And ...

That little gorgeous wench has been doing all she can to get me to move to Ballarat to be near her.

She's searching the Houses For Sale like a ferret after a bunny in a hole.
So far, she's sent me quite alot of nice homes to buy too!

Time will tell .......

My Grandaughter And I.

It is time for me to post a photo of my Darling Grandaughter and I - as we are. This photo was taken last December just before last Christmas, just a few weeks ago actually.

It wasn't always this way. Simmy was actually antisocial as a little one and I didn't meet her until she was about 2 years old.

She was quite used to her other Grandmother, but had only heard about another mystical 'Nandy' in the bush who wrote childrens books; who lived in an enchanted Cottage with all her animals; who painted and did heaps of drawings; and, who loved Lavender and Lace.

Her other Grandmother is much older than me, and is always ill poor Darling. So Simmy was prepared to meet another Grandmother with all over grey hair, an old lady who was constantly ill and who didn't drive a car or anything.

Imagine her shock when I drove into the driveway of her home in a red coupe sporting the latest in gifts for all and plenty of special sweets for Daddy who loves them. I mean, NOBODY buys DADDY lollies!!

No grey hair all over, perfectly fit and well, laughing and joking, hugging everyone
and who took the floor as centre of attention - with all but .... Simmy.

She fled. I glanced at her then at my daughter who explained that she was very shy and decided I'd soon fix that up!

Each time Simmy stole a glance at me, I stole one at her, and immediately I "became" as shy of her as she was of me.

A whole day passed where we hid from one another in our shyness, constantly looking at one another very, very shyly and pretending we didn't exist.

We saw one another in the hallway - and fled in opposite directions, then peered out of the crack of a door to see if we were looking at one another again. When we saw we were looking at each other, the door shut fast.

We found places to hide from one another I don't think her Mum and Dad knew about.

I was starting to het a bit tired of this game but noted how she would go out to my car and stare at it.

" What's the prob Hon? She like Coupe's?" I questioned my daughter.

" I don't know Muz, I think she just likes the colour, also, her other Grandmother doesn't drive. It might be a surprise for her to see you drive. I think she's baffled somehow. She expected a "Grandmother" I think you know what I mean."

Inside she would creep, and then the game would start again. I was just too shy of her.

That evening after Tea, I collapsed on the lounge. Sim stared at me. I stared back.
She moved forward. I moved backward. She looked at me puzzled, I looked at her exceptionally puzzled.

I reached for my handbag, lipstick was needed. She watched me. I watched her. She frowned, I frowned. She looked totally baffled! She looked at the lipstick, I looked at the lipstick.

I put the lipstick on, she watched. Then very, very shyly, more shyly and timud than a little mouse I said to her softly "Want some?"

She came over and I put some lipstick on her.

That did it! Lipstick! There is no doubt about we girls, we stick together.

Her parents went into hysterics laughing, so did Simmy and so did I. And, we have never been separated in friendship ever since.

From then onwards we were the best of friends. Special books were written just for her, books I bound myself as they were absolutely personally hers. Special drawings for the books were done and gone was my career for the world as I ploughed myself into books for my little Grandaughter and Grandson. They mean't the world to me.



Today, she drives that Coupe I drove into her Driveway. And, she is the proudest young lady one could imagine because she owns it. We can't seem to prise her out of it!

Mallee Dust Storm 2007

It was a quarter to six p.m. this evening when this monster dust storm struck the back of my home.. Outside, the winds are still raging, the skies filled with sand, grit and dust from across the mallee.

I managed to gather a few photos as it was dangerous to be outside in such weather. Strong winds can bring down tree limbs, and many other things can happen which I won't go into here.

And, this is the drought in the mallee....

The sun has still to set .... "if you don't mind having to like or lump it, it's a fine life!"

Father Heals.

I don't believe for one second there is any disease on earth the Almighty Father cannot heal.

I often wonder though if Father allows us to get sick in order for us to become closer to Him for the Believer will always turn to Him
in sickness.

My sojourn in hospital was that of complete straight sleep for 24 hours I woke for a short time, wanted a shower and recall being
distressed as I had no toiletries and had to use a soap dispenser. But, at least it was a little refreshing.

Since my arrival home, I have slept like a baby and never drank so much water in my life.

Slow breathing is excellent for High Blood Pressure and I have been doing heaps of this when awake.

I guess I must look a sight at home fast asleep with two big lazy fat cats asleep nearby guarding me, and a little Maltse Shihitsu
laying next to them also guarding Mummy.

I refuse to drink coffee now as it dehydrates the body and can raise B.P. So, a once a day light cup is the limit.

But, I can't get over the amount of water I've consumed! I think the damns might be a bit lower now ...
Uhoh, I'd better start on the tank water.

Of course I pray, and I know Father knows what is best to heal one of His Children.
But, each of His children have a slightly different makeup.

So I believe we must listen closely to that still small voice which tells us which things
are food for our health - and which things are not.

Of course, I still have a way to go before I am better, but somehow, I know all will be well.
Oh boy, this entry is so far away from falling down holes in the ground .... ;D

Praise God!!

Have To Wait

Sorry readers, my blog will have to wait until I am feeling stronger.

I became quite ill with a respiratory problem and terrible cough, and have been in hospital, so am resting and taking care of myself.

Chest X Rays were taken yesterday, and will be seeing Dr tomorrow at noon.

This is a bit garbled, but all I can manage for the present.

Love to all till back online here.

The Prayer of Stephen Knight From, The Day's Of Queen Mary.

This prayer is one of the most memorable ever said by a martyr about to be burned at the stake. Please feel free to download it.

The Book'The Days Of Queen Mary' Today

The book, The Days's Of Queen Mary as it is today.
Inside the front cover you can see the candle grease and also written notes.
I don't think this book has ever been republished as I have tried to find it but have had no luck from my curiosity re the web ... but this is the book I still have in my possession.

Glenorchy Tasmania, late 1950's.

Glenorchy was like the big tail end country town of Hobart during my time of living there.
There was no shopping centre, but we had 2 butcher's shops, McShane's Grocery Store,
O'Briens Milk Bar, Barkley's Clothing & Gifts, the Elwick Hotel, a Fish and Chip Shop and cafe, another Fish and Chip shop, a rather odd picture theatre and a newsagency. I think the picture Theatre was called The Melrose.

The tram line came to an end at the bottom of Tolosa Street next to a big convict built church. But, in 1960, all trams stopped running which was a bummer as they were great, but they gave way to buses. I recall the shelter shed where we all huddled in the cold weather to keep warm while waiting for the tram.

Next to O'Brien's bridge was the big convict built tannery or something where the skins of slaughtered animals were sent. I don't know what they did with them, it too had been convict built and if memory serves me correct, it was a brick two storey place.

To swim, everyone went to 'The Grove' where people in days gone by had erected a dressing shed, toilets, and swings. There was also a very old jetty there, I think 'convict built'.

The Grove boasted of the largest shade tree's one could imagine planted by early settlers (or convicts), and the entire area was grassed with lush grass.

It was here where all young people would gather in summer to dive off the jetty and swim in the cool, clean water of the Derwent. Unfortunately, when we walked in the water we had to walk on large round water worn rocks but that was all the more fun.

On the grass we would play chasey, some type of "beach Ball", and of course we would sit and sing songs. It was the 'playground of Glenorchy' set in natural settings and loved by everyone.

Today, not many have heard of The Grove but it was from here men would sit and do a spot of fishing from the jetty with good catches to be had.

Of course we don't remember the large house in the picture. But many other photo's of The Grove and us swimming, and playing there are in existance.

Historical things man destroys for so called 'progress' can never be replaced and forever die outin the memories of man. For this reason alone, I often wonder if progress is really good and replace the word with 'regress'.

The Brooker Highway destroyed much which will never be seen by Australians, what was kept for people to see was the Shot Tower and Port Arthur, and of course the famous (or infamous?) Salamanca Place where early whore houses had been and a man murdered on Kelly's Steps.

During the time I lived in Tasmania, no decent person would go near parts of Salamanca place. Today, things have changed there for the better and all the old whore houses etc; stare down on the throng.

On the corner of Mill Lane in Glenorchy there had been a very old 'convict built' two storey Inn. It was small and dank in rooms, but nevertheless part of Tasmania's history. Here, coaches would stop in Mill Lane to allow passengers to refresh themselves. Mill Lane was cobble stoned only to a point where the coaches stopped.

As young kids, we were not permitted to walk past the Elwick Hotel which was close to O'Brien's Bridge, and almost opposite Mill Lane. It was a very large two storey hotel, and very boisterous. Drunks often fell out the door. I believe it too had been 'convict built'.

It always fascinated me just how many places had been 'convict built'. It seemed that the convicts spent all of their time building.

Beside O'Brien's bridge, just behind Chapel Street, there laid a huge and beautiful Chinese Garden filled with fresh vegetables.

The Chinese lived in a little wooden humpy on their land and were the friendliest of people. There were no women, only men who smoked opium (so everybody said)and yet were able to sell the best vegetables to be bought. The garden itself was huge and the Chinese, being wonderful workers, worked in the garden from sunrise till dark.

The Catholic Church we has attended was so very old and had a history which reached back to it's stained glass windows being brought from England along with it's beautiful 'Stations Of The Cross' monuments. It's architecture was almost identical to the Richmond Catholic Church.

The Church was on the Main Road of Glenorchy, just down from Chapel street on the right hand side of the road.

As one entered the gate of the church, one walked beneath an ancient 'crab apple' tree which spread it's glorious blanches across a well worn path beside which were graves of the long departed, these were set in lawns which was typical of the British Church style in English ancient days. In spring time daffodils would show their golden heads to a gentle, non haste world.

On the corner of Chapel Street was Salters Grocery Store, it was very old, whereas, in Chapel Steet itself was another little grocery store just up from Salters.


The best looking building in Glenorchy was the Post Office! Here, there was a cenotaph and here it was that all Glenorchians laid a wreath on Anzac Day where the haunting refrain of 'The Last Post' would be played.

O'Brien's Bridge was the 'meeting place' for most of we young ones. "Meecha at O'Brien's Bridge!" was a comon call.

Ond ... on the corner of Chapel Street opposite Salters Grocery Store, on the lefe as one turned into Chapel Street, was the old convict built church with it's ancient hedge hiding much of what had once been.

At the top of Chapel Street was a beautiful clear water sort of a shallow damn which was also a popular swiming place for we young people during summer if The Grove was too crowded. Farmlets dotted the road to the dam and we would ride our bikes up there passing fruit trees laden with fruit, (pears and greengage plums being firm favorites as we were sick of apples,) and horses gamboling in paddocks of course!


When Glenorchy was declared a city, we all laughed. But, of course I did not live at Glenorchy then. One of my best friends (and Godfather to my daughter) became one of the Mayors of Glenorchy, and I knew Glenorchy as it had been would be lost to the world. Not because of my friend! But because of ... other reasons ....

And today, it seems, that all photo's of old Glenorchy have vanished, or are being withheld from view.

Many people are not aware that Marcus Clarke who wrote 'For The Term Of His Natural Life', lived near Glenorchy. But most are aware that the ex bushranger, Martin Cash lived there.

I'm Running Away From Home

Have you ever had one of THOSE days? I mean one of those REALLY and TRULY odd days when nothing seems to go right?

Mine started last night when I locked Mummy chook and her now half grown chickens in the hen house for the first time. I forgot the hen was part of the rooster's harem, that turned her off the chickens.

Still, I let Mummy hen out, with her "chicks". Mummy had forgotten them and took off to find where I left tid bits for her and her 'babies'. OK, I got the hen back into the henhouse after running as fast as her for half an hour. I think a bit of "mallee talk' finally got to her.

That left the chickens running loose. OK, I'd collect them tonight. So, on their own without Mummy, they dug heck out of my spinach.

Right --- I had a bit of work to do for the town so it was off to the watering hole to gather the things they needed to save the ecology. Everything went well till I got there.

They didn't tell me I had to go was the sinkhole!!!

So, up to my knees in slimy rotten mud the things which needed saving were saved then it was time to leave.

I was stuck. Hopelessly stuck and sinking. There was only one thing to do, crawl out.

I wonder if anyone else has ever had to crawl out of black mud? Like, it was partly under water but it was still mud!

I got out - the critters were saved but I was a black blob. Looking across at my little pure white dog, I saw a little pure black ball of black mud. Nooo!!! She was a MESS!! My Doggie!! The car!!!

We both headed for a bit of clean water, and it WAS a bit too! But enough to get most of the mud off!

The nose of the car was turned homewards and she purred like a kitten. Suddenly, a big dog ran in front of the car, I braked, and ... over went the half bucket of water and all the saved critters from the sinkhole.

Sooooo ... panic set in. There were prawns jumping, fish springing, water jumpers and you name it popping up from the floor like corks from champagne bottles.

Lovely..... just flamin'lovely! It took me ages to catch the darn things again plus clean the car!

Home at last, the shower went on and relief poured down.
I shampooed my hair five times before I could reach for the conditioner!

Had a bit of lunch after putting the water animals in the ecology pond, washed up then decided to have a nice foot bath to make sure all that mud was gone.

Oh yes, I'd pop it onto vibrate/bubbles and let the vibrations massage and really cleanse my tootsies and toe nails as I still felt kind of dirty.

So, in went a few drops of Lavender Bath Bubbles and in went the tootsies.

The hum of the foot bath was soft and hypnotic, the sensation of the foot bath was relaxing so got really comfy and dozed off a bit.

I roused as the water seemed to be getting warmer which was natural, so thought it could be changed to fresh water. When I opened my eyes I could only stare at the sight. There were bubbles almost up to my knees!

I grabbed a nearby camera and took the photo's you see there of my foot bath as the bubbles kept getting higher, and higher and higher till all I could see was bubbles!

Jumped out of that fast, pulled the cord out and emptied the darn thing thankful that I wasn't married and have a husband yelling at me for wetting the carpet!

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Evening came, do you think I could get those darn chickens back into the chicken house? No way!! I ran around trees, bushes, shrubs, over lawns, through the fernery and the darned things STILL wouldn't be fed in the chicken house because Mummy wasn't there!

So, I got Mummy, chucked her in the chicken house then quietly lured the chickens toward her. They reacted!! Whoopee!!!

But, Mummy was screaming her lungs out, she wanted to go back in with Daddy! So, round and round the chicken house I flew with chickens flying everywhere and the galah sitting there yelling " WHAT ARE YA DOING NOW!!"

I finally got them all and for the first time ever, they were all held by the feet!
The sqwarking and squarking caused every dog in the neighbourhood to go off on a barking spree.

So! There were neighbours screaming " LAY DOWN YA MONGREL!!" while the Galah was screeching " WHATTA YA DOING!!!", and the hen was screeching out of tune with the chickens screaming.

This set the rooster off. He started crowing his head off and screeching thinking his girlfriend and kids were in strife. He in turn set the other hens off, which, in turn set the ducks off, this set the budgerigahs off and they in turn set the Cockatiels off.

The noise comin from my place was deafening!! Then, my little girl Galah started screeching!

No, no ... this wasn't happening.

In the meantime, as it was the animals tea time, the two cats were hungry, so The Tid (my youngest) decided to try to purr around my legs.

How could he do that!! With all the noise around the place one would have thought he'd have shot up the nearest tree and caught a sparrow! But noooo .... so, I fell head over turkey over the cat!

He let out a squark and THEN decided to go up a tree! Cat's are stupid creatures at times. If only all cats were like my older boy. He's a thorough gentleman.

Well, I still had hold of the chook and chickens by the feet so up I got and headed for the hen house where they were gently placed in a dark place so I couldn't see them. This set a sitting Game Hen off on a screeching spree!

The rooster came at me then, he chased me around and around that large yard as if he was demented!! He squarked and carked all over the place while I used a bit of harsh talking back while on the run from the thing.

The ducks were visibly shaken, the hens were absolutely off their heads because they just stood and stared with not a squark out of them. The ducks also stared but ducks tend to use their quackers if things are not right so I threatened them with no water for a week if they didn't shut up.

Finally, FINALLY .... I got out of the place and leaned with my back against the fowl yard door. It was over ........

I looked down - no shoes.

I passed the Galah which was still talking like a mad thing as he always does when there's a bit of excitement, closed my eyes when he said " What DID you DO?",came inside and closed the door to the sound of the Galah chattering away and singing to himself. Fell over the cat again and knocked the standing fan over.

That scared the cat into trying to spring out the kitchen window which scared hell out of the Budgies again.

Hope And Experience

Throughout life, man experiences.

At the moment of birth, the child cries from necessity that it's lungs are brought into full use, and if it doesn't cry, it is slapped until it does. It feels the pain, it cries - or screams, and all adults breathe a sigh of relief.

Sometimes, we, the little ones of God are permitted pain and suffering in order to cry out the breath of prayer in order that the lungs of our spirits may be excercised through prayer to gain fresh vigour.

The Cross did not offer a charming sight, but from the moment of The Saviour's baptism He took the cross upon His shoulders. In actual fact, He bore it for all His years on earth, His baptism I guess, confirmed His end.

In Him we have Hope, and through Him, we gain Experience for He gives us Hope and Experience.

It is painful, oh so terribly painful, for a person to live amongst viscious people, and for this reason many opt out to live a life alone.

This leaves me to ponder on the Life of Jesus while going about my daily chores.

For 33 and a half years, this Man of utter Holiness lived amongst men defiled with sin. He ate with them, walked with them, talked with them and chose to be friends with them. He experienced life and breathed the air just as we do. Walked and talked as we do, and sampled food as we do.

No man on this earth could have done what The Christ did for mankind, no man on this earth could have set the same example for mankind as did The Christ.

Did He know pain? Yes. He wept for Jerusalem. Only a person in pain weeps.

The spirit and the body are closely entwined. When the body feels pain, the spirit feels pain, and we weep, and pray.

Heh ... I am just a person of the bush, a "nature child" who is still entranced by things many take for granted. Grandoir living means naught to me, palaces mean nothing,(except if they are very very old, like, 1,000 - 1,500 years old and have deep dark secret tunnels which I can explore.)

Prayer Is Powerful.

Today, I felt much better after having a good sleep. And, there was no bleeding during the night from ear or nose, so that was a great blessing.

Prayers are so powerfilled it boggles the mind.

So many people in this world miss out on God Himself when they don't rely on Him through prayer.
Prayer to me is like a little child tugging at Daddy's hand and telling him something is wrong. The child explains to Daddy what it is that ails it and Daddy understands then tries to mend it the best way he humanly can.

Prayers to God, to me, act on the same principle. We go to God and touch the hem of His Garments and tell Him what is wrong, He takes time to listen and being God, knows what is best for the child.

He looks inwardly at the child and sees the problem to the human body, then sees the deep cause - and takes it away and slowly, or quickly, the child is healed.

His Timing is perfect in every way.

I have seen parents praying for a child and have often wondered if the child itself has prayed or is relying on Mummy and Daddy's prayers to be answered.

My very first encounter with God was as a child through a silly little prayer. Little did I know that the prayer was a Covenant.

"Please God take away my pain and I will believe in You for the rest of my life".

That was the prayer I uttered when my appendix burst at age 7. Words which could only be thought for the pain was so intense, the sweating so heavy, the breathing so bad while in pain words could not be uttered.

The moment the prayer was thought, the pain was gone leaving me in so much shock at it's going I looked around for it and yelled out "Where did it go!!"

I don't know if I have blogged about Prayer before, if I have, it is of no matter.

God is a God of Justice, He is continually watching His Children, His Angels continually guarding. And, He is constantly listening to those who pray. He also knows what is going to happen to a person.

Not one prayer in this world goes unanswered. Maybe not to people's liking, but to God's purpose.

I have seen people blame God for misadventures, and heard people say the most terrible things about God. But, the main problem is that they do not know God. And one of the greatest blessings we can have is to know God.

God is accessible at any given time of the day or night to those who really Love Him. And one can only really Love Him if they really know Him.

To know Him IS to Love Him!

Often, alone with my little dog, I sit and watch the sun set with my Father in Heaven. And, I tell Him how beautiful it is and thank Him for the priviledge of allowing me to see it for like so many others, I could have been born blind.

I listen to the birds calling their night cries and scrambling for their sleep time roosts, and thank Him I can hear, for I could have been born deaf.

And I praise Him for these wondrous things. Praise leads the way to Prayer.

God is not an egotistical God - our prayers and praise from the heart show Him our true heart for Him.

And for those who love God, who Lean on Him, who rely on Him, who talk to Him, who reach out to Him because He is a part of their life and their very reason for being,
He responds to prayers like a magnet.

They say we must be God centred. I think we must be heart centred on God so much that we trust Him in whatever happens in our life to a point where we cannot live without Him.

Yesterday was not the God appointed time for me to meet my friend. I believe God has other plans where we will spend more time together than the time we would have had and we will have a ball!!.

God Moves Ahead.

Once again I found God moves ahead in ways we cannot foresee.
Today, I should have been meeting one of my dearest and most cherished friends. Sadly, the journey was called off due to my BP being far too high, and Dr ordering another BP test at 2 p.m. today.

The BP test today showed my BP had only come down by 4 points. And during the night, my ear had started bleeding profusely. Not good.

The Sister at the Hospital ordered me to go home and rest immediately. Fearing I would be made to rest in one of their uncomfortable beds I took of like fork lightening from the Hospital.

So, am back to original remedies for HBP as well as medication. Of course my Dr would scoff at the original remedies but what he doesn't know won't hurt him.

Before I rested, I had to go to the Supermarket and felt prompted to buy bananas. I didn't really feel like them but it seemed as though I had to have them for some reason known only to my Father.

On my return home, I ate a banana, then craved another. It baffled me that I was so propted to buy bananas, so I went to my books and learned that those with a high potassium level are more unlikely to have a stroke than those with a low level.

That led me to the web where I googled in "bananas and high blood pressure" and found it said the same.

I now believe God takes care of us in ways and means we will never know and also, just how closely He knows our bodies. He also knows the cures to these things, the natural cures like honey, apple cider vinegar and water (2 tablespoons of ACV, 1 of honey) in a glass of water to be drank daily. Two to three times a day won't hurt if the BP is high. Tastes good too!

Garlic is another cure, odourless garlic capsules, or plain garlic. So, minced garlic is in my fridge and I will be making garlic bread, but with wholemeal and low cholesterol butter. Better to stink than to suffer.....!!


This BP rubbish will come down one way or the other, but I will obey God and take my medication plus the home remedies.

For a Bible study today I chose 2 Timothy 1 chapter 3.

I particularly like verse 16.

"All scripture is given by Inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

And this is where we find God's Love, in ....
doctrine.
reproof.
correction.
instruction in righteousness.

The Holy Spirit teaches, Father only reproves those whom He loves, He corrects us, and His Instructions of Righteousness are within the Bible.

These are powerful words to those who Love God.