Quick update on the Cubbyhouse...

The Two Russells working hard...

On Saturday, in between shifts with the Rural Fire Brigade, our good friend Russ helped my Russell do some work on the Boys' Cubbyhouse. The two Russells ended up finishing the floor and put on three legs before Russ had to go back to fighting the fire across the Highway.

Here is a photo of them working on it. :)

There is progress. I love it. Hopefully by Christmas it will be done. The Family Collective that funded this project is meeting again in January after having a break over Christmas and the School Holidays so I want to ensure that I have pictures of the finished product for our first meeting. We are on target I think...

Cheers Damaris

Fire that's just a bit too close to Home...

Start of the real fire, at Gladfield...
Yesterday, coming a little too close for comfort...

Taken 1/2hr ago...

Last week and for the beginning of this week, every time that Joshua and I would go outside at night to shut the chooks and ducks in, we saw off in the not too far in the distance that someone was burning off piles of cleared trees. These spot fires where only four or five of them a night but they showed up nicely up against the range in the background. Looked great actually...

That was until this last Tuesday, when during the midday heat it got totally out of control. The local paper reported it as having started with a lightening strike, yeah right!!! As if.

The poor farmer has had many fire fighters around since. It has also taken out allot of land. All of it in the hills which most of the farmers are very happy about as it is getting rid of lantenna ( a horrible weed in these and many other parts of this great country of ours) and allot of debris that would not be back burned normally.

One of our close friends here is in the local Rural Fire Brigade and he has been called out again this afternoon to help. At the moment he is helping Russell with our cubby. What a treasure. He has just spent the morning helping with diggers digging a new road up the mountain as to contain the fire. Now he is going back to help with many others to light it from that end and force the fire into itself. Will be spectacular to watch. But as least we know that it is intended that way.

Lets just hope and pray that the wind doesn't change. On that front we have been very fortunate over the last week. Even though the fire is close and just across the Cunningham Highway we have had just about all of our breeze coming in from the east and not the north west which is just as well or we would not be doing anywhere as well.

I know it will be very hot up there for them and just hope that the job gets done quickly and safely.

Cheers Damaris

What to do first...

One of the many frogs that regularly visits us at night...

Over the last week the house has been getting away from me. I admit it. It is a mess. I like my house to be neat and tidy so this is really driving me nuts. I can't see out of the mess. It is not that bad really but bad for me. lol. My bedroom is fine, so is the bathroom and toilets. Laundry and Pantry are fine as well. But for the rest of the house... HELP is all I can say...

The weather has been so hot here lately that nothing can get me to get going on it. It just ends up sitting there. The washing up gets done and that is about it. My hand hurts after that so then I take a break and don't want to get back into it.

I joined the FlyLady a while ago as I liked how she motivated people into doing things around the place, 15 minutes as a time. I have now also joined The-Organizer-Lady. She does it allot the same way as the FlyLady but a little different as well. Both have been at this for a very long time and it shows...

Not even these two sites have helped. I have ordered a calender from the FlyLady that I hope comes soon in the post. I would like to have my itinerary on the wall for everyone not just in my mobile phone so that I don't have to look at it every time someone wants to know when something is happening. That will make me very happy to have that up and running. This heat seems to be never ending. At night there is not much relief as we are not having storms to cool everything down. Animals are needing water just about twice a day at the moment also which doesn't help me keep cool either as I have to get out there and do it for them.

Don't get me wrong, I love it that it is warm enough for little baby animals to be born and for grass to be growing as well as our little veggie garden. I am very fortunate also as most of the time I have a lovely breeze here coming through the house.

Allot of the last week I have had to leave it all shut up though as there are fires rather close to here. Just over the Highway and that is not good. I hate to know the toll it is taking the animals up in the mountainous area. The local Rural Fire Brigade is helping out off course and for that I am very thankful. Were would we be without them. They are keeping out homes safe.

So that brings me back to my dilemma. Where do I start? The kitchen table I think. Then the coffee table, that the kids were supposed to have done when they got home from school today. One step at a time... Then ... I will see then...

Cheers Damaris

Square Foot Garden update...

Square Foot Garden bed...
Water Chestnuts in their barrel...

For the last couple of days we have had terribly hot weather. The breeze that we always get here, as we are on a hill, was not too bad but still fairly warm all the same.

This morning I went out to have a look at how the garden bed was faring as I had not been out there for... oops about a week. I had not even thought about them. Not having had a veggie garden for so long I am still getting used to actually looking after it.

Went out and had a look at the plants and was soooo surprised that all of them were fine and growing. The soil was a little cool and not dried out at all. When I did water them the water soaked right in. Obviously really good stuff we have in there... Love the stuff.

The corn has not shot up as fast as I would have liked but it is allot later in the season then when we last put it in. At least they have not died. Tomato bushes have a couple of flowers on even. That I liked to see. :) They are cherry tomato so doubt they will make it into the kitchen from when I pick them. I love them so much...

I also checked out how the water chestnuts were doing. Last season I put in 6 corms I think. I never ended up digging them out as the pot dried out and it was like concrete. Anyway beginning of this season it rained a couple of times, not much just enough to cover the soil... And Hey Presto... Stalky leaves started coming up. So now I have more than ever which I am very happy about. I make sure the water is kept up to them and when they are ready to harvest this time I will make sure that there is still water in there as it should be allot easier to get them out. Can't wait to have them. Yummy!!!!

Cheers Damaris

Dad's Birthday Get Together...

Dad and his birthday cake...
My darling husband, Russell...

Most of the family in the pool...

Some of my nephews, and both my boys...

Dad, my sister Martina, my brother Markus and my hubby Russell

In my immediate family, I have the honour of being the eldest of five children. We were born girl, boy, girl, boy, girl. All within 10 years. I used to love going to the same school as all of them. When I was in Year 11 and 12 I had them all with me... Lis, the youngest being in Year 1 and 2. Those times hold very special memories for me. She used to tell kids off and warn them that her BIG sister was coming to beat them up if they weren't nice. hehe Yes I did visit her every morning tea for those two years but not to bash up fellow little kids... lol

Yesterday, most of my brothers and sisters and our extended families got together at my Dad and Stepmum's place for a lovely afternoon tea and swim. It is my Dad's 61st Birthday on Wednesday and so wanted to get together to celebrate not just his but also the ones that we had missed during the year and all the ones in November. There is Ethan's, Marianna's, Christian's, Jordan's and mine. :) The first four are from my youngest brother's family: Mum, Dad and two of their three boys.

Dad loves us all getting together and it was sad not to have my youngest sister Lis and her hubby Phil there too but we will see them for Christmas. She is still up at Boigu Island (few kilometres of PNG) teaching Preps, Year 1 and Year 2. She sure has her work cut out for her. This is her first year there and she only has one more to go and then she may teach somewhere else.

It was so lovely to catch up with everyone and I am so glad that though I was still feeling ill that I made the effort to go. On the way home my headaches came back again and the stomach aches were there too by the time I went to bed. Hope it goes soon. Five days of this is enough already. Today is quite warm but nowhere near as muggy as it was in Brisbane yesterday, thank goodness. Housework needs doing and is calling. Better get going. :)

I hope you enjoy the photos of my family...

Cheers Damaris

Nanna nap and Dinner time...

Yummy dinner....

When Russell came home last Wednesday night he also brought home his mum with him. I love having her stay over as she gets to be apart of our everyday life. She also gets to see us and the kids and we love having her in our lives. Doesn't happen often enough but when it does it is wonderful.

During this last stay she crochet allot, watched Russell and I starting on the cubbyhouse just to name a couple of things. I also enjoyed many cups of coffee with her as well. She got an insight to how things are as last time she was here was Easter this year. I think she was amazed at the change with the added testosterone in the house. I just hope she was not too traumatised by the whole visit. lol

When she comes to stay we make full use of the futon as we don't have a spare room in this house. This means that off course the dogs are going to take full use of that as well. Mum loves having the dogs with her as they keep her company as well as warm. Both are winners in the end as they love her company as well.

Dinner that particular night was Fleischleiberl. That is German for Meat Paddies but I do things like my Grandmother taught me on her many visits from Austria. I add all sorts of things into it and it ends up being moist and delish. Don't ask for the receipe as it is a bit of this and a bit of that. Mostly go by feel and that is just the way I like to cook. I can then substitute as well which is great and I don't feel so restricted in what I add.

Dinner was a yummy affair and Mum loved to watch me over the weekend as she likes to see how I cook and bake in comparison as she used to. Think that was an eye opener as well.

We have kidnapped her for Christmas this year already so will be looking forward to see her again in a short period of time.

Cheers Damaris

Melbourne Cup Luncheon...

Some of the patrons before lunch
Carly taking a photo, Lisa checking her horses in the sweeps...

Last week I had the pleasure of going to the Maryvale Crown Hotel. Yep, another word for the local pub. hehe

I was going to go to the ASD Parent Support Group Cup Lunch but the pub called as I wanted the prawns. lol

So at 11:30am I went down there, picked up a friend and her beautiful little girl and off we went. Met lots of other friend while there and had a wonderful time. Not with all the flies though...

We had a glass of bubbly upon entry and lunch with dessert only cost $15.00 which I think is fantastic. The food was great and so was dessert.

I went in the sweeps. I only ever do that. I don't spend any money at the TAB. There could be too much money to lose plus don't like the crowds anyway. And not doing it online or over the phone. Too easy an access me thinks...

I went into two $2.00 and one $5.00 sweep costing me a grand total of $9.00. I walked away with second prize for one of the $2.00 sweeps and pocketed $14.00. Thought that was pretty good. Was going to spend that at the bar but ended up going home with it and putting it in my piggy bank. Like that idea...

Anyway, a great day was had by all. Thanks Dennis, Josephine and Carla for a great time. :)

Cheers Damaris

Finally a start on our Boys' Cubbyhouse...

Support for the Cubby Floorboards...
Nailing down the boards...35 boards x 10 nails each...

The boys have been very patient. First there was the problem of where to put it together. All the shed room was taken up with hay. Then there was my hand operation which has left me incapable to helping very much at all.

The hay problem is gone. My hand problem not so much but we have the room and that was the main thing. Russell did a great job clearing 1/3 of the shed as the cubby is rather on the large side.

The photos that I have here are only the start, it was all we could get done in a few hours on Saturday. Sunday I really wanted to get back out there but Russell was busily working on a Position Description for a job he was going for in Warwick. He will be home during the week if this job comes through which we are all hoping and praying for.

As Russell is not home during the week, we will be working on the cubby as much as we possibly can but it will take a while I think. So much gets squashed into our weekends already and it only gets harder to do things once the heat comes as well...

The dimensions are 2.4 x 2.4 metres square. There is a little porch area on the front of it. It is elevated 400mm off the ground and the cubby has a patio area also which is 2.4 x 2.4 metres square. So as you can tell by now it will be a while.

I can't wait till it is done though as I envisage a herb garden near by as well as some of Timothy's larger rocks displayed...

Cheers Damaris

Frogs here, Frogs there, Frogs Everywhere...

Joshua being cheeky :)

Over the last week the boys and I knew that the weather was going to turn wet very soon. :) We had 36 and 39 degree temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday and then on Thursday 36 degrees again. Kids were not happy to be at school really. Very hot days for them. No real build up in temperature just mid 20's for weeks before and then such a change. Bit much to take. Would have been hard for allot of elderly around here as well. But at least we don't get the humidity that Brisbane has. The Gap stops that, thank goodness.

At night though when shutting the fowl in we always use a torch as it is already dark at 6:45pm. When we come along the side of the house we always eagerly look to see if there are any frogs about. This week we have been seeing two or three a night on one side of the house alone. We know when we will see them as we hear them from inside before we even go out.

Love the croaking... Joshua off course wants to take a photo of every one of them and have taken photos of some of them this week for him.

The are very good indicators for rain I think. Thursday afternoon soon after the kids were home from school we got a huge hail storm. Hail was fist size to start with and then over an hour period the size reduced from that to 20c pieces. Our cars are not happy, let me say that. You can even see on Brad (my car) where the chunks of ice have hit the windscreen. Was going to get that replaced anyway as with our car insurance you get a free one every year without having to pay the excess. On the bonnet and roof there are probably about 20 dints. Russell says that there goes at least $5000 in resale value. I would like to get it fixed if possible. Who said that Brad was going anywhere anyway :)

We got about 30mm of rain during that night and more yesterday. We have about 8-10cm of room left in both our tanks and then they are totally full. Thank God!!! We are very blessed to have been so frugal with water in the first place but for the water to come down and fill up so much is a true blessing.

Off course the frogs loved the wet and we found them even on the ground hopping around. Cute really... Ducks and geese have also been having a field day.

We are due to have more rain today which is wonderful for the land here, it needs it so badly. Plus my tanks still have a little room. :)

Cheers Damaris

Pig and Calf Experience...

Timothy in heaven, holding a baby...

On Wednesday, Timothy needed to go to the Dental Van in the morning and before that we took three of our roosters to the Pig and Calf in Warwick. It is a place to go to every Wednesday to sell your fowl, pigs, calves, lambs and goats. You can also get all sorts of trash and treasure there as well as the fruit and veg shopping as well as the odd plants. The ice cream truck is there every week as well.

Well took Timothy with me and he was rather sad at seeing the roosters go but we have just too many of them. I said that they would like being on a new farm with lots of girls to jump. lol

While there, we found some lambs. Timothy asked to hold one and was allowed to. He got to hold the youngest one there. It was a week old and loved sucking on his fingers. Even sucked his nose. It was so cute. Had I had my PIC number with me I would have gotten her I reckon. Russell was not happy to hear that.

She was suck a sook. He held her for quite a while and afterwards pronounced that he would not be washing his hands as the feeling had been so nice of her sucking. Needless to say he did... :)

The thing is that they are cute and young for a little while and then they grow up but she really had the cutest face you have ever seen.

Cheers Damaris

New chicks are in the house... dog house that is!

Babies out exploring, seeing what they can peck at...
One having a drink, others trying to escape home...
Mummy showing them how it is done...

Last Thursday and Friday we had six little chicks from 10 eggs. One was a dud and three had started to form but were only in the early stages and then died. I always like to make sure why an egg doesn't hatch to see if there is anything that I can do in the future to prevent it happening again. Can't be helped allot of times with chook eggs though. I realise that but try anyway.

So these little cuties are running around during the day with Mum now. She is soooo good. She clucks at them and teaches them to feed and drink. She calls them constantly and is always looking out for other chooks that might want to peck at them. She is a very good mum.

We have a silkie cross sitting on eggs as well and she is due next Tuesday so will see what she come up with... Will be rather cute to see two mums with their babies. And I must say it is a real relief to not have to have babies in the bathroom... I moved the nesting box and chook with eggs within the first week of her sitting on the eggs as she was up high in the chook house and knew that when the chicks were born they would end up on the floor again so moved everything to a spare dog house and barricaded her in there so that nothing could get to her and the eggs/babies during the night. Nice little safe haven it is for them...

Hope you enjoy the photos.

Cheers Damaris

Lightning, lightning, very very frightening...

Last week we were on our way home from the Dental Van with Timothy and Joshua and we had to stop half way home. There were amazing clouds building up very quickly and we thought that we would not make it home in time before the storm hit. As it was in the end it went another direction and all we got was some rumbling and nothing else. Very disappointed...

We all had fun watching the cloud suck moisture into itself and you could actually see the cloud coming down low. It was so low and amazing to watch. It was soooo black and heavy.

The pictures don't give it justice really but here is an example anyway.

Cheers Damaris

All about Timothy...

Timothy at his computer...

Multiple items must always be in a straight line, be in paperclips, marbles or money...

When I first started this blog I was not sure how much I would go into my private life. I wanted it to be an online diary of sorts for me as I hate having to put pen to paper at the end of a long day. All I want to do at that point is hit my pillow and sleep. I wanted to be able to share with others what we are doing here and wanting to achieve, how we are doing it and how we correct things that may go wrong.

There have been allot of changes around here even just from the beginning of the year. So much has changed. We had another birth, a heifer called Chloe. We had the incubator working on full steam for a while. We planted but lost everything to the calves. The cows and their calves left...

The square foot garden is not working as well as I had hoped. The carrots have died due to heat I presume. The lettuce has gone backwards too. Other than that all else is doing fine. Will put corn in where the carrots were to keep it going. Also found that the dogs love to jump in it as it has allot of manure in it... Naughty doggies. :)

One thing that I wanted to write about also was Timothy and to be able to express how I feel about him having Asperger's Syndrome (AS), Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) and a huge dose of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

It has been a long road from when I first noticed that he was very different from others. He was my first so did not take too much notice when he kept climbing things before attempting to walk. He was always up something. Now a days it could be a tree, roof, tank, whatever as long as it is up. I asked him once why he does it and he says that it is quieter up high. You see he can't block out white noise like 'normal' people. Another reason why I take him shopping as little as possible. The lights in shopping centres drive him to distraction. Going down isles he can smell the pasta, sauces, everything. Don't try to take him down the cleaning isle, it will not work...

His heightened sense of touch, taste and smell is amazing as well as frustrating at times. If I am to make Spaghetti Bolognaise he can only have the pasta and mince with nothing on it. How boring you might think but if he has the sauce he will say straight away that it is 'too tasty'. He always HAS to smell whatever he is about to eat or drink. Getting the right toothpaste has been an absolute nightmare. I have tried them all on him. We have finally settled on the baby toothpaste. It has no mint and doesn't hurt his taste buds.

Showering or having a bath has to be really hot usually, even in summer. He can't control his body temperature so I end up washing hot and cold clothes all year with him. There will be ice outside and he will be in his boxers jumping on the trampoline or it will be really hot and he goes to school with beanie, jumper and long pants... It is amazing to watch. You touch him and he really is the opposite. Off course he feels fine so gets cross at me if I put cool clothes in his school bag. They have to be snuck into school.

His hearing is what gets to me most times. He can't stand the radio on and at night I am trying to get him used to relaxation music. He likes it sometimes but other times, such as when he has had a bad day, it is not very useful at all. He uses his earmuffs quite allot at school as well as at home. Sometimes he wears them for just a little while, other times like during the last school holidays, he will wear them all day. Sometimes he is allot more sensitive than other times. I just need to make sure I pick up on the cues. Funny thing is I am so much more like him now, can't stand the music on, like it quiet, the less movement the better. All because I have had to change for him to be able to cope, now I am getting that way too...

At school and at home he is a little policeman. He can't stand it that others don't do as they are told (even though he can take his own sweet time doing as he is being told...) and if just one little thing goes wrong during his day it will most likely cause nightmares that night and still be the topic of conversation the next day. He just can't let go... Mountains out of mole hills, that's for sure.

He is loving being integrated into Warwick State High School Support Unit during this last semester of Year 7. He goes there for part of the day every second Tuesday. He has a school buddy now and has lunches there which is rather overwhelming. He is coping with the afternoon bus ride home well at this point as well. He gets home about 4:10pm so it ends up being a long day for him. Next year he will be leaving at 7:10am so it will be even longer... Will see how it all goes.

His obsessions for a long time have been three things: Chickens, Dogs and Rocks/Gems. It is amazing how much he knows on his subjects and how he bonds with them Chooks :) The chickens and dogs are very interesting. He will go out to the chooks, give them water and sit amongst them telling him about his day or what might be bugging him. He speaks to them as though they are humans. When one dies he grieves like it was his best friend. He relates to the chickens as you and I would relate to people. It is sometimes really bazaar to watch. I am glad that he has them as they are an outlet for him. I feel so sad for him that his Poppy passed away in May. He is still not over her. None of us are...

One problem that I have been having this semester is that he has made it perfectly clear that he goes to school to learn and home is for relaxing, hibernating and chilling and not for more schoolwork ie. homework. He can't understand that he needs to do it at home when he has done it at school already. On the other hand he is also being difficult at school not wanting to be in Primary School anymore as he has had a taste of High School. Can't win at the moment but am not pushing it as if I do it will only make a mountain out of a mole hill and that is soooo not worth it. I know what battles to pick most of the time and that is not one of them.

A bone of contention in this house is also his room. He gets things out and puts them on the floor, computer desk or on his bed and then off course they can't be touched as he has put them there for a reason. There is a whole heap of pillows all along the edge of his bed as well for comfort but also for him to feel safe. His room is a total mess most of the time which I can't stand but don't know how to get around that one. Might put it in with his chores. Have tried that before and off course he says that they are there because they need to be but can't tell me why.

Jobs that must be done in the mornings are put in a list form and are stuck to his door as well as in the kitchen. That way I don't have to repeat about what needs to be done and when. Keeps the peace allot more in the mornings. I am really glad that we have it. I also monthly menu plan so he always knows what is going to be for dinner. Sometimes that changes at the last minute but he is able to cope better then.

Sleepovers is one thing that doesn't happen. He might have a friend stay here but he is not invited over to their place. That hurts him allot as he sees Joshua staying over other kids' places and he doesn't get asked along. Respite, once every three/four months is about all the break that he or the rest of the family gets. I take that with both hands and that is where he is this weekend. They cater for him and the other clients so well there. Usually there are outings everyday that he is there... Be it bowlling, fishing or going to the park with a picnic. It takes a bit to get him there as he doesn't like being without his computer and that whole other non communicative world but once he is there he always has a great time :)

OK, I think that is enough for today on my little man. All in all, yes it is very hard most of the time but I wouldn't have it any other way. He has stretched me in ways I never thought possible and has taught me about so many things and he is only 12. I wonder what the next 12 years have in store for me???

Cheers Damaris