Are we in the Colonies or what?

Yeah, yeah..I know its Autumn but really, we ARE in the colonies and its usually much warmer that this!
Last night was positively arctic!
The wind was howling and the temperature dropped to beyond cold!
The only thing for it was to sit in front of the heater and keep warm and then head off to a toasty warm bed  and dream beautiful dreams of walking through the glens and forests of Glencoe.

This morning at least the sun is out and is trying to defrost the earth in our neck of the woods but the wind is still keeping the temperatures low.
This is not helping the Lord's shoulder pain - ever since he had an injury at work he has been finding it hard to continue working without having to take regular breaks or holidays to get him through his most painful periods.
These last few weeks have been particularly difficult and the cold weather and very early starts have not helped.
This has become a big issue for him and he is slowly realizing that he just cannot continue in the same capacity as before.
So its off to see doctors and specialists yet again this week to see what can be done.
Wishing you all a lovely weekend.

The little Princess has turned Legal!

Well the wheel of life turns so quickly and often as the days and months fly past we dont even notice until we see our children walk past one day and think "who is that person and when did they get so grown up?"
And so I found myself celebrating my baby girl's 18th birthday this weekend.
When the bloody hell did that happen?
She is the last little princess I have and she is planning to leave the nest next year to head to University in the big city leaving the colonial backwater of Newcastle far behind.
I fear that she is unprepared for the harshness of city life and I do not want to think about it right now.
The festivities of the coming of age were a quiet affair as she prefers to save her pennies for her end of school year "schoolies" yet another rite of passage that frightens the bejezzels out of me.
Where is that little girl whose every centimeter of skin would be kissed on a daily basis when she was only a wee bub!
She is now all grown up and there is nothing I can do about it.

Its so cool being a LORD!

MILORD in midflight above the glorious Hunter Valley NSW..

Living the life of a Lord

For a brief moment in time the Lord and Lady of the Manor felt quite affluent this week with a few nights out at local restaurants including Spanish Tapas and German homestyle cooking ending in a weekend with the Lord taking a flight in a Albatross jet and going to see RIVERDANCE as they finally finish their world tour.
All of this amazingness makes one quite tired!
I will need a few days at home in front of the tele to bring me back to earth but first I am heading to Melbourne for a few days to do some research and study.
Wow life has been hard to bear ( NOT!!!)
How do the rich and well heeled do this?

ANZAC DAY

We have a very special day coming up in the colonies on April 25th.
Its ANZAC day - a day when we pay our respects to those that have given their lives in the service of defending their country. We should spend time on this day to remember all of those that have fought in any war - there is never a winner in war. In any conflict there are always mothers that lose sons and husbands, children who lose fathers and parents who have to bury their children.
My parents survived WW2. It left scars on them which they somewhat passed on to me by providing an environment which was often fractured, harsh and at times insecure - but they did their best and I survived even though at times I wonder how...and so I know that conflict leaves its mark not only on those that are on the front line but it spreads like a virus to infect everyone that it somes into contact with.
Lest we forget.

Spending time with the Loved Ones

Easter has come and gone and now its back to the business end of the year..it seems to be hoilday mode for the first few months of each year as we get through Christmas and New Year and then Australia has school holidays all January so everyone is just "busy" or "away". Nothing gets achieved in January. Then everyone gears up for school going back and no one has any money and thenbefore we know it its Easter and Easter holidays.
But...in the Daniel Manor I have the Lord at home on holidays and also the Princess who is on school break. So this prolonged hiatus will last for a little longer.
We had huge plans to do lots of gardening and cleaning but as tends to happen when one is on holidays...nothing is getting done.
Oh well..spending time with my family is by far the best so this is what I am enjoying right now.

Easter Happiness is home and family

I really am no longer interested with the basis of Easter holidays and the religious background to this event. I am quite respectful of people's beliefs and I think that the views I heard this morning on a televison program where someone said that if nothing else we should allow Easter to be a catalyst for self renewel and intraspection is enough for me. I spent my early years in church and following the demands of my parent's religion and now no longer wish to do that anymore.
The greatest joy is that I am at the Manor with my nearest and dearest ( accept for a daughter who is in Melbourne ) is the most important aspect of this season.
Getting older ( and wiser ) also allows me to understand that I now have less time to spend and enjoy rather than more time and therefore I want to make each moment precious.
I hope that one day soon I might be able to enjoy grandchildren and be able to shower love and gifts on them.
But for now being at home with the Manor hounds, one who is currently lying in a catatonic state on his back , legs in the air in total bliss on the couch snoring and the other reclining happily on his pillow in the corner of the room as well as my Lord and the Princess both on their laptops and computers just chilling, knowing that bellies are full and we will all sleep soundly in warm comfy beds tonight as well as enjoying some extra chocolate makes me very happy. My wish wish is for world peace of course and world peace needs to start with our own private little worlds.