Wow! The New Year began today – so may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year and may this year be the best one yet for you and those you love! And every time you drink a coffee remember the poor giraffe!
In the wee hours of this morning – to be exact, at a quarter to one, Ethan phoned me asking for Paddy to come and fetch them, so I woke Paddy up and he went out to bring them home. But then I could not go back to sleep, and I tossed backwards and forwards, wondering if I should just get up and go up to my studio to work, but that could disturb all of them in the shed. So, I remained in bed and waited until my body gave up fighting sleep!
I managed to get up at just after five this morning – the result of the broken sleep last night and all the tossing and turning – (which I honestly think should count as exercise!)
One of the campers left early this morning but then he had a long way to travel – as did most of them – back up to Brisbane.
In fact, they all began to pack up their caravans or tents and leave the farm. Sash’ and her fiancé TJ came up to say “Cheers!” to us and so did Ange and Ryan. Well, Ange and Ryan stopped in for a coffee or two and Ryan tried shooting with another of Matt’s rifles.
Then suddenly they were gone – all the campers plus Ange, Ryan, Matt’, Ash’, Ethan and Christina.
Silence as Tamryn left to collect her stuff from the now no-longer Tent Town. Paddy returned to working down at the bottom shed, Ken went off to sleep, and I began to try and sort out the kitchen that still had evidence of today’s breakfast in full sight!
I am delighted that Mich’ located a washing machine for me at a really good price, and I am hoping that Ken or Paddy can collect it for me soon, as the washing is steadily mounting up – especially with all the camping clothes. I still have a full basket of washing to iron too!
In the late afternoon Tamryn got back here and had a shower to remove the layers of camping dirt, and she felt a lot more human after that! She headed off with Raafie for an afternoon zizz. Ken was still asleep and Paddy worked on – even in this heat!
I made an attempt to tidy but to be honest I thought to go a bit slow today. I will do a good clean tomorrow now that only Paddy and Tamryn are here with us.
Well, I take my hat off to Tamryn organizing their New Year’s Eve party and getting everyone settled and enjoying themselves – not always an easy task. Sometimes people mix well and at other times – those same people, just do not gel. But she seems to have done well, and people had time to relax, tan, swim, play games and just enjoy nature around them.
In the early afternoon while Paddy and Tamryn were busy I entered all the birthdays and anniversaries, plus the school terms and holidays into my new diary. Yahee! A job done and dusted.
Tonight, I asked Paddy to braai meat – LOTS of it, as the grand kids did not eat the steaks et cetera and I do not want them to go to waste. So, if they are cooked, I can then freeze them and that way we will not waste.
There certainly is an art to juggling all this food - as sometimes everyone is ravenous, and one has to have food aplenty ready to be served. This time, I guess with the heat, no one was that hungry. Yes, tons of chips and dips were consumed, plus cheeses and biscuits, but not that much in meat and salads.
At just before five o’clock I could have curled up and gone to sleep, but that would destroy my sleep tonight. Instead, I read and answered emails and sent a text to my dear friend Cathy Boyce and her three boys who have recently flown to the USA to go to Disneyland. What an experience for them all!
Tonight, we have a LOT of steaks to choose from, plus I have some mealies (corn) cooked, garlic bread to bake, baked beans, a tossed mixed salad and cheese sauce.
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Paddy and Tamryn went out to where the Tent Town had been to tidy up and collect all the paraphernalia that had been left out there. Ken went out to check the cattle a bit later, while I prepared our supper.
What a lovely feeling – nothing to be done by any certain time, or any more people arriving on the farm today, it is just the four of us – Ken, Paddy, Tamryn and me. I vote we all sleep in tomorrow or at least take the day a little slower!
While I was waiting for the three of them to come back home, I did a few cryptic crosswords on my ‘phone – to just keep my brain turning over! I would really like to be a lot fitter physically, mentally and spiritually this year, so will set in place things for me to achieve to do that.
Ken got the fire going, and while Paddy cooked the meat we all sat outside and watched today slowly disappear – the first day of the new year had come and gone already! Jumping Jehoshaphat!
What lesson did I learn today? It is okay to slow down for the day. Tomorrow one can speed up again!
What am I grateful for today? That everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves on the farm.
My saying for today is …
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