Blog for Monday 26th January 2026

Australia Day stood waiting silently alongside our bed this morning, waiting for me to wake up to enjoy and celebrate this beautiful land – its people – its culture and our acceptance as citizens on 28^th June 2006!

Shoo! What a way to wake up!

Shame, Paddy had a horrific night of getting up and down to let out and let in Raafie, because the security sliding door was off its tracks which meant the glass door was shut. The reason the glass door was shut is that we did not want to leave it open as an invitation to any slithery passing by! I even got up the once to let Raafie in or out, and I never wake up during the night – well very seldom anyway. Paddy was closest to the door and he heard every “Woof!” asking to be let in or out too.

I was upstairs in my studio having my Quiet Time when I heard Paddy and Tamryn leave. It was five o’clock in the morning. Paddy took her across the river as Tamryn was driving up to the Gold Coast for her best friend’s bachelorette party at the end of this week.

AT about nine o’clock Werner, the boss/owner/or whatever of Rhema Christian Radio Station phoned to say that he and his friends were in Long Flat on their way to spend the day here on the farm. We were expecting them as they had phoned a while ago to ask if they could spend Australia Day here.

Ken went down to see that they got across the river crossing safely as he was not sure if they had 4WD vehicles. I asked Ken to please take down the stepladder for them. It is just so much easier to get into the water if you use those steps. So, my good man went into the bottom shed and went to pick up said stepladder when he was stung by a wasp hiding in a nest thereon! He left those steps and took the wooden ones instead!

A little later Paddy saw the metal stepladder and thought that Ken had not seen them (Paddy had heard me asking Ken earlier to take the stepladder down for our guests) and so he went to pick them up and was attacked by six wasps, one even biting through his t-shirt. Yoh! Those wasp stings are not fun.

Paddy exterminated every one of those wretched flying insects!

Two of our visitors walked up to our top shed to use our bathroom and we had a bit of a chat – apparently, they were so enjoying the farm, the river and the beautiful day here. It is so nice that we are able to share that with people.

Paddy worked himself to a standstill in this horrible heat today – fixing fences, going across to the neighbors, filling water containers and watering all his trees that he planted a while ago – filling the water container for fighting fires on the back of the tractor in case of fires – and … to me the most important thing he did was fix the glass door and the security door which is now gliding along in its tracks, something it has not done since Noah built the Ark!

Oh hallelujah! There will be no more hopping up and down letting Raaife in and out our home! Both Paddy and Ken worked that miracle together. “Thank you!”

I spent the entire day sewing and embroidering Zara’ little smocked dress. I am thrilled that the embroidery is now completed, and tomorrow I will begin the machine sewing and hopefully finish the dress completely.

Paddy left the farm at about seven o’clock (I think?) tonight. He originally was going to sleep here and leave early in the morning to avoid any heavy traffic on the roads, but the emergency vet’ clinic phoned and pleaded with him to help them out and to begin working at six o’clock tomorrow morning. Shame, Paddy is going to be so very tired as he will only get back home late and will have to be up really early too. I pray that he sleeps well tonight for the few hours of sleep he will get.

Ken and I sat outside at the large outside table, just enjoying the evening breeze and watching as the night approached on tiptoes.

I went to bed fairly early leaving Ken up for a while. I did not hear him come to bed. This heat sucks all energy from me and I get really tired.

What lesson did I learn today? To be determined and persistent and I will achieve my goals.

What am I grateful for today? A quiet day at home in the air conditioning!

My saying for today is …