40 degrees In The Shade

Wow what a weekend we have had. So so hot. We have had such thick smoke cover for the last few days. I woke up Saturday and the smell of smoke was so strong you would have thought the fire was in your backyard. My dry (always runny eyes) have started again over the last few days and they are driving me nuts (a side effect from the chemo). We have had a scary weekend and for some sadly it's not over for many. The bush fires in Victoria are once again creating havoc. We really thought we would be in for trouble this weekend. It is so dry here. Living in the middle of a forest is wonderful but on days like this weekend with two days over 40 degrees and bush fires everywhere makes you wonder why you live here. A cooler change has started to come through and the temp has dropped. The wind direction has changed which means good for some towns and bad for others.

Check out this site for satelite images of our bush fires (and other world wide natural events) http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

Click on Australia
http://earthobservatory.nasa
.gov/NaturalHazards/


We ordered water last week as we are getting low. We haven't had decent rain for ages. There is a weeks wait for water to be delivered. The demand is so high. We got a tanker of water (3000 gallons) and it cost $130. An expense we really don't need at the moment. Today when the wind blew it looked like it was snowing gum leaves. The gums are dropping there leaves due to the lack of water.

A few weeks ago the girls had some friends over to play after school. The kids are new in the area and hadn't been over before to play. One of the sweet cherubs turned off our septic pump (the switch is in the middle of the garden bed) whilst they were playing hide and seek. Fast forward a few weeks and I noticed that when I was doing the washing the toilet was spluttering. The septic had become completely filled and of course wasn't pumping out so it had backfilled into all the pipes under the house and had started coming out of the drain in the garden bed where the front tap is.

We got a lovely big bill from the plumber. Just what we need at this time of the year. NOT happy at all.

Yesterday we did a little Christmas shopping. Money is scarce this year so we are concentrating on the just our family this year ( have bought a few things for Jason this year, a first for a long time and even got myself a few things for once). I have managed to get some great bargains on ebay and a few sales so I am really happy. It was lovely and cool in the air conditioned shops. Kady got a cute dress and shoes (with small heels woo hoo) for her primary school graduation in a week. She is so excited about her dress. I will post some pics when she is all dressed up.

Today we spent a lovely morning/arvy with some good friends (Scott, Michelle, Darcy and Zoe, Michelle is Kady's godmother). For many years we have made a tradition and spent boxing day together (long before we all had kids) but as we have had kids and times have changed we now spend time together before or after Christmas. We usually take turns at each others house (they have done the last two years for some reason). Today Michelle (who has a fairy party business) had to work this arvy so we took the food over to their house. I made a few yummy platters, one with deli meats (pancetta, prosciutto, sopressa, chilli salami, gypsy ham, chicken pastrami, smoked beef, roast turkey), gherkins, tiny pickled onions, csbai (hot and mild), cherry tomatoes and cucumber. A platter of various cheeses (Jindi triple smoke brie is a fav) and a few dips (mm barramundi with dill is yummo). A platter of cherries, grapes and strawberries. A platter of chocolates, lollies and pistachio nuts. Oh and a small bowl of prawns (12 lol, Michelle hates them but sadly most of our children have a taste for them) and a bowl with dressing.

mmmm such yummo food. Loved the time spent with good friends and for once I didn't take a single photo which I am now regretting.


It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Especially when these guys make an appearance. The lovely little Christmas beetle. The fact that they destroy our gum trees doesn't mean a thing when they are this pretty.




This week Kady had her high school orientation day. She LOVED it. It was so funny watching them in the morning sitting in the gym as their names were called out as to which class they were in. Only 6 students from her primary school are going to her high school. Only one other girl ( a good friend of hers) is going. The four boys and two girls were all grouped into the same class. The relief on their faces was obvious. Kady didn't want to go back to primary school by the time I picked her up in the afternoon.



This coming week we have the girls school concert. I have chemo on Tuesday so I will be feeling pretty icky but I really want to be there as it's Kady's last one. They also hand out scholarships the same night and awards. All year six students receive a scholarship as it's only a small school. Kady is so excited about the concert. Here she is in her high school uniform. I have cloned out the emblem on her jumper. This week I bought all her uniform, paid her levies and ordered all her books so we are now over a $1000 poorer (lucky for credit cards). I really wanted to get it out of the way early as during January I will be having radiotherapy and travelling 45minutes each way to have it done so I figure the last thing I want to worry about is school shopping.





Kasey's face says it all. NOT IMPRESSED. One shitty kitty. No spirit of Christmas.


My last chemo is on Tuesday. I can't wait for Tuesday to come but at the same time dreading it. Tomorrow I have to have blood taken. Wish me luck. My GP is using my picc line and he isn't too good at it. I had blood again last week in my picc line and had to have it flushed. More hours spent sitting in hospital.

One of the oncology nurses has just started scrapping and she is loving it. Will be taking her a heap of bits and pieces and mags in on Tuesday. Jason is taking the day off work to take me. He took me to my first, my MIL took me to two and three, my friend Lou took me to four and five so J will finish off with the last one.