Feather your Nest Friday, 28th November, 2025.

It is pouring with rain.  Good soaking, steady rain.  This is my idea of a peaceful and lovey Friday night. 

I had it in my mind that I wanted to do all I could towards Christmas this month...  (I still have two days left!)

Getting the fruit cakes made was first. You can find the recipe  here.   I made a triple batch... using 15 eggs.   Ingredients,  even with free eggs,  are expensive now.    The cakes I give away are a lot smaller than they used to be.  But that is ok,  this way I got so many! 

I soaked my fruit over night in some brandy and some whiskey because that is what I had.   

There is no alcohol once a cake is cooked.   But it somehow acts as a preservative and means these cakes improve over a few weeks. or months.

I got them all wrapped,  using all kinds of ribbons in my stash. 

The house smelled really good!   I am really pleased as this gives me a lot of gifts! 

Next... my cook up for the week was Meatloaf.   Mainly I make single serve ones as the kids like them and I can freeze individual portions for myself.   There are so many things that single portions tend to be handier and you seem to waste less.   

They turned out to be delicious!  

I got 28 individual and one large.

This lot went to Chloe's family and I made veggies on the side.   Oh,  also,  I did put quite a lot of grated zucchini into the meatloaves.   I began picking zucchini this week!

The hen house has had major improvements and some serious reinforcing.   I now have a feed dispenser and can just let it fill my bucket.   This is bliss compared to the lifting I've always done.  The huge rock is along a side that is sandy and a fox could possibly have dug under.   Now it is all compacted rocks with this mammoth one on top for good measure.

Another giant step was my front gardens (which are just succulents and a few flowers) now have a dripper system.  I can turn it on, let it all soak and turn it off.  This will happen in three sections.  No more hours of watering in summer out there.  Plus things will do better as truthfully last summer I didn't keep up anyway.

All the things that should be climbing are climbing!  I have various supports and trellises and things are heading up!   Also there are tiny baby cucumbers!

In 2020 which was a very challenging year (think covid and my Dad died) my goal was to fix up the cabin which is a single mans cottage.   We still got it done.  I have posted that story before.   It became a major asset after being such a dump people suggested I just set fire to it to make it more aesthetically pleasing!

Well,  then 2024 I made my goal to renovate what we call "the top house" as its on a hill.   Farms were set up this way 50 years ago.   An owners home.  A managers home.  A Jackaroo quarters.   Most of these are now empty Australia wide.  Many are wrecks at this point or on the edge of being saveable like mine.  

The top house was pretty putrid.  The carpets alone were the stuff of nightmares.   It was another very big project.   But I just felt it must be done.  It was an asset,  or could be.  I also believed someone was going to need it and I had to get moving.

Then Andy died.  All thoughts of plans stopped.  Later last year I began to remember and again felt that this house would be needed.  So there was a lot of work inside the house.   I had several floors replaced.  All the curtains and carpet burned.  The kitchen re done.  The laundry re done.  The shower was like a trap door, if you stood in it then you would fall through the floor.   The whole house wasn't level and needed re stumping.  There was a hot water system and an air conditioner unit but rabbits had dug under them and they all fell in a huge hole!

It was infested with bees.  Wood was rotting.  Mice could get in and out.  Birds were nesting in the chimney... there was no oven...  I could go on and on.  The list seemed absolutely endless!

When my Uncle died I inherited a household of very good furniture, beds, fridge, freezer, pretty much everything to set up a home.   This all became part of the restoration.

This year I knew THIS IS IT,  this must be complete as it would be needed.

And guess what?  It was needed.  Someone needed a home and asked me.  And then there were two weeks to be ready.... and I used the last two hours of that time to make the bed,  put out new towels and look like a pretty decent B and B.   Then I wondered if it was good enough?  But my guests were so happy!

God had truly gone ahead and prepared a place by telling me to get it done.  All in the perfect timing.

Finally this week the outside is painted and the house on the hill blends in with the gum tress surrounds.

It is no longer a dump, it is a very decent and comfy three bedroom home.  With a view!  Beautiful rainwater on tap.  Even a little bit of a garden!  😊

It seemed like a far off dream in January last year but now this old dump is a blessing and an asset!   I just feel so happy and grateful to have it!

Today Tom came in quiet time (when the little kids nap) and he was in charge of putting up my little Christmas tree.   He untangled my lights and gave me instructions to get a decent star for the top and more decorations.... which I will before he comes next week!

We figured how to keep everything away from Sparkie the destroyer and present unwrapper.

Now.. this is a little tree.  I don't need a big tree.  I don't need bigger or better or more.  I am happy.   I have a huge wreath on the front door. 

My dining room table will be my main display,  maybe in a week or so I will get to that.

When I wander around in the evening I love to see the twinkling lights.  It fills me with joy and the Christmas feeling.

Many people who live alone think they can't be bothered decorating.  Don't miss out on the joy.  Don't stop enjoying decent meals,  life, celebrations ... you need them MORE not less!   It doesn't have to cost anything.  Creatively use what you have.  Even when someone calls by they are uplifted by your atmosphere.  

My friends are going on an overseas trip.  They offered to take one of Tom's teddy bears with them and photograph his bear at different landmarks...  so he could follow them on the map and see interesting (and educational) things.   This sounded a wonderful idea.  But Tom said he didn't want any of his bears going overseas and he couldn't possibly sleep without any of them! haha  I thought of a very small bear I have and offered that he could go on the trip and report in.  This was ok apparently so this bear is allowed to go and we will follow his progress.  None of Tom's bears have any hope of ever going on a trip that is for sure. 

The rain continues and is doing more good for my garden than anything I could do.

Further good news is Jenny of Elefanz is back!  For beautiful stitching, knitting and inspiration I am most happy to read she is blogging again! 

Many of you just had Thanksgiving,  I hope you had a beautiful day and are living on leftovers! 

How did you build up your nest this week,  did you find any ways to get ahead or prepared for Christmas?  We love to hear as it gives us joy and inspiration!xxx