I nearly forgot it was Sunday, as I have been so busy this week, and it is a relief to sit down as I write this weeks blog up. My sister arrived back from visiting her daughter in Ipswich and a succesful shopping of fruit and vegetables at the Rocklea Markets. A phone call though let me know apricots were $1.99 kilo, unbelievable!!! So I ordered 5 kgs and some beetroot for christmas dinner and they turned up this morning about 10am. The apricots were fairly ripe and nice and big so I decided better preserve them straight away.
Half went into some pie filling and the other half into jam. Apricot pie and apricot jam is certainly up there with the favourites.
I ended up getting 4 jars of pie filling and 10 of jam. They are cooling on the bench now. Should have ordered 10 kilos haha, so nice.
On another note my Rheumatologist rang me this week and ORDERED me to get an infusion. Not what I wanted to here but his words were "Your blood readings are awful". Well I knew that, by the pain levels, but agreed with him that I needed to calm things down, luckily I got fitted in on Christmas Eve morning, and that should last me to the end of January when I can go to Brisbane and sort this changeover out. I don't think he is in agreement either. The bone density wasn't that good either and if I fall badly, my left hip will break.
This is why I am trying to sort out our backyard with all its loose steps, no hand holds and 4 levels to negotiate just to garden. John will stubbornly, not move house, so next year going to try and get some concreting done, replacing all the pavers so no more weeding between. Fill in the pool, with all this drought happening, it is never full, and there is a leak somewhere anyway, and grass it over. Hopefully get some one to paint the back verandah as I haven't done it, and make it all visitor friendly, being just a place to dump junk. You can probably tell I have had enough lol.
We talked about changing my garden shed around also as the land is shifting and where it is the fence is moving away, so I decided to put just the compost bins there and rebuild a shed where the chook pen is. They are a lot of work and in the furthest most corner, so sadly not going to have chickens anymore.
What we will do is put the small sheds opposite each other with a space in the middle. So we only have to move one then fill in a roof, and maybe an open front area. The shed wall can hold the hydroponics pots so I can still plant my flowers.
We shall see how this goes. It is at least a start and we don't want to pay someone to do this.
By grassing over the pool, we can then have someone mow it. Concreting everywhere else, what are now pavers, will stop weeds growing and save so much time. I have looked very carefully at this as over concreting is no good but feel what we will do will fit in with who ever owns the house, in the future. Still hovering on the middle section whether another spa or a BBQ area. We haven't entertained for so long ( CHAOS.. can't have anyone over syndrome) it is hard to know, whether it is worth the effort. The last makeover in this area was 15 years ago. Hopefully we won't ever do another one.
With all the drama that has been going on with my health, I haven't decorated for Christmas. Today though I set the dining room table, ready for Christmas Lunch with the eldest daughter and youngest son and my sister and partner. I am really looking forward to this as well. Haven't had a dinner party for so long and part of my career was fancy hospitality, so the table is looking fabulous. Can't show as a surprise. Pulled out a couple of Santas and snowmen for a festive look. Worked out the menu which I will partly do in the next couple of days. The children will turn up tomorrow.
So everyone have a Great Christmas Day. Hopefully you are not in the fire areas, which are once more really bad around Sydney. Stay safe if travelling.
....................................................... MERRY CHRISTMAS ..........................................................
Till Next Time.
Half went into some pie filling and the other half into jam. Apricot pie and apricot jam is certainly up there with the favourites.
I ended up getting 4 jars of pie filling and 10 of jam. They are cooling on the bench now. Should have ordered 10 kilos haha, so nice.
On another note my Rheumatologist rang me this week and ORDERED me to get an infusion. Not what I wanted to here but his words were "Your blood readings are awful". Well I knew that, by the pain levels, but agreed with him that I needed to calm things down, luckily I got fitted in on Christmas Eve morning, and that should last me to the end of January when I can go to Brisbane and sort this changeover out. I don't think he is in agreement either. The bone density wasn't that good either and if I fall badly, my left hip will break.
This is why I am trying to sort out our backyard with all its loose steps, no hand holds and 4 levels to negotiate just to garden. John will stubbornly, not move house, so next year going to try and get some concreting done, replacing all the pavers so no more weeding between. Fill in the pool, with all this drought happening, it is never full, and there is a leak somewhere anyway, and grass it over. Hopefully get some one to paint the back verandah as I haven't done it, and make it all visitor friendly, being just a place to dump junk. You can probably tell I have had enough lol.
 |
| Lemonade Lemon tree definitely has died, so will come out. Will plant a new Pierre De Ronsard Rose as the front one has officially died as well. My favourite Rose. |
We talked about changing my garden shed around also as the land is shifting and where it is the fence is moving away, so I decided to put just the compost bins there and rebuild a shed where the chook pen is. They are a lot of work and in the furthest most corner, so sadly not going to have chickens anymore.
 |
| Pulling down my potting shed this week. Crazy paving is breaking up also because of the land shift and weeds growing through. |
 |
| Chicken Shed also started. |
What we will do is put the small sheds opposite each other with a space in the middle. So we only have to move one then fill in a roof, and maybe an open front area. The shed wall can hold the hydroponics pots so I can still plant my flowers.
We shall see how this goes. It is at least a start and we don't want to pay someone to do this.
 |
| As nice as this pond was, time to get rid of it completely. |
By grassing over the pool, we can then have someone mow it. Concreting everywhere else, what are now pavers, will stop weeds growing and save so much time. I have looked very carefully at this as over concreting is no good but feel what we will do will fit in with who ever owns the house, in the future. Still hovering on the middle section whether another spa or a BBQ area. We haven't entertained for so long ( CHAOS.. can't have anyone over syndrome) it is hard to know, whether it is worth the effort. The last makeover in this area was 15 years ago. Hopefully we won't ever do another one.
With all the drama that has been going on with my health, I haven't decorated for Christmas. Today though I set the dining room table, ready for Christmas Lunch with the eldest daughter and youngest son and my sister and partner. I am really looking forward to this as well. Haven't had a dinner party for so long and part of my career was fancy hospitality, so the table is looking fabulous. Can't show as a surprise. Pulled out a couple of Santas and snowmen for a festive look. Worked out the menu which I will partly do in the next couple of days. The children will turn up tomorrow.
So everyone have a Great Christmas Day. Hopefully you are not in the fire areas, which are once more really bad around Sydney. Stay safe if travelling.
....................................................... MERRY CHRISTMAS ..........................................................
Till Next Time.
Apricot pie sounds delicious. I have never made one before but imagine it's lovely. It sounds like you are making practical changes in your garden to ensure you can keep on enjoying it. Hope you had a merry christmas and are looking forward to the new year too. Meg:)
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