That was the week that was.

Well Easter has come and gone. The 4 days' break that i was hanging out for since Christmas were pleasant. Helen was going to a Planet Shakers conference that was from Monday to Thursday. Unfortunately, she only lasted 1 day. She started shivering at the conference and went to the first aid office where she saw out the rest of the night and got back to her friend's place at midnight and woke the next morning feeling terrible. She stayed the morning at their place with her friend's mother until i got home. She walked in with a flushed face, showing she had a temperature and was unable to attend the rest of the week's conference. On Wednesday she made an appointment for the doctor to be told there weren't any appointments available until for 4pm Thursday! I was livid! I told Mark when he arrived home from work on Wednesday evening. Mark rang the Clinic to complain that Helen was sick and that Helen have to wait to see someone until well over 24hrs after she rang. The receptionist spoke to our doctor and said he will see her at 11.30 next morning. It turned out to be a throat infection and she is now on antibiotics and feeling a lot better.
Helen goes back to school on Monday and is glad she was sick in the holidays rather than during school time when she would have to catch up.
I now have a very sore neck that started last Monday. I went to a physiotherapist on Wednesday who manipulated my neck and i came out in more pain than when i went in.
This morning,(Sat)I made an appointment in a nearby suburb to see a doctor knowing we wouldn't get in at our usual doctors. I was told it was muscular and he gave me a script for panadeine forte and a doctors certificate for Monday and Tuesday. This is the first time in two years i have been unable to go to work! I have been employed for two years next month but only 6 months as permanent part time so i am now able to get sick leave and holidays but i feel i have to start all over again with getting sick leave.

Well here it is a cottage repaired with new weatherboards. As we thought, the carpenters found things that needed repairing. Three stumps replaced as they were rotten, and also a rafter in the roof as well.
Polo,our cat, enjoyed the new space that was under the house and was watching the world go by.
All that is left to be done is the painting!

renovations (finally!)

These are before photos of the front of our house which are going to be replaced starting on Tuesday morning. The carpenters expect to be here for about three days. I will give you updates on the progress later in the week. The power lines and internet cables will be taken down on Wednesday for a day.

Just an update on our bushfires 65 people have lost their lives in the fires and more may come later. The sad thing is some of these fires have been deliberately lit. As well some have been relit after they have been put out. Thankfully the weather has cooled down and we had a little rain this morning.

my burnt garden

ROSE
This is my rose garden after last week's 40+degrees (105degrees f). the roses were struggling with the drought but i think i have lost them now.


ROSE BED


BURNT ROSES


FUCHSIA
This is what 's left of my standard Fuchsia.


GERANIUMS
Even the most hardy plants suffered.


CAMELIA
This 40 year old camelia might not survive to its 41st year.

Boxing Day Sale

Hi everyone,

I have been looking at all your posts and comments.
Hope you all had a merry Christmas?
Helen and I went to the boxing day sales because Helen wanted a portable d.v.d.
we found one at a well known electrical goods store (not Harvey Norman). When we went to plug it in it didn't start. I was already wary of this store as i had an experience once before with a computer dvd which worked for a few minutes then nothing. We had taken it back to the salesman who took it out the back to test it and then came back out and said that it was working fine. He wouldn't let us see it working on a computer and because we had already opened the package we couldn't have our money back or an exchange. This is so stupid as to find out if it is faulty you would have to try it first!
Needless to say i was worried we would have problems.
We went back the next morning and the man looked at it closely and said their was fingerprints on it. Mind you we had it for less than 24 hours. Mark said of course there was, we had to open the lid after all. Sure enough he sent it out the back to test it. Guess what? He said it was working! Mark said what about the charger and the man plugged it in and it didn't come on so we were right, yay!.
So they got another charger from another box and yes it did worked.
What was strange was that he could have given us a new box and kept ours. The store manager asked him why he didn't do that too. He just gave her a look and said he only needed to replace the faulty charger because our dvd player was working okay. Therefore I think the same thing happened to some one else earlier. Because we got a faulty charger with the dvd player that we purchased. The box had already been opened.
I have heard a lot of complaints about this store. They are very reluctant to give you your money back.

My Prize won for me by Kooka

This is what we won at our church fair. I have waited years
to win this. Mark bought 3 more tickets at the last minute.
It was a bit embarrassing as Mark was asked to draw out the raffle ticket.
To his dismay he said it was his ticket. He asked if he should draw another ticket.
I hoped that he wouldn't draw another raffle ticket and luckily everyone said that he won it fair and square.