on a semi-regular basis so we are not sure when the stress will end.  At the heart are two gorgeous little boys who we are doing our best to protect and to help give them a reasonably normal life while all this chaos surrounds them.

I've also been doing a little sewing and crocheting (not much), but I do have a few things to show you another time.

xx Susan