Today Benny and co decided to go visit our neighbors animals. They were in the paddock with the horses and their steer.  So we had to get them back. And guess what we have had rain today. And right when we attempted to get them back not only was it raining. But the thunder and lighening started and to top it off, hail. That's right it's summer or almost and we're out there in hail. Unbelievable. Anyway after much coxing with the shy cow they are all safe and sound back in the paddocks, where dare I say it. They can't go wandering to other peoples places. TOUCH WOOD>   

Can't wait to see Vic, I have really missed him, soppy but true.

I kinda spoilt myself today. We went to the silver place I think in Ubud. Anyway we were in this huge place with loads of hand made silver jewelery and picture and all sorts of stuff made from silver. I don't wear jewelery much. A pair of earings and a gold ring. I don't even wear my engagement and wedding rings, only cause I need to get them resized. I'm a lot bigger than when we got married. So I found a pair of lovely earings and they were oonly about $18 Au, but then I was showen a nice pendant that went with it. And then they showed me a really nice bracelet to match. Autually they showed me a few. But the one I really liked was $175 au at first. Then of coursea nice silver chain to put the pendant on. The whole lot eventually I got for $200 au. I did ok but jessica and nat are both much better at bartering than me. I think I prefer it at the big department stores. If I see a bargain that better there I don't need to think anymore about it just do I want it or not. Jess has this lady she's been going to and friend have gone to her for years and years. You don't barter with her she gives rock bottom price all the time.

She such a nice lady too.

We had one terrible day yesterday. I guess everyone worse nightmare for a foriegn country is needing medical help. Boy did we need it, my daughter Jess nearly jumped on a plane home. Baby Preston had the end of his thumb badly servered, almost off in fact. He had surgery yesterday to stitch it back. 9 stitches under general anertetic. But he was ok to come back with us by the end of the day. And lucky we took out travel insurance because it was not cheap. So far the bill is just over 12 and 1/2 million rupea and thats not including today s check up and fridays.  But he's ok and that's the main thing. It was a really large hospital and they treated us really well. Hopefully no more dramas.

And lots more shopping and fun to come. 

From our family Nat's the only one to get a blue sash at gidge before, and that was years ago. Ben won a best exhibit at wanneroo years ago with a wood work. I have never gotton one, not yet anyway. It's a special thing to win a sash, they don't come easy. I know some of you might be thinking well the chook lays an egg an it's no rocket science. However it's what you feed them that makes the eggs really good in colour. And you get points for shape and size and even wieght. If all your eggs match wieght wise that helps. Vic gets out some car measuring thing and see's that he matches them all up as exact as he can, he weighs heaps of eggs to get the freshest that match. And I just stand back laughing. Who's got the last laugh now, Good on him. heheh. And Mr paricular baked 4 loaves of bread to put 2 in the show, stayed up 1/2 of thusday night. cause the first & 3rd he wasn't happy with. He got  1st and 2nd with his two bread entries. 

Got a meeting at 10 am for ensemble first, that'll keep me busy. Vic's off to the show shortly. Gidge today. He has to take down a sheath of oats, he enters each year and a pasture sample. Yesterday I took down his bread entries and eggs. It's the first year in over 8 years that I haven't put flower arrangements in. And nothing from the kids either. Nat and Ben will go down with Vic for a couple of hours.

I'll get lots of photos and when I get back I will get Nat to teach me how to post them up. One of the first things I'm doing is finding that empty deck chair, putting my butt in it. And getting a photo. Cheers guys I'll talk to ya all soon.   

There is this door that's spring loaded. When you close it , it sounds like a gun going off, that's how tight the spring is. I would panick each time they openned it to clear the chamber when it clogged up, which was fairly often. Maybe every 20 to 30  minutes or so. I told Vic I was not happy and could see someone losing a finger on that door. I told him that I want him to set up a saftey mechanism. I thought an eyelet of some sort screwed in the inside of the door and opposite on the other side. So when you have to open the door you put a metal rod into the two eyelets so the door can't possibly shut when you have your hand inside the chamber. My worries were warrented. Sunday afternoon just before we were due to go to the airport an accident occured. Vic said I'll be up to the house in a minute to get ready. I went off to get the kids organised. He took ages. When he came in he was white as a ghost and said the door got me. Boy is he lucky to still have his fingers. He was wearing really thick leather gloves, luckily. I think that helped a little. He said he didn't have the door open as far as it should have been. And he felt it springing back against his shoulder as his whole arm was in there. He tried to get it out but wasn't quick enough and it caught the end of his fingers. I still shudder at the thought of it. 

Anyway he's ok and I will insist before the next season that he put into place my saftey idea. I have to say it does feel satifying to grow your own hay, even though I have winged about the breakdowns and stuff. That's farming I guess. Just as well were not doing it for a living or I think we'd starve to death..Farmers were NOT. But there is always something funny going on down at Rush Ranch or should I say Our Funny Farm.

Just in case anyone has lost count It's 5 sleeps till Bali....

Oh and thanks Jaince that looks like the deck chair that's waiting for me. oh YES..       

Hey guys I had a top day at swapmeet yesterday. I didn't bring home the outdoor setting, sold it for $25, yeh. I sold a really nice set of antique (well old anyway) pre 30's I think 8 cherry/prt glass to a lovely young lady for $30. lots of kids books for 50 cents and some for $2.00. Lots of other $1.00 and $2.00 things. A few $5.00 things and maybe even one or two for $8.00. But I got rid of heaps,(most at 50 cents)  best swapmeet day yet. And I am really happy to get $100. So let me tell you I am really, really happy with yesterdays effort. And boy was it an effort cause I did get up at 3.15am (even though the alarm went off at 3). So having said all that, and I have told you the two big ticket items I sold to give you an idea.

 Can anyone guess how much I made ????     I'll post the answer in a few days.

And the sad part of the weekend is; the hays still not cut. Vic had all sorts of dramas with the cutter. And had done about 1/2 maybe enen 2/3 rds. He's got some more repairs to do before he can go again. Maybe I should have stayed home, but I couldn't have prevented it. And anyway if I give too much good advice (well good intention anyway) it could lead to an argument. You know how men (or us I guess) can get when they get frustated that things aren't going according to plan. Better I wasn't there.

Anyway the real reason behind it is next weekend I hope we'll be bailing which mean Vic will require help to get the hay out of the paddock and into the shed. Can't wait. I'm already feeling itchy arms just thinking about it. Hopefully well get 250 bales, more maybe. It's looks so much thicker than last year. Vic did have some unexpected problems with the cutter and so only around 1/4 is cut. So tommorow it's finish the cutting and then onto the firebreaks ours and a couple of nieghbours.  

There an old saying "No rest for the wicked" well I've live the life of a goodie two shoes mostly, and anyone who knows Vic will know that's definatley true for him. Vicki will know what I mean, hey Vicks. He was even an alter boy in his church for a long time. So I reakon Vic and I must have been real crims in our past lives. hehe. that the only theory I can come up with.  

Anyway I better get off to bed cause I'm getting up at 3am. I want a good spot tommorow, I'm pumped for a good day. Night everyone. Sleep tight etc etc.

So as soon as I know if it's going to be a goer and on, I'll be sure to keep you posted. Other than that yesterday was a pretty ok day at work. The kids went back to school today. No dramas Vic said in fact they got to Nat's school early. She had to be there at 7.30 for choir practice. Tonight I will be watching her play her first game of basketball. It will be fun you see she's never played it before, only netball. But in netball her biggest problem was stepping so we've all been joking with her that she won't have a problem continuing on after catching the ball. She's not amused.

They go along the cars explaining to anyone who as the man put it, "doesn't know the drill". I think Belmont had more people come along, shoppers wise that is. It would be at least twice if not three times the size. But I will go again to both. I will need to be more orgainized (which is hard for me) for the Karrinup one. Once they let you in there is 20 minutes to unload if your taking your car out, otherwise your stuck in until the finish 11 am. Which is ok for me I keep mine in and pay for the extra bay. Jessica who shared the bays with me had to quickly unload her gear. You see she had to go back home later to pick up the boys (5+1) as you can imagine they were still asleep soundly when I arrived at her house at some ungodly hour.   

Hope you guys are all feeling well. Cheers Carole.

I'm still full now and don't really feel like dinner. But nothing stops Mr hollow legs Ben from eating. Nat will want a good feed after working so long. So I think I'll make tuna morney and pasta for tea. It's a family favourite and easy to make.  

Sadly I never saw any of you, this time.I did put a sign up saying I am a Minti parent if you are please say G'day. I didn't get it up till around 8.30 though. If I had been more on the ball and checked the computer I would have let you all to know to look out for my girl Nat, who was busking with her Violin. Even though she's sick she got up and came down. She didn't start her playing until around 8 am. And she had a couple of breaks. She got lots of good comments and keep it up from people. It's good to see some of the little childrens faces when they stand and watch. LOL. Of course it's great for e when she comes. I have someone to mind the stall when I need to go to the toilet and I even get to take a quick look. She was motivated to come down and make a few bucks for our Bali trip, which is less than a month away now, SO EXCITING.

I think next week I will be going to the Karrinup one. Jessie my other daughter is going to find out if it's on. It's in an undercover carpark. So if it's raining it won't matter. Apparently it's a really big one. I went as a buyer many many years ago.