2025 - Year in Review

Here we go again

What  Happened in 2025?

January

We had Both sides of Life this Month

with a Funeral followed by a Birth

Welcome Granddaughter No. 5

February / March

Too much work to do to Blog about

These 2 Months were spent at DD's Home

Fixing a HUGE problem caused by a thirsty Rat

April

How can I sum up 12 Days of Adventure touring Tasmania?

With my Favourite Photo of the Trip

The Lighthouse at Hells Gates

May

Installing a Garage Hoist

Another "Simple Project" that took longer than planned for DS#2

June

I started building a 1940's Train Carriage Book Nook

(Christmas Gift)

Which was fun until it wasn't

July

Spike got to Meet Logan while DS#2 went on a trip to Fitzroy Island

(I wonder if they are watching for him to return?)

August

Lots of Birthdays during August

September

Back to help DS#2 

 Out with the Previous Owners Garden

 and In with His

October

We spent October turning a Disaster at my Mother's Home

into something She can enjoy

November

With lots of Tears and Hugs

We said Fare-well to our Neighbours of 45 Years

December

Australia is rocked by what will become known as BONDI 2025

16 lives lost, 45 Injured

Countless traumatised, by Two men with Legal Guns

It is NOT who we are.

December

and so that I can finish 2025 on a Happier Note

what has to be Our Quote of the Year...

"I need to learn EVERYTHING before I go to School"

Heaven help their Teachers!

🤣

Seasons Greetings

Whoever you are
Wherever you live
Whatever you Believe

 
Season's Greetings

May you find Peace and Joy

Caught on Camera

Back in 2022 - We could have very easily burnt our House down, thanks to the Local Starlings Nest building efforts.

When they filled the Chimney Flu full of Grass...  

It really was "The Last Straw" for decades of inconvenience.

So as DH likes to quip - Extreme Chimney Sweeping - We removed the Chimney.

This week, the wind seemed to be blowing a lot of rubbish into the Garage but when Our security Camera kept pinging for "Movement" - 

We found out what was Really going on.

The top of the Garage Roller door is not the most practical place to set up house.

Apart from the rolling back and forth several times a day - 

It is also VERY hot in there at this time of year.

I do feel sorry to have to destroy all this work - every single piece brought in one by one, but it had to go.

The weight of the dry grass on one side was causing an imbalance affecting how the door operated.

A couple of Pool Noodles to fill the Gap may stop them from getting in.  

And as I write this I can hear them swearing at me from the Neighbours Roof!

Update:  

Pool Noodles don't stop a determined Starling -

Seeing if Gutter Guard will have better luck!

BONDI 2025

8 Months ago, I stood at a Memorial in Port Arthur Tasmania for an event that changed Australia and led to the Gun Laws we have today.

Last night we watched in sadness, News coverage of a Mass Shooting carried out by a Father and Son – with Legally Permitted Guns - at a Hanukkah Celebration in a Playground on Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

Today the Nations Flags fly at Half Mast.

Today Our Children will have learned about Hatred

Today Our Leaders will once again review our Gun laws

Tonight Christmas Lights will be joined with a Single Candle in the Window

Tonight Our Indigenous Community will hold a Healing Ceremony

And Tomorrow - We pray that this will not happen again.

“Light a Candle and place in the Window to show that Light will defeat Darkness and that as a Nation we have no place for hatred.” 

(A. Albanese PM)

Ref: Port Arthur Blog Post

Aussie Christmas Fare

Christmas may come 'But Once a Year' but the Celebrations last for as long as you have Family that you have to fit in with. This year, Ours was VERY early!

I sent out a Message to everyone for Requests - 

Didn't have to be Christmassy Just whatever they were craving!

DH - Fruit Platter 

(I am ALL for Outsourcing where possible - Made by our Local Cafe and now features on their Instagram)

DS#1 - Can we have Trifle? 

This one I made a bit different to the traditional, with Tart Cranberry Juice Jelly and Blueberries and I also found Pink Savoiardi (Lady Finger) Biscuits! 

And of course the thing that makes Trifle - Trifle.  No Port this year. 

Tasmanian Cherry Chocolate Whiskey soaked the biscuits.

DD Made an Awesome Pavlova Wreath (didn't last long enough to photograph)

But wanted Greek Yoghurt instead of Cream - Gives a nice tang over all the Sugar! 

Not easy especially with Lactose Free Yoghurt - so (next day) I hung the Yoghurt in a Muslin and drained off the Whey turning a Runny mess into Spoon-able Lactose Free Labneh.

Something to remeber for next time.

Well, after all, There is still Christmas Day!

Bubbles and Birthday Cake

 

Happy Mini Mouse Birthday Sweetheart

Daddy did a awesome job on your cake 

(Traditionally 'Burning the Midnight Oil' with a 12:15 am text to Grandma)

See you 'round

They have been our Best Ever Neighbours for 45 Years.

But now they are "Looking After their Future Selves"

They have been quietly 'there' through all of what Life has thrown at Us.  

And we for them.

We have watched Our Kids grow up and Marry and have Children of their own

We will miss them greatly - after all...

Who will Bring Our Bin in? and Collect Our Mail when we are away?

So, With Hugs and Tears we said Not 'Goodbye' but 'See You' 

- Looking forward to the promised "Coffee at the New Place."

Parties and Puddles

 

Happy Birthday Little One

May you never Stop Jumping in Puddles !

Shade Garden Re-Build

There was a disaster at my Mother's Home in the form of a VERY old a dilapidated 'Shade House'. 

I can't say WHEN my Father built it but it does feature in my Wedding Photos.

It has to GO - We just need a plan ..

The only way to get Mother to agree to doing something about this was to turn it into a "Big Secret Project" while my DB was away.  We had 4 Weeks.

Demolition: 

Got to break stuff before it can be fixed.

Remove what remained of a Galvanised Water-pipe framework extension.

Remove Shade cloth including Clothesline Wire it was sewn to, as well as remaining Watering system.

Knock down Rotted Timber Framework. 

Make safe all Rubbish.

Privacy Fence Extension:

We 'Think' the infill is Cement Sheet but on the off-chance that it is actually Asbestos - It is Staying.

Work out how to and

Secure the Screen to old Poles

Reattach Shade cloth to Frame.

Lets Paint Stuff...

1 x Tin Colourbond Cream to match the Fence

and the Blue - leftover from Our Garage Reno & Still Good.

Note the 2 Tone to hide the Poles!

Framework Finished:

Needless to say there were many trips back & Forth to Bunnings and a lot of Measure twice Cut once and the inevitable "Why doesn't that fit" moment.

Shade cloth:

Attaching the Shade cloth was going to be the most challenging.

Bearing in mind that there are just DH and Myself doing this we had to come up with a way to tension the fabric and secure it and make sure we weren't short when we got to the other side...

The Overhang:

Do we cut it Off?

Let it drape at the back of the garden?

No - There is enough to attach to the top of the Fence extension... Let's do that - because everything else is too easy!

Part 2 - This Mess:

Sunken Pavers - The result of not waiting or compacting the soil after removing an Ancient Lemon Tree.

A Massive Tripping hazard for anyone let alone my elderly Mother.

Making Safe:

DH thought we could just lift a few pavers and fill underneath.. 

I have laid enough paths to know it was quicker to Lift everything, Level, Compact and Re-lay the pavers.

From Clearing off all the Pots,

Transplanting Cyclamen growing between the Pavers

Lifting and Replacing 120 pavers

and Sweeping Paving Sand in

It took just 3 hrs to do.

Not Quite Finished:

Where we left the last photo - the area was very hot.

Here is where we re-purpose that Artificial Turf from #DS's Garden rebuild.

There was just enough to cover the space.

It's a Wrap:

We returned refurbished Pot plants and installed a couple of Safety items - Handrail on the house wall and Raised planters IF she wants to potter. 

And a "it doesn't matter if it gets wet" Chair.

Did we make it?:

YES!

25 days after we moved the plants out. With a couple of weekends off.

Was #DB Surprised - I think it was more relief that the job had been done.

And Mum?  Well - After 50 years she finally stated that DH "was a Good Bloke."

* * *

Footnote: Incase anyone is interested - 

Final Cost to do this AUD $1,000.00
(not including our time and Coffee)

Finally Flowers ..

10 maybe 15 years ago we went through a "Let's Grow Orchids" phase.

Some are still lurking around the garden in various stages of neglect - except One.

I planted it on a hollow log that was put under the Japanese Maples and forgotten, but each time we weeded the Violets from around it we were surprised that it was actually flourishing.

Today I walked past and noticed its First Ever Flower Spike!

I was doing all sorts of excited 'Happy Dances' 

and DH said 'Oh yeah I saw that last week....'

- Good Grief-

Anyway I was happy...

And keen to watch the buds opening

Are they Green..

Or Yellow?

No - Cream

With Purple Spots in it's Throat.

It has long since lost it's label so I can't tell you what it is - 

(Any Ideas? 

Let me know in the comments!)

Squatters..

If I Fits .. I Sits...

Thought for the Day -

If you are going to leave your Bike unattended for a lengthy period of time..

Take your Helmet with you!

DS wasn't sure How long this Bike had been parked at Uni - 

but it left him wondering What the Owner was going to Do when they returned to it...

Extreme Gardening

It's been Five Years since DS bought his Townhouse with the small courtyard Garden bed.  

But it was someone else's Garden.

Now They need to make it Their Own.

So Out Goes the Garden Bed* - 

That wasn't hard, It was Rotting anyway

Then the Fake Turf came up.

This stuff is horrible - can't be recycled due to the different plastics used.  

So best idea is to Re-purpose it.

And then the "Oh My - What have we done moment"

All Good - just move the Soil across to the path, but keep the compressed bed - we need that.

Adding a Crazy Paved Path for some interest and access to the plants.

DIL was delighted to 'Smash the Pavers into Submission"

It also helped when we picked up already broken ones at Bunnings VERY cheaply!

(Once the path was in place the remaining compacted soil could now be lofted.)

They added a Timber Screen to the side of the Old Shed.

Now the Fun Part - PLANTING.

The idea is to have a Low Maintenance  Australian Bush Garden using plants that are Indigenous to their Local Area.

All we need now is The Site Supervisors  Approval!

(Maybe he should get a Work safe Hi-Vis Vest!)

*Don't worry - Any and All of the plants that were worth Saving are now resting at Our Place.

And the Turf?

That is the subject of another Post.