Unmade Bed!

I didn't get to make the bed this morning before Squirt made himself well and truly at home on it. I didn't have the heart to move him because he looked so comfortable. I wrapped my dressing gown around him for some extra warmth and that's where he's been all day!

I'm a Gleek!!

I'm proud to admit that I'm a gleek!!

I love "Glee" and I'm a bit lost now that the series has finished on our TV's for the moment. I loved the final show and how it tied up some loose ends and will keep us excited for the new season to start! I hope Mr Schue and Emma finally get together!!

I bought the DVD of the first series so Emma and I can now get our Glee fix whenever we want!!

School Holidays

We're half way through our school holidays at the moment which have turned out to be busier than the school term!

Firstly Emma has been performing in a cabaret/dinner show at a restaurant in Wagga. She had her final show last night after 6 performances over 10 days. Before the shows even began we were doing lots of miles in the car for rehearsals.

The show was called "Phantoms, Cats and Superstars" and featured songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musicals such as Evita, The Lion King, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, and Beauty and the Beast. Emma had a wonderful time performing and can't wait to be in another production!

Ryan has been at a Winter Water Ski Training Camp at Stoney Park on the northern NSW coast for the week. Emma was also supposed to attend but it clashed with her show so she opted to stay home. Ryan has returned home tired but very happy that he improved his slalom, trick and jump events. All Farmer Phil and I have to do now is keep up his training over Winter to be ready for the ski season which starts in September. Ryan also informed us that he "needs" a new slalom ski!! We'll see about that!!

Almost Finished

Farmer Phil and I have been concreting around the pool for the past 3 weeks. I've mixed every wheelbarrow load of concrete for the job - about 6 cubic metres all up! I didn't count how many barrow loads that was, but it must have been around to 500! There was a 13T pile of sand/gravel mix for the job and there's only a tiny bit left.

We've still got the larger 5m x 5m square of concreting to go at the end of the pool but we've decided to get a concrete truck in for that job! Then it'll be time to glue the pavers on top - there's 260 of those!!

You Know You Live in the Country When........

a drover moves a mob of cattle past your farm gate!

Here is dad, the two kids and a dog on the road - what a wonderful way of life for the kids!

If only you could "hear" the photos - there's the bellowing of the cattle, the crack of the stock whip, the dogs barking, the gentle call of the drover.............. and then silence!

Contemporary Choir - At Last

On Sunday Emma performed with the two choirs she's a member of at a Jazz concert. This is the larger contemporary choir singing At Last. Their ages range from Emma at 14 through to John who is in his 70's.

Intermediate Choir - Best Friends Wedding

This is Emma's all girl choir singing songs featured in the movie My Best Friend's Wedding.

Wedding Thank You

I just received this thank you note in the mail today from Kade and Caroline from their wedding in April. I just thought I'd share it with you because I think it's a great idea to feature some of their professional photos with everyone. Also included was a photo of Farmer Phil and I taken at the reception - thanks Caroline!

Bella Goes Walkabout!

About 6 weeks ago in the middle of cropping Bella went outside and didn't come back!

Bella was Emma's 5th birthday present so we've had her for about 9 1/2 years. She has been known to buzz off for a few days at a time, but when she was gone for a week and then two weeks I thought that we wouldn't see her again.

I received a phone call yesterday from the animal shelter in Wagga saying that they had Bella. Someone had picked her up on the road and taken her to the shelter realising she was someones pet because she was "so friendly". Luckily they did a scan and discovered she was microchipped. Of course my details came up on the computer and they contacted me.

It's quite ironic really because we bought Bella from that same shelter 9 1/2 years ago!

She's quite content having a nap on my bed at the moment and I hope the silly old goat doesn't get the urge to go walkabout again!

Ag n Chat Visits a Dairy

Yesterday was our monthly meeting for Ag n Chat and we visited a dairy during milking time. The owners Craig and Kylie were very passionate about their dairy, but they couldn't convince any of us dry land cropping/sheep farmers to change occupations!

Craig milks 300 cows, 3 times a day - 4am, 12 noon and 8pm. His dairy was only 4 years old and cost a mint to set up. We couldn't get over how technical dairy farming is with the cows nutrition requirements, artificial insemination using "sexed" semen, irrigation water needed for pastures and fodder, and time specific calving to reach the optimum milk production and animal health.

We dug our gumboots out of mothballs for the visit - we haven't needed gumboots in a very long time!! We were all very wary of getting pooped or wee'ed on while we were in the pit watching the operation! Luckily none of us experienced that!