Two Years Ago Today....

....our 9th grandchild was born in Canada...Dominic Austin Adrian Colin weighed a healthy 7.5 lbs and was welcomed with such love and joy...

Twelve weeks to the day he left us suddenly when SIDS struck, no-one could be prepared for the horror of losing your child and these last 2 yrs have been very painful for his parents especially but for all of us.

You should be opening presents of cars and trucks and birthday cards with a bold blue 2 on them....rest assured you are still in our hearts and always will be...RIP beloved boy...until we meet again.
xoxox

Some Christmas Photos and Recipes(Before I forget)

We did manage to have a lovely Christmas with Mum and Dad, Paul, Gordon, Kris, Jess, Livvie and Gypsy Puppsie...and Twitch of course!

We started our dinner with smoked salmon and tartare sauce..

1 cup of whole egg mayo
1T each of chopped capers, gherkins and parsley
2t lemon zest
pepper to taste.

Then we had the main course,

sliced ham and roast turkey breast,
chipolata sausages
roast potatoes and onions
brussel sprouts
stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce
and something new, Vegetable Crumble

I cooked several carrots, a sweet potato, some green beans and corn in vegie stock, then stirred in 2T cream cheese and 2t Dijon mustard. Put that in a casserole and I'd already made a crumble topping of 120gms flour, 90 gms butter and 2 large tablespoons of parmesan cheese and sprinkled that on top. Baked at 190C for about 30-40 minutes.

As if that wasn't enough there was Christmas Pud and Custard, Christmas Cake, Mince Pies, Choc Chip Cookies and Nellymary's Apricot Delight!

Needless to say there were lots of lovely leftovers to share out and very little cooking on Boxing Day.
I tried to make as many gifts as I could this year and here are a couple of photos of the girls clowning around in their new PJs and wearing their fabric baskets as hats lol

Dinner is served, on vintage Blue Willow plates, an assortment of thrifted glasses and tablecloths and our silver cutlery that only gets used at Christmas! My Mum, Dad, Jess, Livvie, Kristie, Gordie and Paul. Joe took this photo and was around the corner in the kitchen.

Before we opened presents and had our dinner we played outside with Gypsy and Twitch ;)

So another year is over, we don't bother at all with New Year's Eve or Day...just another day in our books but we certainly wish all the very best for our families, friends and all of you lovely friends in Blogsville. Hope 2012 is wonderful for you all, that you can rise and meet the challenges that will come along and that you have love and contentment in all your days.

Love from Sue,
Seeya next year :)
xxx

Hallo Again...

....'smee again!

The main reason I haven't been writing is that I've been really discouraged by Priscilla's diagnosis of liposarcoma...I will copy and paste what I wrote on the forum as it's a very painful thing to try to absorb and understand. Priss has gone from finding a grapefruit-sized lump near her waist on November 13th to being  told on November 25th it is liposarcoma and wrapped around her spine, intestines and and aorta(at least) .

""

1. My beloved step-daughter, Priscilla(28yrs) has been diagnosed with liposarcoma this month. She has 2 daughters, aged almost 3 years and 4 months as well as a wonderful husband, Will.
   

1. So far she has had ultrasounds, biopsy and an MRI scan that shows the mass to be 15cms/6ins long and almost as wide...it is in her abdoman at waist level and wrapped around her spine, aorta and intestines. It is impossible to do surgery at this stage so she will undergo radiation and chemotherapy in Toronto which is 6 hours drive from her home. Tomorrow she has a CT scan of her chest scheduled and then another MRI of her spine on January 6th, her first appt in Toronto is set for Jan 3rd.
   Priscilla has joined an on-line forum(Liddy Shriver) for other sarcoma patients and their families and has been greatly buoyed by the success stories and encouraging messages. A lady here in Queensland wrote to me and told me I could call her any-time for support...she has her DH and a son fighting this battle and she also has this website.....
   
   All I am asking from you my friends is for support in the form of prayers and hopeful wishes and whatever else you believe in to beg the heavens for strength and healing for our girl.
   Shelagh has already suggested Vit E creams to prepare Priscilla's skin for the radiation. Once the treatment starts she will have to stop breast-feeding of course and probably have to spend many nights away from her family...Social Services may be able to help with transport and accommodation but we're waiting to see.
   
   This is really hard for Joe and I to be 12,000 miles away and unable to even make her a dinner or wash her floors etc. Just being here to chat when it's late at night in Canada helps a little.

   
   So this is where we are today, Priss had a CT scan of her chest yesterday and will be off to Toronto early next week.
   
   I am going to try to carry on  as normal, doing what little I can to encourage and support her and her family. All your prayers and good wishes will be gratefully accepted, as well as any ideas for her care during this time, Deb highly recommends ginger and lemon in hot water for nausea.
   
   Thank you so much to those of you who have already been supportive, your loving concern eases the shock of all this,
   
   One day at a time
   Love from Sue
   xxxx

Introducing Twitch Caramel C,,,,

...yes...two new babies on one day happened this week, Austin was born in Ottawa and on the same day I brought this adorable rabbit home from Gordie and Kristie's place. I didn't know that O had already named her Caramel because of her beautiful colouring but that's become her second name....all pets need at least 2 names! Twitch is about 2 months old and her grandfather and father have been in the family for quite some time. These rabbits are called Lops as their ears hang down instead of standing up straight.

..
I'm going to take a few days break, Christmas dinner will be here tomorrow evening so I'll have a busy weekend ahead.

Our daughter, Priscilla, has had even worse news regarding her sarcoma  cancer ...please keep her in your prayers, we are shocked to our cores that this could be happening to such a young and sparkling person, mom to a 3yr old and a 4 months old girls. We love you so very much, Priss.

I'd like to wish and every-one of you a wonderful, peaceful and love-filled Christmas holiday and I hope fervently for a happy and healthy New Year for us all.

Stay safe and enjoy the company of your loved ones,
Bye bye for now,
Sue
xxx

Introducing Austin....

...our 12th(shared) grandchild, Austin, born in Ottawa, Dec 21st and weighing a hefty 10lbs 11ozs!

Hoping for more photos today...isn't he gorgeous?

Sending much love to Gerry and Shawna and wishing for Austin a long and very, very happy life

xoxoxo

Rhonda's Whole Orange Cake

I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe yet.....it's so very, very easy, moist and delicious. I don't have an orange tree like Rhonda but often get organic citrus fruit from Mum and Dad's neighbour, Steve.

I used...
1 whole orange, roughly chopped
2 eggs and 1 large tablespoon of plain yogurt
180gms of softened/melted butter
almost 1 cup of raw sugar
1 1/2 cups of plain wholemeal flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder.

Into my almost vintage food processor(or you could finely chopped the orange and mix everything in by hand)
went the orange, process it until there are no big pieces left and then add everything else. Note to self...make sure you remember the butter that is in the microwave oven!

Pour the batter into a lined or well-greased loaf tin and bake at 180C for about 40minutes. You could ice this cake for a special occasion but it is so lovely and moist that it's really not necessary.

Eat and enjoy, it also freezes very well if it lasts that long ;)

I went to Burswood again yesterday, the Christmas decorations are magnificent and we had a really fantastic Christmas Dinner...here's Mum and Dad dwarfed by the tree and reindeer...Mum didn't like these decorations...the strings of lights reminded her of barbed wire :(

Joe is having a cortisone injection in his elbow today to see if that will help with his pain, he then has an appointment at 7.45am tomorrow with his specialist...can you imagine this marvellous doctor starts seeing patients at 6am?????

Hooroo,
Love from Sue
xx

Friday On My Mind...

.....when we post a photo of something special and leave the link at other blogs. Hallo Carla...how lovely to 'see' you again xx

Joe took this close-up of a tawny frogmouth at Cohunu Koala Park this week...I think it's great...they are not owls but are nocturnal and eat the same foods as owls.

Do you have plans for the weekend, I'm not sure yet but I'd love to finish the knitted patchwork blanket I'm making for some-one special....I'm sewing the squares together and literally forcing myself to do it!

Bye bye for now,
Sue
xx

Cohunu Koala Park

A treat today for lovers of the unique Australian wildlife. Joe's camera group visited Cohunu Koala Park in the Perth Hills yesterday and he took lots of photos...will try to contain myself as I choose a few to show you!

A koala helps out in the front office...

Mumma and Baby snooze their day away...most of these animals are nocturnal..

 Two goannas enjoy the sunshine, can you see the blue tongue on the right-hand lizard?

Old Man Emu keeps a beady eye on the visitors...he has chicks to protect...that's right...the male raises the chicks as the female wanders off once she has laid the eggs...

Black Swans are the state fauna emblem, they are beautiful with their red beak and feet...

 Something has caught the eye of this young dingo...

Not sure why these elegant pelicans are resting on the railway line, perhaps they know the train is not running today...

These Tawny Frogmouths are brilliantly camoflauged, they are not owls but have many similarities...

Two echidnas or spiny ant-eaters share a treat...they are very unusual as they are egg-laying mammals or monotremes....

A big koala looking for a new roost...

Last of all, not an Australian native but this pony and her foal must be included for sheer cuteness...the foal had just nursed and was soon asleep....awww...

I hope you enjoyed that peek at some Australia's wildlife, I wonder why there were no kangaroos or did Joe find them too commonplace to photograph, must ask him later.

Have a Tremendous Thursday,
Love from Sue
xx

Nana's Brag Post

OK Indulge me please. It's quite rare for me to see (all at once) 5 of our 12 grandchildren(1 dec., 1 due in 2 wks, 6 in Canada) so I took lots of photos of their tee-ball matches on Saturday morning at the nearby Recreation Ground. It was a warm sunny day and the children were encouraged to play fairly and have lots of fun which is what childrens' sports should always be about.

Tee-ball is a modified game of softball/baseball where the ball is placed on a springy post so the children can hit it more easily than a pitched ball. They amazed me! I've tried not to show the childrens' faces too clearly for their security but I hope you enjoy the body language!
Cody(11), Batter Up! See the "Tee"? He hit some great shots.

Jacob(10) is next to bat....he scored 3 home runs altogether,

Jessie(8) pounces....great concentration and noticeably no handstands today as seen at training lol

Olivia(7)(middle) sprints between bases...she scored a home run a minute later :)

Caleb(4) waits until he is old enough to play...love the way Jessie draped her arm over her young cousin's shoulders, he soon found a young playmate to climb and jump with,

The teams are all sponsored by local businesses which pay for the uniforms(and get lots of advertising on those t-shirts lol) There are shady tents and benches provided too to keep the children out of the sun as much as possible...silly Nana got a sunburnt neck!

Here's my last pic...a long shot of the beautiful playing conditions and well-maintained playing fields...

Such good fun and healthy, social exercise.

I hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday, I need to plough on with last minute elfing today ;)

Love from Sue
xx

Record Rainfall for Perth

We knew thunderstorms were forecast and have already had the wettest day since 1983 this month but yesterday was really unusual....to my knowledge it has never rained on Dec12th in the 43yrs we have lived Down Under. The sky was very grey all day and then mid-afternoon the rumbles of thunder began. Then the lightening seemed to up the ante and was flashing in every direction, the heaviest rain began and this theatre continued non-stop for hours.

http://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/perth-drenched-by-heaviest-december-rain-in-50-years/19621

The birthday girl took her bucket of soapy water and went snailing!

The dams will be getting a much-needed top-up, my friend's water-tanks are full to the brim and the gardens look well, relieved! Even more rain is expected today and the temps for the rest of the week will stay under 30C which is a blessing to softies like me! Look at these clouds forming just before the fun started.

Hooroo for now,
Love from Sue
xxx

Knit A Wish

Have a look here for a wonderful community project in Subiaco(next to Perth)...Captain Paknit is being helped by the local people to decorate their town with yarn and warm and wishes...

http://knit-a-wish.blogspot.com/

http://captainplaknit.blogspot.com/

You Go Girl!

Sue
xx

A Busy Day!

Oh yes...so busy...it's our tenth wedding anniversary, that's tin, as well as my birthday so we've had lots of lovely cards and blessings sent to us. It's also payday and shopping day so these littler things still have to be done. I've just heard from Claire at the forum that she and her DH also wed on her birthday...so many coincidences there!

Joe and I married at the Perth Registry Office with my parents as witnesses and we had a lovely party here in the garden afterwards...it was a week day so most of our work-mates were working and came over afterwards.

Carol and Lynda look happy too!

Not sure why this large crowd is gathered in the laundry lol Joe, Lynda, Mum, Gillian(who came from Morecambe for the week!) and myself.

Deb, Fiona, Debbie and Auntie Martha. (Mum's old curtains made cheerful tablecloths lol)

Joe's shirt came from an Indian clothing shop in Perth, he wore his favoutite white Levis and my dress was $8 at the Salvation Army Store in Rockingham. Our guests all brought a dish so the catering was very budget friendly too. Our friend, Fiona, took photos and videos and we didn't even have wedding rings until the following year!

Welcome Justine to my blog..I look forward to reading more about you later today
xx

Mum and Dad are coming over for a cuppa and cakes any minute now so I'd get a wriggle on so to speak. I wish for you and yours a happy week, free from stress and fear.
Love from Sue
xx