Blog for Monday 24th August 2026

Wow! Our son turns sixty today – our son! Let that sink in for a moment.

Shoo, I can remember so clearly when my Mum flew across from South Africa for my sixtieth – and that does not feel that long ago, but … it was!

We still had the Coffee Shop then and the kids – our chefs and the waitresses decorated the whole shop for my special day with balloons and more balloons with chocolates inside them as a joke, because they knew I hated to pop balloons! Plus, lots of 60 signs. Bless them all as they had to get there VERY early before I got there in the morning to make it a surprise for me. And it was!

I phoned Paddy to have a chat this morning and just wished that we could have been there with him but … he is busy working several jobs and needs space and time to do them. Ren’ and Tamryn will leave him after lunch today, but it was so nice that they were there for his special day.

In the early morning, I did all the ironing that I had not yet got to, so am feeling positively angelic now.

This morning at about half past ten I went and sat outside in the sunshine as it was a picture-perfect day, and the sun was deliciously hot. Yahee, that means spring is approaching!

As I sat outside, I began to plan our little garden. I will not begin it just yet as we will be away for a week shortly and then my plants suffer, plus I think I will do most of the planting in spring.

I am so looking forward to softening the garden appearance and creating a place where you want to be outside. We also need to purchase an outside table and chairs set – so I will begin to scan Market Place for that.

I am so delighted to tell you that up until now I have NOT destroyed my beautiful Maidenhair Fern. It was given to me by Paddy. It is the one plant that reminds me so of my Mum, but I have not had much luck growing it successfully. But guess what … it is loving growing in my study. I so wanted “something” of my Mum in this new little home of ours and now I have it! And I have not yet managed to kill it, and it is thriving!

Yahee! I found a doorbell that I liked on Amazon and apparently if I order it today it will be here tomorrow! Wonderful! Looks easy to install so maybe I can do it.

Sunlight highlighting some of the fronds.

Today I had my mate the Magpie pop in for a bite to eat and a Red Wattle bird joined him for a while, but not too close! Unfortunately, I did not get a nice photo of the wattle bird. I will try again when he or she makes an appearance.

My Magpie mate!

I am constantly surprised at the variety of birds that fly into our little garden. I cannot wait to get a bird bath and feeder for them all now.

The hospital let Ken know that he has to be there tomorrow and that his op’ (second cataract removal and replacement) is at 4pm.

I think Robert will be driving us there as I am convinced that between Ken and I - we would land up in Whoop-Whoop with any luck at all!

We have to get to the Tuggerah Lakes Private hospital which is a long way from here – I think it is a forty-minute drive from here, with many turns and twists – my personal nightmare of a trip, and being surrounded by vehicles hell bent and moving at great speeds to get somewhere or nowhere.

In the late afternoon my friends the duck couple came for some bread and to rest while I sat outside with them.

Mr. and Mrs. Quack!

What lesson did I learn today? To get back into reading during the day! Oh, what delightful wickedness!

What am I grateful for today? Another day full of sunshine and warmth.

My saying for today is …