Never boring

As much as life is kicking my arse at the moment, I can appreciate that if it wasn't for the craziness, I'd be bored shitless.

I must admit though, when I do get some downtime, I turn to Facebook. Even though I feel like it's dumming me down, and I am not achieving anything, it's the timeout I need.

It means I am not having the motivation to get the important things done, well not until the last minute anyway.

The thing that is taking the most space in my head at the moment is my adult son, who has been in the mental health ward for nearly two weeks. Not only have I learned to spell his condition properly, but to deal with what has happened to lead him there. It is not made easier by someone close to me, not being supportive at all. It makes it fucking hard. 

I am emotionally exhausted, which makes other parts of my life hard. I do apologize for my lack of presence around here lately. I am treading water at the moment, but managing to keep my head above water. I can see the end of the tunnel, I haven't given up yet.

It's not all bad. I am becoming a strong warrior. One day I will rock this shit called life. Right now it is like pushing shit up a hill.

I still have two gorgeous girls who need me, not to mention a new kitten! GOD!! Kids who get new animals that I am inevitably responsible for when they are at school all day. Thank goodness it's using the litter tray like a pro! Izzy got a real shock the first time she smelled the alure of cat poo. I gently guided her through the process of cleaning the litter, with the heart sinking reality of the new fragrance my laundry was going to inherit. Hurry up and grow kitty.

My girls kept me well and truly entertained during the week with their funny antics. While I quickly showered one morning, they covered the toilet with glad wrap and drew a huge black spider on the toilet paper with a Sharpie. I didn't discover it until after school drop off. I was grateful for the happiness it brought me. They were doubly amused at the big deal I made of it when I saw them, they lit up like light bulbs. Little buggers. 

We spent the weekend at the holiday house. I nicked off down the road to the beach just before sunset with my camera and half a bottle of wine in my gut. The best way.

It was just what I needed. Nature levels me.

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A scrappy job

Last week I was the office biatch at my twin brothers', scrap metal business.

One of my brothers and his wife, went on holiday and I had the pleasure of holding down the fort. If it wasn't dead queit, it was like Central Station. Also the dust and dirt factor was off the charts! I cleaned the office on Monday and by Tuesday arvo there was a fine layer of dust on everything. I can imagine in Winter, that dust turns to mud!

I quite enjoyed my week, but kudos to full time working mummas, my house looks like a bomb hit it. Looking forward to catching up around the house this week.

I enjoyed spending a bit more time with my other brother in his work place. I hardly go near the place any other time. It was nice to connect again.

On one of the quiet days, I took a walk around, and a climb up on top of an excavator to take some photos. Here is your one and only tour, of the scrap metal yard.

The day after, the Smorgons Steel baler turned up and it wasn't so quiet. Imagine a giant crushing machine that a whole car (or a pile of metal) is fed into, squashed, and spat out the size of a bale of hay. The bales are then stacked onto a truck and transported to Melbourne, where the metal is recycled at a steel mill.

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The Tantanoola/Kongorong Road

I finally got my night away from Brett and the kids on Friday.  I managed to avoid them for a whole 24 hours, and a bit. 

It was only a nights stay at the beach house, and I should have relaxed more than I actually did. Instead of putting my feet up, I mowed the lawn, which isn't really that much hard work on a ride on. I actually quite enjoy it. Like therapy, time to think.

I did some tidying up in the garden, watered the lawn and hung a blackboard next to the back door of the house. If you have a look in the sidebar for the Instagram feed, you'll probably see it there. 

I also attached a weather strip to the bottom of the front door, which turned out to be a total pain in the arse, with me having to unscrew it twice before I got it right! The fact that I was onto my second glass of wine had nothing to do with it! At least it will keep the rain out now, when it pours in that direction.

I sat down after that and finished my bottle of wine watching Married at first sight catch ups until after midnight. I got sucked in. 

I was going to stay the entire weekend, but someone wanted to rent it Saturday night, and not wanting to miss on some rent money I left on Saturday morning. I ducked in at home, drove to Southend and fished for the rest of the day on the jetty. I caught one legal fish! The bloke next to me caught 10! Bastard! That's the luck of the draw.

On the way home from the beach house I took my time going home, stopping to take some photos on the Tantanoola/Kongorong Road. I had a good chat with a farmer at the Snake Paddock gate, which was nice. He's name was Alan. I should have asked to take his photo. When I saw the name on the gate, I was a bit concerned I only had thongs on. He laughed and said "Just don't look down and keep on walking"! Alright for him, he had boots and jeans on! 

Joining Denyse for #lifethisweek

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Pros and cons of an above ground pool

The holidays are over and the kids have just spent their first week back at school. The girls had their photo taken on the first day and ended up on the front page of the paper the next day. It makes up for the fact I forgot to take a 'first day' photo.

You would think it was time for me to relax. It has been awesome having some time to myself, but it doesn't mean I haven't been busy. I wish I could have less to do and catch up on.

With our busy weekend of cutting down trees, I forgot to chlorinate the pool we got the kids for christmas. It didn't take long to turn green.

In hindsight, I should have given it a shock dose of chlorine to clean the water BEFORE I emptied it. Instead there was a build up of slime I had to wash off the pool before I put it away. 

Emptying the pool was easy. The water outlet had a regular hose attachment and I could direct the water away from where the pool was situated. I actually emptied all that water onto the nature reserve next to our property!

Brett was surprised that I'd packed it up and didn't refill it. 

There were a few reasons I didn't -

• the kids were now at school all day and the weather also didn't warrant it
• I wanted that part of my garden back!
• I was over remembering to chlorinate it every night
• I was sick of cleaning the filter EVERY day, otherwise it wouldn't work as effectively as it should
• I'd had enough of skimming the top for bugs, floating bits and small leaves. I made a sieve with a cut off pantyhose leg, stretched over a wire coathanger I bent into a circle shape.
• removing the larger gum leaves from the bottom of the pool with a fishing net. I was quite surprised to fish out a frog oneday! The girls thought it was hilarious, and I am wondering how it fared being chlorinated.

Of course he wouldn't have realised that, because he didn't have to do it!

It was however fantastic to have up and running in the school holidays. Throwing the kids outside to have fun in thier own pool was so convenient. There was no getting organised with everything we had to take, and then driving down to the local swimming lake. The pool was right there in the backyard. The kids had a BALL, and the kids next door loved it too.

The best thing, it's packed away easily, ready for next years summer holidays. 

I do love our local swimming lake though. It is free and a true asset in our town.

I have actually kinda missed going there. We got down there on Saturday afternoon for a couple of hours. Was good. There's a no drinking policy, but vodka, lime and soda water in a water bottle, who's to know the difference (wink, wink)?! I swear that is the first time I have done that, but I spent a good half of the day at the library for the Summer Reading Club party with the kids, and I was ready for a drink.

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