Catching Up

Well last week was a tough one with more trouble from Emily.  In the end I packed up and we drove up to Narrabri on Thursday and came back Saturday.  I originally intended to come home Sunday but I was worried about the cats.  It was a long trip and I don't know what I was trying to achieve but the upside was that Phill and I were able to spend some nice time together and things are better between us now.  Now Emily is sick with some stomach bug, which neither Josh or I have so I'm not sure what's going on with her.  They called me to come and get her from school yesterday and she's still in bed today, and didn't even go to her mentoring which means she really is sick.  If she's no better tomorrow I'll take her to the doctor.  Her exams start next week and she really can't afford any more time off school.
I'm feeling better after some very dark days.  The warmer weather has helped and this morning I've been out in the garden weeding and deadheading.  Old Greasy next door came home while I was near her fence so I came inside for coffee and to check on Em.  I swear she must never wash her hair or her clothes she just always looks greasy, even at work (she works in a local business).  There is rarely any washing on the line over there.  Their back curtains are all ripped and dirty and she had the hide to complain about a torn screen on our house!  Anyway I digress.  I need to get back to it and put all the weeds and clippings into garbage bags for the tip when Phill gets home.
I am feeling much better about Christmas now.  The two desktop computers are dinosaurs and need replacing so we have decided to get the kids a laptop each for Christmas, they're so cheap now.  It means everyone will have their own computer and it will free up space in our living area which is small anyway.  So that will be easy and we'll just get them a few games that they want for the pc, Wii and the DS.  We put on a lay by so I feel like I have a start on it at least.
We've had some lovely rain, mostly at night which is very considerate of the heavens as it means my garden and lawn get watered but my washing gets dry as well.  The snow peas and ordinary peas have been wonderful, although I'm having to cut back the grapevine that is coming through and threatening to overshadow them before they've finishing fruiting.  The lemon tree is smothered with blossoms and little tiny fruit, I thought the citrus season was supposed to be over.  The oranges are finished, so I don't know what's going on with the lemons.  I got a really nice pottery pot pourri pot and decided to make Josh some "manly" pot pourri so I've taken zest off a couple of lemons to dry and will add some herbs from the garden, sage, thyme, perhaps some geranium leaves and use lemon essential oil.  Interesting experiment if nothing else.  I just discovered I have lavender growing in the front so I will go and pick the pretty flowers and add it to my rose petals and buds that I am constantly drying. 
Josh changed his sport to lawn bowls and had his first time yesterday and absolutely loved it.  He's never been into football and other rough sports and is like me in that he doesn't like anything highly competitive.  Lawn bowls used to be the domain of the elderly but not now.  He said the teacher was really good and by the end Josh was quite good at it.  I'm so glad he's found a sport he likes.  I wouldn't mind learning it myself.  I'm going to go down and watch him next week, they might let me join in!  Just kidding, how embarrassing would that be for my boy.
I have some photos from the trip up north but will add them later as well as catching up on some blog reading, the coffee is gone and the garden is calling me back.
Later....

Lavender flowers and leaves from the front garden, for pot pourri.

Well my joints were aching after I got finished outside but I got it done!  I was wearing a pair of thongs (I am not used to heavy gardening at all anymore) and I kept looking down at my dirty toes all afternoon and was glad to finally get in the bath after I had dinner sorted and the washing taken off etc.  The front looks so much better now.  I pulled out the old coriander plants in the pots on the back porch and planted from seed, basil and more coriander.  This morning I made a smudge stick out of the heaps of sage I have growing in two pots and I have it drying in the kitchen. 
Em came good again this afternoon, and I am determined she will be back at school tomorrow.  Looks like Phill will be back home early next week and I am not really looking forward to it, to be honest.  I am so used to being on my own, that when all else is going well, I pretty much prefer it. 
So tired, more tomorrow.