Mustering

Tomorrow Steve and the kids are going mustering and I am going to town!

It is great now the kids are keen and I must add very capable of helping Steve. Great time to spend together working with our little herd, they do plenty of helping and mustering for the property owner but it's nice to do work that will benefit our family. So my next dilemma is what to give them for their help? I don't want to give them money and we don't have enough cows to give them one each to keep track of their calves (yet anyway the debit is too big!) So it's my job to think of something to show our appreciation and reward their great work.

The kids understand that the cattle help pay for us to go on Holidays and campdraft/show/dressage competitions so they help us have a little fun, but I would like to reward their personal effort.

Meanwhile I am going to town for horse feed! that's a never ending occurrence. If we didn't have so many animals we would be rich but our life would be poor...I couldn't imagine not having animals!

Dotty is my little Jack Russel and she's going great, very different to her mother Sarah a little more loving! I am hoping her nature stays that way, her mother is not the most loving girl but devoted to Steve. They say they are very devoted dogs so I can only hope Dotty will feel the same way about me as Sarah does about Steve.

Baby Dotty

Yackandandah Townshiphill Motel

Snug little bugs the blankets were all off by the morning the rooms were warm and the beds warmer first time we have used electric blankets!

Jess waiting for a lift!!

Back @ Gilgunyah

We are back again in the northern warm weather sitting listening to the hum of the air conditioner instead of the crackling fire. What a contrast and what a time we had. The people were fantastic everywhere we went. I didn't keep track of the kilometers but we covered plenty of the state, from snow covered mountains to the rugged coast and panning for gold in between. I can't pick one highlight from the trip the whole ten days were full on and action packed.

Kids and their Great Grandmother

Visiting Omi

Spencers in the Snow

It's raining It's pouring....

I am sitting in a motel in Cowes on Phillip Island a beautiful place famous for the Fairy Penguins and a place my family visited when I was a child. I am shocked that the penguins have had a name change! from Fairy to Little Penguins. We all went to the Penguin Parade last night and it was a fantastic sight 1400 little penguins waddled up from the wild sea. It was freezing but as soon as the penguins started waddling in the oohs and ahhhs kicked in and the cold was forgotten.

We have had an amazing trip so far this is the first really wet cold day but there is still plenty to do. Steve and the kids have gone back to Churchill Farm for the afternoon displays of working dogs and blacksmith. Tomorrow we are going Trout fishing Indoors before heading to the big smoke and the Melbourne Zoo Thursday...everyones had a great break not looking forward to going home!

My Dad

My blog was always going to be light happy and no bad news but....

My dad has been given 11 months and it's not fair. We are in Yackandandah visiting my Omi, a bit of a shock it has been two years since I last visited. So I rang dad at 4pm from Euroa and he gave me the news in his words "I have been ripped off, they've given me 11 months they could have made it an even 12 months!" that's my dad so bloody casual. He said he was going to have a few rums and get out a little more!

We last saw him when we went to his 70th birthday on the 9th November 2009. Dad has been diagnosed with Parkinson's, Spinal degeneration, Asbestosis and a neurological problem that's made it near impossible to get around and now CANCER... it's not bloody fair...I held it together and was very brave which is really unlike me.

What to do now...I need to spend sometime with my dad but that means spending time away from Steve but he's been so amazing and supportive telling me to do what I need so now major decision's to make but that will wait until we get home.

Then there i is Omi she's frail and forgetful but she's also nearly 90 so doing well but it was a big shock. We have been spending time and sightseeing so everyone is happy.

Ready and Waiting

We are all sitting in Townsville ready and waiting for our trip to Victoria. Kids are jumping out of there skins with excitement but not at the thought of school! I have packed school but only asked they do half an hour per flight. They are also going to do a diary of there trip. Jess has taken photo's already!

I rang my Omi (granny) and she's been in hospital and was a little fuzzy but that's to be expected when your nearly 90. She keeps chatting to me in German but I have no idea what she's saying, I wish I had learnt German when I was younger.

I haven't checked the weather yet am a little scared think we will jump in feet first. We only have a short walk from airport to hire car then three hours in the warm car will be OK!

Good night and I will chat from Victoria toodley doo (that's what Omi always says!)

All Packed Up!

We are all packed and rearing to go! a very excited house tonight...looking forward to heading south.

As usual I have made the plans and booked the flights, organised motels, hired the rental car and packed but it's all part of the job so my husband tells me. The old your better at all that stuff than I am but it's not just holiday plans it life in general! I was talking to two different friends and they both had the same complaints "my husband doesn't do any of the bills I do it all" so I am not the loan ranger in this problem! but I was thinking how I go off if things go wrong and probably safer for Steve if I do it. It would be easier to console me if something stuffs up than listen to my whinge if something he organises stuffs up!! but I am expecting smooth sailing or should I say flying...