Tuesday 29 December 2015

Last two weeks.

Christmas was lovely.
My son and daughter in law were down from Brisbane.
We all went to my daughter and her partner's place for christmas dinner.
Salted chickens, roast vegetables and a very nice pudding.
But I did forget to take the camera so no pictures.
Pictures were taken and emailed to me, they were saved and put in a file but I have now lost them.
I had a dose of shingles and was not a happy chappy for a week or so,  they are very painful.
We are building a large cage for Derrick, my son had a cat enclosure for the cats over at his place he is selling so he has given it to us in pieces to modify for Derrick, I got pictures but who knows what it will end up like when finished.
Also pictures were taken of my sad bathroom, the spa is going,  just a shower unit, toilet and wash basin and some sort of storage system.
The spa was never used as not long after we started the bathroom we went into a very severe drought and water restrictions applied, silly thing it took masses of water to fill it up, a shower is always much easier and much quicker.







But I did have fun making a Japanese garden well sort or Oriental really.
This is on my pallet deck.

 Our new fellow is putting on weight.
 Christmas eve was seafood night, prawns fresh from the from the markets.
 Salmon for starters.
 these things with cheese melted on top all very yummy.
 My daughter in law did the cooking, always good to have the night off.
 Not sure what this is about, but the son likes to make faces, they take a while to grow up only 43 but we live in hope.
 I think she is dreaming.
 Still blooming they do last a long time.
 The new home for Derrick all I have to do is figure out how it goes.

 This is the door it's a big cage.

my poor bathroom
 This sand was sopping wet, most is scooped out now but everything has to be taken out but not till all is organised so we can still use the shower.
Sand everywhere.

25 comments:

  1. How nice to have a DiL who is an accomplished cook and you can hand over Christmas cooking to her. Derrick will be able to fly once his new home is assembled. Did I miss something? Why is your bathroom full of sand and what renovations are you doing?

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    1. Two years ago I stopped cooking big meals as I never enjoy the peoples company always to busy try ing to make everthing work and be ready at the same time.
      The bathroom was or is leaking under the bath well it really a big shower base as no one has ever had a bath in it, so we are redoing the whole thing but with tradesmen this time.
      Merle..............
      The sand was the beer fairy idea not a good one but worked at the time.

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  2. Lucky, lucky Derrick. He has come to a wonderful home.
    Shingles? Poor you. I believe they are AWFUL, and hope you are all better now.

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    1. Shingles are awful, like a burn that does not settle down.
      Merle........

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  3. Hello Merle, I like your pretty New Japanese garden! I think Derrick will love his new larger home when it is done. I am sorry to hear about the shingles, they sound very painful. I hope you are feeling better now. Happy Tuesday, enjoy your new week! I wish you all the best in 2016, Happy New Year!

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    1. Happy new year that last year sure went very fast but they say the older you get the quicker the years go.
      Merle.........

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  4. I laughed when you said you live in hope of son growing up, lol,,,
    Derrick is very lucky fella, that will be a great new home,, your gardens look so beautiful and what a dinner, you daughter inlaw is a good cook!
    I think the cat was dreaming of those prawns, lol,

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    1. Funny she loves prawn heads and must be put outside when we eat prawns as they make her very sick, she sits at the window and cries.
      Merle..................

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  5. Derrick will adore his new home! My brother in law insisted on installing such a spa when the bathroom was remodelled some years ago. My sister never let him fill it; we have a well and she couldn't conscience putting a hundred gallons in the damn thing. It's gone now.

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    1. They were popular about 20 years back, men liked the idea of having one but they didn't like the idea of cleaning it, ours was just a big shower base, now to hard to step into and out of .
      Merle....................

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  6. Always the pleasantest times spent with you, M.
    Hope you feel super fine very soon. You will then be immune from further flare ups i believe-

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    1. I hope so left over from chicken pox I've heard.
      Merle..........

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  7. ..Hi Merle... I love that Derrick's cage will be large... Kidney looks gorgeous sleeping in the sun..... your Hydrangeas are beautiful... xxx
    Kugs.. Barb xxx

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    1. When you visit you can help because I a bit lost with this thing.
      Merle........

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  8. Can't wait to see Derrick flying around in his new cage. He will love it, I am sure!

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    1. He should like to open his wings fully
      Merle.

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  9. So nice of you to take in Derrick and his new cage will be so nice for him. Your Christmas dinner sounds very yummy - fresh prawns - mmmmm! Your little garden turned out very charming. Good to let go of the spa - we always wanted one but have a well, so water is something we have to conserve carefully. Happy New Year, Merle! Hope you are on the mend. xo Karen

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    1. It was Christmas eve dinner .
      I'm surprised at the amount of wells in America, all our water is dam water but in dry times we must be very careful of it.
      Happy new year to you too.
      Merle............

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  10. Your bathroom doesn't look too bad, as long as you can still shower while renovations go on, it's all good.
    Your daughter in law is a fabulous cook!
    I love the dreaming kitty (Kidney?), she looks like she's holding a shopping basket. The oriental garden is lovely.

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    1. We haven't started it yet just trying to dry it out a bit for a month or so, trying to get all the bits together then we will get the tradesmen in most or on holidays at the moment, if we can do it quickly not so disruptive least it summer the hot water system died in winter a bucket wash with luke warm water not so good when the weather is freezing.
      Merle..............

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  11. Hari OM
    I knew Derrick would become a permanent resident! ...and that he will be living in style. Glad you had such a good time over Christmas, shingles aside... Love the pagoda garden. Back in Dunoon, it is very very very grey, very very very windy, very very very wet - hey ho... YAM xx

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    1. I've seen the weather reports hope you are high and dry.
      Merle..........

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  12. Great to see the very spacious home you are making for Derrick. Your new garden is like living art, just beautiful.
    Hope the renos go smoothly.Cheryl : )

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  13. Oh wonderful Christmas with your family and someone else to cook...perfect! Your daughter-in-law is so cute. The new contraption for the cat looks like ramps and catwalks...he will love it if you can figure it out. Can you beg your son for help? =D

    Happy New Year, Merle!

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  14. Your shrimp/prawns look wonderful!! We also had boiled shrimp, raw oysters, grilled scallops and crab cakes for Christmas dinner!!
    Glad Derrick is doing well!! He has a strong beak so be careful!!! He needs oyster shell for his gizzard!! Is he talking to you?

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