Feather your Nest Friday, 19th November, 2021.

 It was a lovely week if you don't count yesterday!   We had our first fires of the season started by lightening.   Fires sprung up across the district.   We were soon in a blanket of smoke, a gale wind picked up and I went from a normal morning to running to bring the animals in close to the house,  watering,  driving up the hill to see where the smoke was coming from.  The wind was so strong at one point I thought oh no... it was blowing the fires towards us.  I was moving the goats and I started to panic and feel sick.  I realised this was not a good time for a panic attack.   

We were very lucky.  My brother wasn't so lucky as he lost a lot of pasture but overall we came out of it well and the wind dropped, the temperature went down... and today it has rained!   

So apart from that hiccup the week was very good!    Some of the ways I got ahead, added to my pantry and garden were:

I was able to pick roses at my daughters place.  She has a very old garden full of the most beautiful scented roses.  


I filled the basket with lemons as well.    At home I made up vases of roses for the table and next to the bed.   It is the pink ones that are so scented.  They truly are heavenly. 


Each week I have picked flowers and filled the house.  I have to say I feel so happy having so many flowers around me.   I will save every bud and petal from these.


I make two chocolate cakes.   One was for the girls and the other for our lunches and snacks.


Most days I did some sewing.   I am so happy about this.   Normally about now I would have too much of a mess of presents and wrapping to sew.  This year most of the presents are wrapped and my craft room is pretty good so I can cut out when I have time and sew for a little while in the afternoons.

I started on cleaning cloths.   They have a pretty cotton top and a microfibre bottom.


When I get three that coordinate I tie them up in a bundle.  

 
Into the gift cupboard they go.  (The garden print was a set of panels from the op shop.)

In the evenings I am crocheting edges around wash cloths.   


It is amazing how these add up.  I just keep at it and at the end of the week I have something to show and add to my present cupboard.  I feel strongly that as well as being self sufficient in some areas (ie eggs) I want to be producing something.  Something lovely and also useful.  I am thinking a lot on this... I think in the new year I will get stuck into some soap making.  Be a producer not only a consumer, this might really help us in the future.

In a group I belong to Angela shared a verse today. 

"Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations." Proverbs  27, 23-24

There are so many verses around this and one of my favourites I try to follow is: 

"Invest in seven ventures, yes eight,  you do not know the disaster that may come upon the land."  Ecc  11.2

This is another way of saying don't put all your eggs in one basket.   I paid attention to this even down to not having all my chickens in one coop... lest a fox break in...  so my chickens are across four locations! 

Another thing I noticed this week was the massive flood damage in Canada and seeing whole roads, bridges and railways just gone.  I don't think I have ever seen anything like it.  In the comments someone said a lady was asking where could she get candles....  it was a shocking reminder that we need the candles before the disaster as it is too late after.   Candles will not be arriving at any shop any time in years from the looks of it.  

So speaking of checking your herd... 


My "babies" have grown just huge.  They are in a good paddock as Dad would say. 

I also picked grasses.  I saw these in a boutique and I thought "WHAT!? I have a paddock full of them!"


So they are something else for my dried flower collection.  I am going to work on seed pods next. 

I was able to get Turkey and Ham.  Last week I couldn't get them so when I went to town I was truly Turkey hunting!   I came home happy and have both in the freezer.    

I invested in coconut oils to keep for essential oil blends and soap making.

In the op shop I got some cotton waffle weave fabric to make wash cloths.  It makes wonderful kitchen towels too it is thick and absorbent.   It is washed and ready to cut into.

I hope you had a good week,  found the things you are needing and added to your pantry.  xxx


















Comments

  1. My you have had a week.
    So sorry to hear that fire season is upon you and it was so close. Sorry to hear of your brother's loss.
    Your dried flowers are beautiful!
    Your Baby Cows have grown so much.
    Your cleaning clothes are beautiful! To beautiful to use!

    This week the Lord blessed me in the grocery stores with great sales, I saved around 60% off my bill. We were able to get most all food for our Thanksgiving dinner, only thing I forgot was heavy cream.
    I was blessed with 4 free meals from a review site. I received some beautiful handmade gifts for Christmas, socks and wash clothes. I was so grateful for the gifts.
    Then I had done a free offer online and I received an email that it was out of stock, well they offered an alternative that was much better. A hard hat and gloves, my husband needs both when he goes into a mine.
    Then another review site I belong to sent me a full size cold and flu med for people with high blood pressure.
    It was a Blessed week at our home.

    May all have a Blessed Week ahead of them.

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    1. Dear Rubies,
      Thank yo so much. It is so nice you have everything for Thanksgiving. You have Christmas presents already! That is early! I put all my presents under the tree. It is getting close now!
      You got some amazing freebies! Well done on those! Have a beautiful weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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  2. LOVE the cleaning cloths. I may give that a try for future gifts. Those 'babies' have sure grown up fast! So happy you didn't have any damage.
    Have a good weekend.

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    1. Thanks Cheryl, I am happy making things that are useful but lovely. I am enjoying some sewing each day. You have a very good weekend too! xxx

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  3. Dear Annabel,
    I am glad that you came through the fires okay and that the damage to your brother's property wasn't worse.
    Your photos of the roses are stunning! I can almost smell them. My container rose garden is blooming again now that our weather is cooling.
    A friend of my daughter's was moving and offered her the ccntents of her freezer and refrigerator since she didn't want to deal with packing them. We live close, so I went to pick up the items and put them in coolers. My daughter told me to take whatever I would like. I took a couple frozen meals and 3 containers of my husband's favorite sugar free coffee creamer. She also picked out some things to give my neighbor who is always so generous with us. That same neighbor gave me pizza dough, bread, bagels, canned baked beans, soup, walnuts, raisins and several other things that were excess from her trip to the food pantry. We have also been getting useful things, including food, from the local Buy Nothing Group. The same daughter was offered the things someone was unable to use from her food box due to dietary restrictions. Daughter had been wanting some lunchmeat and had left the store without it because it was $12 a pound and she couldn't bring herself to pay that. Imagine her excitement when she found almost 3 pounds of unsliced lunchmeat in the foods gifted to her! It had the price sticker of about $30 on it. Last Saturday, another lady from Buy Nothing posted that "food box leftovers were out" so I went over to her house and was able to go through the boxes set out on a bench in front of her house. By the time I got there, a few others had already been, but I was still able to get a lot--broccoli, apples, cinnamon bread, blueberry breakfast loaf, mushrooms-- enough that I filled a couple large bags and I left plenty for others who may have come later. I am making hay while the sun shines. I am thankful for these opportunities to add to our home pantries and grateful that the food pantries are more than meeting people's needs.
    Have a wonderful week!
    Love from Arizona, USA
    Elaine

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    1. Dear Elaine,
      Wow you and your daughter were really blessed with so much! What an opportunity! Well several opportunities! Yes, making hay while the sun shines! You will be very busy but adding so much to your pantry and supplies is wonderful. I have apples and lemons to attend to. It is like a challenge when things come in... to use them, incorporate them and preserve them!
      Have a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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  4. Your fires scare me and I am not even there. I am so thankful it turned away from you. Those roses are just lovely. I would save every bit, too.

    We have our Thanksgiving next week so now it is a mad rush to get it all done. Food has to be prepped and bought and everything made ready for some of our family to come from out of town. We are excited to see the grandchildren. Meanwhile in the middle of it all we are wrapping Christmas presents so they can take them home so we save postage.

    Coconut oil, the liquid kind, is good for skin elasticity. It can be applied to anywhere you want to tighten and tone the skin which is pretty much all of me! Isn't it glorious getting old!

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    1. Dear Lana, Good thinking to have the presents ready to send home with the family and save posting them. I hope you have a wonderful Thanks giving.
      I use the liquid coconut oil as my essential oil carrier for most of my roller blends. I just love Emu oil for skin... I dont know if you would get that there. Anyway coconut oil has many good uses. This week I might get more stocked up on olive oil. Each week I pick something to try and get ahead with. Have a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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  5. Oh Annabel I’m so pleased you have had rain following the fire. I’m sorry your brother was impacted and very thankful you were ok. Apart from that your week sounds lovely! The roses are stunning! I’m so pleased you managed to get your turkey and ham. What a nice feeling to be able to sew and not feel like you need to be doing something else! This is the most organised I’ve ever been for Christmas and it is such a lovely feeling!

    I’ve worked my way through the many broccoli this week. At the same shop this week they are $1.50 each, so I’m thrilled I got so many for 25c each. I moved my herbs and spices into taller, skinnier jars so I can fit more on the shelf. I’d put this job off for too long and of course it took all of 10 minutes to do lol.

    I started a baby blanket for a teacher at my children’s school having her first baby. She is just the most gorgeous teacher and person.

    My goal lately is to make progress on jobs that are ‘one-offs’. Which perhaps take a bit more energy than regular jobs, but once they are done can be crossed off the list. A bit of momentum in this area is good for me and I think now is a good time to get stuck in. So hopefully I’ll get a few more done this weekend.

    Have a lovely weekend everyone!
    Jen (NZ)

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    1. Dear Jen,
      The teacher is going to be very touched that you would make a blanket especially for her!
      I hope you get lots of your jobs ticked off the list. I love having a list and actually being able to cross them off... so satisfying!
      Good job on the Broccoli. I hope now you will find another awesome deal! Well done on being so organised for Christmas well ahead. Have a good weekend. With love Annabel.xxx

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  6. Dear Annabel,

    I am so glad to hear that the fire scare is over for this week...so good that rain came right afterwards! Those roses are absolutely beautiful...I mostly only love roses that smell good. I have a white rugosa rose bush right at the end of my garden, and all summer long I plant/weed/harvest to the heavenly scent of those roses, which makes gardening a luxury experience! Ha, ha. I saw a couple of blooms on the bush even at the beginning of November! (You gotta love plants that are native to your climate.)

    You are very clever with all of your plant drying and all of the items you are making. I love those cloths!

    This week I was able to make quince preserves, sew a tote for a Christmas gift, work on some knitting and crocheting for gifts, and do the usual cleaning/baking for the week. Tomorrow is a cleaning day at church...all the brass needs to be polished and the kneelers dusted down, etc...It's been awhile for both! These tasks will go quickly with a work party. Hoping in the week ahead to get some more sewing done and the Christmas cards started, plus make some quince paste. I'm also planning to clean out the garden shed (which is a mess!!) and putter around the yard a bit, if the weather cooperates.

    That picture of the roses in a basket with the lemons is absolutely beautiful. (And I have to say, I saw quinces in that picture, until you said lemons, as that's what's all over my driveway right now. Ha, ha!)

    Love, Jen in NS

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    1. Dear Jen,
      I am glad to get your comment as I know you are in the east but I was thinking you have family in the West... and of the floods. I watched Ice Age Farmer and saw how serious things are. I hope none of your family are in this area.
      I love Quinces. The preserves would be beautiful. Quince paste is a favourite here. This season I am going to try Pear... and I have made Fig Paste... so good!
      You had a very good week. The cleaning will go well as working with others is fellowship too.
      The photo was at Lucys.... I had the roses in the basket and put it down next to the lemon tree to pick lemons. In the photo I thought how it was a happy accident the lemons dotted around the basket looked so nice! I am just imagining your knitted and crochet gifts, I know they will be beautiful, with love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Dear Annabel,

      Thank you for keeping my family in your thoughts! They are none of them affected, except maybe by the impact on goods delivery, but it doesn't seem that that will last too long for them.

      I love the sound of Fig Paste...figs have always been my favorite!
      xx Jen.

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  7. Dear Annabel,
    So sorry to hear about your fire scare. I can't imagine how stressful that would be. We're moving into cooler temperatures, busy raking the leaves for the compost pile and covering the garden beds for the winter.
    Your roses are just beautiful. My grandmother had a huge rose garden on the side of the house and there were always roses inside.
    You cleaning cloths and wahcloths are so pretty. The cleaning ones would certinly make tasks of dusting etc. more cheerful. Those dried grasses look like some we have here that are called Bunny Tails.
    I was able to get everything we need for Thanksgiving as well as some extra things. I pray you and your family have a Happy Thanksgiving. God blessings, Laura

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    1. Dear Laura,
      Roses must bring very happy memories for you! I have a love for ordinary things being nice... like the cleaning cloths. I have some really pretty dusting cloths and I actually feel somewhat better about dusting!
      I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am glad you have all you need ahead. We dont have Thanksgiving but we probably should! I love the left overs from big meals like these though... especially with Turkey or ham as so many meals can be made. I know you will be doing that! With love Annabel.xxx

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  8. Dear Annabel ,
    I am so sorry about the fire and sorry about your brother's loss of pasture.
    You have such amazing resources at your property mtgw dried grasses,the flowers from your daughter ,all of your garden produce .it's all just beautiful.
    I had a very good week with blessings be it I have had a painful month .I have tendinitis and bursitis in my right hip.icam goingfto have a cortisone injection next week be wcause the pain is just too much to handle .
    Onto the blessings ,a local organisation who I donate to regularly have me 8 meals thath areaare homenadwfhomemade andband have been frozen .they wanted to help me and my mum ('who makes me meals) .I also had a lovely blessing when an Australian artist and small businesswoman sent me some of her handmade treasures .I will talk more about these little artworks another time but she sells them for $18 each and she sent me 5 for free.i have since purchased two at a discounted price from her.myvparents blessed me with sandwiches ,at least 7 this week and 3 meals and some potato bake .I am very fortunate .
    I have been making cards to giveaway ,mini ones and some to sell .
    I received two lots of beautiful mail from a bluebird ,one was a parcel which included some beautiful little handmade gifts .I am so fortunate .
    Well Annabel that's my week !. , Your baking always looks so inviting and you my akw gay while the sun shines definitely.
    I hope the fires stay away ,sendingvlive to all.
    Barb W .

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    1. Dear Barb,
      You did have a week of blessings! I am sorry about your hip though. I hope the injection helps a lot.
      How nice to get a lovely parcel and also the handmade items! And the meals! What a help!
      Have a very good weekend. With much love Annabel.xxx

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  9. Dear Annabel,
    I pray that your summer has very few fires and not near you. Hopefully, you will have a calm and wonderful summer.

    Mostly, I have been cooking the past week to make sure my daughter had some healthy, healing food. Her son is off to Army basic training, so she is by herself for a bit. She got Covid two weeks ago, so I have been checking on her and making sure she has what she needs. Tomorrow, is the 14th day and I spoke with our Doctor, yesterday, and was told she is on the healing path after 14 days. Praise God!

    I did manage to rearrange some area in the second kitchen downstairs to store more food. We outgrew the food storage room. John didn't care for the kitchen cabinet colors, downstairs, so he painted them and added another 36 inch cabinet.

    Many bloggers are mentioning buying seeds now for Spring. Even the seed catalogs are coming out now, online, as opposed to after Christmas as they usually do. We stocked up quite a bit this year, but I will make an inventory and see if I need to order more.

    Grocery prices here are rising considerably but, thus far, no major shortages. We don't count on that holding so are re-evaluating the situation weekly.

    Have a wonderful weekend.
    Love and hugs,
    Glenda

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    1. Dear Glenda, I am so glad Nikki is ok. Eating really well is important so it is great you are taking her home cooking.
      The second kitchen sounds amazing. It is amazing what we can stock in a space with some rearranging too.
      If you havent seen it watch Ice Age Farmer I think it will be the latest one, about Canada. It was mind boggling. This is another major addition to the supply chain... Also Canadian Preppier had more. I found both these very interesting.
      We have a cool nice day today. We are adding mulch to the pumpkin patch and a few other outdoor jobs. I have more seedlings to put in... I keep adding! Have a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Thank you for the blog referrals, dear friend. I will head over there and read them tonight.
      With much love,
      Glenda

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  10. A very frugal week in my home as I've not left the house to go anywhere but the dollar store in the past 14 days. This is due in part to a cold that is finally gone. I have all but two or three items needed for thanksgiving dinner and plan to pick those up this weekend.
    I have been gifted an opportunity to stock my freezer and am going to go do that once Thanksgiving is over, as then I shall have more room without the big turkey and pies and stuffing mix that is in there at present.
    I have three more Christmas gifts to purchase and hope to get those last ones within the week. That leaves only my daughter that lives to very far away. We will send them gifts too but these others have been done a bit along. I think everyone will be happy with what they are getting. I am well pleased.
    I had to negotiate insurance coverage on the other house. Coverage doubled in costs this year. I shall be looking for more cost cutting means in the year ahead.
    I have been 'working ahead' on Thanksgiving dinner preparations and I've done pretty well. I think we have 17 or 18 coming to dinner that day and I will be keeping my 2 year old grandson right up through Wednesday evening, so anything extra I can do is going to be a great help to me.

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  11. Annabel, so thankful that everyone escaped harm! Sorry about your brother's pasture, but glad it wasn't any animals or structures. Thank you for sharing the roses with us! Nice to see such beauty as we, in the U.S., enter into winter.
    I enjoyed a week of savings through home hair cuts, baking, & mending. All of these actions really add up!
    Blessings to all, Leslie

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  12. Hi Annabel, your fires are so scary but we have to deal with tornadoes which are scary also. No perfect place until heaven. I am glad you are okay. Your animals have grown so fast. You get out more often than I and seem to have so many resource opportunities. Right now it seems like I am behind on everything. We had a death in the family so a funeral to go out of state to attend a few days after husband got out of the hospital, our daughter-in-law has covid but thankfully on the mend and our son has the flu but didn't test positive for covid. Thankful for that. Praying their two girls don't get either. Your flowers, cleaning cloths and wash cloths are so lovely. Have a nice Thanksgiving. Nancy

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  13. Beautiful pictures! The one with roses and lemons saved it as a desktop backround image. Much need it as we enter in cold winter time - thank you🌹💚 I am glad the fire is over! I have terrible memories of fire - when I was seven years old our house burnt down to ashes and we, 4 little girls and our granny were sleeping and our neighbour came in and saved us - I remember vividly the hursh sound of fire rather than the hot or colours, the thick smoke and my granny in tears trying to rescue something/anything from the house.... We are getting into serious winter here, already nights in a row with minus temperatures, the garden is frozen, the bluetits are coming closer to the house. Today is my son's sweetsixteen and have a little party but apart from that we are playing low - absolutely all the prices have gone up, some with 8% some with 27% and I have to pay attention to sales, to pantry rotation, to use up everything, to be creative. So far so good! On the production ideea that you mention (which I think it's brilliant!) I still knit on comission jumpers - as one is ready they like it so much they want some more. Which is good for my side hustle money.... So, kind of busy days with full time job, too, but glad we are all together and healthy. Wishing you all the best from the Romanian corner of the world. Laura_s_world

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  14. Dear Annabel, I am so sorry to hear about the fires and your brother's pastures. That would have been very frightening. I am glad that you are all safe. I love your daughter's roses. They really are a picture :) They must make you smile ever time you look at them. I love your wash cloths. They are beautiful. Your cakes look delicious too. I know most people are saying 'we just have to live with covid', and this sounds like we can relax and lull about, but I feel we need to be more prepared than ever. The grocery prices are rising here and each week something different seems to be missing. This week was low in fresh fruit/vegetables and meat. So I am trying to make the most of opportunities that come my way. I found some second hand school uniforms, my Mum was given some clothes and found me a nice outfit, she was also given some erasers and crayons. My husband was asked at work by a customer if he would like a great big box of shoes (7 pairs!), in bigger sizes for the children, knowing what I would say, he said yes lol. They look basically brand new. Thinking of you Love Lily

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  15. Those roses are what I think of when I think of Heavenly flowers!

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  16. Annabel, it sounds like you have had a rather full on week! I heard about the fires, and I'm glad that you and your family were safe. I'm sure it felt like a flashback to 2019/2020's frightening times. We have had so much rain here that it's hard to imagine fires! Your roses are looking lovely - unfortunately all the rain has turned ours rather brown around the edges. I love that you can decorate your house with glorious roses and attractive grasses, for free! What a blessing!
    I had a big cook up this weekend and got a pasta bake done, and two lasagnes in the freezer. I also got ahead with some more Christmas presents. The girls and I had a big de-clutter as well, with lots of bags to take to Vinnies. Hopefully these things will help someone in need these coming weeks and months. I'm really pleased with our pantry at the moment, and am hoping to have enough to get us through Christmas and the summer holidays.
    Have a great week ahead!
    Kirsty x

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  17. Dear Annabel
    How you must dread the onset of the fire season each year. I know you and your family are as well-prepared as you can possibly be, and that must give you peace of mind.
    The roses are so beautiful! I am picking mine every few days too. Of course, some don't last long inside, but there are always more of them ready just now, and some are a good bit more long-lasting. I am experimenting with drying a few of the smaller buds, as you have done, for trimming gifts. And it's gift-wrapping time, which I love! Not that there are many to wrap this year, as we have had to get a bit clever to avoid supply issues and postal delays.
    The garden is looking good just now, before the heat sets in. I used a scrappy sheep's fleece which was too short for spinning, to mulch under the lemon tree, as it does a wonderful long-term job of keeping the weeds down. I put a layer of leafy mulch over it to stop it from blowing around.
    Your big "babies" are beautiful!
    Have a lovely week. Linda in NZ

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  18. Such pretty sewing, Annabel! I just had my 39-year-old sewing machine serviced and I'm anxious to start sewing again. I think I will start with 15 minutes a day. You are right that you can get a lot done just that way.

    I've been on vacation this past week so I have nothing frugal to report!

    I want to thank you (again) for your suggestion of freezing 7 ready meals. Because cooked food usually starts going south in the freezer after 3 months or so, I have been making it a point to eat a frozen meal every 7-10 days and then cooking double one day the same week to replenish the supply. It was so good today to come home from Hawaii, full of jet lag, and pull out a cooked meal for dinner! Betcha I'll be replenishing with turkey leftovers this week!

    I've been working (as I always am) at building my pantry. Several items that I still need are on sale this week! I also will buy an extra turkey (the low price here is around .59 lb.). The thanksgiving sales will put me in good shape for meals for 4-6 months.

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  19. Hi Annabel

    So glad that you are all safe but it would have been very scary all the same.

    Your flowers are just beautiful. Hard to grow flowers this far up as the hear just effects them so much. I do have a few desert rose that are in bloom at the moment, which are a lovely deep pink colour.

    We have a few stormy days ahead and have had a few over the last few nights with Monday being particularly bad and came out of know where. As we were looking up at the sky it was like a mini tornado of heavy black clouds swirling around and then a massive clap of thunder. The shops here are still struggling with getting items through due to a large section of the railway being damaged in the flooding 2 weeks ago. so many empty shelves and fridges. Things being put out are snapped up very quickly.

    Christmas is starting here. DD11 and I sat and wrote our Christmas cards out last weekend and as she will be off school on Friday (swimming carnival, fair skin and red hair do not go together up here in the heat and sun) we will start our decorations and glamming up the Christmas tree that DP and her made last weekend for our front garden. All my presents (except ours) are out and ready in the sewing room to be wrapped

    Next weekend we will see her best friend come up for a visit and then the week will be filled with end of year celebrations and her graduation from school.

    I love the material that you have used in your cleaning cloths, they would make anyone want to clean.

    Your "babies" are looking so healthy and yes they certainly have grown.

    Hope your week has been a great one.

    Take Care
    Aly xxx

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