August Update #1

Somewhere along the way, a blog post that we thought had been put up, has gone missing… 🙁
Hence why we’re now here with an ‘August Update’, that’s probably going to be quite huuuuuge!

It’s almost unfathomable all that has gone on in the last few months, so we’re going to split this update into at least two posts, so that we don’t overwhelm you (or bore you silly!)!

We have another delicious new grandbaby Miss T, a first baby for our youngest daughter and her hubby – so we toodled off down for a quick visit to help out around their house, during her first week out.
And of course we managed to cadge some cuddles from parents and baby here and there too 🙂

Whilst we were away, a friend kindly babysat the kitties and all the residents of Cluck Manor, however the rain continued to fall while we were away – so sadly she didn’t get to experience the loveliness of the Farm during crisp sunny winters days much at all…

While we were away, we got to catch up with our second youngest son and his lovely lady for a quick lunch visit on one of their rare days off – and it was a treat to get to hug them both lots.
We got to spend time with two brothers / brothers-in-law and their spouses also – which made for yet more treasured hugs lol.

And last but not least in the catchup stakes, just before we came home we also got the chance to visit with our middle son and his wife, at their newly purchased first home!!
They’ve worked super-hard over the years and this is one step more ticked off their plans-list.

It was certainly a very busy visit, and we loved catching up with so many family members – but as is always the case when you’ve been away – it was also lovely to come home…and coming home to our little slice of shed-heaven was made even more delightful by the fact that our house-sitter friend had cleaned and mopped and wiped and tidied the place to within an inch of its life.

It was sooo clean and fresh and lovely that it made our hearts sooo incredibly grateful and we really felt blessed…

Sadly – when we went to lock up the Cluck Manor residents that first night, we found one them had died.
We figure the upside was though, that at least it was our second rooster, and not one of our layers – so it was definitely a best-case scenario!

Funnily enough – a few weeks later, the house sitter at our neighbours place had arrived with a single hen that he had said he would take on and look after from a previous house-sit place; and he really didn’t want it – so we took her on, and Flossie has now joined the rest of the Cluck Manor family.

Billie the little ute had sat idle for about a month, due to us being away and the prolific rain and resultant mud, and had therefor grown a nice sheen of mould on her exterior, so required gurneying on the first weekend back.

That same weekend we also did a big clear out and clean up and reshuffle of the nursery, as we’d lost quite a few of the plants while we were away.

Even though there had been a lot of rain – the plants that were either on lower shelves, or whose pots were sheltered by leaves or benches – didn’t get enough of the falling water, and dried out and died.
So we had a clear out, and repotted and lot of other stuff, and the nursery is looking a lot better now 🙂

When we were still at the house in town, we had some camping ‘cupboards’ which we brought out to the Farm and have been using as hanging wardrobes for our work-clothes for the last two years.

We have been diligently keeping out eyes peeled on the local sell/swap/buy sites, and finally a wardrobe turned up that we liked the look of – which was nicely within budget, so home with us it came.

A clean up, light rub-down, and a couple of coats of paint and some new handles, and its looking fresh and lovely, and we’re enjoying it being a nice solid addition to our little home.

It was just in time too, as the camping cupboards fell apart mid-way through the updating of the new-to-us wardrobe!

And before ending this update and starting on the next – we must tell you about a lovely present that we got from our dear friends M&B.

They rocked up unexpectedly one Sunday afternoon a few weeks back, and bestowed upon us a beautiful hand-made sign for our Farm.

It was a difficult decision on where to put it, as we were tossing up between putting it on the tree at our roadway entrance, or putting it up on the wall near our house-yard entry gate.

The wall won out, and we love seeing it every time we hop in or out of our cars 🙂

More coming soon, so stay tuned! 🙂

Miss T