Today, well I've still not got the hang of doing anything worthwhile before 10 am and today I was running late and didn't really do anything until lunchtime. Heck, I'm starting back at work next week so why shouldn't I have a sleep in? I woke at about 8am and at 8.30 am the V-LDL (VERY- long distance lover) called from Singapore to let me know his flight had been delayed due to a strike of some sort. It was unexpected to hear his voice but nice. We haven't had the rosiest few weeks and I guess whatever will be will be. In the meantime I have two months to myself. Strangely I haven't felt so relaxed for a long time and I could almost say I'm excited at this impending alone time.
So I started the day flicking the pages of my current read, Julian Assange's autobiography. It is an unauthorised 'auto'biography which strikes me as a little weird. A biography is a story of someones life written by a person other than the one the story is about. An autobiography is written by the person for whom the story is about, apparently., if that makes any sense. So how does a person write an unauthorised story about their own life. Odd. Turns out is was published without his final consent although the publishers say he signed something early on that gave them the right to publish it. It is a pretty good book. Whilst I get a little lost with the computer speak I do get what he's trying to do and it seems applaudable.
After reading it was a call to mum and sis to check on their health. Mum's got problems with her knee and sis is suffering a fashion induced bout of the snuffles. Both were still not a hundred percent but nothing wrong with their ability to chat on the phone.
Then time for some outdoors stuff. I took forever setting up the equipment for making my windbreak fence, just quietly I think it was because of my doubt that I could get the wires correctly tied and strained. So I pottered around for a while fixing the sags in the chook enclosure netting which included nailing in what I predict are the worlds smallest staple nails. I also I kept dropping them and then smacked the hell out of my thumb with the hammer which has resulted in a purple stripe under the nail.and about an hour of throbbing. Then I got started on the support wires for the windbreak fabric. It is fair to say I had no idea what I was doing, I've never installed that stuff before, but at least after observing the LDL do a heap of fencing for a few months I picked up the general idea of how to tie off the wires and I discovered the importance of permanent wire strainers. So it took me over two hours to do a short stretch but I am very proud of the result. I tied the ends well and consistently, the permanent wires are in line with each other and the cloth sits well although the clips alone don't seem to be enough to keep it looking tidy so tomorrow I will raid the spool of my fishing rod and with the aid of a giant needle I'll thread fishing nylon through the unclipped parts. I'll be sure to take a photo of the finished product and maybe one day I'll spend enough time on here to actually put the pictures up.
I'm pleased to report that the animals are all alive and well. The chickens have grown, still no definite roosters in the flock, or should I say no distinguishing features that sets the sexes apart. I hope like heck that I don't have six roosters. Nigel continues to be an escape artist that loves coming down to the house for visits. I wonder if Nigel is my darling Knuckles reincarnated? Matilda has the sweetest nature and loves to fly onto extended arms without invitation. Larry is still a wanderer. Violet is quite mumsy, Mildred or Millie as I've started calling her more recently, enjoys to stare at her reflection in my sunglasses. And Maggie likes throwing herself into the feed bucket. If I carry the feed bucket anywhere, at least one of them has to jump up and squeeze themselves between the lid and handle to come along for the ride on the swinging bucket. Nigel seems to have taught Violet and Millie how to escape, they only leave their safe abode on occasion and when they do they always come down to the house to brag. Nigel escapes every day and then waits patiently to be let back into the enclosure so he can hang out with his mates. Cute.
Tarka and Ella have been extra affectionate lately. I have brushed them a couple of times. I haven't ridden Ella again and I've decided (after a ride on an experienced horse while I was away...long story I'll try to fill you in later) to get a more experienced horse to show my the ropes again. One of my grazers has a mare that I hope will fit the bill. I've arrange to take her on trial for the month of March to see if she's suitable and then I'll either long-term lease her or purchase her. So it looks like my days are about to get a whole lot horsier! Don't worry, I won't neglect Tarka or Ella in the process, in fact if anything it'll fast track my plan to get back on Ella and I'm still trying to figure out what Tarka's calling is but he can rest assured he always has a home with me. I'm sure March will be a bit of a juggling act with my return to work on Monday and then my agreement to house-sit for my parents while they're on holiday. I'll have to work some magic but I'm sure it'll be fine.
Sis came over tonight with her hounds and I make some anzac biscuits for nibbles and a pumpkin lasagne/canneloni with peas on the side for the main. I only set off the smoke alarm once. I ate half the cheesy topping off the lasagne and ate a stack of the unburnt biscuits and now I'm feeling like I over ate. That'll serve me right!
Yesterday I went on a shopping spree. A new pair of riding boots (short ones to go with my chaps) and a new teapot and some jasmine tea. The stainless teapot was picked up from an op shop for $4 and the tea was impossible to resist in it's cutesy tin. I bought a stack of other things but I can't remember what, my shopping tends to be in spurts. I hate clothes shopping so that always gets left until I have nothing left to wear, as with the bra and underwear situation at present. I will get around to it! Op shopping has become my new favourite thing although it's hardly going to fix the bra and knicker situation.
As well as stocking up on books from the library I've been taking out movies from the rental place down the road. They have specials on Tuesdays and Thursdays with all weekly hire movies at $1. I get a stack and then work my way through them. I think I get too many but at least they're there if I find myself with a spare couple of hours (yeah right!). Tonight I watched Sex and the City 2 with sis. It was hilarious. It did get a little boring towards the end up there were some brilliant lines in that movie all courtesy of my favourite character Samantha. Great chick flick. There were so many "what the heck is she wearing" moments that I lost count and I seriously wonder if there are people in the world that wear full makeup and flowing gowns when laying on the couch with their husband of two years watching a movie. Eek, that's a heck of a lot to live up to.
I'm suitably exhausted now so I'm off to bed. I'll be back tomorrow for an update and let see if I can sort some of those photos out. Here's the first one....a rather interesting photos of Nigel sniffing his bum. Charming.
