So very excited

looks like a little holiday, just me, no kids, is really going to happen.
Many times the suggestion is made, dates are discussed, a few can't come, so no-one goes.  FRUSTRATING!!!

A trip to the Apple Isle... Bliss! 

Still no photos

of FOs but l have been busy.
Knitting:  kids mittens and hats, l'm sure l made heaps last winter, girls of course could find none that fit and looked just right. 
Grown up cowls, beanies, mitts and socks, because its cold and l can..

Sewing:  l've traced patterns, chosen fabric, setup the new sewing cabinet.  Thats as far as l got. 

Spinning:  have fibre ready to spin, fleece ready to card, a wheel that needs a flyer and one that needs.. well it just needs me to persevere.  I have tried, but the wheel was wobbly so l tightened bits, oiled other bits and tried again.  Now the bobbin spins at the same rate as the flyer and l have fiddles with the brake thingy, said really rude words and borrowed lots of books about spinning.  After a bit of research l will try again.

Reading:  the Black saturday book.  Honestly, if you read the papers in the days after the fires, don't bother.  Donate straight to the Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund or your local CFA.  (GERF at have been writing checks for victims in need from day one... )

Garden:  I'm trying the moon planting guide, only been one month so too early to know if it makes a difference.  I do have winter veg seedlings in the hot house almost ready to put out.  Also lots of strawberry runners that have to be planted, more that need potting up.
Fruit trees must be nearly ready for pruning, they have lost most of their leaves.  I want to get lots of sugar cane mulch again this year, or something less expensive.  Having 14 trees that need mulching it adds up pretty quick.
Next season l want to start putting permanent net structures over some of the trees.

Home:  kids are growing and healthy.  Kelly is doing so well at school, its a fine line between pride and bragging.  So l'll leave it at doing well :)  Zoe is bored, l'm not going back to the gym this year and have dropped a playgroup.  I was not enjoying being busy every day.

We have our camper trailer finished.  Well its usable, the kitchen and other comforts are still in planning stage.

I finally got to see my GP today.  I'm booked for blood tests to check for early menopause, it would explain most of the problems l'm having health wise.  He checked my shoulder and feet, agreed that its capsulitis also with the treatment l'm on.  Last on my 'shopping' list is a referral to see if l need another colonoscopy.   *sigh*  feels like my body is falling apart and l'm still in my 30s.

Holidays

well a 2 week break from school and lots of spring cleaning.... in Autumn.

Our plans were to take lots of loads of green waste to the recycling centre.  After checking the fees, picking myself up off the floor, we will take one load that is ready then hire a mulcher.  $32 a load!  We could borrow the work truck, holds 3 times as much and only $30 a load.  But l'm thinking of piles of mulch rotting down for the garden. 

The garden beds are starting to look very bare.  I'm replacing most of the plants within 10m of the house with ground covers and very low shrubs.  Also edible plants, have a couple of logan berry vines and an Apricot tree ready to plant, must pot up more strawberry runners too.
Ground cover on top of my list is pigface.  Mainly because l have some growing already and l have been successful at growing cuttings from it. 

My last 3 issues of the Art of knitting arrived this week, l have 4 squares to knit, then all 90 to join and edge. 
I've almost finished joining my 1st bushfire blanket, tunisian crochet to join the squares is easier than l expected.

Our camping trailer is taking shape!  Waiting on the axles and wheels, then it can be painted and registered.  Early May we will buy the tent, then lots of testing.  I'm thinking a night at Tidal river, one at Bear gully, and maybe Lakes Entrance for starters.  One weekend a month is my aim.  Can only bring my little family closer.... right?

Walking in the bush yesterday the girls had a good learning experience.  We saw smoke so went to check if it was something we could deal with.  A pile of dirt and debris piled up by a bulldozer on Monday 9th Feb was smoking.  Its quite a big pile, size of a small car.  We could see that roots in the soil had flared up when dirt fell away giving the embers some air.  We showed the girls and explained that fire needs to breathe etc.  Also how to check if something is hot by holding your hand close but not touching. 
Kelly went to walk back to the track and the ground collapsed.  She was ankle deep in hot ash.  Another talk about proper footwear, she and Dad were wearing leather boots, a good choice.  Zoe and myself were wearing sneakers, not so good.

The girls are still coping ok.  Kelly was very upset Friday after getting off the school bus, she had kept it together until she got off.  Lots of rain and high winds reminded her of the day we had trees coming down around the house a few weeks back.  She was worried our house would get 'hurt' or a tree would land on the bus.  Hugs, reassurance washed down with hot milo seemed to help.  
Going away for two nights to visit Nan and Pop, both girls insist they are taking a 'gobag' in case something happens to the house while we are away.   Can't refuse when l'm thinking of doing the same...

Swaps

I forgot to 'publish' my indepth brag about the swaps l am doing on Ravelry.  Bugger!

Rehash with photos to follow.

Bag swap, finished though l'm not sure if its good enough..
Yellow swap, finished, love it and am holding off even wrapping the goodies because l like looking at them.
Cloth swap, almost finished, forgot about it until last night when l panicked and knit like a madwoman until midnight.

Other crafty things l'm working on.
Blankets for bushfire victims, squares have been donated and need to be stitched together.  I had almost finished stitching one blanket and decided it looked nasty.  Started over and am crocheting around the squares in black and will join them with Tunisian crochet... another thing to learn!

Making bags for the swaps l was inspierd to make a few for me, and conned into making a few for the girls.  "Mummy, you can sew!"  Not only bags were on their list of requests, they found mending that l never knew existed. 
I'd like to get a sewing cabinet so l can sew more often.  Good excuse to regularly visit local op shops.

My garden is getting greener, shrubs that looked dead are very much alive.  A lot of the gardens that were here when we moved in are about to undergo drastic make overs.  A lot will be stripped and l'll grow native ground covers.  I have an aversion to bushy shrubs close to the house.. even though the little wrens hang out in them.  Hoping the birds will still be able to score a feed amongst the groundcovers.
Also going to put veggies in some beds that l'm clearing.  I want to grow a lot more berries and tomotoes.  Blueberries and strawberries are very popular with the girls.

Tickle your funny bone..

Th big drive

to Dinner Plain went ok. I cried most of the way to Sale, hiccuped to Bairnsdale. From there to Dads its all corners, lots of fun in the 'fun car'.

I spent a couple of hours talking fires, reactions to fires with dad. He lived through the 2003 Alpine fire and understands how l feel, he also gives great hug.
My responsible early night was hijacked by ute loads of cousins looking to party. Sounds very red neck doesn't it.. and it was ;).
Tall men, tall boots, tall stories and plenty of laughs. Should l leave out the night driving with beer between knees dodging cattle on the road part? Was like being a teenager again.

I snuck in a little knitting in bed before helping decorate the lodge for Alishas engagement party. The party was fantastic, so many friends and family there to celebrate with them. I left after the speeches, another 4 hour drive. Jock was able to go to the Superbikes on Sunday, l hope he appreciated me coming home so he could go.
I hear the party finished late on Sunday, looks like l will need to pencil in a full week for the wedding!

Weather for tomorrow is windy, fire storm weather etc etc. Our school is still going to be open, not sure if l will send Kelly. The biggest risk is falling tress. There is 1 km of burnt and drought stressed big trees to drive through to get to and from school. The medias constant over the top reporting on how bad it is going to be certainly doesn't help you make a rational decision.

I went outside to put everything away, tie down loose 'stuff' etc. As usual l got side tracked, picked up puppy chewed bits, buckets of puppy poo, then weeded. That was fun, standing on a steep slope pulling weeds, puppy trying to help and rolling down the slope. He looks extra cute when he is covered in leaf litter and grass.

Terrified

no other way to describe my feelings today.
Its getting hotter, the wind is teasing, its smells of smoke (as usual).
I am trying not to scream.
Trying not to cry.
Trying not to vomit.
There is no direct threat, not even an awareness message for the area.
Yet l feel so bloody threatened by a fire that went passed almost 3 weeks ago.

I have to go away tonight, leaving the girls with Jock. I struggle to go further than 20 mins from home, so not sure how the 3.5 hour drive will go tonight.