One Step Closer

The quilts are finished for the Seniors Day now, the one for the King of Aberdeen is an indian print and nice colours,the Queen quilt is a tea time theme,all the girls at cackle Club share in the making of them, someone gives the fabric,someone does the tops and someone else does the quilting so we all take an active part,there is no one more gnerous with their time than another,in this instance,Karen did the Indian one and I did the tea time one and Edith did the quilting whilst the other girls gave the fabrics,just so lovely when they come together..thanks girls two very lovely old people are going to be thrilled(we try to choose people who do not have many family around them that way they feel extra special,however if we run out of "lonelies" we just randomly pick on the day,there is no great rocket science about selection,it is all about feeling "special".

The spare room looks like a warehouse now and donations coming in every direction,not long till all the girls come and have a wrap and giggle day...can't wait!.

Now here is someone pretty special.On Mothers Day we were not sure what to get Mum so decided on a little portable DVD player,we do not usually buy big pressies but she has everything she needs.We did not think she liked it as it had not been used, she got Bob to show her how to operate it and this is Saturday afternoon relax time...what better way."Sound of Music" in Mums favourite chair and Miss Molly enjoying the show together,I think Mum will use it a lot know she knows it is easy.

The little player has great clarity and sound and she has been enthralled for the last 1 1/2 hours.Glad you like it Mum and many happy hours with your favourite musicals.

                                                                       One Step Closer

THis was sent to me in an email and I just thought I would share it.


                                                WAKE UP TIME




When the shearing sheds are silent and the stock camps fallen quiet,

When the gidgee coals no longer glow across the outback night,

And the bush is forced to hang a sign, 'Gone broke and won't be back'

And spirits fear to find a way beyond the beaten track



When harvesters stand derelict upon the wind-swept plains,

And brave hearts pin their hopes no more on chance of loving rains;

When a hundred outback settlements are ghost towns overnight,

When we've lost the drive and heart we had to once more see us right



When 'Pioneer' means a stereo and 'Digger' some backhoe,

And the 'Outback' is behind the house, there's nowhere else to go,

And 'Anzac' is a biscuit brand and probably foreign owned,

And education really means brainwashed and neatly cloned



When you have to bake a loaf of bread to make a decent crust,

And our heritage once enshrined in gold is crumbling to dust,

And old folk pay their camping fees on land for which they fought,

And fishing is a great escape; this is until you're caught



When you see our kids with yankee caps and resentment in their eyes,

And the soaring crime and hopeless hearts is no longer a surprise,

When the name of RM Williams is a yuppie clothing brand

And not a product of our heritage that once grew off the land



When offering a hand makes people think you'll amputate,

And two dogs meeting in the street is what you call a 'Mate',

When 'Political Correctness' has replaced all common sense,

When you're forced to see it their way, there's no sitting on the fence



Yes one day you might find yourself an outcast in this land -

Perhaps your heart will tell you then, 'I should have made a stand'

Just go and ask the farmers - that should remove all doubt

Then join the swelling ranks who say, 'DON'T SELL AUSTRALIA OUT'



Courtesy of Craig Leggett (Ex SAS & 1 RAR)

                                                                    Recipes as Promised

                                      MINESTRONE SOUP

Ingredients:
 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Onion chopped small
3 Celery sticks,diced
2 Carrots,diced
1 Onion,diced
1 Cup peas
2 cloves garlic crushed
2  medium potatoes,cut into cubes
1 tin Barlotti beans,drained(if unavailable I used 5 bean mix this time and it was nice)
1 Tablespoon Tomato Puree
2 cups Chicken Stock
1/4 cup small pasta shells
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley
Parmesan Cheese

Method: Gently fry the onion and garlic in the oil,then add the carrots and the celery and gently fry for a few minutes.
Stir in the peas,pour in the stock and tomato puree then add the beans and potatoes and leave to simmer for 15 to 20 mins.Finally add the pasta shells and leave to simmer another 7 to 10 mins,until pasta is cooked.Mix in some chopped parsley,sprinkle with parmesan cheese as you serve with crusty bread..
This freezes quite well and is even more tasty the next day.
                                                             Enjoy!



                                                         Lattice Slice
This slice is quick and easy no cook and is nicer made the day before as it is easier to cut then,but just as yummy made on the day lol.I make this in my square tupperware container for carriage but can easily be done in a slice tin .
Ingredients:
 2 pkts lattice biscuits
1 tin condenced milk
1 lge pkt philly cheese(philladelphia cream cheese)
2 Lemons
1 lge carton cream
2 passionfruit

Put the Philly out of the fridge just a little while before making to have it softer.
In a large bowl put tin of condenced milk, broken up philly,juice of 2 lemons.Mix with your mixer until no lumps left,this only takes a couple of minutes.
Place a layer of Lattice biscuits on the base of the tin/container that you are using.
Put your mixture on top of the biscuit layer.
Place another layer of lattice biscuits on top.
Whip the carton of cream ,add this to the top of your last biscuit layer.
Place the  passionfruit pulp on top of the cream.
When you do the layer of biscuits and they do not fit I just trim bickies to fit to the edge of your container, you will have a few left but not many for the bickie jar lol.
Keep in the fridge, it actuall keeps really well but does not last too long once tasted!
I imagine you could use other biscuits for your base etc but my Nan always used Lattice.
This is so easy to make and I always have the ingredients in my fridge and pantry so if I  am asked anywhere I can whip it up.

                                


                              HOLY TOLEDO BATMAN DID YOU SEE THAT!

It is time for me to start getting ready for the Seniors day and although some people do not believe in miracles I can say that I do!I sometimes stand at my doorway with my mouth wide open when I find these packages ,peoples generosity never ceases to astound me,I love our little town and here are a few reasons why.

                                        On my doorstep this week were the following:

A small selection of the crochet hangers and tea towels.

At the back of the pic are 40 mens hankies with combs,handtowels and soaps and deodorants,then 40 ladies makeup purses with a hankie and lip balm inside and the donator had made little beaded attachment to the zippers for easy opening.

There are also 40 shower gel and  deodorant packages,what can you say when you find these things left for you,I almost always know who the little fairies are that leave these things,but to say they leave me in awe every year is just an understatementt,how unselfish of them and to think that these people are not all that well off...I am a proud Aberdeenian.

My other weekend activity was our Soup and Damper night at church,5 of us made soups and slices and we had a fashion parade as well.

We always just have a crowd of 40 people, we charge $20 each and  so we made over $800 just on the door without the raffle,amazing... and as us girls take all the food there is not any outlay, so if you want a good money earner for your little group this is a quick,labour friendly way to do it.

My soup that I had to take was Minestrone,this is a delishious recipe that I actually got off the net,with that Parmesan and parsley added when it is served it is yummy, I have taken this one for the past 3 years and it gets more and more popular.

I always take this slice for special times. it is quick, easy and absolutely lovely,the best thing is you can make it the day before,it is Lattice Slice.I make it in the container it is an easy way to carry it,if you do it in a slice tray it is harder to carry and not get covered in cream!

Hope you have had a lovely weekend and back to work tomorrow...damn...anyway hopefully I can get back to crafting this week,following other blogs is making me want to make many lovely things.

                                            


                                                            Bits and Pieces Again!






Updates etc, Jan is home and actually was sent home the day after surgery with her tubes etc in, they are now removed and she is getting stronger which needs to before the next reatment starts.D DAy is Wed when she will find out what they discovered in the operation,so we are praying big time that they have gotten all the Cancer.


No children could come home for Mothers Day but we had lovely packages in the mail and precious cards, I do not want gifts just love and sweet thoughts ,our son in law just lost his Mum so our daughter needed to be home for him this , I really encouraged her to be there as Ruth died in their home and it seemed to me it would be a hard day for Steve when he returned from work,our son and his family went to Sydney for the day, my daughter in law no longer has a Mum and finds i hard on this day to come to us, i guess I just have to miss out because of her pain but I do not say anything but it is 10 years ago now and I would dearly love to see our grandchildren and our son on this day,who knows maybe next year?

A little bit of fun with photo thingo that another blog sugested and although Mum never did anything that would get her into the newspaper I decided that she deserves a full page lol she is enjoying strawberry mousse last Mothers Day,the other page is me in a vulgar hat at last years Seniors Day as we had to dress for the theme,Mad Hatters party.

We are so blessed to still have our Mum she is 90 and getting a little more frail now,but she still comes to work with me 3 days a week as you know I take her then I know what she is up to! lol,honestly she is marvellous, insists on doing the ironing and washing up and she was not alowed to do either yesterday.

We still have Bobs Mum also and she is also 90 but it is so far to her home over 8 hours we were not able to go to her but we have just been at Easter,hopefully she will be here for Christmas.

Well our Seniors day is approaching, now 7 weeks away and  I will show you what some people have been giving to me for pressies for them in my next blog.

Be blessed and have a lovely safe day, I hope my RAK ladies get their parcels today and enjoy them.

                                                                          Update on Jan

Jans daughter rang us quite late last night to say that she had come through the surgery ok.We do not know just yet how much the doctors have taken or how far the cancer had spread but we are hoping that it was early stages.
She is strong and healthy in most ways so we are relying on that but all of us can only take so much but we are all here for her.
Jan does not believe in God,she says that I will have to be the prayer for her healing,I am happy with that but I do not really understand how  people keep strong without God, she agreed that when she was first told the news she thought"O'h God"!and it seems that almost everyone says that in times of trouble,I just told her he is there for us all everyday through good and bad and so much peace comes awash over you when you are not alone in the daily battles of life......anyway......to each his own...no sermon just hope,peace,love and joy and healing to our dear Jan.
Our Mr William is 5 today...he is the youngest grandchild of 6 and sad that we don't have any baby babies anymore...they grow too fast,Alex is safe back home after his China trip and he loved it all,our Kate can stop crying now she cried for almost the entire time he was away and I went with her to Sydney to meet him off the plane, it was wonderful to hug him and know he was back safe and sound,Mum says never to leave again but only 4 days home and a disagreement on the importance of homeowrk!o'h the normality of it all lol.

                                                       Simply Hopeful.

Today is a toughie for us all here, my sister in law faces her breast surgury, we are so far away and all we can do is pray that they get all the nasty MR C. She has her operation about 3.30pm today .
Jan is a good person she works tirelessly for Red Cross,has been on her own for about 25 years and finished raising 5 children alone.Just recently Jan received a medal from RC for 20 years service, she is called to all emergencies across our state and also Queensland as she distributes help to those stranded and just came back from Cardwell and Tully after the  recent hard times.Jan also received Citizen of the Year for Grafton the same year I did for here and it was a family joke that it was a set up,Jan also is a leason officer for the Aboriginal community in her area as she is always mistakenly taken for an elder,it became a situation where she was actually asked by the local aborigine people to speak for them and is considered a member,she has had a amazing journey.
Love has eluded her,she was not allowed to marry the boy of choice way back as he was of German descent and as her father was a prisoner of them in the war he would not allow it,she then married a fellow that gave her a life of hell,I would be over the moon if Jan could find love again and she deserves it so much.
Today we pray and send our love to you,I am thankful for the time we shared a couple of weeks ago and we will get you down here for some R&R as soon as we can God bless you Jan.