Saturday, September 13, 2008 Friday - go to town & Soap Nuts Posted in Daily Life We had kittens going via plane to Auckland & Christchurch. So all hands on deck helping to get kitten paper work done, their nails clipped & cages made up. Packing their kitten packs, filling water bowl & dry food for their trip. I always get the kitten owners to text me that the kittens have arrived. One lady said it felt like she was in the hall way of a delivery suite waiting for the kittens. They arrived safe & owners are thrilled. Said they are very confident & have made themselves at home. We stopped at the organic shop to buy James a bar of his chocolate he can eat. mmm this seems to be a habit. While their stocked up on some food he can have for the pantry = man special diets are jolly expensive..... Plus I found Soap nuts! So I had to buy to try. I make my own laundry soap but well I just wanted to try them.   Soap Nuts are native to Nepal & India. They are a fruit, growing on the Sapindus Mukorossi tree. The fruits are the size of a honey coloured cherry, containing the substance Saponin - which is natures own detergent. When the fruit ripen and fall from the tree, local families harvest and deseed them. The shell of the fruit is then dried in the sun, using absolutely no chemical or manufacturing processes. Instructions say add 4-6 nuts in linen bag it comes with & pop in your washing machine. They will do about 4 loads & when seeds turn grey & mushy add them to your compost. They do have a funny smell sort of like cidar vinegar - Brent did ask if his clothes would smell like that! But reading says they will have no smell. And brilliant for people with skin conditions. I am really looking forward to trying them! Next stop was homeopathic chemist I've added to my kit secale, callophylm & pulsatila. Then off to a mall as kids wanted to do some cloths shopping, first we stopped at a mens suit shop to learn what an Amarni suit looks like since a new kitten owner is calling his ebony boy Armani. I have to say I do not do malls, stuffy noisy smelly things. All the shops have LOUD music, centre of mall the music is loud & all shops compete just awful! So I took myself off to a bookshop & hoped for quite - dreaming! I did buy a 2009 diary - oooh that was scary! Kids brought some tops. James is into Tee shirts with slogans & word play!  He got one that said - Cheer up Emo Kid. Lets hope next week I don't have to be out so much. I actually likes staying home.   • Comments (3) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Friday, September 12, 2008 Thursday 11th September Posted in Daily Life I had planned a stay at home day - but thankfully Abbey remembered we had orthadontist appointment - I had totally forgotten about it! I was greeted with a huge mess in cattery -yuck! mother cat had an upset tummy - poor wee thing. So she got brought into the house to watch & care for. And a lovely mess for me to clean up. I am into my homeopath remedies and really studying when I can. So ahh a case study! Laura got to be my guinea pig. I felt she needed Arsenicum Album 30c . I popped one pill in her mouth & brilliantly she just held it in her mouth you know cats they play games - Yes I have swallowed it, little did she know I really wanted to play this game as longer left in mouth better. About an hour later I offered her some water - now she was lying in a cat fluffy bed on the dining room table - surrounded by school books while kids did school work - so she was hand given some water in a silver dish. She lapped it up. An hour later I gave her another pill. And no kidding half an hour she was totally back to herself. AMAZING! She was able to spend the night with her kittens & all better! Total success. Orthadonitist treatment today was a wonderful ahhh mum moment. The dentist built up her teeth today & they now look normal - instead of fangs. When he handed the mirror to Abbey - she just beamed it brought tears to my eyes. So worth every penny of treatment to see this kid beam. Brent was thrilled to see her teeth when he got home & said the same thing. (I'm still not allowed a photo for blog but was allowed to share the lovely moment!) - You have to check you know when you have a teen. I was able to sneak some time this afternoon & planted seedlings ahh such fun! Had a phone call & found out I have a cousin. I'm adopted so it's rather nice to meet blood relations. Threw me a bit & I can't repeat Brent's comment on my blog. New Zealand really is a very small place. I had a wee tear and a thank you as my life so easily could of been different if placed in a different adoption home. I am thankful to my birth mother she didn't choose the option of abortion - imagine that no me! Another night out - oh I hate going out at night - such  rush for Brent to walk in the door quickly say what we want to share of our day & gulp down tea - get into tidy clothes & out! I attended a homeschooling dvd session on IEW - now I had been up previous night since 1am (bed 9.30pm). Then yesterday am up at 3am. And me & TV don't work - before I knew it I was sound asleep on Kayla's couch ahhh nice nana nap! I'll have to ask her to save me her ironing as I just find sitting & watching TV I fall asleep - I'm ok if doing something. Got a new series of books off Kayla by Janet Oke - looks nice books for Abbey & I to share. We both enjoyed Beverly Lewis books. Geraldine th goose is much better - we decided to remove her eggs, James had this job & he felt ever so mean - but she is now back to herself. She had an awful upset tummy and had lost a lot of weight. She is back to herself grabbing the sheeps tuffs on the top of their head & twisting it. Between her & Molly goat they keep the sheep in line! • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Thursday, September 11, 2008 Tip toe Posted in Protager Gardening Tip toe through the Tulips with me...... Spring is in the air, every sight & every sound. And my order from Koanga Gardens arrived, Tomato Carlton Victory - a red beefsteak type. NZ Heirloom Cucumber Green apple - NZ heirloom lettuce heirloom mix Capsicum - early red heirloom Cucumber port Albert - NZ heirloom (Grew these last year & really thrilled with them) Coriander - modern day parsley love this herb!! Home all day today so hope to begin planting seeds. It's been a busy week - a good week of school - seems funny only a few weeks until school holidays drat! after all the sickness we are just getting into a good routine of home school. Cats- I've had pecking order issues with stroppy queens as can happen - jolly pain these girls - sure see where the term catty comes from. Have a kitten owner who wishes to have a litter - so huge thinking & planning going on and negotiating a stud for her to use. I don't sell breeding stock but I MIGHT just do it as it will enable me to keep a kitten from my lines & I want to aim for blue in progeny so at this stage I think I will agree to it. Family questioning my decision especially keeping another cat GRIN! I am also trying to come to a breeders decision to move on a queen who is spayed and is also causing a bit of trouble among the cats. Coldly she should be moved on. But I'm a softy and well...... however if the right owner comes along I might let her go. Been studying like mad on holistic approach for cats including homeopathic & raw diet feeding for cats. If my family would let me I would raise rabbits to feed the cats - but I have very firm protest to that. My nose is in books while I sit at table with kids - gets easier as they get older & they are able to work more on their own. Also studying Organic gardening one can never have too much knowledge & I am very passionate about soil. It is the hub of the garden. There is no time in my life to ever have nothing to do. • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Monday, September 8, 2008 Happy Father's Day Posted in Daily Life I let everyone sleep in, showered & did cattery. Brent cooked up bacon on toast & eggs for ones who like eggs. I found a spot in the sun & read - until everyone came in same room & I then had to read while guitars are played & play happened around me with Brent & James rough & tumble. James sure needs a male in his life! Abbey came with me to the Quilt show - I could of entered something but didn't, but wish I had as it gave me move confidence that my quilts are ok. I did a bit of spending again! WOW I've been on a bit of a spend up mood lately. Plus I have joined the Quilt Symposium 2009 - the lady I talked to said for me to volunteer as a gofor & that way I will get in free to see some international tutors classes. So I booked by paying my $30.00 registration fee! Easter next year I will attend. The kids are to finish their quilts they are making & will enter them, I'll enter my flower power quilt & also do their challenge. So we had all better get cracking. We will have Friday's no bookwork to get this goal achieved. We drove north & brought veges at garden side stall $80.00 man oh man things have gone up, I am going to go to a different stall ext time - I've noticed their prices have risen - it has to be worth my while driving to the stalls. But we also called into my folks & had a cuppa & said happy Fathers day to dad. Picked some lemons off mums tree. Zipped back to get some groceries. Had roast pork for fathers day dinner. Cats have been "catty" again, man something upsets them & off they go.... Two pregnant girls in house have been rumbling - so I plugged in feliway to see if it will do any good. And left them to it! Jazz sat on top of wardrobe all day & Briar in our bed - shes a monkey at upsetting my made bed. They are getting on better this morning - go figure!  I had a kitten who had been desexed Friday that each time I popped into cattery was just lying ever so still & talked to me, I wondered if she was a bit sore - so thought I'd give her a bit of Arnica, but monkey, next visit she was up high running around - thankfully she came & was easy to get down. This litter is really nice all gentle & none really naughty! I'm going to find it a bit hard to let this litter go. But they are going to awesome homes - one of the kittens is being called Amarni after a famous designer of dinner jackets - as the kitten is jet black - he thought he had quite a nice coat hence Amarni - awesome name I thought! Oh we had twin lambs born too - so one more to lamb & possibly last years lamb is pregnant, she jumped the fence & visited her father - naughty girl! - We think she maybe pregnant too, • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Sunday, September 7, 2008 Saturday Posted in Daily Life All hands on deck - time to tidy up before Brent comes home. James said it felt like in "Farmer Boy" where the kids did all the chores before the parents returned, yep that was us. Amazing what we can get done when all hands are helping. I stripped our bed & put summer sheets on - tad silly as it turned real cold last night & Brent had been in Fiji with temps of 30 deg C. Still nothing nicer than crisp clean sheets. We were able to pick up another ball of wool for Abbey PHEW correct colour & batch number too! Off to the city & soo many people & cars - I got a tad stressed as I do when driving in busy traffic, we wanted to stop at James' organic shop & buy him his chocolate in the end I had to drop kids off & I had to drive around the block again. They don't like country bumpkin drivers in the city! I was a lucky pig & got a park right outside Homeopath Chemist & I brought a brand new book - mmmmm is a good one for me to buy a book! The Homeopathic Treatment of Small Animals. As the norm I was early to airport - I am always early everywhere - just who I am! And the plane was early so worked out well. While there we saw friend Noelene & Steve just back from Bali so we waved as their welcoming party. I soo enjoy people watching & greetings at airports must be one of the nicest places to people watch. I was early to bed as the norm when Brent home from being away - I never sleep well when he is away so feel a box of birds this morning after a good sleep. • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Saturday, September 6, 2008 Friday 5th September Posted in Quilting We had a hub of activity today. Early drop off of kittens to be desexed, & a good mornings school work. - ahh nice to be back to routine. Brent has been away in Fiji all week - he comes home today - YEAHHHH we all really miss him! As a treat I brought the kids a new Sims2 game - It came out of my grocery budget - GRIN - while Brent is away we don;t eat as we normally do - lots of easy quick meals. I try & play the kids games so I know what they are talking about - but man I am slow - it's a good game & makes you really  think about how to play the game better. - Way better than sitting & watching TV in my opinion. So the timer is on for 30 minutes & each has a turn - while waiting for turn kids got baking something for their tins, I got busy working on another quilt block  I had my first play with templates by Marti Michell My flower Power cottage, - I am not sure if I like templates, seems slow to cut - maybe I need to read instructions, but a very easy block to make. I plan to make a Christmas quilt in red & green of different houses - but the cutting has made me question this. Still I love School house blocks very much! _ So flower power Cottage is my September quilt block - not sure if many are still playing??? I ran out of yellow fabric for quilt, thankfully local quilt shop had a fat quarter - I hope this enough to then finish the quilt top. PHEW! While in quilt shop Abbey found a wonderful Advent Calendar so I had to buy it as she is wanting to learn hand quilting - so an awesome project to begin with using a cheat panel, I hope to buy more fabric in their range - very nice! Our house was a working mess. Cooking all in kitchen, sewing at dinning room - watch where you walk with cords everywhere, Ironing board up in lounge, clothes horse in lounge... - Sure glad we had no visitors - but a working mess. We had to leave most of it as is. Abbey had a knitting lesson, she learnt how to pick up stitches around the neck. But oops sadly Gill has twisted the band, thank goodness Abbey noticed before she did too many more rows. Oh it is sad to unpick! We got home & all hands on deck, change into old home clothes, Kittens had been finger painting, so a full mop out required, Abbey fetched & carried while I cleaned, James did farm animals & let them out to mow lawns around the house but we have to watch them as they go for beans, olives & roses. So all three of us are doing 50 things at once - mutli tasking at its best. We finished the evening off by watching Wild at heart - ahhh a good programme & then the next one on was hilarious, kids laughed & laughed - Love Trap • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Friday, September 5, 2008 Thursday & making potato beds. Posted in Protager Gardening Thursday was fine, overcast & occasional showers. Nearly got all the washing done. I had to stop & start garden work from being puffed out & the rain - normally I wouldn't care if I got rained on but was sensible since just getting over the flu. When I cam inside I continued cutting out next quilt block - hope to have that finished today. Maori potatoes Old Blue sprouted & at rear are Tutaekuri I begun my plan to grow some spuds in old tyres. Layer of thick newspaper. I put some sheep & goat poop collected from paddock mixed with some pine needles as next layer. Then it rained. My partner in crime - James will help me put a layer of matured compost, then some topsoil. Then I'll pop about 3- 4 potatoes with at least an inch shoot in each tyre. . Top with soil. As the halum grow up out of the spud/ tyre I'll add more compost & soil & add another tyre. - Leave the tops of greenery poking through though. A good way to grow potatoes & quite fun to watch the tyres get bigger. Lets hope we can dig some up for New Years day. I also  prunned the roses in front - I'm a tad late getting this finished. I also decided to move some to front bank. The front bank I've never liked, last year I tried to grow veges on it but just too hard to keep water in the soil with the slope. So I'm turning it into a rose/cottage garden. And inside picket fence where roses were I have planned a blueberry garden - but that will be next years project, just keep it lawn for this year. We have a big mound of sticks from trees that needs mulching - I plan to use these once mulched as ground cover & then also some bark to keep weeds at bay. James wants to plant sunflowers in garden too. I am happy for that - I prefer a cottage rambling look more than structure & order. AND BIG BUZZ I saw an add in local paper for Macrocarpa sleepers ages ago, finally the add was in the paper again - I was thrilled as they are $10.00 per metre with free delivery! Talking to Brent we need about 40 metres. Huge saving compared to local ring around, so pleased I waited. It;s soo nice to be feeling well. • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Wednesday, September 3, 2008 Our Wednesday Posted in Daily Life Sometimes - one just has to flag school when things are not going to plan - ie mum not feeling well. So we did school today, just not book work. First stop was a very first, last time moment Ta da we have another driver on the road. I took Abbey for a lesson around Church Car park. She has been use to the landcruiser - & wasn't use to bug power - first takeoff was a 5 second peel out - much to James' delight - and my horror - she will have to teach me how to do these. _ I found it a tad stressful, I couldn't see over to the right being in passenger seat & was rather nervous re positioning - just me getting use to sitting in passenger seat & wanting to control the car too - Abbey did really well, but she prefers her father to teach her than me. HAHAHA MUm & dad advise they were coming down - so had to change plans - I dropped kids off at bridge & they went on their own. I scored some grapefruit off folks tree & their compost bin - I am thrilled!!! I have three bins now yippie. I wish I had some bread for the swans. I cooked a good meal tonight - first in over a week. Snitzel, salad, hassel back potatoes & bread. Kids & friends liked my meal. Abbey had made Birthday fudge & I sent some of it home with mum & dad & some goose eggs, Briar likes my catnip toy I have knitted. (yes grew & dried the catnip too) Kids are laughing at the shape - too much like a tampon. Cat doesn't care about the shape - but would also play with a box of tampons if given th chance too. I am pleased to say my next try at knitting mice has worked well. Hope to sew it & stuff it tomorrow. Catnip (Nepeta cataria) As cats smell catnip they sniff, lick, chew & head shake, chin & cheek rub, head roll over & body rubbing. Ours become possessive & aggressive in play with their toy or plant. The oil nepetalactone (similar to hallucinogens) is the culprit. The herb is harmless when eaten. Cats love it & we grow ours in catnip gardens, the cats are often found there when let out. • Comments (2) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Wednesday, September 3, 2008 Not much up Posted in Daily Life Life is ticking over - I must be getting better as getting annoyed at how often I have to rest. I tell you smokers I wish you had my lungs - that would stop you smoking! Not getting enough oxygen in your body isn't fun. I've started a knitting project for fun - - well I want to enter another competition as you do - the kids are laughing at my many tries at making a pattern - I nearly have it good enough to share. I wish I had some possum wool - might have to ask around some friends for some scraps. I do enjoy sitting & taking the time to watch the darling little lambs play - they are soo fun! Then I have kitten who are a not a naughty litter - they are nice & gentle - but busy! Hope to be back to normal interesting blogging soon. • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Monday, September 1, 2008 The Weekend Posted in Daily Life Ahh a real spring feel in the air. Another lamb born My favourite time of the year. Brent was feeling much better - he weed eated the areas & we look all nice & neat. My compost enjoyed the grass clippings, it is often very short of green waste as the animals get most things green before compost. I got cross with so lack of energy, but body won & I didn't get to do much at all. This flu has really knocked us. Jame is still coughing but seems to be keeping it at bay. I haven't cooked a meal since Wednesday - Abbey has done them all - I could get used to having my dinner cooked. People came out & chose their kittens - I do enjoy this process & seeing big adults looking like Christmas. Our kittens are soo lucky they go to such nice homes. Cats got moved around - mothers to be in the house - another to the tom cat for it all to start again. Brent drew me a plan for the main vege garden he is making me it will be huge & I will be fully fenced in (even over my head) - like a big cage - this is to stop the Pukuko's & rabbits helping themselves. He's even planning a potting shed for me. Bet you know I am thrilled. 1st September this morning - ahhh we have winter behind us! • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Saturday, August 30, 2008 Get Growing Garden Challenge Posted in Protager Gardening Lynda from NZ Gardener has set us all 10 things to in the garden this weekend: - Ok here I sit 5.30am with seed box to plan my challenge. - What fun! 1. Sew one type of tomato you have never grown before. Rhonda from Down To Earth has shared about her Brandy wine pink tomaotes - so I have ordered some of these - will sow when they arrive. Plus I've chosen Tomato Rainbow Blend 2. Sew Radish seeds Radish Daikon Green Misato from Eco Seeds 3. Plant strawberries 4. Start planting seed potatoes. Ahhh I have some NZ Maori Potatoes I have been raising eyes - so will plant these - I think they are called Old Blue. Plus I like the sound of Pink Fir as Lynda mentioned in this weeks email - my order is in with Koanga Gardens, they are a traditional Irish potato 5.Sow or plant beetroot 6. Sow Carrots 7. Sow Lettuce 8. Plant a new fruit tree. 9. Stake a young fruit tree. 10 Take a before photo & then one every weekend to watch progress. • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Saturday, August 30, 2008 Friday Posted in Daily Life A sunny but cool breeze - and this morning (Saturday) it is a little more than 43 hours till spring Yippie. Brent felt better today - I am getting there - gosh it's a nasty bug. We finally got kitten photos up on website for kitten owners - that pleased many people, the hours it takes is huge! But a good day to get it done. Here's a couple of the cute ones to share. My Cloche I ordered 1pm Thursday arrived at 2pm our place - Excellent service! Eat your hear out pukeko's you can't eat my seedlings any more Brent helped me plant broccoli & spinach seedlings & we transplanted the garlic I had started in pots, not sure if you are meant to transplant garlic - but well we did grin. Then Brent mowed the lawns, Well he supervised our lawn mowers so they only ate grass! - Ahh tht's the life the lawns get mowed for you around here. A friend picked me up some fresh milk & salad ingredients - most appreciated! James went to a friends to play - he needed to get out & about from the sick house. Abbey cooked up a storm again. Cheese scones for lunch Spare ribs & rice for James lunch Tea she cook lasagna & fresh bread Plus yummy sorbet. Open can of fruit with syrup (not juice) Leave in can with top open & put in freezer. Next day whizz up in food processor Place back in freezer & until frozen - really, really nice! I must be on the mend as I had another one of my new ideas last night & began it - will share what I am up to when I have it completed. And wonderful news from AMI Insurance - our sewer pump claim was approved & we have no  expenses - everyt single thing is covered by AMI - They also wiped our excess for us as a thank you to all the work & coordinating Brent did - Now isn't that awesome - GO AMI INSURANCE • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Friday, August 29, 2008 Homeschool Memoirs weekly part 2. Posted in Home Schooling This assignment is sharing our plans for the hs year. Here in New Zealand our school year begins early February and ends December for summer holidays. I believe in school everyday - I think it is too easy to not to do school - so very rare that we have time off - we also start in January before schools go back - this gives up a few weeks up our sleeve for life - eg like sickness & sewage pump break downs. I like Charlotte Mason style for learning & pretty much use a similar style to this plan. Abbey (just 15) Math - the biggest struggle this year - mathusee Algebra 1 just didn't work - too dry I feel mean saying this on blog as I really like mathusee & it has worked up till now. We have switched to NZ Maths with the plan to do NZ maths via correspondence school next year to get NZ NCEA qualification. Accounting We own a cattery so Abbey has her own real life shop selling to new owners - lots of hands on learning & suing MYOB accounting software. She also runs her own cashbook for clothing allowance & pocket money. We also play Cashflow game - good lessons in that game! Science Apologia Biology - highly recommend Apologia! We use Donna Young's schedule - it works well for us. Unit Study Where the brook & river meet. - Covers geography, history & English - really enjoying this study. English - Write shop & IEW - I prefer Write shop as it has lesson plans for mums - I let IEW slip often so much easier for me to just have the plans there & I adapt them to suit unit study writing assignments. But I like the dvd's form IEW as I am a visual learner - so I think you need both grin Spelling The Essential Spelling book by Fred J Schonell & Spelling Power Drivers licence - can you believe it she can learn to drive - she is just waiting for cold symptoms to leave & then we will get her licence as you need a photo taken & that stays with you for a few years. She is meant to do 2 hours a week driving for 6 months Sport Bowling & walking Life Skills embroidery, quilting, knitting, cooking & next thing to learn is smocking. Has a herb garden & flower garden James (just 12) Science Apologia Zoology - land animals ( A lovely curriculum) Geography & History - Story of the world vol 3 Early modern times Maths - using a Business unit from Simply Charlotte Mason - just begun & I am pleased with it. Also plays Cashflow & runs his own clothing budget & pocket money account. English we use write shop for writing & IEW like Abbey - But also do Progeny Press units. Spelling same Abbey - above just different level. Sport bowling, walking, bike riding, cateboard - he is very much an out door boy. Life Skills James is learning to cook meals he can eat - allergy free. Does many job around home - stack firewood, light fire each night, tend to chickens & sheep and he is a keen vegetable gardener. He also didn't want to be out done in skill level by his sister & learnt to cross stitch (he disliked this - nearly has it completed & quilting - he is a whizz on th sewing machine - peddle flat to the floor & would say look mum no hands & do a really grand job! - Nearly finished we just work on it when in the mood. Our kids do a lot around the home, farm & cattery - Brent & I are not big fans of TV, computer games or X box. I believe kids get great satisfaction from contributing to the family chores - it takes time to train them up - remember I've been doing this for 11 years - sharing with them how to put cleaner over house - yes sometimes when they are learning a new skill they don't do it as well as I would - but next time they put the cleaner over I try to remind them to move the mat etc - and so what if it is not perfect they have tried & done it with a willing heart - it doesn't take too long & they are doing it as good as or if not better than you. • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Friday, August 29, 2008 Homeschool Memoirs weekly part 1. I'm a bit late playing - last weeks assignment was to share all about you. Hmm well most of that is on this blog GRIN. We are into our 11th year of home schooling - wow that has gone fast! I never dreamed I'd be a stay at home mum - let alone a homeschooling one - life had other plans for our family. And I am pleased - the life style is awesome & I think home schooling has made us a closer family We began our journey with Five in A Row - Jane & Steve Lambert really heard my cry for OH My goodness I can't do this! And they tucked me under their wing as they have helped many home schoolers on the journey. I worked on the FIAR boards & met some awesome folks from around the world. Meet our family James, Leanne, Brent & Abbey (Photo taken 2006 so a tad old but one of my favourites) • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Friday, August 29, 2008 Wee small hours Posted in Daily Life Here I am awake in the wee small hours, chest infection is starting to break & I don't want to be coughing keeping Brent awake - so I'll have a nana nap this afternoon. Thursday was a fine day Sheets got changed & Brent helped me hang them on th line - oh lungs are soo useful - I hate being so breathless & have to potter & rest. But I am listening to my body - promise I am! Kids did cattery for me - thankfully kittens haven't been making too big a mess from their play for the kids. Abbey took Caro who is on call for a walk on the cat lead - she loves it! Brent took his book out to cattery outside run & sat among the 3 girls Rosemary sat on his shoulder, Cinders & Caro on his lap - wish I had taken photo to share - it's odd seeing Brent rest, but I am thankful he is also listening to his body - this flu is a nasty one to knock Brent so! I smiled at the neighbours cat sitting under the dove cote - better not let Mack catch you on property James was sure I was way too sick to do school - he tried to tell me to just rest GRIN. We began his new   Charlotte Mason business  maths & it is soo refreshing - to do - James enjoyed it as far as maths went & I loved seeing his creative side come out of running a small business, he put policies in place for if he ran out of stock - or if a competitor was cheaper - made me smile & once again thankful that I am so lucky to be part of his education. We then did spelling & yes I was puffed out. Abbey worked on her own & got a science test done & some writing - then most of her day was life skills, cattery, she even ran cleaner over the house - ahh nice! She cooked up a storm again - making tacos for dinner & gingerbread for the tins - plus a sorbet for James. I missed out on going to a home school evening - I felt stink as they had delayed it last week for me due to Abbey's birthday & I couldn't attend & then I still couldn't go - but best not to share goobies with them. James was very successful at out witting Geraldine the goose - she has been sitting on her unfertile eggs (unless she visited some neighbours gander down the road at night). Geese are excellent guard geese - I respect them highly! And a goose with eggs - James was a very brave lad! - He did admit he didn't like those sharp teeth he saw. He successfully took 4 of her eggs & placed 4 fertile hens eggs under her as he felt sorry for all her hard work of sitting & no gain. But after sleeping on it I think he had best take the hens eggs out today - it could end in tears. We have many pukeko's at our place and they do eat chicks by pulling them apart & we have Hawkes so not being in a cage might just end in tears - of course there is the BIG chance that Geraldine Goose may be a bit big & heavy or not even accept them if born. Rear are goose eggs, brown eggs are hens. Interestingly the goose eggs weigh 6 3/4 oz (205 grams) & the hens egg weighs 2 1/2 oz (65grams) 65 grams is the birth weight of some kittens. James & I will water test for freshness of goose eggs today buy filling a big bowl with water - placing the egg in - if fresh it will sink to the bottom - if an egg floats to the top it shouldn't be eaten. Well it works for hens eggs - wonder if it will for such a big goose egg. Other way to try is crack it open onto a flat plate - not a bowl. The yolk of a fresh egg will be round & compact & sit quite high up on the egg, the white will be thick & stay close to the yolk. A less fresh egg's yolk will often break easily & will have a thin white that spreads over the plate. Of course a rotten egg is usually lightish in weight & stinks! Fresh eggs can be kept in fridge for 3-4 weeks. Goose omelet on the menu for Brent today. • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Thursday, August 28, 2008 Wednesday Posted in Daily Life Not much happening around here - all resting & getting well. A friend took kids to bowling for me. I'm using my time to sit & stitch - working on a new cross stitch - I think I forgot to say my other one is finished. 2008 has been a good year for finishing projects. Abbey & Brent went to homeopath he was also very kind & didn't charge for both (our Dr did this for us this week too) awesome people! Herbal shop mut of rubbed their hands together at list from homeopath - I will go & see Chris when I am well as I know steroids do a lot of damage to your body - but when chest infection & asthma I don't muck about - being in hospital with asthma is no fun! -last time I was exposed to TB from a patient in same room - charming! Abbey has been cooking up a storm keeping us well fed. James keeps the fire going & deck loaded with wood. Kids & Brent have done cattery for me.I am looking forward to being up & about soon - must be getting better aye. Nice sunny today today - see if me lungs will cope with a little potter in garden. My seedlings of NZ spinach & broccoli need to be in the ground. Have a good day. PS I've pulled out of my study - lots of things have shown me that my life is no longer going to be a corporate world again - I am pleased that has been sorted for me. - The study has just added stress to my days - I am busy enough with home, cattery & home schooling kids & my focus I really want to be is on home schooling - I want to end with knowing I have done my very best for the kids. Funny how paths come along life & doors get firmly shut - I wonder what will be my new door to open. • Comments (3) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Wednesday, August 27, 2008 It was bound to happen Posted in Daily Life Brent & I had a date yesterday - to the Dr's. Yep we are both sick - Brent the flu & on antibiotics - no trip to Fiji for him. Me my asthma has kicked in with a chest infection - resting & watching peak flow as if drops to 250 - an ambulance trip for me. You don;t muck around with severe asthma. But I'm on antibiotics & steriods so will up & about real soon. Thank goodness I stockpile - freezer, fridge, pantry full. Kids are good cooks. James made a yummy bacon & pumpkin soup yesterday Abbey made cheese scones & bread. A bit of rest & we will back as new. Roll on spring! • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Monday, August 25, 2008 A Wise Woman Posted in Daily Life She labels her containers in the pantry She relabels her containers when they have washed off She tastes the ingredient she uses from an unlabeled container She doesn't use banking soda instead of baking powder She doesn't make the same mistake twice. She has chooks who like her baking. Yes Sunday I baked up a storm - but I am a shocker at not relabeling container when washed off & I used baking soda instead of baking powder. Thank goodness we have chooks who will appreciate my baking errors. Not a good baking day - pumpkin muffins & apple tart went to the chooks. Brent still not well - he stayed in bed all morning & afternoon sat & watched tv. - Very unlike him. • Comments (1) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Sunday, August 24, 2008 Maths Posted in Dyslexia Yesterday morning I came across an awesome Charlotte Mason site I've been looking for something since James assessment came back with the information he has math dyslexia researching into it & not wanting to give up on him - as assessor recommended - ie let him use a calculator. We stopped Mathusee - in fact I sold it on to a friend. I'm wanting to just rehash with James basic maths - so I am treating it like we did for his reading - keep him on same level until the key turned. So I found http://simplycharlottemason.com/books/yourbusinessmath/We will do the Pet shop one - as we run a cattery & Abbey has a real shop selling cattery items - James can run a pretend one for practice. I was tempted to make it myself - but well I'll get this one & I know I will adapt it to suit me & James' personality - I am hoping some of the chance cards have humour as that would appeal to James. I'll let you know how it goes. Love Leanne • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link Sunday, August 24, 2008 Our Saturday Posted in Daily Life A beautiful sunny day - I felt very guilty for being inside! I'd been up early sewing - working hard to get another top quilt completed so I can start playing with my Christmas fabric GRIN! I'm using Crazy mom's filler blocks like I did for the scrappy stars - I really like them! And using a green for sashing. Photo of Briar sitting on it all pinned - aren't cats funny have to be right where you are! Brent shared he doesn't actually like the colours - too yellow & bright - so mmm will probably be a quilt to go in VW as yes it doesn't really go with our house. But I like it - nice & happy feeling. As yet I have no idea how big I will make it - just starting to put it together & making the filler blocks - the quilt will tell me I am sure. Had people visit kittens - that was nice! Brent was sick all day in bed he has Abbey's cold - knocking people hard in our town, many schools have teachers & students away & relief teachers are also sick so a shortage of teachers. And BIG news - Geraldine goose has a nest Under a front end outside Brent's barn We have no gander - Brent is planning to eat them. Quite clever isn't she • Comments (0) • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link