Last night I tried out a weird recipe from FB that is designed to remove the dead skin from your feet. I figured that I don't spend enough time with the pumice stone in the shower as I don't spend that much time in the shower at the best of times for water conservancy re
asons. This involved Listerine, vinegar and water in a 1:1:2 ratio. And amazingly enough it works. Not that my feet look anywhere as good as the ones in the photo after the treatment, but I will be repeating it tonight as I have decided warmer water is probably a good idea.

And today I spent labouring in the Garden. We were erecting the frame of the glass house that we pinched from the school farm. No plans to work from so it was a matter of working it out as we went along. Still it looks pretty good and they were still working away when I left (I pleaded the dogs' need for a walk and human time given my intended absence tomorrow also.

By the time they are finished they will hopefully have inserted the lengths of timber under the frame necessary to stabilise it and have bolted it to the concrete footings.

I also finally received a call from the teacher who will be housing chickens in the chicken shed next term. Slight problem there as one of our gardeners is gardening in the chicken run and we were running out of time to do anything to fence off her garden before the chickens arrived. But it is now all sorted and I will be catching up with her when the class comes over to the garden for the first time so that we can talk over the way the garden runs (she is also the cooking teacher and so will be using the herbs that are in the food forest we built). Hopefully a lot of the material out of the chicken sheds will be transferred either into the compost bins or onto the proposed herb garden so that it contributes to the general soil health as well. And future 'mucking out' will contribute even further - all that lovely chook poo!!

My last day of liberty or the rest of the week given E's plans for my time. Tomorrow is the working bee to erect the frame of the glass house, and Friday I am apparently booked from 8 am to 3:30. This may turn out to be an optimistic rumour on E's part as I am damned if I will leave the dogs indoors for that period of time simply to suit her requirements.

Shadow (and today, Seb) have been throwing up with gay abandon for the last couple of days I finally found something in the vomit that may explain it. Monday they raided the rubbish bin while i was cleaning in town, and it seems there may have been the odd bone in there. I usually throw them on the fire, or (as previously mentioned) into a container for later cooking up for stock) but apparently there must have been some small bones, maybe the oxtail, perhaps? Anyway, they seem to have worked their way out now so hopefully no more vomits.

This morning was cleaning in both the bank and the cottages. The bank has finally had new blinds installed so there was sawdust everywhere (to to be fair, not in any great quantity). Then home via the Roxy where i found a large tray of lamb neck chops and another of oxtail. So the oxtail is going in the freezer and the lamb neck is currently in the oven becoming a moroccan casserole. I had my mouth ready for orange and cinamon flavours, but instead it is preserved lemon and coriander flavours instead. Oh well.

Earlyish night planned tonight to gird up my loins (and my patience) for tomorrow.

Yesterday was fairly flat stick once i emerged from the cocoon of my cosy bed. First the bank, then the garden where we made considerable progress on digging out the paths, removing rubble and stacking the various random piles of materials that have been accumulating over the last few weeks when work has been suspended by poor weather conditions. It was nice and warm too.

I had a busy day today too, rather unexpectedly as my neighbour has called in sick so I had two cottages to clean up. Tenants for one of the cottages turned up at 11:00am trying to check in (it is 2pm checkin time), so I discouraged them and told them to come back in an hour (by which time the relevant cottage would be ready for their use). The third cottage was also supposed to require cleaning but clearly the guest had been a no-show as the place was spotless and the bed unslept in, as well as their checkin papers left on the table unclaimed.

I get to clean the cottage again tomorrow, so a sudden and unexpected boost to my income - which is always good.

Shadow has been a bit sick the last couple of days - an upset tummy. Hope it was not the food I gave him (the chicken), but since Seb seems unaffected I have to assume it is simply his jelly belly which he has always had.

Thursday and Friday are also scheduled for more activities with the Garden Tour on Friday and the working bee on Thursday. I have indicated my availability for the working bee is subject to no conflict with paid work. Time I put my foot down there as E is beginning to assume she can simply organise my time at will. For example on Friday she has, without consulting me, booked a meeting for 9:15, before the tour leaves which will mean I am unable to pop home after cleaning the bank and before the tour - she is getting above herself! Grrrr.

It rained last night! And today - well until lunch time. So the tank is staggering up to the half-full mark and I am back in business water wise. Huge relief as it was getting pretty low. Astounding for this time of year.

I was settling back for a day of re-arranging buckets on the loungeroom floor when I received a message requesting I do two of the units. So I hied me into town and did so. I was working on the second one (which fronts onto the Main Street) and spotted this wandering past. A team of bullocks on their way to the Heritage Expo. Never a quiet moment in Oatlands, it seems.

Also in that flat I discovered a roast chicken from the local shop and a bag of lettuce as well as a bottle of balsamic dressing that looks rather tasty. So they came home with me, along with the custard tart from the first cottage.

The dogs got the custard tart as an apology for me going out and the lettuce went into the compost bin. The chicken has served two purposes. The meat was added to the dogs' dinner and the bones have been added to the bones I stockpiled from the last chicken and are now simmering on the woodstove for a stock.

My Canadian friends have a great idea that I have to say had never occurred to me. They keep icecream buckets in the fridge and toss in all the bones left over from meals (one each for chicken, beef and lamb). When it is full, the cook it up as bone stock which goes to making soups and casseroles. They do the same with vege scraps = all those half onions, half carrots etc left over from particularly picky recipes. I have yet to start a vege bowl, but I will do so when I produce any leftovers of that variety.

Some other photos I have taken of late (in the last week) for your delectation.

 A rather nice rainbow that I spotted while we were working in the School garden last Monday.

 A particularly stunning sunrise the other morning!

Last night's dinner - a potato and onion pizza - I forgot to add the cheese, doh. Since it refused to come out of the pan (I forgot to oil it before spreading the dough) it was a challenging meal, but I got there in the end. Tonight is is cumberland sausages, cabbage with bacon and mashed potatoes.

Wow it's the weekend already and I was up bright and early to go into Oatlands. They had a Heritage Skills expo happening with plasters and stonemasons and bullockies and other such attractions. Kept me occupied for all of half an hour (OK, it was a bit same old for me, but others were enjoying themselves).

I have the dough for tonight's pizza rising in the oven at present (if you turn on the oven light it maintains the temp just right for raising dough). Olive oil steeping finely chopped garlic and lots of finely cut onion rings to go on top. Now all I have to do it finely slice some potato as well, and I have a tasty dinner ready to go in the oven. The recipe actually calls for toppers of the tomato, onion, garlic, mushroom etc variety, but my tummy wants garlic onion, so that is what it will get!

Have been contacted by two old school friends via FB today which was nice - one I know will hate my politics so I have suggested she turn off my feed. Her husband is in the property industry in Queensland ..... Still, we are old school mates and that is all that counts really.

Positively spring-like today with balmy warm temperatures, a gentle breeze and all the washing completed and all bar one item dry (it has multiple layers of fabric so it on the airer at present). The fire was not even lit due to it being so warm. Has only been alight for an hour and even so it probably a tad too warm for requirements.

I looked out the recipes for the next month of the recipe plan today and will start on them tomorrow I think. They include such delights as pizza and shepherds pie, so will keep me occupied and fed once again. Pity I have no pizza dish, but I guess there is no law that says it has to be round, so a baking dish of some sort will do the trick.

Other than that a very lazy day I have to say, and no excuses apart from sheer sloth. The plumber responded to my phone message at 9:30 last night by text message so we are no further ahead as I was well abed by then. Hopefully he will send a response tonight some time before midnight.

A somewhat milder night last night and even milder forecast for tonight. So of course the fire going all day will result in an overly warm bedroom and a bad night's sleep once more. So annoying trying to work out what to wear and have on the bed every damn night - grrr. Still, I guess I should be glad it is overwarm and not overcold.

The quick trip into town to deal with the bank was the sum of today's activities and tomorrow ill be even quieter unless there is a late booking at the cottages.

I have just finished re-reading the Harry Potter books and have to conclude that I have not previously read the last two as I had no recollection of the plot at all. I have a habit of buying books occasionally in the middle of house moves or while stuff is still packed. If they are sequels they don't get read a the time as I try to read their fore-runners as a lead up to the new treat. Clearly I bought the last two while my books were in storage, popped them on the shelves and have only now read them for the first time. So there you go - quite a denouement at the end don't you think?

Still waiting to hear from the plumber. I will resort to threats soon.