We had rather a busy weekend! Kirby arrived home from Uni late on Friday evening. We had what she requested for dinner - a steak, tossed salad with cucumber and a big baked spud. Yum!
*
Brianna had her first game of netball for the season on Saturday morning. They wore their new uniforms for the first time and looked really smart. They won their 17/Under game so that was a good start to the season.
*
We then headed off the Mt. Gambier for my brother-in-laws 40th Birthday. I have been battling a red hot sore throat and a cold for about a week so I wasn't in the party mood (unlike some others who shall remain nameless!). There was some hi-jinks in the whirling hot tub later in the evening but we won't go into that eh, Gus?
*
I happened to check my mobile phone at about 8 o'clock and saw several missed calls and 2 messages. Turned out that my eldest brother-in-law (he's 58) had had a heart attack after driving home from shopping in Mt.Gambier with his wife (must have been credit card shock!). Luckily they got him to the hospital in time where they confirmed the heart attack then got him stabilised. He was flown through to Adelaide by Royal Flying Doctor Service that night. He spent yesterday under observation and then today had an angiogram and then a 2.5 inch stent inserted in his right coronary artery to prevent further blockage. Hopefully he will be out of hospital tomorrow but will have to stay in the city until Sunday for further checks before he can come home. Chaz, you are one lucky man! Get well soon, mate!
*
When I got home on Sunday, I did some baking for Kirby. I made some mini quiches for her to freeze and some Weekender Cookies. She bought home a recipe for Pumpkin, sage & ricotta Lasagne so I made that for dinner, with her help. I will post the recipe and some photos separately.
*
Gus mowed all of our lawns, which took a bit seeing they hadn't been mowed for 3 weeks. The evening seemed to drag on because we have reverted back to normal time after Day Light Saving. It always takes me about a week to get used to it. But I love the way it instantly feels like winter is just around the corner. These crisp nights find us rummaging for jumpers and warm socks. I haven't really worn closed toe shoes since about October last year.
*
So that was my weekend. This week will be spent at work, preparing to go away for a couple of weeks. I have to do 3 weeks worth of wages in advance so that tests the brain a bit. Most of my paperwork is up to date so hopefully it will be pretty cruisy.
*
In other domestic news, no only has my dishwasher packed it in again but now my washing machine, which is about 7 years old has decided to chuck in the towel as well. Currently, I am having to advance the timer through the cycles manually so that it washes, drains, fills to rinse, drains again then spins. I have to use my kitchen timer to time the cycles otherwise I find that I leave it spinning for 1/2 an hour or washing for way too long. I priced a new one today and looks like it will be a $900 exercise but I will get a $200 rebate back from KRUDD because it is a 'water saver' model. I priced getting the old machine fixed and that will cost $150 plus freight for the timer and $66 for installation. I think I'd rather put that money towards a new machine.
.....and don't even get me started on that @#$%^*#$%@% dishwasher of mine !!!
*
Cheerfully - Joolz =}
Updated Friday, April 10th - Chas is out of hospital and coming home tomorrow. It is amazing how much a week can make a difference and how quickly the human body can recover from trauma. Taking things slower and with a revised diet , Chas should be fine. Maz reckons it feels like a months has elapsed since last Saturday. It is hard for country people to exist in the city when thrown in at the deep end.
*
Thankfully, Joolz =)
We got home from our 2 weeks away at 5.30pm. It was 11C, the sky dark and menacing and we raced to find our warm socks and jumpers. I haven't had a longsleeved top on since we left on Easter Saturday..and I wore thongs the whole time too!
...do the dishes because that rotten dishwasher of mine is permanently broken because Kleenmaid have gone broke (while the two owners own gazillion dollar mansions on the Gold Coast!..in their wives names!!). Fingers, toes and everything else crossed, we may still be able to source parts from Kleenmaid but I will have to wait maybe 2 months, if they begin to trade again! I have also been left with the warranty repair bills which Kleenmaid should have paid our local electrical guys - $260! Add this to the $259 I paid for a further 5 years Extended Warranty (about 2 minutes before Kleenmaid went bust!) and you can see why my blood pressure is up!
...but I have made progess this morning. Several loads of washing have been done, I've mostly unpacked and put away and the kitchen is gleaming once again.
