Feather your Nest Friday, 9th Feb., 2024.

Thank you to everyone who has held me up in prayer and kindness.   The week was made of lists.  I have always loved Elizabeth Elliot's "do the next thing" and it has helped me so many times in the past.   The last two and a bit weeks I have lived by this unless I can't in which case I go to bed.  Also I have worked out what day of the week it is, what needs doing tomorrow... written that down and then written down jobs I did.   Last Friday was a particularly difficult day.  I made an aim to do one hundred things but I got to sixty and realised maybe I had over shot a little goal wise.   In my Friday post I had ended that a fire had broken out, near by, I could smell and see it...   Mum had messaged me in the evening.    I was in my nightie and I got in the car as I was and drove up our hill.  So there I was in my nightie,  crying my eyes out looking at a giant fire,  knowing Andy was not here to save the day with the sprinklers and generator overhead fire system he installed for such times.  

Soon after I returned to the house I grabbed a dressing gown as two neighbour farmer good friends came by.   They realised my current predicament and everyone was either on the way to the fire or there already.  Six air plane water bombers also came.   We were so blessed it was not windy.   They got it contained and the next day there was a little smoke in the air but they conquered it.  I was watched over in more ways than one.   

Since this... I have learned how to turn on the over head sprinkler system while the power is on.  Next week I will learn how to do it via the generator if the power goes out... which is usually the first thing that happens if a fire gets close.  We have been through that before.

Like in every major life crisis you have a refresher course in who stands with you and who doesn't.     There are some people made of gold in my circle which is a big blessing since we have only been here five years.  I haven't been the only one needing support,  my Mum and Chloe (being so pregnant with two little kids) ...  there is shock and grief and some have been lovely to them and helpful and others you would expect have not.   I have always thought it is a good thing to know the truth.  However crappy the truth sometimes is I would rather know it.   I hope that I can grow in wisdom and follow Andy's lead as he was studying the Bible much harder than me and flat out seeking knowledge and doing wise things for the future benefit of others,  me mainly... and he really had gone ahead and done things, made decisions.... to the extent he must have known physically or spiritually or both.

Some "normal" things I did...   

It was Scarlett's birthday.   Mum and I made it our goal to go on the day trip to visit Lucy and her family and celebrate.    School was just going back so I made Honey Gingerbread biscuits to take with us.

While I was baking I decided to use the two bananas that needed using up and made Chloe and the boys a Banana cake. 

I needed to deliver the cake and it was still warm so I made a lemon icing in a seperate bowl and delivered that as well so Chloe could slap that over the top when the cake cooled.  Tom said "Nana that cake smells really good!"  Apparently it was demolished.

Chloe had been working on a gift for Scarlett.

The gift included a cook book.   Scarlett loved it.

At Christmas Andy had insisted on buying Sidney a pretty extravagant gift...  the electric tractor.  Sidney has got the hang of it well,  adores it  (as Andy adored him)  and his parents just turned it from slow to faster.  Sidney has insisted the tinsel stayed on. 

His absolute joy (and learning to do burn outs) plus great hugs from him... I just thought how much Andy would love this.

We went past the swap tables,  I had gone with goods to leave and came home with jars and three lovely succulents.

I then accompanied Chloe on an over night trip to the city for her baby appointment.  She has less than a month to go to her due date.    The night before we left, with the help of my lists...   I planned and made a turkey roast using a turkey roll Mum gave me and a tray of stuffing I had left over from Christmas.   I put on a heap of veggies.   I served myself dinner which was a refreshing change from toasted sandwiches...  I plated up a meal to leave in Chloe's fridge so on our return from Adelaide she had a meal she could just put in the oven.  I made a little meal for me so I could do the same.   

The trip is three hours each way.  For the boys we break it up with a stop and run around and some lunch at a play ground.

They were very good,  I got lots of love and kisses and know I helped Chloe.

I was anxious that when I got home I would find it terrible to come into an empty house.  However it was't like that at all.  I felt so relieved and better to be home and it did not feel empty at all,  it felt like our home.  It felt comforting.   I was also greeted by three over excited dogs and licked to death.  

In the mornings I have dogs to let out,  chickens to feed,  cows to check,  cockatoos and birds to feed,  goats to attend to...   they all need looking after and they all give back so much.   Andy showered the dogs in affection so I can't let them down.  I was sitting crying out on the deck and Molly had her head in my hands making crying noises as well.

I can already see the trap that people who live alone fall into re meals.   I can counteract that by cooking for family and setting some aside for myself.   I am also cleaning out freezers one at a time.... so today I took out two trays of ground beef,  some frozen onion,  a bag of shredded zucchini,  a jar of homemade pasta sauce...    Tonight I will make a big pot of spaghetti sauce.  I can freeze some for "baby week" and some small batches for myself.   All while making progress on the freezer.

I had a few plums so I made a small batch of jam.

I came home from Adelaide with a bucket of Bergonia's (with root systems.)

As Chloe does the driving I took two project bags with me.   This was my first crochet as I haven't felt I could sit and concentrate.  

So that is my week of doing the next thing. 

Andy's very good friend is getting baptised on Sunday at least in part due to Andy.  Andy knew of this decision before he died.  He was so happy about it.  So I am attending on Sunday as both support and for Andy as well.

How did you build up your home, pantry or garden this week?   I love to hear and I will try my best to reply again.xxx