Whoopee! Valentine’s Day today … I sent Ken a Valentine’s card from me but forgot to say “Today” and put down 14^th February, but Australia being a day ahead, Ken will only receive it tomorrow! Oh dear, but I did try!

My day began as it normally does in a flurry of fur, which included the feeding of one famished feline. I made myself a mug of coffee and went up to my studio (seeing it was a lot cooler this morning) to have my Quiet Time.

Ah yes! Great jubilations and exhilarations as we had 13mm of rain overnight! What a blessing that was as the weathermen had mentioned only 1 - 5mm rain was possible.

Ken and I left the farm at about a quarter to nine in order to get into Port Macquarie for our Bible Study Group meeting. We will be meeting on a Thursday now at Garden Village in Port Macquarie instead of at the Boyce family home in Wauchope. The reason being that the Boyce boys (three little guys) have soccer training at Telegraph Point, which means that Cathy’s time is cut short with John if we have the meeting in Wauchope.

Our little Bible Study Group is growing steadily. We now have eighteen people attending - obviously not always as some people are away, sick or have appointments to go to et cetera. There are eleven men and seven women in our group, which is a really good mix. Today there were thirteen of us.

After Bible Study Group Ken and I headed off to Aldis to do a little bit of grocery shopping, but I did not need much this week. Then we headed for Settlement City where we had toasted sandwiches for lunch. From there wee went back into Wauchope as Ken needed to get some supplies for the farm, fuel and his prescriptions. I also had to pick up my Teacher’s Manual for teaching Scripture at school. Tick - tick - tick! All done and dusted, and we were free to return home.

We got home mid-afternoon but too late for Ken and Koda to have their siesta. Instead Ken went out to the back of the farm to see if he could find the heifer about to calve. He did, and he brought her closer to us so he could keep an eye on her here. She had already started to calve.

Later Ken went down to check oh how the calving was progressing, and she had produced a beautiful little black bull. Clever now cow (no longer a heifer)

I had planned to watch something on Netflix tonight, but a great weariness overcame me and I cancelled that idea. I decided that sleeping was a better option for me.

Unfortunately, I had only just gone off to sleep when Ken came to bed and I woke up. That was the end of any thought of sleep for me, I was WIDE awake. I really did try go to sleep again, but uh-uh, no ways was that happening, so I got up and went up to my studio to do some studying until I got tired again.

I stayed up for two hours and then my eyes were tired so I shuffled back to bed, but still could not sleep so tossed and turned, turned and tossed, but eventually did fall asleep.

When my alarm clock rang two hours later, I gave it a firm whack and slept for another one and a half hours before rising and shining. No, scrap the "shining" bit there was no shining happening!

What lesson did I learn today? What a wonderful country Australia is in that we can still meet as Chirstians without fear of persecution.

What am I grateful for today? For the rain we received last night as the ground is still slightly damp today.

My saying for today is ...

Thinking of ordering one of these shirts for Ken!

Even though I went to be early last night, I remained sleeping this morning until five twenty. I obviously was tired!

I think Shamara (my beautiful feline), must have been tired too as she was not threading herself in and out of my ankles as I exited our bedroom today. She entered the room a lot later and after her food had already been served. Not often that that happens. This heat is affecting all of us. (At least I am not covered in fur like she is!)

After my Quiet Time this morning I did about an hour and a half of ironing, so am now wearing my halo and a pair of snowy white imaginary wings.

My next job to tackle was to do a fewexerciises of my online Excel course. I did. But I need to write down a few notes as it is so easy to forget the simplest of things. Which I manage to with the greatest of ease. I am so loving this course, and it good to sink my teeth into something new and useful.

Having been inspired by Maria Kondo,  the home declutterer of note, (her work has gone viral), I decided that today was the day to sort through my clothes and declutter. I am very proud to tell you that I accomplished that task and am now the proud owner of a neat and decluttered cupboard. It is such a good feeling. I will donate the clothing that I have removed from my cupboard to a charity. I have only kept items of clothing "that bring me joy!"

I had just showered when I heard Ken yelling for me to come out and help him. Yeah taht would be right! In the yards, which meant heat, flies, dirt, bellowing cattle and dust, but … hey, that is the way it was.

I pulled my big girl panties up and walked out to the yards.

It was a simple task to help Ken with really. To cut out from that particular herd, a cow about to calve so she could be near us, and to mark a new little calf with the Farm Id tag. W-e-l-l! Simple it was meant to be, but said little calf managed to wedge himself between the head bale and the side of the crush and was caught at the hips and unable to move forwards or backwards. He was bleating loudly, and his mum was frantic with concern, snorting and giving us the stare - not a comfortable feeling when you are the one that she is eyeballing! Nah! Not nice, and she was not aiming on being nice either..

Ken was hot and his patience fuse had run out long ago, as hard as he tried to free this bleating, bellowing baby bull, he was not winning. Snappy was a word that came to my mind as Ken spoke to me. I suggested that if we opened the head bale the calf may reverse (or with a little help from us he would). Obviously, that was a really, stupid, suggestion, as out in the heat with the flies, the suffocating dust, and with extremely loud and desperate bellowing very close to one’s ears, anyone else’s suggestions are not easily accepted. But my darling man did try it (with clenched teeth) and it did work!

We were back to being happily married once again.

I returned to our shed and Ken let the cattle out before joining me at home.

In the late morning I sat down and concentrated on answering the Bible Study questions that John had sent me, for our Bible Study Group tomorrow. I just needed to write my answers down and finish that, to be ready for tomorrow. I did. Whoo-hoo!

As it was too hot to do anything that required any energy I began to work on the lesson I will give in Junior Church this coming Sunday as I am on duty then. Yahee! Another tick. My goodness, I may even be able to use my wings at this rate.

 I worked on my grocery shopping list for tomorrow and wrote a long email (long overdue) to my friend Grace, the lady who kindly formatted my book.  I also uploaded my blog for yesterday as I had not done that early this morning, Tsch! Tsch! Slacking Gail Morgan!

I made fish and chips for a supper using the fish that Josh’ (one of our six grandsons) caught while up at the farm last time. Yummy!

We had hoped for some rain today, but so far nothing. But we are still holding onto the shred of hope that it will rain tonight.

What lesson did I learn today? That it is better to remain silent when out in the yards, unless I really have something useful to say!

What am I grateful for today? The beautiful fish fillets that our one grandson left for us to enjoy, Thanks Josh’!

My saying for today is …

Yahee! Four o’clock in the morning and I was still alive! Now that is a good fact to wake up to folks!

I completed the first three things on my Today To Do List - 1. Feed feline as she will be on the point of keeling over from lack of sustenance, poor dear. 2.Make something for me to drink - coffee or a glass of water. 3. Have my Quiet Time up in my studio. Tick! Tick! Tick!

As I had put the washing on really early today, I hung it out to dry early too. I still had a few items in the To Iron basket, so would try and motivate myself to do some ironing soon. Yes, I know, I do rather go on about my ironing, but … I really enjoy doing it. I love that feeling of accomplishment when I look at everything neat, tidy, nicely pressed and put away. But just not today Josephine!

After breakfast I “attacked” my linen cupboards. I re-folded and piled up in neat piles all the kitchen towels, (I seem to have a fetish for them as I have masses), hand towels, normal size towels, bath sheets, and bath mats. Hmmm, all is looking loved and neat.

Yoh! The temperature outside was climbing up and up and up. It was another snorter of a day.

I put the air con’ on late morning, as it was just so unpleasant. I was wringing wet and found it almost impossible to do things when I am that uncomfortable.

Today I set my goal to check all our cattle records to make sure that I am up to date with them. Plus, I wanted to work out what it is that I really need as far as software goes. I need to be able to look up certain information at the click of the mouse. We are using cattle record software from Canada at the moment, but it is not quite right for our farm.

So, I decided that I need to do an online course on Excel as it ia a wonderful programme, but I know diddley squat way round it. I know a little, but that can really dangerous not so? I enrolled in a course and did a few lessons today. I think it going to be absolutely brilliant, and it will help me design a programme that works better for keeping the farm records efficiently.

I did some work researching the questions that John forwarded to me today, for our Bible Study Group on Thursday. I love digging deeper. So, although it takes many hours to do so, I love it!

I felt pretty useless later in the day as it was so hot. Talk about being as useless as a wet tram ticket … I was way beyond that! I was a once wet tram ticket, now dried to a brittle crisp with all the writing blurred and unreadable! Yeah, that covers how I felt I reckon!

In the afternoon I decided to slow down and while Ken and Koda had their siesta, I read my Kindle. Ha!  You see, there IS a blessing even in the yucky times - I got time to read because of this heat!

At about four o’clock in the afternoon I checked the temperature and it was still up there …39.2 ̊C!

I was not long out of bed tonight - too hot and to tired to do much.

What lesson did I learn today? To find the blessings in a day so hot it was wicked. First blessing -This morning I woke up still breathing. I got to read my Kindle during the day - another blessing! And those were just the beginning.

What am I grateful for today? Our air con’.

My saying for today is …

A new day was unfolding in the darkness around me as I slipped out of bed at four o’clock this mornng.

I was soon accosted by my cat demanding, in her strident meowing voice, for me to feed her! There are times when that loud meowing sets my teeth on edge, especially at that time of the day, but hey! she is a marvellous catcher of mice and deserves to be fed. So, I pulled my head in and did so. The loud meowing softened to a grateful purr.

While the day unwrapped slowly, I had my Quiet Time, then later ironed my clothes for the day, had a shower got dressed, and got all the paraphernalia I would be needing at school today. I never take any printed notes as I tell the children the Bible story in my own words, but I always have things for the games we play or an object lesson for me to teach. Today I took a Bible Bingo game, Wordsearch games, string for another game, and I had drawn on seven paper plates the story of creation so the children would remember the order of creation. The miracle was that they really did remember it!

I was organised and oh-so ready to start the new year at school. These children bring me such joy and I was keen to meet the new children - some who had only recently moved into this area, or the little ones just beginning school for the first time.

When I arrived at school, I was again met by lots of little voices shouting out my name and several of them dragging their new school buddies to meet me. I was confronted by five little boys wearing horrific masks, and I trembled, shook and shivered much to their delight of course! Yes, these kids really bring me great joy!

As it was morning smoko break, when I got to school, I sat with the teachers and had a good chat. Apparently, there are eleven new children this year, but then we “lost” several at the end of last year what with families moving away form this area or children moving up to high school. So, the numbers are still about the same as last year’s, there are fifty-four children at the school presently.

Today In my first class there was only one new child - a young boy. In the second class there was again only one new boy, but in the last class I had nine new little people to meet - seven little girls and two little boys. The one little guy was all over the place like a bucket of frogs, but after a while he soon settled down and sat listening to the creation story that I told them!

I left school feeling really happy, tired and extremely hot. Yoh! The weather is a killer. The heat has s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d on and on and on and on. We need rain. Apart from restoring the pastures it would break this long cycle of undiluted heat. Unfortunately for us the weathermen have predicted a really hot day for tomorrow too. Actually, hotter than today! Ah whoopeee! (Not!)

When I got back home both Ken and Koda were still having their siesta. I was too hot to lie down so sat in one of our leather, Lazy-boy armchairs with a fan blowing onto me, and read my Kindle for a while.

Then it was time to create our supper with a flick of my wrist and all that. I quickly created a cold supper as it was still so hot and slaving over a hot stove was not on my itinerary!

I watched a programme on TV for a short while and then headed for bed at half past nine. I was whacked.

What lesson did I learn today? That all the hard work that goes into my preparing the scripture lessons for the school children is well worth the effort, as these children give me so much in return.

What am I grateful for today? The privilege of teaching children.

My saying for today is …

Saturday …

My day began at the usual time, 4 o’clock in the morning, and with my dear feline greeting me with loud caterwauls demanding her nourishment. I did that then made my coffee before going up to my studio to have my Quiet Time.

Later I did two loads of washing, hung them out to dry, then worked on the Scripture lessons I will be giving on Monday at the school. That took me hours and hours as I searched high and low to find just the right games I wanted. I like to use object lessons or games to emphasize the lesson I am giving. Plus, I use three different games/object lessons as I teach three different classes. A while ago the one class would try and find out what I had done in the previous class, which often spoilt the surprise. So, being the sneaky ole dame I am, now no one knows what I am going to do, but me!

I had some extra time to do all this as Ken and I had been asked out TONIGHT to the “Pig and the Fig” restaurant in Long Flat to celebrate Andy’s (our neighbour) birthday, which meant I did not have to prepare a meal. Hallelujah!

No, do not get me wrong here please, I love cooking but there are times when it is such a luxury not to even have to think of food. All I have to do is eat and enjoy it.

Mick the chef, especially prepared a dish for Andy’s celebration and it was simply delicious. He made a Rolled Panchetta Pork Belly stuffed with baby spinach leaves, sundried tomatoes, olives and feta cheese, rubbed with Fennel and Schwann, with a bourbon reduction sauce. It was beautifully presented too. The dessert was an enormous chocolate cake with huge shards of white chocolate and milk chocolate marbled and sticking out at every which angle from the top of the cake. Not being a huge fan of cake myself, I left the tasting, devouring and enjoyment of that to Ken and the others, Judging by the much eye rolling and snorts of delight, it was good!

Ken and I got back home just before eleven o’clock and I was soon fast asleep as I was really tired.

Sunday …Again, my day began at four o’clock in the morning and my ritual was the same. Feed feline, drink coffee and then enjoy my Quiet Time.

Last night I did not take my mobile with me when wedines out, (as I do not need it with me 24/7, plus the battery was low), so I missed a message from Rodney, one of the teachers from the school where I teach Scripture, requesting to come and fish here on the farm for the day. I quickly sent him a message telling him that he was welcome any  time, but that we would be at church in the morning.

Rodney and his father-in-law Billy arrived as we were about to leave, for church so there were hasty “Hellos’” and "Good byes" said as we waved and banged and bounced our way over the river and off to Ellenborough. Nah-nah, that is not accurate. We did not have to bang and bounce so hard today as we lcrossed the river in the uteand not the quad bike! What a blessing!

We went into church with Noel and Sandra, who always kindly offer us a lift with them. It was good as we have not been able to take their kind offer up for age,s due to many reasons, like we were running late because one of our cows was on the highway et cetera, or had to meet someone after church in Port Macquarie and so on!

Both the leading and the sermon in church today were excellent, and today I had no duties whatsoever, which allowed me to relax and just listen. What a pleasure.

After church we had to whip around to the Country Club as Noel and Sandra had some shelving to pick up from there. Then it was a quick stop at the top IGA as both Sandra and I had a few things to get  for our grocery cupboards. Then it was home again, home again jiggety-jog!

Once home we had a quick bite to eat for lunch, then Koda and Ken slipped off for their siesta and I read my Kindle and tried to watch a bit of the DVD series that Karen has lent me, but I was too sleepy and was losing the plot. So, I nodded off for a few minutes as I sat in the armchair. Whew! Next I will be dribbling!  Scary!

No rain again today. Nearly everything is parched and cracking. The once upon a time mud has turned to dust and the grasses are wrinkled, brown and very dry. ‘Desiccated’ is a good word to describe the farm at present.

As the sun slid down the pale blue sky, the shadows lengthened, and night approached.

I watched my TV programme and then soon scuttled off to bed with Koda glued to me. Ken followed a little later as he was watching some sport on TV.

What lesson did I learn today? To simply enjoy each moment of every day, and to be grateful for the rain we have received and not be envious of those who had ten times as much as we got.

What am I grateful for today? The rain we have had no matter how much or how little.

My saying for today is …