Meet the Chicken Whisperer...

Russell the Chicken Whisperer...

As I mentioned earlier this week, Joshua hurt himself riding his bike to school. Well this means that while the arms and hip and legs are healing it is left to Russell and I to put the chooks and ducks away at night time.

Well for the last few nights that is just what we have been doing and last night capped it off. Here is Russell crouched down looking under the chook house telling the chooks to please come out and one by one they all did. I couldn't believe it. It was amazing. One by one...

Same with the ducks, he just shone the touch to where he wanted them to go and all 11 of them just did what they were meant to... they went to bed. :)

The first night he didn't even need to do that, he just talked to them and the ducks went into their night cage. It is amazing to watch I must say.

He joked last night and said: "What am I now, the chicken whisperer????" I might just add that this is not a chore that he likes to do but does it because he has to at the moment... When we got inside he was rather proud of himself and told Joshua straight away what had happened.

He is a keeper I reckon... :)

Cheers Damaris

Another square foot garden bed...

Lovely ingredients for the next garden bed...

During the week, Russell and I put together another garden bed. The first one is doing OK but there are definitely things that I would change for this time around. One is always learning and I wouldn't want to stop ever. I love to find out what I can change to make things even better. :)

In the first bed we have corn, zucchini, tomato, flowers and rockmelon. I transplanted the rosemary as it was not happy where it was. It is still limping along in its new position. The corn bolted but only grew to about 30cm high. The tomato bushes are too large for their squares. I planted four from memory and that is way too many... The two zucchini plants are crowded but doing OK. The rockmelon is trying to grow but not going too well.

I was watering every second day unless it rained and then it gave me a break for that day. I have come to the conclusion that I really do need to give them a little each day. That way the corn would not have done what it did I believe. There is a crowding issue as well. Less plants and more light so more growing being done. The second garden bed is not as tall as the first so that will be better also. The quantity in the first and second is the same but the first has allot higher walls on it.

We will be planting out seeds this weekend to see how we go with spacing this time. All in all we are having very rewarding experiences and are writing them down this time. Previously we were just going with the flow and whatever worked did. From now we are more determined to itemise what is working and how we changed things around. That can only help us grow in our knowledge as well as successes...

Cheers Damaris

Great start to the School year, not...

Cass and David attending to Joshua...

First day of school went really well for both the boys... They had a wonderful day... Yesterday Timothy got off to the bus fine and had a great day again. Didn't find any money though and that summed up his day for him. Could have been better... lol

Joshua left early at about 7.30am to go and meet up with four other friends from school and they were to all go together. Love it how they organise that and are able to just meet up together. Wouldn't be able to do it so easily in the city that's for sure.

About 7.45am heard this almighty: "Mum, Dad, someone HELP ME!!" I raced outside to see what was going on and here he was coming up the driveway with his bike. Helmet still on crying his heart out...

He had been flying down the bitumen road and put out his foot to slow down, well he did slow down but first went over the handlebars and took a whole lot of skin off. His left arm swelled up straight away so I immediately thought that it was broken. It looked terrible. He would only let us wash one of the wounds and as we couldn't move him we ended up calling the Ambulance.

They arrived about 1/2 hour later and Officer David and Cass helped out heaps. They cleaned all the wounds and dressed them. They took his temperature, blood pressure etc, checked his spine and head for injuries. None were sighted. The helmet was not even scratched from the fall.

We went to the Warwick Hospital and there they took XRays, checked him over fully again and recleaned and redressed all the wounds and put his arm in a sling. No broken bones. Truly a miracle.

Joshua was discharged from Hospital just after 11am and off course wanted to go to school. I put my foot down and said: "No". You need a rest baby... And that he did. He slept allot of the afternoon and watched some DVD's.

He ended up sleeping on the couch as it is bigger than his bed and let him have allot more room. He had some painkillers this morning just to tide him over for school and right now is waiting for me in the car. Has been at me since 7.30am to go to school... Best get going. Thank God for no serious injuries. He can't do sports for two weeks but that is a small price to pay. Oh, and he is getting a bigger bike...

Cheers Damaris

Australia Day fun...

Playing Cricket outside the pub...

We had spent the whole day home just the four of us. Was a Tuesday so as usual in the late afternoon I always clean out and top up water for the chooks and ducks as Wednesday is No Electricity Day which means I give the bore a break for one day.

Just about to finish and a friend calls from the local Maryvale Crown Hotel... What was I doing and why was I not down there celebrating Australia Day with them all... I was watering and about to go inside and enjoy the lovely dinner that Russell had cooked for us all. Arranged to go down for a drink after dinner instead. That kept the troops happy. :)

Went down with Joshua. One of this little friends was having their birthday the next day and Joshua had to go to his Pre Op appointment first up so he wanted to wish his friend Happy Birthday a little early.

Well we all ended up playing Cricket on the road in front of the pub. It was great fun. There were heaps of locals there and everyone had a go. Joshua asked me to have a go so I did. I even made contact with the ball twice... hehe

It was nice to spend time with everyone but also very nice to go home again as well. Once there we just kept doing our normal routine of shutting in the chooks and ducks and going to bed. The next day was the First day of School. That was very exciting indeed...

Cheers Damaris

First Day of School for 2010...

Timothy in his new uniform, waiting for the school bus...

Yesterday was a huge day in our home, not only was Joshua going off to school on his own but also that Timothy was starting Year 8. High School... How did that happen so quickly???

I had been fretting quite a bit about it all, especially as the holidays drew to a close. He is 13 next Sunday but still so young. The questions... Would he be OK? Could he cope? Would he make friends? Would others think him different and treat him accordingly? Will he cope with the long day, especially the trips on the bus morning and afternoon...

He came home yesterday afternoon and stated he had had a fantastic day... He found 3 x 5 cent pieces and one 20 cent piece. He was wrapped. Kids called him a scab. He had no idea what that meant. He asked a kid that he said looked nice and didn't care about the meaning. He was determined to get the money. hehe Russell said he would be rich by the time he left school at this rate. That notion pleased Timothy no end. :)

Joshua didn't get to go to school first up as he had his Pre Op appointment at the Hospital. He is having a procedure done called: Resection of the Turbinates. Some of the filters in his nose are being cut out... Not a pretty picture and normally only done with adults but he really needs this done. The operation was to have been done on Friday but he has been moved from the Registrar list to the Specialist list. The top head honcho is looking after him apparently. It should be done within the next month. He loved the rest of his day though.

All in all the boys had a fantastic day. I am relieved that it went so well for Timothy but am still in the dark about allot of things. This will change as we get to know what happens at the school. Is certainly very different from when I went to High School. Mind you that was 1984-88...

Cheers Damaris

Love the toes...

Photo taken after my most recent Pedicure...

When I was on Straddie with my two sisters we all got some toe rings. Something I had wanted to do with them for a while now and was the perfect opportunity. :)

The silver bent very easily though so I wanted to find some 9ct gold ones that I could always wear and not worry about them falling off or changing shape.

Well at the moment our local Prouds has up to 50% off all their lines, including toe rings. They are refurbishing and will close down for a month from middle of February. I went in there to see what range they had and found two lovely ones. I love them to bits. And no longer worry about losing them. :) Added bonus. 1/2 price, you can't complain about that hey? Especially when it is my own pocket money. hehe

Cheers Damaris

Dream come true, literally...

My new stud. Happy girl...

At the Allora Show, February 2009, I met a lovely couple that had a stall at the show selling earrings, studs, you name it. The boys loved going to the stall for the Pokemon cards that they were so into at the time. Only $2.00 per packet where as in Big W or the like you pay around $6.00 for the same packet size.

It is the place where I get my nose studs from. I can't wear the normal ones that you get in the shops. The ones that have the bend at the end as the inside of my nose just swells up like anything and it gets rather sore. I get the ones that have the little ball at the end. That way my nose can really breathe and it doesn't fall out. I can't even feel it.

I know, Why on earth would I have a nose stud??? Well it is something that I have wanted for a long time. Just something that was different and it brings out the rebel in me. The one that says, hey this is me, like it or lump it. The rest of me is innocent really. lol

I had a golden sleeper in it for the P!NK concert in July last year but didn't have any of the rods to put back into it so have been wearing the sleeper since then. I had lost the other one when at the local pool. It dropped into the pool and there was no way to find it again... My dad keeps threatening to put a rope on it and lead me around... Yeah right!

Anyway, I had been after the rods forever, or so it seemed. I had searched everywhere. Every time I went to a Beauty, Piercing or Jewelery Shop I would ask if they had them. Each time the answer was NO. I had even had dreams of the couple selling me a whole heap to keep me going till the next time that I would see them. I seriously dreamt about them. How weird is that???

Last week I went to Warwick and what do you know... I found them at the main Shopping Centre. I bought 17 of them. All with lovely little stones in them. They are made out of surgical steel as well so will not rust or tarnish. I am soooo happy and have been wearing it ever since. The array of colours is lovely too. Didn't take any of the emerald coloured ones though. Not my colour and not what I wear so stuck to pinks, blues, clears. That sort of thing. Cheap as too. Glad I caught them as they are not going to Allora Show this year. They will be in Stanthorpe for their Show next weekend though...

Needless to say I have their business card and a detailed description of what I bought so that I can order over the net or phone from now on and never run out again. hehehe

Cheers Damaris

Pampering time...

Margaret getting her pedicure done...
Love my nails being done for me. :)

It is Margaret's Birthday next week and she came up for the night last night I so thought we would pamper ourselves. We went and both got Pedicures done. In our main shopping centre in Warwick, a nail and feet salon has just moved in and they are very reasonably priced. Love spoiling Margaret. She soooo deserves it. :)

Was also funny to find out that the lady that owned the shop was from Springfield and so was one of the girls and the other two were from Inala. They all travel in one car from their homes each day... Told them it would be cheaper to rent and stay for the week... Springfield is where our little family has come from so it was nice talking about familiar landmarks... made me think back... Oh soooo long ago... How far we have come...

Anyway Singstar is calling and so are my boys. Love having time out with them. :)

Cheers Damaris

Solar Electricity has Arrived...

My beautiful new panels...

Wednesday just gone was a very important day in our lives, well mine anyway... I always get really excited about these things... hehe

After all the researching, putting in for the quote and paperwork, waiting for the Government to approve my $8000, doing the 'over the phone' survey about placement of panels and getting the installers out here... It started back in April 2009 and as of 20 January 2010 I am the proud owner of a 1.1KwH Solar Electricity system. It is on my roof and working big time.

The installers got here just on 1:30pm and were finished with the whole job by 3:30pm. The roof was pleasure to work on apparently. Nice and easy. This also means that I am only out of pocket $300 in total and the panels are already making the Electricity Meter run backwards... Even though the panels ended up on the Western side of the house, due to Solar Hot Water panels taking up too much room on the Northern side, the panels are still doing their thing even at 8:15am which I find fantastic. Keep working babies - you have a long job ahead of you. hehe

Ergon now has to come out and install a new meter apparently so that they can tell exactly what my unit is producing and putting back into the grid. From now on I intend to do washing during the day when the solar is working as I might as well reduce my usage, seeing the meter running the opposite to normal and still getting clean clothes... Will try it out with cooking and baking as well. Love running out there and watching the meter. I know lame... But oh sooooo much fun... Doing my bit, that is how I look at it. And loving it. :)

Cheers Damaris

Meeting the Candidates...

Some of the candiates on stage before addressing the audience...

Last night I went with Carly to the Warwick RSL to meet the candidates that are all going for one position in Southern Downs Regional Council. Bev Shelley has left due to illness which I am sad about as she was very effective in her position and very approachable.

Eight of the nine were there last night and all had three minutes each to give us reasons why we should vote for them in the postal vote that closes 30 January 2010. Then it was question time from the floor. Very good questions there were too. Some not so clever... It gave me a good overview of what they each believed in and how effectively they would be able to do the job.

Mind you there is only 18 months until the next election anyway. I just wish there was the opportunity to have more of a shake up than just one new position but a few more... We will have our chance I guess in 18 months. Until then we will see what happens.

I am glad I had the opportunity to go and am glad that the local 'Free Times' put it on. Onya mate!!!

Cheers Damaris

Pay it forward...

Huge, Perfect and YUMMMMM

When I first came here I really wanted to start something... I wanted this community to share things. It was a dream of mine to have plenty of produce from my garden and to be able to take some excess and leave it at people's doorstep without anyone knowing it was from me. Just a little Hello from me but only me knowing I had said it.

I would also love to get a plot of council land and get that going as a community garden for people to have an input in growing veggies and fruit organically and then having a share in its harvest. Another way to get the community to grow together and younger to learn from older, that sort of thing.

Another dream is for a monthly Disco for the youngens, done at the Community Hall. Twice yearly Markets are up and running now so that is an achievement for our community as well. Proceeds go to local community associations. Love it, love it all.

Anyway back to the Pay It Forward... Last Friday when I went to Margaret's house I got home and there on the kitchen bench was a bag full of huge, and I mean huge Cherry Tomatoes. There must have been 40 or 50 of them. I was curious...

Russell had said that he was on the phone as he is working from home on a Friday and his connection was not working from work end but he heard someone saying something but he couldn't get out there in time to see who was there... When he did get out to the front door there was no one there but a little parcel of yummy things left for us...

I have an idea who they were from and I must say that I immensely enjoyed eating them. Yep, most of the ended up in my mouth. I remembered today that I had actually intended to keep a couple and plant them but alas they are already gone. Oh they were soooo yummy.

I can't wait for mine to ripen on my bush, that will be another few weeks and then I can do the same to someone else... woohoo... The intrigue, I love it. Others will hopefully join me and then it will really get going within this community... I will have my boys with me so they can also enjoy the feeling of giving without expecting anything in return. Joshua especially is busting to do it. :)

Imagine the intrigue and the rumours flying around... What a nice thing to talk about...

Cheers Damaris

Visiting time...

My Margaret doing washing after their camping trip...
James and his marblerun, a gift made by Russell. :)

Last Friday I packed my two boys into the car, along with Christmas Presents and we set off to visit a very close friend of mine and her two boys. Margaret only lives just over an hour away from me but we don't see each other anywhere near as much as we used to. Funny how we met...

I was waiting at the school gate for my boys to come out of school and was talking to someone. They left and then I saw Margaret there and said 'Hello'. That was the end of that and the start of a beautiful friendship. This included visits to each other's homes each week helping with cleaning, decluttering and keeping each other company. We have certainly been through a whole lot and am sure a whole lot more to come.

Margaret has two boys, Dylan who is two days younger than Joshua and James who is in Grade 4 this year at a local Special School. He is non verbal Autistic and finds it very hard to communicate. There is a little sign language there but not allot. He is also very gentle and loves to gives hugs and kisses if he knows you well. When we were still living in Brisbane I got to know him very well and I know that he knows that I love him very much. He is hard to understand but I try really hard to make the time to try and see his world through his eyes. It is very difficult for the family I am sure to not be able to properly communicate with him.

It makes me very appreciative of what I have with Timothy. I know we have our difficult times each day but nothing in comparison to what Margaret goes through all the time. And with very little help. She has a lovely border that stays with her and helps out allot and I know she would be lost without that person but she has noone from her family, no services that help. I do wish that I was closer for that reason alone. I do miss her and her boys very much I must say...

We had a lovely long visit on Friday and I didn't want to leave. I ended up leaving when I knew she would have to end up getting dinner on for the boys but just really wanted to stay just a little longer.

The boys are with their father for the next couple of weeks so I have invited her and she has accepted to come out to our place for me to pamper her for a few days. I am so happy that she took me up on that offer. I can't wait for her to get here... Mud masks here we come. :)

Cheers Damaris

Oh how they grow so quickly...

Keets and chicks as of today...

I was gone for one week at Straddie, all eleven chicks hatched while I was gone. No sorry, one did wait for me... hehe

The chicks and keets are all in together at the moment but will need separating soon enough. The container is not large enough to hold them all. There are five keets and eleven chicks in total. I have the light off during the day as they don't need the extra heat. At night Timothy is the first at night to turn the light back on.

They are certainly growing quickly... They go through allot of feed as well. The water is changed twice sometimes three times a day as they like to scratch up the woodshavings. So cute to watch them 'at work'.

I hope there are move chooks than roosters though. Next week I have to take another three bantam roosters. One of my Belgian's is getting a little of a beating from all the boys. Her feathers are sooo sad looking. Need that rectified for her.

I tried also unsuccessfully to get Chuck another Daisy last week but not one goose was for sale. Hope there is one there for him next week instead. Or maybe two???? Have another chook sitting on more eggs as well so will see in a couple of weeks how many that will bring us again...

Cheers Damaris

My Holiday...

Straddie, what a view...
Resident dolphins visiting...

Food, glorious food...

Tina with one of her three catches...

Amity Point on sunset, glorious...

What a view...

Our latest addition...

Last Monday, my two sisters Tina and Lis went with me on a holiday that we do regularly... We go camping together, just the three of us, on North Stradbroke Island. The ferry takes just under an hour to get us there and then we usually go straight to the camp site, set up and go eat.

Yes these holidays are all about eating, talking, relaxing, sleeping, reading and more eating... hehe

We got to have our usual site again right on the beach front which we didn't think we would seeing it is in the middle of Summer holidays. We were very lucky. Someone had cleared out half an hour before us and no one else had spotted the gem yet. Then we arrived and claimed it as ours. The tent went up quickly and then we unloaded the car.

Usually we only stay two nights and have been doing this every year or so for the last seven years but this time we stayed five nights and how wonderful that was. We had time to relax and really enjoy it. Previously we would just unwind and then have to get going again. Not fun. We have decided that from now on it is a five night or longer stay. Sounds excellent to me... I must say that is has been wonderful to also have such supportive husbands at home who look after our kids while we are away on respite.

Our days didn't consist of allot of hard work, allot of shopping for kids and sisterly things. We all got a plaque that has a lovely verse on it. We also all got toe rings and we got a tattoo. Every time that we get together, our extended family now know that we do something to our bodies. Previously it was a tattoo on our lower back, ear piercing, belly button piercing, etc. This time it was a tattoo again. It is on the inside of our left wrists and is a set of three pink and yellow frangipani. We love them as we designed the tattoo ourselves as well. They are currently healing and will look fantastic in about a week once all the healing is done. Mine is also a little swollen but not much.

All in all we had a fantastic time. There was allot of sharing, more so than ever before. We spoke openly and I know that I learned allot about my two younger sisters. I must say that I am extremely proud of them both. They are both going through allot at the moment but the are so positive and know that this storm is only for a little while in the grand scheme of things.

I am very thankful to Russell and the boys that I was able to go with a total peace of mind. The boys had a ball together, seeing a movie as well as going to the Pottery club last Saturday. Can't wait to see their creations. :) When walking in the door I noticed straight away that the house was tidy and looked so inviting. I also noticed that Russell made the bed just for me. Love you Darling. :)

Speaking honestly, I can say that today I am totally relaxed and am so thankful for the wonderfully relaxing time that I had. Can't wait for the next time. Wonder what we are getting done then... Any ideas Tina??? Lis??? :)

Cheers Damaris

Our latest Babies... Keets

Our five keets...

OK one more quick post as they will be so big in a week by the time I get back and wanted to show you our new babies... They are keets. Baby Guinea fowl.

When I bought Guineafus our male his three ladies, they laid five eggs within the first three days of being here. I knew that there were males at their previous home so turned them for two days and then set them in the incubator. Did the same as chook eggs, turning twice a day, sometimes even forgetting.

We put five eggs in there and guess what??? We got five keets out of it. Woohoo. 100% hatching. Never had that before, ever... We left them in the incubator till they were dry and moved the first four to their new home with the light, food and water. They are soooo skittish that we could not even catch them to show them how to feed and drink... They taught themselves thank goodness. The last one, the light coloured one was out two days later and a little wobbly when we first put it in with the others as they had found their feet already. But now they are all happy together and there is no picking on anyone at all.

They are lovely to watch. So cute. Don't look like their grown up Mums at all... That will come with time.

Cheers Damaris

Square Foot Gardening update...

Zucchini plants taking over...
Corn not tall but already forming small cobs...

It has been a while since I have mentioned the garden bed so thought I would take that opportunity today... Went out there yesterday and took a couple of photos as we have had constant on and off rain here for the last three weeks.

I have not had to do any watering at all during that time... The rain has been doing that for me. It was not growing too crash hot at first off course as we were rather late in the season to be starting and the heat was right on us. There is off course also no shade at all as we have not bushes or trees as yet. So they were suffering a little.

Now, the zucchini has taken off, all three plants are huge and the veggies are coming on as well... The cherry tomatoes are starting to form after a huge load of flowers came and went. The corn has bolted and the plant is tiny but is already producing corn. I will not be planting this again. Too much water is needed for corn and the early heat in its life cycle stunted its growth. The carrots didn't survive as I mentioned before. The flowers I put in didn't fair well either. The rosemary was moved as it was in way too much shade from the zucchini plants. The rockmelon is still there and tentacles are coming so hopefully it will keep growing up and over the edge and spill over that way.

Lessons learnt: Well I will not be putting in three zucchini again... One maybe two and only one in each four squares. They need allot of room and being in that beautiful growing medium means that they are even bigger growers... I am in the process of emptying my freezers at the moment as I will be making allot of zucchini slice, meatballs with zucchini etc in a very short period of time. I was tempted to get the first one yesterday but left it as it could do with another day or two on the plant. In future I will plant a rosemary but not in the garden bed but rather near it so it has a chance to grow and attract the bees that are so needed for pollination. Corn will also not be grown. I am thinking about maze though as it freezes really well also for future use.

Russell and I are sitting down together so see which seeds of ours are still viable and what we need to order from Green Harvest to ensure that we have a great rate of germination in the new greenhouse too. Will be interesting how that all goes.

OK, so this is my last post until next Sunday. I am off to Straddie and will not have access to the Internet at all. I am going on respite with my two sisters which has been planned for over a year now so am really looking forward to it. So off I go and pack Brad (my car)... :)

Cheers Damaris

Reflection time and 2010...

It is amazing that the year is now already 2010. Where has the last year gone? What have I achieved? Have I done what I wanted to? These are the questions that I ask myself today...

We have done allot in the last twelve months. Everything from milking our own heifer for the first time to watching another birth. Numerous chicks hatching and some not... Boys grades going up and up and Russell working four days a week only to be home more. I also worked more regularly and my bosses ended up with Carer's Queensland Employer of the Year 2009. That was certainly a highlight.

We also increased our chook numbers somewhat and got rid of roosters that we didn't need. We also had a heap of ducks join our family. Two of the drakes will go soon to the Pig and Calf to be re homed. Few more roosters have to go as well yet. All in good time.

This year also saw Timothy finish Primary School and integrate into High School and the Special Education Unit. It saw Joshua finish off with counselling at one place and he is about to start with another.

Towards the end of the year, Russell ended up going back to full time work but working that one day a week from home. So nice to have him home but not. If you know what I mean. :)

Me, I have settled more here... At the begging I wanted to do everything within the community but soon realised that you just can't do it all. I have stepped back from QCPCA (governing body of P&C at School) but still helped out with Carer's Queensland and the Family Collective. The ASD Group in Warwick is still very much apart of my life and I have become firm friends with many there.

I must say that as this year starts I feel at peace. I am busy but not too busy. If I need a nanna nap then I take it. I am there to be as good a person as I can be and be there for when someone needs me but am able to take time out for me as well at the same time. The balance is good right now and I hope it stays that way.

Yes this year will be interesting. Joshua at Primary School all by himself, Timothy in High School, Russell still working from home. But it will all be good. I am very happy about last year, allot of growing was done. This year will be just as great I think. This I can only hope and pray for. We hope to grow alot more of our own food as well. Trees in the orchard have not done well in the recent heat waves that we have had, even with the rain we have had for the last three weeks. But our tanks are full to the rim and the grass can be heard growing and stretching at the moment. :)

Cheers Damaris

Peaceful days...

Oh the tranquility...
Joshua with the thumbs up. He was having a ball...

Can you spot Joshua??? View down from the blanket...

When Timothy was in respite with Bluecare just before Christmas, Joshua and I took the opportunity to go to our local National Park and check it out. We went via Gladfield and took the windy road seeing lots of cows and sights that we only ever see from the other side of the hill. Was great to check it all out. We have been here now for just over two years and had still not been...

It took us about an hour of driving as most of the end journey was rather slow. The cattle was all over the road and you basically had to wait for them to move out of your way to keep going... There are lovely places to camp at the end and there are also lovely picnic areas and trail walking that could be done. 4WD's are catered for also...

Joshua and I didn't go and have our picnic lunch in the usual places though. There were two creeks that we had to cross to get to the end so we chose the second one that we came across. I ensured that I parked off the road and we took our picnic blanket and food with us and had our lunch. Joshua had a go at trying to find some yabbies but had no luck. Never mind maybe next time. :)

I ended up lying down on the blanket and it was so peaceful next to the road there with the sound of the water hitting the rocks and the breeze going through the trees and making old leaves drop on you that I nearly fell asleep. In total there were three cars that drove by in the time that we were there.

Then on our return home we stopped at the first creek that we came across. It was too much fun with the water running across the road to not stop. So Joshua skipped rocks and I nearly fell over on the slippery road. Then the rain came and we ended up going home.

All in all a fantastic day and a place where we are going to again once I get back from my week's holiday in North Stradbroke Island. I can't wait. I leave with my two sisters on Monday and don't get back till the Saturday night, very late...

Cheers Damaris