Opal polishing...

Tim's learning more and more... He loves to get wet in the process! I'm in awe of the care, gentleness and patience Eric is showing Tim, as he teaches him what to do to have a piece come up looking shiny...

Who knows where this adventure will take him. Being his own boss? Out in the middle of nowhere polishing rocks and selling them? Who knows... But the life skills he's learning are wonderful to watch. His patience and persistence has improved... 

So blessed to have wonderful people around Tim!

Blessings,

Decluttering...

More stuff to go... Can't wait to give all of this away on Tuesday... It's all going to a lovely lady, Kerry, that I've met through my local Peer Support Group meetings. She has a little shop near Stanthorpe, selling second hand goods. These are all in great nick, if not excellent condition and will help her with her boy Blake allot. 

I have a friend from my village that's donating things to her also. That's going to be a separate visit straight to the shop.

Feeling blessed to be able to help. Feeling blessed to have less stuff ;) It's amazing how easily stuff can creep into a home sometimes... It's quite an eye opener... So much left to do... One step at a time...

Blessings,

Learners!!!

Tim's learners came in the mail yesterday ;)

He's over the moon and I'm having to tell everyone that'll listen!

Cutie... So proud of you Tim... Now to get him behind a wheel... Hehe

Blessings,

Relief???

Eczema is something that Tim has had most of his life. It used to cover an area from halfway down his back to his toes.

The last three years or so it is only under and around his toes... It gets very itchy and sore to the point where his feet bleed...

Cortisone cream is something he has had during the worst times of the eczema. We have been at this point for a while, where he's on the strongest cream on the pharmaceutical market... It's not something I want him on as I know it plays up with his immune system.

I'm hoping this will help. I've also started doing Photonic Therapy with Tim. It was one of the hardest things to do, putting the creams somewhere where Tim can't find them. That would only make the Photonic Therapy nil and void otherwise... This Has to work... It just has to...

Blessings,

Happy Birthday, Ellen...

She's one of our local treasures and today she's 94!

We had a cake last Tuesday at Craft and there'll be another next week, just for good measure. Next week we're celebrating Marlene's 80th Birthday also...

Love Ellen to bits and love to listen to her life journey... Such wisdom, such friendship... Yep, I'm totally blessed...

Blessings,

Step Four...

The unwrapping of my wrist has been done. I've been going really well with the eight excercises I have to do four times a day too.

I'm loving the extent to which I can move my wrist :)

Onward and upward I say!

Blessings,

Yesterday, when I unwrapped my wrist...

Today...

Weird egg...

Picked this up and it has the most brittle shell out. It's slightly dry too and it changes shape as you move the shell about... Weird as...

Blessings,

Clever Lad...

Josh got his Certificate today and it also gives him an extra QCE (Qld Cerificate of Education) point! Woohoo, well done Josh!

Blessings,

Step Three...

Went to the Hand Clinic today and finally got to see my surgeon's handy work...

Not only did he cut the sheath to give the tendons more room but he also put in a block for my nerve to the thumb. 

I have plenty of exercises to do till I see them again in 1.5 weeks. The surgeon I see tomorrow in a week. I can't wait to show him how much more movement I have :)

Pressure bandage has gone back on. Looking forward to Wednesday. Will be able to get wound wet and massage cream into scar. Internal stitches are so much easier ;)

Blessings,

I can nearly see it!!!

A bit of bruising and some lovely stitch work done...

Bottom of photo shows where the nerve block was done... 

Step Two...

Saturday, I get operated on on my hand...

Monday afternoon, I take a stroll outside and roll my right ankle and seriously sprain my right ankle...

Elevated for 24hrs! Still can't put any weight on it at all. Painkillers for my wrist are not even working in my ankle. Russell rings 13Health and the nurse advises ringing an ambulance and getting X-rays...

We reluctantly ring, they get me in no time and I'm at the hospital by 7:30pm. By 8:35pm, I'm on the ward for the night, waiting to have my ankle X-rayed in the morning, as I can still not out any weight on it at all...

This morning, 9am X-rays are taken. This afternoon, I'm told there is no fracture but a severe sprain. Unless I can get around by myself, they won't let me home... Me, I'm determined to go home...

Am now guarded by crutches as well as a wheelchair! My left upper leg is so sore as its getting such a workout. I'm learning to shuffle well... And at this point my ankle is more painful than my wrist! Go figure... I just hope and pray I can drive by 17.3.15, when I'm supposed to get back to work...

Note to self... Next time do it in opposites so that balancing is not so hard...  Hand clinic must be seen to on Friday with wheelchair... Should be an interesting outing...

Blessings,

My yummy lunch... Delish!

Ready for home...

My new constant companion...

Tomatoes...

I was blessed with some green tomatoes this week at Homegroup... They're ripening up nicely...

Nothing like homegrown food...

Blessings, 

Step One...

Mater Private took great care of me yesterday, when I had day surgery for my wrist. The cut is apparently about 15cm horizontally and then there are two 5cm vertical cuts on the ends too. 

I went in at 7:30am and left at 5pm... My painkillers work well though not lasting very long.

I have a post op appointment next Saturday, when my bandages get taken off. I then also get to finally see what was done. Unfortunately no peeking till then. I'm able and allowed to wiggle the tips of my fingers for the week and Saturday I get lots of exercises to do as part of my physiotherapy to regain full use of my right hand.

This first stage is completed and I look forward to being able to have the full use of my right hand back. Feel blessed to have three helpers today... And my cowbell is coming in handy, not that I've used it but once :)

Blessings,

Declutter...

I have done more... More of my clothes, mats, bedsheets and towels. Feels great to have it gone...

Can't wait to deliver it to the Op shop :) Looking at the rest of the house again... Still sooooo much 'stuff'... Boys rooms are next I think ;)

Blessings,

Plums, plums and more plums...

Scored 4kg of the lovely things... Got straight to work and ended up with 6 big jars of plum jam!!!

Yummy... Have given some away and others are stored for later ;)

So thankful to beautiful people in my community for their generous hearts and beautiful souls... So blessed...

RIP Ron...

He was our dear Neighbour... He'd collect the egg cartons for us and we'd fill them with our eggs... H'd bless us with a jar of his delectable honey... He welded our trampoline more than once and fixed the tractor. Russell created a spreadsheet for easy recording of shooting competitions made at his gun club... He knew last Birthday, as we sang it to him as a family, that it would be his last...

We're missing him, seeing his ute go up his drive, hearing his Blue Heeler Bronco barking... At least Bronco only lives down the road now. He's settling in with his new family...

It was a lovely turnout for his service. He was loved and treasured, that's for sure... Now his properties are being made ready for selling... I'm going to miss not waving to him as I drive up my driveway... So glad I had the honour of being next door, even if only a handful of years...

Blessings,

This is what you get...

This is what makes up a 12g egg... So little, so cute. Haven't had an egg from Gandalph for a while and her hernia is still there but she's no worse for wear, thank goodness...

This egg went into a soggy cake :)

Blessings,

Calamari!!!

Love my dates with my boys... This time, Josh and I asked for a dozen and scored 14. More to split between us and will pay for the other two when I go back next month :)

Very blessed that both my boys love our date time too :)

Blessed...

Little visitor...

Josh showed this little darling to me after I got home from home church... It was sitting outside one of the kitchen windows... Couldn't resist, had to take a photo or two... ;)

Blessings,

Date time...

Tim couldn't move after this lunch... 

It once again was a great date... Love spending time with him and treasure the time I have left with him... Tim is moving ever so fast...

Blessings,

Ouch, the Chicken & Corn Soup boiling...

Yummy food...

Day before his 18th Birthday... Love our dates...

Paintball pain...

These are Russell's welts...

Pain plus! Tim has one and Josh a couple. Josh is jealous of Russell's welts. Hehe

He's going again for his Birthday... There's always next time hehe!

Blessings,

Happy 18th Birthday, Timothy!!!

Today he comes of age... Today he's officially an adult... Today onwards he'll vote...

Oh, how time flies... 18 Years... How fast they grow... Am so enjoying him. Every stage of his life has been different and have learnt so many lessons... 

You've made me a better person. I treasure you. I love you. I'm so proud of the young man you are turning into! I'm proud of how you always see the bright side of life... You're very special... I'm so proud to be your Mum...

Russell, Tim and Josh and two mates had male bonding time today while Paintball shooting! 

Today was a great day... Love celebrating special days...

Blessings,

My three men...

Can't concentrate...

Look at the camera, Tim...

That's better...

Love hearing laughter...

Happy 80th Birthday Erica...

Celebrated with Russell's whole family... Love family celebrations...

Blessings,

Erica and Russell...

Mum blowing hard...

Mum and her three kids ;)

Josh playing with the coasters...

Tim's first day...

First day for TAFE...

He's enjoying the online theory parts. I'm a hard teacher apparently, making him do his work hehe...

Today he started doing his first of two days a week... Allot of extra hands-on experience which he's so after. Such a blessing for him to attend another class to get the experience...

Can't wait to hear how his day went :)

Blessings,

What the???

So I bring home very, very, very hot chillies from our last community morning tea...

Tim decides he wants to eat one. I encourage him to have a very, very small slice... He could get the milk down quick enough!!! We laughed so hard. He drooled as his tongue went numb!

Great lesson... Apparently it's allot hotter than a jalapeño hehe...

Blessings,

My babies...

Oh how I've missed you...

I've had some milk kefir grains but I believe they're contaminated with Matsoni (Viili). Looks and tastes a lot like what I had when mine did that. Matsoni cross contaminates really easily.

I was therefore happy to see these babies in the mail! Thanks Mum!!!

They've had a milk bath and 24 hours in milk. Now they're in their second lot of milk...

So happy to have them again :) :) They're originally from Dom... He has excellent grains :)

Blessings,