I really struggled to decide on a theme for this week...AND only sent my suggestion through to Mariette late on Sunday (normally I try and do it on Wednesday when I send my photo, cos then we have the whole weekend to "play" - which also does not happen often) - anyway, I knew that Monday was a Public Holiday in the UK as well as here....I chose FOOD (piggy backing on Claire and Andrea's theme from last week) because I thought...Oh well, whatever we are doing, we still need to eat, so there should be lots of scope - Well one thing lead to another (see below) and I did not take on single photo, not one.....so had to send a desperate e-mail to Mariette this morning, pleading a headache or some such story....
Why I could not do TUT this week....
After five to seven years of renovating our house...the last two weeks have seen a huge flurry of activity.....in getting all the last finishing touches done (this seems to be every bit as hectic and busy and expensive and chaotic as the whole process has been)...Mike has been fairly stressed and has not stopped running and writing cheques....But we have finally tiled our large entertainment area/kitchen walls/our bathroom is fitted with bath etc and now awaits tiling/the guest bathroom is planned and tiles have been chosen and bought and the patio has been tiled...It is finally coming together and the finish is just around the corner....I am so excited...it is going to be so lovely once it is all done...I also feel a twinge of regret that we have lived in semi chaos for longer then we should have and therefore have wasted time that we could have been enjoying our home...BUT - that is just the way things have panned out. I don't have any pictures yet of the chaos, but believe me it is CHAOS....
In addition to house renovations, both children had fairly tough projects to do - Brad in Grade 10 had a science project and decided to build a solar powered car....it is now finished and he will set it up at school tomorrow and get marked for it.
Kayla-Fern in Grade 4 has to build a bridge that can take a load of 500grms...Hers is due in stages...she took a write up to school on Tuesday and needs to take drawings of her bridge in next week and then the actualy bridge is due on the 20th of May - All in all I am all projected out.
Lance and Meagan visited SA from Wales and it was wonderful to see them and see how Megs has changed and grown into a lovely young lady and how Lance has not changed at all...He is just become Walealised and is as wonderful and positive and spontaneous as ever....They left last night to go home to ....I am still feeling a bit sad at the goodbye, but know that they are safely home where they belong with Claire and Skyla and Luke - Thank you my friend for lending them to us for a while....
Am also feeling sad because tomorrow it is six months since my mom passed away....I miss her terribly and sometimes the strangest things things remind me of her - Today it was black Arum Lillies - I just stood looking at them for the longest time, rembering her love for her garden and flowers and things that were out of the ordinary from black Arum Lillies to making Avocodo Pear Cake (I kid you not), to planting an avocado pip and giving it to Brad when he was small...We planted it in our garden (when he was about eight) and now, seven years on, it is a huge tree - tall and proud, although it has never borne any fruit...I think I read somewhere that avo trees grown from pips will never bear fruit - Pam (http://www.look-to-the-land.blogspot.com/) my resident fountain of knowledge of all things healthy and organic and "green" perhaps you know why....now there's a challenge for you. I realise how much of my mom is in me...and often hear her voice or laugh whispering in my own and it makes me stop for a moment and listen harder...and then I smile softly and sadly.....and I just savour the moment and remember all the wonderful things about her.
Sunday is Mothers Day....I think we are going to light a candle for her and I will sing my version of "Amazing Grace" for her and only her - my family do not appreciate my singing ability ....May is also the month of her birthday, so I think that is going to be a hard "first"...but we will find a special way to commemerate it, and we will get through it....It has been harder on my dad then anyone else, but he is trying hard to carry on with his life and although he has some bad days, he has been amazingly strong - much stronger then I would have ever thought he would be - I am proud of him and I know my mom would be as well...Oh well guys that is about it from me this week - so until next week....Take care and lots of love.
Oh - one final picture - we were very fortunate to get tickets to see The Parletones (SA band) on Saturday night, it was an awesome evening out...If ever you get a chance to see them live where ever you are in the world - it is a performance you will not want to miss I assure you...
Actually, they do, but avocado trees grown from seed (pip) take anywhere between 8-20 years to bear fruit whereas trees from graftings take 2 years. Imagine that level of investment? Growing a whole orchard from seed, nurturing the trees for 8-20 years from all kinds of natural disasters and bug infestations before you can reap the rewards!! Your tree will likely give you avo's in another few years :-(
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam - you see I was right - you are my fountain of knowledge on all things "green"...Lots of love
ReplyDeleteLovely post, Linda. You're in my thoughts. M
ReplyDeleteHardly my dear, learning all the time! This week I found out we eat fiddleheads here (curled up fern fronds that are about to gently unfold . . .) - who knew? But you can just saute them and add some bacon, but then, we add bacon to everything here - and cheese! I loved your post this week, I am so strapped for time and keep meaning to send a lovely long email to everybody - maybe I will try to make time this week! Loved your post my dear, miss you!
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a wonderful Mothers day.
ReplyDeletexx