A long day

We left home at 7.30 am having been up since 5,30 for the drive to
Cape Jervis and the ferry to Kangaroo Island, fog on the tops of the hills on the range road and some drizzle and low cloud.
The loading of the cars is always diverting as some have to back on, John who has done this trio so many times only had to drive on, this is our car about to load, it can be total chaos and often is.
The passage over was a bit rock and rolly but not too bad, at least it wasnt wet until we arrived so sitting out on top was fine, and makes me feel less sick I never sit below on any ship, no cruises for me!
We passed the other ferry half way across.
This all relates to the collage above which somehow I messed up.
Couldnt get into the house until after lunch so called in to friends and used their frig and freezer to store stuff, visited another friend and bought some lovely glass, this is my old friend and one time teacher Bernard Stoner who does such lovely stuff, always something new he gets bored doing the same things!
Lunch at a little cafe and then in and unloaded.
Pooped!
Now recovering, loving the view, the ferry arriving and departing and almost readfy for nibble of John's pate and some bubbles. ( these photos were taken from the front of the house, isnt this a view and a half, with the mainland barely visible over the passage, would you believe it is called Backstairs Passage!)
This is living!

Not a lot of time

I made a collage of the last few days, a new foal, photo of one of the mares and the older palomino foal taken on a walk,( a walk that ended up in agony as my toe was so sore but at least I managed a walk) The other reason to walk was to go down and get some of the tortured willow to hang the birds I found in the bottom of the Christmas decoration box, now in the sun room, an especially sun room type of decoration, not necessarily Christmassy.
The Lilies I found flowering all by themselves in the depths of the garden and had to pick and bring inside and the large Father Christmas who I made a few years ago and who I love with his bright red scarf, looking suitably wintry although here it is warming up.
Rain and thunderstorms forecast for the next few days, the crossing to Kangaroo Island on Sunday morning could be interesting, but then it always is.
Yesterday was Adelaide and delivering a few presents, this morning, more present delivery and a doctors visit and a bit of shopping.
The car, my car, not Johns ute is playing up and as we need it for 3 people on the Island it had to go to the mechanic to see what is wrong.
Now I am home and trying to think of packing, organising tonight's dinner ( roast chicken) John has gone to Adelaide again to collect J off the plane.
I was quite relieved to here that my blood pressure was ok, although my diabetic stuff has gone up, partly stress, partly not able to exercise, partly the cortisone. My GP patted me on the shoulder and said, its Christmas, dont worry about dieting until the New Year. By then I may be the size of a giant balloon.
Once we are settled I will be able to blog from the Island, although I will be glad when we are there, we have last minute problems with the house sitter, but she will be here, just a bit distracted I think.
I hope every one is having fun with the lead up to Christmas, sometimes I would love to live where there is snow, but we get used to hot or at the moment beautiful days in the lead up to it.
There will be roast duck for dinner with us, cold something for lunch and a walk on a beach whatever the weather.

Some of the decorations are up.

My feet are sore but the house is vacuumed and the little tree is up as well as another and the fireplace has its Santas and reindeer and the center of the dining room table is decorated. I havent shown the wreaths on the doors, but have run out of puff.
I have put this little tree that you cant see very well against the window for all of our married life, nearly 53 years, although when the children were small it decorated the table and we brought in a fresh tree that we cut from the pine forest, now it wouldnt fit in the house, but oh the memories of sitting on the floor early on Christmas morning with the children who had been up since very early, opening their presents, and I really dont remember them being disappointed although we had very little money then. I loved being there when presents were opened. When I was a child our presents came in a pillowcase at the end of our bed. Times change and yet they dont.
Sorry about the rather blurry last photo.
Tomorrow there is more baking to be done and the pate to make.

Over the week end

On Saturday I went to the market and then tried to get a plant for a friend, nothing much was open so here is the main street of Victor Harbor, one way and the other. I stood in the middle of the road to take the photo!
The bottom one I took this morning from the Anchorage across to the railway tracks to the old Telegraph Station building I was in there very early as I had a blood test at 8 am and after fasting needed a coffee.
Yesterday we went to a lunch put on by our local MP at a winery near Mt Jagged, a bit cool and windy but some lovely views and some great people to sit and talk to, all local Government friends from way back when John was Mayor.
Last night delighted in watching Smokey and the Bandit, they all smoked, no nude scenes but some of the things said would probably not be able to be said today. Amazing that I had never seen it but have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Today has been a long day, on going saga with my toe, I am now on antibiotics. Will it never end?

Ive been baking

This is the third Christmas cake, a bottle of rum does three cakes which John thinks is expensive but I dont. Only 2 more cakes to make and then more biscuits. The second photo, well there were more biscuits but they have been eaten. The third photo was a new recipe, not sure if I will make them again but so far the jury is out on them. They were a pain to do individually so I ended up putting them in to a slice tin.
Back to making the usual biscuits next week, biscotti and something savory.
Wet and humid today, we had about 4 mm until 9 am but a bit since then. I am so glad as the garden needs every bit it can get.
In for a coffee with a friend this afternoon, very pleasant, now to feed the dogs and chooks and organise dinner.
I need to clean the house over the week end and then put up the Christmas decorations, I usually leave it until the week before Christmas but as we leave on the 18th for kangaroo Island and our friend from Queensland comes on the 16th I had better get them done sooner rather than later, then find the ones I take with us over to the Island.
Beginning to feel as if things are coming together.

Zozie and from the bedroom door

Here is the little Zozie doll I made in the Susie McMahon class last Friday, she is very cute but I am going to try and see if I can make a cloth face instead of the paper clay mask. She is made from an old knitted shirt of my mothers, linen and something it was a bit hard to see where I had sewn and was very soft but I think my wild little miss came up quite well. Actually she is quite a delight.
I dont know where the last few days have gone, I know that on going problems with aches and my toe have taken its toll, I was a pretty grumpy old woman when I went in to have a stinking toe redressed yesterday, sick of every time I go in a new idea and its still far from right nearly 5 weeks after it was done.
I dont want to moan on my blog but honestly it has been a struggle and not what I need just before Christmas.
The weather so far, apart from the odd hot day has been lovely, if only one could walk and enjoy it, but these photos from my bedroom door show that even standing by the door had been a delight. Shadows and sun.
I did manage to sit out under the pergola yesterday with a coffee while John was away at a meeting, then felt a bit guilty, mad I know but one cant help the way one was brought up, at my age I should know better.
I have finished the other doll but cant show her yet. I suppose there are some plusses with being house bound, sewing things get done, sort of, I sewed up another 5 birds yesterday, they are now stuffed and ready to be finished off.
Now for the cakes.

Finally a walk

Not a long one but back to a bit of sea and cliffs and fresh air and wonderful sounds and smells. Oh what a delight.
I seem to have been stuck for so long whith this wretched toe.
Not that I havent been busy, today I got most of the Christmas cards done, I thought there were not many to do but when I looked there were more than I thought. I needed to get the overseas ones done.
This morning I went in to the market and got a few veg and John got the papers and then we walked along from the Bluff, surfers out in the small rolling swell, a new sign telling about the granite that is all along this coast, swells coming in over rocks, the colours are changing, greens and browns, grey rocks and blue sea and the pussy tails (last photo) were blowing golden in the wind.
There was a bit of wind.
Click on the photos to enlarge them.
Home and chores to be done, the hens were not pleased that we were a bit late.
Yesterday I spent all day in Adelaide, tired, a bit over an hour trip took nearly 2 both going up and coming home, traffic was appalling. I had a doll making class to go to, making one of Susie McMahon's zozie dolls, simple but fun and a nice collection of people to chat to, although I did arrive shaking and feeling quite off. I will show you my doll when she is finished. I was so tired when I got home I fell asleep before dinner.
I had called in to see if Mason and Gaby were home and they were, so I hope all is well for the next few days before they go back for an early morning appointment on Wednesday.
Tomorrow looks like another busy day, but one thing crossed off the list to do.