It was warm last week

2108.2011

BUILDING NEWS

The block work is nearly done but the weather is not helping. Geoff is working on the chimney now that the side grates have arrived. Edd is still trying to get the roof organised and we are waiting for the solar tubes to be installed. I was hoping the pavers would be delivered last week when it was dry but some had to come from interstate so that was impossible. Now it is too wet to deliver them again.

Frustration is the word that sums up the present situation,

OTHER NEWS

Our week of fabulous dry warm weather has ended, but winter has not totally returned. To emphasise the point the first lambs have been born. The daffodils and arum lilies are putting on a tremendous display and the buds on the mulberry trees are starting to open. We all loved the warm weather and ended the week with a trip down to the peninsular to use the gift voucher our kids had given us for the hot springs. Oh what luxury. We soaked for hours in a bubbly rock pool and relaxed with a massage and meal. I could put up with this treatment every day ..no worries.

Reality has returned this week and once more we are slopping round in the mud. Every past injury we have had has started to ache and the building process has slowed right down. Tonight when I came back from shutting up the chooks I paused in the ruins of our old house and tried to imagine a winter evening in there, with the fire burning brightly, and everything warm and dry. Surprisingly my first feeling was that I am actually happier now. I am not at all sure why but I recall being so tired when I ran the host farm business and struggled to maintain everything.

It was so miserable today that I met a friend in Yarra Glen and we sat by the fire in Bo’s restaurant and swapped news. Bo does a great pie and peas dish which goes well with Simon’s stout. Just what is needed on a damp, dark, day. Merrie has been studying pottery in a serious way for some years now so we could talk about things we have learnt. I feel very happy this week because I attempted to through proper sized bowl on the wheel and actually did not find it as hard as I thought it would be.

I offered to make some pots for Al and in a typical Al way he immediately got out a pen and paper and drew exactly what he wanted! This was really good because it challenged me to try new things that I was slipping quietly into the too hard basket. I am really loving our pottery afternoons. Thea and I just quietly do our own work but Maureen is always around to answer our questions and help us when we are stuck. She is a fantastic teacher.