Where has the week gone? (and a recipe)

It's Friday already and I have completely lost this week forever.

I guess the one day at Barbara's funeral on Monday has put my whole week out. It has been go, go for the rest of the time. And guess who ended up driving around Adelaide, which I had never done before so I am quite proud of myself. A Navman was a great help and so was a daughter who knew where we were going, but there was no offer from her to drive though, thanks Sarah.

I did make time to make some biscuits yesterday, and already they are nearly all gone.

Shall make some more tomorrow. This choc chip recipe is a little different because rolled oats has been added.

OATY CHOCOLATE CHIP BISCUITS

250gms butter

2 3/4 cups Self Raising Flour

2 eggs

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup castor sugar

1 tspn vanilla essence

1 cup brown sugar

100gm packet dark choc bits

Beat butter, sugars and essence in bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each addition, stir in sifted flour, rolled oats and choc bits.

Place heaped teaspoons of mixture on lightly greased oven trays, bake in moderate oven for about 12 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Let stand on trays for 5 minutes, turn onto wire racks to cool.

Makes about 70 biscuits.

I didn't use the electric mixer when I made mine as I had some daycare children peacefully sleeping. I also halved the recipe, which I shouldn't have because they have been gobbled up.

I do promise to try and catch up on some of your blogs this weekend. Last night I was soooo tired I don't remember my head hitting the pillow, and the morning came before I wanted it too.

The nights have really cooled down now as we countdown to the Winter season.

It is going to get down to 6 degrees tonight, however we did have some rain (30mm/120points) last Sunday and Monday, but I missed it because of being in Adelaide. I have not been home the last two times that it has rained, I am sorry I missed such a rare occasion, lets hope a little greenery appears. The chooks (chickens) haven't seen a blade of grass for about twelve months.

Wishing you all a wonderful blessed weekend,

xTania

Vintage Car Run to Arno Bay, South Australia

Last weekend we went to Arno Bay to meet up with my parents. They were there for a get together with two other Vintage car clubs.

For all you South Aussie's, Arno Bay is the home of former

Adelaide Crow ruckman, Shaun Rehn. A nice quiet little seaside town on the

Eyre Peninsula, on route to Port Lincoln.

There are lots of pictures here, it was hard to pick the best.

Firstly some of the vintage cars that were there.

Audi

FJ Holden

Plymouth

Dad and Mum's Mark 1 Zephyr, restored by my dad.

Pontiac GTO left hand drive

Mark 3 Zephyr.

And now some of the sites around Arno:

Some Cormorants (or Shags as we know them) on the pontoon.

Along side the jetty with the waves rolling in along the reef.

Beach other side of the jetty, with shacks in the background.

Arno Bay jetty.

Another beach photo, near the jetty.

On the boardwalk, down by the sea.

The boardwalk

The mangroves along the boardwalk.

The beach where the boardwalk meets the sea.

Some Pelicans on the shore.

This board walk has been recently completed.

Arno Bay

The beach

I am heading down to Adelaide tomorrow with our son and two daughters for our friend and Auntie's funeral. It could be an interesting trip as I don't usually drive in Adelaide. At least I have my eldest daughter with me, she lived in Adelaide for ten years while attending University. I am sure between the lot of us we should manage to get around okay without any mishaps. I am afraid I am a country girl through and through and dislike the city. We will travel down tomorrow and stay overnight in a caravan park. The funeral is Monday afternoon and we will travel home again afterwards.

Wishing you all a blessed weekend,

xTania

In Memory

Sweet Barbara

Beloved wife of Ron,

Loving Mother of Rebecca, Rachael, Amy, Narelle, Allison and Susan.

Adored Nanna of Lachlan, Eliza, Billie, Bradley, Savannah, Sophie and Baby Grace.

I have lost another dear friend.

My former sister in law has passed away at the tender age of 49.

She was a kind sweet girl that would do anything to help her fellow man, she did this many, many times for me.

Her funeral will be held next Monday.

Her passing was totally unexpected, we did not know she had been unwell.

You will be surely missed Barbara.

xox

Decision making time?

I am sorry for my absence from blogging, apart from being busy with work and other things, the old bang along computer has got itself a virus and put itself to rest. So I am glad that I purchased this laptop recently, otherwise I would be absent even longer.

All my recent photos are on the old computer, luckily on a separate drive so they

are safe from the virus.

I don't have many photos on the camera at the moment just these few that I took last Saturday when we went to Point Lowly near Whyalla, South Australia.

Fitzgerald Bay is the home of the aquaculture enterprise, growing the yellow tailed kingfish. As seen in the top photo and another view below.

I had never been there although have known about it for years. It is a lovely quiet little place in which to camp and do some fishing.

Port Bonython is also along this road and has a natural gas plant for the Spencer Gulf.
Port Augusta does not benefit from this natural gas.

Point Lowly Light house

I have had a few things to think about lately so my mind has been in many other places at times.

I have been given the opportunity to do my Diploma in Children's Services through Family Day Care. An information evening was held tonight in Whyalla and now my mind is boggling with too much information.

Can I do this or can I not?
This is the question I ask myself.

I have plenty of support around me which is a good thing and it will probably take two years to complete.

Will I be able to make time for the study etc in my already busy life?

I need to make up my mind quickly if I am to apply to get accepted.

I will keep you posted.

xTania

Happy Mother's Day

God's Helpers

God could not be in every place
With loving hands to help erase
The teardrops from each baby's face,
And so He thought of mother.

He could not send us here alone
And leave us to a fate unknown;
Without providing for His own,
The outstretched arms of mother.

God could not watch us night and day
And kneel beside our crib to pray,
Or kiss our little aches away;
And so He sent us mother.

And when our childhood days began,
He simply could not take command.
That's why He placed our tiny hand
Securely into mother's.

The days of youth slipped quickly by,
Life's sun rose higher in the sky.
Full grown were we, yet ever nigh
To love us still, was mother.

And when life's span of years shall end,
I know that God will gladly send,
To welcome home her child again,
That ever-faithful mother.

--George W. Wiseman

Happy Mother's Day.

Providing meals from your pantry

I regularly visit a blog called

HoneyHillFarm

Shan is running a series of helpful hints to help provide meals from your pantry. I am a bit late in getting this up as she is already up to part 5.

If you haven't already, take a look at this lovely peaceful blog.

Hope you are having a good week.

xTania

Happy Birthday to my youngest daughter Talia who turns 22 today.

Random photos of Australia - taken by Phil

Test driving the Rio Tinto Engines destined for Weipa, Queensland.

Meet Phil.
(better known as the worst half)

Now Phil is a Locomotive Driver/Trainer based in Port Augusta. He loves his job and gets to travel to some very remote locations. He has taken many photos over the years and I thought I would include a post on some favourites.

Some of the trains Phil drives are 1800mtrs (1.8kms) in length and weigh 3,500 to 4,500 tonnes. He gets to drive the Indian Pacific as far west as Cook on the Nullarbor and the Ghan as far north as Roe Creek, just out of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

Camels crossing the track at Watson, South Australia.

Other trains he drives are the super freighters (double stackers) that go from Sydney to Perth and Melbourne to Perth. Phil drives the Port Augusta to Cook leg of the journey.

Double rainbow at Tent Hill, just out of Port Augusta, South Australia

Phil also travels to places like Whyalla, South Australia where BHP and One steel are based. He takes the steel and freight trains to Broken Hill in New South Wales on occasions.

Another rainbow at Olary, on the way to Broken Hill.

He also takes the occasional freight train to Adelaide, South Australia.


Ironstone Lagoon, about 110kms north of PortAugusta. This was taken after the big rains in December 08. Normally would be a dry salt pan.

Crossing the Olary Bridge with a storm brewing ahead.

We call this a Whirly, whirly but I think the aboriginal people call them Willy, willy.

After rains at Bookaloo, 80 kms North of Port Augusta in December 08.

Bookaloo, December 2008

This little statue represents the millionth concrete sleeper laid on the Tarcoola to Alice Springs line.

View here for a clip that Phil took while on the Indian Pacific on the Nullarbor.

And here for another train clip.

Wishing you all a happy and safe weekend,

xTania

Today my grandson Blake is 5.

Happy Birthday sweet boy.

Love Nan and Grumpoo xxx